4 Ways to Fine Tune Your Listening Skills in Spanish
If you have been studying Spanish for a while, it is normal to reach a plateau in your learning at some point. However, for advanced speakers who are looking to perfect their Spanish, there are many ways you can continue to improve.
Today we're going to share some of our top ideas for continuing to immerse yourself in the Spanish language. We'll focus on listening practice in this article, but you can find tips for speaking in our other posts.
1. Watch TV and movies
With the popularity of streaming services such as Netflix, we are now exposed to a world of TV and movies. Try searching for Spanish series or movies that are about topics you enjoy, whether that is crime, comedy or travel.
Here are some great options:
- Money Heist (La Casa de Papel)
- The Ministry of Time (El Ministerio del Tiempo)
- Club de Cuervos
2. Listen to music
Listening to songs in Spanish can help you quickly improve your vocabulary and grammar. More importantly, they can help you become more familiar with flow of the language.
Songs are unique as they can be catchy and fun, which can help with memorization and makes learning less daunting. For example, the song Despacito by Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi was a global sensation at its peak in 2017. Its music video has amassed around eight billion views and remains the most liked video on YouTube.
We suggest you use a site like YouTube to stream music. You'll find something to suit your tastes in Spanish regardless of whether you prefer pop, rock or dance music.
3. Start listening to podcasts
Podcasts are one of our favorite mediums for advanced learners to perfect their Spanish. They are so convenient for listening to on commutes or around the house. With podcasts, you can decrease or increase the speed to challenge yourself with your learning.
Apple Podcasts has a huge variety to choose from when it comes to practicing your Spanish. You don't even need an iPhone give it a try:
It's a good idea to get a good grasp of Spanish before listening to podcasts, as Spanish speakers tend to speak quickly. However, you can still listen along to get a feel for the flow of spoken Spanish.
4. Talk to natives
If you have the chance to talk to a native Spanish speaker, this is going to be the quickest and most effective way to improve your language skills. See if you can find a native speaker offering conversation practice in your area, and you'll notice an improvement in no time.
While learning by yourself can get you to a certain level with a language, the final step to becoming fluent is to continually listen and talk to Spanish speakers. If you get the opportunity, travel to a Spanish speaking country, and take a week or two to only speak their language. Following Spanish speakers on social media is also another great idea. You will be immersed in their content and language every time you check your accounts.
If you'd like to meet people to practice with, check out Tandem.
Next steps
These are just a few ideas to help you perfect your Spanish. Good luck with whichever method you choose. We hope you will continue to enjoy immersing yourself in this beautiful language.