10 Tips To Make Reading in Spanish Easier for You!
Reading in Spanish is educational, entertaining, and even soothing! Another perk it’s that it’s proven to enhance language learning and fluency.
Language learners need to find the best way to learn Spanish reading that adapts to their needs and abilities.
If you’re a beginner Spanish learner and you’re set on cultivating healthy reading habits, I’ve prepared a list of the best tips and resources to make it happen.
Keep reading for 10 Tips to Make Reading in Spanish Easier for You!
Reading in Spanish Is Fundamental
When you learn Spanish reading, you elevate your language skills to a whole new level.
The Spanish language is responsible for exciting and captivating novels and books. Reading is also a habit you can enjoy pretty much anywhere and in your free time.
Reading in Spanish supports language learning because you are exposed to native vocabulary and idiomatic words. This enables you to use such expressions intuitively and naturally.
You become more confident when it comes to conversation because reading also improves your pronunciation. Additionally, you learn how to contextualize and interpret situations in another language.
By strengthening reading comprehension, you’re guaranteed to see exceptional results as you advance in your Spanish studies.
Learn Spanish Reading With 10 Easy Tips
Let’s examine this list of fun, engaging, and practical tips to learn Spanish reading for beginners.
1. Don’t Start With Advanced Titles
If you’re a beginner Spanish student, you should begin with a book according to your capacity. Pick short stories, poetry, and small books to start off and learn reading in Spanish.
Picking up a book like Don Quixote or the classics of Gabriel García Marquez is way ahead of your level and that’s perfectly fine. You’ll be able to tackle these classics as you move forward. Starting small keeps you motivated to learn Spanish reading.
Spanish short stories have captivating plots and are easy to transition. Give it a shot and try this list of 10 Websites Offering Short Stories in Spanish for Beginners.
2. Re-read your English Favorites in Spanish
If you have a favorite English book that was difficult to put down, make sure to add it to your list to learn Spanish reading.
You’re already familiarized with the plot, the characters, and the whole storyline. This is bound to simplify your reading comprehension in Spanish. If you’re confused with a portion in Spanish, you can always come back to the English version to get back on track.
Some English books come with parallel text you can use to learn reading in Spanish and compare as you go.
Here’s a list of 15 Free Bilingual Books in Spanish and English Online for you to choose from. Although some may be more advanced, having bilingual text is a great way to support your comprehension.
3. Give Audiobooks a Chance
If you have the opportunity of getting your hands on a written Spanish title with a Spanish audiobook, you’re bound to improve your pronunciation and listening skills.
Audiobooks have the capacity of setting a mood and atmosphere according to the narrative. Listening to a native speaker as you read in Spanish simultaneously allows you to pick up on how to pronounce vocabulary and use words accordingly.
This ultimately improves your conversation skills and allows you to advance seamlessly through novels and other genres.
Draw inspiration from this list of 22 Spanish Audiobooks with Text That Delight and Entertain Every Learner.
4. Highlight and Underline
Highlighting and underlining key points in any type of text is fantastic support for Spanish reading comprehension.
Maybe there’s a part of the written narrative that caught your attention and you’d like to research more about it.
If there’s words you don’t fully comprehend, highlighting them allows you to come back and do further research.
If writing side notes is possible in your book or chosen text, you can write down Spanish synonyms, cognates, and even pronunciation tips.
Kindle books have the option of highlighting eBooks from Amazon. You can also use an app like Instapaper for web articles and Polar.
5. Track Your Progress and Set Reading Goals
Setting goals when reading in Spanish enables you to be consistent and make it a habit.
You can set a goal based on page count, word count, or if you’re more ambitious, title count per month! Top this off by creating spreadsheets as a reading log.
You can add specific dates and reading times. If you’re reading Spanish articles, magazines, or comic books; you can use a timer to measure the amount of time it takes you to go through the text. Keeping track is ideal for you to be aware of how fast and efficiently you learn Spanish reading.
Start to track your progress with this list of the 15 Best Spanish Comics to Read Online.
6. Re-read and Answer Questions
Try to actively read and re-read the same section at least a few times. This helps you fully grasp the narrative and concentrate on those parts you might have trouble understanding at first read.
Going back is perfectly normal in any language. It ensures you’re able to understand what the text is communicating and even analyze the Spanish grammar used in context.
Some books come with reading comprehension questions. You might need to go back to the text in order to answer these, however it’s proof you’re concentrating and actually understanding the flow and storyline of the text.
Here’s a useful set of Spanish Reading Comprehension Text and Questions for you to practice.
7. Go to the Library and Quiet Areas
Choose a relaxing and distraction free environment as a nook to learn Spanish reading. A library, botanic garden, or spa are stress-free environments where you can disconnect and dive deep into reading in Spanish.
Being in a quiet atmosphere allows you to dive deep into the reading material and pay close attention to it. Surrounding yourself with other readers can also inspire you and keep you engaged.
Discover magnificent reading sanctuaries in this captivating list with the 10 Most Exquisite Libraries in Mexico for Book Lovers.
8. Join a Book Club
Book clubs connect you to unique titles and stories you might not discover on your own. They create a space for discussion where you can connect with other learners and find common ground.
Book clubs are ideal for motivation and make the reading in Spanish experience more enjoyable and dynamic.
Your local library probably has a book club you can join. There are other online alternatives where Spanish readers connect through virtual platforms and support each other.
Try apps like Meetup or Clubhouse for finding and connecting with other people who want to perfect and learn Spanish reading.
9. Get Support From a Dictionary
When you’re reading in Spanish you’re set to find words that don’t have an English counterpart easy to identify.
Having an English-Spanish dictionary speeds up your reading process. You’re able to look up those words and expressions you can’t understand right on the spot. This ultimately expands your vocabulary and knowledge of Spanish grammar.
You can use the Real Academia Española (Royal Spanish Academy) dictionary. It’s constantly updated and collects the lexicon of Latin American Spanish-speaking countries and Spain.
10. Enjoy and Make the Most of Your Reading Time
Learning Spanish is meant to be fun and amusing. At no point should you feel pressured to read a book that doesn’t interest you. You should feel compelled to keep reading and also to stay engaged.
Make sure to read titles that appeal to you and your reading style. Spanish offers a wide selection of romance novels, sci-fi, young adult, thrillers, fantasy, and much more for you to choose from.
Make the most of your free time and even your trips to dreamland with this fascinating blog post on How to Learn Spanish in Your Sleep.
Learn Spanish Reading With Support From a Native Speaker
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Our team of professionals is eager to support you in your Spanish journey with new vocabulary and complex grammar lessons. They are capable of fast-tracking your fluency and boosting your confidence as a Spanish speaker.
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