The Best Comics in Spanish for Language Learners
Comics are one of the most entertaining and fun ways to learn Spanish!
Through the illustrations, stories, colors, and vivid characters, you can reinforce what you have learned, and you will be able to broaden your vocabulary.
Reading books in Spanish, such as novels or poetry, undoubtedly helps you consolidate your learning process. But, in fact, creativity and imagination are great learning tools!
But don’t leave comics aside!
Comic books, graphic novels, and comic strips in Spanish are excellent tools! Because of their relaxed and casual tone and cool drawings, they’re perfect for beginners but can help even a seasoned pro.
So, keep reading to learn about the benefits of using comics to learn Spanish. Also, we’ve added some famous comics in Spanish that you will surely like to add to your library.
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Benefits of Using Spanish Language Comics
We all need humor and adventure in our lives.
Although we can laugh and get emotional with movies and tv shows, comic books can also provoke us through visual art and snappy dialogues.
But what about language learning?
Just like with any other technique, comics can help you strengthen the skills you’re working on.
Easy as that.
But first, let’s get rid of a harmful stereotype. Comics are not just for kids. We can learn history and current news with them, and there are even sci-fi comic books.
Just imagine reading about the Vietnam War through the eyes of a refugee. It’s not all just superhero capes and silly jokes.
So, in addition to being a great aid to your language-learning process, you can also learn about other people’s cultures, develop empathy, and practice your critical thinking.
And just because some touch on serious subjects doesn’t mean they’re not fun.
Also, comics and graphic novels are easy to read. You can read through a 100-page graphic novel in no time or spend a few minutes reading a comic strip.
As we mentioned, these are perfect for beginners. If you have difficulty with the dialogue, the images can help you understand what’s happening on the panel.
Additionally, these books can help people of any age!
As All Language Resources points out, comics won’t teach you grammar rules or complex language lessons. So you should use this as an extra activity to complement your formal classes.
We recommend: 8 Free Bilingual Spanish-English Books Online
Comic Books, Comic Strips, and Graphic Novels to Learn Spanish
You already know the benefits and how efficient comics can be for learning Spanish.
Now we’d like to share some of our favorites; we also divided our recs for beginners, intermediate, and advanced learners.
Let’s get started!
Garfield– Beginners
Good old Garfield!
This is one of the most famous comics in the world. Many of us first Garfield in the newspapers, but did you know there are even books with hundreds of pages of our furry friend?
For the inexperienced, Garfield is about a sarcastic cat who loves lasagna and hates Mondays.
In the comic strips, you’ll see what life is like for Garfield, Odie the dog, and Jon, the owner of both.
We recommend it for those in their beginner stage since they’re short comics with a distinct and fun sense of humor.
In addition, the drawings are simple, and readers will easily associate them with the words on the page.
No es invierno – It’s not winter
Tampoco es verano – It’s not summer either
Necesito más ropa – I need more clothes
Read also: 12 Beginner Spanish Books for Middle School and High School
Macanudo – Beginners and Intermediate
Macanudo comic strips are published by the Argentine illustrator Ricardo Siri, better known as Liniers.
In Macanudo, you will find tiny stories with fresh and innocent humor that children and adults can enjoy.
In addition, the Liniers comics are filled with quirky characters who go on many strange and funny adventures and with whom you will easily identify.
Macanudo lovers enjoy Enriqueta, a girl in a blue dress who loves to read books, go outside, and often gets lost in her imagination. Often we see her with her cat Fellini and a teddy bear named Madariaga.
Since Liniers is Argentine, sometimes you might need to know some of Argentine history or context.
But most of the time, anyone can easily understand them.
Follow Liniers on his Instagram account to read and enjoy his comic strips.
¿Vamos a jugar? – Let’s play?
Cuando termine el libro – When I finish the book
¿Qué estás leyendo? – What are you reading?
“La historia sin fin” – The Never Ending Story
Condorito – Intermediate and Advanced
Condorito is one of Chile’s finest exports. People across Latin America are familiar with and love this “little condor.”
First published in 1949, Condorito is about an anthropomorphized condor who gets himself into lots of unusual situations.
Expect lots of jokes, sarcasm, and embarrassing and funny situations here.
The texts in Condorito are a little longer than in other comic strips, and the topics are mature and adult-oriented, so we recommend it for intermediate or advanced learners.
Also, adults and young adults will appreciate them more.
Calle – Street
Una limosnita por amor a Dios – A little alms for the love of God
Ni se lo sueñe, hombrecito – Don’t even think about it, little man
¡Jamás le doy dinero a los que piden en la calle! – I never give money to the people in the street
¿De verdad? – Really?
Entonces… ¡Aquí tiene mi dirección para que la lleve a mi casa! – So… Here’s my address to take it to my house!
Asterix el Galo – Advanced
Asterix the Gaul is a French comic series created by René Goscinny and cartoonist Albert Uderzo.
It debuted in 1959 in Pilote magazine, and people have even made movies about it!
Here we follow the adventures of the Gallic soldiers Asterix and Obelix, who, together with their dog Ideafix, and a bit of magic, fight against the Republic of Rome.
In Asterix the Gaul, you’ll find bright colors and unique characters. The pair will make you laugh, and we bet you might actually worry about their safety!
Due to their mature vocabulary, dry humor, and long storylines, these are perfect for advanced learners. However, children and teenagers can also enjoy them.
Also, if you like them, you can find lots of animated movies, live-action films, and even video games made about them.
¡Esto no quedará así; por Júpiter! – This will not stay as it is; by Jupiter!
¡Vamos, lucha! ¡Te desafío! ¡Te demostraré que soy el mejor! ¡Vamos gordito! – Come on, fight! I challenge you! I’ll show you that I’m the best! Come on, chubby!
¡Yo, no soy gordito! – I’m not chubby!
Persépolis – Beginning and Intermediate
Persépolis 1 and 2, written by Marjane Satrapi, are considered classics. Marjane wrote them in French, but they’re also available in Spanish.
Here you’ll learn about the Iranian Islamic Revolution through the eyes of a girl named Marjane, yes, like the author.
This autobiography lets us see the profound change that young Marjane went through as a child, teenager, and adult following the revolution. We also see how this important event altered her family’s story forever.
People of all ages can enjoy it. Though sometimes we get a glimpse of political commentary, anyone can easily relate to Marjane and her story.
The dialogues on Persepolis are easy to follow, and the art is just gorgeous.
Nimona – Advanced
As mentioned, you will find non-fiction or fictional stories here based on real events.
But Nimona is the opposite.
This graphic novel was published in 2015 and will take you across magical kingdoms filled with knights, kings, and queens.
Nimona, the main character, teams up with the villain to fight against the hero Pieldorado.
Quite a twist, huh?
Because it’s a dark story with many battle scenes, blood, and gore, we recommend this book for young adults with an advanced level of Spanish.
No kids, please.
With Nimona, you can learn words often used in fantasy and sci-fi stories.
Here you’ll also find unique idioms used in Spain, innocent jokes, and naive but sarcastic jokes that will add to your Spanish vocabulary.
We’re sure that you will be fascinated by the colors and the art of the illustrations!
Remember that you can get the best out of every tool you use to learn Spanish.
So here we will list a series of tips for using comic strips, comic books, and graphic novels to develop your bilingual skills.
- There are many comics, so pick one you like; it’ll make a big difference in your learning process.
- Consider the level of difficulty. Look for information regarding the book, the type of language, levels, and ages.
- Remember that not all the jokes and words you read in comics come from real conversations. Search the internet for references on how to use them before you make a mistake.
- Write down memorable quotes. This will help you remember them more easily, and you can also use them with friends or on social media.
- Write reviews of the books you read! This is a great way to practice your Spanish and your writing skills!
- Write alternative endings and additional chapters or scenes to the story to spark your creativity, and, again, practice your Spanish writing skills.
- Talk to other people learning Spanish and start a book club. Just imagine: you are sitting in your living room with other people who love reading graphic novels and are learning Spanish. This can keep you motivated and help you with your speaking skills.
- If you’re reading a graphic memoir or a graphic novel based on true events, search on the internet to learn more details about what happened and talk about it with your friends and family.
You should also read: 20 Free Spanish Books, Novels, and Stories in PDF and Printables
Use Comics to Have Fun and Improve Your Spanish!
Have you decided which comic you’ll read first?
These materials are excellent for complementing your Spanish lessons and boosting your learning.
With comics, you will develop verbal skills, reinforce spelling, grammar, and writing skills, and might even learn how to use onomatopoeias in Spanish, such as ¡Ah!, ¡Zas!, ¡Paff! ¡Uf!
Do not hesitate to immerse yourself in the world of comics.
We’re sure you’ll enjoy the unique artwork and inventive storylines. Who knows, maybe you’ll become a comic book aficionado!
Remember, Spanish-speaking teachers are always great at helping you reach your learning goals. However, learning a new language with comic books would be very hard.
But fear not!
We at Homeschool Spanish Academy are ready to help you learn this beautiful language and achieve your goals.
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