5 Ways to Incorporate Spanish Into Your Everyday Life
Classes are great, but what we do beyond our lessons is a big part of retaining new information. Students need ways to keep up with their Spanish and should be able to enjoy doing so outside the classroom. So, what are the best ways to practice new language skills and make it fun? Here are 5 favorite ways ways to incorporate Spanish into your everyday life.
1. Listen to Music
Music in Spanish is as varied and as easy to find as any music in English. Here are a couple to start with.
If you love to dance, try “Él Matador” from Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. Hailing from Buenos Aires, the band is a remnant of nineties ska and a ton of fun. The big, stomping beat will have you singing along before you know it.
A more romantic and haunting song is “Olvido” by Amaral. The video includes the lyrics and the pace is a bit slower. It will be your new favorite Spanish song by the time you get to the end.
2. Watch a Movie
Like music, movies in Spanish offer a lot of options no matter what genre you prefer.
For romantic comedy fans, check out the stunningly beautiful Happy Times. This Spanish film is a hard but hilarious look at how we avoid break ups. You’ll laugh until you cry.
Love science fiction? Check out Eva, a look at artificial intelligence and family that will captivate you. The story of a robotics engineer using his own niece as inspiration for a child robot takes some surprising twists.
3. Read a Graphic Novel
Reading a graphic novel is a great way to help you understand a story in Spanish. The pictures make reading less intimidating and help you understand new words with visual clues.
Dora by Ignacio Minaverry is a great book about a young spy travelling through Europe and Argentina during the 1960’s. Main character Dora hunts Nazi’s and fights for justice while the setting is historically accurate and helps clarify this intense time.
If you love the Walking Dead franchise, try the Spanish edition of the comic book by Robert Kirkman. All the twists, turns and horrible zombies are there and offer a unique way to incorporate Spanish into your life.
4. Follow a YouTube Celebrity
YouTube in Spanish can be great because it’s relatable and it lets you inside the life and home of a broadcaster. Best of all, they’re light and funny.
Up your style game with Yuya, a YouTuber with millions of subscribers who watch her laugh with her friends, style her hair and randomly break into song. She wants to make you look great with some simple tips and have a fabulous day.
Want to do some baking in Spanish? Check out Mis Pastelitos, a fun and high energy food show that appeals to all ages. Here is a video about how to make no-bake brownies inspired by the show Adventure Time.
5. Get on Netflix
Netflix, the website that offers endless movies and TV shows without commercials, is also a great place to practice your Spanish. There are some great new programs out this year to keep you glued to the screen.
Fans of past shows Lost or Alias will love El Internado, a suspenseful show about a boarding school. The story includes touches of the supernatural and a little romance.
El Tiempo Entre Costuras, a show about the Spanish civil war, is a vacation inside your screen. Set in beautiful places like Morocco and Portugal, it takes advantage of the settings to leave you feeling swoon.
There are many other ways to incorporate Spanish into your daily life. What else have you tried? Share with the HSA community in the comments below!
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