How to Immerse Yourself in Spanish While at Home
This year, we’ve stayed home more than ever; what have you had the chance to immerse yourself in?
It is a wonderful opportunity to do the things we didn’t have time for before. I know for me, learning how to play an instrument or learning a new language is always at the top of the list.
The amount of Spanish speakers is increasing rapidly. It’s not only a fascinating language to learn but also one that is becoming more and more useful.
As a Spanish speaker myself, I can tell you that it’s allowed me to talk to people from Mexico to Argentina and many in between. You’d be surprised by how varied the different countries in Latin America are and how incredible it is to explore their culture.
Why Immerse Yourself?
Immersion is instruction based on extensive exposure to surroundings or conditions that are native or pertinent to the object of study. It is especially common for foreign language instruction. Only the language being taught, or the target language, is used.
As a language instructor, I’ve seen that nothing is better for language learning than to fully immerse yourself in it.
It’s wonderful if you can live in a country that speaks the language you want to learn. Yet, nowadays, you can immerse yourself from the comfort of your own home.
The key is to know how and which guidelines to follow so that you can reach all your Spanish-speaking goals.
15 Ways to Immerse Yourself in Spanish
Surround yourself by Spanish in any way that you can. Here are some action points that can help you:
1. Change your phone’s settings to Spanish.
This is a simple and accessible way to practice reading and writing in Spanish. You can even talk to your phone. Why not do it in Spanish and practice more?
2. Explore websites in Spanish
Expand your skills by reading blog posts, ebooks, articles, and essays in Spanish.
3. Read the news in Spanish.
Reading or watching the news is a great way to test your skills and find out what’s happening around the globe. Why not do it in Spanish? CNN en Español is popular among native Spanish speakers.
4. Listen to Spanish podcasts.
I recommend listening to podcasts because you don’t rely on sight to understand what someone is saying. A podcast trains your ear so that you can then produce Spanish more fluently.
5. Watch videos in Spanish.
Netflix has a huge variety of shows and movies in Spanish that can help greatly in your immersion. You can watch all these holiday films in Spanish on Netflix if you’re in the holiday spirit!
Start out with Spanish subtitles, and then move to no subtitles. This will test your abilities and can lead you to speak Spanish like a native speaker.
6. Use reminders in Spanish throughout the day.
Whenever you need to write down a reminder or make a list, try to do it in Spanish. And if you’re not sure how to say a word, look it up. This is how you can broaden your vocabulary and express yourself better in Spanish.
7. Watch movies in Spanish.
There are many fascinating movies in Spanish that can be an excellent way to practice your Spanish and immerse yourself in the language. These are some Spanish movies that can get you started on immersing yourself. And you can watch them with the whole family!
8. Play Spanish video games.
If you enjoy playing video games, then you can take advantage of this opportunity to change the settings of the video games and practice your Spanish!
9. Talk with a language partner.
Finding a partner or friend to learn Spanish with you can be a great way to bond and learn something new together. Just as having a gym partner is very motivating, so is having a language partner. Immerse yourself with a friend and you can have great fun speaking Spanish to each other after class.
10. Post on social media in Spanish.
Create an Instagram account for your Spanish alter ego. This just means following Spanish accounts and learning Spanish content as if you were living abroad. It’s a wonderful way to explore the internet in Spanish.
11. Leer libros.
Reading books that were originally written in Spanish. 100 Años de Soledad is one of my favorites. Don Quijote de la Mancha is a classic book. You can google your favorite books to search for them in Spanish. It’s a fun way to learn!
12. Listen to Spanish music.
Listening to music is one of my favorite pastimes. I love listening to music in languages that I wish to learn. Spanish is a rich language full of different kinds of music. You have samba, salsa, cumbia, and many others!
Search for some Spanish songs on Spotify and you’ll see how many you’ll find.
13. Follow a Spanish recipe.
Following a recipe in the language that you wish to immerse yourself in, is a great way to practice Spanish and cook a delicious meal as an added bonus. It’s a fun way to learn ingredients, food, and drinks that you like in Spanish.
14. Get a Spanish pen pal.
Finding a pen pal has become easier thanks to technology. If you don’t want to write to a stranger, you can do it with a friend or a family member. I remember my grandmother would write me letters when I moved abroad and I cherish them dearly. Correspondence is a wonderful way to practice your Spanish writing skills.
15. Journal in Spanish.
Write about your day and what you saw and thought. All of it in Spanish, of course. Then you’ll find yourself searching for the right Spanish words to use and you’ll be expanding your vocabulary.
Immerse yourself by journaling and you’ll also get to know yourself better. I love to journal. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in your own inner world.
Why Immerse Yourself with a Native Speaker?
There has never been a better time to immerse yourself in Spanish and talk to a native speaker than today. Spanish speakers are friendly and willing to help you reach your Spanish-speaking goals. Online education has become the easiest and fastest way to learn.
From the comfort of home, you can immerse yourself in the wonderful world of Spanish. Learning Spanish with a native speaker is a great way to become fluent and learn Spanish grammar so that you can become a fluent Spanish speaker.
How will you make the most out of your time at home? Have you always wanted to speak Spanish fluently but never had the time? Now is the time. Sign up for a free class and find out why Spanish is becoming so popular.
Looking for more Spanish learning strategies? Check out our latest posts:
- How to Recover Your Spanish Classroom from Summer Slump
- How to Use the Pomodoro Study Technique to Master Spanish Fluency
- Back to School: Setting School Year Goals for Your Spanish Classroom
- Daily Classroom Routines for Teaching Spanish
- Most Common Mistakes in Spanish Pronunciation
- How To Use a Spaced Repetition Schedule To Learn Spanish Faster
- Spanish Lessons for Adults: 10 High-Quality Resources
- Why You’re Not Learning Spanish As a Beginner (And What You Can Do About It)
- 13 Famous Hispanic Women in History Who Made Enormous Impact - October 7, 2021
- 11 Famous Hispanic Scientists Who Changed the Course of History - October 2, 2021
- 9 TV Shows in Spanish to watch on Netflix US - October 1, 2021
