This is another beneficial tool for learning Spanish via video online, with a particular focus on increasing your vocabulary. However, unlike Toucan above, Lingopie has the added bonus of being able to listen to the language being spoken and immerse yourself in the experience of the show. For me, this makes a massive difference, as you aren’t just learning the words as they are written but also seeing how they are used in sentence construction when spoken out loud.
There are over 550-million people who speak Spanish globally, making it one of the best foreign languages to learn for a myriad of reasons. These could include travel, re-locating, making new friends, or enjoying the fantastic music and movies that hail from Spanish-speaking countries.
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Toucan – For reading online while learning Spanish
What I really liked about the platform, and the teachers, was the flexibility. It’s split into the formal levels such as A1, A2 etc., and there are plenty of the same classes to choose from over different days and times, so you aren’t locked into a specific class slot as you might be with a language school, so you have more control. I also loved how the teacher provided the written notes and annotated coursework from each lesson afterwards as a PDF download, so you can keep a copy of what you are learning and working on.
The format follows the instructor teaching a pupil on the recordings, and while that might sound a bit strange at first, it works brilliantly. One of the things I love the most about in-person Spanish learning with a tutor is being able to ask questions, and on Language Transfer, the pupil does ask questions, so I felt through this, I got a bit of a better understanding of the why and rules around Spanish, but also parts of the language to be more aware of making mistakes with.
Are you heading off on a trip soon? When you’ve stacked your phone with the best language learning apps, consider adding some of the best travel apps to better enjoy your travels.
Lingopie – For watching TV while learning Spanish
The course is long and covers a lot, so it’s a really great tool for learning Spanish online across a variety of levels. Using a repetition method and being audio-only, as with Paul Noble, it’s a great choice for listening to in the background while doing other activities and passively learning.
There are countless reasons you might want to learn Spanish online rather than take classes. For some, it may be a matter of cost; for others, it could be simply wanting to master the basics for an upcoming trip, while many might just want to dabble in an easy to access option before signing up in a language school.
Lingopie doesn’t just bring subtitles to 1000s of hours of TV shows and movies, but the subtitles are clickable so that you can pause the show and learn the meaning of any new words while you are watching – you will also be learning the pronunciation from the audio track of the programme. At the end of each episode, you can review the words you clicked on to recap what you have just learned.
I think it goes without saying that you won’t get fluent from using Duolingo, but it’s a great tool to use alongside other learning methods, and the Spanish course is pretty robust. When I first used it for Portuguese, I didn’t love it. Partly because they don’t offer European Portuguese, but also the course isn’t as detailed.
Paul Noble Spanish Audiobook – For learning Spanish on the go
If you would prefer to learn Spanish with an audiobook, then the Paul Noble series for me is the best. I’ve tried various different Spanish lesson audio courses, and this was by far the game-changer for me and the thousands of other people who have given similar reviews.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a list of the best ways to learn Spanish without the inclusion of Duolingo. Certainly, it’s regarded as one of the best apps for learning languages and with good reason.
Again, this isn’t going to get your grammar perfect, but if you just want a basic starting point, or are heading on a trip to a Spanish speaking country, then Paul Noble, I’m sure, will help you achieve your goals. These courses are especially useful for English speakers, as things are explained in terms you will understand – using similar sounding words in English, or highlighting whole sets of words that English has taken from Latin so you only need to change the endings of words to improve your vocabulary volume vastly.
For a more traditional way to learn Spanish online, Lingoda is an online language school marketplace which acts as an alternative to in-person language schools. While, for me, the experience of learning with a teacher in a classroom can’t be rivalled by an online course, I found the few lessons I did with Lingoda very good, and the platform is one of the best online Spanish learning options and has an extensive Spanish course.
Duolingo – For learning Spanish with an app
Hello Talk – Sign up and start chatting today
Lingopie – Sign up for the free trial today
Personally, I found this really useful as when you see the words in the context of whatever you are reading; you can usually work them out straight away. This makes it a very natural way to learn as you are almost learning without realising. While this isn’t going to make you fluent or help too much with grammar, it’s an excellent additional tool for increasing your vocabulary.
Duolingo – Get started learning Spanish online today for free
Lingoda – For online Spanish classes
Without a doubt, the best way to learn spoken Spanish is to do exactly that – speak it! I’m a lover of the Couch Surfing language exchanges, which seem to happen in every major city. However, they often become more of a beer-fuelled travel-story session. Also, if you aren’t travelling in Spain or a Spanish-speaking country, these meetups are impossible to attend.
You can enjoy free group or one-to-one lessons during the trial, so it’s well worth giving Lingoda a try to see if it will support you with learning Spanish online. In addition to the paid classes, the actual class learning material resources and programmes are freely accessible at any time.
Toucan – Install the web browser tool for free
Paul Noble – Browse the Audiobooks available in Spanish(Also available on your favourite app store, like Apple Books)
Language Transfer – For a deeper audio dive into learning Spanish
If you’re looking for a fun way to learn Spanish online, with really very little effort, then Lingopie is a super simple yet genius solution. Imagine watching the original Spanish format of Money Heist (Casa de Papel) and learning while doing so. Yep, this is as easy as watching a TV series or a movie, making it my favourite chill-out learning experience.
For me, initially, it was the first option, and wanting to enrich my travels by being able to communicate the basics better in less touristed spots. However, over time, my love for Spain and the language has grown substantially, and a year after starting to self-study and learn Spanish online, I’ve committed to an in-person language school. Of course, this comes with an increased money and time commitment, so I’m very grateful for the tools I’ve detailed below to allow me to get to this point.
There are plenty of different types of Spanish audiobooks on offer, including those specifically for travel. I combined ‘Learn Spanish with Paul Noble’ and ‘Next steps in Spanish’, and truly, for me, this has been the best Spanish learning audiobook I’ve ever used. For the price, it’s a great affordable investment.
Hello Talk – For a free Spanish language exchange online
Language Transfer – Start the free online Spanish audio course
Whether you want to explore the hidden gems of Spain, head off to explore an authentic side of Mexico City, or are even considering moving to one of the many Spanish speaking countries, I hope these resources will help you (as they did me) on your journey to speak Spanish.
However, the Spanish version is much longer, and the accompanying podcasts, audio lessons, and stories make a big difference. If nothing else, it’s a free app to have on your phone, and if you do like me and cut out Instagram for a month and spend that time on Duolingo instead, you’ll quickly pick up some new phrases and words.