Learning Spanish Without Lessons

While it might be easier to learn how to speak Spanish by taking classes or lessons with a qualified instructor, it certainly isn't a necessity. You can learn Spanish without lessons if you know how to use the tools at your disposal.

Television Shows

Even if you don't have cable, you can turn to one of the three or four Spanish stations on your local network and try to pick up what everyone is saying. You can usually use context clues to determine the subject of conversations, especially if you watch talk shows or telenovelas (soap operas). My wife turns to these stations every once in a while for simple amusement, but she's picked up several key Spanish phrases just from five minutes here and ten minutes there.

Radio Stations

You don't have to actively listen to Latino radio stations to learn Spanish without lessons; if you play them in the background, you'll be surprised by what you pick up. Most cities have at least one Spanish radio station, so turn it on while you're doing house work or gardening or even at work. Playing Spanish in the background will allow you to subconsciously pick up words and phrases that will later be remembered when it comes time to really study.

Spanish Songs

You can purchase CDs with Spanish songs and play them over and over again. This has benefits over listening to the radio because you'll actually learn the words to each of the songs. Much of learning Spanish without lessons is keying into auditory and vocal cues that help your memory. When your voice flows along the rhythm of a Spanish song, you'll be literally forcing words out, which helps you remember and will also help with pronunciation.

Write the Language

Pick up a Spanish dictionary, a simple children's book and a notepad so you can start to write the Spanish language. Rather than simply speaking it, writing Spanish engages not only the brain, but also the hand and the eyes, which will help you familiarize yourself with Spanish vocabulary. Even if you're just copying Spanish sentences over and over, it will be beneficial.

Tapes

If you can get your hands on Spanish language tapes, it will be almost as good as taking lessons. Spanish tapes help you learn the language with the benefit of hearing someone else speak the words slowly and correctly. You won't have to filter out the slang and dialect that will get in your way through other media and you can focus on vocabulary and verb usage.