Learning a new language is fascinating. A new world starts to open up as soon as you take your first step. You can feel it immediately, can’t you? All the excitement that this new adventure brings bursts from within.

However, as nice as it may seem, it can be daunting, too. There are so many things to take in and it’s not always easy to decide which path to take. It’s for this reason that understanding the importance of learning to learn is of the essence.

Excuse me, Matías, have you said ‘learn to learn’? Exactly! You have to test different ways and find the one that works best for you.

There is an Argentinian singer, Fito Páez, who has a song called “Es sólo una cuestión de actitud” (it’s only a matter of attitude) and that’s a very suitable summary of what it takes to make progress in language learning once you get started. Beyond that point, es pura actitud. Not giving up, weathering the storm.

There are two very important questions to answer:

With a clear reason to learn and a good idea of the time available, you should take responsibility for your language learning process straightaway.

First of all, assign the time Spanish deserves in your schedule. If you use Google Calendar, assign a 30- minute slot to expose yourself to Spanish radiation during that time period, and try not to miss it.

During your practice you can revise your class notes/material, make lists of words you already know, study grammar topics, do some online practice, get authentic input (be it an article, a video, etc.)

I would like to stress the importance of input —it’s an essential part of the equation. Repeat, mimic, imitate what you hear.

Make the most out of every word you learn. Language learning is a fertile soil for metaphors. Let’s go with a cooking metaphor, then. Potatoes. You can eat them in virtually any imaginable way (except raw, of course). The treat-new-vocabulary-as-a-potato principle should be applied to every new word. Think all the different ways and in all the different situations where you could be using new words or phrases you learn.

I’m here if you need help!

Happy Spanish learning,