All language subtitles for TikTok - Make Your Day_3

If you want to learn Spanish on your
own, this video has everything you need,

including the best free tools to help
you develop each of these skills.

Para que, sea cual sea tu nivel actual,
puedas encontrar el camino hacia la

fluidez en español que más te convenga.
Thanks to Unacademy for sponsoring this

video. Let's get started.

Core learning.

If you're just starting to learn
Spanish, or if you feel like you're at

beginner level for whatever reason, it's
important that you build a solid

understanding of the basics.

how to conjugate verbs, how to make
sentences, how to ask questions, etc.,

And to do that, you should use this
textbook or this audio platform.

Complete Spanish Step -by -Step is, in
my opinion, the best textbook for

learners who want to study on their own.
It's easy to understand, it's

comprehensive, and it includes free
audio guides for every lesson. If you're

type of person who likes learning from a
textbook, swing by your library and

pick up a copy. Language Transfer, on
the other hand, is a free audio

and it's a great way to learn the basics
on the go.

This series includes 90 lessons at about
10 minutes each, and each lesson is

presented as a conversation between a
Spanish teacher and a novice student.

a bit like listening in on a private
class, and it's a great introduction to

language for total beginners.

Spanish pronunciation and dialect.

Now, depending on where you go in the
Spanish -speaking world, there are some

variations in vocabulary and
pronunciation.

For instance, you may already be aware
that Castilian Spanish makes use of the

apical S sound, as in the word cereza,
or in Latin America, cereza. And if you

want to learn more about regional
differences in Spanish, you can check

video that compares speakers and
dialects from Spain, Mexico, Colombia,

Argentina. That said, if you're just
starting to learn the language, it's a

idea to master neutral pronunciation.

And this excellent video will help you
master every letter and sound in

Spanish. It's short, it's sweet, and
with a little practice, you'll be

those R's like a pro in no time.

Building vocab.

Of course, one of the pillars of
learning to speak fluent Spanish is

your vocabulary.

So let's talk about how you should do
it. We'll start with the tried and true

flashcards. As you may know, I'm a big
fan of the Anki platform, which is free

on your desktop or through your mobile
browser.

And this series of five Anki decks will
expand your Spanish vocabulary

massively. These decks are all free,
they have native audio spoken by a real

person, and they each include a
staggering 2 ,000 cards. Now, look, I

recommend using any of these decks until
you've got a strong handle on the

basics. And that would mean you've
either completed the language transfer

or made it to at least chapter 10 in
Spanish step by step.

But if you're past that point and you're
a fan of flashcards, by all means, go

for it. If your Spanish is at the
intermediate level, B1 and up, you can

try using the Toucan extension for
Google Chrome. This is a free browser

extension that will automatically
analyze any web page you're looking at

translate a handful. of words into
Spanish.

It's an interesting system because most
of the time you'll be able to figure out

what individual words mean just from
looking at the English context.

But of course, you can also click on a
word to get a definition.

If you're looking for a more casual,
free -form way to boost your vocab, I'd

it's worth trying.

Listening resources.

If you're learning Spanish solo,
listening resources are, in my opinion,

best way to build your skills over time.

They'll help you develop an ear for the
language, and just as importantly,

they'll get you in the habit of
expressing yourself like a native.

And once you've got that core learning
under your belt, podcasts are your best

friend. So what should you be listening
to?

Well, now's the time when you might want
to start leaning into a specific

dialect of Spanish.

They're all mutually intelligible, but
maybe you like the sound of a certain

dialect, or you're planning to travel to
X country, etc., etc.

For the sake of this video, I'm going to
recommend podcasts largely from either

Spain or Mexico.

But there are, of course, plenty of
other options out there. So if you have

recommendations, please leave a comment
and let other viewers know. So at the

beginner level, I recommend Coffee Break
Spanish and Cuéntame.

At this level, the dialect differences
are going to be pretty slight. You're

really going to hear a lot of regional
slang or idioms, so you should really

just pick whichever one you prefer. For
low intermediates, I would suggest

listening to Español con Juan or How to
Spanish.

These are both fully Spanish podcasts,
but they're specifically designed for

learners, so the pace is pretty gentle
and the vocabulary is mainstream.

Upper intermediate learners can also
check out Hoy Hablamos or No Hay Tox,

are similar to the previous offerings,
but they're generally a little faster,

there's more slang, and the hosts
definitely do go off on tangents. Now,

you reach the advanced level, the
Spanish language podcast world is truly

oyster. However, I will recommend three
excellent shows that are all fascinating

for different reasons.

Number one is Radio Ambulante. The host
of this show creates short audio

documentaries about individuals living
all over the Americas.

Argentina, Cuba, Colombia, the USA.

It's an amazing window into different
Latin cultures and a great way to get

familiar with various Spanish dialects.
Number two is Caso 63, which is a

Chilean audio drama about, wait for
it...

Time travel.

It's very fun to listen to, it's
addictive, and if you're at all into sci

you'll love it. And number three is
Nadie Sabe Nada.

And this is an improvised two -man
comedy show from Spain.

It's pretty advanced, but it'll help you
get familiar with more idiomatic

expressions and the Spanish sense of
humor.

Mastering grammar.

As I've mentioned in other videos, you
don't need to go out of your way to

Spanish grammar. If you consistently use
the other resources that I talk about

in this video, you'll naturally
internalize the various rules and

time. That said, it can obviously be
frustrating when a phrase or a sentence

just doesn't make sense.

And when that happens, you should turn
to this video.

That's right, this one video covers more
or less all of Spanish grammar.

tenses, reflexive verbs, direct and
indirect objects, and of course,

favorite, el supuntivo.

Is it the prettiest video on the
internet?

No, but the explanations are fantastic
and streamlined.

And if, for whatever reason, you'd
prefer to consult a book for your

needs, I recommend this one. It's got
everything you need and plenty of

exercises for the grammatical
overachiever. TV shows and movies.

Can watching TV and movies in Spanish
really help you learn the language?

Yes. But I wouldn't recommend relying on
video content to boost your skills

until you reach a relatively advanced
level, B2 or above.

And the key here is that while you're
watching, you should use either no

subtitles or Spanish subtitles, not
English. At this point, you're ready for

immersion and you should be challenging
yourself to make consistent progress.

So what should you watch? Well, your
options are practically limitless.

But I do have three Netflix
recommendations for the undecided.

Casa de Papel. And if you haven't seen
this yet, why are you even here?

Coolest character in the history of
television?

Maybe. Number two, Club de Cuervos. This
is a very funny show about a Mexican

soccer team. If you're a fan of Ted
Lasso, check it out. And finally, number

three, Jugando con Fuego Latino.

And this is basically one of those
absurd reality shows where they stick a

of hot people with zero self -awareness
on an island and then roll the cameras.

It's pretty entertaining and a great way
to get familiar with Spanish slang and

everyday language.

Speaking skills.

What's the best way to improve your
Spanish speaking skills?

Practice. There are no shortcuts, but
there are a handful of ways to get

started. Method one, chatting with AI.

If you haven't yet practiced speaking
Spanish with ChatGPT, it's worth a try.

Download the free app, use the voice -to
-text feature, and simply start making

conversations. This is a good way to get
comfortable making small talk, and you

can also ask the system to point out and
correct your mistakes.

Method two, video chatting.

A much more effective and enjoyable way
to boost your language skills is by

hiring a private tutor through an online
platform like Preply. And if you do a

language exchange with someone who's
learning English, it's totally free. And

finally, method three, in -person
meetups. If you live in the U .S. or a

European city, it's very easy to find in
-person Spanish conversation groups.

You can use a free site like meetup .com
to search for a gathering in your area,

and then all you have to do is show up
and join the conversation.

Reading skills.

Learning to read comfortably in Spanish
will help you develop a true mastery of

the language, and it's a great way to
complement your listening practice.

If you're at the low intermediate level,
I would recommend downloading this free

e -book. It's a collection of children's
stories that you're probably familiar

with, and if you happen to have a
Kindle, you can tap on any words you

know to get an instant definition.

Beyond that, you can also check out Paco
Agde's excellent graded readers.

These are short Spanish novels that are
specifically tailored to learners of a

given level, from A1 all the way up to
C2.

So you can get on that proficiency
ladder and just keep climbing.

And there you have it. Everything you
need to learn Spanish efficiently and

enjoyably. If you have any questions or
comments, please let me know. And as

always, thanks for watching.