Five things you can do to start learning spanish

Do you feel that you are too old to learn a new language? Do you think that you had to learn a new language when you were a little child? If this is you, I have good news for you! It’s never too late to start learning a second language! Here are five things you can do to start your journey:

1. Desire to learn. This is a necessity. When you really want to learn something, you will put the effort, the time, and the energy into learning. There are many benefits of becoming bilingual. That will be a topic for another post.
2. Practice. This might seem obvious, but it is one of the things that will make a difference in your learning process. I know not everyone can go overseas and learn a new language, but you can look in your community and look for Spanish-speaking groups where you could volunteer and/or work. People like to help others when they are trying to practice and learn their language.
3. Find learning tools. Look for community college classes in person or online. There are many apps out there that have systems in place to help you out too. Some of them are even free! Duolingo and Memrise are some examples.
4. Go to your public library and head to the kids’ section.  Look for picture books in Spanish. Even better, look for fully bilingual books, the ones that have both English and Spanish. They will help you connect the concept with the word and the images.  Here are some books that are fully bilingual. I know there are many more, but here are some that I personally own.
5. Be consistent. Plan in you calendar what days and time you will set apart to learn a new language, in this case Spanish. Make the time and do it.

This is just a basic list of ideas to help you begin your journey of learning Spanish.  I know that it takes years and practice. The only way to speak a language is by speaking, reading and making mistakes. I know you can do it! It is never too late to start!