The advantages of learning Spanish online are numerous. It can be fun, creative, personalized, and at your own pace. There are many different ways to learn Spanish online since it is the 4th most spoken language.
There is an ongoing debate on whether online learning can replace physical classes, so what is the best way to learn Spanish?
We would say that there is no best way to learn Spanish. It’s all based on our preferences and needs, so it is not unusual that some people favor learning online and some in physical classes. Some people prefer a tutor, and some people like to read up and learn by themselves.
In this article, we will focus on the advantages of learning Spanish online.
And there is a ton of them!
In the era of technology, learning a language has never been easier. Still, finding the right educational resource is not as easy. That is why we decided to make a list of some of the best ways to learn Spanish.
It’s hard enough to decide to start learning a new language, so we wanted to make it easier for you to decide on where to learn Spanish online.
What will you find on this list?
We tried to cover the best free Spanish programs and resources, but we also included some that require payment for those willing to go a step further.
We put together some web places where you can take a free Spanish test online, some other places to learn business Spanish from, some for those seeking advanced Spanish lessons online, and some for beginners.
All in all, we tried to be as creative as we could, so we hope you enjoy our list. We also hope that this list will help you find the best online platform to learn Spanish for your preferences.
Enjoy!
Online classes for homeschoolers
One of the best ways to learn Spanish on your own is to start with online courses. If you are a beginner, online courses are the best starting point as you will probably need someone to direct you and teach you the basics.
Every language has its learning gradient, so having a structured course will help you organize and learn one step after another.
Best online platform to learn Spanish
Where to find online Spanish courses?
edX
edX is a platform with lots of different courses accessible to anybody who signs up. The best thing is that most of them are free of charge if you are not after a certificate. If you want a certificate, you can upgrade your course attendance with a payment, but that is totally up to you.
This platform doesn’t have the richest course library, though. However, most of the courses are made and held by university professors, so you know that the content is legitimate and worthy.
Udemy
Udemy is another online course platform similar to edX but with a much bigger course library. It is fairly popular, so you have probably heard of it. The only downside is that the platform charges for most courses.
But, don’t worry. Udemy also has frequent specials and discounts. You will find an abundance of courses for no more than 10 or 20 euros.
Coursera
Coursera is yet another huge platform for online courses. It has a lot of content, both free and charged. If you search for a “Spanish course” in their search bar, you will find more than 900 results.
Lengalia
Lengalia is a platform focused exclusively on Spanish language courses. For only $29.99 a month, you get access to tutors that can help you with your learning.
It has a great structure, but it is the best for grammar and not as much for the conversational part. At Lengalia, you can do a free Spanish test online so you can check your level and plan accordingly.
Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone is a well-known, long-existing language school.
How hard is it to learn with Rosetta Stone?
It is easy-peasy. The educational methods of Rosetta Stone are similar to those in Duolingo.
But, how fast can you learn Spanish using Rosetta Stone?
Well, not very fast. The lessons are slow and repetitive, so it is not for you if your goal is to learn Spanish fast. The course is well-organized and free of charge for students.
The learning focus is on pronunciation and writing.
Our recommendation
edX – Basic Spanish is a course we highly recommend if you are a beginner. It is created by the Polytechnic University of Valencia, and it is designed for English speakers. It is approximated to the seven-week learning journey, and it is free of charge.
If you decide you would also like a certificate, you can purchase it for $40.
edX – Basic Spanish has a nice balance between English and Spanish. When instructing, the teachers provide a smooth, graduated transfer from English to Spanish as you level up.
The focus is on the conversational and social skills you would need if you went to Spain. Examples are up-to-date and creative. You can take the course at your own pace, which is awesome!
You can check out this course by clicking the picture below. Explore the content, and decide if it is the right content for you (Just type Basic Spanish 1 in the search bar).
When you finish Basic Spanish 1, there are also 2 and 3.
In our opinion, it is one of the best online Spanish certificate programs for beginners.
Conclusion
Online courses are great because usually they are pre-recorded so, you can go at your own pace. They mainly consist of video lectures, homework, and exercises that guide you through the learning process.
Another good thing is that you can often skip lectures that you are familiar with, and you can always go back to the ones you had a hard time understanding.
Most of the platforms that offer courses require a payment, but mostly you are paying for a certificate. If you are not in it for the diploma, you can take courses for free. In the end, if you change your mind, you can pay and acquire the certificate.
Online platforms for learning Spanish
In our personal opinion, this is the fastest way to learn Spanish. There are a lot of different types of online platforms to choose from. Some of them are good for practicing speaking and conversation, where others are more suitable for developing your grammar and writing skills.
These websites will have educational materials and opportunities that are not organized like courses but are in a form of free exploration, tests, exercises, etc.
Online platforms like these are convenient for intermediate-level learners to find specific content; or for beginners as a complementary resource.
Where to find good online platforms for learning Spanish?
ProfeDeELE
ProfeDeELE is an amazing platform for both students and teachers. It can offer a lot of different materials for all the levels between A1 and C2. The website has a nice-looking interface, easy exploration and navigation, and loads of learning media types.
StudySpanish.com
StudySpanish.com offers exercises of pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and use of verbs. It is structured progressively from less to more complex content. The website is in English, so beginners can easily use it. They also offer courses.
SpanishDict
SpanishDict is one of the most popular language “tools” for both English speakers learning Spanish and Spanish speakers learning English. It is an online dictionary with creative exercises, flashcard vocabulary learning, verbs, conjugations, translating tools, etc. It has an easy, modern, and manageable interface.
Lingolia
Lingolia.com is another website with grammar and vocabulary tips. It is well-organized, but you need to know the basics to get around the website.
italki
italki is a special-category platform that does not fully belong to the above category. However, many people would agree it is the best platform to learn Spanish online.
It focuses on talking to native speakers. You pay for a class and choose to either talk to certified teachers or to natives that would like to help you improve speaking.
It’s an online platform that connects learners and tutors.
Our recommendation
These resources are great if you are an intermediate learner. With that in mind, we would recommend italki as our personal choice.
italki can be very helpful if you need pronunciation and speaking practice.
Feel free to use our registration link by clicking on the image below and earn yourself a $10 italki credits gift on your first purchase.
We are affiliate partners with italki, and we will receive a small commission for any purchases made through this link.
If you are looking to find out more about why is the italki the best platform to learn Spanish online, we wrote a separate article just on that topic! We have also included our personal experience!
Conclusion
Pun alert!! – All these online platforms are awesome to add as “side dishes” to your Spanish learning main course!
YouTube channels
Some of the options we covered so far require payments. If that is not right for you, and you don’t want to spend money on courses and certificates, then YouTube is a perfect choice. It is the best way to learn Spanish for free. Why is that?
There are amazing people on YouTube that love to share their knowledge of the Spanish language. YouTube is a great place because it is like a mix of classic courses, tutoring, and explorative materials.
Some YouTubers make videos with certain language tips with no specific order, like in those online platforms we talked about. Others have a structured playlist that follows the learning journey, similar to courses.
Even though you don’t have a personal tutor and a real interaction with the Youtuber, most of them are willing to answer the questions you write in the comments.
Where to find quality YouTube channels for learning Spanish?
We selected some of the best YouTube channels for learning Spanish, so if you are ready to learn Spanish for free, YouTube is waiting for you!
Butterfly Spanish
Butterfly Spanish is a popular YouTube channel by a lovely lady Ana that is ongoing since 2013. In her channel, you can find both playlist videos that you can follow to learn from ground zero as well as videos about specific verbs, mistakes, rules, etc.
The Youtube community loves her! All her work is free of charge, and she only earns by donations.
Easy Spanish
It is one of the channels from the series Easy Languages. It may not be the best channel if you are dedicated and serious about learning and mastering Spanish.
Their content is more fun, everyday content to get to know the Spanish people, the culture, the habits, etc. The videos are fun, different, and we would suggest them to an intermediate learner.
Spanish with Vicente
It is a channel made by a Spanish teacher who, besides his job, gives free classes on YouTube. His lessons are very well-organized. He also put up videos to follow and learn step by step and videos that show some specific interesting parts of Spanish everyday life.
Spanish con Juan
This is another highly respected channel for learning Spanish. Juan is very detailed and has a good manner of explaining. On top of that, he is very approachable, reads the comments, and responds to his subscribers.
Our recommendation
Our personal preference and what we consider the best YouTube channel for Spanish learning is Butterfly Spanish.
Ana is so charming; she makes any lesson fun and light. She narrates and teaches in English, throwing in Spanish words here and there, so it is easy to follow if you are a beginner. Most of her content is focused on basic Spanish, but you can also find videos for intermediate and advanced learners.
She always teaches with a big smile on her face and adds charming humor to her lessons, making it very pleasant to learn from her.
Another reason that we consider Butterfly Spanish the best YouTube channel for Spanish learning is her easy explanatory technique. She gives relatable and memorable examples that make the words stick to your mind.
Overall review
YouTube is always a good option, especially if you are looking for the best way to learn Spanish on your own.
There are tons of channels, and it is up to your preference and vibe which one will suit you the best. We think these 4 are the best YouTube channels to learn Spanish from, and since they differ a lot from one another, we think you will find what suits you.
Podcasts
Podcasts are getting more and more popular every day, and there is no surprise in that.
A few months ago, I watched a YouTube video by Nathaniel Drew where he explained how he had learned Italian in only seven days.
Nathaniel had many suggestions, but the one particular piece of advice that got to me was about podcasts. He said that he started listening to Italian podcasts every morning while jogging and that it helped him a lot.
Also, he noted that the first few days, it was hard to understand much, but after a few days, he played the podcast, and suddenly it was a lot easier for him to understand it. I guess that is similar to what happens to people who move to another state.
They say the first month you have a headache, and after that first month, you are on fire. Of course, you are not fluent, but you can understand all the necessary info you need for the day, and day after day, you are building your knowledge.
This did happen to me in Spain, but I cannot make assumptions because I already knew some Spanish when I moved there.
So, all taken to mind, podcasts are a great learning tool for anybody. The thing about them is to be consistent and not to give up. You will see for yourself – one day you wake up, and you will have that boom of knowledge.
Where to find good podcasts?
SpanishPod101
This podcast you can find on YouTube. It is one of the most popular Spanish learning podcasts, and it has a lot of firsthand tips. Not only that, but SpanishPod also has a bunch of topics connected to the culture and traditions, so you have multiple options to focus on based on your needs.
Duolingo
Duolingo Podcast is a good option for a beginner who wants to learn to speak and understand faster. Since Duolingo has a slow and repetitive program, this podcast is a great side resource that you can use with the course. It has short, engaging stories, like children’s stories, that have a flow but are easy to understand. It is not for full beginners, but for A2 level students, it can be a good practice.
News in Slow Spanish
News in Slow Spanish is a great idea with an even better result. This podcast offers you actual stories around the Spanish-speaking countries but told in slow Spanish, so beginner learners and non-natives can understand it.
It is a great way to learn about the people, customs, and culture while learning the language. Another amazing thing is that you can choose between Spain’s Spanish-speaking show and Latin America’s Spanish-speaking show.
Nomadas
This is a great podcast for advanced learners. Every show represents a trip to a different part of the world and revolves around it. It’s super fun, but to understand it, you need a more advanced level of knowledge.
Our recommendation
SpanishPod101 and News in Slow Spanish will give you enough theme and material coverage to get used to the language. You can subscribe to SpanishPod on YouTube and watch videos, comment, and meet other learners.
With Slow Spanish, you will be up-to-date with current events in the Hispanic world, and that will make your connection to the Spanish language meaningful.
Overall review
Podcasts are great because you can slowly accommodate your ears to the sound of the tongue, and once you get a grip of it, it will be easier to build vocabulary and learn grammar.
Another great thing about podcasts is that you only need your ears for them. This means that you can do other things like jogging (like Nathaniel Drew), washing dishes, training, or just sipping your coffee on the terrace and gazing at the streets.
Podcasts may not be the perfect solution for a beginner to restrict themselves only to podcasts as a learning tool. They are great as an extra resource while learning a new language.
Books (E-books)
For those a bit more advanced, e-books can also be a good way of keeping in touch with the language. Books are good for expanding the vocabulary and getting used to the language patterns used in different situations.
It can be a good starting point even for the beginner if you choose books for children or some exclusively made for learning the language.
Books are a cool tool for building up vocabulary and for staying in touch with the language. Spanish is easy to write, but by reading, you can develop a sense of words and accents and when is a good time to use synonyms, etc.
You maybe won’t learn how to speak from books, but if you combine with other resources, it can be helpful to learn some words that are not as common and to shine! And, you know, if you are already fluent in Spanish, what’s a better way of keeping it that way than reading?
But what to read and where to find these Spanish books to read online for free?
Where to find free books online?
- Scribd is a popular online platform with thousands of books to search for. It has one of the biggest libraries in various languages, so that is a good starting point if you’re searching for Spanish books to read online for free.
- 24 Symbols is another platform to search for Spanish language books, it is recommended as everything is free
- Freelibros is a blog in Spanish dedicated to downloading and reading books.
Our recommendation
Here are some books that might be good for you based on your knowledge:
For levels A1 and A2:
- El Principito de Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
- Fray Perecio y su borrico de Juan Muñoz Martín
- El Fabuloso Mundo de las Letras de Jordi Sierra i Fibra
For Levels B1 and B2:
- La Puerta Oscura de David Lozano Garbala
- Manolito Gafotas de Elvira Lindo
- Un Tipo Encantador de Mariam Keyes
We pinned a hyperlink to all these books, so you don’t have to search for a place to download them for free.
Overall review
If you like reading, consider trying one of these books. If it seems hard at first, you can always take breaks, have a notebook to write down new words, and explore them with SpanishDict. Books can help you see how sentences are built and how words connect to a story.
Movies
Movies are an awesome add-up to your learning routine. With movies, you can learn something more about the people who speak a certain language. You are listening to the actors talking, but also watching them comport in certain situations.
Mimics and non-verbal communication are also an important part of a language and a culture, so it could help you get in the Spanish vibe a lot sooner! We made a whole article about movies. If you are a cinephile, be sure to check our previous article on 5 movies to learn Spanish from.
Our recommendation
Here is a quick list of some movies great to watch if you are learning Spanish:
- Ocho Apellidos vascos (2014)
- Campeones (2018)
- El Laberinto del Fauno (2016)
Check our previous article for more movie ideas and more info about these movies!
Overall review
You should always incorporate movies in the original language when you are trying to learn that language. The experience is not only fun, but it also affects your learning a lot more than you would expect.
What is the best way to learn Spanish online?
The best way to learn Spanish online is to make a good combination of most of these resources. Think of it as a cocktail and mix your perfect drink.
Is that going to be the edX Basic Spanish course with causal movie nights and SpanishDikt right by your hand? Or, is it going to be a class with a tutor on Italki, then a good book in Spanish, and sometimes a fun YouTube video?
The key is not to stick to only one way of learning. Be creative and explore. Remember, you should learn Spanish for at least 20 minutes per day, so you would stick to the routine.
So, make your cocktail and take a sip!
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