Studying Spanish in Online - Easy and fun

 Studying spanish : Latin American countries continue to serve as one of the United States' most important trading partners. By learning Spanish, you can better communicate with Spanish speakers and improve your employability. 

Additionally, building on your Spanish-language skills allows you to travel and study abroad to Spanish-speaking countries, giving you an opportunity to better understand different cultures and customs.

#1. LinguaTV

Formerly known as Lingorilla, the newly branded LinguaTV is a video-based learning course. With a slightly different type of format from other online Spanish courses, LinguaTV mostly specializes in video lessons, and is perfect for having some fun while learning!

In fact, this platform provides enjoyable content with native speakers that will help learners of any level to progress at a fast pace. A single course includes 20 video lessons with dialogues and situations from everyday life.

However, we only recommend this Spanish online course alongside other learning resources, so you can develop other areas of your Spanish language as well. Whilst it contains good materials that will help you refine your listening and comprehension skills, it lacks a few features that can push you to have a solid knowledge of Spanish and achieve the next level of proficiency.

Pros:

Grammatical topics explained in an engaging video format

Interactive learning with games like Videoquizz and Cloze

Integrated online dictionary available

Learning materials are downloadable

Glossary

Cons:

Some video lessons are not optimized to fit the exercises

Some explanations for the exercises are only available in Spanish

Lack of oral exercises

3 months (2 courses) for € 89.70

6 months (4 courses) for € 149.40

12 months (8 courses) for € 238.80

#2. Fluencia

Unlike most of the online language courses mentioned so far, Fluencia focuses uniquely on the Spanish language.

As a result, this course contains a top-notch quality learning program that provides a wide variety of well-designed lessons, specifically for Spanish. It includes videos, pictures, translations and audio recordings by native speakers that will get you deeply immersed into the language.

Fluencia offers high-quality cultural information and detailed grammatical explanations, along with clear real-life examples and challenging exercises that will push you to be mentally engaged. In fact, you need to properly understand the lessons, in order to pass the exercises.

One of their highlights is the SmartReview feature, which is an adaptive learning technology. After several lessons, you are given a review lesson which allows you to focus on your weakest words. This is useful for reinforcing your learning.

Even though it is not available as an application for your smartphone, it is easily accessible from your desktop or phone browser. Registration and the first 15 lessons are free.

Yet, there is a range of online Spanish courses that are designed as smartphone apps. Find out the 11 Best Apps to Learn Spanish in 2020 if you prefer learning with your phone.

Pros:

High-quality program specialized only in Spanish

Repetition method: SmartReview

Feedback system, with all the mistakes and corrections

Cons:

Practicing oral skills with a native speaker is needed as well

Need other additional materials to supplement learning e.g. podcasts, conversations etc.

$ 14.95 per month

$ 95.40 for 12 months ($ 7.95 per month)

$ 166.80 for 24 month ($ 6.95 per month)

Practiquemos

Practiquemos is, as you may guess from the name, all about practicing the Spanish language. The website offers video lessons, grammar and verb conjugation exercises, MP3s and PDFs – all for free! 

But, as there is no real course structure, no motivational elements and as the website is not very advanced, you have to be motivated and schedule the lessons on your own. 

Additionally to the website, there’s a YouTube channel where Catalina Moreno E., the host of the website, lively explains grammatical issue

#3. Pimsleur

Pimsleur is one of the most popular learning language platforms, which was developed by a linguist and a statistician. It majorly incorporates learning through audio lessons around the world. In addition, its classes focus on learning vocabulary that is correlated to Spanish learner’s language.

Pros

You don’t need to take notes in Pimsleur classes as most of the lessons are audio. These audio lessons stimulate students’ minds as they stay alert while listening to Spanish lessons which in return improves the skills used to pronounce the new language.

Pimsleur utilizes native languages skills to teach beginners on its platform and for this reason, it sources tutors from native countries.

Cons

Pimsleur overlooks students’ speaking, reading, and writing skills. Just listening to audio does not improve your Spanish language skills.

Click Here To Read More About Pimsleur!

#4. Coffee Break Spanish 

Coffee break features Spanish language podcasts. On this platform, lessons are called episodes and each episode contains audio lessons of less than 20 minutes.

The new language is divided into four lessons that depict different learning skills.

Group one focuses on words and phrases that will give you a kick-start to begin your online learning journey, group two focus on basic grammar skills such as verb tenses and gives you vocabularies that you may need to use daily routine. The last two seasons weave in advanced skills like complex grammar and colloquial.

Pros

Coffee Break Spanish platform is easy to use as it incorporates a manageable routine for practicing languages.

The best part of this course is that it is self-paced which means you’re free to reschedule your class if you’re busy to attend it on time.

Cons

It’s endowed with a lenient Spanish tutor compared to other sites, which means you may take longer to learn the Spanish language than on other platforms.

Secondly, the classes do not focus on written Spanish, which ends up hurting your writing skills.

#5. Spanish VIP

Spanish VIP works as a partner for you rather than a teacher; thus enables you to speak Spanish more confidently. Furthermore, this online course focus on enhancing the critical conversational skills that will encourage you to grow progressively.

Pros

Classes are more convenient as they happen online and are available when you’re available, too, which is a huge milestone for busy individuals.

Spanish VIP provides Latin American teachers from Venezuela and Colombia who will help you enhance your Spanish-speaking skills.

Cons

Spanish VIP certification for online Spanish Classes is not recognized in all international spheres.

Also, there is a common use of slang words by tutors which may end up confusing the learner.

Click Here To Read More About Spanish VIP!

#6. Rosetta Stone  

Rosetta is one of the biggest languages platforms that offer different Spanish language courses.

Rosetta works on the belief that there is an easy way of learning Spanish without visiting a Spanish-speaking country and prides itself in its vast experience. You will be surprised to learn that this platform has produced over 20 million learners around the world.

Pros

It contains a fully immersed curriculum – designed to keep stimulating you to research and know more about Spanish.

It has a very responsive user interface that enables individuals to access material at a self-paced level and on their choice.

It has pronunciation software that helps a learner in pursuit of fluent speaking.

Its course outline has a unique way to learn as it focuses on real-life situations, which enable you to relate your Spanish language skills.

Has a couple of patient native teachers who can help students at individual levels

You’re likely to speak like a native speaker after taking a class or lesson with them.

Cons

Its web utilizes the use of bots which means you may not get the exact feedback in online Spanish transcription. This may have adverse effects on your learning efforts.

It has no centralized review resources nor quizzes that a learner can use to measure his/her level of skills at a particular time. 

Its material doesn’t recognize linking languages, thus making it difficult for a learner to learn a new language.

#7. Destinos

Destinos is an outstanding video instructional series presented with an educational foundation.

It periodically airs Spanish speaking course on PBS television and incorporates 52 hours episodes in its entire Spanish course. The episodes teach  Spanish comprehension skills mainly through speaking and listening.

Likewise, it’s blended with entertaining storylines to help you perfect your Spanish language fluency.

Pros

The preceding episodes recap previous episodes, which enables one to develop language mastery skills and assist learners to learn Spanish online.

Destinos has additional free onscreen images and key points in vocabulary and grammar, allowing one to learn at self-pace.

We must say that the 52 episode Latin American Spanish series continues to expose everyday dialogue and idioms that will help you grow your grammar without even noticing.

Cons

Destinos is not recommended for faster language practicing if you have a tight schedule because you have to sit and watch all episodes.

Moreover, it lacks teacher-student interaction which means you cannot ask questions and get responses during the course.

#8. Unlimited Spanish

Unlimited Spanish offers online Spanish courses in podcasts. Majorly, they help you practice your listening and speaking skills through high-quality audio.

Pros

Here, you’ll also improve your writing skills as teaching is cemented with mini-stories and transcripts for each podcast episode – rather than the boring exercises on other platforms. Likewise, instead of continuous analysis of Spanish courses, this platform employs incredible proven techniques that make class learning enjoyable.

Besides being a self-paced course, it focuses on online spanish exercises that can help you master grammar and vocabulary quickly.

Also, Unlimited Spanish offers you exclusive free online lessons on top of each five pillars bought.

Cons

Some of the translations are confusing, which may discourage the learner from learning a new language.

It over focuses on advertising itself rather than delivering enough content. The courses contents are relatively shallow.

It requires serious students who will have time to do additional research and practice speaking. Otherwise, you may fail to learn Spanish within your planned time frame.

Has a free online placement test that is used as a measuring scale of your lesson success.