| With Spanish being one of the most widely spread | | | | increase your vocabulary in no time. |
| languages on Earth, improving your vocabulary | | | | The only problem with this kind of Spanish |
| with it won't be as hard as with other languages, | | | | language learning techniques is that you'll have to |
| because you'll be hearing and reading Spanish | | | | focus intensely on what you're hearing / seeing |
| words wherever you look. It's almost as easy as | | | | and that might be a bit more tiring than if you |
| learning English as a non-native, since English can | | | | simply learn from some written courses. |
| be read and heard virtually everywhere in the | | | | Sometimes, in movies or Spanish TV shows, the |
| World through media. But obviously, there are | | | | actors talk fast and sometimes use dialects or |
| many other ways to improve your Spanish | | | | accents that will make the job of understanding |
| vocabulary and we'll be covering them in the | | | | and subsequently learning any new words, harder. |
| following article. | | | | If you hear a word that you don't understand and |
| Basic Vocabulary Learning Techniques | | | | can't figure it out from the context (or are not |
| If you just started learning Spanish, or if you | | | | sure if that's what they meant), write it down and |
| want to teach your children Spanish early on, then | | | | after the show/soap opera/soccer match, grab |
| you'll need some basic vocabulary improving | | | | an English-Spanish dictionary and look those words |
| techniques to start with. Word association is a | | | | up. One good trick to overcoming this obstacle is |
| great technique in this sense, since putting the | | | | to watch the same shows or hear the same |
| word in a context like that makes it form a | | | | Spanish sports commentators as much as |
| bigger picture for the person learning it. For | | | | possible. Once you get used to a certain voice, it's |
| example, if you just learn three words from | | | | easier to start improving your vocabulary (since |
| three distinct contexts like "airplane", "broccoli' and | | | | you can now focus on memorizing words, not on |
| "swordfish" they won't really make a connection. | | | | what the hell they're saying). |
| Instead, focus your learning sessions into | | | | Another great way to improve vocabulary in |
| improving your vocabulary on specific contexts: if | | | | Spanish and have some fun at the same time is |
| you learn about an "airplane" learn how to say | | | | by using the 5-word daily rule. This involves you |
| "airport", "passenger", "pilot" and other words | | | | to grab a Spanish to Mother Tongue dictionary, |
| from this domain. | | | | open it up at a random page and take 5 words |
| Another good way to improve your basic Spanish | | | | from there to memorize. Obviously, you shouldn't |
| vocabulary is by using word games, puzzles, | | | | choose words that are rarely used. Look for |
| quizzes and flashcards. These methods may look | | | | nouns and adjectives and try to relate them to a |
| a bit exaggerated for a grown-up, but trust me | | | | picture when memorizing them. |
| they work with anyone, regardless of age. The | | | | This will help you a great deal, since our brain is |
| connection between the picture and the word will | | | | much more likely to remember a visual (mental) |
| be interpreted much stronger by your brain, than | | | | image than a simple string of characters. Try to |
| if you would have just picked up the word from | | | | get this into your daily routine and either learn the |
| a dictionary and read its meaning. | | | | words in the morning when you are not tired. |
| Advanced Vocabulary Learning Techniques | | | | Write them down in a notebook and revise them |
| As an advance method to improve vocabulary, | | | | every once in a while if you can spare the extra |
| you could try taking some free online language | | | | 2 minutes to do so. |
| lessons on the various sites that offer them. | | | | Last but not least, one thing you should |
| Spanish learning audio-tapes or online video lessons | | | | remember is that when you are using these |
| could help, although they might be a bit too slow. | | | | methods, you won't just work towards improving |
| One great way to improve your Spanish | | | | your vocabulary in Spanish, you'll also learn how to |
| vocabulary at a fast pace is to watch some | | | | pronounce words, write them down correctly and |
| Spanish movies, or just watch Spanish shows on | | | | using them in the proper contexts, and that's why |
| TV. Watch a Spanish soccer match, a soap opera, | | | | it is considered more efficient to learn Spanish this |
| whatever you fancy and trust me, it will help you | | | | way. |