The 12 Best Spanish Lessons
Who Offers the Best Spanish Lessons?
Have you always wanted to learn Spanish? Or have you learned some, but really want to improve your skills in order to be able to read Spanish newspapers or talk with native speakers? Do you have business associates or neighbors who speak Spanish, or have you wanted to talk in Spanish with the locals on your next trip? There are 460,000 people who are native Spanish speakers right here in the US, and 20 countries that have Spanish as their official language. No matter why you want to learn it, the question is which Spanish lessons are right for you.
With so much of our life going digital, from many of us doing our job remotely, to video chatting with our family or internet shopping, it's natural to want to explore online options for learning Spanish. There are many programs available online and through apps, and we can help you sift through them.
Sunday, December 10th
2023 Spanish Lesson Reviews
Busuu
Have you wanted a personal plan for learning Spanish? Have you wanted a real person to determine if you'll be understood? If you're not a beginner, Busuu can give you a placement test that will guide you to your internationally-known level of fluency, and determine your placement and curriculum plan. All students can get alerts for when you might want to block out lesson time, and you can even have your writing and speaking graded by native speakers! Busuu earns our highest recommendation for Spanish lessons.
Memrise
Are you ready for something different in language learning? Memrise may look like some of the other online Spanish lessons, but it uses really fun, authentic, and higher-order thinking-skill techniques to help you learn, retain, and be set up for success conversationally. It's almost addicting to use! Memrise is a fantastic way to learn Spanish and enjoy yourself while doing it.
Babbel
When people think of language learning programs, Babbel is one of the first that comes to mind. What is its approach, and is it really worth all the hype? Babbel has a lot to offer, such as its communication-based approach and speech-recognition software, yet there isn't much material for the intermediate or advanced learners. Still, there are a number of pros, and we believe Babbel is worth the money.
Ouino
Ouino Spanish (pronounced "We Know Spanish" - see what they did there?) has a unique teaching approach that's attractive to a variety of types of learners, and the prices are more than competitive. Take each Spanish lesson in your own order, even for grammar, or use their suggested path. Practice what you learned with integrative stories and videos, and earn prizes for progress. The practice exercises are plenty, but can be boring since they are in the same, repetitive format. And, you'll have to evaluate your own recorded pronunciation as there isn't a voice-recognition system. Ouino Spanish is worth a look if you don't mind a little repetition.
Rosetta Stone
Are you interested in learning Spanish, but not looking forward to the drudgery of old-school methods? Would you like to learn online and also have feedback on your speaking progress? Rosetta Stone teaches in the same way we learned our first language, using online technology with speech recognition, and also offers options for tutors and live lessons.
Mondly
Have you wanted to learn Spanish and have fun doing it? Are you into AR and virtual reality? Mondly has apps for that. This language program teaches both vocabulary and common phrases, so you can put sentences together. You can design a chatbot and have it give you lessons, too. Mondly is innovative and fun! Be aware that slowing down audio isn't possible, and even your "advanced" lessons may still be at a beginner level. Cancelling the monthly subscription can be a challenge as well. All in all, Mondly is ahead of its peers with its technological innovations, and makes Spanish lessons fun and enticing.
Rocket Languages
Are you looking for a reputable program for learning Spanish? Rocket Languages is an interactive platform and boasts to work on the four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with the added benefit of culture. Although the course is a bit costly, the speech-recognition software is useful and you get lifetime access to all the lesson plans and materials.
Lingoda
Sometimes it's nice to see a friendly face. Do you wish you had your own Spanish tutor, or a super small class with a live teacher? Lingoda offers daily Zoom classes with a live instructor and only two-to-four other students per group. How refreshing! Be sure you're ready to commit to all of the lessons included in your Lingoda subscription, or you may fall behind. It's like missing classes at school: you feel lost and it may be hard to catch up. Since you don't want to feel defeated even before you start, choose your subscription wisely. If you're looking for Spanish lessons online and not live, we suggest you check out another one of our highly-rated online programs.
Spanish Pod 101
Spanish Pod 101 is a fun and easy way to learn Spanish. The lessons include a plethora of vocabulary, and the videos add humor, which is good motivation to stick with the Spanish lessons. You can slow down the audio, and lessons can be taken linearly or you can bounce around from theme to theme. It's a fantastic program for beginners, but it's not heavy on intermediate or advanced lessons and there are other options that are better at helping your conversational skills. All in all, we recommend Spanish Pod 101 for anyone new to learning the language.
Fluenz
Are you interested in learning Spanish, but don't want to learn through games and matching activities? Would you rather learn from a person, and be able to pause the instruction or have them repeat? Fluenz is a video-based language learning program that is focused on teaching from the perspective of English-speaking learners, and there are even opportunities to travel to Spain or Mexico for an intense learning program. But the way Fluenz grades written work is unforgiving, and we also wish that there were more and better lessons for intermediate and advanced students.
StudySpanish
If you need help while taking a Spanish class, StudySpanish is chock full of drills and repetitive practice. The English-Spanish flashcards are aplenty and there's a comprehensive list of grammar lessons, where verbs and tenses are explained in English. However, if you're looking to read, write, listen, and speak conversationally -and have fun while learning - we'd recommend one of the higher-ranked options for Spanish lessons in our review. .
Living Language
Want to take a walk down memory lane? Do you miss your old high school Spanish textbook? Did you like studying repetitive flashcards to learn vocabulary? If so, Living Language is for you. However, if you're looking for a fun, interactive, motivating online Spanish lesson program with creative lessons, lots of colors, animation, incentives, and rewards, we suggest you try one of the other online Spanish lessons we've reviewed.
Continued from above...
The first thing to consider is how much Spanish you already know. If you're just getting started, there are many programs whose focus is on the beginner, with lessons chock full of grammar, vocabulary, and practice. At the same time, the concentration is so heavy on brand-new students that many programs offer little to nothing for the intermediate or advanced learner.
Another important factor is your learning style and preference. Some learners like to go in the order that the experts have the lessons set up so that they can meet their language acquisition goals. Other students know that they want to pick and choose their lesson order based on their needs. For example, if the learner is going to travel in the near future, they want their first lessons focused on related vocabulary, like asking for directions and checking in at a hotel. Others are in the medical or business field, so they want to follow the language learning path best suited to their careers.
A major consideration is if repetition is okay with you, or if you will lose focus if the lessons aren't entertaining. Some learners are motivated to continue the day's lesson or look forward to the next lesson because of the fun and exciting apps that include gaming-like activities, points, badges, competitive leaderboards, and animation. Let's face it, if you're not motivated to learn, will you really stick with the program? Other students want to push forward with the traditional, square-shooting approach that feels comfortable as tried and true. Start with vocabulary and practice, add on grammar, preferably with detailed explanations in English, more practice, along with repetition and recycling of older material to solidify the knowledge base.
Once you know what level of Spanish learner you are, from beginner to advanced, your purpose of learning it, from travel to profession or just because, and if you like to be entertained or want "just the facts, Ma'am" , there are a few more aspects of Spanish lessons you may want to consider:
- Value. Does the program offer free access that is suitable for your needs? Would you be more motivated with a monthly subscription, yearly subscription, or lifetime access? Sometimes you get what you pay for, and sometimes a program can give you a lot of features with a relatively low cost. Consider free membership, if it's offered. Although access may be limited it should give a good taste test.
- The right fit. If you take advantage of a free lesson or trial period, you can get a clearer idea of how well any particular Spanish lessons work for you. No two students are alike: flashcards are ideal for some people, while others need in-depth English explanations or grammar. Some students want lessons with no frills, while others stay interested when there are colorful animations, prizes and awards for completing the daily lesson.
- Refund policy. Once you've committed to a Spanish lesson program, are you able to get your money back if you're not satisfied? Many companies give the client up to 60 days to request a refund, but not all do. Be sure to read the terms and conditions before you commit with your credit or debit card.
TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated, rated, and ranked the best choices for online Spanish lessons. We're sure that with this information, you'll have what you need to make the right choice for your goals in learning, acquiring, and becoming fluent in Spanish. ¡Ya vamos!
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