How to Use the News to Improve Your Spanish

By David Glades

For most people, news is a part of life. They listen to the evening news to get the upcoming weather or to find out what is going on in their area that day. They buy newspapers to get a handle on local politics. The news is also a great way to learn a new language or improve upon a language such as Spanish. You can learn Spanish fast just by getting involved in Spanish language news.

One way to get news is through subscribing to a Spanish language newspaper. You can get the information at your local library usually.

Once you receive the paper, try reading the articles! While it might be a bit hard at first, keep at it! If you have trouble, use a dictionary to translate and find out about the story from other sources as well. This will ensure you're getting the correct understanding.

See if what you understand as you try to learn Spanish matches what you find out in your own language. Sometimes, the perspective is different, causing a discrepancy between the two stories. This only makes the reading more interesting. It helps you learn Spanish on a whole different level.

If you have trouble obtaining a Spanish language newspaper, you can find articles from Spanish newspapers online. Search under "Spanish language newspaper" and you will find several choices of online newspapers from all over the Spanish speaking world.

You can treat these in the same way you treat the newspapers that arrive in the mail. Translate them and work at understanding their meanings. Another way to learn Spanish through the news is to look up an English language newspaper.

Print off a page. Next, if you have the option, request a translation into Spanish. Print this off and you can compare them to learn Spanish better. You will have a clear understanding of the story and of the way the words are used to tell it.

Another way you can get Spanish news is through the television. While previously few had Spanish TV access, it is now commonplace, and there are many stations to choose from. You can also watch generally programming and sometimes you can even watch your favorite shows redubbed in Spanish.

Learning Spanish by watching the news can leave you with two options. First, you can put yourself to the test by watching it in real time. This gives you practice in adjusting to the cadence of the spoken word. You will be astonished at how much you will learn simply by listening closely.

Another option is to record it and watch it a little at a time. You can learn Spanish in more depth this way by translating every word. It will take more time, but you will learn Spanish vocabulary that is up-to-date. You will also know about current events in Spanish speaking countries.

Using the news media to learn Spanish better is a good choice for a busy person. It doesn't require a lot of time, even if you translate. Furthermore, you stay in the loop while you learn Spanish better than ever before.

Learning Spanish alone can be tough without solid learning material. Unfortunately, most Spanish courses cost a ton. Rosetta Stone, for example, costs over $500. That's why I recommend Rocket Spanish. You can get part of this course for free! Just check out my blog Learn Spanish Easy for a full review!