How Do I Go About Teaching Children Spanish?

By Noah M. Benjamin

There are numerous benefits to teaching children Spanish. Not only are children able to very easily learn and retain a second language, but they are more likely to know it for life, it will enhance their language abilities in their first language, and bilingual children have proven to score much higher on standardized tests. But how do you go about teaching a child Spanish?

First you need to consider how your child learned his or her first language. They didn't go through any kind of formal training -- you just spoke to them in the language, and by age two, they were conversational! This is because the human brain is designed to adapt when immersed in a language like that, and it was able to pick up the words and meanings and make the child fluent.

The second language should be no different, especially for children. Find ways to immerse them in the language and they will pick it up very, very quickly!

I like to play word games with my children. I use computer software that scores them on their ability to memorize and retain words. You can just as easily use physical flash cards, though, and score your kids manually. Either way, help them learn Spanish words by making a game of it!

Spanish grammar is luckily even easier to learn than English grammar. What's the best way for children to learn Spanish grammar, though? This is where language immersion is most helpful. If you know some Spanish, simply speak to your children in Spanish! Every once in a while, say "Puedes ayudarme?" rather than "Can you help me?" This form of "light" immersion will help them pick up basic sentence structure, verb conjugation, and more.

Teaching children Spanish is one of the best gifts any parent can give their child for the benefits listed above. Go about it the right way and your child will excel!

The top-performing students in American schools today are bilingual. Find out for FREE how to get your child on the same path to success learning Spanish.

How Can I Learn Spanish Grammar?

By Noah M. Benjamin

When trying to learn the Spanish language, there is one thing I always stress very heavily: learn Spanish grammar first! If you learn Spanish grammar, and learn it very well, you will learn Spanish very, very quickly. The good news: if you really focus and follow the right steps, you can learn most Spanish grammar in just a couple weeks.

Whereas English grammar is very complicated and has a number of odd, arbitrary rules, Spanish grammar is just the opposite: very linear, and very predictable. What I mean that is if you learn the basic rules of Spanish grammar, those rules will apply for almost every line of Spanish you speak, read, or write for the rest of your life!

The mistake that many people make is that, in the beginning, they only learn the present tense of verb conjugation. What this means is, they only learn how to say "I speak," "he speaks," "they speak," etc. They don't learn the past tense, like "I spoke," "he spoke," etc, until much later in the learning process, when they don't retain the idea very well.

What I recommend you do is learn all grammar and verb tenses in the beginning of your Spanish learning experience. Again, if you really work, you can get this done in just a few weeks!

From there, if you learn vocabulary, you will find yourself conversational in Spanish in under two months, if you follow the right processes to really learn the language.

Learn Spanish grammar before anything else and you will find yourself conversational in Spanish in no time!

You can teach yourself Spanish quickly and easily, with the right resources. Find out for FREE what the top language students use to quickly pick up new languages.

Help Your Kids Learn Spanish

By Noah M. Benjamin

If you are a parent and are considering teaching your child a second language like Spanish, don't hesitate and start today! There are many, MANY benefits to teaching your child Spanish, especially at a very young age. But be careful about how you approach teaching your child Spanish, because some of the most popular methods are accidentally not very helpful for children. I will list some of the benefits, as well as the best teaching methods in this article.

Benefits

Scientists have proven that children are able to retain and learn a language much easier than adults. This is because the stage of development their brain is in allows for not just better data processing, but also is better at solving "puzzles" and RETAINING information learned.

Learning a second language has also been proven to improve a child's ability to speak not just their first language, but any other language they try to learn. And in a globalizing economy, the more languages a person knows, the better!

It has also been proven that children who speak a second language perform much better on standardized tests than children who speak only one language.

The Best Way To Teach a Second Language

Do NOT treat language learning like an extra school lesson with your child! This is very ineffective, and in fact, most formal school lessons fail at teaching children language.

Think about when your child learned his or her first language. They were immersed in it 24/7, and within two years, they just kind of became fluent in it. This is how the brain is wired to learn things at a very young age! Immerse your child in the language and he or she will not only learn it very quickly, but it will also not feel like a dreaded school lesson.

Find ways to immerse your child in Spanish, and your kids will learn Spanish in no time! The benefits of doing this will last them a lifetime.

The top-performing students in American schools today are bilingual. Find out for FREE how to get your child on the same path to success learning Spanish.

Fun Spanish

By Noah M. Benjamin

When learning any language, the most important aspect of it is to have fun! That's why I highly recommend learning some "fun Spanish" as you learn the language. But what is fun Spanish, and how can it improve the language learning process?

The Best Way To Learn a Language

First I want to get into the best way to learn a language. Think back to when you were a baby. (This is the hardest part of the exercise, I swear.) You learned your first language within about two years, and you learned it naturally, without any language lessons or without even knowing a language already. How did you do this? It was all your brain! Your brain is wired to pick up on patterns and adapt, and that's exactly what happened. You immersed yourself in your first language 24/7, and your brain adapted!

It's best to follow this same procedure for a second language, either as an adult or with your own kids.

Why and How To Make It Fun

Barely anyone learns Spanish through formal lessons like in school. What you need is a lesson plan than immerses you in the language, even with games to play to improve the process.

I used computer software for this process, and I highly recommend it for the fastest way to learn Spanish. To build your base in Spanish, it is best to have some kind of formal instruction, but preferably formal instruction that immerses you in the language.

From there, make a game of it! Try to talk Spanish with friends, and see how long you can talk Spanish without having to speak English. (I did this with a friend of mine while we were learning, and it ended up being AMAZING.)

The most important thing is to make everything feel natural, like you're just forcing your brain to "adapt" again. When everything is a lesson plan, it gets boring and fast!

What Is Fun Spanish?

You might notice I don't really share any Spanish phrases in here. That's because, to me, knowing ANY Spanish at all without having to go through formal lessons is "fun Spanish." And if you follow the lesson plans in this article, you are on your way to actually enjoying learning Spanish!

You can teach yourself Spanish quickly and easily, with the right resources. Find out for FREE what the top language students use to quickly pick up new languages.

Free Kids Spanish Lessons?

By Noah M. Benjamin

It is very possible to teach your children spanish with free kids Spanish lessons. As you probably know, any parent who does not try to teach their child a second language like Spanish is really putting their kids at a disadvantage! Not only do these kids retain and learn the language usually for life, they also test higher than other kids AND have better overall language ability. And the best ways for them to learn are often completely free!

First, it's important to realize how your child learned his or her first language. Without any formal training and without any prior knowledge of language at all, your child was conversational in his or her first language within about two years simply by being surrounded by it at all times! The brain adapts very quickly when it is IMMERSED in an environment like this.

It is good to find flash card games you can play with your kids. I spent a little bit of money to have a computer program automate this for me, but you can easily make your own flash cards with free resources online. Make it fun for your kids to learn vocabulary!

From there, use all the free resources online and in your home you can to IMMERSE your kids in the language. Have them watch Spanish cartoons on YouTube, or on any Spanish channel on TV. Read Spanish children's books with them, also available online or at your local library. Once they know some of the language, watching the TV and reading children's books will be fun!

The best way to teach your kids Spanish is to immerse them in the language, just like with their first language. This is a very natural way of learning that does not feel like a lesson. Free kids Spanish "lessons" like these are actually the most beneficial lessons for your children, so try them out. Good luck!

The top-performing students in American schools today are bilingual. Find out for FREE how to get your child on the same path to success learning Spanish.

Free and Effective Spanish Tutorials

By Noah M. Benjamin

You might be surprised by what I'm about to tell you. If you're looking for Spanish tutorials, the very best ones available in the world are absolutely FREE. But, they aren't the Spanish tutorials you think they are. In fact, most people overlook these tutorials for lessons that are far less effective!

When you were a child, you picked up your first language within two years with absolutely NO language training and NO prior knowledge of any language at all. How did you do this? By surrounding yourself with the language 24/7! This forced your brain to adapt and learn the language.

You could follow this exact process with Spanish, but the truth is, following the right techniques, you could speed up this process significantly without having to immerse yourself in the language 24/7.

I personally recommend learning the very basics of Spanish using software or audio programs that will immerse you in the language. Luckily, you only need about two weeks or so of lessons to pick enough of the basics to move on to my free "Spanish tutorials."

So, now you have the basics down. What are these FREE tutorials I'm talking about?

Simple. Turn on your TV. Tune in to the Spanish stations. There you go -- your first free lesson. Need it a little easier? Make sure to tune in when the children's shows are on.

No, I'm not joking! This step may seem VERY hard at first, but especially if you watch children's shows, you will find they speak very slowly and even illustrate the words they are mentioning. You can not only learn valuable vocabulary, but you learn the all-important habit of understanding native Spanish speakers!

This is one of the techniques I practiced to learn conversational Spanish in under two months. Any way you can immerse yourself in the Spanish language will prove to be the best Spanish tutorial you can find anywhere!

You can teach yourself Spanish quickly and easily, with the right resources. Find out for FREE what the top language students use to quickly pick up new languages.

Children Spanish Lessons - Teach Your Child Spanish

By Noah M. Benjamin

If you're looking to give children Spanish lessons, you might be surprised by the best methods in which to give them. Children pick up languages very quickly and very intuitively, so listen closely!

Children learn their first language by age 2, and they end up fairly conversational at that point. They didn't have any language training, and they didn't know any language beforehand. They got this way simply by being spoken to in the language, and being IMMERSED in the language all the time.

The truth is, children up to their early teens can learn a second language exactly the same way! You can even expedite the process by turning language learning into somewhat of a game.

I prefer to use computer software to teach my children words in Spanish. I have it flash words on the screen, and it's turned into a game where they get more points dependent on how many words they get right. You, of course, could do this with physical flash cards as well.

Along with playing Spanish word games with my children, I simply try to speak to them in Spanish at any time! I will ask them, "Quieres comer ahora?" (Would you like to eat now?) They catch on surprisingly fast to what I'm saying, and retain it very well.

If you want to give your children Spanish lessons, help them learn new words, making a fun game out of it. And, secondly, just speak Spanish to them -- it will help them figure out Spanish grammar and sentence structure. Good luck!

The top-performing students in American schools today are bilingual. Find out for FREE how to get your child on the same path to success learning Spanish.

Can I Learn Spanish Romantic Phrases?

By Noah M. Benjamin

When learning Spanish, romantic phrases are an absolute necessity. Spanish is easily one of the most romantic languages in the world, and the ability to say romantic phrases to your significant other in Spanish always impresses. I'm going to give you some easy romantic phrases, as well as some warnings about when to use them -- I'm sure you'd rather be getting "besos" (kisses) than "bofetadas" (slaps)!

Common Romantic Phrases

Here are some of the more common romantic phrases in Spanish.

te quiero = I love you (literally translates "I want you")

te amo = I love you (this is the real deal, when you mean it)

amor mío = My love

estoy enamorado = I'm in love

flechazo = Love at first sight

prenda de amor = Token of love

This should be a good starting grounds.

Some Words of Caution

I'm sure you know of the character "Borat". He is from Kazakhstan and he does interviews in English. Sound familiar? If not, look him up on YouTube. What I'm getting at is: look at how ridiculous he sounds trying to say sexy things in English. If you don't actually learn how to speak basic Spanish, you will sound like Borat trying to say the phrases I've listed above! Your significant other, whether or not he or she has any knowledge of Spanish, will most likely be turned off if you speak with a poor accent or like you don't know what you're doing.

I highly recommend spending some time learning basic Spanish, because while simple Spanish phrases can be romantic, NOTHING is more romantic than actually being able to speak whole sentences to your loved one in Spanish.

The best way to learn Spanish is through software you use on your computer. It will probably only take you about a week or two to be comfortable enough to say the phrases I have above, and about two months to be speaking full sentences. I have provided links for the best software.

Good luck with your Spanish romantic phrases!

You can teach yourself Spanish quickly and easily, with the right resources. Find out for FREE what the top language students use to quickly pick up new languages.

Basic Spanish Words

By Noah M. Benjamin

Did you know that to get by in most Spanish-speaking countries all you need to know are basic Spanish words? The thing is: this is true for just about any country! Most languages focus on a core set of about 200 to 300 words for the majority of the language, and Spanish is no exception.

Of course, before learning basic Spanish words, I highly recommend learning the basics of Spanish grammar. Not to worry -- if you focus, this could take you only about two weeks. Where English grammar is very difficult, Spanish grammar is actually very easy. English grammar has hundreds of strange, arbitrary rules, but Spanish grammar is very linear and very rarely strays from its basics. So don't sweat learning Spanish grammar!

Once you know Spanish grammar, you can move on to learning essential vocabulary.

The Top 20 Most Common Words in Spanish

The following are the top 20 most commonly used words in Spanish.

1. el / la (the)

2. de (of)

3. que (that / what)

4. y (and)

5. a (to)

6. en (in)

7. un (a)

8. ser (to be)

9. se (pronoun, himself / herself)

10. no (no)

11. haber (to have)

12. por (for)

13. con (with)

14. su (his / hers / theirs)

15. para (for)

16. como (like / as)

17. estar (to be)

18. tener (to have)

19. le (pronoun)

20. lo (pronoun, it)

These form the core of Spanish. Learn the next 80 most common words and you'll be able to engage in basic Spanish conversations. Learn the next 100 after that and you'll be somewhat conversational.

But most importantly, get out there and just practice speaking these words!

If you really want to accelerate learning these words, I would recommend using Spanish learning software that would help you practice vocabulary. Using the right software and the right techniques, you can learn the essential 200 or 300 words in Spanish in just a few weeks.

Just think about it: there are about 200 or 300 basic Spanish words that are separating you from knowing very little to being conversational in Spanish. Get to learning!

You can teach yourself Spanish quickly and easily, with the right resources. Find out for FREE what the top language students use to quickly pick up new languages.

Basic Spanish Phrases

By Noah M. Benjamin

It is completely possible to travel around Spanish-speaking countries with only very basic Spanish phrases in mind. I have spent a few months traveling through Central and South America and, although I speak very good Spanish by now, I would say 80% of my interactions involve only basic Spanish phrases!

Saying Hello

Most people in Latin American countries are very friendly. I often find myself greeting -- and being greeted by -- almost every person I pass by! Here are the most common phrases we exchange:

Hola - hello

Buenos dias - good morning

Buen dia - good morning (to just one person)

Como estas? - how are you

Bien, y tu? - good, and you?

Saying Good Bye

When you enter stores in Latin America, there are a surprisingly large amount of things you can say to mean "good bye". Here are those that I used most commonly:

Adios - good bye (universal)

Ciao - good bye (Central America)

Hasta luego - until later / see you later

If you are going to be traveling, I recommend just walking into a store or two and seeing what they say as you leave.

Study Your Spanish First

I do NOT recommend just blindly learning these phrases and no other Spanish at all. The reason for this is that you will not only sound very strange to Spanish speaking people, but you will likely not be able to retain these words without knowing SOME Spanish.

The easiest way to fit in some basic Spanish lessons is through audio learning in your car. Get a Spanish instruction CD, pop it in while you're driving around in your car, and you will build a very good base in Spanish in just about two weeks. How much time do you spend in your car - 10, 12 hours a week, more? Take advantage of that time!

These are basic Spanish phrases that I use most commonly in Latin America. There are more than that, but this is a good base. Build a base in Spanish and you will excel when speaking these phrases!

You can teach yourself Spanish quickly and easily, with the right resources. Find out for FREE what the top language students use to quickly pick up new languages.