You know that frustrating feeling when you know the words in Spanish… but when it’s time to speak, your brain freezes?

Or maybe you say you speak Spanish but can’t actually form a full sentence on your own? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. The good news? The fix is simple.
You just need to practice the right way.

In this article, we’ll go through five powerful daily habits that will help you sneak Spanish into your everyday life and finally get fluent faster than you ever imagined.

But here’s the deal: you’ve got to put in the work.
Are you up for it?

Before We Begin: The Secret Ingredient — Consistency

The truth is, even the best methods in the world won’t work without consistency.
It’s way more effective to study a little bit every day than to cram two hours once a week. Your brain learns through repetition, not marathon study sessions.

So, the first thing you need to do?

• Change your mindset.
• Commit to small, steady progress.

The easiest way to stay consistent is to connect Spanish with things you already enjoy.

That’s where our first method comes in.

1. Shadow What You Love

Do you love music, podcasts, or telenovelas? Then you’re already halfway there.

The trick is to turn your favorite content into an active learning experience. Here’s how: Play → Listen → Pause → Repeat.

This is called shadowing, and it’s one of the most effective ways to improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and memory.

It gets your mouth used to speaking Spanish, not just understanding it.

Try this right now:

Voy a construir hábitos nuevos que me ayuden a aprender español de manera más fluida.

(I’m going to build new habits that help me learn Spanish more fluently.)

See? That’s shadowing in action.

Now that you’re speaking, let’s take it a step further.

2. Speak Out Loud (Even to Yourself)

If you want to be fluent, you need to talk every single day.
Ten minutes is all it takes.

Sure, you can go to language meetups or talk to a friend. But real improvement happens when you get feedback, corrections, and guidance, not just small talk.

That’s why having a coach changes everything. A coach corrects your mistakes, keeps you accountable, and helps you progress faster.

If you’re serious about this, check out our Spanish Accelerator Program it’s not just a coach; it’s a full team helping you master Spanish step by step.
(You can DM us “Program” on Instagram to see if you qualify. We only accept a few new students per month!)

But if you don’t have a coach yet, don’t worry. There’s one person you can always talk to: yourself.

Yep. Talk to yourself out loud!
Here’s how to do it depending on your level:

• Beginner (Fácil): Read something out loud.
• Intermediate (Intermedio): Narrate your day.

Estoy desayunando. Primero me bebo una taza de chocolate caliente. Me encanta el chocolate.
(I’m having breakfast. First, I drink a cup of hot chocolate. I love chocolate.)

• Advanced (Difícil): Pick a topic you like and explain it in Spanish.

La historia de los rompecabezas comienza en el siglo dieciocho...

Pro tip: Record yourself and listen back. You’ll spot mistakes, track your improvement, and build confidence.

3. Create Spanish Habits

This one’s the real key to fluency: make Spanish part of your daily routine.

Studying once a week won’t cut it. Instead, create small habits that fit naturally into your life; even 10–15 minutes a day is enough.

Here are some ideas for what we call the “Spanish-it-up Zone”:

• Turn on Spanish subtitles instead of English ones.
• Watch a Spanish series (and dare to turn off the subs).
• Change your phone language to Spanish.
• Follow Spanish influencers on social media.
• Read Spanish news headlines or recipes.
• Re-read a book you love, but in Spanish.

Basically, whatever content you consume daily, Spanish it up!

By surrounding yourself with the language, it becomes familiar and natural.

Just remember: Don’t just consume, pay attention. Active learning is the difference between “hearing” and “understanding.”

4. Keep a Spanish Journal

Writing isn’t just about spelling or grammar. It’s one of the most underrated tools for fluency.

When you write, your brain slows down and organizes your thoughts in Spanish. It helps you think clearly and express yourself naturally.

Write about your day, your goals, or even what you learned that morning. It doesn’t have to be long; 5 minutes is enough.

And don’t overthink mistakes! The goal is active practice, not perfection.

In our Accelerator Program, we also guide students through short writing exercises and provide feedback because writing and speaking complement each other perfectly.

Try this challenge:

Write something every day for one month. Then look back and see how much more naturally Spanish flows from your mind.

You’ll never underestimate the power of writing again.

5. Stack Your Habits

Now that you’ve built your Spanish habits, it’s time to combine them for even more power.

This is called habit stacking, and it’s how you create unstoppable momentum.

For example:

• Drink your morning coffee (habit 1)
• While reading Spanish news (habit 2)
• And listening to the audio version (habit 3)

Or…

• Watch Spanish shows while eating.
• Listen to Spanish podcasts while cleaning.
• Play Spanish music while traveling.

The idea is to make Spanish flow naturally throughout your day.
Fluency doesn’t come from perfection; it comes from intentional, consistent use.
Every. Single. Day.

Conclusion

Stop relying on apps or waiting for motivation. Start creating real habits that push you to use Spanish daily.

Remember, you don’t get fluent by being perfect. You get fluent by showing up.

So… close that game on your phone and start doing the real work. And if you’re ready to test your listening skills, check out this video:
5 Minutes of Real Spanish: Can You Catch Every Word?

¡Vamos! Your journey to fluency starts today. 

If you’re serious about learning Spanish in 2025, you need a plan that actually works.

After helping countless students face the same struggles, I’ve gathered the best methods to fast-track your progress without wasting time on things that don’t move the needle.

Here’s exactly what I’d do if I were starting from scratch this year. Stick around until the end because the last tip is a total game-changer.

1. Set Clear Goals (Seriously)

Learning Spanish without a goal is like traveling without a map, you’ll wander aimlessly and waste energy.

Set small, achievable goals for your daily, weekly, and monthly learning. For example:

• “Learn 5 new phrases a day.”
• “Watch one movie in Spanish per week.”
• “Have my first 10-minute conversation in Spanish by March.”

Write them down in a planner and celebrate milestones. Progress feels real when you can see it.

2. Learn 5 New Words (or Phrases) a Day

Five words a day might sound small, but that’s 150 new words every month — and nearly 2,000 in a year. 

Use tools like Anki or a simple notebook to make flashcards. But here’s the key: don’t just memorize words — use them.

Create short sentences with each word and practice writing or speaking them aloud. Active recall beats passive reading every time.

3. Turn Movie Nights into Lessons

Watching films in Spanish (with Spanish subtitles) is one of the most fun ways to improve listening skills and learn natural expressions.

Start with movies you already know in English — Disney movies are perfect because they’re clear and easy to follow.

Here’s the trick: after watching, summarize the movie in Spanish. Just a few sentences! It’ll help cement new vocabulary and improve your fluency. Aim for one movie a week.

4. Learn Grammar (But Don’t Get Lost in It)

Grammar matters, but don’t drown in it.

Focus on mastering three grammar points per week and immediately use them in your speaking or writing. You’ll remember rules better when you apply them right away.

If you don’t have a grammar book, download our Spanish Study Guide, which introduces grammar progressively from beginner to advanced levels. I’d personally review grammar every Tuesday, keeping it short but consistent.

5. Watch Spanish YouTubers

Replace some of your screen time with Spanish YouTube videos. Watch while you eat or commute, it’s effortless exposure to different accents and slang.

YouTubers speak naturally, using the kind of everyday Spanish you don’t get from textbooks. Try mimicking what they say. Pause and repeat sentences out loud.

It’s one of the fastest ways to improve pronunciation and sound authentic.

6. Listen to Spanish Podcasts

Podcasts are perfect for multitasking. Listen while cooking, cleaning, or commuting.

Apps like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts have tons of great Spanish shows for learners.

But don’t just listen passively: after each episode, try to say or write two sentences about what you heard. This strengthens memory and boosts speaking confidence.

(Bonus: change your phone language to Spanish. You’ll pick up everyday vocabulary without even realizing it!)

7. Start Speaking From Day One

You can’t become fluent by just reading or listening. You have to speak.
Even if you’re shy, practice in a safe environment. A great starting point? ChatGPT.

Ask it to chat with you in Spanish and correct your sentences. It’s not perfect, but it helps you respond faster and lose the fear of speaking.
Eventually, you’ll want real human interaction. That’s where a coach or language partner comes in.

At My Daily Spanish, our coaches guide you in weekly one-on-one sessions that feel like chatting with a friend but with structured feedback that accelerates your fluency.

8. Learn With Music 

Music is a powerful memory tool.

Choose one Spanish song each month and follow this plan:

1. Listen three times while reading the lyrics.
2. Try to translate the lyrics yourself.
3. Look up the real translation.
4. Highlight new vocabulary.
5. Sing along while reading the lyrics.
6. Memorize it gradually.

You’ll improve pronunciation, rhythm, and vocabulary — without it ever feeling like study time.

9. Immerse Yourself in Spanish

Immersion doesn’t always mean hopping on a plane (though that helps!).

If possible, spend time in a Spanish-speaking country and connect with locals not just for tourism, but for real interactions.

If that’s not possible, create immersion at home. Find a language partner online or join a program like ours, where you get weekly guided conversations with a professional coach.

It’s like living in Spain or Mexico but from your living room.

10. Keep a Daily Journal in Spanish

This one’s a game-changer. 

Spend just 5–10 minutes a day writing about your day, your thoughts, or what you learned.

Writing helps you build sentences naturally, strengthens vocabulary, and reveals grammar gaps you might not notice when speaking.

You’ll be surprised at how much progress you’ll see after just a few weeks.

Conclusion

Organize your time, stay consistent, and apply these 10 methods. You’ll be amazed by how much your Spanish improves by the end of 2025.

Even if your schedule feels busy, these tips only take a few minutes each day. It’s all about creating small, consistent habits.

And if you want to take it one step further, check out our Spanish vlogs, they’re perfect to watch during dinner and practice real, natural Spanish.

Do you ever listen to songs in Spanish and not understand? You try to follow Spanish speakers but you can’t? You think you speak Spanish too slowly?

Stick with me because I am going to share with you 7 fantastic tricks that will help you speak and understand fast Spanish. Number 6 is quite unique and fun.

You also have an exercise at the end. You should do it after discovering these 7 tips that will change the way you learn Spanish.

#1. Ok, do you have a teddy bear?

Your speaking will improve a lot when you try to talk to others. When you create sentences in Spanish. Even if it’s 10 minutes a day, it will help a lot because each time you will need less thinking to build the sentences in Spanish. It is a matter of practice. So the first tip is “Practice your speaking every day with your teddy bear.” Tell it about your day, your problems, your thoughts. It may also count as a little therapy session. 2 in 1.

#2. You know Chat GPT, right? An AI chatbot.

In the mobile version, you can use the microphone and have a conversation with it. You should give it context, like: “Act as my Spanish teacher” “I have a B1 level” or “I want to practice for the B2 exam.” Also you can ask it to correct your mistakes, you can learn a lot from this at the same time that you’re practicing your output. You can ask it something like “I want to have a conversation with you in Spanish and please correct my mistakes in English after I speak before following with the conversation in Spanish.” You can practice a conversation for a specific situation.

For example: ”Let’s have a conversation in Spanish. Please act as if you are the waiter in a restaurant.”

You can do this for any language you want! Speak Spanish with ChatGPT. It’s free.

And what is also free is our Study Guide! On My Daily Spanish we have a free study guide that offers a step-by-step process to help you learn Spanish faster. You can download it for free by clicking the "Yes, I'm interested" button above.

#3. Everybody here loves TV series and films, right?

From Spain, I love “Aquí no hay quien viva”, which is a very funny Spanish series, but they talk a little fast. I can recommend “La Mesías”, “La casa de papel”, “Paquita Salas”... But any series in Spanish will help you. You can even use the dubbed Spanish version with Spanish subtitles of any American or English series or film. And while watching, stop after each sentence and repeat what they said. It will help your pronunciation a lot and you will learn new phrases.

So this third trick is: Watch a series in Spanish with subtitles and repeat the sentences.

#4. While watching a series or a film in Spanish, if you hear an interesting phrase or a sentence you liked, something you didn’t know and that they say a lot, make a note of it.

Write the full sentence down. It would be cool to have a notebook for that. And read those sentences every now and then when you study Spanish. It is important to study sentences rather than just words. Learning those sentences will make it way easier to speak faster. Because you are not thinking of each word, but of sentences that you use in different situations. So remember: learn sentences more than separate words.

#5. In some regions they tend to shorten words a lot.

I’ll explain how they do it.

For example:

Todo - To (all)

Para - Pa (To, for)

Nada - Na (Nothing)

Muy - Mu (Very)

Pues - Po (So)

It is common everywhere to hear these words shortened:

Perfecto - Perfe (Perfect)

Fin de semana - Finde (Weekend)

Ilusión - Ilu (Illusion, eagerness)

Información - Info (Información)

Bolígrafo - Boli (Pen)

Bicicleta - Bici (Bike)

Autobús - Bus (Bus)

And something that they do in the South of Spain and Latin America is:

We eat the -S at the end of words and aspirate them if they are before a consonant. (Only when talking, we don’t write it like that.)

Margaritas - Margaritah (Daisy)

Las margaritas - Lah margaritah (The daisies) 

We eat any final consonant:

Reloj - Reló (Clock/watch)

Sal - Sá (Salt)

Amor - Amó (Love)

Paz - Pá (Peace)

El amor es muy bonito - “El amó e mu bonito” (Love is beautiful) 

Note: we only say it like that, but it’s written like usual, like the first sentence. 

We also eat the Ds between vowels.

Cansado - Cansao (Tired)

Cansada - Cansá (Tired)

Don’t make a pause between words. If there is a vocal followed by a vocal we connect them.

Los hijos - Losijoh OR lohijoh (The sons)

La abeja - Labeja (The bee)

Sounds like UE are said very quickly.

Huevo - Wevo (Egg)

Bueno - Weno (Good) 

Some Ls are turned to Rs before consonants.

Vuelta - Werta (Turn, spin…)

#6. My favorite one! This is a metronome.

This is a device that marks the tempo in beats per minute. We will start with a low bpm (beats per minute) and keep increasing it little by little. Now you have to choose a song. The faster they sing in the song, the better for practicing. But any song will help. I chose this one for today:

Bzrp music sessions #51: Villano Antillano. (From 0:37 to 0:44)

Lyrics:

Cuando cierro un verso los dejo de terapista

Ya dije que no, cabrón, no me insistas

Están en la fila, pero no están en la lista

Dale, Biza, explótame la pista

When doing this, first you have to listen to the way the singer is pronouncing all these. Then, read it yourself a few times. Villano Antillano is from Puerto Rico, so she speaks with an accent from there, aspirating the final -s, shortening words a lot and pronouncing the c as an s. 

Then, we set the metronome to a low bpm. And we increase it little by little.

Another way you could do it to follow the rhythm is put the YouTube video at 0.5x speed. After that you change it to 0.75x speed.And lastly, to 1x.

You can do it even faster than the singer if you want. This is a trick for rappers, dancers and musicians. They practice a super fast speed so later when they have to do it at a normal speed it will be super easy for them.

When you play the guitar, you practice the guitar solos at a really high speed so later you won’t have any mistakes when doing it at the normal speed. That’s tricking the brain. You can practice with the songs you want.

For this, I recommend the Bizarrap sessions, or rappers like Daddy Yankee. You can search for new songs on Google by typing “music chart + the name of a Spanish speaking country”.

#7. And the last tip: passive practice.

Whatever you are doing that you can have something on in the background; everything related to Spanish will be nurturing your Spanish folder inside your brain.

So: watch Spanish TV, listen to Spanish podcasts, to Spanish audiobooks, watch YouTube videos from Spanish speaking creators… You can find a lot of interesting content that you will enjoy while learning Spanish. Do you recommend some podcast or series in Spanish? Please share it in the comments!

EXERCISE:

Ok let’s do the exercise for today! Have a look at this sentence: En el reloj tengo un dibujo de un huevo y dos margaritas (On the clock I have a drawing of an egg and two daisies)

How would you say this sentence quicker? 

En el reloj tengo un dibujo de un huevo y dos margaritas: En erreló tengun dibuho dun wevoy doh margaritah (Watch the video to hear it)

Practice the speed from slow to fast. 

Great job!

Conclusion

And one last practice to improve your Spanish today would be to answer these 100 common questions in Spanish. It would be a fantastic exercise if you listen to the question, pause the video, answer it yourself and then click on play again and listen to how I answered it. Watch the video and you will have improved a lot after doing this exercise. ¡Hasta pronto!

Pero (but) and perro (dog) mean very different things.
That’s why I’m going to teach you how to definitely roll your RRs like a native.
I am sure that at the end of this article you will be rrrrolling your RRs like a Spanish person. Anybody can do it.
Do every one of the exercises I have prepared for you and thank me later.

Transcription:

First, we need to analyze what's happening in your mouth when you roll your R's. 

To start, as you might not have used your tongue a lot (well, I don’t know what you do in your free time), it’s important that you do some warm-up exercises. 

Follow me. 

Can you fold your tongue into a circle and move it side to side? Then fold your tongue inward.

Now do the Brrr exercise. Say “brrr”. You will have to do this same thing but with your tongue. Close your mouth and expel air. “Brrr”, “rrr”, “brr” This is a great vocal exercise.

For the next exercise, you have to do the “Rarararara” exercise. Say it a few times.

Great job! Our tongue is now ready. The point of doing this is that later we can relax our tongue to get the sound.

Ok let’s learn the correct position of the tongue for the RR sound.

The English R position puts the tip of your tongue to the back. In Spanish we have it to the front and hitting the roof of your mouth just before your teeth. When you say “butter” with an american accent, you get the position. Repeat “butter, butter, butter.” That’s the position. The same with “Pot of tea.”

Put your tongue in that position and blow air. The movement of your tongue for the RR sound is passive. It is like a flag flapping in the wind. So don’t put tension on your tongue. Just put it in the correct position and blow air. It is like learning a wind instrument. You need to learn and practice the correct way of blowing air to make it sound. So you put the tongue in the position and blow air, trying to direct the air to the correct position. It is way more difficult with just air than when saying a word. Now add sound (just like what you do when you go “mmm”).

Let’s go with another exercise that will get you to the RR sound: Try saying “butter” quickly and repeatedly. Making the R stronger each time. Getting a “Brrrrrrr.”

Or try “Butter rap” - Brrra.Try with another consonant. Say “Ta-dah” repeatedly. Tra. Trrrra. Like Rosalía. (Trá trá.)Another word that might help you: “Drama” in Spanish. 

When you get the sound, then you can start saying words. Exaggerate the sound a little at first.

Rosa (Rose)

Rata (Rat)

Río (River)

Ruido (Noise)

Reto (Challenge)]

Before I share with you the last trick to pronounce the RR sound, you must know when to use this strong R.

Any R at the beginning of a word is pronounced as the strong R. But it is written with just one R. There’s no word that is written starting with a double R. Repeat after me.

Roto (Broken)

Reloj (Clock)

Risa (Laugh)

When the strong R is in the middle, it is written with 2 Rs.

Burro (Donkey)

Jarra (Jar)

Arriba (Up)

We don’t use the strong R in combination with other consonants. It will always be the Spanish simple R.

Trabajo (Job/Work)

Precioso (Beautiful)

Brillante (Bright)

Gracias (Thank you)

Drácula (Dracula)

Creer (To believe)

Let’s go with the last trick! And I have a challenge for you at the end.Separate words into different syllables.

For “perro”, separate it into two syllables: “Per-ro”. Repeat 20 times until you connect them with RR.

Don’t lengthen the RR too much, it is quick. But strong. 

I think you’re ready for the exam. Can you pronounce this tongue twister?

Parra tenía una perra. Guerra tenía una parra

La perra de Parra subió a la parra de Guerra.

Guerra pegó con la porra a la perra de Parra.

Y Parra le dijo a Guerra:

¿Por qué ha pegado Guerra con la porra a la perra de Parra?

Y Guerra le contestó: Si la perra de Parra

no hubiera subido a la parra de Guerra,

Guerra no habría pegado con la porra a la perra de Parra.

Conclusion

Now you can roll your Rs, but do you know your Spanish level?

You can take this test to find out so you know what path to take when you learn Spanish. 

¡Hasta pronto!

How to Build a Spanish Learning Habit: 10 Easy Steps to Follow

Yeah, you read that right. Only 10 steps! Whether you you use them all, or just pick and choose the ones that fit your personality, these will definitely help you to make this Spanish learning habit stick.

So no, you can't watch “just one more episode”, and your shoe closet doesn't need to be reorganized for the third time this week... Let's go!

1 . Make short term and long term goals.

When learning Spanish, it's good to have more than just the one main goal in mind. Of course, the ultimate goal is probably something along the lines of being able to speak fluent Spanish with a good accent. But if this is your only goal, you might start to get a little discouraged when you don't achieve it quickly.

That's why you should have short term goals as well. Try giving yourself a goal for that day or week. So that when you achieve it, you'll have a nice little confidence boost! Then, just like your online shopping addiction, you'll just keep coming back for more.

2. Reward yourself whenever you achieve one of these goals.

Find something that you can reward yourself with after you've been working hard to reach one of these Spanish goals that you set. Because you know what? You earned it!

My only advice with this one is that if you're setting daily goals, not to make your reward a tub of Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream... No, this isn't coming from personal experience. It was uh---a friend of mine.

3. Pick a time of day that works for you and stick to it.

Whether it's when you just get home from work, or maybe for an hour before bed, it's important to carve out a chunk of time that you can keep as your sacred Spanish study time.

If you just do it “whenever”, it's way harder to form a habit. So figure out what time of day works best for you and mark it in your calendar. Hey, put that pencil down and use a permanent marker!

4. Tell others about your goal so that they can support you.

Remember in middle school, when a police officer would come into your class and warn you about the dangers of peer pressure? Well it turns out that peer pressure can be a positive thing!
Tell a close friend (or a few) about your goal to learn Spanish.

That way, when you're thinking about skipping your study sesh to watch another re-run of Breaking Bad, you will think about how bad it will feel to tell this friend that you haven't done anything when they ask about your progress. They can hold you to your word, because it can be really easy to talk yourself out of studying.

5. Find a study buddy.

Things are always so much more fun with friends! A fun idea could be to meet once or twice a week at someone's house and cook up some Spanish food to eat while you study. Make a fiesta out of it! And some Spanish wine wouldn't hurt. In fact, it may just improve your Spanish skills.

6. Make a specific goal.

What is it that you really want to get out of this? Do you just want to be able to have casual conversations on your upcoming trip to Spain, or do you want to master the language and speak like a local?

It's important to know exactly what you want to get out of this so that you can start planning out those goals we were talking about earlier.

7. Visualize your goal becoming a reality. 

Picture this: you're lying on a Spanish beach and that sexy lifeguard that you've been eyeing comes over to talk to you. Instead of giving them a blank stare, you are able to effortlessly ask them if they want to have a drink with you after their shift is up.

If that isn't good motivation for studying Spanish, I don't know what is!

8. Have a clear motivation for learning Spanish.

This goes hand in hand with your main goal. If you're just learning Spanish to prepare for a week long trip to Spain, you won't have to work as hard as someone who is looking to get a government translating job.

But if you know exactly why you want to learn Spanish, it will be easier to make it a reality.

9. Give yourself a realistic deadline.

If you don't give yourself enough time, you will most likely feel really stressed and pressured and then give up. But if you give yourself too much time, you may use that as an excuse to put it off and then it won't become a habit.

So think about how much time you actually need to reach your goal, and then stick to it.

10. Familiarize yourself with the reasons that habits don't stick (listed in Part 2) so that you don't fall into the trap.

There are many reasons why people fail at making something a habit. Get to know what would hinder you from making a Spanish learning habit!

We've gone ahead and made a list of the most common reasons so that you know exactly what you're up against!

Pin this!

The Most Common Reasons Habits Fail

We've all been there. You start out really excited about a new goal. You tell yourself “This time it will stick! This time will be different”. But somewhere along the way, your goal gets lost in the everyday-life equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle. You know, the place where lost socks and car keys end up.

However, we want you to really achieve your Spanish learning goals. But before you can do that, you need to know why habits don't stick. That way when one (or let's be honest here---more than one) of these strike, you will have an alarm going off in your head because you were prepared for it!

Come on now, we can tackle this beast together.

1. Procrastination

This is probably one of the most lethal to a Spanish learning habit. Countless habits have fallen prey to this deadly habit-predator. Alright, that was a tad dramatic. But I just wanted to stress this so that you guys don't procrastinate!

Whether it's a new episode of your favourite show, or a friend wants to get drinks after work (do you really need that double vodka soda? It's Monday...), there are always reasons to put off working on your Spanish. But we have to be stronger than that!

2. Setting the bar too high

If you make your goal something that isn't realistic, you will end up getting frustrated and quitting. Make sure that you pick a reasonable goal and give yourself enough time to complete it.

3. Too much fantasizing and not enough doing

Are you one of those people that just makes lists and plans and gets all excited, and never actually ends up doing the work that's required? You're not alone. While a little fantasizing is good because it will motivate you, you need to also get your head out of the clouds for long enough to actually work on your Spanish.

4. Negative thoughts

“I'll never actually be fluent in Spanish so there's no point in even trying.”

“Even if I can speak it fluently my accent will always be horrible and the locals will just laugh at me.”
Thoughts like these need to be eradicated. You need to be kind and patient with yourself when learning a new language. I would never say things like that to you, so please don't say them to yourself. You're already ahead of the game by having the desire to learn the language!

5. Distractions

One new email. New text message from Brad. Three Facebook notifications. We live in a world where distractions are constant. Try to minimize those distractions by unplugging from the world before you start studying.

Put your phone on silent. Tell your friends and family about your new Spanish learning habit and inform them which time of day you will be studying Spanish so that they know you won't be available. 

6. Falling Off the Wagon

It's so easy once you've fallen off the wagon to just stay there laying face down in the dirt.

Once you miss one Spanish study session, then it becomes two, and three. Then before you know it, it's been three weeks and the only thing you can remember in Spanish is “dos cervezas por favor”. (Who really needs to know more than how to order a beer anyways, right?)

If you miss one of your Spanish study sessions, get up, brush yourself off, and try again the next day.

7. Lack of motivation

If you're not motivated, you're not going to achieve your goal. It's as simple as that. So don't let yourself become unmotivated. Just keep thinking about that lifeguard!

8. Doing it alone

If you don't have anyone to study with, it's really easy to convince yourself that you don't have to work on your Spanish today. But if you have concrete plans with a Spanish study buddy, you are more pressured to actually do it.
So whether it's someone who is accompanying you on your trip, or just a friend who wants to learn for fun, find someone to study with so that you have positive reinforcements!

9. Too much pressure

Some people work great under pressure. But if you're anything like me, you are not one of those people. This is why setting realistic goals is so important. You don't want to pressure yourself so much that you end up just throwing in the towel.

10. Excuses, excuses!

Ah, nasty little excuses. Let's face it, there is always going to be some excuse not to do your Spanish work. Do not fall prey to these! Accept the fact that you need to be doing this. Set it as the top priority for that time of day, and don't allow yourself to do anything but study. This is you sacred Spanish study time, remember?

Conclusion

Hopefully this guide has helped you figure out what you need to do to make this Spanish learning habit stick. Now that you've finished reading this, I'd say you've achieved a short term goal. And you know what that means! So perhaps open a bottle of Spanish wine and reward yourself.

See also:

10 Fun Ways to Learn Spanish Throughout the Day

How to Improve Your Listening Skills in Spanish

Hack 1: Learn by Topic

Hack 2: Make It Visual With Word Maps

Hack 3: Get Sticky

Hack 4: Let Your Imagination Run Wild

Hack 5: Cognates Are Your Friends!

Hack 6: Recognize Patterns

Hack 7: Music

You can also check out this video and learn this fun Spanish song for counting.

Final Tips:

Remember…

How will this help me?

Disclaimer

1. El País

Political alignment: to the left.

2. ABC

Political alignment: to the right.

3. BBC Mundo

Political alignment: has been reported as being biased both to the left and the right.

4. eldiario.es

Political alignment: to the left.

4. El Mundo

Political alignment: to the right.

6. Noticias Univision

Political alignment: to the left.

7. News in Slow Spanish

Political alignment: this resource is designed specifically for language-learning, rather than being primarily a journalistic publication, so we haven’t given it a political leaning.

How do I make the most of these resources?

What will reading in Spanish do for you?

1 . Start with the little books…

2. Read books you have already read in English

3. Read Books with Translations

4. Listen to the book while you read it

5. Read a book with pictures

6. Take notes

7. This word, that word… words

8. Read what you love

Conclusion