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You canât speak a language if you donât know any words. You might love learning your verb conjugations and your grammar rules, but if you have nothing to combine them with, youâre going to get nowhere fast!
Learning vocabulary is something that all language learners have to do. Arguably, the best way to learn new words and phrases is in context and organically â but this isnât always possible. Thankfully, when you want to improve your Spanish vocabulary, there are loads of ways to do it! Letâs look at some of them.
1. Use flashcards
When I started teaching languages sixteen years ago, flashcards were all the rage â as they had been even when Iâd been at school. Iâd spend hours printing pictures and laminating them, then storing them in a folder ready to re-use whenever that topic came up again.
Over the years, interactive whiteboards and PowerPoint presentations replaced physical flashcards. I still have fond memories of using this resource and Iâm sure there are some older teachers out there who still use theirs. They worked in language teaching for decades so theyâre clearly a valuable resource!
Formal teaching aside, flashcards are a great way of learning Spanish vocabulary on your own. Iâm sure there are places where you can buy flashcards but the most effective way of learning from them is to make your own â they donât have to be A4 laminated ones like mine!
If you donât want to make your own, there are some great flashcard apps like Quizlet, Memrise, Brainscape, and Anki.
2. Choose apps that are focused on vocabulary learning
Language learning apps have different approaches. Some are more focused on how to improve Spanish vocabulary than others. One great app is Drops. Drops is a fun, immersive that will help improve Spanish vocabulary learning. You can spend as little as five minutes a day on this app.
Drops works by creating visual links with over 2,000 items of vocabulary with its unique illustrations. You also get to review words youâve already learnt so that they stay embedded in your long-term memory.
Other good apps for learning Spanish vocabulary are Babbel, Ling App, and Mondly. If you like the idea of learning new words and phrases from Spanish shows and movies, you should check out Lingopie.
3. Have a dictionary app or translation app on your smartphone
As long as you donât rely too heavily on translation apps, it can be really useful to have one on your phone.
I would always recommend WordReference above a translator purely because itâs like having a large dictionary on your phone that allows you to understand the words youâre looking for.
For example, if you type the English word âbrushâ into Google Translate, youâll be given the Spanish word âcepilloâ. On WordReference, youâre given a long list of words, the context theyâre used in, whether theyâre a verb, noun, masculine or feminine, and an example of the word in use. For the word âbrush,â it shows you three different nouns and a range of verbs.
4. Use a dedicated notebook just for your Spanish vocab
If you want to know how to increase your Spanish vocabulary, have a notebook that you carry around with you.
This will help you get into the habit of noting down new vocabulary as soon as you learn it. You can then review it whenever you get a moment. So, if youâre waiting for a bus, on a long commute, or just a little bored, you can always get the notebook out of your bag and flick through it!
Needless to say, if you’re enrolled in a Spanish course (pro tip: Coursera has great Spanish courses focused on boosting your vocabulary), it’s crucial to jot down new words you encounter.
5. Get into etymology
If youâre learning a language, the chances are you already have an interest in words and vocabulary. Knowing where words come from can really help you to remember their meanings. It can also help you learn linked words.
If we take the English word âsurgeonâ as an example, the Spanish word âcirujanoâ comes from the Latin chirugria, which originally carried the meaning âto work with your handsâ or âmanual workâ.
The word âbajoâ (low) also comes from Latin. If youâre into music, you might know that the Latin word bassus means low â and itâs where we get the English word âbassâ from too.
When you learn more about the word, itâs more likely to stick in your memory.
6. Get to grips with cognates
Cognates are like Godâs gift to language learners because you donât actually need to learn anything other than their pronunciation. You can learn hundreds of words in a very short space of time when theyâre all cognates.
Common Spanish cognates include:
- Llama (as in the animal) â itâs pronounced âya-maâ though. Llama also means âflameâ and âcallâ.
- Bravo
- Problema â the same as English, just with an extra letter
- Radio
- Solo
- Bar â always a good one to know!
- Hospital â another good one to know!
- Possible
- Popular
- Perfecto
7. Try to practise each day
Have some sort of daily Spanish vocabulary list that you look at often. It doesnât have to be a long list â you could have a five-word list in your pocket for a week and then switch it for a new one.
It takes a long time and lots of exposure to a new word to make it stick. Having a sticky note in your pocket with some keywords on can really help cement them in your long-term memory.
8. Do crosswords or play games
If youâre already a fan of games and crosswords, try them in Spanish. This will require a certain level of knowledge and is more suited to intermediate learners. The idea of playing word games or doing crosswords will mean youâre learning at the same time as having fun, which is always a good thing!
You could even search for some online word games that are aimed at Spanish children and adolescents so that theyâre a little easier.
9. Turn the subtitles on
Even if you donât want to watch a program in Spanish, having Spanish subtitles on when youâre watching your favourite TV shows in English will help.
You might only see the odd word you know and you might only pay attention a few times, but all exposure to Spanish vocab is good exposure and can improve Spanish vocabulary learning, as well as Spanish listening skills.
10. Find a Spanish vocabulary book
When I used to teach A-Level Spanish, I would always recommend my students get a Spanish textbook like Palabra por Palabra. In fact, I was using an older version of this during my A-Levels over two decades ago!
Unlike a dictionary, this is a great book that has word lists in themes and topics. There are also end-of-topic activities to do too.
Also read: 17 Best Spanish Vocabulary Books for Beginners and Beyond
11. Sing Spanish songs
Thankfully for English speakers, there are a few Spanish songs that have made it to the charts. Whether itâs Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, or Luis Fonsi thatâs more to your taste, you can find the Spanish lyrics very easily online and sing along to the Spanish versions of their songs.
Even better, find Spanish language music online in your preferred genre and sing along on YouTube. As previously mentioned, when youâre having fun, youâll learn a lot more.
12. Go mad with labels
Get those sticky notes out again and label things around your home. Stick one on your muebles (pieces of furniture), on your mesa de centro (coffee table), or on your cĂłmoda (bedside table). You can go for a different theme each week. Here are some ideas to try:
- Label your cupboard items â pasta, rice, flour, sugar, etc.
- Label each room with a sticky note on the door
- Label the materials of items â e.g., wood, stone, fabric, plastic
- Label the colours of things â you could even introduce masculine, feminine, and plural colours on the appropriate items too.
13. Read for pleasure in Spanish
Depending on your level of Spanish, you can try to read for pleasure in the language. This will help to build up your vocabulary in no time.
When I was first learning Spanish, I chose to read a book that Iâd already read in English and enjoyed â it was a Harry Potter book. I already knew what happened, which made it easier to grasp what was going on when the language got tricky.
What I loved about doing this â particularly with Harry Potter â was how the names of things changed too. For example, the Mirror of Erised, which allows people to see their heartâs desires (Erised is desire backwards as if reflected in a mirror) is called âel Espejo de Oesedâ in Spanish â with âOesedâ being deseo in reverse.
Also read: 16 Best Spanish Novels and Storybooks for Beginners and Beyond
Final thoughts
Just being motivated and having the desire to improve your Spanish vocabulary is often enough to get things going. Once youâve got some ideas that work for you, youâll find yourself soaking up new words all the time.
If you canât immerse yourself in a Spanish-speaking country, then the best thing you can do is to try and immerse yourself in Spanish as much as possible at home. With a little determination, you can see progress in how much vocabulary you know.