There are four main areas that you need to train when learning a language. They are reading, writing, listening, and speaking. All these areas are important to develop your language skills.

Spanish is a very fast language, faster than English in some ways. What you hear in your lessons versus what you hear on the streets is very different. You also need to consider that some Spanish speaking countries speak faster than others leaving out random consonant and vowel sounds. For example; "para que" turns into "pa'que".

The accents and the fast pace speech can be intimidating for Spanish newbies. The thing is that it's always better to start your language journey with speaking. In any language, speaking is how you will be using the language around 50 percent of the time.

You're reading this because you're learning Spanish. So, I'll pose a few questions to you:

• Do you struggle to keep up in a conversation with native speakers?
• Do you find yourself memorizing key phrases to communicate?

If you answered, "yes" to both of these questions, keep reading. I'll show you ways to improve your Spanish speaking skills.

Podcast and Music

Listening to podcasts is a weapon because it gives you two benefits in one. For now, you can focus on the speaking aspect. If you only listen to a podcast in Spanish, that is passive.

What you want to try instead is repeating the phrases in the dialogue out loud. You can also have a transcription of the podcast too. Pause it sentence by sentence if you have to. Another fun method is listening to music.

Search for some Spanish music that you might like, and sing along. Depending on your level, I would start out with slower songs then work your way up to fast-paced music such as Reggaeton.

Online Spanish Recourses

Language Learning Apps

Language learning apps provide a flexible and engaging way to learn a new language at your own pace, anytime and anywhere. Babbel stands out as the best choice for its interactive lessons tailored to real-life situations, making it ideal for both beginners and intermediate learners. With its intuitive design, speech recognition for improving pronunciation, and spaced repetition for memory retention, Babbel makes learning Spanish practical, efficient, and enjoyable.

Online Spanish Video Courses

Online Spanish video courses are perfect for learners who prefer visual and auditory learning methods. They offer structured learning that you can access on-demand, allowing for a flexible learning schedule that fits your lifestyle. The best course available is Learn Spanish: Basic Spanish Vocabulary Specialization. It features comprehensive content that covers all aspects of the language, from basics to advanced nuances. These courses often include interactive components, quizzes, and downloadable resources, enhancing the learning experience.

Online Spanish Classes

For those seeking a more structured and interactive approach to learning Spanish, online classes are the way to go. Lingoda.com is the best place to find live Spanish classes taught by certified native speakers in a virtual classroom setting. Offering small class sizes, Lingoda ensures personalized attention and ample speaking practice, mimicking a traditional classroom experience. It’s ideal for learners who thrive under guided instruction and value the opportunity to interact with teachers and peers for immediate feedback and support.

‍Read Out Loud

If you don't have a local Spanish newspaper or a magazine on hand. The internet has a wealth of resources that you can use. Check out the Spanish language section of CNN to read the news articles out loud. You can also use a website called The Spanish Experiment that offers class fairy tales to users. To get the most out of your practice, listen to the narrator first, then repeat.

Failure isn't Fatal

The best method to improve your Spanish speaking skills is to practice. The ways that I mentioned are part of the exercise routine, like going for a run or lifting weights. You can't expect to lose weight if you don't start exercising, to begin with. If you are afraid of looking stupid because you mispronounced a word. You won't get very far. Messing up is part of the process because you have to start from somewhere.