So you’ve completed a few Spanish classes in Salt Lake City and you feel that you may be ready to travel to a Spanish-speaking country. Travelling for vacation can be a great opportunity to relieve some stress, but also to become more fluent in a language. For example, the classes available at inlingua Utah can offer you a ton of vocabulary to use in everyday conversations, but you’ll come to realize when you’re travelling that the practical part isn’t always as easy as the theory part. Here are some great tips on learning the Spanish language when travelling.
Our first suggestion is to listen to audio courses on your way there. You can access these through podcasts, YouTube videos, or even mobile apps. Audio courses can be extremely helpful for learning the language while on the road. The amazing thing about audio courses is that you can do it whenever you want, wherever you are. Listening to audio courses made by native speakers can potentially help you grasp an understanding of the accents and slang used in the country.
A lot of the time, we have found that inlingua Utah’s recent students of a new language get scared as soon as they hear the accents in the country, because that doesn’t sound anything like what they learned in their Spanish class back in Salt Lake City. It’s all going too fast for them, or it is pronounced differently than what they’ve been taught. Audio courses can help with this, as they ease you into the practical use of the language you have just spent so much time and energy learning in the classroom.
One of the more modern ways to learn a language when on the move is by downloading apps to teach languages. Everything is being modernized nowadays, making it possible to learn a new language anywhere as long as you have your mobile with you. Apps like Babbel or DuoLingo teach you the basic of a language in an interactive way, which can be fun for you and even your kids. There are a lot of other apps out there, each teaching languages in their own way. I suggest you download a few and see what method fits you best. You could ask your inlingua Utah teacher from your Spanish classes in Salt Lake City what apps are suggested for your level.
Ultimately, the best way to learn a language when you’re travelling is by simply talking to the locals. You won’t get that kind of practical application and experience anywhere else. Locals usually have different accents, as every single person uses a different kind of speech, and they can even teach you a lot about the culture. Locals are usually very open and friendly to people trying to learn the language, so don’t be afraid to approach them. Talking to local people can give you an understanding of the language like you could never get from any class or app. It is a unique experience which you certainly shouldn’t skip if you get the chance.