Just how hard is it to learn Spanish? If you are a student of the language, you will hit some “walls” from time to time. Whether you feel puzzled by Spanish prepositions or can’t force your tongue to mimic all the right Spanish sounds and have a proper accent, fret not. We have all been there! Instead of getting discourages, remember that any wall can be climbed with a little extra effort.
So How Hard is it to Learn Spanish for English Speakers?
Actually, among all of the languages that English-speaking students or adults may study, Spanish is one of the easiest. This is because it has consistent structure, with some exceptions of course, and once the rules of “placement” are mastered, it will be a matter of memorizing basic vocabulary, learning those verb conjugations and picking up some idiomatic Spanish expressions to give your speech some grit.
So, if you are asking, “Why is Spanish so hard?” you are really talking about those “walls” you encounter that will take a bit of extra work. Here are five of them, along with the tips for overcoming those.
1. Understanding Ser vs. Estar in Spanish
In English, we have only one verb for “being” somewhere, something, or is some state – “to be.” In Spanish, though, there are two somewhat different verbs – ser and estar. Learning the rules for using those correctly can be a bit of a “bear,” but with experience and practice, you can master them in no time!
So here’s the drill down:
- In general, “ser” is used for permanent condition. Thus, you are a male or female; you are from a certain town, state, or country; you are a certain height, etc. That’s a fact you probably cannot change, so use ser to describe it.
- “Estar” is for more temporary conditions. So, you are shopping; you are in school; you are happy or sad. All of these conditions are fickle. And that when you use estar in your speech.
Ser vs. estar usage in Spanish is really a matter of asking yourself whether a condition is permanent or not. But also understand this. If you do goof and use the wrong form of “to be,” most native speakers will still understand you.
So relax, continue to learn the difference, and you will eventually get over this “wall.”
The video below should really help you!
2. The Subjunctive Tense in Spanish
This is one of the most confusing verb tenses for English speakers to understand. The reason? There really is no such tense used in English language, hence all the mind-boggling confusion.
In general, the subjunctive tense in Spanish is used when situations are hypothetical (may or may not happen) or that express emotions about something that may or may not become reality. Thus, you hope you will travel to South America this year or when you go to Mexico this year, you would like to visit the ruins again.
Knowing when to use the subjunctive isn’t the only issues. You have to learn the conjugations – present, past, and future. And while regular verbs follow a pattern, there are still those pesky irregular verbs to deal with in this tense too.
Again, you will still be understood if you goof in the use of subjunctive tenses, but if you really want to master Spanish, you will need to work on this, especially if you plan to write anything that will matter grammatically.
Practicing examples of the subjunctive tense will help, but, if you do need to write correctly, keeping a good Spanish grammar book on hand for reference is a must.
3. Understanding Different Accents and Dialects
Spanish is the second most used language in the world (behind Mandarin Chinese, and if you think Spanish is tough, try learning Chinese). And, because of this, there are national and regional dialects and accents that can be troublesome, especially in speaking and listening. Castilian Spanish is quite different from Latin American Spanish, for example.
Again, fret not. There are a lot of tricks to understanding any type of Spanish better. But the best advice is probably this – constantly train your ear to become accustomed to different accents, manners of speaking and local catch phrases by listening to real-life conversations.
Check out this hilarious, can’t miss video below where a YouTuber rants about the different Spanish accents!
4. Mastering Those Conjugations
The majority of verbs in Spanish are considered “regular,” that is, they follow a certain pattern/structure, if they end in “ar,” “er,” or “ir.” But conjugations for each of these regular verbs must be memorized – present, past, future, and all of the combinations (past perfect, future perfect, etc.).
Then, there are the irregular verbs, and there are plenty of them. Again, this will be matter of memorization and constant practice. There is just no substitute for this.
But consider English for a minute. You don’t think about conjugations, because you grow up just learning them naturally. In Spanish, and in any foreign language actually, you will deal with conjugations.
5. The Speed of Speech
If you have placed yourself in an environment where you are listening to native Spanish speakers talk, you can quickly become overwhelmed. Just try listening to a Spanish speaking television station, for example or listen to a heated argument dialog in a telenovela .
At first, you will feel overwhelmed. It is not uncommon for those learning Spanish to pick up a few words here and there but to miss most everything that is being said. This is a matter of speech speed.
You have friends who speak rapidly in your native tongue. And you can still understand virtually everything they say. And so it is with native Spanish speakers. Speed is not a problem.
Your ability to understand spoken Spanish only comes with continued exposure to native speakers. So, keep watching those Spanish TV programs and movies, keep placing yourself in other environments where the language is spoken naturally. And if you are in the company of native speakers, join in the conversation and work on your own speed of speaking and listening.
The lady in the following video gives us some really excellent tips! Remember, they will be stuff said in the video and you’ll probably say to yourself, “Gzzzz, I might as well quit!”, but please do not! Keep practicing and trust and believe, things are going to start to make more sense as you advance!
Treat Learning Spanish as a Journey
Is learning Spanish difficult? In some aspects, yes, it is. Think about when you were first introduced to algebra in school. Did you “get” it all immediately? Probably not. But with good instruction, practice, and determination, you eventually mastered it. So, put in the work, stay motivated, and attack the most challenging aspects of the language with determination. You will get there!
