Learn Spanish for free? As the Director of Marketing for Cabarete Language Institute, I often take Spanish classes at CLI. This is the best way to learn a language; however, I do not always have time for a class and I enjoy learning on my own. Here is a list of 10 free resources I use to complement my Spanish studies:
1. Duolingo
It's free, fun, and easy to use. Lose hearts for answering incorrectly, advance by completing bite-sized lessons, and track your progress. It won't replace your teacher at CLI, but if you only have ten minutes a day to study, it's better than nothing. (www.duolingo.com)
2. Destinos
An introduction to Spanish told in a telenovela style filmed in multiple Spanish speaking countries. Good to watch at night when you are too tired to actually study, and the 80s clothes and hairstyles make for a good laugh.
3. BBC Spanish Language Portal
More than just news in Spanish, a portal on Spanish language activities. Check out their crosswords and brain scrambling games.
4. 100 Most Common Spanish Verbs
Around week two of CLI's Intensive Spanish course, you will be presented with irregular stem-changing verbs. Master the 100 most common verbs, and you will be able to say just about anything. (www.linguasorb.com)
5. Conjuverb
A great verb conjugator for iPad and iPhone that allows you to quickly look up conjugated Spanish verbs, see translations, and use flashcards for self-testing.
6. Verbix.com
A very handy website to check full verb conjugations. (www.verbix.com)
7. Wordreference.com
The best online dictionary for mastering individual words, translations, and learning regional slangs. (www.wordreference.com)
8. Spanish English Dictionary Offline
An offline dictionary app that works without an internet connection, including a phrasebook, verb conjugator, and vocabulary quizzes.
9. Google Translate
Google Translate does a decent job translating simple sentences. It is a handy tool to check your writing structure.
10. Dominican Republic Trip
The best free resource for learning Spanish is to come to the Dominican Republic and just walk around and talk to the people. Folks here are very friendly, so come on down for a visit and remember to visit CLI for some person-to-person language instruction.