The Best Free Resources For Learning Spanish
Looking for the best free Spanish resources to use in between your Lingoci lessons? This is the page for you.
TV & News
RTV – Watch and read the news from Spain’s state-owned broadcaster. Following the news is a great way to supplement your learning. News reporters usually speak their language clearly and you’ll often be able to guess what the story is about. Even if you just watch for 5 minutes a day, you’ll still improve your listening skills. Alternatively, you can watch full TV programmes. Spanish subtitles are available to help you, if required.
Antena 3 – Like RTV, this Spanish TV channel offers news content that is handy for improving listening and reading skills.
Euronews – This news site is good because a lot of the stories are international, so you may be familiar with them and have a better chance of understanding the language.
El País – A major, high quality newspaper based in Madrid. El País also has a section of its site with stories translated into English, so if you are struggling with an article you may be able to find the English translation.
Radio & Podcasts
LanguaTalk Spanish – Jesus & Rocio, two Spanish teachers, discuss all sorts of topics. They talk slightly slower than normal to make it easier to understand. Unlike most other podcasts, it has video too and you can view the transcripts for free. The transcripts are interactive, meaning they move with the text, so you can read as you listen. Vocab lists are also available.
Radio Ambulante – A Latin American Spanish podcast. High quality journalism that will not only help you learn Spanish, but also understand Latin American culture. You can listen on your commute, and you can see transcripts in Spanish or translations in English!
RTV – Listen to Spain’s major radio channels, live or via podcasts.
Radio Garden – Tune into radio stations around the world just by moving your mouse across the globe. The link starts you off on Spanish station, ‘Cadena’, but you can select any station you want, whether it be in Spain or Latin America!
SpanishLand – Another excellent Latin American Spanish podcast and YouTube channel.
Online Dictionaries
Reverso – A superb dictionary created in partnership with publisher, Collins. Examples show each word within different sentences – very useful for gaining a deeper understanding. You can also see additional translations for colloquial words and expressions that have been added by users.
WordReference – Like Reverso, this dictionary is continually growing through user input. As a consequence, it’s great for understanding the differences between regional dialects. If the dictionary does not show the translation you’re looking for, you can check the forum results at the bottom of the page. WordReference also has one of the best verb conjugators.
Linguee – Linguee shows translations at rocket speed, before you have even clicked the search button. It also has recordings and displays how each term has been used in context on different websites.
Forvo – A dictionary specifically for learning pronunciation. It has a database of several million words pronounced in over 300 languages – all recorded by native speakers. An essential resource!
Pro tip – keep an online dictionary open during your lessons to aid your learning!
Flashcards
Struggling to remember all the new words and rules that you’re learning? Flashcards are possibly the most effective way to memorise language. They use a concept called spaced repetition – an algorithm learns how well you know each word/flashcard, then prioritises them so that you study the things you don’t know, without wasting precious time on the things you already do. You can create flashcards using the new vocabulary you’ve come across during your lessons with us. Alternatively, some providers allow you to download flashcards created by other people. Whilst creating your own does require a small time investment, it is well worth it!
Anki Web – the original flashcard system. It’s free, open-source software. The only downside is the interface is slightly complex.
Anki App – an app available on all devices.
Quizlet – like the others, Quizlet allows you to create your own flashcards online. Download the mobile app and you can learn during your commutes to work. You can easily access all the Spanish flashcards created by other users via this link. If you create a free account you can save sets to your account for future reference.
Other Tools
Bitesize Spanish lessons – We created this series of free video lessons for beginners. It’s taught with passion and enthusiasm by Jesús and Rocío, experienced tutors from Madrid.
Ver Taal – This free site is one of our favourites. It is packed with grammar, listening and vocabulary exercises for all levels.
Lingolia – Provides clear explanations and exercises for improving grammar skills and building vocabulary. Pro tip – if you’re an intermediate or advanced student, in the top right you can switch the explanations from English to Spanish for an extra challenge!
Videoele – Contains videos split into four levels (A1, A2, B1 & B2). It’s a great way for beginners and intermediate students to develop their listening skills. Many of the videos come with transcripts and exercises sheets. Select a level (‘Nivel’) to get started!
Todo-Claro – Choose exercises based on your level – from A1 – C2. You can select your level on the left hand side and pick an exercise that interests you.
Aprendre Espanol – for exercises and grammar explanations. This page has many activities for practicing using numbers.
Verbanet – Practice conjugating the regular ‘AR’ verbs and the ‘ER/IR’ verbs in the present. The site has lots of other resources too.
Lengua Y Otras Luces – This fantastic blog by Manuela Aparicio uses visual materials to help students understand grammar and other aspects of Spanish.
Free Spell Checker – Studycrumb is a free tool for checking your spelling.
TED Spanish – TED is famous for its short, inspiring talks given by experts in their fields. This page shows all talks that have Spanish subtitles. Even if you’re a beginner, you can watch the talks and start to pick up on the similarities and differences between English and Spanish.
DELE practice – The DELE is the official diploma issued by the Spanish government. If you want to know what your language level is, you can take the official DELE tests from previous years (without paying a penny).