La inmersión es la mejor manera de aprender un idioma (Immersion is the best way to learn a language). But what if you can’t just up and move to a Spanish-speaking country like México or Colombia? In this post, I’ll show you how to have un día de inmersión en español (a Spanish immersion day), regardless of where you live.

Photo taken and used with permission from Pixabay.

La Mañana

Comienza tu día aprendiendo una nueva palabra en español (Start your day by learning a new word in Spanish). You can subscribe to the Transparent Language word of the day and receive it in your inbox or your Facebook/Twitter feed. If you do this every day, that’s 365 new words a year!

A continuación, cocina comida tradicional con recetas en español (Next, cook traditional food with recipes in Spanish). Following a recipe in Spanish is a great way to build your vocabulary as well. It’s also fun to try cooking dishes from other countries. We’ve got lots of great recipes that you can use for your immersion day:

• Enchiladas

• Ajiaco

• Mole Poblano

• Empandas

• Cachitos de Jamón

• Garbanzos Manchegos

Photo taken and used with permission from Sasha Savinov.

Why not listen to some music while you cook? Escuchar música es una forma divertida de aprender español (Listening to music is a fun way to learn Spanish). If you’re not sure what to put on, we’ve got plenty of good suggestions for you.

You can try listening to some Mexican mariachi, bachata from the Dominican Republic, or maybe just some rock en español. If you want to listen to what’s popular, check out our post about the top Spanish songs of 2021 while you’re at it.

Everyone likes talking about music, so go ahead and bookmark this guide on talking about music in Spanish. It will help you learn how to chat with Spanish-speaking friends about your favorite music and ask about theirs.

Photo taken and used with permission from Sasha Savinov.

La Tarde

Puedes usar tu celular para mejorar tu vocabulario (You can use your cell phone to improve your vocabulary). There are many different apps you can use to continue learning new words on your Spanish immersion day. We’re partial to the Byki app, which has over 1,000 words in 70 different categories. Duolingo is also a popular app and has some fun new features like stories.

Después de leer y escuchar, es la hora de practicar hablar español (After reading and listening, it’s time to practice speaking Spanish). Perhaps you have a friend, neighbor, or colleague you could practice speaking Spanish with. You can also try to find a language partner online or sign up for a tutoring session. Check out our online tutoring options to get started.

While it’s great to have an immersion day, you’ll want to be speaking Spanish on a regular basis. Of course, we’re not all able to up and go travel around Spanish-speaking countries all the time (wouldn’t that be great?), but you can try to start a local Spanish meetup where you live. Read our 5 steps to starting one and get a group going.

La Noche

¡Que día tan ocupado! Es la hora de relajarse… en español, por supuesto (What a busy day! It’s time to relax… in Spanish, of course). If you’re a “Netflix & chill” kind of person, we’ve got some ideas for you:

• Netflixing Your Way to Fluency With Spanish Movies

• 7 Binge-Worthy Shows en español

• Two Great Netflix Shows for Spanish Learners

Mi programa favorito es “Las Crónicas del Taco” porque me encanta comer tacos (My favorite show is “Taco Chronicles” because I love eating tacos). Speaking of tacos, why don’t you make some for dinner tonight? Even better, go to your neighborhood taqueria if you have one and try ordering in Spanish. You can learn all the vocabulary you need in this post about tacos.

Antes de dormir, es una buena idea escribir un diario (Before you go to sleep, it’s a good idea to write a diary). You already practiced listening, reading, and speaking today, so why not finish with a little writing? It’s a good way to practice el preterito (the past tense) by describing what you did during the day.

If you’re a real go-getter, perhaps you end the day with one more Spanish lesson. The Transparent Language Online course is self-paced and customizable to your needs. Give it a try with a 14-day free trial to see how you like it.

That does it for a busy Spanish immersion day. If you have any other suggestions to add to the itinerary, please leave a comment and let us know!