Yes, it’s finally here: the post where I tell you exactly how to speak Spanish, or any other language, fluently. Don’t go away, you’re going to like this.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot and I even visited a language institute in Boston to see how things work. On paper it is all very good and effective and I came to the conclusion that regardless of what method you are using or where you are going to school, what you do next is what matters.

I met many students from Latin America, mostly Spanish speakers, and they tended to be together out of class and speak their native languages. I saw the same thing happen in San Francisco. I was staying at a hostel with lots of international students and I met a Brazilian college student who had taken a semester off to study English. He said that after class he would always hang out with Brazilians and he knew he was wasting precious time to practice the language.

Even though they had chosen to take an immersion course, they were still deeply rooted to their cultures. Mind you, there is nothing wrong with that, but you should definitely step out of your comfort zone if you want to have good results. You may feel homesick (trust me, you will!) and that will go away as you make new friends and start having another lifestyle abroad.

Now, if you are studying a foreign language in the comfort of your own country or city, what you do after class is even more important than what you do in class. Even if you have two hours of language instruction every single day, if you don’t review what you have learned, you will not make the most of it and it will surely take longer.

So how do you speak Spanish or any language fluently? I have three words for you: persistence, determination and review. Set yourself a goal, work daily, every single day. If it gets too difficult, rewind a little and remember to praise yourself for learning a foreign language.

I have decided to start studying Tagalog because it is a language I have never studied and I want to challenge myself and also step out of my comfort zone. I will let you know how I am doing pretty soon.

Do you have any golden tips for learning Spanish that you would like to share with me and my readers? Feel free to comment because I love to hear what you think! Nos vemos prontito.