Learning Spanish this year: what we want you to know

Before you write a long list of Spanish goals for the new year, let me tell you something.

You don’t need big promises.
You don’t need perfect grammar.
You don’t need to understand everything right now.

You just need to keep going.

So here are your Spanish learning resolutions, written by your Colombian friend.

The one who has seen many students learn Spanish in Bogotá.

Don’t worry if you don’t understand everything

Really. Don’t.

Spanish doesn’t come all at once. It comes little by little

One day you understand a word.
Another day you catch a full sentence.
Then, one random afternoon, you understand a joke and surprise yourself.

That confusion you feel at the beginning? That’s not failure. That’s learning.

Everyone feels lost at first.
Everyone asks “What did they say?”
Everyone nods politely sometimes and hopes for the best.

That’s normal. Keep going.

Just try

You don’t need to wait until you feel ready. Ready comes after trying, not before.

Say the word, even if it sounds strange.
Ask the question, even if your sentence is short.
Order the coffee, even if your accent feels strong.

Trying is how Spanish starts to feel real.

Silence doesn’t help your Spanish. Using it does.

Relax, you’re learning

Spanish is not a race. And it’s not a test.

You don’t need to speak fast.
You don’t need to sound like a native.
You don’t need to know every verb tense.

You need time.
You need patience.
You need real conversations.

Relaxing helps your brain learn. Pressure does not.

Make mistakes. We expect them.

If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not using Spanish enough.

Mistakes mean:

• You tried a new word
• You spoke instead of staying quiet
• You pushed yourself a little

In Colombia, people are patient.
They wait. They listen. They help you.

Your mistakes are not embarrassing.
They are part of the process.

Listen more than you speak (at first)

At the beginning, listening does a lot of the work.

Listen to how people greet each other.
Listen to how they order food.
Listen to how they end conversations.

You don’t need to understand every word.
Your ear is learning even when you think it isn’t.

Learn Spanish for life, not for the classroom

Spanish is not only grammar and exercises.

It’s:

• Saying hello to the person at the bakery
• Asking for directions
• Laughing when you don’t understand and trying again
• Feeling part of daily life

The goal is not perfect Spanish. The goal is real communication.

Show up, even on bad days

Some days you feel confident. Other days you feel tired and confused.

Both days count.

Come to class.
Speak a little.
Listen a lot.
Go home knowing you did something for your Spanish.

Progress happens when you show up again and again.

One last thing from your Colombian friend

You don’t learn Spanish by forcing it.
You learn it by living it.

Little by little.
Day by day.
Conversation by conversation.

So this year, keep your resolution simple: Use Spanish, even when it feels messy.

That’s how it starts to work.

Want help keeping this resolution?

Our Colombian Spanish classes focus on real conversations, clear Spanish, and learning at your own pace.