Spanish Lessons in Cincinnati

La Casa de Papel - Netflix Series

One of the most popular Netflix shows of the last few years, this suspense series will have you at the edge of your seat. “La Casa de Papel” is about El Profesor, a man who planned the most daring crime in the history of Spain: to break into la Casa de Moneda y Timbre (the Royal Mint) and steal more than 1 billion euros. Will they make it? You will have to tune in to find out. And make sure to watch the series in its original language to improve your listening skills and get used to the European Spanish accent. Beginners can make use of English subtitles, but don’t cheat if you are already speaking the language at an advanced level! Click here to learn more about the series!

Cinco de Mayo Festival

Cinco de Mayo is an annual Mexican festival that remembers the army’s victory over the French in the 18th century. Today, it is celebrated all around the USA with fantastic parties that include live mariachi music, traditional food and drinks, and a parade with elaborate costumes. Why not attend this event to meet like-minded people while getting to know more about the culture of the language you are learning? As it is attended by many native speakers living in the country, you’ll surely pick up some vocabulary along the way, like cactus or maracas. Wear a sombrero, have some margaritas and impress the people you meet with your Spanish skills. Learn more about the festival here.

El Quijote - Play

An adaptation of the classic Miguel de Cervantes’ novel, this play follows the adventures of Don Quijote. Obsessed with becoming a chivalrous knight, Don Quijote decides to take his sword and, with the help of his trusty squire, Sancho Panza, embarks on an adventure to defend those in need and fight against evil. The play is performed in Spanish with English supertitles at NYC Theater, so you’ll be able to enjoy the experience even if you are just starting out with your Spanish course at Listen & Learn. Learn more about the play here.

Mis Pastelitos

To achieve fluency in Spanish, it’s important to constantly absorb information via different mediums. And what better way than to listen to native Spanish speakers talk about topics you are passionate about? For example, if you like cooking, then watching Mis Pastelitos’ videos can be a great choice. This YouTube channel is run by Griz Verduzco, a Mexican woman who loves sharing recipes about delicious desserts from her home country. You’ll soon pick up words and phrases related to cooking, like “olla,” “freír” and “qué delicioso”. But don’t watch it if you are on a diet: you’ll soon be craving sugar! Subscribe here to the channel!

ElSmosh

If you love anime and games and are looking to improve your Spanish, why not follow ElSmosh’s Youtube channel? This Youtuber makes comedy videos aimed at pop culture and Pokémon fans in English, which is then dubbed into Spanish by a Chilean man. So, if you are interested in watching videos about how Pikachu won his first battle or curious facts about Disney princesses, this is the channel for you. Plus, as the channel is available in both English and Spanish, so you can cross-reference both versions if you are a beginner and would like to improve your comprehension skills and vocabulary. Subscribe to the channel here!

Daniela Bos

Learning Spanish on YouTube is convenient. Since you can watch the platform from any device with an internet connection, you can use it to learn Spanish anytime, anywhere. For example, you can start watching the content uploaded by Daniela Bos, a YouTuber who shares facts about Mexican lifestyle and current events. This channel is recommended for everyone learning Spanish, even beginners, as she speaks in a very clear way, making it easy to understand what she’s saying. Soon, you’ll develop a fluid vocabulary and learn some of the phrases she always uses, like “Hola, bebé!” Subscribe here to the channel!

Learn Vocabulary Watching Soccer

Learning Spanish is much simpler and more motivational when you use materials about topics that really interest you. Some of the most famous soccer teams in the world, like Barcelona or Real Madrid, are from Spain and the Spanish are huge fans of the sport as a result. So, if you are looking to connect with Spanish speakers, what could be better than talking to them about football? Gather together with Spanish speakers and watch some matches on TV networks, like Univision, and soon you’ll soon start to pick up important soccer vocabulary, like how the referee is called árbitro or that a forward (like Messi) is called delantero. Learn more about Spanish teams here!

Use Ligas to learn Spanish

If you ever go to Spain, you’ll see that the most popular sport in the country is soccer. Every weekend, fans put on their teams’ shirts and sit in front of the TV or attend the local stadium to watch football matches of La Liga, la Liga de Campeones o la Liga del Rey. Watching soccer matches is the perfect way not only to learn some new vocabulary (polivalente, for example, is a player that can take different positions in the field) but also to engage in interesting discussions with your Spanish friends. All of them will have heard about Messi or Suárez, so ask them their opinions on the players with your Spanish skills. Click here to know when the Liga starts!

Watch the World Cup in Spanish

The soccer World Cup is one of the most prestigious sporting tournaments in the world. It takes place every 4 years and attracts millions of attending fans and excited TV viewers, ready to cheer on their nation’s team. But did you know that, for decades, the World Cup has been transmitted inboth English and Spanish in the USA? This is a great chance for Spanish learners to enjoy a world-class sports event while increasing their Spanish vocabulary. Plus, you’ll have an exciting topic to discuss with your Latin American or Spanish friends! Learn more about the World Cup here.

Univision

Univision is an American Spanish-language television network where you can watch the daily news, telenovelas (Spanish-speaking soap operas), and more. It also has a free-access website where you can read articles written in Spanish about Mexico, Latin America in general, and American politics. This is the country's largest provider of Spanish-language content, so you’ll find a lot of diverse information about Mexican celebrities, news and politics which impact the Spanish-speaking community, and updates about your favorite Spanish shows, for example. The website is recommended for intermediate to advanced students as the language can be quite complex. Get started with news in Spanish here!

Estrella TV

Estrella TV is an American television network that broadcasts programs and news in European Spanish. You can tune into one of their shows and learn more about local and international news, current reality shows, and sports. The vocabulary they use is a bit formal, which will come in handy if you plan to use your Spanish skills at work or to apply for a new job. Also, you can visit Estrella TV’s website to read the news instead of just listening. The articles are very short and use simple words and sentences, which is perfect for beginner-level students who want to start reading in Spanish. Get started with news in Spanish here!

Telemundo

Telemundo is the second-largest provider of Spanish content in the USA and is owned by Comcast. This television network broadcasts programs (telenovelas, sports, reality shows, etc.) and news either imported or Spanish dubbed. And if you want to improve your reading skills while learning more about what’s going on in Latin America, you can access Telemundo Digital Media’s website, where you can find articles about celebrities, politics, the economy, and sports. They are usually quite short and written using simple language, so beginner and intermediate-level students can read these real-life materials and take their Spanish to the next level. Get started with news in Spanish here!

Memrise

Are you looking to increase your Spanish vocabulary outside your lessons? Then, you should consider Memrise, an app with a wide variety of lessons and resources that will help you learn new words in meaningful ways. For example, you can find videos featuring native speakers uttering phrases and words so you to learn how to pronounce them. Then, you can complete different exercises to help you remember those terms and understand their context of usage. Download Memrise and you can choose what to learn and decide when and where you want to practice, all while staying entertained and motivated. You can check out the app here!

Tuenti

This is a mobile operator based in Spain that offers messaging and social media services too. Created in 2006, between 2009 and 2015 it was known as the “Spanish Facebook,” with over 15 million active users. Today, Tuenti offers mobile telephone services within Spain and Latin America as well. Its plans are affordable and easy to use, and they offer instant messaging through the app. If Spain is on your bucket list, you might want to download the Tuenti app to your phone to stay connected with old friends back home and new friends while you are traveling. Download the app here!

Arbor

Arbor is a new app in the fintech field that helps people save and optimize their expenses. It has several tools, with its expenses planner being the most useful of them. You can upload invoices to keep track of all your expenses and divide them into categories (like taxes, transportation, food, leisure, and so on) to understand where you spend your money. You can even set financial goals per week or month, and you’ll receive congratulations once you attain them. All you need is a mobile phone and some reading knowledge of Spanish. Click here to find out more about the app.