Many of the iNMSOL students ask us for advice on ways to practice Spanish, or additional learning methods to classes that are not boring. Following your suggestions we propose one of the techniques that will entertain you the most: songs. Why learn with the songs? For several reasons. Music brings us many benefits when learning a language. Of course, it can’t replace a good grammar book or course, but it is a very valid instrument to strengthen some linguistic skills.
It enriches your lexicon
Songs present a great quantity of lexicon used daily by the speakers of a certain language, and they can imprint in your mind words that otherwise you would have likely forgotten. For example, did you know the Spanish word “despacito” before Luis Fonsi used it in his famous song? Maybe not, and if you did, after the release of this song you will never forget it.
You practice the listening
Listening to music in the language you’re learning makes you get used even to the sounds that aren’t present in your language, so that you’ll recognize them more and more easily. At first you don’t even notice your progress, but one day you realize you make less effort to understand words and sentences in that language.
You improve your pronunciation
When you learn a new language, one of the most difficoult things to do is stay clear of the rhythms and tones that characterize your own language. If you sing the songs besides listening to them, your pronunciation will improve and progressively acquire the typical cadence of that language.
You strengthen the knowledge of grammar
In a song there is also a lot of grammar, and this gives you the possibility to review what you have studied by applying it to song phrases that will occur to you whenever you have doubts about which grammatical structures to use in your conversations in the foreign language.
It’s fun
To finish, songs are fun. Music gives rhythm to our days and makes more pleasant moments that we generally consider boring: the way home, school or work, gymnastics, cleanliness and much more. The most boring things will become fun and, in the meantime, you will learn!
To exercise while having fun
To practice and learn new words, and learn how they are written and pronounced, this website (https://lyricstraining.com) is great. Select the language, choose a song, select your level in that language (beginner, intermediate, advanced or expert), and according to the level you will have to fill in the gaps in the text while you’re listening to the song. On this site (http://www.todoele.net/canciones/Cancion_list.asp) you can find several songs related to a specific grammatical theme.
What are you waiting for? It’s time to sing!