You’re receiving this email because at some point you signed up to get Podcast Maniac’s recommendations for the Best Podcasts to Become Fluent in Spanish. If you still tienes ganas to learn Spanish, then you’ve got to read this email!
Hey there!
I had a breakthrough in my Spanish journey on Tuesday. Like, a legitimate lightbulb moment regarding the Subjunctive tense.
I’m a native English speaker, so the Subjunctive doesn’t really exist in my brain. And although I’ve been studying and trying to become fluent in Spanish for over 20 years, I’ve never been able to get over the hump when it came to the Subjunctive.
But my specific breakthrough is really not the point. The reason I’m writing to share this is because I had the breakthrough during a 1-on-1 class with a Spanish teacher from the language learning site italki.
When you sign up for an italki account using my link, and you take a paid lesson, italki will reward you with a $10.00 credit towards another lesson. Keep reading to learn how affordable and flexible italki is!
I’m working on writing a full italki review for the blog, but I wanted to share this info with you now, so that you can start having your own breakthroughs (or “avances”).
My husband started using italki over a year ago. Because we couldn’t travel to Spanish-speaking countries during the pandemic, he started to feel rusty. He needed to use what he knew and speak out loud.
He had tried all the free “chat” apps that are intended to connect people who want to practice their language skills, but he just couldn’t find anyone who was reliable for a weekly meetup (not to mention people who weren’t completely self-conscious about speaking another language with a total stranger!).
He eventually discovered italki and he’s been happily meeting and learning from several native Spanish speakers through the site.
We’re planning to travel to Spain this Spring (COVID-willing), so I came into 2022 knowing that I needed to jumpstart my Spanish. I’m already taking private lessons once per week, but I needed an affordable way to double that. Enter italki.
Signing up for italki is super easy: you can create a free account and there’s no requirement to pay for
lessons. The free online platform and mobile app give you access to a huge community of people who are learning and teaching all kinds of languages (PRO TIP: set your web/app filter to Spanish!).
The best part: italki has Spanish podcasts built right in! Some are italki original podcasts and others are pulled in from the internet. The podcast description will tell you if the host is speaking Mexican Spanish or Spain Spanish, etc.
I’ve used the italki mobile app quite a bit just to poke around and see what’s new. There’s a sort of forum in which users can post questions about how to say something in Spanish, and italki’s Community Tutors (native speakers who help students through informal speaking or tutoring) answer with awesome detail and explanation.
In addition to the Community Tutors, italki has qualified, experienced teachers you can schedule classes with.
Italki lets you sign up for a trial lesson before booking with a teacher. Some trials are free and others are as low as $3.00.
Once you find a teacher you like, you can sign up for classes that are 30 minutes, 45 minutes, or 60 minutes long. Scheduling and paying is unbelievably easy and all done right through the platform (no back and forth emails to find a time that works for both of you).
Based on my husband’s recommendation, I signed up for a class with a Community Tutor in Madrid. We’ve had 3 classes now, and I’m impressed by how well-prepared she is. She has quickly adjusted to my level and needs, and she uses great resources to explain things to me (hence, my breakthrough).
Another thing I like about italki is that you can take virtual classes via Zoom, Skype, or italki’s built-in virtual classroom. It’s really flexible!
Reminder: When you sign up for an italki account using my link, and you take a paid lesson, italki will reward you with a $10.00 credit towards another lesson. It’s a pretty great deal, considering some teachers charge as little as $7.00 per hour! I’m telling you, it’s a truly affordable option to get 1:1
lessons from native Spanish speakers (who know all the cool slang, btw).
I hope you’ll feel inspired to start January with some Spanish classes and you’ll check out italki. I’d love to hear what you think!
The Podcast Fan Gift Guide
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The Podcast Fan Gift Guide has some new t-shirts, a couple of podcast-themed games, new headphone recommendations, and some audiobook subscription options.
You can use the guide to shop for someone else, or to drop hints to those buying for you. We're adults, we can ask for what we really want!
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Don't forget to follow Podcast Maniac!
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