Beyond the screen: Applying your online Spanish in the real world

Bringing Online Spanish to Life

If you’re like me, you’ve possibly spent time learning Spanish online or via an app like Memrise or Duolinguo. You may have a really impressive streak, which means you’ve logged in or jumped on the app daily for ages. You’ve been building vocabulary, practicing grammar, and maybe even speaking in structured exercises. 

But now, you’re wondering: How do I take what I’ve learned and use it in real-life conversations? And how good am I when faced with the uncertainty of random interactions?!

Memriseapplication interface.

At the International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI), they really understand that making the leap from online learning to real-world application can feel intimidating. 

Their Spanish courses focus on interactive, communicative learning—helping students develop confidence in speaking from day one. Whether you’re part of their online Spanish classes (live, with real people – not another self-study app) or engaging with the local language-learning community in Northampton, they really help to boost your confidence and fill in the gaps between app-level Spanish speaking, and the real-world stuff. 

If you’re at the stage of learning online Spanish through some form of self-study, this article will help you bridge the gap between your Spanish online course and real-world conversations. These practical strategies are inspired by ILI’s friendly, uplifting and supportive approach to language learning and a few things I’ve encountered along my language learning journey.

Overcome the Fear Factor

Now don’t get me wrong, I really love the online apps. They’re particularly good at what we used to call ‘drilling’ – the mechanical repetition of key language points, grammatical phrases and vocabulary practice. 

Making mistakes

The problem is that the more you get it right, and the more gold stars, badges and XP you collect through a gamified app, the more confident you feel. But part of you knows deep down that unless your real-world Spanish speaking counterpart leads with the exact same phrases you’ve learned online, you’re going to struggle to know what to say, and suddenly that self-confidence evaporates. 

A woman looking surprised and saying oops!

Remember that’s actually how the app teaches you too. You get it wrong until you get it right. What’s different in real life is that you only get one chance in that moment, which increases the perceived pressure. 

You’ve got two choices as I see it. You either deliver a perfect line every time, or you accept that making mistakes in real life is as important as it is in the app. You just need to surround yourself with the right people.  

Get it right more often

If you’re a bit of a perfectionist, I’ll bet you jumped to this section. I hear you. Whilst we’re trying to move you away from online Spanish learning to get you to use Spanish in the real world, there is more self-study you can do. 

Focus in on subjects you love, things you like to say in your own language, and go research the vocabulary and phrases which will help you express yourself accurately. That does only kick the ‘making a mistake’ can down the road a bit, but it might give you a bit more confidence. That confidence is a huge help.

But do remember that when speaking Spanish as a second language, the guys at ILI will always remind you that fluency isn’t about perfection – it’s about communication. Every time you practice Spanish, you’re improving. 

I find that I’m always a slightly different personality when speaking different languages. Maybe your ‘Spanish you’ can be a bit more chilled out about getting it right (I think I’m maybe telling myself this)!

One way or another, at this point, you should have got your confidence up in the Spanish language. The next step is a logical one. 

Take a Spanish course with a real teacher and real students

Time to consider a different kind of Spanish class. If all you’ve done so far is online Spanish learning with an app, the next transition is to a class with a real teacher and students. 

The huge benefit of an app is that it spoon feeds you language, vocabulary, grammar, listening, reading and eventually writing and speaking. Your learning is totally structured. But it’s a bit like riding a bike with training wheels but where you also can’t move the handlebars left or right. 

What you need is to keep those training wheels, but develop the ability to steer a little. ILI offers both online Spanish classes and face-to-face group Spanish classes in Massachusetts (in downtown Northampton). And you’ll find the kindest, wise and welcoming teachers who will really look after you. 

Students holding realia to learn Spanish.

The online classes at ILI are just like the in-person class option – they happen live, in real time, at pre-arranged times, with a bunch of other, very friendly Spanish language learners who are at your level of Spanish. 

The benefit of a live group Spanish class is that your teachers make sure you’re heading in the right direction, they structure the lessons, they spot (incredibly quickly) what your current level is and where you have gaps in your knowledge, and they incorporate lesson content to help you strengthen your foundations. 

When someone (like me) has come from app-based Spanish learning, it’s particularly important to fill in those gaps.  As you progress up through the levels, you’ll feel those training wheels start to come off, and the classes become increasingly conversational and free-flowing.

At this point, you can start to mix in some real-world exposure to Spanish. Just remember you don’t have to understand all of it!

Speak to real Spanish people outside of class

Conversation Practice

Once your confidence is beginning to pick up, you can step up your exposure to real-life Spanish conversations. Speak to a Spanish-speaking friend who wants to improve their English*, and maybe plan a language exchange where you meet for a coffee for an hour, and do half in English (*or your mother tongue, if that’s not English). 

ILI provides multiple ways for students to practice Spanish in real conversations:

  • Spanish language exchange meetups – You can join ILI’s local and virtual conversation groups. 
  • Community-based learning – Our partnerships with local businesses and organizations give students the chance to use Spanish in real-life settings.
  • Dine out in Spanish – ILI connects students to local Latin American restaurants for authentic interactions.
  • Engage with Spanish-speaking social media communities – Get tips from ILI’s online Spanish learning groups.
Three women speaking Spanish.

Worst-case scenario, you can also get talking to your favorite AI chat bot. It feels weird at first, and it’s definitely not the same as a real person, but with a bit of careful prompt engineering, you can get it to emulate something friendly and forgiving.

Study Spanish Abroad

This is the big one. This is what I’m going to be doing very soon. I’ve only got an A2/B1 level of Spanish, but after online Spanish classes, and face-to-face Spanish courses, I’m going to take a Spanish in Spain program, heading off to San Sebastian with ILI.

Many ILI students take their learning further by traveling to Spanish-speaking countries. As you’d expect, the ILI team offers a great service:

  • Study abroad programs – They can recommend immersion experiences which align with your goals, level, interests, type of location and even preferred seasonal temperature!
  • Introductions to some of the best international language schools which are part of the same quality network as ILI
  • Tips and tricks – to make the transition easier, including visa advice, airport transfer management and accommodation reservations in collaboration with the school. 

Use Immersion Techniques to Learn Spanish

These are classic tips, but it’s always a good reminder. ILI encourages students to immerse themselves in Spanish, even outside the classroom. What’s great about the following ideas are that you don’t have to know everything or understand every last word. You let it wash over you, and you’ll be amazed at how you start picking things up. 

This is very different from most online Spanish apps in that the language you hear is bang up to date, it’s not formulaic and there’s an endless source of it, so it opens you up to hearing the same Spanish language in multiple contexts.

  • Watch Spanish TV shows and movies – ILI instructors recommend shows and films tailored to your learning level.
  • Listen to Spanish music and podcasts – the Spanish teachers introduce us to Spanish-language media according to our interests, which is cool.
  • Read in Spanish – ILI’s resource library offers books, newspapers, and online articles for language learners.
  • Engage in local Spanish-language events – Northampton has a vibrant, multicultural community where Spanish is spoken daily.
A red TV with Español written on the screen

Finding and Utilizing Spanish language media 

Spanish Reading & Vocabulary Expansion

Grammar & Writing Support

Live Group Practice (Non-Classroom)

Piecing it all together

We’ve covered a lot in this article. Let’s look at how these different pieces of the language learning puzzle work together:

Four hands putting puzzle pieces together.

Online Spanish Apps

Great for baseline language learning, to get you up and running. Great for building confidence as long as you don’t get lured into a false sense of security.

Online Spanish classes or face-to-face in-person Spanish classes

Like the apps, someone else manages your progression, but with a real Spanish teacher, they respond to your level and the mistakes you make with the right balance to transition you from app-Spanish to real-world Spanish.

You’ll quickly see how the emphasis can shift from accuracy and a ‘right or wrong mentality’ to a focus on fluency, flow and mutual understanding.  

If you have the opportunity, consider a language course abroad to combine structured lessons with the joy of full immersion.

Meeting other Spanish speakers & Studying Spanish Abroad

In addition to language classes, you can use other real-life Spanish immersion options as a way of letting Spanish wash over you, without getting hung up on how much you understand or how well you are able to interact with it. 

Be kind to yourself and celebrate small breakthroughs. Soak it up and enjoy yourself.

Tuning into Spanish language media

Similar to live immersion – something to have on in the background to work away at your comprehension skills. Some of the apps I suggested take it slowly so you can tune in faster.  

To sum it all up…

I’m a big fan of ILI and how they operate. I think you guessed that already. They do a lot of good in the community, and the way they naturally connect people together is so totally in the spirit of what it is to learn another language, which many of us agree is an amazing way to open doors, widen thinking and change perspectives. 

In the USA we currently find ourselves in, there has never been a better time to break down barriers and to speak each other’s language. 

It can feel daunting to take the leap from the safety of your online Spanish course app to the nerve-tingling randomness of the real Spanish-speaking world, but hopefully some of the suggestions above will make that transition easier. 

And if you haven’t yet encountered ILI’s supportive learning environment and amazing staff, I recommend that’s a good place to start. ¡Tú puedes!

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