The best way to learn Spanish is through immersion e.g. through an online tutor. But learning grammar, building vocabulary, and refining writing skills requires Spanish exercises.You can learn grammar through self-study, classes and writing exercises. You can build your vocabulary with self-study, reading, and immersion. Writing exercises are ideal for aiding recall as you build up your vocabulary.We’ll cover Spanish exercises for grammar, writing, vocabulary. Some exercises will involve pen and paper, and others, - technology. Ultimately, everyone learns differently, so decide what works for you.

Spanish Exercises to Build Vocabulary

Focus on the most common written and spoken words. According to research, the 1000 most common words account for 87.8% of the Spanish language. So, it makes sense to focus on those. Here are some exercises for building vocabulary.

Memorizing Words

Memorizing isn’t always fun. So try making it fun by using Memrise or 101 Languages to learn 1000 of the most common Spanish Words. If 1000 words are overwhelming, start with 500.Here are a few tips to memorize words:

 
1. Start small. Learn 10 words a day from the Memrise list. Do this first thing in the morning, revise words in the shower, or in the evening before bed.
 
2. Write words down as you memorize them. Writing aids recall.
 
3. Create flashcards for yourself and if you want to go digital use the Anki App.
 
4. Combine with audio to implant the pronunciation into your head. Say the words out loud
 
5. Find a partner to study with

Spanish Reading Exercises

Read local newspapers and magazines. But make sure they’re about topics that interest you to keep you motivated. Reading encourages you to start speaking. Granted you may not be able to read when you started learning a language. But, add it to your arsenal over time.

Spanish Exercises With Language Apps

Use Spanish language learning apps that provide many Spanish Exercises. For example, Duolingo provides a healthy combination of visual, audio and writing exercises.Another tip is to build up your English vocabulary, because  you can find many cognates (words that share a similar spelling, meaning, and pronunciation). Here are 1001 Spanish words you already know.

Exercises to Improve Spanish Grammar

Most people have the goal of becoming conversational, not a grammar expert. However, you do need a foundation, starting with grammar. Here are resources, like grammar hacking exercises, textbooks, and websites.

Grammar Hacking Exercises

Mastering grammar quicker by focusing on the most common sentence constructions. Andrew Barr from, Real Fast Spanish, highlights 13 Sentences You Need to Know: A Guide to Spanish Grammar Hacking.Here are a few of the sentences you can memorize:

 
• The apple is red: La manzana es roja.
 
• It is John’s apple: Es la manzana de John.
 
• He gives it to John: Él se la da a John.
 
• She gives it to him: Ella se la da.
 
• Is the apple red? ¿Es la manzana roja?

Test your knowledge by substituting the nouns and verbs with new ones.

Textbooks With Spanish Grammar Exercises

Grab a textbook, and dedicate time to Grammar exercises. Better yet, find a book that also has audio. Audio helps you hear the correct pronunciation and aids with recall.A book that’s ideal for beginner Spanish learners is Spanish in 3 Months. With simple Spanish grammar exercises, it will help you learn past, present, future tenses, prepositions, plurals etc. The book is also ideal for advanced learners who want a refresher.

Online Grammar Exercises

When reviewing many of the Spanish exercises online I found they were only in Spanish. Not very helpful if you’re new to the language! But after some digging, I found two great ones.1. 121 Spanish121 Spanish provides Spanish exercises for beginners and those wanting to review the basics of Spanish Grammar. There’s a total of 18 exercises across verbs, adverbs, adjectives etc., with a mini- lesson, followed by exercises to test what you've learned. There’s also 19 exercises for intermediate and more advanced learners.2. Study SpanishStudy Spanish provides a total of 9 study units with corresponding tests, quizzes, and oral exercises.

Improve Your Spanish Writing Skills

Many first-time Spanish learners dread writing. But like anything in life - taking small steps helps.You can choose to write on paper or type on your laptop. But, we recommend writing on paper as it improves retention. There are many places to exercise your writing skills:

 
1. Write in your diary.
 
2. Track your thoughts in apps like Evernote
 
3. Join a language learning community like Flock Talk
 
4. Start a personal blog with Wordpress.
 
5. Use Hello Talk and Whatsapp to connect with native speakers and communicate in Spanish.

Not sure what to write about?Here are a few ideas we suggest:

 
1. Write a biographical paragraph on your life.
 
2. Describe your family to get practice with family related vocabulary, age, and occupation.
 
3. Write a short story.
 
4. Review a book or film.
 
5. Write a personal letter to a friend in Spanish.
 
6. Create a poem.

Wrapping it Up

No matter what Spanish exercises you use to improve grammar, vocabulary or writing skills, how you choose to learn will depend on you. If you enjoy flash card exercises, by all means, use them. If you enjoy using a good old fashioned text book, go ahead. There’s no one-size fits all strategy.You've made it all the way to the end. Congratulations!Now it's time to improve your speaking skills, which is what most of us learn languages for. We'll show you how and where you can find the best places for Spanish lessons in the next chapter. Enjoy![mashshare]

Chapter List

1. Why Learn Spanish?2. Where to Learn Spanish?3. Spanish Blogs4. Spanish Podcasts5. Spanish Youtube Channels6. Free Spanish Apps7. Most Common Spanish Words8. Spanish Exercises 9. Spanish Lessons10. Spanish For Kids11. Spanish For Business