What to do when you don’t want to keep learning Spanish

To be good at any skill, it is necessary to study and practice daily. But at some point along the way we can feel overwhelmed with so many things to study and learn. Learning a language requires a lot of time and dedication and it is normal to reach a point where you don’t feel the motivation to continue.

Boredom, frustration, procrastination or the search for perfection can make us ask ourselves questions such as: What is the point of continuing?, Is it really worth continuing?, Is it better to continue or give up now? It is normal that questions like these come to our mind, it is human.

For that reason, in this post we want to introduce you to some things you can consider doing to get out of that state of demotivation and frustration.

A change of scenery

If you are currently studying in the same place, it may be time to consider studying somewhere else. Making a small change of scenery in your routine can help you feel motivated again to have a productive study session.

Learning a new language is mainly about creating new connections in the brain. Going to study your Spanish in another environment can stimulate your brain to learn new vocabulary by association and break the pattern.

For example, you can go to a café and make associations of new vocabulary with the setting. If there comes a time when you don’t remember where you learned a specific word, thinking about the cafe can bring this association more easily to mind.

Study with a friend or partner

Another way to break your routine is to find someone to practice with as there comes a time when practicing on your own no longer works. At the beginning you can learn vocabulary and grammar by yourself but as you improve your Spanish skills the best thing to do is to practice them with someone else.

It is best to practice with someone who knows or is also learning Spanish but it is not totally necessary. You can find a friend or family member to whom you can teach vocabulary as teaching is one of the best techniques to reinforce the knowledge you already have and understand.

Also, practicing your Spanish with someone you don’t know very well can be a challenge for you that can help you improve your communication skills since the main reason to learn Spanish is to be able to communicate with other people and build relationships.

Take a break

In case you really don’t feel you can continue with your classes, the best thing to do is to take a real long break. It’s not about taking one or two days off, you can take up to a week or 10 days off.

Allowing several days for your brain to rest may be just what you need and may even create in you the feeling of longing to continue studying Spanish and return to your practice motivated once again.

Use a countdown timer

Have you ever taken note of the time you actually use to study? By using a countdown of 30 minutes or less, you are aware that you only have that amount of time to do as much as possible with your Spanish classes.

Likewise, having this countdown in place is a good way to stay fully focused on your practice because you can turn off your phone and remove any distractions for the time you have set to study. You can start with 10 or 20 minutes and increase progressively.

Get out of your comfort zone

One of the most important and effective things you can do is to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself in the process of learning Spanish. If you have spent too much time learning vocabulary and grammar it may be time to shift your attention to other aspects of the language.

There are apps like HiNative where you can ask other native Spanish speakers if your pronunciation is good and get recommendations on how to improve. Another good way is to arrange a meeting with a native speaker and put your skills to test.

There are many options you can consider but the most important thing is that you feel challenged. Watching a movie in Spanish without subtitles is also a good option.

Your turn

Feeling unmotivated and with little desire to continue learning Spanish is something that happens to all second language learners. The important thing is to recognize that something is not working and that we should make some changes in our study routine. Motivation is important but it will not always be there to help you continue. Discipline, on the other hand, is what you must continue to strengthen every day. Happy learning!