Traveling to Montanita, Ecuador: The Safest Routes & Tips
27 May 2025
Learn Spanish Free
2 November 2025
Learn Spanish Faster with These 3 Powerful Tricks
Hola amigos! I’m Gaby Estrella, I am not only your Spanish teacher here in Montañita 🌴, I am also a fan of TED TALKS, research studies about languages and teaching techniques and languages in general and that is why today, I would like to share with you, these 3 powerful tricks to learn spanish faster.
From a Spanish Teacher Who Works with Travelers and Passionate Learners.
Are you learning Spanish for an upcoming trip, a big move, or just because you love the language? No matter your reason, we all want to learn faster, remember more, and actually feel confident when speaking.
As a Spanish teacher who has helped hundreds of travelers, digital nomads, and curious minds connect through language, I want to share the 3 tricks I teach my students to speed up their Spanish learning — in a way that’s fun, natural, and effective.
Let’s dive in!
Trick #1: Learn by Doing — Real Life Is Your Classroom
Imagine this: You land in a Spanish-speaking country and instead of panicking when ordering food, you actually enjoy asking for your favorite dish in Spanish. That’s the magic of learning by doing, I am not trying to sell you a trip, of course it would be nice if you come to join our courses in Montañita, Ecuador. What I mean with learning by doing is that you learn faster if you apply, practice and try your best, even if is not perfect, talking to yourself in spanish, while cooking or repeating vocabulary at the kitchen might be enough for now!
Why it works:
Our brain learns faster when we’re active. Reading grammar is one thing. Using it in real situations? That’s when the learning sticks.
3 Thricks to Learn Spanish Faster
How to apply the trick number 1:
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Talk to yourself in Spanish as you go about your day. (Yes, really!) so simple but so useful.
- You can watch a TV show in spanish, an repeat some of the catchy phrases, this is how I learnt some of my english, repeating stupid slogans from The Bachelor, or Jersey shore.. GTL" (Gym, Tan, Laundry), "Cabs are here!", "T-shirt time!", and "Where's the beach?"
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Describe what you’re doing: “Estoy caminando a la playa” or “Voy a preparar café.” Of course, to do this one you need to have some previous knowledge, so do not hesitate to contact me for Online spanish lessons.
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Practice real-life situations: order food, ask for directions, or greet people — even with just a few words.
🎓 Teacher Tip:
You don’t need perfect grammar to be understood. You need to use the language — mistakes and all!
To know more about us:
How to Learn Spanish using these 3 useful tricks
Trick #2: Use Multiple Senses to Boost Retention
One of the most powerful ways to learn faster is to involve more than just your eyes or ears. The more senses you use, the stronger the memory.
Why it works:
The brain loves connections. The more senses involved, the more pathways your brain creates — and the more likely you are to remember what you learned. Activate several parts of your brain help you to boost retention.
How to apply it:
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Listen to Spanish music and read along with the lyrics, you can do it easily with Spotify, one of my students love to listen latin music, he likes Yatra, it is a kind of reguetton simple bit romantic, but please do not try to learn spanish with Bad Bunny, sometimes I dont even understand him!
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Write new words by hand while saying them out loud.
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Associate words with images — for example, don’t just translate gato as “cat” — picture a real cat!
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Listen a podcast and write vocabulary.
🎓 Teacher Tip:
One of my students never forgot the word mochila (backpack) because she drew it, said it, and packed it every morning— all the time.
Trick #3: Play Games — Because Learning Should Be Fun!
You probably didn’t expect a language teacher to tell you to play more, right? But this one’s backed by science: games trigger dopamine, the brain’s feel-good chemical that keeps you motivated. That is why Duolingo is so popular, the mascot is not only giving you rewards and remainders, it is also motivating you to continue.
I recently watched a TED Talk by the creator of Duolingo, where he explained that the app was designed to make language learning accessible to everyone — completely free. To support its development, Duolingo uses two main revenue sources: advertising and an optional premium membership that lets users skip the ads. One of the most effective features, however, is the app’s mascot. It gently reminds users to keep their streak, creating a sense of progress and reward — almost like winning — which helps keep learners motivated and engaged.
Why it works:
When learning is fun, your brain naturally wants to repeat it. And repetition is the key to fluency.
How to apply it:
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Use free apps like Duolingo, Memrise, or Wordwall.
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Play word games with friends or fellow travelers: try charades, categories, or “20 Questions” in Spanish.
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Challenge yourself: “Today I’ll say 5 new words in my instagram story or post.
🎓 Teacher Tip:
I include games in every single class — even for adults. They keep students laughing, learning, and coming back for more. If you are interested to join our summer courses, do not hesitate to contact us!
Final Thoughts: Progress Over Perfection
If there’s one thing I always tell my students, it’s this: You don’t need to speak perfectly — you just need to speak. Confidence and consistency are much more powerful than knowing every grammar rule.
So pick one of these tricks — just one — and start using it today. Whether you're learning Spanish for travel, personal growth, or new adventures, I promise you: it is possible, and it can be fun.
✅ Ready to Take the Next Step?
👉 Download my free phrase list for travelers
👉 Join our online or in-person Spanish lessons (we’re in paradise!)
👉 Follow us on Instagram for daily Spanish tips, fun games, and travel inspiration
¡Vamos! Your Spanish journey starts now.
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