The most popular method for studying Spanish is running verb drills and performing conjugation exercises. Spanish is similar to the English language; it has both irregular and reflexive verbs. Learning the most common Spanish verbs is a good first step. Barron's "501 Spanish Verbs" is a useful resource that offers memorization techniques and tips on how to study Spanish. This supplemental guide includes charts for each verb, the verb conjugated in active and passive forms, a bilingual list of more than 1,200 verbs, verb drills and idioms for traveling.
Developing and memorizing categories while learning Spanish is an important tip for students of the language. The standard "Puntos de Partida" textbook offers ways for students to classify verbs and phrases. In addition, popular online learning resources use categories to study Spanish, such as: animals, food and drink, house and home, traveling and directions. Spanish instructors and the classroom textbook also use these categories to help students learn the language.
Students learn in general how to build sentences by putting a subject and a verb together. Using this method for learning Spanish is no different. Students of Spanish learn the essentials of forming popular phrases by creating the basic question. Some of these questions center on students asking where something is, how much something costs and what time something or someone is available. They also learn how to express their desires, likes and needs in Spanish. Building phrases is a tip that most instructors use to help students move beyond just learning verbs.
Students learn about the culture of the language by researching its history. Instructors and commercial books offer tips to their students and readers on how to learn the language. Michele-Marie Dowell's "Study Abroad" guide is a useful resource that instructors use within the classroom to promote study abroad. Some of the tips in the book include encouraging students and tourists to go on tours given in Spanish, reading works of art in Spanish, researching famous cathedrals and submitting a paper written in Spanish about the history of the Spanish-speaking country.