Identify the aspects of the language that you find the most difficult and dedicate extra study time to mastering them. Though much of the vocabulary of Spanish is similar to that of English, English speakers often find certain linguistic aspects of Spanish quite confusing. The genders of nouns and adjectives, for example, is a foreign concept to speakers of English. Instead of "the" as in English, Spanish has two forms, "el" and "la." Practice these with flashcards or use sticky notes to label objects in your house with their names in Spanish with the correct article.
Practice your Spanish pronunciation. While many words in English and Spanish may look the same, the word stress may cause confusion. Some words may be the same or similar to English but vary in pronunciation such as which syllable is stressed. For example, the English word "vocation" carries the pronounced on the second syllable, while the Spanish "vocacion" is stressed on the final syllable. However, this word is easy to learn as its meaning is identical to the English meaning and when written in Spanish has an accent over the stressed syllable. Find a language partner with whom you can practice speaking Spanish. The website LiveMocha is a free, interactive language learning resource that puts you in contact with native Spanish speakers. You can speak to those in Spanish-speaking countries online, or meet native speakers in your city. You can also find online Spanish dictionaries that provide examples of native pronunciation of Spanish words along with their meaning.
Be aware of "false friends." Though many words in Spanish and English appear similar, don't assume that they share the same meaning. Foreign words that look identical or similar to an English word but have a different meaning are referred to as "false friends." For example, the Spanish word "efectivo" as a noun means "cash," though it looks similar to the English word "effective."