Top Books for Learning Spanish.

Whether you’re learning Spanish for school, work, travel or fun, you want to choose a book that can get you speaking the language quickly and easily, while still giving you a solid base of grammar and vocabulary.

When it comes to Spanish books, the top three sellers according to Amazon all have one thing in common: they work. Amazon shoppers have consistently picked the following three books for Spanish study.

The first top seller is Breaking Out of Beginner’s Spanish, by Joseph J. Keenan. This book focuses on teaching “real” Spanish. Keenan uses humorous examples to help you avoid common mistakes, accidental insults, and use juicy curse words that tell people you really know how to speak the lingo.

This book is for students who already have a fundamental grasp of Spanish grammar and vocabulary.

Pros: This book is perfect for those needing a break from the traditional classroom style of practicing a foreign language.

Cons: Those looking for a purely academic study guide that reviews basic concepts may find that the book focuses heavily on conversational fluency.

Next up is Easy Spanish Step-By-Step, by Barbara Bregstein. Bregstein gives you the most important and commonly used Spanish grammar and verbs first, along with a healthy dose of useful vocabulary, so you will be able to practice speaking Spanish right away. Each lesson is scaffolded upon the previous ones. Reading passages and exercises appear every few pages to help students track their progress.

Pros: Bregstein makes grammar easy to understand and practice.

Cons: Those who struggle with staying focused on traditional grammar content and book exercises could find it difficult to use this book.

Last but not least is Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish: A Creative and Proven Approach, by Margarita Madrigal. The author’s original approach does not use any of the conventional cornerstones of language education. Instead, the text emphasizes the similarities between Spanish and English words to create an extensive word base right from the start.

Beginner students can use Madrigal’s approach to “create” their Spanish language rather than memorize it. Madrigal gives simple explanations for understanding how words and sentences are formed in Spanish, helping students to recognize patterns and rules. You will be able to ask and answer questions in Spanish before you’ve finished the first lesson.

Pros: Madrigal’s is a refreshing change from traditional language learning techniques. This is an excellent choice for building speaking confidence.

Cons: The goal of Madrigal’s book is to prepare readers for communicating with native Spanish speakers, so the unconventional technique may not cover all the bases for test preparation.

Learning Spanish takes practice and effort. If you don’t “use it, you’ll lose it.” These entertaining and effective best sellers can be the perfect tool for you to take your Spanish skills to the next level.