If you want to learn a new language, one of your best choices will be learning Spanish. It's spoken by as many people in the world as there are English speakers. It will make traveling in Latin America a breeze and a more enriching experience. To help you practice, be sure to study some Spanish song lyrics.
Songs are incredibly useful when you're learning a language. Even if you don't understand the words yet, they'll help you get used to the sounds and rhythms of that language. They're also a fun way to learn new vocabulary or to understand the rules of grammar. In addition, you get to hear different accents.
At first, it's best to listen to slow songs in a clear accent. This is why the music of Mexico is a great choice. Styles such as ranchera are slow and the Mexican accent isn't difficult. Jose Alfredo Jimenez and Chavela Vargas are the foremost ranchera singers but if this style of music isn't for you, you may also try the ballads of Lila Downs or Mexican superstar Marco Antonio Solis.
The music of Cuba is another great choice for you if you're not very proficient in the language yet. One song you'll simply have to learn, since it's indelibly linked to Cuban identity, is 'Guantanamera' with its easy-to-remember words. Another good choice is to listen to the songs made famous in 'The Buena Vista Social Club'.
The Spanish spoken in Spain is a little more complicated to understand. However, as you progress, you may want to try songs from the country where the language originated. A good choice is the music of Manu Chao, since his songs are generally very simple.
Other countries with challenging accents include Chile and Argentina. Even native speakers can have trouble understanding people from these nations. To get used to the sounds, you'll want to start with slower folk ballads such as those from the Nueva Cancion movement. The foremost singer of this movement was Mercedes Sosa from Argentina and one song not to miss is the poignant 'Gracias A La Vida', her biggest hit, which was written by Violeta Parra from Chile. It's a great song for picking up new vocabulary.
As you become more proficient, it's time to challenge yourself with faster songs. You'll soon be belting out the words while dancing to cumbia, reggae, merengue or rock. Some good rock musicians to try are Ricardo Arjona from Guatemala, Perrozompopo from Nicaragua and Juanes from Colombia. You can also look for the Spanish-language work of Marc Anthony, Shakira, Enrique Iglesias or Ricky Martin.
You may be able to find CDs with Spanish songs, especially in record stores in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods. Even easier will be to download numbers from the internet. CD sleeves often contain the lyrics to the songs or you'll find specialty websites that can provide you with the words. They may even have the English translations alongside the original words, but try to do the translations yourself first to test your skill.
Songs are incredibly useful when you're learning a language. Even if you don't understand the words yet, they'll help you get used to the sounds and rhythms of that language. They're also a fun way to learn new vocabulary or to understand the rules of grammar. In addition, you get to hear different accents.
At first, it's best to listen to slow songs in a clear accent. This is why the music of Mexico is a great choice. Styles such as ranchera are slow and the Mexican accent isn't difficult. Jose Alfredo Jimenez and Chavela Vargas are the foremost ranchera singers but if this style of music isn't for you, you may also try the ballads of Lila Downs or Mexican superstar Marco Antonio Solis.
The music of Cuba is another great choice for you if you're not very proficient in the language yet. One song you'll simply have to learn, since it's indelibly linked to Cuban identity, is 'Guantanamera' with its easy-to-remember words. Another good choice is to listen to the songs made famous in 'The Buena Vista Social Club'.
The Spanish spoken in Spain is a little more complicated to understand. However, as you progress, you may want to try songs from the country where the language originated. A good choice is the music of Manu Chao, since his songs are generally very simple.
Other countries with challenging accents include Chile and Argentina. Even native speakers can have trouble understanding people from these nations. To get used to the sounds, you'll want to start with slower folk ballads such as those from the Nueva Cancion movement. The foremost singer of this movement was Mercedes Sosa from Argentina and one song not to miss is the poignant 'Gracias A La Vida', her biggest hit, which was written by Violeta Parra from Chile. It's a great song for picking up new vocabulary.
As you become more proficient, it's time to challenge yourself with faster songs. You'll soon be belting out the words while dancing to cumbia, reggae, merengue or rock. Some good rock musicians to try are Ricardo Arjona from Guatemala, Perrozompopo from Nicaragua and Juanes from Colombia. You can also look for the Spanish-language work of Marc Anthony, Shakira, Enrique Iglesias or Ricky Martin.
You may be able to find CDs with Spanish songs, especially in record stores in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods. Even easier will be to download numbers from the internet. CD sleeves often contain the lyrics to the songs or you'll find specialty websites that can provide you with the words. They may even have the English translations alongside the original words, but try to do the translations yourself first to test your skill.
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