5 Reasons You’re Not Fluent In Spanish Yet

Think you should be able to speak Spanish like a native already? Wish you were holding easy conversations by now? Want to know the reasons you’re not fluent in Spanish yet? You’re in the right place.

Learning any language is a complex journey, especially as everyone learns at a different pace.

But if you think you’re not as far along in your language learning as you should be, there could be a reason…

These are the most common reasons people struggle to reach Spanish fluency and what you can do to overcome them.

1. Reasons You’re Not Fluent: Being A Perfectionist

You won’t be able to speak fluently from day one, most people know that. What perfectionists struggle to realise is that you probably won’t be speaking fluently for a while!

Even advanced Spanish learners still make mistakes or need to fill in the gaps in their knowledge. It’s ok to get things wrong and it’s totally normal to still have more to learn after months or years of learning.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes - embrace those stumbled pronunciations and incorrect grammar as an opportunity to grow.

The Solution: If you’ve found yourself reluctant to practice or speak out loud because you’re scared of making mistakes, then you might be a language perfectionist.

The easiest fix is to embrace embarrassing moments and let yourself get things wrong! No matter how far along you are in your learning.

2. Reasons You’re Not Fluent: Searching For Every Word

You might not have reached fluency yet because you’re relying on Google!

If every time you need to come up with a sentence or figure out a word, you jump to the internet to research, this could be holding you back.

In real life, you won’t be able to pause the conversation to search up vocabulary or grammar rules.

When you were younger and first learning how to speak your native language of English, did you constantly turn to the web to create every sentence you spoke? Probably not! Let yourself learn naturally, and behave like a native speaker, simply asking the best word for the situation.

The Solution: This is a fairly easy one to fix. When you next come across a word or phrase you’re not sure about, don’t jump to Google.

Instead, highlight the word or make note of it, that way you can circle back to it once you’ve finished your conversation, video or reading.

3. Reasons You’re Not Fluent: Waiting Until You’re In Spain To Learn

It can be tempting to wait until you’re in Spain to really dig into learning the language.

You might feel it will be easier since you’ll be right in the middle of the culture, constantly exposed to the language and native speakers. This is true to a certain degree - being immersed in Spanish culture and speakers will help you retain and absorb more information.

But there’s a drawback.

If you wait until you're in Spain to learn Spanish, you’re wasting precious learning time.

In reality you’ll likely find it very difficult to engage with speakers and be brave if you don’t already have some knowledge.

The Solution: Learn the basics and get comfortable with speaking aloud and starting conversations in Spanish.

This should be done long before you book your next trip to Barcelona or Malaga. Take advantage of the internet and language learning apps like Idyoma to get ahead with your Spanish.

4. Reasons You’re Not Fluent: Not Getting The Help Of Native Speakers

When you feel like you’re not reaching your fluency goals as fast as you like, ask yourself this question.

Have you been talking to native speakers?

If you don’t make use of native speakers on your learning journey then you’ll miss crucial pieces of knowledge. You may not be aware that you’ve developed bad habits while practicing Spanish, and without a native to point these errors out you’ll impact the rest of your learning.

The Solution: With so many resources on the internet, including Youtube channels, language apps, and Spanish TV online, there really is no excuse for ignoring native speakers!

5. Reasons You’re Not Fluent: Giving Up Too Soon

You might be tempted to give up on Spanish - and more than once.

Whether you’ve been teaching yourself or attending classes, you’ve likely felt like quitting a few times and for a few reasons.

This would be a huge mistake, as learning a language is not linear.

The Solution: Find a strong motivation that makes you want to continue learning Spanish, and remind yourself of that motivation frequently. Integrate the language naturally into your life as much as you can, so that learning doesn’t feel like such a chore.

Whatever you do, don’t give up! Spanish fluency awaits you, and learning a language is an adventure in itself.

5 Reasons You’re Not Fluent In Spanish Yet (And What To Do)