I started learning Spanish primarily using Duolingo, which I found to be a great way to form the habit of studying every day. However, I quickly realized that I wasn’t making much progress in terms of actually understanding and using the language.

The problem that I encountered was that I was trying to learn Spanish through translation and memorization, which felt like a chore and didn’t expose me to nuance and context. I was learning words and phrases in isolation, without understanding how they fit together in real conversations.

I eventually discovered comprehensible input, which treats language learning as a process of understanding and absorbing language through exposure to meaningful content. This approach emphasizes listening and reading in the target language, with the goal of understanding the general meaning of what is being said or written, rather than focusing on grammar rules or vocabulary lists. Dreaming Spanish provides a great explanation of this approach.

I found a comprehensible input approach to be much more enjoyable and thus more sustainable. Progress in comprehensible input is measured by time spent consuming content in the target language. I have been using a combination of YouTube videos, podcasts, and books — emphasis on YouTube videos — to get my comprehensible input. I have been able to understand a lot of what I am consuming, and I have been able to pick up new words and phrases without feeling overwhelmed.

I have also been using spaced repetition software (SRS) to help reinforce vocabulary and phrases that I encounter in my studies, which I discuss more in Using Anki for Vocab. This has been a great way to review and retain what I have learned, without feeling like I’m doing extra work.

Currently I have completed 300 hours of comprehensible input. My goal for 2026 is to reach 600 hours, which I believe will put me in a good position to start having conversations in Spanish.