Prepositions This is tricky because prepositions in Spanish are challenging. Learning the purpose of prepositions is helpful, rather than banking solely on their translations. This can help in avoiding mistakes such as PIENSO ACERCA DE TI in place of PIENSO EN TI (I am thinking of you). Word orders Except for placing adjectives after the noun they modify, it is not really bad to follow the English word order. However, recent studies showed that children, even toddlers, were able to develop stronger minds when learning second language. According to the Cornell Language Acquisition Lab s (CLAL) research, there are no negative effects on a child if they learn a second language. Bilingual children are more attentive and focused compare with monolingual children. For instance, the word ARENA in English means a riding place or a sports complex. In Spanish, ARENA usually means something about SAND. Prefixes You can expand your vocabulary, too, if you take advantage of suffixes and prefixes. They are both very common in English and Spanish. In English and in Spanish, the prefix MAL has a negative connotation. Because Spanish words are usually pronounced as spelled, there will hardly be any confusion as to how the words should sound. In order to capture the right tone, inflection, stress, and rhythm of Spanish words, try to converse with a native speaker as often as you can or see Spanish movies or soaps. 5. Aside from self-study books, you could also read some Spanish newspapers to practice your reading skills. You could even practice your Spanish writing by summarizing or writing opinions with what you have read on the newspapers. Immerse yourself in the culture, listen to Spanish songs and watch Spanish movies. Reading, radio and TV Reading Spanish is good for beginners who are still coping with the confusing fast flow of words in spoken Spanish. There are a lot of Spanish newspapers online you can open and read. List down words you don t understand and do your homework by looking them up. Take time out to listen to some Spanish radio stations or to watch Spanish TV shows on cable.