Who doesn’t love free Spanish classes? If you love all things free, you may find yourself looking for the freebies out there and trying out different places where you can learn without paying a penny for a class. Is this the best way to do things? That all depends.

Today, we’re going to look at the pros and cons of free Spanish classes, so read on to find out the good, the bad, and the ugly of getting your language learning for free.

The Benefits of Free Spanish Classes

At first glance, the freebies seem like the best options and you can find them all over the place. The most commonly known option is Duolingo, but you’ll also find Youtube videos and other simple courses that are available to you. The pros of these include:

Duh, It’s Free!

Not having to pay for something is a big plus, and this is the main reason people look for free classes. If you’re short on money or simply don’t want to spend it on something like this, then you’ll definitely benefit from finding a free option.

You Can Try a Language Out

Not sure if Spanish is the language for you? Why not test it out with some free Spanish lessons? You can easily determine if you’ll want to continue and it can be a good way to learn a little more about the complexities of the language. It will also give you a good idea of how long it may take you to reach a conversational level.

Test Multiple Platforms

Not sure which Spanish learning option is best for your needs? Go ahead and try out a few different places. Many sites and teachers will offer a free trial class, so you can find out if this is where you want to learn. You’ll have the opportunity to test different learning methods, which can be helpful. You also don’t need to spend any money in order to find the best class option. Once you know what you want, you can decide whether you’re willing to pay for it or not.

Learn the Basics

Picking up vocabulary can be difficult in a foreign language, particularly if your classes are based around grammar. For some people, free classes are a good way to learn more vocabulary. Then, you can work on your grammar and you’ll have the words you need to talk to other people. This can be a huge benefit of free Spanish resources and will help you speak better faster.

The Cons of Free Spanish Classes

Not all that glitters is gold and this applies to free classes in Spanish. There are some cons to using them that will make you think twice about sticking to no-pay sites and apps.

No Personalized Help

If you don’t understand something as you work through your classes, there’s no one to explain it to you. This can make learning on your own quite frustrating and it also means that any mistakes you make are likely to stick until you are speaking with a native speaker who corrects you. It can be rather embarrassing to make mistakes that could easily be corrected early in the learning stages.

Reduced Motivation

When you study on your own, you have to be self-motivated. Are you disciplined enough to work on learning Spanish daily? Will you practice or just do the lessons? What about homework? It’s not very exciting to work on homework when you can’t really show it to anyone. For many students, paying for classes is what makes them stay accountable. They are speaking with a real person and that means they’re more likely to show up for their class.

Limited Content

Most free Spanish classes will be somewhat limited in their content. They are based on specific lessons and they will give you a set number of classes, then you will need to repeat or look for another option. Paid classes will give you a better opportunity to learn since your teacher personalizes your class to your particular needs. They’ll help you by developing lessons specifically for your needs. If you’re studying to help with a medical practice or need to know Spanish for architects, or similar, your teacher can help specialize your classes to ensure you learn what you really need. Free classes won’t do that for you.

Lack of Correction

Homework is very helpful in that it lets you practice what you’ve learned from your Spanish class. However, if you have to check it yourself, you’re just picking out the right answers. Do you really understand why your answer was wrong? This is where a live teacher can help you by working through what you did wrong. You’ll usually learn far more this way.

As you can see, free Spanish classes can be useful, but they’re also not a great way to really become proficient in the language. You need to be a self-starter and very motivated to begin learning for free. If you want to become a great Spanish speaker, a real teacher is usually the best way to go, despite being paid.

Want to try out Spanish On the Go? Schedule your free class today.