The best free resources to learn Spanish from zero, and when to use each

Ninety short audio lessons, most under ten minutes, in which a teacher guides a real student to build Spanish sentences by thinking them through. No sign-up; there is an app for listening offline.

For whom:

Absolute beginners who want to understand how sentences are built, and anyone who has tried apps and found they cannot put a sentence together.

How to use it:

Pause before the student answers and say your answer out loud. Do not take notes — the course is designed so you do not need them.

Watch out:

Audio only, one voice. It teaches structure, not listening at natural speed: pair it with the videos below.

Lessons in English for English speakers: pronunciation first, then the words Spanish shares with English, then patterns that turn them into sentences quickly.

For whom:

English speakers who like a teacher explaining the logic step by step.

How to use it:

Follow the beginner lessons in order and repeat every example aloud with him.

Watch out:

Mostly explanation in English — you will still need listening practice in Spanish.

Videos entirely in Spanish where the guide draws, points and repeats so that someone starting from zero can follow. Levels rise from superbeginner to advanced.

For whom:

Everyone from day one, including people who dislike grammar explanations.

How to use it:

Watch without subtitles and without pausing to look words up. If you follow less than most of it, go down a level.

Watch out:

Very little explicit grammar and no speaking practice; progress feels slow at first because it is all listening.

Laura's channel for beginners and intermediate learners: practical lessons, stories told slowly for listening, and explanations of how people really speak.

For whom:

Beginners who have the very basics and want lessons that are also fun to watch.

How to use it:

Use the stories as listening practice and the lessons when a topic confuses you.

Watch out:

Not a sequenced course — pick videos by level and topic.

Short street interviews filmed in Spanish-speaking cities, with subtitles in Spanish and English — real people, real accents, everyday topics.

For whom:

Learners past the first weeks who are ready for real speech with support.

How to use it:

Watch once with both subtitles, once with Spanish only. Replay the lines you missed.

Watch out:

Natural speed. Too hard in the first days — come back to it.

Clear lessons on grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation, explained in English with plenty of examples.

For whom:

Beginners who want a specific grammar point explained — ser and estar, the past tenses, pronunciation.

How to use it:

Use it as a reference: search for the topic that confused you this week.

Watch out:

Explanation, not input — watching lessons is not the same as listening practice.

A long-running podcast course: a teacher and a learner work through Spanish from the very beginning, in short episodes.

For whom:

People who learn on commutes and walks, and like hearing another learner's questions.

How to use it:

Listen in order and answer out loud when the learner is asked.

Watch out:

Much of the talk is in English in the early seasons.

Spanish songs with every line translated and every word explained where it is sung, plus word and sentence packs for everyday Spanish that turn into flashcards and come back when they are due.

For whom:

Learners who want vocabulary to stick — and anyone who keeps going because of music.

How to use it:

Pick an easy song, learn its words, then do a short flashcard session each day.

Watch out:

This is our product, and it is one tool: it does not teach the basics from scratch or give you people to talk to.

The flashcard program serious learners have used for years. You make or download decks and it schedules each card for review.

For whom:

Learners who want full control over what they study and do not mind setting it up.

How to use it:

Add words from what you actually read and hear, with a whole sentence, rather than downloading a giant deck.

Watch out:

A blank tool: it does nothing until you build your routine and decks.

A Spanish–English dictionary with example sentences, full conjugation tables for every verb, and short grammar guides.

For whom:

Everyone, at every level.

How to use it:

Look up a word, then read the examples — they show how it is really used.

Watch out:

A reference, not a course.

Forvo has native speakers from many countries recording single words. YouGlish finds any word or phrase inside real YouTube videos and plays that moment.

For whom:

Anyone unsure how a word sounds, or wanting to hear it from different countries.

How to use it:

Look up words that surprise you and repeat after two or three speakers.

Watch out:

Recordings vary in quality; trust the ones with most votes.

The best-known language app: short daily lessons with streaks and reminders.

For whom:

People who need a daily habit more than anything else.

How to use it:

Keep it as a warm-up, not the whole routine.

Watch out:

Weak on listening to real speech and on speaking freely. Many people finish long streaks and still cannot hold a conversation — add the other steps on this page.

Talk out loud with an AI that answers in speech. Nobody is waiting, nobody is judging, and you can ask it to slow down, repeat or switch to English at any moment.

For whom:

Beginners who freeze at the thought of speaking to a person — practice without stress.

How to use it:

Tell it your level and what you want, for example: «I am a beginner. Speak slow, simple Spanish, ask me one question at a time about my day, and correct my biggest mistake after each answer.»

Watch out:

It can be wrong, it is too polite to correct you unless asked, and it will understand mistakes a person would not. It is a rehearsal, not the conversation.

An app that pairs you with native Spanish speakers who are learning your language. Text, voice messages and calls; you help each other.

For whom:

Learners ready for real people, starting with messages before calls.

How to use it:

Write a short profile in Spanish and say you are a beginner. Start with voice messages — they give you time to think.

Watch out:

Many conversations fizzle; send several first messages. Keep personal details private, as with any app for meeting strangers.

A chat-based exchange app where partners can correct your messages in place, plus voice messages and a public feed of posts.

For whom:

Learners who find writing less scary than talking and want corrections.

How to use it:

Post a few sentences about your day and ask for corrections; reply to posts from Spanish speakers.

Watch out:

Same caution as any social app. Corrections vary in quality.