There is a huge and diverse range of online Spanish materials available to help you progress from beginner to intermediate and then advanced level Spanish. There are opportunities to read, write, listen and speak Spanish on the internet and this article tells you exactly where to find the best Spanish resources to do so. These are my top 5 recommended resources for intermediate and advanced level Spanish speakers.
1 – Spanish Dict
A good dictionary is one of the most useful tools for learning Spanish. The advantages of Spanish Dict are the ease of use, clear explanations of words in context and the synonyms and phrases suggested. Where a traditional paper dictionary only provides a short explanation of the word in question, Spanish Dict provides a great way to learn specific idiomatic expressions including that word, and to expand vocab variety by investigating some of the synonyms suggested. This tool is basically a super-fast dictionary and thesaurus rolled into one.
2 – RTVE.es
I can’t recommend getting to grips with RTVE enough. The Spanish national television website is a great source of television and radio programmes to rapidly advance your Spanish. These programmes range from interesting documentaries, the daily episodes of Spanish soap opera (or telenovelas) and a massive amount of news coverage, both local and national. Follow the link to ‘RTVE a la carta’ on the homepage and you will be able to search for whatever interest you and suits your Spanish level.
3 – El Pais (and other Spanish news and blogs)
To be honest I could have listed a large number of Spanish sites here. El País provides exhaustive coverage of international news however El Mundo and ABC are also good options. Whatever your preference reading the Spanish news regularly is a great way to expand your vocab and improve your own written ability. Another way to do this is to read different Spanish blogs – these are Manga Online often more opinionated and the comments are normally interesting or funny to read. Try Manga Verde, Alt 10 40 or Elle Blogs Españoles for some of my personal favourites.
4 – Spanish Language Exchange (or Live Mocha)
Spanish Language Exchange and Live Mocha are two websites allowing you to hook up with a native Spanish speaker and speak online. You are expected to practice with them in return but suffice to say this is the best way to be speaking natural, fluent Spanish in no time.
5 – Que de Libros
If you are interested in finding a non-fiction Spanish book or a Spanish novel Que de Libros is the site for you. It provides thousands of downloadable Spanish books all for free so you can focus in on exactly what interests you most. Some of the language can be quite difficult, in older Spanish novels especially, so make sure you find something at the appropriate level for you.