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Top 10 Best Books to Learn Spanish in the UK 2020

Top 10 Best Books to Learn Spanish in the UK 2020

Learning a second language is not only fun, but it can open many doors for you. You’ll be able to communicate on holiday and learn more about the place you’re visiting, or it can enable you to live like a local if you fancy travelling, working or studying abroad. And with Spanish as the second most spoken language in the world, your new skill could take you anywhere!

We’ve compiled a beginners guide to help you get started on your Spanish journey whatever your aims, whether you'd prefer a textbook with lots of grammar and vocabulary, one with audio to improve your conversation or just a good old easy-to-use workbook. We’ve also included our ten favourites for you to snap up from Amazon and eBay so you have the best tools to hand to master your new language. ¡Vamos!

Last updated: 15-10-2020
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Table of Contents

How to Choose a Book to Learn Spanish in the UK – Buying Guide

You’ll have a few things to consider to ensure you select the most appropriate book for your level, learning style and goals, so have a read of our buying guide with these factors in mind and hopefully we can get you on your way to Spanish success.

Think About the Focus of the Book: Complete Learning or a Title for Specific Parts of Speech

First things first, you’ll need to align the main style or focus of the book with your goals. Complete learning books will touch on most parts of speech, beginning with the basics such as the main verbs, adjectives and vocabulary you’ll use conversationally and becoming more challenging as the book goes on.

They are the obvious choice for a beginner that wants to get a good grasp of most parts of the language, whether your goal is to use these basic skills for a trip abroad or whether you continue to grow your knowledge with a more advanced book afterwards.

You’ll also find books focused solely on teaching grammar, vocabulary or conversation, which are ideal for those supplementing other learning methods such as Spanish apps or classes, or who have a complete learning book but struggle with a particularly tricky topic (we’re looking at you, verb conjugations).

Those who are looking to become fluent in Spanish may want to consider buying a couple of these varieties, as although the complete learning books will teach you a bit of everything, to truly master the language you’ll probably want to go a little deeper.

Choose the Level of the Book to Match Your Current Grasp of Spanish

Next, you’ll need to assess your knowledge of Spanish. Be honest with yourself! If you choose a book that’s too difficult for your current ability you could end up feeling frustrated and throwing in the proverbial towel. Equally, if you already have some prior knowledge and don’t pick a book that teaches you anything new, your learning won’t progress.

Books will be clearly labelled for beginners, intermediates or above (with the exception of grammar or verb titles that are designed to supplement learning through most stages) so just select appropriately.

If you had some Spanish lessons at school or are looking to pick it up again after some time off, we would recommend starting with beginner books. This way you will have the option of refreshing your knowledge of the basics, or at least having a skim through before you get to some topics you haven’t yet learnt.

Practice Makes Perfect! Workbooks With Written Exercises Can Help You Retain Information

Practice is undoubtedly one of the key factors in learning a language, or indeed any skill. It’s all well and good reading pages and pages of information, but unless you have a flawless memory, it’s unlikely that all of it will stick permanently.

Therefore you may want to ascertain if a book has some tests or exercises for writing down what you have learnt in each section, or puzzles and games throughout the book to keep you on your toes. If you want to use the book again you could always use a separate exercise book for scribbling the answers in.

This feature will also help you develop your reading and writing skills in Spanish. Even if you’re only learning for conversational purposes, seeing and constructing the sentences yourself will give you a better overall grasp not only of your listening and speaking skills, but of the language in general.

Books With Pictures and Creative Layouts Suit Visual Learners and Keep You Engaged

amazon.co.uk

We all have our preferred learning styles, so if you identify as more of a visual learner (or simply find reams of plain text a bit boring) it may be worth looking for a book that uses photographic or illustrative aides to demonstrate the information presented.

Images can often help you to remember certain words or sentences as you can visualise the picture to bring back the memory.

Similarly, layouts with different fonts, text boxes and colours can help keep you engaged by adding an element of interest and will catch the eye of creatively-minded learners.

Supplementary Audio Will Ensure Correct Pronunciation and Refine Listening Skills

Hearing the way certain words or syllables are spoken can really make a difference when learning Spanish, especially because there are letters or pairings that are pronounced in a completely different way to English.

Books with additional audio CD’s or online resources are a great way to help with this, and will have you chatting away like a native without any potentially embarrassing mispronunciations. Some may also include audio in a question-and-answer style, so you can hone your conversation before you speak to a real life Spaniard!

They can also assist in refining your listening skills, and will allow you to imagine the words being spoken as you are reading or writing them so they become even more familiar.

Check Whether the Book Contains a Dictionary for Reference

Whilst serious learners may want to purchase an additional Spanish dictionary, it’s always a plus to have at least a few pages of translations in the back of your learning book for referencing and spell checks. You should be able to locate this feature in the description of the book if it’s included.

It’s also a useful feature to have on hand if you just don’t fancy carrying around two books when heading to a library or cafe to study, or if you’re bringing your learning book abroad with you.

Don’t Forget to Pick the Right Spanish Dialect

Last but not least, we’d advise checking which Spanish dialect the book you’re interested in is going to teach you. Although Spanish is spoken in 21 countries around the world, there are two variations that teaching books focus on, European Spanish (of Spain) and Latin American Spanish.

Although not wildly dissimilar, there are some written and spoken differences within each regional dialect that could cause confusion if used incorrectly.

Latin American Spanish also excludes an entire category of personal pronouns, so if in doubt European Spanish is probably the safest bet for most learners, whether heading backpacking in Chile or just wanting to learn to order some tortilla y vino in Granada.

Top 10 Best Books to Learn Spanish in the UK

You should now have some idea of what you’d like your Spanish book to contain, and which features will complement your journey. We’ll now share our recommendations for books we think are the most engaging and easy to use, and of course, those which lead to success.

amazon.co.uk

Practice Makes Perfect Basic Spanish

Dorothy Richmond

£12.99

A Great Start to Learning Spanish With a Supporting App

Get off to a good start with this basic textbook. The “bite sized lessons” cover most beginner topics, and there’s a companion app with flashcards and audio. There are fun exercises and puzzles too, some using references from popular culture that will appeal to younger learners.

It is designed to be used alongside other learning methods (such as Spanish lessons) or just as a first foray into the language, but for the price it’s an entertaining and simple way to begin.

Learning Focus	Complete learning
Level	Beginner
Exercises Included	Yes
Visual Aids	No
Audio Access	Yes, via app
Dictionary Section	Yes
Region Focus	Spain
Formats	Paperback, Kindle

amazon.co.uk

Barron's 501 Spanish Verbs

Christopher Kendris & Theodore Kendris

£12.99

An Essential Companion for Mastering Verbs

Make everybody’s least favourite part of languages learning much less painful with this comprehensive guide to Spanish verbs, including all 14 tenses, those lovely irregulars, and all the conjugations you’ll ever need. There’s also access to online content alongside the book, such as drills, exercises and audio.

Of course this book alone won’t teach you Spanish and it is very text-heavy, but it is the best of its kind and you’ll find it useful throughout all your learning stages.

Learning Focus	Verbs
Level	Beginner, intermediate, advanced
Exercises Included	Yes
Visual Aids	No
Audio Access	Yes, via website
Dictionary Section	Yes
Region Focus	Spain
Formats	Paperback

amazon.co.uk

Teach YourselfComplete Spanish Book & CD Pack

Juan Kattán-Ibbara

£21.39

An All-in-One Spanish Teaching Course

This book and audio combo encompasses all four key skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing, and includes functional topics that can be utilised in both everyday life or on holiday. Visual learners will appreciate the photography, illustrations and eye-catching layout too.

The audio can be downloaded on a computer or smart device, and includes Mexican and Argentinian speakers to get you accustomed to all accents. Some learners found the skill advancement quite rapid, so prepare for a challenge!

Learning Focus	Complete learning
Level	Beginner, intermediate
Exercises Included	Yes
Visual Aids	Yes
Audio Access	Yes, via CD
Dictionary Section	Yes
Region Focus	Spain, Latin America
Formats	Paperback, Kindle, audio CD

amazon.co.uk

Benny LewisLanguage Hacking: A Conversation Course for Beginners

£12.33

Accessible Methods for Conversational Spanish

If you need to master Spanish conversation pronto, language celeb Benny Lewis is your guy. This book is very interactive with missions for you to complete in short study bursts, and has a colourful layout, text boxes, and different font styles to keep you engaged.

There are a few tenses and grammar topics included, but only as part of the conversations; so if you want to learn the language completely you’ll probably need a few more resources. On the plus side, it is sufficient for any Spanish-speaking region.

Learning Focus	Conversation
Level	Beginner
Exercises Included	Yes
Visual Aids	Yes
Audio Access	Yes, via website
Dictionary Section	No
Region Focus	Spain, Latin America
Formats	Paperback, Kindle

amazon.co.uk

Pedro Vázquez Bermejo & Susana Wald Spanish for Dummies (European Spanish Edition)

£10.58

Uncomplicated Basics for Language-Phobes

This particular title is for learning European Spanish, although there is a Latin American version if you prefer. The format is indeed simple and easy to understand, even for complete beginners or those who think they don’t have the knack for languages. A mini-dictionary is also included at the back of the book.

There are a lot of travel-friendly sections such as public transport and dining, as well as basic grammar and verbs. The text is bold and large, and there’s an audio CD with written pronunciations for each section so you can compare the two. If you like your books digital and your learning visual, the Kindle edition has extra video content too.

Learning Focus	Complete learning
Level	Beginner
Exercises Included	Yes
Visual Aids	Video with eBook
Audio Access	Yes, via CD
Dictionary Section	Yes
Region Focus	Spain
Formats	Paperback, Kindle

amazon.co.uk

Margarita Madrigal & Andy WarholMadrigal's Magic Key to Spanish

£10.80

A Unique Book That Turns Learning on Its Head

From one of America's most prominent language teachers comes this captivating, fun, and yes, rather magical learning guide. Its 'throw rote memorisation and dull drills out of the window' method will be welcomed by many, as well as the additions of easy English comparisons (several words are almost exactly the same!) and tonnes of vocab right from the get-go.

It also cleverly introduces more than one language aspect at the same time, such as sentence structure alongside new vocab, helping you to learn as much as possible, as quickly as possible. Oweing to its quirkiness, this book also contains some lovely black and white illustrations by Andy Warhol.

Learning Focus	Complete learning
Level	Beginner, intermediate
Exercises Included	Yes
Visual Aids	Yes
Audio Access	No
Dictionary Section	Yes
Region Focus	Spain
Formats	Paperback, hardcover, Kindle

amazon.co.uk

Collins Easy Learning Complete Spanish

£11.65

Learning Focus	Grammar, verbs, vocabulary
Level	Beginner
Exercises Included	No
Visual Aids	No
Audio Access	No
Dictionary Section	No
Region Focus	Spain
Formats	Paperback, Kindle

amazon.co.uk

DKSpanish in Three Months

Isabel Cisneros

£7.15

Learning Focus	Complete learning
Level	Beginner
Exercises Included	Yes
Visual Aids	No
Audio Access	No
Dictionary Section	Yes
Region Focus	Spain
Formats	Paperback

amazon.co.uk

CollinsUnlocking Spanish With Paul Noble

£7.78

A Visually-Interesting Title That’s Fun and Effective

Another known name in the language world, Paul Noble promises an effective learning method that mimics the way you learned English as a child. Great for travellers and those wanting to kick off their Spanish with a fun, confidence-boosting book – even if you failed at school.

It also has artistic illustrations and is very visually interesting and easy to navigate. There’s no audio included with this title, but Paul does offer a separate CD audio course for those wanting to take things further. It's one of the more affordable buys, too.

Learning Focus	Complete learning
Level	Beginner
Exercises Included	Yes
Visual Aids	Yes
Audio Access	No
Dictionary Section	Yes
Region Focus	Spain
Formats	Paperback, Kindle

amazon.co.uk

Mc Graw HillEasy Spanish Step-by-Step

Barbara Bergstein

£9.01

A Building-Block Approach to Spanish Confidence

This unique complete learning title has tapped into a clever teaching method through the step-by-step of its namesake, which helps to build knowledge gradually and confidently. It has plenty of exercises and easy-to-digest grammar and verb explanations, too.

An app is available to keep up your learning on the go, and it includes pronunciation and information of both European and Latin American Spanish. Proof that a school-style workbook approach is still extremely effective!

Learning Focus	Complete learning
Level	Beginner, intermediate
Exercises Included	Yes
Visual Aids	No
Audio Access	Yes, via app
Dictionary Section	Yes
Region Focus	Spain, Latin America
Formats	Paperback, Kindle

Compare the Best Books to Learn Spanish

Image	1 Mc Graw Hill	2 Collins	3 DK	4 Collins	5 Margarita Madrigal & Andy Warhol	6 Pedro Vázquez Bermejo & Susana Wald	7 Benny Lewis	8 Teach Yourself	9 Barron's	10 Practice Makes Perfect
Name	Easy Spanish Step-by-Step	Unlocking Spanish With Paul Noble	Spanish in Three Months	Easy Learning Complete Spanish	Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish	Spanish for Dummies (European Spanish Edition)	Language Hacking: A Conversation Course for Beginners	Complete Spanish Book & CD Pack	501 Spanish Verbs	Basic Spanish
Features	A Building-Block Approach to Spanish Confidence	A Visually-Interesting Title That’s Fun and Effective	A Cheap and Speedy Path to Success	An Ideal Companion to Apps or Other Methods	A Unique Book That Turns Learning on Its Head	Uncomplicated Basics for Language-Phobes	Accessible Methods for Conversational Spanish	An All-in-One Spanish Teaching Course	An Essential Companion for Mastering Verbs	A Great Start to Learning Spanish With a Supporting App
Price	£9.01	£7.78	£7.15	£11.65	£10.80	£10.58	£12.33	£21.39	£12.99	£12.99
Learning Focus	Complete learning	Complete learning	Complete learning	Grammar, verbs, vocabulary	Complete learning	Complete learning	Conversation	Complete learning	Verbs	Complete learning
Level	Beginner, intermediate	Beginner	Beginner	Beginner	Beginner, intermediate	Beginner	Beginner	Beginner, intermediate	Beginner, intermediate, advanced	Beginner
Exercises Included	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Visual Aids	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Video with eBook	Yes	Yes	No	No
Audio Access	Yes, via app	No	No	No	No	Yes, via CD	Yes, via website	Yes, via CD	Yes, via website	Yes, via app
Dictionary Section	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Region Focus	Spain, Latin America	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain, Latin America	Spain, Latin America	Spain	Spain
Formats	Paperback, Kindle	Paperback, Kindle	Paperback	Paperback, Kindle	Paperback, hardcover, Kindle	Paperback, Kindle	Paperback, Kindle	Paperback, Kindle, audio CD	Paperback	Paperback, Kindle
Link	View Amazon View eBay	View Amazon View eBay	View Amazon View eBay	View Amazon View eBay	View Amazon View eBay	View Amazon View eBay	View Amazon View eBay	View Amazon View eBay	View Amazon View eBay	View Amazon View eBay

Immerse Yourself in All Things Spain!

Want to know how to whip up the perfect paella, learn about Spanish grape varieties or grab the best dictionary for your language studies? We have more guides and recommendations for all things España below!

Top 10 Best Spanish Wines in the UK 2020 (Tesco, Waitrose and More)

Top 10 Best Spanish Cookbooks in the UK 2020 (Rick Stein, José Pizarro and More)

Top 10 Best Spanish Dictionaries in the UK 2020

Summary

With so many approaches to language teaching for all ages and abilities, there’s bound to be a book that can lead you to Spanish victory. We’ve given you the resources, and hopefully a bit of inspiration, so all that’s left to do is for you to go out there and get learning!

Author: Natasha Dziubajlo