Hey everyone, I’ve been a lurker for a long time, but this is my first post. I’m based in Madrid and have been working here for almost a year, but I’ve always communicated in English. I realized my social circle was getting smaller and even ordering takeout was a struggle, so at the beginning of this year, I finally decided to start teaching myself Spanish. It took about six months, and I just took the DELE A2 exam last month—I think I passed. Today, I want to share my journey from zero to A2 in these six months, hoping it can be a useful reference for others on the same self-study path.
My Study Situation
First, a little background: I have a typical 9-to-5 job, so my study time is mostly limited to weekday evenings and weekends. The advantage is being in Spain with a natural language environment; the disadvantage is that my self-discipline isn’t the best, and it’s easy to get distracted by my phone without anyone supervising me
Learning Resources and Tools
Core Textbooks
I mainly used two books: one is a classic textbook from China called Modern Spanish (现代西班牙语), and the other is Aula Internacional, which is used here. Modern Spanish explains grammar very systematically, which I found easy to follow, but the content is a bit dated. Aula, on the other hand, focuses more on listening, speaking, and practical scenarios. It’s full of pictures and illustrations, making the DELE A2 preparation less boring. I recommend using them together: use Modern Spanish to build a solid grammar foundation and Aula to practice speaking and listening.
Supplementary Apps
I didn’t use many apps, mainly just three: Duolingo for memorizing vocabulary in my spare moments, SpanishDict for looking up words and verb conjugations, and HelloTalk. I’d occasionally find a language partner for a few awkward chats. It was nerve-wracking, but it helped my speaking practice immensely. The thicker your skin, the faster you’ll progress!
My Six-Month Study Plan
I divided the six months into two stages, each lasting about three months.
Stage 1: A1 Level
The goal for this stage was to master basic pronunciation, grammar, and everyday vocabulary. The focus was on getting the pronunciation of all letters right, especially practicing the rolled R. Although my rolled R is still inconsistent, at least I can now pronounce the difference between ‘rr’ and ‘r’. Grammatically, the present indicative is the most important tense to master!
Stage 2: A2 Level
Moving on to A2, the grammar complexity increases sharply, especially with the various past tenses, which were a real headache. My method was a ‘little and often’ approach: I would focus on tackling just one small grammar point each day and then reinforce it by doing exercises and making my own sentences. Below is a simple table I made summarizing the main uses of a few key tenses, which I hope might help:
| Tense | Main Use |
|---|
| Present Indicative | Describes current or habitual actions |
| Preterite | Describes completed actions at a specific point in the past |
| Imperfect | Describes ongoing, repeated, or background situations in the past |
Reaching A2 in Spanish through self-study in six months is totally achievable, but the key is persistence. The most important thing is to find a rhythm and method that works for you, and for Spanish A2, definitely don’t be afraid to make mistakes! I hope my sharing has been helpful, and I welcome any advice and discussion from the experts here!
