Hi everyone! I’ve been in France for almost a year now, based in Lyon. I recently got the urge to learn Spanish—it feels like such a waste not to learn another language when Spain is so close, haha. But here’s the problem: where can you find reliable Spanish self-study materials in France? Most of the books at FNAC and other bookstores are designed for French speakers, with all explanations in French, which was quite overwhelming for me.
After some trial and error, I’ve finally figured a few things out. Today, I’m sharing my list of recommended Spanish self-study books for those of us in French-speaking areas. I hope it helps others facing the same challenge.
My Self-Study Book Recommendations
1. Assimil - Le Nouvel Espagnol sans peine
This is arguably France’s go-to language learning series; almost every French person wanting to learn a foreign language owns one. Its strength is its gradual approach: one short lesson per day, which gives you a great sense of accomplishment. You learn grammar and vocabulary through brief dialogues, and the accompanying audio features an authentic Madrid accent. The downside is that the grammar explanations are a bit scattered, so you’ll need to synthesize them yourself. However, it’s fantastic for beginners to build a feel for the language.
2. Bescherelle - La conjugaison pour tous
When learning Romance languages, verb conjugation is a huge hurdle you can’t avoid. The Bescherelle series is specifically designed to tackle conjugations. This Spanish conjugation booklet is incredibly practical. It works like a dictionary, allowing you to quickly look up verb conjugations in various tenses. Whenever you’re unsure about a conjugation, a quick look will clear it up. It’s an absolute must-have desk reference. However, don’t expect to learn grammar from it; it’s purely a conjugation reference guide.
3. Vocabulaire espagnol
This is a thematic vocabulary book for learning Spanish on your own that organizes words by topic, such as ‘at the restaurant,’ ‘at the bank,’ ‘talking about the weather,’ and so on. I find this method much more efficient than memorizing words alphabetically from A to Z. You can focus on vocabulary for scenarios that interest you or that you need immediately. The book is small and convenient enough to pull out on the metro for a quick review. Personally, I think it’s super practical!
Book Comparison and Selection
To help you choose, I’ve made a simple comparison table:
| Book Title | Focus | Best For |
|---|
| Assimil - L’espagnol | Daily conversation, developing a feel for the language | Absolute beginners |
| Bescherelle - Conjugaison | Verb conjugation reference | Learners at all levels |
| Vocabulaire espagnol | Thematic vocabulary memorization | Learners looking to expand vocabulary quickly |
Assimil is great as a primary textbook, while Bescherelle and the Larousse vocabulary book can be used as supplementary tools. Using all three together yields the best results. Of course, if you have any other book recommendations or better study methods, feel free to leave a comment below to discuss! Let’s make progress together!
