If you have no access to native speakers and are totally new, the easiest thing to do is to get a book based course. This will help you to at least familiarise yourself with the basic words and sounds. Often such books are available at you local library and may include a CD or DVD – great for getting a feel for the different sounds.

If you are lucky, a local college or adult education centre may be running some Spanish courses. Here you will have a chance to apply what you’ve learned in real conversations, whether with your fellow students or with the teacher itself.

Once you’ve learned some basics, consider listening to Spanish language radio on the internet. Although it will probably be a struggle, practice at picking out words that you know and getting familiar with how the language sounds. If you’re in a country that has access to Spanish language television, even better, as it’s easier to put context to speech when you have the visual medium to help you. You can even watch Spanish speaking programmes on the internet via sites such as YouTube. You can even become familiar with Latin music and pay special attention to the lyrics. Many people who have learned English as a second language state that listening to songs in English has been one of their greatest aids.

If you have the fortune to be on vacation in a Spanish speaking country, don’t be afraid to give the language a go, even if it’s just as few simple phrases. Every time you use one successfully it will boost your confidence. By doing so you may even make some new Spanish speaking friends who you can keep in touch with via instant messaging on the internet when you get home. What better way to learn or improve a language!