Your phone should be in Spanish and here's why
Updated: Oct 15, 2021
It sounds like a pain, I know. To switch your phone/ computer/ tablet/ most touched device into a new language that you don't really understand sounds annoying. I agree. It will be a little annoying. If you change the language of a piece of technology that you use every two seconds, there will be some fumbling and confusion at first. BUT, there is a simple solution. If you see a word you don't know, look it up! Use www.wordreference.com (it's awesome and they even have an app). And just like that....BAM.... you've learned something new in Spanish! When you learn something new on your own, and then that new information is reinforced multiple times a day, it's going to stick in your brain for the long term. So even though it might be awkward at first, here are some reasons why you should change a piece of technology to Spanish (if only for the weekend):
Repetition. You look at technology probably hundreds of times a day. This type of repetition will quickly reinforce and solidify all the new words you will be exposed to.
New vocabulary. Switching your technology to Spanish will expose you to new vocabulary about communication (texts, email), locations (GPS), shopping (Amazon, etc.), social media, news, and anything else you use technology for!
Easy reading. It's reading practice at your finger tips without even having to plan it!
Advertisements. I have my computer in Spanish, and somehow by default my Pandora and Spotify and YouTube all give me ads in Spanish. Now, ads are obnoxious, but getting reading and listening comprehension practice whenever I'm listening to music or watching videos is pretty nice.
Strengthening neural pathways. Repetition makes the neural pathways (aka the way your brain works and makes memories) in your brain stronger. Thus, looking at your device multiple times a day and seeing the same words and phrases in Spanish will only help quicken your language acquisition.
Confidence booster/ Cool factor. Even after 20 years of acquiring the Spanish language, I still feel a sense of accomplishment every time someone picks up my phone and says "I can't believe your whole phone is in Spanish!" It's a confidence booster that I'm able to navigate my day (or at least my phone) in another language. I want that same confidence boost for you!
I hope I have convinced you to change a device into Spanish (if only for a few days). If you do, let me know how it goes! Find me @kinda.bilingual on Instagram and tag me in your technological adventures en español!
Interested in more tips or acquiring Spanish? Check out Kinda Bilingual's online, immersive, Spanish classes or give us a follow on Instagram (@kinda.bilingual)!