Advanced Spanish Resources (Lessons, Courses and Other Materials)

For advanced Spanish learners, finding the right online resources can be a challenge. Many platforms cater primarily to beginners, leaving those at a higher level searching for lessons that truly match their needs.

Fortunately, there are plenty of advanced Spanish tools that focus on complex grammar, authentic media and nuanced vocabulary. Let’s have a look at a few of my favorites. 

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Advanced Spanish Lessons Online

It can seem difficult to find advanced Spanish resources online, with many of the most popular options being geared toward beginners and low intermediate learners.

But if you’re an advanced Spanish learner, there are online lessons that cater to you, as well!

todo-claro

Check out todo-claro for some activities to practice advanced Spanish topics, mainly advanced grammar.

Todo-Claro features hundreds of exercises of many different types, like fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, crossword puzzles and more. You can also use the program to boost your vocabulary as well as train your conjugation skills.

Bowdoin Spanish

This website packs a powerful punch of productivity. It feels similar to an online Spanish textbook, and offers straightforward text lessons with some interactive tools to practice your new advanced knowledge.

Bowdoin Spanish has a resource-rich collection of links for students of intermediate and advanced Spanish. The links are alphabetically organized by topic from acentos to verbos como gustar, so it’s ideal for locating and practicing basically any topic you need to work on.

If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, you can just go down the list and do every exercise!

LingQ

Crave more variety in your learning? Want to move away from textbook learning and enter the world of authentic media? LingQ is the place for you.

LingQ lets you learn the language with real Spanish-language texts and media. As you read, you can note new words, until you reach a point where all the words in a particular piece of content are known to you.

There are many resources available on the website, but you can even supplement what’s there by importing outside Spanish materials from the web to your LingQ account.

Not sure if this program is right for you? Read our LingQ review here to find out.

Digital Dialects

The advanced page of the Digital Dialects website provides games to help you practice your Spanish. The page is divided into sections with games focusing on vocabulary and verbs.

The design is simplistic but charming and the interactive features ensure you’ll remember the words you’re working on.

Global Language Online Support System (DLIFLC)

The Global Language Online Support System (DLIFLC) has an online program geared toward Spanish learners. The program, called GLOSS or Global Language Online Support System, has seven learning levels divided into listening and reading modes.

Each lesson has a handful of activities. For instance, you may be presented with an audio conversation then asked to fill in some blanks or describe the conversation in your own words.

LivingSpanish.com

The advanced Spanish lessons on this website are straightforward and short but informative morsels of information. These lessons are absolutely ideal for getting crystal-clear introductions to big topics and for reviewing what you’ve already learned.

LivingSpanishClassroom

This page offers complete lessons that combine essential elements of learning Spanish such as grammar and vocabulary.

Their program includes practice activities that are interactive to keep learners engaged.

Learn Spanish Online

The name of the site Learn Spanish Online speaks for itself. It features text lessons on grammar.

It’s also structured like a textbook, so it’s a good choice if you’re looking for a serious and straightforward resource. 

StudySpanish.com

This website focuses on conversational Spanish, which is often the most challenging obstacle to overcome when trying to achieve fluency. The site also has free Spanish tutorials that you can check out before deciding if it’s worth spending money on, as well as a free membership that you can work with as an additional resource at any time.

This website is impeccably organized, easy to navigate and provides clear explanations for every Spanish language topic you could possibly want or need to learn about. You can use this website to go back to grammar points you’ve already learned and brush up a little, or you can teach yourself new topics using their thorough step-by-step lessons.

LightSpeedSpanish

Light Speed Spanish is run by Gordon (English) and Cynthia (Spanish) who, together, boast 20 years of combined teaching experience. It features a blog-style site with advanced lessons merging together podcasts, video, audio and text.

The lessons are taught through casual interactions between the two teachers, which are all in Spanish. Here you have the advantage of getting linguistic viewpoints from both sides of the aisle, from a native speaker and from a learner. You get a conversational flow to the lessons and your ears become better attuned to the distinctive pauses and rhythms of Spanish.

The advanced lessons assume that you’ve already nailed down most key grammar points by now. With this program you’ll hear the grammar lessons in action, simply using a specific topic as a vehicle for conversation.

The lessons are divided into different topics like food, medicine, films and politics. The feeling of watching these lessons is similar to sitting with friends over coffee, listening to them talk about an interesting topic in Spanish.

Advanced Spanish Video Resources

lingus.tv

Want to venture outside of your YouTube comfort zone? Check out lingus.tv, a site that dedicates an entire page to advanced video lessons.

Each video features a different topic or language focus in a natural way, with native speakers generally talking at their natural speed. Videos focus on friends hanging out, talking about their lives and getting into somewhat humorous situations.

To make the dialogues and monologues easier to follow, the speakers use very clear pronunciation and each video is accompanied by a transcript, a translation and detailed notes that break down each sentence.

Señor Jordan

Señor Jordan has produced an informative video series covering many different advanced Spanish topics.

Señor Jordan is an enthusiastic guy who teaches tons of information in an entertaining way. His attitude is infectious, and his videos are well worth a view!

Topics covered include verbs, tenses and other grammar aspects, explained in a way that’s easy to follow. There are also several catchy songs, contextual explorations of concepts and much more to discover.

FluentU

Streaming Services

There’s really no shortage of Spanish language television online. You’ve got Netflix, of course, where you can watch your favorite television shows and movies with Spanish audio or subtitles.

Then, there’s Hulu, which is a great resource to track down Latin television programming.

Amazon Prime also has several Spanish-language options you can use to boost your learning.

Advanced Spanish Audio Resources

Beyond the recommendation below, there are other podcasts available that cater to more specific learning goals, like this Medical Spanish podcast. Search until you find the one that’s perfect for your immediate learning needs, or rotate around through different podcasts covering different topics as you see fit!

Spanish Obsessed

This website features a page dedicated to advanced podcasts available for immediate listen or download.

You can download the interviews with native speakers and other audio files available on the site, or you can just listen online. If you have trouble understanding anything they say, fear not, for transcripts accompany every audio.

Notes in Spanish

You can download or instantly listen to free advanced Spanish audio with accompanying related questions on Notes in Spanish. These activities serve as great lessons, and they come with worksheets for practice, as well.

In these audio-based lessons you’ll find another Englishman and Spanish tandem. Marina is a Madrileña and Ben is an Englishman who came to Spain in 1998. Together, they run Notes in Spanish, which has received nods from the media and has been featured in Spain’s El Paí­s newspaper and on Radio Nacional de España.

These audio sessions involve conversations and interviews ranging from happenings in a Spanish office to the Miss Spain competition. Lasting an average of 12 minutes, the audio is perfect if you find the other programs “too fast.” It’s a tad slower and tremendously helpful for advanced learners who wanna nail diction and pronunciation. The audio comes with worksheets that back up everything you learn, so you’ll never be able to forget the key details.

SpanishPod101

SpanishPod101 provides advanced learners with advanced audio on a variety of topics such as cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world, complex grammar and specialized vocabulary. Their audio (and video) lessons are updated often and come with accompanying PDFs of the audio in case you stumble across some words or phrases that are difficult to hear or understand.

There are also other interactive learning features here that you can take advantage of. You can sign up for free to get a taste of what’s offered, or read our review of SpanishPod101 before you dive into the program.

CoffeeBreak Spanish

With CoffeeBreak Spanish, the title is exactly what you’ll get—Spanish lessons that are perfect for any coffee break. These podcasts revolve around native speakers doing their thing, chatting conversationally and explaining Spanish grammar in no uncertain terms. Every lesson is clear as day, and makes even the most complex grammar details feel like fun and easy things to learn, which is no small feat.

Plus, there’s plenty of structured guidance, downloadable audios and transcripts in addition to other featured learning tools. You can read our review of CoffeeBreak Spanish here.

Gritty Spanish

You’re advanced now, so it’s time to learn what Spanish really sounds like, uncut and uncensored. In the real world, people shout and curse and make dirty jokes. Prepare yourself for anything the Spanish-speaking world throws at you with Gritty Spanish.

Just one warning: This is not for the faint of heart, or for the easily offended. Definitely not for children. If you’re curious about this unique resource, we have a review of Gritty Spanish that gets down and dirty with the program.

Advanced Spanish Courses

Lengalia

This website provides a wealth of information in multiple forms for advanced learners. Browse their page for podcasts, video lessons and tons of thoroughly researched information regarding the culture of Spanish-speaking countries.

Keep in mind that you must pay a small fee for full access to all of their resources, but there are samples of lessons available for free.

Coursera

Another big name in online education, Coursera also maintains a Language Learning section under its online catalogue. The courses offered on Coursera are run by professors from world-renowned institutions, and it’s even possible to earn a certificate from many of the courses. The offerings and prices vary, so check out what’s available now.

First, there are straight-up courses taught about the Spanish language, from basic Spanish vocabulary to culture and writing skills. But what else do you love to learn about besides Spanish? What skills would you like to develop?

On Coursera, you’ll find free Spanish-language courses from accredited international universities. Topics range from scientific thinking to pre-calculus, business management, programming, sexuality and Egyptology.

Advanced Spanish Reading Resources

Practical Spanish

Check out Practical Spanish’s advanced section listing advanced Spanish readings. The aspect that makes these texts so informative is that the website has underlined tricky words and phrases and gives you an on-screen definition whenever you click one. Thus, the frustrating need for a dictionary is eliminated!

BuzzFeed Español

You probably know that BuzzFeed is tons of fun—an outstanding guilty pleasure, really—but Spanish BuzzFeed is about to open some new doors to you.

You’ll get to enjoy that same sarcastic, snarky, pop culture worshiping, over-the-top fluff that you already know and love, but you’ll also get to learn Spanish internet expressions (falló = fail, jajaja = hahaha) and you’ll get a dose of the humor that native Spanish speakers entertain themselves with on the regular.

For example, we gringos love to gush about the beauty of Latin America—seriously, we love it all—but Latin Americans themselves tend to gripe about their homelands while supporting vaguely racist international rivalries. Like, you’ll often read insights into the phenomenon where Ecuadorians hate Peruvians and Peruvians hate Chileans and Chileans hate Argentinians and Argentinians hate Brazilians.

Creepypasta in Spanish

Love to freak yourself out by reading scary stories and looking at creepy pictures in the middle of the night? I do too. My fellow horror fans, I present to you: Creepypasta in Spanish. 

This is the best place on the internet to find user-generated horror stories. The fact that they appear out of thin air, from the keyboards of random internet surfers, makes things all the creepier!

Advanced Spanish in-person Resources

IMAC Spanish Language Program

If you’re thinking of studying in Mexico, you’ll want to check out the IMAC Spanish Language Program. It’s the most accredited Spanish language school in the country, getting the nod from the venerable Instituto Cervantes of Spain, no less. It’s also the only Spanish language school accredited by the Mexican government.

The IMAC institute is located in Guadalajara, Mexico, right in the heart of the historic district and only a few blocks away from cultural treasures like the Metropolitan Cathedral, The Degollado Theater and City Hall, whose murals are the brainchildren of the great Jose Clemente Orozco.

In addition to standard intensive Spanish language courses from expert instructors, IMAC also offers the “Work & Study” program for those who may want to stay in the country and work there. Another is the “Study & Volunteer” program where students are doing one-on-one Spanish lessons in the morning and doing volunteer work in the afternoon.

Don Quixote (dQ)

Would you like to learn Spanish by also engaging in Flamenco, Tango, Salsa, Caribbean Music, Scuba Diving, Kite Flying and other elements of the Spanish culture? Well, Don Quixote (dQ) Spanish programs could be for you.

With 35 schools in 11 Spanish-speaking countries, dQ offers Spanish classes in all language levels. You can start when you want to and choose from over 25 courses that include: Intensive Spanish, Part-time Spanish, Spanish for Teachers, Spanish for Professionals, Spanish During Christmas, Spanish Business. You can also earn credits because they partner with 100 universities worldwide.

With dQ, you not only hear Spanish as it’s supposed to be spoken, you’ll also hear what 25 years of teaching experience sounds like.

Amerispan

Whether you’re a medical professional trying to learn Spanish so you can better communicate with patients or a legal officer who needs to understand the nuances of contract Spanish so you don’t sign away billions of your company’s resources, Amerispan has got you covered. Even when you just wanna have fun, Amerispan has something in store for you in one of over a dozen countries.

Their programs range from a few hours of class to a whole university degree abroad.

Considering themselves “The Bridge Between Cultures,” Amerispan understands that the classroom experience is but one component of your study. Its many programs immerse you smack in the heart of Spanish culture. You’ll not only know how to deal with those pesky verb conjugations, but you’ll also master those scintillating Spanish dance steps.

What Defines an Advanced Spanish Learner

If you’re an advanced Spanish learner, here’s what you should already have:

• Abundant and diverse vocabulary
• Mastery of basic grammatical structures
• The ability to communicate effectively with spoken language
• The ability to string together ideas with complex sentences in writing
• The ability to understand and produce informal and formal writing
• Extensive knowledge of tenses and moods, and ability to use them in communication
• Excellent comprehension when discussing general topics
• Some advanced vocabulary related to specific topics of interest

Here’s what’s likely still missing for you (and most other advanced Spanish learners) to become fluent in Spanish:

• Slang words
• Idioms
• Understanding of language in broader context
• Speaking with natural rhythm and accent
• Very specific vocabulary across a wide range of topics
• The ability to infer the meaning of any unknown words from context
• Total confidence in all areas of communication
• Gut sense for incorrect and correct language usage

That last bullet point is perhaps the most important of all. As intangible as the idea of having a “gut sense” might seem, that’s exactly what you’ll need to work on developing.

It’s like having a little guardian angel on your shoulder, who’ll poke you when you start to say something incorrect and whisper correct language in your ear.

Believe it or not, this isn’t all that abstract of an idea. It just all comes back to that notion of familiarity that we were discussing before.

Determining Your Spanish Learning Needs

Learning online is easy, free, mobile, entertaining, social, engaging and constantly fresh. It’s also second nature to us these days, when practically everything we do is somehow connected to the internet. You don’t need to learn how to study Spanish online. You’ve already got all the tools and know-how at your disposal.

All you really need is to assess your language needs. 

Which of the following three areas do you most struggle with?

1. Knowledge of technical linguistic elements (grammar, syntax, vocabulary, etc.)

2. Ability to switch your brain into “Spanish mode” and stop thinking your native language

3. Producing smooth, natural-sounding Spanish; fluid, fearless communication with native speakers

Armed with this information, you can create a schedule which tackles the obstacles standing between you and fluency, by rotating between formal study, immersion and fun.

Formal study will target #1, immersion works on #2 and fun improves #3.

Plan to give yourself about 30 minutes online per day for this plan to work. The first night you’ll do your formal study (yup, get the hard work out of the way first), the second you’ll jump into immersion and the third you’ll just have fun, fun, fun.

If there’s one area that gives you more trouble than the others, spend a few nights in a row using relevant online resources before moving onto the next area. If you really enjoy some of these resources (which I’m pretty sure you will!) then feel free to use them daily.

 

So, are you feeling overwhelmed by options yet? Good!

Get clicking and may your advanced Spanish studies continue to lead you to your Spanish language learning goals.