One of the most widely spoken languages in the world is Spanish. Even an Anglophone country like the United States now has a huge Hispanic population and being able to speak to these people in their own language will not only make communication easier but will also help create mutual respect. If you're embarking on a journey of learning the language, you'll find that Spanish song lyrics can make the process much more fun.
Songs are incredibly useful when you're learning a language. Even if you don't understand the words yet, they'll help you get used to the sounds and rhythms of that language. They're also a fun way to learn new vocabulary or to understand the rules of grammar. In addition, you get to hear different accents.
If you're only starting out, it's a good idea to listen to Mexican songs. These can include the famous traditional ones such as 'Cielito Lindo' or 'La Cucuracha'. Singers whose songs to try as well include Chavela Vargas, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Lila Downs and Marco Antonio Solis. These numbers are in an easy-to-understand accent and are usually slow enough to follow as well.
You may also want to consider the infectious rhythms of Cuban music. The slow styles such as 'son' are great and the songs from 'The Buena Vista Social Club' are indispensable. One Cuban classic that is simple and will have you singing along in no time is the ever popular 'Guantanamera'.
In Latin America, the dialect spoken in Spain is referred to as Catalan. It's a little more difficult to understand if you're not very good at the language yet. However, you may want to try listening to the very popular songs of Manu Chao, whose lyrics tend to be quite simple, with catchy tunes.
Other countries with challenging accents include Chile and Argentina. Even native speakers can have trouble understanding people from these nations. To get used to the sounds, you'll want to start with slower folk ballads such as those from the Nueva Cancion movement. The foremost singer of this movement was Mercedes Sosa from Argentina and one song not to miss is the poignant 'Gracias A La Vida', her biggest hit, which was written by Violeta Parra from Chile. It's a great song for picking up new vocabulary.
You'll also want to try learning songs that you can really dance to. Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony all have recorded in Spanish. There are also artists who are superstars in Latin America even if the English-speaking world doesn't know much about them, such as Juanes from Colombia and Ricardo Arjona from Guatemala. You'll find a wide variety of musical styles as well, from reggae and hip hop to cumbia and merengue, that will have you shaking your hips in no time while singing the chorus.
You may be able to find CDs with Spanish songs, especially in record stores in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods. Even easier will be to download numbers from the internet. CD sleeves often contain the lyrics to the songs or you'll find specialty websites that can provide you with the words. They may even have the English translations alongside the original words, but try to do the translations yourself first to test your skill.
Songs are incredibly useful when you're learning a language. Even if you don't understand the words yet, they'll help you get used to the sounds and rhythms of that language. They're also a fun way to learn new vocabulary or to understand the rules of grammar. In addition, you get to hear different accents.
If you're only starting out, it's a good idea to listen to Mexican songs. These can include the famous traditional ones such as 'Cielito Lindo' or 'La Cucuracha'. Singers whose songs to try as well include Chavela Vargas, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Lila Downs and Marco Antonio Solis. These numbers are in an easy-to-understand accent and are usually slow enough to follow as well.
You may also want to consider the infectious rhythms of Cuban music. The slow styles such as 'son' are great and the songs from 'The Buena Vista Social Club' are indispensable. One Cuban classic that is simple and will have you singing along in no time is the ever popular 'Guantanamera'.
In Latin America, the dialect spoken in Spain is referred to as Catalan. It's a little more difficult to understand if you're not very good at the language yet. However, you may want to try listening to the very popular songs of Manu Chao, whose lyrics tend to be quite simple, with catchy tunes.
Other countries with challenging accents include Chile and Argentina. Even native speakers can have trouble understanding people from these nations. To get used to the sounds, you'll want to start with slower folk ballads such as those from the Nueva Cancion movement. The foremost singer of this movement was Mercedes Sosa from Argentina and one song not to miss is the poignant 'Gracias A La Vida', her biggest hit, which was written by Violeta Parra from Chile. It's a great song for picking up new vocabulary.
You'll also want to try learning songs that you can really dance to. Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony all have recorded in Spanish. There are also artists who are superstars in Latin America even if the English-speaking world doesn't know much about them, such as Juanes from Colombia and Ricardo Arjona from Guatemala. You'll find a wide variety of musical styles as well, from reggae and hip hop to cumbia and merengue, that will have you shaking your hips in no time while singing the chorus.
You may be able to find CDs with Spanish songs, especially in record stores in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods. Even easier will be to download numbers from the internet. CD sleeves often contain the lyrics to the songs or you'll find specialty websites that can provide you with the words. They may even have the English translations alongside the original words, but try to do the translations yourself first to test your skill.