Tips to learn Spanish
I was born in Argentina and lived there for 30 years. I can say I am an native Spanish speaker. I moved to the States at the age of 31 with very little knowledge of English. After 10 years I can say I have experienced the process of learning a new language with very little, almost no formal education. Here are some of my tips that you can certainly use to learn Spanish as well.
Push yourself to watch TV in Spanish (use subtitles in Spanish instead of English)
Always use a Spanish dictionary to look up words you don't know, reading the meaning will increase your vocabulary and will provide more interpretations of the word.
Create a group of friends or go to places where you will be pushed to listen and speak in Spanish.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes.
To improve your vocabulary read articles of your interest in Spanish on line.
To improve your listening watch TV en Español.
Please share in this thread more experiences about learning Spanish or any other language. Feel free to ask questions and of course revise my own English. 
I will add more tips as soon as I can think of them.
Note: I highlighted all the tips in this thread for easy reading since there are many comments and opinions that are specifically tips to learn Spanish. Also I have removed highlight from topics don't represent tips.
31 Answers
Hi Juluque,
I really appreciate all the help you volunteer on this site. I know that it takes a lot of work to post and keep up threads. My story is very similar to yours in that I do not know "classroom Spanish" but have picked up all the knowledge I have from friends and my own determination to know the language. I have to say I am probably years ahead of college students with actually being able to hold a conversation, but my grammar knowledge is probably equivalent to a first year student! I appreciate every piece of advice you can give me as my only goal is to learn better and quicker than I think I can and not worry about how right I am. I think one of the reasons my grammar is poor is that most of the Spansh-speaking people I know are too nice and sweet and don't correct me on the little things. This forum is perfect for obtaining those corrections, and natives like you make it possible. So, a big thank you from me for taking time to enjoy a shared passion... aquiring a second fluent language.
Visit a city where Spanish is spoken widely, like Miami or LA, specially Miami Beach has hundred or restaurants, hotels and stores with Spanish speaker employees and also tourist from South America and Spain, you can learn a lot while having fun without having to fly out of USA.
Estupendo hilo, Julu, se agradece mucho
Read a book in English and then try to read the same book in Spanish or read them together a chapter (or page) at a time.
I recommend Paulo Coelho books like The Alchemist or Don Miguel Ruiz books like The Four Agreements or The Mastery of Love. For something more advanced subscribe to a magazine like National Geographic in both languages at the same time.
Find a pen pal online who speaks Spanish and wants to learn English.
When I first started learning Spanish, I found a kid in Mexico who wanted to learn English on some website where I was getting a Spanish word of the day (I wish I could remember the link). We emailed each other for years and corrected each others elementary attempts at the languages. He was 14 at the time. Now he's 24 and graduating from college this year where he's studying to be an ESL teacher.
Volunteer to teach or to help teach an English class to Spanish speakers
Check your area churches for opportunities, ecspecially Catholic churches that may have a large hispanic population in attendance.
Para Carlos Gracias Carlos por tus comentarios. Si, es una muy buena idea.
Thanks so much for the tips juluque. I can certainly respect and understand your accomplishments and struggles. Hopefully, one day I will be of the same proficiency with my Spanish as you seem to be with your English. 
...feel free to ask questions and off of course revise my own English.
I was borne born in Argentina and lived there for 30 years. I can say I am an a native Spanish speaker. Move I moved to the States at the age of 31 with very little knowledge of English. After 10 years I can say I have experienced the process or of learning a new language with very little, (to) almost non no formal education. Here are some of my tips that you can certainly use to learn Spanish as well.
Note that born would be used in this situation. You might like to have a look at this short article on the difference between the two: born vs. borne
Juluque, I hope you know I provide these corrections out of a comradship to learn language better...I would appreciate the same courtesy from you as well! Please feel free to correct my Spanish anytime you want...although I fear that you will have a lot more work to do! Again thank you for your threads, I always enjoy them.
I was borne (born! borne means: llevado por, traído por ) in Argentina and lived there for 30 years. I can say I am an native Spanish speaker. (I moved)Move to the States at the age of 31 with very little knowledge of English. After 10 years I can say I have experienced the process or (of)learning a new language with very little almost non (-) formal education. Here are some of my tips that you can certainly use to learn Spanish as well.
Push yourself to watch TV in Spanish (use subtitles in Spanish instead of English)
Always use a Spanish dictionary to look up for (you don't need for) words you don't know, reading the meaning will increase your vocabulary and will provide more interpretations of the word.
Create a group of friend (friends) or go to places where you will be pushed to listen and speak in Spanish.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes.
To improve your vocabulary read articles of your interest, (;)in Spanish (,)on the internet or books.
To improve your listening (,)watch TV en Español.
Please share in this treat (thread)more experiences of learning Spanish or any other language, (.) (F)feel free to ask questions and off (of)course revise my own English.
I will add more tips as soon as I can think of them.
I will try to find the button on the tv for the subtitles. I have no spanish speaking friends so this stuff is not really "sticking" in my brain. Thanks.
As babies and children, people learn their mother tongue usually in the following order:
They hear it spoken (but don't necessarily understand what's being said) They try to mimic this speech (whether or not they understand the words their saying) They begin to speak more fluently and also understand more of what they're speaking They start to recognize words in written form They begin to read and write.
As adults, and learning another language, it's tempting to do the above in reverse. I am loving learning Spanish and using this site! It rocks!!! However, I think listening to music and books in Spanish is the best thing you can do. Also, as previously suggested, watching tv in Spanish is great too. I feel like I am in the first two stages of language learning, and I am relaxed about getting further until those two areas are mastered. It's fun trying to sing along or decipher what's happening on El Desafio!
Anyways, that my 2 cent's worth! Good luck! And thanks to everyone else here that had such super ideas and tips!
Listen to music in Spanish. Translate lyrics.
It's amazing how quickly a new phrase will stick in your head if you listen to it over and over in a song that you like. Lyrics to almost anything can be found online. You might need to search "letras" which mean "lyrics" + the name of the song. Translating songs is a great way to learn that you can't always translate things word for word.
Another tip just popped up in my head.
Register on SpanishDict and visit the forums after finishing a lesson 
(Actually i just wanted this question to be back on the 1st page, i'm sure more people have great ideas )
Would anyone recommend it smart to watch spanish videos on youtube without subtitles even though i'm not able to understand a word of what they say but able to understand spanish subtitles ( my auditory sense in spanish is terrible unless spoeken to slowly ) .
Thank you. These tips are very useful.
A difficult subject. In many ways related to the often asked "What's the best way to learn Spanish (or whatever)?" On the whole, I suspect that it depends on the person and the circumstances. I happen to find the study of grammar (whatever the language) interesting but that does not mean that I think that the first order of priority in learning a language is to master its grammar.
When I'm actually speaking Spanish, grammatical rules tend to have "gone out the window". For the most part, I say things in accordance with the ways that I have heard them said (in other words, I rely on my auditory experience, rather than "theoretical" considerations of correctness). Sometimes it occurs to me that what I have heard (or think I have heard) is at variance with what "grammar" would suggest. This is always a problem.and how I resolve it depends on the moment (sometimes I go with my "gut"/ears and other times with the grammar).
One may as well ask, "If I am speaking with people whose language is "ungrammatical", should I follow their example (and speak ungrammatically) (perhaps to "fit in") or should I insist on speaking "grammatically" (possibly at the expense of not communicating with them)?
