By Evan Flaxman
One of the most common mistakes people make when learning Spanish is assuming that becoming proficient requires memorizing an enormous number of vocabulary words, verb conjugations, and grammatical rules. Although memorization is certainly part of learning any language, I have found through years of teaching that understanding the reasoning behind a concept is far more valuable than simply remembering the correct answer. Students who understand how a language works are generally better equipped to apply what they have learned, recognize their own mistakes, and communicate in unfamiliar situations.
Throughout my teaching experience, I have worked with students of different ages, educational backgrounds, and levels of confidence. Some were naturally comfortable with academic subjects, while others had spent years believing they lacked the ability to learn certain material. One of the most consistent lessons I have taken from those experiences is that difficulty learning something does not necessarily reflect a lack of intelligence or effort. Frequently, the student has simply never encountered an explanation that makes sense to the way he or she processes information.
This distinction is especially important when teaching Spanish because the language contains grammatical structures that do not always correspond directly to English. Students are often introduced to rules that seem straightforward until they encounter examples that appear to contradict what they have been taught. Without a deeper understanding of the underlying principles, those exceptions can create unnecessary confusion and frustration.
Understanding Why a Rule Works
Consider the distinction between the Spanish verbs ser and estar. Both translate into English as “to be,” and students are commonly introduced to them through the explanation that ser describes permanent characteristics while estar describes temporary conditions. Although this can provide a useful starting point, it is not a complete explanation. A student who relies exclusively on that distinction may struggle to understand why someone who has lived in Colorado for thirty years would still say Estoy en Colorado rather than use ser to describe a seemingly permanent location.
The difficulty arises because the distinction involves more than permanence. Spanish generally uses ser to identify people and things, describe defining characteristics, and express certain relationships, while estar is used for locations and conditions or states. These are broader grammatical distinctions that cannot always be reduced to a single English-language rule. Once students begin to understand those relationships, they can evaluate unfamiliar sentences more logically rather than searching their memories for an oversimplified formula.
I have found that explaining the reasoning behind a grammatical structure often produces a much stronger understanding than asking students to memorize another list of exceptions. It also encourages them to ask questions about why a particular expression works the way it does. Those questions are valuable because they reveal whether students genuinely understand a concept or have merely learned to reproduce the expected answer.
The same principle applies to verb conjugations. When beginners first encounter the different endings for regular -AR, -ER, and -IR verbs, the material can appear overwhelming. They may see dozens of unfamiliar forms and assume that each must be memorized independently. In reality, regular Spanish verbs follow recognizable patterns. Once students understand how a verb stem combines with endings that identify the subject and tense, the system becomes considerably more manageable.
For example, the present-tense forms hablo, hablas, habla, hablamos, and hablan are not five unrelated vocabulary words. They are variations of the same verb, hablar, formed according to a consistent pattern. Understanding that structure allows students to apply the same endings to many other regular -AR verbs. Memorization is still necessary, but it becomes a process of reinforcing an understandable system rather than attempting to retain disconnected information.
The Difference Between Knowing a Rule and Using a Language
Another important distinction is the difference between performing well on written exercises and being able to communicate naturally. A student might complete an entire worksheet of verb conjugations correctly and still hesitate when asked a relatively simple question in conversation. This does not mean the written exercises were useless. It means that recognizing the correct answer on paper and retrieving that knowledge spontaneously are different skills.
I believe effective language instruction should develop both abilities. Students need to understand grammatical concepts, but they also need opportunities to use those concepts in meaningful situations. When a student learns the preterite tense, for example, it is helpful to practice conjugating verbs individually. It is even more useful to connect those forms to questions about everyday experiences, such as ¿Qué comiste ayer? or ¿Adónde fuiste el fin de semana? These questions require students to move beyond identifying a correct verb ending and begin using the language to communicate something about their lives.
This is particularly important for adult learners, who frequently approach language learning with practical objectives. Some want to communicate more comfortably while traveling, while others hope to speak with friends, neighbors, or family members. A student may have little interest in the technical terminology associated with Spanish grammar but still benefit enormously from understanding how sentences are constructed. Good instruction should make those connections clear without requiring students to become experts in grammatical terminology.
As a fluent, non-native Spanish speaker, I also understand the experience of learning a language that was not spoken in my home during childhood. There is a meaningful difference between understanding a sentence after carefully translating each word and recognizing its meaning naturally as someone speaks. Developing that ability requires consistent exposure, listening practice, and opportunities to use the language. Grammar provides an essential foundation, but fluency develops when that knowledge becomes increasingly accessible without conscious analysis of every sentence.
Why Individualized Teaching Matters
One of the most valuable lessons I have learned from teaching is that students do not all respond to the same explanations. Some understand a concept almost immediately when it is presented visually, while others benefit from hearing it explained or working through several practical examples. Some students want to understand the underlying logic before they feel comfortable applying a rule. Others develop their understanding through repetition and gradually recognize the pattern themselves.
During almost three years teaching adult learners, many of whom were native Spanish speakers, I developed individualized approaches to help students understand subjects they had previously found difficult. That experience reinforced something I had also observed through university-level teaching and tutoring: when a student does not understand an explanation, repeating the same explanation is not necessarily the solution. Sometimes the teacher needs to approach the concept from a different direction.
This requires more than knowing the subject matter. An effective teacher must recognize where a student’s understanding breaks down and determine how to bridge that gap. The problem might involve an unfamiliar term, a missing foundational concept, or an assumption that the student understands something that was never adequately explained. Identifying the actual obstacle is often more important than simply providing additional practice problems.
I have also seen how closely understanding and confidence are connected. Students who repeatedly struggle with a subject can begin to believe they are incapable of mastering it. Over time, that belief may become a greater obstacle than the material itself. When an explanation finally makes sense and the student begins answering questions independently, the change can be remarkable. Confidence grows because the student has experienced genuine progress, not merely because someone has offered encouragement.
The same process occurs in Spanish instruction. A student who has struggled to distinguish the preterite from the imperfect may become much more comfortable once the underlying difference between describing completed events and providing background or habitual past actions becomes clear. Although the distinction has additional nuances, understanding that foundation gives the student a logical starting point. With practice, what initially seemed arbitrary begins to make sense.
Building Understanding That Lasts
My objective when teaching Spanish is not simply to help students complete assignments or memorize enough material to pass an examination. Those achievements can certainly be important, particularly for students enrolled in academic courses, but I believe the greater value comes from developing knowledge that remains useful beyond the immediate lesson.
A student who understands how regular verbs are constructed has a foundation for learning unfamiliar verbs. A student who understands the principal differences between Spanish past tenses can begin describing experiences with greater accuracy. A student who recognizes how Spanish sentence structure differs from English becomes less dependent on translating every expression word for word. Each of these developments makes the language more accessible and gives the student greater independence.
That is why I emphasize clear explanations, practical examples, and opportunities to apply new concepts in conversation. I want students to feel comfortable asking questions and making mistakes, because both are essential parts of learning. An incorrect answer can reveal a misunderstanding that might otherwise go unnoticed, and addressing that misunderstanding can produce more lasting progress than simply supplying the correct response.
Learning Spanish requires effort, repetition, and patience. There is no method that eliminates the need to study vocabulary, practice conjugations, or develop listening comprehension. Nevertheless, the process becomes considerably more manageable when students understand how the different elements of the language fit together.
Ultimately, I believe the purpose of education is not simply to transfer information from a teacher to a student. It is to help students develop the ability to understand, evaluate, and apply that information independently. Whether I am working with someone learning Spanish for the first time or helping a student overcome difficulties with advanced grammar, that principle remains central to my approach. Understanding creates the foundation for confidence, and confidence makes meaningful communication possible.
About the Author
Evan Flaxman is an educator and fluent, non-native Spanish speaker with extensive experience teaching students from diverse educational backgrounds. His approach emphasizes understanding underlying concepts, developing practical skills, and adapting instruction to the needs of individual learners.