The 20 best books to improve your level of Spanish. Enjoy them! With Book Day just around the corner, at Hispania, a Spanish school, we really want to talk about books. And we are staunch lovers of literature. Did you know that reading books in Spanish is a
with him Book Day around the corner, in Hispania, Spanish school, We really want to talk about books.
And we are staunch lovers of literature.
Did you know that read books in spanish Is it one of the best things you can do to learn the language?
In this article we pay tribute to reading and we will tell you about the 20 best books to improve your Spanish.
The article will be distributed as follows:
Do you want to immerse yourself in this literary adventure? Yeah? Well let's go!
When we want to improve a language, read books in that language it's great for increase our level. This, of course, also applies to Spanish.
There are many reasons why reading in Spanish will stimulate your language development:
If you go to Spanish classes, you will surely learn a lot of grammar. When you read books, you keep seeing examples of what you learn in class: the use of verb tenses, prepositions, repeated grammatical structures, etc.
By seeing them repeatedly, you will assimilate your thoughts much better. knowledge about Spanish grammar.
A book only has words, it does not use any other resource to tell you a story. So, yes or yes, you will see many words that you don't know and you will have to use the dictionary often to understand what they are telling you.
If you read frequently, you will learn a lot of vocabulary of all kinds.
But be careful, don't try to understand every word because you may get frustrated. You must find the balance between improve your Spanish and enjoy reading.
In every book in Spanish you will surely also find many idiomatic expressions. We have already talked about idiomatic expressions on other occasions.
They are phrases with a specific meaning. In books, in many cases you can find out their meaning from the context in which they are used.
This point is super important if you are going to examine yourself in the DELE or SIELE.
Getting into the habit of reading in Spanish will improve your ability to read texts.
You will be able to read more quickly and assimilate information better without having to stop constantly.
There are other communication skills that can be trained with reading, such as oral expression. For example, if you read aloud it is a way to do readings to improve Spanish pronunciation.
As you can see, reading books in Spanish offers you many advantages to perfect your level of Spanish. Now, are all books suitable for this purpose?
Of course not. There are many factors that will make a book more or less suitable for you. Below, we give you tips to make your choice the best.
Choose a good book is not always easy, and even more so if in addition to enjoying a good read, we also want to learn a language.
These are ours five tips for choosing a good book to read and improve your level of Spanish.
The first thing you should think about is the genre and style of book.
What books do you like? Novels, history books, personal development books, science books...
Within novels, for example, there are many genres: drama, suspense, horror, romantic...
Being clear about what you like is essential so that reading does not become boring.
Think that there are going to be many words that you do not understand and that you will need more time to read it than you would need if you read it in your language.
If the theme and story of the book hook you, even if you find it difficult to read at times, you will want to continue until the end.
If you can choose books whose original language is Spanish, better.
Translations of books written in other languages are generally good, but sometimes they are not as authentic as the original language.
A book written by a Spanish writer is going to be more immersive because it does not have that translation filter.
It will also allow you get to know Spanish culture and language better in a deeper way.
We all have some cultural friend who loves to read, right? Well, take advantage of it and ask him: «¿What book do you recommend I read??».
He will surely make you an extensive list of recommendations, and he will also really enjoy that conversation because reading is one of his greatest hobbies.
You can also ask your Spanish teacher. The good thing about asking the teacher is that he knows perfectly well what level of Spanish his Spanish students are at and what aspects they need to reinforce.
If for example you are in a level A2, the teacher will probably see it convenient for you to start with easy to read books in Spanish.
If you are a teenager, you will think of the best books in Spanish for teenagers.
If you need to improve your oral expression, he will surely advise you readings to improve speech.
The normal thing is that your Spanish teacher wants the best for you and gives you good advice.
Another way to find the best books in Spanish is by browsing the internet and search best seller lists.
By doing this you will easily know what are the famous books in Spanish and the best spanish books according to specialized critics or public reviews.
You can find everything on the internet and there are pages that offer very valuable information, like this blog 😁.
When you go to a library or bookstore, you feel great, right?
We love that feeling of entering a place full of books, where silence reigns, browsing the different sections and titles, picking up the books that catch our attention and reading the synopsis on the back cover...
This is our most romantic tip. For many, doing this may already be a bit old-fashioned.
But we think that the charm of entering a library and letting yourself be carried away by the environment is still something very special, so much so that it often serves as a inspiration to know books that before we didn't even know existed.
We hope these 5 tips to help you choose the best books to read books in Spanish.
Now we are finally going to see our list of 15 readings to read and learn Spanish. Let's go there!
Most of these 15 books are novels in spanish of all genres. All of them have had great recognition from critics and the public.
If you like to read, take note because surely when you finish the article you will want to go to your nearest bookstore to buy some of these books😉.
We begin our book series with No news from Gurb, by Eduardo Mendoza.
In this work, an extraterrestrial named Gurb arrives in Barcelona in the 80s and mixes among the people through bizarre adventures and situations.
This book is a satire on Spanish society from that time with much sense of humor.
It is an interesting book for Spanish students because they are going to get to know Spanish culture from a very fun point of view.
There is also a lot vocabulary and colloquial expressions that require a high level to be understood.
Therefore, we recommend this book for expert students who read frequently in Spanish, since it is one of those books for advanced readers.
Atlas of human geography, by Almudena Grandes, is a novel that deals with themes that have always accompanied the human being: identity conflict, desires, disappointments, contradictions, relationships with others, losses, the passage of time...
All of these deep themes are explored through its four protagonists: Rosa, Ana, Marisa and Fran.
This is one of the nice books to read in Spanish and can be very interesting to improve your understanding of the language and learn new words and expressions.
Although we warn you that the complexity of its narrative and the depth of the topics it deals with can make it a little complicated for a Spanish student to understand at times.
If you are patient, we assure you that it will be worth it. It's a beautiful book!
This book tells, through 20 stories, everyday problems that we have all experienced at some point, such as unrequited love, mistrust, family dependencies, excess loneliness, unsatisfied desires...
If you eat a lemon without making faces We think it is one of the best books in our top books in spanish because it is written in a fairly easy to understand way in 20 short stories, so there is a lot dynamism and it is difficult to get bored.
Furthermore, surely the stories of these characters catch you, since, as the synopsis itself says, "the book delves into common emotions that are easy to identify with."
Manolito Gafotas it's a book highly recommended to learn Spanish. This novel by Elvira Lindo narrates the adventures of a boy who lives with his family in a working-class neighborhood of Madrid, Carabanchel.
There are several books by Manolito Gafotas. They tell the typical stories of this 8 year old boy: his routine at school, his relationship with his little brother, his family conflicts, his summer trips...
This book is written in a very fun, which will make you want to continue reading.
Furthermore, it has very endearing characters like Manolito himself or his little brother, whom he calls "the idiot" 😆.
On the other hand, it is also interesting because everyday situations are presented that will allow you to learn more about Spanish culture and society in a big city like Madrid.
It also has a wide variety of popular idioms and colloquial slang.
The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho It is the only book on this list that It is not written in Spanish in its original version, since its author is Brazilian.
Why do we include it here then? Because this book is a bestseller and a contemporary classic of literature.
It is very well translated and we think it is one of those books that, if you have not read it yet, can give you very good teachings about life for the philosophical and beautiful approach it has.
The language used in the book is simple and direct, which makes the text easier to understand, and the story is very interesting and motivating, so it will surely keep your attention.
This work is a novel by the Mexican writer Laura Esquivel, published in 1989.
It is a work of fiction that combines elements of magical realism and romance, and is set in Mexico during the 20th century.
The story focuses on the Tita's life, a young woman who lives with her family on a farm where they are dedicated to food production.
Throughout the novel, Tita discovers that she has a great passion for cooking, and uses it as a way to express her feelings.
The food that Tita prepares has a magical effect on the people who try it, and is capable of transmitting their love, their sadness or their anger.
Are you lover of Mexican culture and cuisine? So we can't think of a better book than this to learn Spanish.
Carlos Ruiz Zafon He is one of the Spanish writers most acclaimed by the public.
The shadow of the wind, one of his most famous and award-winning books, is set in post-war Barcelona and follows the life of Daniel Sempere in a story that combines mystery, drama and love.
One of the great points of interest of this novel are its characters. Carlos Ruiz Zafón usually creates complex and very well developed characters. In this book, the characters are realistic and interesting, especially the protagonist.
The descriptive style from the author will make you learn many new words in Spanish, although sometimes it can be a little difficult because he often uses a very evocative language and dreamlike.
If you are aware of this and do not pretend to know all the words, but rather let yourself be guided by the context, this book will surely captivate you until the end.
The Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez He is one of the most famous Spanish-speaking writers in the world.
As its name suggests, this book is a collection of stories which was published in 1992.
It is said that García Márquez spent more than 18 years writing this book until he finally finished it. It is considered as one of his best jobs.
In it he explores universal themes such as love, death, loneliness or culture through characters mainly Latin Americans who emigrate to Europe to seek a better life, but they encounter problems that they had not even imagined before, such as cultural differences.
García Márquez's style is known for his poetic prose and his use of magical realism. As in many of his books, the stories in this collection contain elements of fantasy and surrealism that make them very captivating works.
Do you dare to learn Spanish with one of the best Spanish language writers? It may not be easy to understand at first. so poetic language, but if you get used to it, in the end it will fascinate you.
Are you into dramas? The distance between us is possibly the most melancholic novel that we have presented to you so far.
Additionally, this book may be suitable for Spanish learners because of its simple and direct language.
The Mexican writer Reyna Grande tells the heartbreaking story of a girl and her siblings who have to take care of themselves due to the absence of their parents.
In this novel the author makes a autobiographical exerciseand the entire story that is told is a metaphor for the hard childhood that she herself lived through, in which she only managed to find solace in books, music and her amazing imagination.
This book is not a novel, but a self help book. In How to make good things happen to you, Marian Rojas Estapé gives practical advice so that our life be happier and full.
The approach that the author follows is that of positive psychology. Through her own experience as a psychology professional, Marian Rojas defends that you can have a more satisfying life through gratitude, resilience, empathy, self-esteem or the communication of our emotions.
So now you know, if in addition to learning Spanish you want have more happiness in your life, This book may be a good option.
Homeland It is considered one of the works most important in contemporary literature in Spanish.
The novel addresses the theme of terrorism in the Basque Country and in the consequences after its dismantling.
The day ETA announces the abandonment of weapons, Bittori decides to return to the house where she lived with her late husband, who was murdered by the terrorists.
Bittori's return to the town disturbs the tranquility of its inhabitants, especially that of his neighbor, Miren, mother of an imprisoned terrorist.
This novel by Fernando Aramburu uses a quite clear and accessible languagefor a Spanish student with intermediate or advanced level.
Now, it is important to keep in mind that the novel requires a high level of understanding and prior knowledge about the darkest side of recent Spanish history, terrorism.
If you are interested in it, you will surely like it.
The time between seams by María Dueñas is another of the most popular and successful works of contemporary literature in Spanish.
The novel tells the story of Sira Quiroga, a young dressmaker who finds herself involved in plots of espionage in the context of the Spanish Civil War and World War II.
We think that this book is suitable for improving your level of Spanish because the narration is very well constructed and has a quite understandable linguistic style. Your enveloping plot about spies will surely hook you.
Furthermore, this novel portrays very well what society was like at that time and can be very interesting if you want to expand your knowledge about society. History and culture of Spain in the middle of the last century.
This novel by Dolores Redondo won the Planeta award in 2016. The novel narrates the Manuel's story, a writer who travels to northern Spain to investigate the death of her husband, which has occurred under mysterious circumstances.
I will give you all this has a narrative style that makes the story easy to follow, with a lot ofsurprises and twists that will leave you wanting to know what happens on the next page.
Furthermore, it offers a detailed overview of the culture and life in the north from Spain. After reading it, you will surely want to visit this beautiful area of the country.
Very soon you will be able to see this story in the cinema or on platforms because they are preparing the adaptation of this spectacular novel.
This book by Rosa Montero is the second book on our list that explore psychology from a particular narrative that It goes between fiction and non-fiction.
Rosa Montero offers us an exciting study on the links between creativity and mental instability.
Its sources are irrefutable, numerous books on psychology, neuroscience, literature and memoirs by great authors from different creative disciplines.
Another of the powerful ideas of The danger of being sane is your vision the rational side and the sentimental side.
The author defends that "the key is in the balance between the percentage of detachment and that of feeling, in achieving a certain harmony between the i who suffers and i that controls.
All this is told with a very simple language and with many analogies from real life so that common people can understand it.
Once again, if you are passionate about the world of human psychology and self-knowledgeI am sure that you will find reading this book very enjoyable.
This book by renowned author Albert Espinosa is a compilation of short stories that address topics such as friendship, love, family and life, and that share the idea that Every ending deserves a good story.
In Espinosa's own words: «I love small stories of three to eight pages, that make you think, laugh, cry or get excited. A good story can brighten a bad day because small stories sometimes summarize a great feeling that resides within us and that becomes our best medicine.».
One of this author's strengths has always been his ability to create close characters that manage to connect with the reader on an emotional level.
In Endings that deserve a story He also gets it. Furthermore, it does so with a very clear and everyday language, which easily connects with common people.
If you are a Spanish student, I am sure that you will also quickly connect with the style of this book.
We have already finished our list of 15 books to improve your Spanish. What did you think?
Don't leave yet, we still have the last point of the article 😉.
When we talk about manuals, we are referring to Spanish books for foreigners.
These are the best books to improve a language, since they explain to you grammar of said language and the book is divided into different thematic blocks with varied lexical fields and exercises to practice.
In this article we are going to talk to you about the 5 best Spanish books to learn the Spanish language. You're probably interested in knowing, right?
Well go ahead!
This book is one of the best spanish grammar books What are you going to find?
In each topic you will find a different grammar lesson, with its theoretical explanations, examples and exercises which increase in difficulty as you progress.
It also has illustrations and tables to facilitate understanding and highlight the most important aspects.
One of the most striking things about this book is its format. There are 4 books; one general and three specific:
With the first one you will have a general notion and a good foundation, since it includes the basic level and the intermediate level.
The other three we can see them as complementary books, although They are more specific and with them you will be able to strengthen the contents of the chosen level more strongly.
Therefore, it can serve as a Spanish book for foreigners A1, A2, B1… up to C2, understanding all levels.
Use of Spanish grammar is another of our favorite books to learn Spanish, in terms of grammar exercises refers. It has the classic activities that never fail:
And much more.
One of the things we like most about this book is its index. It is very clear and in one sentence it tells you the grammar that you are going to learn in each topic. Example:
Each topic is accompanied by a theoretical explanation with examples, illustrations and many exercises.
Use of Spanish Grammar contains three editions that They cover all levels: elementary, intermediate and advanced.
Vocabulary It's a very cool book Spanish lexicon.
There are three books Vocabulary at different levels:
Therefore, it can be a Spanish book for foreigners B1 or for any of the levels you are at.
In these books, a lot of Spanish vocabulary is worked on in different thematic blocks.
These books always begin with the graphic representation of a topic and continue with a series of varied exercises.
There are many activities listening comprehension, texts and self-assessment test.
The Cervantes Institute He has also written his own books on the Spanish language.
The book of correct Spanish It is a volume that teaches use Spanish with rigor and precision.
Provides the keys to improve the communication both oral as written. It is written in a simple style, including many examples that facilitate understanding for the less specialized reader.
Some of the contents What you will find are the following:
This book, also written by Cervantes Institute, offers a very practical approach to the typical doubts that Even Spanish speakers have our own language.
The book is structured in the form of questions and answers, thus providing a very enjoyable and entertaining reading for the reader.
Some of the questions you will find in this book are:
The 500 most frequently asked questions about Spanish addresses many topics that we could find in anyspanish grammar book: the new rules of accentuation, punctuation marks, agreement in the sentence, the use of prepositions, etc.
But it also deals with others more atypical topics that we do not usually find in regular Spanish books for foreigners, such as queísmo, leísimo, laísimo, foreignisms, abbreviations and others.
Without a doubt, a different and very interesting book that will help you improve your level of Spanish.
Having a good book in your hands will be of great help in your adventure of learning Spanish. Although never underestimate the effectiveness of taking classes in the classroom.
If you want to learn all the communication skills you will go much faster if you go to classes with a teacher.
In Hispania, Spanish school, we offer spanish courses in person and online Spanish courses with expert teachers who will make your level of Spanish grow quickly 🙌🏻
However, we always support reading as a very nice way to improve the language.
Of all the books we've talked about, which ones do you think would interest you the most?
Have you read other novels in Spanish that you think should be on this list?
Give us your opinion in a comment. See you!
Article written by Carlos Martinez for Hispania, Spanish school.
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