My 5 Top Spanish books for self-study
Yesterday I was thinking of you. I went to a bookstore to buy my first Italian book and I decided to have a look at self-study Spanish books.
To be perfectly honest, I was rather disappointed. There were plenty of Spanish books to be used in class, but not that many for self-study. Luckily, I have a few books at home that I love and that I’m sure will help you improve your Spanish.
There’s books for everyone, for beginners and for advanced Spanish students.
Here it is a list of my top 5 Spanish books for self-study
1. Spanish false beginners - Assimil
An introduction to the Spanish language
Who is it for?
This Spanish book is for false beginners, ie. Spanish students who have some knowledge of the language, but who need to start again from the beginning.
What I like about this book.
What I like about these books.
-
The layout. It’s very clear and it’s easy on your eyes.
-
A wide variety of different type of activities
-
An answer key for self-assessment
-
The Spanish grammar explanations are in English, which is very helpful.
-
All Spanish vocabulary is also translated to English
2. En USO - Edelsa
Spanish grammar book
Who is it for?
These Spanish grammar books are for beginners and advanced students (A1, A2, B1, B2 students)
What I like about these books.
-
These Spanish books are ideal for reviewing and practicing Spanish grammar.
-
They are clear and concise.
-
At the beginning of each unit, en USO introduces you to both the form and the use of a Spanish grammar point. This allows you to review the Spanish grammar you’re going to practice.
-
There is an English version where all Spanish grammar explanations are in English. This makes it much easier to understand.
En USO doesn’t include the answers at the back. You need to buy the ‘en Uso Claves’ to get the key answers to assess your Spanish progress. I personally don’t find it a problem, but you need to be aware when buying this Spanish exercise book.
Also, make sure you get the digital version if you don't have a CD player.
3. En Vocabulario - Anaya
Spanish vocabulary book
Who is it for?
These Spanish Vocabulary books are for beginners, intermediate and advanced students (A1, A2, B1, B2)
What I like about these books.
-
These Spanish vocabulary books cover a wide range of topics
-
You can learn Spanish vocabulary in context
-
There are exercises to practice
-
There is a Spanish glosario in alphabetical order. This allows you to write down the translation of the new Spanish words you learn and use it as a Spanish dictionary.
-
Answer key for self-assessment
4. Para practicar el indicativo y el subjuntivo - Edelsa
Spanish grammar book
Who is it for?
This Spanish grammar book is for advanced students (B1, B2)
What I like about these books.
-
This Spanish book gives you a clear understanding of the different uses of the Spanish indicative and subjunctive mode.
-
It is very comprehensive.
-
It covers the Spanish present subjunctive, plus the past subjunctive: ‘pretérito perfecto’, ‘pretérito imperfecto’ and ‘pretérito pluscuamperfecto’
-
In each unit you will learn a different usage of the Spanish indicative vs the subjunctive, plus there are exercises for you to practice.
-
Answer key for self-assessment
-
You need to be familiar with the subjunctive vs. the indicative, plus have a good command of the language. This book is written in Spanish. There is no English version.
5. Diálogos y relatos con actividades para la clase de español - Edinumen
Spanish dialogues book
Who is it for?
This Spanish book is for beginners and intermediate students (A1, A2)
What I like about these books.
-
The dialogues in this book contain Spanish grammar points that are covered in A1, A2 courses. It’s a great way to start reading in Spanish.
-
What I like the most about this Spanish book are the phrases it uses. You can actually find them in everyday Spanish conversations. This is what makes this Spanish book so special.
-
There is NO answer key for self-assessment. I wouldn’t usually recommend a Spanish book for self-study with no answer key, but as I mentioned, the dialogues in this book are simple and excellent. However, if you’re a complete Spanish beginner, I do not advise you to buy this book.