From Duolingo to Speaking Spanish: The Missing Step Is Speaking Reps
Why recognition doesn’t become speech—and the practice loop that closes the gap in Spanish.
Practice speaking English with Chickytutor - the AI language tutor mentioned in this guide!
From Duolingo to Speaking Spanish: The Missing Step Is Speaking Reps
If you’ve learned some Spanish but hesitate to speak, you’re not alone. Most learners get plenty of input (apps, reading, listening) but not enough speaking reps with feedback.
The principle: confidence comes from reps
To speak Spanish comfortably, you need:
- low-pressure practice (so you actually do it)
- fast feedback (so mistakes don’t fossilize)
- short sessions (so it fits real life)
The 10-minute speaking loop
Use this loop daily:
- Warm-up (1 min): say 5 easy sentences out loud.
- Scenario (6 min): roleplay one real situation. Keep talking; paraphrase if stuck.
- One correction target (2 min): fix one thing only.
- Retell (1 min): summarize what you said in different words.
What to focus on first in Spanish
Pronunciation targets: rolled R, B/V, ll/y.
Grammar-for-speaking targets: ser vs estar, por vs para, subjunctive (speaking).
Real-life situations: small talk, ordering, work.
A ready-to-use roleplay prompt
Pretend you’re talking to a colleague or shop staff. Say:
- what you want
- why you want it
- what you already tried
- what you want to happen next
How ChickyTutor fits
ChickyTutor is a speaking-first AI voice tutor: pick Spanish, press the mic, and speak. It responds instantly and corrects pronunciation/word choice/grammar while keeping you talking.
Aim for 10 minutes a day. The goal isn’t perfect Spanish—it’s reliable Spanish under pressure.