When it comes to learning a language we always encounter difficulties. Assimilating new vocabulary and grammar that is different from what we are used to can make us feel discouraged at first. If we want to learn Spanish in a more enjoyable way, we can always count on the classics of Spanish literature to broaden our knowledge of the language.
When we are going to learn Spanish, pronunciation is essential. If your mother tongue is English you will find it easier as English phonetics are much more complicates than Spanish. Apart from the pronunciation, students will encounter difficulties especially, with regard to verb tenses, and therefore irregular verbs should be emphasised.
The 10 classics of Spanish literature with which to learn Spanish are:
Platero y yo: written by Juan Ramón Jiménez tells the life of Platero the donkey. It’s a kind of diary in which the author shows his thoughts and feelings. It has 142 pages and a certain nostalgic air. It is a good book to start learning Spanish.
El camino: this novel by Miguel Delibes narrating the life of Daniel, a boy nicknames El Mochuelo (The Owl), due to his frightened look. In this book it describes a lot about nature and therefore the Spanish student will be able to enrich their vocabulary quite a bit. Other topics covered are death, love and friendship.
Leyendas de Gustavo Alonso Bécquer: another of the classics of Spanish literature and ideal for mystery lovers. This set of legends are shorts and have simple vocabulary so they are easy for any reader. The supernatural is also present in these books.
San Manuel Bueno, mártir: this story is told by the character of Ángela Carballino and tells of her brother Lázaro who returns from the Unites States with a special fondness for religion. Meeting Don Manuel will change his perception. It is a simple novel with very elaborate characters.
La familia de Pascual Duarte: this novel by Cela is among the most valued and its main character, Pascual, lives in a rural area of Extremadura and is quite a violent character. If you want to learn sayings this book will be very useful.
Los santos inocentes: another novel by Delibes and also set in the rural Extremadura. Here it deals with the oppression of the wealthiest people towards the less fortunate and how they are despised.
La regenta: is the most known novel of the author Leopoldo Alas Clarín. It perfectly reflects the Spanish society of the time through Ana Ozores and the other characters around her.
El Quijote: written by Cervantes and is undoubtedly the best known Spanish literature classic. It is a book that can be dense and complicated to understand at first, but any person that wants to learn Spanish should read it.
Fortunata y Jacinta: written by Pérez Galdós is set in the Revolution that took place in 1868. A story filled with amorous entanglements that keeps the reader guessing until the end.
El Lazarillo de Tormes: the author is anonymous and beginnings the novels with a picaresque theme. It shows great irony with respect to the society of the time in which it was written.
