When learning Spanish you need to have a short term goal in mind. How well do you want to be able to speak? Do you just want to be able to ask important phrases in Spanish when you're in the air port, at a restaurant etc. Or do you want to become fluent in Spanish as a second language.

Knowing how well you want to learn Spanish will help you choose which way you learn as well as how much time you need to spend at learning Spanish each day.

So hands down the best way to learn any new language is to move to a country that speaks that language and live there for a few weeks. Immersing yourself in it and forcing yourself to learn. Unfortunately most of us don't have that option.

So, the next best options are private tutors or classes, as well as software and audio courses to learn from home.

The quality of software programs has come a long way, and many of them will teach you just as well as a tutor could for less money and on your own time. Not to mention you will have the software to refer to if need be in your travels.

I'd suggest choosing a quality audio or software Spanish course based on your learning goals. Some are better suited to learning important phrases fast, while others are a longer term learning situation with multiple volumes.

Probably the most difficult step is staying committed to your course. You know your goal, you have the right software or course to teach you, now you just need to stick to the plan.

For some reason most of us fall down here. Try not to think about learning Spanish as this long journey. Take it one day at a time where you learn a new phrase or two. Increase your vocabulary, or pick up some new grammar.

Enjoy the ride on learning Spanish, don't worry about the final result while you're learning. The best way to do this is to commit an hour or so each and every day to studying Spanish. This will get you to your goal without feeling over whelming. It's also a good amount of time for our brains to remember what we learn, but not to much to over whelm us.

To get started you need to set that goal, then decide what method of learning is best for you. Audio is great for those that enjoy listening in the car or on an MP3 player. How ever for long term learning and to learn to read, write, and speak Spanish Software is probably the better option. Check out the link below for some tips on choosing the right software or audio program.