spanish-reading-practice-girl-reading-red-book

Spanish Reading Practice: 55 Different Resources to Sharpen Your Skills

Are you a bilingual bookworm or do you just want to improve your Spanish reading skills?

Either way, this post will give you 55 of the best resources you can use for Spanish reading practice. 

Whether it’s an app, cooking blog or news source, you’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy reading.

Let’s get into it.

Contents

Websites for Spanish Reading

There are plenty of websites out there geared towards language learning. Even if it’s not specifically for reading practice, most of these sites will have reading opportunities.

Websites also make it easy and convenient to practice your reading, so check these out:

lingua.com-logo 1. Lingua

Lingua is a great resource for beginners that has a free vocabulary and reading section divided by level.

The texts are very short, ranging from about 150 to 250 words each and come with a few simple questions to test your understanding.

Texts are also downloadable as PDFs, so you can use them offline or print them out.

2. 123 Teach Me123-Teach-Me-logo

This is one of the best free online resources for learning Spanish and has a whole section of reading comprehension exercises, which are divided into four different levels.

Each level is subdivided into groups of quizzes that contain one or two readings and an exercise to test your understanding.

Each quiz also includes a short vocabulary list to get you started collecting unknown words.

3. Snappy SpanishSnappy-Spanish-logo

This website aims to teach you Spanish with super short stories from beginner level to advanced.

You can hear the story be read out loud and read the parallel text transcript.

Their goal is for you to only need five minutes a day to practice your Spanish reading skills, making this easy to fit into your day.

4. ReadlangReadlang-logo

You do have to sign up for Readlang, but it is free and allows you to build your own library of texts you enjoyed or want to read later.

It’s very user-friendly and sorts texts by level and personal preferences for genre, topic, etc.

You also can translate and save words that you don’t know.

5. KwiziqKwiziq-logo

This website provides plenty of Spanish reading practice divided by level all the way through C1 (advanced).

You are able to listen to an audio clip and read a transcript of the reading passage. You can click on any phrase for a translation and links to any related grammar lessons.

You are also able to ask questions at the end of the passage, which are answered by a Kwiziq team member.

6. Centro Virtual Cervantes (Cervantes Virtual Center)Centro-Virtual-Cervantes-logo

This site is entirely in Spanish, but has lots of reading for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners.

You will find a variety of rather long texts divided into three levels that include exercises to complete before and after reading.

You can also click on various words to see descriptions of them in Spanish.

7. LyricsTrainingLyrics-Training-logo

LyricsTraining allows you to choose a Spanish song, then listen and fill in the blanks with the correct word or phrase.

You can choose your level and challenge yourself to listen to the song and read the lyrics, ensuring you get both reading and listening practice!

8. TED Talks in SpanishTed-Talks-logo

TED Talks discuss interesting innovations and thought-provoking ideas and questions in lots of languages.

You can find a TED Talk on pretty much anything, and each video comes with transcripts in several languages. 

You can watch an English talk with a transcript in Spanish and vice versa, or you can listen and read in Spanish!

Apps for Spanish Reading

While websites are convenient for language learning, apps are even more convenient since they bring learning to your phone!

Here are some great apps that have reading options:

9. DuolingoDuolingo-app-icon

Duolingo teaches you Spanish through gamified “bite-size lessons” with all kinds of fun exercises. 

While the program offers a decently well-rounded approach, you will find plenty of activities to bolster your Spanish reading skills.

You will find translation exercises and short stories that you can read to boost those reading skills in a fun way!

10. FluentU

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

It gives you a chance to practice Spanish reading with interactive subtitles, transcripts and quizzes that test your comprehension.

11. Mosalingua Mosalingua-app-icon

This app offers a basic all-around learning app for Spanish, but if you upgrade to Mosalingua Web, you’ll gain access to learning with real-world reading resources like news sites along with helpful tools.

You can even make your own flashcards for the words and phrases you’re learning in context!

12. LingQ LingQ-app-icon

LingQ is another app that allows you to create a supported DIY reading experience with your own content.

You can import any content you find online and use it to practice your Spanish reading, and you also get access to a robust online library.

Learn to read with content that’s meaningful to you!

13. SpanishPod101SpanishPod101-app-icon

This resource has plenty of podcasts and lessons that include listening and reading comprehension activities covering a range of topics.

While this program is largely based on audio resources, everything comes with a transcript.

This means you can practice your Spanish listening and reading skills at the same time!

Books Resources for Spanish Reading

You can read any book in Spanish and you will immediately be working on your language skills.

Whether you start out with Spanish books for beginners, delve into an intermediate novel or boldly attempt to read an advanced novel, your reading skills will improve greatly.

Simply consider your Spanish level and interests and find a book that will keep you engaged.

Here are some places where you can find some books in Spanish:

14. Rincón Castellano (The Spanish Corner)rincón-Castellano-logo

Sometimes a long text with too many unknown words can frustrate us at the beginning of our learning journey.

That’s where the short stories on this page come in.

This site has over 100 stories here by celebrated authors. 

Have your dictionary handy and settle in for a story that can be completed during a commercial break.

15. Penguin Random HousePenguin-Randon-House-logo

Penguin Random House has put together a list of teen and young adult Spanish language books sure to spike your interest if you’re tired of nonfiction.

Since they’re written with a younger audience in mind, they use simpler language and are meant to be engaging and entertaining.

16. Languages on the WebLanguages-on-the-Web-logo

This resource has Spanish stories with line-by-line equivalents in English.

If you’re not sure what a sentence means, all you have to do is look right next to it for the English phrase. Some of the texts are rather complex, so this is best for intermediate to advanced learners.

17. Project GutenbergProject-Gutenberg-logo

This resource gives you free access to Spanish books, which tend to be older, classic literature originally written in Spanish. 

While this may mean you will see more complicated language, it’s a great way to expose yourself to new grammar and vocabulary.

From Project Gutenberg, you can read online or download to your Kindle. 

18. International Children’s Digital LibraryInternational-Children's-Ditigal-Library-logo

Children’s stories are a great starting place for reading Spanish since the language is so simple. 

This resource gives you access to plenty of Spanish children’s books that even allow you to see the original illustrations.

While the interface seems a little old, it’s easy enough to navigate and works pretty well.

Books for Spanish Reading (Beginner to Advanced) 

If you’re not sure where to start when looking for a book, here are some great options you can check out, organized from beginner to advanced:

19. “First Spanish Reader: A Beginner’s Dual-language Book”First-Spanish-Reader-A-Beginner's-Dual-Language-Book-bookcover

In this dual-language book, each page in Spanish is followed by a page with the English translation

It’s composed of 15 captivating stories with increasing difficulty, written by different Spanish and Latin American authors.

The first stories are written in the present tense, while the others use more advanced tenses. The book also features oral and written exercises and a very handy glossary to look up unfamiliar words!

20. “Easy Spanish Reader”Easy-Spanish-Reader-bookcover

This reader creates a scenario in which you study alongside two high school girls in their Spanish club through colorful stories of Mexico—from los conquistadores (the conquistadors) to the Aztecs and Cortés’s encounters.

It features a word glossary and sorting exercises after each session to help you review what you learned in the different chapters.

Spanish Novels: Ana, estudiante (Short Stories for Beginners A1) (Spanish Edition)21. “Spanish Novels: Ana, estudiante” (student)

This book tells a story about love and friendship in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It mostly features very simple sentences so the difficulty level is just right for beginners. 

The novel is available instantly on Kindle or as a paperback. 

Purchasing this book will also give you access to a free Spanish-English dictionary you can download and install on your computer.

Spanish-Intermediate-Reading-Comprehension-bookcover 22. “Spanish Intermediate Reading Comprehension”

This book features 15 interesting articles in intermediate-level Spanish on a variety of topics such as history, religion, science, the natural world, travel, food and more. 

There’s also a section on key grammatical terms, as well as a list of 63 free websites to help you improve your Spanish!

23. “Classic Spanish Stories and Plays”Classic-Spanish-Stories-and-Plays-bookcover

This reader offers eight classic masterpieces of Spanish literature. 

They’ve all been abridged and adapted to suit intermediate-level students’ needs, and they feature ample cultural notes and translations of difficult words alongside the texts.

This is a very good tool for getting in reading practice and gaining some knowledge of Spanish literature at the same time.

A-Second-Spanish-Reader-bookcover24. “A Second Spanish Reader”

This advanced dual-language Spanish reader features plays, lyrics, narrative verses and prose coming from 50 excerpts of Spanish literature. 

Advanced students should find a great challenge in the reading of this book, as it’s comparable to reading a Shakespeare book in Spanish.

Luckily, the reader provides a sturdy helping hand.

25. “The Big Red Book of Spanish Idioms” The-Big-Red-Book-of-Spanish-Idioms-bookcover

This book contains 4,000 Spanish idioms and more than 1,800 example sentences for guidance in usage. 

It also has an extensive English-Spanish index for cross-referencing.

You’ll find humorous and figurative expressions, slang, proverbs and many other types of expressions. It’s bound to please all the Spanish language nerds out there.

26. “Contemporary Latin American Literature”Contemporary-Latin-American-Literature-bookcover

This book offers about 100 works from various well-known Latino/a authors along with pre-reading notes, footnotes of difficult words with English translations and post-reading questions.

Note that the texts are all unabridged and in their original length and form, so it could be a good challenge for you. 

McGraw-Hill-Diccionario-del-Argot-bookcover27. “McGraw-Hill Diccionario del Argot” (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Slang)

This monolingual Spanish dictionary provides you with one of the most authoritative references of Spanish slang, with more than 12,000 entries. 

This one is for very advanced students, since it’s written solely in Spanish. Note that it puts the emphasis on slang from Spain.

You can find this and other great Spanish dictionaries available on Kindle so you can conveniently look up new words while reading! 

News Sources for Spanish Reading

Reading Spanish-language newspapers will improve your knowledge of both the language and culture. Plus, it will keep you up to date with current events.

Here are some of the best Spanish news sources you should look into:

28. El Nuevo Día (The New Day)El-Nuevo-Día-logo

This Puerto Rican news publication will help you bolster your Spanish reading skills while also digesting the current information in the world of fashion, politics, technology and more.

Want a little taste of what’s offered? Start by reading about how to rent Tony Stark’s cabin from “Avengers Endgame” or, for a quicker read, take a look at your daily horoscope.

29. Hola Qué Pasa (Hello what’s going on)Hola-Qué-Pasa-logo

Beginners should check out this site which provides news articles about politics, sports, celebrity gossip and all manner of current events in basic Spanish.

It even has definitions of vocabulary words that may be new.

And you can hear an audio reading of the articles and take quizzes on the content once you’re finished.

30. CNN en español (CNN in Spanish) CNN-en-Español-logo

The Spanish CNN has much of the coverage you’ve come to expect from this prominent news outlet, with regular coverage of the latest in U.S. politics and current events, as well as major international stories.

There are also videos accompanying many of the stories, for those who’d like a multimedia approach.

31. BBC Mundo (BBC World) BBC-Mundo-logo

This source offers a less U.S.-centric approach to the news (although they certainly don’t ignore U.S. news entirely).

This version of the BBC’s coverage prioritizes international and Latin American news stories, rather than specifically British or European happenings.

The BBC is pretty well-respected for neutrality, so you can expect the news to be rather truthful and not as heavily biased as some regional channels.

32. 20minutos (20 minutes)20-minutos-logo

This newspaper publishes free, high-quality information in Spain.

It usually features national, international, economic, sports, technology and art news.

It’s designed to be consumed rapidly (in 20 minutes or less), so it features articles that are light enough that you can get informed in relatively simple Spanish.

Metro-logo33. Metro

Similar to 20minutos, Metro features short, to-the-point articles primarily intended for commuters who read the news on their way to and from work.

They cover local and global news, sports, lifestyle topics and entertainment. 

If you’re interested in South American current events in particular, this news source could be well suited for you.

34. El Diario Popular (The Popular Daily Newspaper)Diario-popular-logo

El Diario popular is a local newspaper published in Argentina and read widely in some of the Buenos Aires suburbs.

Sports, political life and local shows take up most of the space in this newspaper.

As the name implies, it targets popular social classes, and the vocabulary used is pretty straightforward.

35. Clarín (Bugle)Clarín-newspaper-logo

Clarín is the largest newspaper in Argentina, and the electronic version of the paper is one of the most visited Spanish language newspapers on the Internet. 

This newspaper will allow you to get insightful information about Argentinean daily life while working your Spanish reading skills.

36. El País (The Country)El-País-newspaper-logo

El País is the highest-circulation daily newspaper in Spain.

It’s characterized by the large amount of space it gives to international news, culture and information regarding the economy, as well as Spanish news. 

It also features specific columnists who contribute to the democratic and pro-European editorial line of the newspaper.

37. El Diario (The Daily Newspaper)El-Diario-newspaper-logo

El Diario is the oldest Spanish-language daily newspaper in the United States and the largest in New York City. 

It covers local, national and international news, as well as human interest stories, politics, business, technology, health, entertainment and sports.

You’ll probably find some subjects that you’ve already read about, making it easier to understand.

38. Regional News Sources

You can look up other major news outlets from specific Spanish-speaking countries to read about regional stories that might be missed in the international coverage.

This will be especially helpful if you’re planning to travel to a Spanish-speaking country or want to learn a specific dialect of Spanish.

For example, try El Universal (The Universal) of Venezuela or El Faro (The Lighthouse) of El Salvador.

Magazines for Spanish Reading

El-Jueves-magazine-logo39. El Jueves (Thursday)

El Jueves is a Spanish satirical magazine published weekly in Barcelona. 

It regularly features real-yet-unusual stories, giving you an opportunity to learn interesting vocabulary that other, more serious magazines might not use. And it’s funny! 

It’s probably best suited for advanced beginners to intermediate Spanish students.

Muy-Interesante-magazine-logo40. Muy Interesante (Very Interesting)

Muy Interesante is a popular science magazine published monthly. 

It includes fun facts and news about various areas of science such as physics, astronomy and nanotechnology. Come here to learn about new investigations and discoveries while improving your Spanish.

This magazine is read by lots of young people so its vocabulary isn’t too difficult to understand.

41. Mujer Actual (Current Woman)

Mujer-Actual-magazine-logo Mujer Actual is a women’s magazine out of Tijuana that aims to share ideas and advice with women in Mexico, Southern California and beyond.

It features content on health, relationships, fashion and more.

They also have a Youtube channel with lots of content including a look behind the scenes of their photoshoots and guided cooking videos so you can learn Spanish and a new recipe at the same time! 

42. Emprendedores (Entrepreneurs)Emprendedores-magazine-logo

Emprendedores is a monthly magazine featuring information about management, marketing, business opportunities and events for entrepreneurs and more. 

It features excellent operative vocabulary for the corporate world. If you’re likely to work in a corporate Spanish environment, reading this magazine regularly will absolutely help you to pick up some good language to express yourself.

43. América Economía (America Economy)América-Economía-magazine-logo

América Economía is the first Latin American business magazine, founded in 1986 in Chile. 

It analyzes business, economics and finance in Latin America and displays an extensive coverage of the development of international business from the South American perspective.

This is another good reading resource if you’re in the corporate world.

44. Fortuna (Fortune)

Fortuna-magazine-logo Fortuna is the Mexican version of the American business magazine Fortune, which competes with Forbes and Bloomberg Businessweek in the national business magazine category and distinguishes itself with long, in-depth feature articles.

It’s most notably known for its ranking of companies by revenue that it’s published annually since 1955.

45. El HuffPost (HuffPost) El-Huffington-Post-magazine-logo

This the Spanish version of HuffPost, the online news aggregator and blog which covers politics, business, entertainment, environmental issues, technology, popular media, lifestyle, healthy living and local news, among other things.

If you’re a fan of HuffPost, try it out in Spanish and see how much you can understand!

46. Robb ReportRobb-Report-magazine-cover

This is the Spanish version of a luxury lifestyle magazine, featuring products and topics like automobiles, real estate and watches, mainly for high-net-worth individuals.

Even if you’re not living a life of luxury, reading this magazine can help you pick up some vocabulary you’ll likely hear or use at some point. 

They also cover topics such as beauty, sports, economics, home, health and technology.

Poetry for Spanish Reading

Poems are short and sweet and a good way to experience the flow of the Spanish language, alongside gaining a new, Spanish cultural perspective. 

Poems are incredibly diverse, so you can explore until you find a style you like. Here are some great spots to start looking:

47. AlbaLearningAlba-leanring-logo

This page contains 20 poems written by the great Pablo Neruda, with verses written in Spanish and English side by side.

You can also listen to recorded readings of the novels.

Poems and short stories in Spanish by other great authors are available, but the Pablo Neruda poems are the only parallel texts.

48. YavendrásYavendras-logo

If you just can’t get enough poetry, then this is the site for you.

You’ll find 100 poems about various topics. 50 of those poems are by celebrated authors like Victor Hugo and Gabriel García Márquez and the other 50 are submitted by the users.

Finding something you like isn’t hard on this site since there are a number of categories to choose from.

Blogs and Social Media for Spanish Reading

Nowadays, we would be remiss not to mention social media in our lineup of opportunities to learn Spanish reading.

Here are some great Spanish blogs and social media pages you can check out to read casual posts on what you’re interested in:

49. RAEinforma (RAE Reports)RAE-informa-logo

This Twitter account from La Real Academia Española (The Royal Spanish Academy) posts short snippets about Spanish words and their meanings and origins.

If you feel like something a little more extensive, you can always dive deeper into the rabbit hole and follow the links to the articles they share.

50. Practicamos Español (We Practice Spanish)Practicamos-Español-logo

As the name suggests, this is a Facebook account geared toward Spanish learners with informative and interesting posts in Spanish.

Not only will you find short snippets of information in Spanish, but you’ll also discover links to different activities and other resources to improve your Spanish.

51. My Colombian RecipesMy-Colombian-recipes-blog-logo

If you like to cook, this is a great blog that will help you combine your hobby with your language learning.

Erica gives you plenty of Colombian recipes sure to make you drool, plus you’ll learn lots of vocabulary and cultural information!

Whatever you do, you’ll need a healthy dose of Spanish food vocabulary to get you started.

52. Tastemade en Español (Tastemade in Spanish)Tastemade-logo

If you’re just starting out reading recipes in Spanish (or you’re like me and not the best cook), you’ll want to start with easy recipes, like desserts you can make in the microwave.

This blog is perfect for that! These recipes are simple to make and easy to understand. Plus they come with videos!

53. Sazón Boricua (Boricua Seasoning)

Sazón-Boricua-logoYet another cooking blog, this site features recipes from a Puerto Rican food blogger passionate about sharing the island’s culture with the world.

There are also some posts on lifestyle, like decorating, cleaning and travel, if you’re more interested in reading up on things like that!

54. Orielo’s Kitchen Orielo's-Kitchen-cooking-blog-logo

Shifting to the other side of the world, this blog is full of lactose-free recipes posted by a chef based in Málaga, Spain.

There are also plenty of vegan and vegetarian options.

Even if you don’t have dietary restrictions, these recipes are sure to satisfy the whole family!

55. La cocina mexicana de Pily (Pily’s Mexican Kitchen) La-cocina-mexicana-de-Pily-blog-logo

This is a blog of Mexican recipes from a mom who wants to show the beauty of her country.

Mexican cuisine is famous the world over, so reading up on how to recreate Mexican dishes in your kitchen makes for not only excellent reading practice, but also a fine cooking challenge!

Why Practice Reading in Spanish

Many people don’t realize how essential it is to learn how to read in Spanish.

It’s useful for so much more than just reading a Spanish novel you picked up on a whim in a local bookshop.

  • It’s one of the easiest ways to expand your Spanish vocabulary, in general as well as on specific topics.
  • Reading helps build your repertoire of colloquial Spanish words and phrases.
  • Reading is a practical way to familiarize yourself with Spanish sentence structure.
  • Finally, reading is a gateway to exploring Spanish-speaking cultures. From literature to history to current events, there’s always something new to unlock through reading.

Not to mention, if you plan on visiting a Spanish-speaking country any time soon, being able to read at least basic Spanish will definitely come in handy.

Try navigating an airport in Guatemala without being able to read Spanish. Trust me, it’s not easy!

How to Practice Spanish Reading

Learning a new language can be a daunting task, especially when one of the first things you do is pick up a chunky Spanish novel.

Here’s how to make your path to reading much easier:

  • Don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you’re a beginner, start learning to read in Spanish with very small, bite-sized texts.
  • Focus on understanding the text or sentence as a whole, rather than stopping for every word you don’t know. Often, translating a text word-for-word leads to confusion and inaccuracy. 
  • Build a vocabulary list as you read. Make note of key words and add them to your vocabulary list.
  • Do the comprehension exercises. Many texts designed for Spanish learners also include exercises to test your comprehension. Don’t skip these!
  • Turn reading into a multipurpose exercise. Read the text out loud to work on your pronunciation and fluency.
  • To reinforce what you learn after you read, it can be really helpful to listen to Spanish audio or videos about the same topic (if you can find them).

 

Soon, you’ll find yourself zooming through Spanish texts like Harry during a particularly exciting game of Quidditch. Isn’t reading great?

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