9 Wildly Addictive Spanish Spelling Games for the Inner Word Nerd

Listen, we all know that learning a new language has challenges. Lots of them. Spanish is no exception.

One of the biggest hurdles? Spelling. It’s a skill that takes time, patience and a whole lot of practice to master.

Some common spelling snafus can prove embarrassing. One wrong letter can make—or break—a word.

Think about it. Each letter matters. Have you ever said nuevo (new) when you meant huevo (egg)? Confused a zorro (fox) with a morro (snout)?

You’re not alone—most of us have had our share of epic word mixups, too. They highlight how one small letter or sound can really change the meaning of a word!

Spell check is always a standby, but it’s easier to learn to spell. And with Spanish spelling games it’s not just easy—it’s exciting!

9 Smart Spanish Spelling Games

We’ve chosen some fun options for you to spice up your language-learning program so you can improve your Spanish writing. There are different levels and various formats to help you find some that you’ll enjoy.

Digital Games

123 Teach Me

123 Teach Me offers many online resources for learning Spanish. Things like word of the day, verb conjugation, Spanish for kids and self-study courses are all available and free to use.

Simply typing the word spelling into their search query will lead you to all sorts of spelling resources. However, if you want a game that builds your vocabulary while strengthening your spelling skills, you should try Spanish Spell Out. This game allows players to learn spelling as they identify items from dozens of categories—from animals to city places and even emotions.

Attractive photographs appear on the screen with instructions telling you to spell out the Spanish translation of the item portrayed. It’s not as easy as you’d imagine; I have to admit I spelled a couple of animal names incorrectly. I won’t repeat those mistakes, so I would even call this a good choice for intermediate and advanced learners.

The translations of words are also provided in English.

Spanish Hangman

iOS

Who doesn’t love to play Hangman? In any language, outsmarting el verdugo (the executioner) before he hangs the little stick figure victim is just uncomplicated enjoyment.

This app makes it possible for two players to go against each other, so there’s actual competition involved. Different categories of words are offered so players can customize their game based on areas they want to practice. Also, the mystery word is revealed with its English translation at the end of the game.

Lexis Rex

Lexis Rex is a site dedicated to online foreign language resources, tools and games. They provide material for 21 languages!

There are many game options for Spanish language learners, including word bingo, word searches and flashcards. However, they really excel at providing dynamite crossword puzzles.

And fortunately for those of us who are crossword puzzle enthusiasts, crossword puzzles are an excellent way to practice spelling!

The Daily Spanish Crossword Puzzle provides clues in both Spanish and English. A new puzzle releases each day, so there’s unlimited potential for skill building. And the puzzle is printable so if you want to print and go, you can.

These types of puzzles also help with vocabulary-building—I’ve learned so many new words just by doing them! Admittedly, I may not ever use some of them (except in Spanish Scrabble), but I’ve expanded my vocabulary in an entertaining way just by playing a game.

Spanish-games.net

Spanish-games.net is a free resource that features tutorials, lessons and games. There are topics for both beginner and intermediate learners so as skills progress, more challenging material can be accessed.

The Spanish Spelling Game is well worth the playtime because it’s different from the others. With this game, a picture appears with five spelling options—only one option is correct and the others are wrong by just one letter! The interesting thing is that many of the spelling words aren’t stand-alones; they’re shown in phrases or sentences. So while this is a spelling game, it also delivers grammar examples, punctuation and idioms.

There are dozens of topics to choose from, and there are so many words that this game will help build vocabulary as well as teach spelling.

This game is suitable for middle and high school grades as well as adult learners.

Board Games

Mar de Sílabas (Sea of syllables)

A board game that combines syllables to form words isn’t only a spelling exercise, it’s also a vocabulary builder.

Designed for two to four players, the game itself is vivid and inviting. The board is covered with syllables in a “sea” and there’s a spinner for turn-taking. Words are built by landing on syllables and combining them with syllables found in the “sea,” and the one who builds the most words wins!

Although it’s suggested for ages six and over, it’s a game the whole family could enjoy!

Stop!

A popular word game played in Colombia, Stop! is similar to Scattegories.

One player silently recites the alphabet until another players calls, “Stop!”

Whatever letter was in the first player’s mind at the time of the call is the one everyone works with.

Each player then writes a word beginning with that letter to complete a list of categories. The first one with a complete list calls, “Stop!”

Points are kept and tallied and play continues until one person reaches the predetermined number of points needed to win.

The great thing about this game is that there’s no limit to the number of players. As long as there are enough pens and paper, everyone can play!

Playing requires a fairly extensive vocabulary, so this isn’t a beginner’s spelling game. And while it’s possible to learn even more vocabulary from sharing answers with other players, it also stretches spelling skills.

To keep the focus on spelling, an added game incentive might be to award bonus points for each correctly spelled word!

Juego de Palabras (Play on words)

Learning Resources Juego de Palabras Spanish Reading Rods Word Game

This Spanish word-building game is geared toward ages six and over, but it’s so versatile that any level play can be accommodated. It uses Spanish reading rods so vocabulary can be either basic or advanced, depending on the players.

The reading rods are multicolored and each of the four sides on every rod has either a letter or series of letters. Fit the rods together to create words and have fun.

This game is fast-paced and challenging—and the potential for play is only limited by your vocabulary!

Dabble

Dabble Word Game Ages 8+ - Award Winning, Educational, Improves Spelling & Vocabulary and is Fun for The Whole Family

Dabble is an amusing game that can be played in either English or Spanish. It’s a word-building, spelling and vocabulary game that’s played with tiered word racks and tiles. Its target audience is for learners 10 and over. Play can be as basic or challenging as the players want, so it definitely accommodates adult learners’ needs.

There are 142 English letter alphabet tiles and six Spanish tiles so Spanish words can be formed without any trouble. No need to substitute n for ñ!

For a bit of extra excitement, a timer limits each round of play to a maximum of five minutes. Spelling and vocabulary practice with a ticking clock counting down the minutes can make for lots of laughter and tons of learning!

 

Spelling is vital in any language. The good news is that, with practice, it’s possible to become a spelling whiz. Programs like FluentU can help you keep practicing your spelling as you hone your other language skills, thanks to videos with accurate, interactive subtitles.

An added bonus of getting the spelling essentials under your belt? Hopefully you’ll never confuse your año (anus) with your ano (year) again!

¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)

And One More Thing…

If you've made it this far that means you probably enjoy learning Spanish with engaging material and will then love FluentU.

Other sites use scripted content. FluentU uses a natural approach that helps you ease into the Spanish language and culture over time. You’ll learn Spanish as it’s actually spoken by real people.

FluentU has a wide variety of videos, as you can see here:

learn-spanish-with-videos

FluentU brings native videos within reach with interactive transcripts. You can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have been written to help you understand how the word is used. If you see an interesting word you don’t know, you can add it to a vocab list.

learn-spanish-with-interactive-subtitled-videos

Review a complete interactive transcript under the Dialogue tab, and find words and phrases listed under Vocab.

learn-spanish-with-songs

Learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentU’s robust learning engine. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you’re on.

learn-spanish-with-music-videos

The best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you’re learning, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. Every learner has a truly personalized experience, even if they’re learning with the same video.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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