Here’s a method that’s quite effective for helping you build confidence in your Spanish, no matter your level.\u00a0You only a pencil and paper, because we’re going to get you that much-needed writing practice.<\/p>\n
With Spanish writing prompts, you can strengthen your grasp on Spanish verb conjugations<\/a>, grammatical structures<\/a>, vocabulary<\/a> and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n [fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Present simple tense<\/a><\/p>\n You’ve probably had to write about your daily routine<\/a> at some point in Spanish class. This prompt is great because it forces you to practice present simple verbs, which are used to talk about repeated or habitual actions. But writing about your morning coffee and shower routine can get a little dry.<\/p>\n So, for this writing prompt, try to write about a daily routine from someone else\u2019s point of view. Pretend you\u2019re someone else\u2014a celebrity, a farm animal, a person from the future, an alien\u2014and write about “your” daily routine. Not only is this a fun exercise in creativity, it also allows you to incorporate new vocabulary.<\/p>\n Sample: <\/strong>Soy un gato. Cada ma\u00f1ana cazo ratones en el jard\u00edn. Luego los llevo a la mesa y se los doy a mi due\u00f1o humano. Keep practicing: <\/strong>Instead of writing from a first-person point of view, write as though you’re reporting on someone\u2019s daily routine. This will allow you to practice third-person verb conjugations. Since in Spanish, first- and third-person conjugations are often quite different in the present simple, it\u2019s worth your time to practice them both.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Future tense<\/a><\/p>\n You’ve been working hard on your Spanish studies<\/a>, so you’ve definitely earned that dream vacation\u2014and this fun writing prompt!<\/p>\n Picture this: you’ve been given the golden opportunity to take a dream vacation anywhere in the world. Now, think about where you would go, what you would do and how you would feel during this incredible trip. Since this one takes place in the future, it’ll flex your mastery of the Spanish future tenses.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> En las vacaciones de mi sue\u00f1os, voy a viajar a las playas hermosas de Bora Bora. Pasar\u00e9 mis d\u00edas buceando en aguas cristalinas y relaj\u00e1ndome en la arena blanca. <\/em>(On my dream vacation, I will travel to the beautiful beaches of Bora Bora. I will spend my days diving in crystal-clear waters and relaxing on the white sand.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Instead of writing about your own dream vacation, write about the dream vacation of someone you know very well, like a friend or family member. This will give you practice in conjugating verbs in the future tense for third-person subjects.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Descriptive adjectives<\/a><\/p>\n Imagine you discover a mysterious object in your backyard. (It doesn’t have to be a UFO\u2014it can literally be anything!) Write a description of this object using as many adjectives in Spanish as you can. Make your description as vivid and intriguing as you can.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Encontr\u00e9 un objeto redondo y brillante enterrado en la tierra h\u00fameda. Era peque\u00f1o pero pesado, y ten\u00eda un brillo met\u00e1lico. Su superficie estaba llena de detalles grabados y parec\u00eda antiguo y misterioso.<\/em> (I found a round, shiny object buried in the damp earth. It was small but heavy, and had a metallic sheen. Its surface was full of engraved details and looked ancient and mysterious.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Instead of describing an object you found, describe an object that your favorite book or movie character found.<\/p>\n Focus on: <\/strong>Comparatives and superlatives<\/a><\/p>\n From simple adjectives, let’s take it up a notch. Write a short story or paragraph about two characters who are very different from each other, but still become close friends. Use comparatives and superlatives to describe their personalities, interests and unique qualities.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Mar\u00eda era la m\u00e1s callada de la clase: siempre estaba m\u00e1s interesada en los libros que en conversaciones ruidosas. Por otro lado, Juan era el m\u00e1s extrovertido, siempre listo para contar chistes y hacer re\u00edr a todos. A pesar de sus diferencias, Mar\u00eda y Juan se hicieron mejores amigos.<\/em> (Maria was the quietest in the class: she was always more interested in books than in noisy conversations. Juan, on the other hand, was the most outgoing, always ready to tell jokes and make everyone laugh. Despite their differences, Maria and Juan became best friends.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Add a third character into the mix. Compare and contrast this third character with both of your existing characters.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Possessive pronouns<\/a><\/p>\n I’m sure you’ve seen the “describe your family” prompt at some point. This one turns that prompt a bit on its head.<\/p>\n Imagine you’re describing a family portrait to a friend. Write a paragraph talking about each family member’s appearance and personality, using possessive pronouns to show their relationships.<\/p>\n Sample: <\/strong>En la foto de mi familia, mi hermana lleva su vestido favorito y sostiene a su gato en los brazos. Mi padre est\u00e1 junto a su bicicleta, sonriendo. Mi madre est\u00e1 recogiendo verduras de nuestro huerto y se ve orgullosa. Mis perros est\u00e1n a mi lado, jugando con su pelota favorita.<\/em> (In my family photo, my sister is wearing her favorite dress and holding her cat in her arms. My father is standing next to his bicycle, smiling. My mother is picking vegetables from our garden and she looks proud. My dogs are next to me, playing with their favorite ball.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing: <\/strong>Write about the family portrait of a fictional family, including extended family members like cousins, aunts and uncles. Not only will this help you practice using possessive pronouns with a variety of nouns, but you’ll also brush up on your family vocabulary<\/a>.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Reflexive verbs<\/a><\/p>\n Reflexive verbs refer to action words that the subject of a sentence does to itself. It’s a pretty simple concept, but that doesn’t mean the corresponding writing prompt has to be boring!<\/p>\n For this one, pretend you’re making a time capsule that you’ll bury soon and open years later. In that time capsule, you’re going to include a letter to your future self describing your current interests, hobbies<\/a> and daily routine. When writing the letter, make sure you practice using reflexive verbs.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Querido yo del futuro: en este momento, me levanto temprano cada d\u00eda y me preparo un desayuno saludable. Luego me relajo leyendo un libro o meditando. Me dedico tiempo a m\u00ed mismo para crecer y aprender. Espero que sigas manteniendo estas pr\u00e1cticas positivas. <\/em>(Dear future me: right now, I wake up early every day and make myself a healthy breakfast. Then, I relax by reading a book or meditating. I take time for myself to grow and learn. I hope you will continue to maintain these positive practices.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Write a letter to a friend describing their current interests and routines using reflexive verbs. This will give you practice using reflexive verbs in the third person\u2014<\/em>specifically, the pronoun se<\/em>.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Direct<\/a> and indirect object pronouns<\/a><\/p>\n As you know, there are a ton of pronouns in Spanish<\/a>. For this exercise, we’re going to focus on direct and indirect object pronouns.<\/p>\n The direct object is the one that receives the action from the subject (e.g., “Juan gave the ball,” where the ball is the direct object). Meanwhile, the indirect object is the thing or object receiving the direct object (e.g., “Juan gave the ball to Maria,” where Maria is the indirect object).<\/p>\n You can practice these tricky pronouns with this prompt. Here, you have to write a story about a character who receives an unexpected gift from a mysterious sender. Use direct and indirect object pronouns to describe the gift, the recipient and the actions involved.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Juan recibi\u00f3 un paquete en la puerta de su casa. Al abrirlo, encontr\u00f3 un reloj elegante. No sab\u00eda qui\u00e9n se lo hab\u00eda enviado, pero le agradeci\u00f3 al misterioso remitente en una tarjeta que dec\u00eda: “Para ti, con cari\u00f1o”. <\/em>(Juan received a package at his front door. When he opened it, he found an elegant watch. He didn’t know who had sent it to him, but he thanked the mysterious sender on a card that read, “To you, with love.”)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Using the character above, imagine that they sent their unexpected gift to a friend or other third-party.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Using different tenses<\/a><\/p>\n Now this will be probably be a relatable prompt for you personally. For this one, you’ll write a dialogue between two language exchange partners discussing their language learning experiences. Use a variety of tenses (present, past and future) to describe their progress and goals.<\/p>\n Sample: <\/strong>Mar\u00eda: He estado estudiando ingl\u00e9s durante dos a\u00f1os. Quiero visitar Nueva York alg\u00fan d\u00eda y poder comunicarme sin problemas. <\/em>(Maria: I have been studying English for two years. I want to visit New York someday and be able to communicate without any problems.)<\/p>\n John: Yo aprend\u00ed franc\u00e9s en la escuela, pero lo dej\u00e9. Si pudiera, lo retomar\u00eda y viajar\u00eda a Par\u00eds. T\u00fa a\u00fan puedes lograr tu meta. <\/em>(John: I learned French in school, but I stopped. If I could, I would take it up again and travel to Paris. You can still achieve your goal.) Keep practicing:<\/strong> Write a dialogue where one character talks about their language learning journey, and the other character offers advice and encouragement using different tenses.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Giving directions<\/a><\/p>\n You’ve probably had plenty of practice asking for directions as a tourist in a Spanish-speaking country<\/a>. Imagine being on the other side of the conversation for a change!<\/p>\n This time, pretend you’re a tour guide in a foreign city. Write a conversation between a lost tourist and yourself, giving them step-by-step directions to a popular landmark or attraction in the city.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Turista: \u00a1Disculpe! Estoy perdido y quiero llegar a la catedral.\u00a0<\/em>(Tourist: Excuse me! I’m lost and I want to get to the cathedral.)<\/p>\n T\u00fa: Claro, no te preocupes. Gira a la derecha en la esquina y sigue recto dos cuadras. Luego cruza la plaza y ver\u00e1s la catedral a tu izquierda. Ser\u00e1 imposible que no la veas. <\/em>(You: Sure, don’t worry. Turn right at the corner and go straight for two blocks. Then cross the square and you’ll see the cathedral on your left. It will be impossible for you to miss it.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Imagine the tourist you’re talking to has no sense of direction whatsoever\u2014i.e., if you tell them to “go left,” they will just look at you quizzically as if they don’t know what “left” means. In other words, come up with the most creative ways to give directions to someone who’s directionally-challenged!<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Weather expressions<\/a><\/p>\n How’s the weather right now for you? Whether it’s good or bad, now’s the time to write about it\u2014in Spanish!<\/p>\n For this exercise, you need to describe the current weather in your area, including temperature and conditions.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong>\u00a0Hoy est\u00e1 soleado y c\u00e1lido. La temperatura es de 25 grados Celsius o 77 grados Fahrenheit.<\/em> (It is sunny and warm today. The temperature is 25 degrees Celsius or 77 degrees Fahrenheit.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Listen to the weather forecast for the next week, and write a summary about it. Imagine you’re giving that summary to a friend.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Seasons<\/a> and related activities<\/p>\n Going off of the weather theme, let’s jump into seasons. This time, talk about your favorite season and the activities you enjoy during that time.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Mi estaci\u00f3n favorita es el oto\u00f1o. Me encanta recoger hojas y tomar chocolate caliente.<\/em> (My favorite season is autumn. I love collecting leaves and drinking hot chocolate.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Write about a season you don’t particularly like and explain why.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Animal vocabulary<\/a><\/p>\n If you like to marathon animal documentaries on YouTube, now’s your chance to put your knowledge of common animals to good use in your Spanish studies.<\/p>\n For this one, imagine visiting a zoo. (Even better, write about your last visit to the zoo.) Mention the animals you saw (or imagined you saw) and what they were doing.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Vi elefantes jugando en el agua y leones descansando bajo el sol.<\/em> (I saw elephants playing in the water and lions resting in the sun.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> If you want to move beyond statements like “The tiger has stripes,” you can try describing a zoo visit from the perspective of one of the animals.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Ordering food<\/a><\/p>\n I’m sure you have at least one favorite restaurant. It doesn’t have to be a Spanish restaurant\u2014the great thing about studying languages is learning about their specific words for specific food or ingredients<\/a>.<\/p>\n For this exercise, write about your experience at a restaurant, including what you ordered and how the food tasted.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Ped\u00ed una hamburguesa con papas fritas y estuvo deliciosa.<\/em> (I ordered a burger and fries and it was delicious.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Write a dialogue between a waiter and a customer in a restaurant.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Daily routines without technology<\/p>\n Can you imagine a world without smartphones and desktop computers?<\/p>\n If that sounds like a lot to wrap your head around, imagine just one day <\/em>of it. In Spanish, describe a day where you can’t use any technology (phones, computers, etc.), and explain how you spent your time.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Pas\u00e9 el d\u00eda leyendo libros, dibujando y paseando por el parque.<\/em> (I spent the day reading books, drawing and walking in the park.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Now that you’ve managed to imagine a world without modern conveniences, you probably appreciate just how useful your devices are. This time around, write about these wonderful pieces of technology and what role they play in your daily life.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Writing a short message<\/p>\n This one may seem like a simple, straightforward exercise, but it’s really not. This one allows you to practice being concise in Spanish\u2014that is, conveying as much as you can in as few words as you can.<\/p>\n Here, you’ll write a short letter to a friend inviting them to a mysterious event, providing clues but not revealing the details of it.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Hola, amigo; te invito a un evento especial que se realizar\u00e1 este viernes. \u00a1Espero que puedas venir! <\/em>(Hello friend, I invite you to a special event taking place this Friday. I hope you can make it!)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Imagine that your friend gave you a response asking for more information about the event, and write what you think your friend would have said.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Expressing symptoms and health issues<\/a><\/p>\n Do you remember the last time you paid a visit to the doctor’s office? You can write about that experience, describing your symptoms and what the doctor told you. You can also write about an imagined visit and what that would’ve been like.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Fui al m\u00e9dico porque ten\u00eda fiebre y dolor de garganta. Me recet\u00f3 medicina y me dijo que descansara. <\/em>(I went to the doctor because I had a fever and a sore throat. He prescribed medicine and told me to rest.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Instead of describing the visit to a third party (like a family member or friend), write a dialogue between a patient and doctor using all of the medical vocabulary you know.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Expressing opinions<\/p>\n If you’re the sort who has an opinion on everything, I’ll bet you’ll enjoy this one! For this exercise, write about your favorite book or movie, explaining why you like it and what makes it special. The book or movie doesn’t have to be originally in Spanish\u2014the important thing is that you can express your honest thoughts about that piece of media in Spanish.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Mi libro favorito es ‘Harry Potter’ porque tiene magia y aventuras emocionantes.<\/em> (My favorite book is ‘Harry Potter’ because it has magic and exciting adventures.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Now that you’ve written about books and movies you like, write about those you don’t <\/em>like.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Describing relationships<\/p>\n You could say this is an offshoot of our earlier exercise “Unlikely Friends,” in that you have to write about an unexpected friendship between two very different people. The difference is that you’re going to go beyond just comparatives and superlatives, and describe the relationship as a whole. Talk about how you and your friend met and what activities you enjoy together, for example.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Conoc\u00ed a Pablo en un taller de arte y ahora pintamos juntos todos los fines de semana. <\/em>(I met Pablo in an art workshop and now we paint together every weekend.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Write about a friendship that starts off on the wrong foot but eventually becomes strong. It can be from your own experience, from someone else’s or entirely made-up.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Describing living spaces<\/p>\n I’m sure we all have a certain kind of house we’d like to live in\u2014and this exercise is your chance to talk about your ideal home<\/a>. Describe details like the location, size, rooms and special features you’d like your dream home to have.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Mi casa ideal estar\u00eda cerca de la playa, tendr\u00eda un jard\u00edn grande y una cocina moderna.<\/em> (My ideal house would be close to the beach, have a large garden and a modern kitchen.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> After describing your ideal home, try to write about a less-than-ideal home for you.<\/p>\n Focus on:<\/strong> Creative writing and imaginary scenarios<\/p>\n For our last beginner-friendly Spanish writing prompt, let’s give you a bit more free rein. Don’t worry about the particular grammatical concept you need to master\u2014just express yourself in Spanish as best you can.<\/p>\n Imagine you find a magical object that can grant you just one wish. Describe the object, your wish and what happens next.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Encontr\u00e9 una l\u00e1mpara m\u00e1gica y ped\u00ed viajar al pasado para conocer a mis abuelos.<\/em> (I found a magic lamp and asked to travel back in time to meet my grandparents.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> Write a different story where finding the magical object has unexpected consequences. For example, for every wish you ask from the magic lamp, the wish-granting genie has to stay inside it for another 100 years. (If that sounds a bit too tragic, feel free to make it a bit more lighthearted and fun!)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Focus on:\u00a0<\/strong>Present continuous<\/a><\/p>\n For this writing prompt, write a postcard to a friend or family member as though you’re on vacation. Describe what\u2019s going on around you and what you’re doing as you write.<\/p>\n This particular prompt is great for practicing the present continuous tense, which is used to talk about actions happening in the moment of speaking.<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Estoy tomando un caf\u00e9 al lado del mar. Hay mucha gente en la playa. Algunas personas est\u00e1n caminando en la orilla y otras se est\u00e1n ba\u00f1ando. \u00a1Lo estoy pasando muy bien! <\/em>(I\u2019m drinking a coffee next to the sea. There are a lot of people on the beach. Some people are walking on the shore, and others are swimming. I\u2019m having a great time!)<\/p>\n Keep practicing: <\/strong>Find a classmate or a writing partner. Each of you should choose a vacation location and write a postcard to the other, without mentioning what place you\u2019re writing about. Instead, try to convey it through your description of what\u2019s happening around you. Then, switch postcards and try to guess where the other person wrote about.<\/p>\n Focus on: <\/strong>Preterite and imperfect tenses<\/a><\/p>\n Reflecting on events in your life in a diary format is a great way to practice preterite and imperfect verbs. There are many ways to do this.<\/p>\n You could simply write about what has happened to you that day, write about a day in the past (a fun vacation day, for example) or invent a diary entry from someone else\u2019s perspective\u2014whatever stokes your creativity!<\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Hoy fui con mi madre al parque. Empez\u00f3 a llover y nos fuimos a casa. Cuando llegamos, ya eran las ocho, as\u00ed que puse la mesa mientras ella hac\u00eda la cena. <\/em>(Today I went with my mother to the park. It started to rain and we went home. By the time we arrived, it was eight o’clock, so I laid the table while she made dinner.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing: <\/strong>Why not turn this writing prompt into a nightly routine? Keeping a journal can be a great way to get in your daily Spanish writing practice. Plus, it\u2019s a great way to keep track of your progress over time.<\/p>\n Focus on: <\/strong>Commands<\/a><\/p>\n Choose a task that you know how to do well, and write a step-by-step explanation of it as though you were guiding a friend through the process.<\/p>\n This prompt is a great way to practice the Spanish commands. Plus, depending on what your specific hobby or area of expertise is, this could be a great way to learn new, specific vocabulary relevant to your interests.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Sample:<\/strong> Para empezar, pon aceite en una sart\u00e9n y pica dos dientes de ajo. <\/em>(To begin, put oil in a pan and chop two cloves of garlic.)<\/p>\n Keep practicing<\/strong>: In Spanish, the way to give a command changes based on who you\u2019re talking to. You say a command differently depending on if you\u2019re talking to one person or multiple people. The form also changes based on whether you\u2019re in a formal or informal situation.<\/p>\n So now, re-write your step-by-step instructions, but this time pretend you\u2019re giving those directions to your boss (use the usted<\/em> form), a group of friends (use the vosostros<\/em> form<\/a>) or the Spanish royal family (use the ustedes<\/em> form).<\/p>\nSpanish Writing Prompts for Beginners<\/h2>\n
1. Daily Routine (With a Twist)<\/h3>\n
\n<\/em>(I\u2019m a cat. Every morning, I hunt mice in the garden. Then, I bring them to the table and give them to my human owner.)\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n2. Dream Vacation<\/h3>\n
3. Mysterious Object<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Unlikely Friends<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. Family Portrait<\/strong><\/h3>\n
6. Time Capsule<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. Unexpected Gift<\/strong><\/h3>\n
8. Language Exchange<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n<\/em><\/p>\n9. Lost in the City<\/strong><\/h3>\n
10. The Weather Today<\/strong><\/h3>\n
11. My Favorite Season<\/strong><\/h3>\n
12. A Visit to the Zoo<\/strong><\/h3>\n
13. At the Restaurant<\/strong><\/h3>\n
14. A Day Without Technology<\/strong><\/h3>\n
15. A Mysterious Letter<\/strong><\/h3>\n
16. A Visit to the Doctor<\/strong><\/h3>\n
17. My Favorite Book or Movie<\/strong><\/h3>\n
18. An Unexpected Friendship<\/strong><\/h3>\n
19. My Ideal Home<\/strong><\/h3>\n
20. The Magical Object<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Spanish Writing Prompts for Intermediate Learners<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
21. Postcard from Paradise<\/h3>\n
22. Dear Diary<\/h3>\n
23. How To<\/h3>\n
24. Never Have I Ever<\/h3>\n