Transform your Language Journey Part II: 6 Spanish and Maya YouTube Channels to the Rescue!
You may remember our blog article from this past January 2022 all about podcasts to help you level up in your Spanish-learning. Well, we decided to go through some of our favorite top 8 YouTube resources for upkeep Spanish and Maya and feature them here. Join us to find out more, why don’t you?
You already know how useful it is for any kind of language learning to continue being exposed to the language, even if you’re not the one involved in the interaction. Following along with a bite-sized lesson, which you can pause and/or repeat at any time, complete with whatever visual or audible cues help you learn best, can be a great way to keep those habits sticking in the language-learning corners of your brain for even longer. Here’s a list of our three favorite Maya and three favorite Spanish-learning YouTube channels that will make your language study time something to look forward to:
1. Easy Spanish: Learn Spanish From the Streets!
This is the Spanish variety of the popular network of “Easy” language learning series, where native or highly-fluent speakers interview members of the public in the streets of major Spanish or Latin American cities on a variety of topics including relationships, politics and social issues. The episodes contain both Spanish and English subtitles and are a great way to ease yourself into the pace of conversational Spanish all over the world! They also often interview locals who speak Spanish as a second language about their learning experiences, so there’s a lot to relate to. New episodes are up every week, but the channel has been around for years so there is a ton for you to watch and rewatch in the meantime. As for most YouTube channels, if you choose to become a paid member, you’ll receive access to additional language material.
2.Joanna Hausmann
Joanna Hausmann is a fantastically funny and insightful, bilingual Venezuelan-American comedian. While her videos (a mix of skits and longer comedic rants akin to stand-up sets) are not made with the aim to teach Spanish, they often touch on topics that include regional vocabulary differences or unique cultural quirks. Joanna initially worked for a U.S.-based Spanish media company called “FLAMA”, and some of her videos have been remade and subtitled for other media outlets including the BBC, so we recommend a quick search of “Joanna Hausmann Spanish” to see what’s available at a glance. Have fun!
3. Spring Spanish
Spring Spanish is a Mexican-based channel creating content about both Mexican cultural norms and more specific vocabulary and grammar topics. They focus on learning through a method of exposing learners to commonly used phrases and expressions in daily conversation, which can help with greater language acquisition.
4. Santos Tuz
Santos Tuz is a Maya youth from the state of Yucatán who blew up in popularity during the pandemic with his succinct TikTok videos on Maya phrases and vocabulary. Since then, Santos has uploaded many of his videos to YouTube and has even had some featured on the YouTube channel of a local TV network. His videos are short and to the point, often focusing on specific topics such as names of fruits and vegetables or body parts, and provide a great option for reviewing and testing your knowledge.
5. CIR UADY
The namesake of this YouTube channel is in fact a Social Sciences department of UADY, the “Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán” in the neighboring state of Yucatán. Their staff and students have created a fantastic series of videos depicting various Maya legends, most of which are subtitled in both Spanish and English, if you want to test your Maya knowledge against Spanish, too!
6. NP4Mayans
This channel was created by an American professor who achieved a level of Maya fluency and now lives in Mexico and tries to use the language daily. Slightly more dormant in more recent years, the channel contains dozens of videos full of a wealth of information on Maya culture, unique interviews with Maya-speakers both in Mexico and the U.S.A as well as interviews with the channel founder who discusses his Maya language-learning journey and serves as great listening practice. Some videos are subtitled in Spanish or transcribed in Maya, as well.
We also wanted to give an honorable mention to Ari, known as “Xiaomanyc” on YouTube. Ari is a highly-popular language-learner on YouTube who we had the pleasure of having as a Maya student with us in December 2020. He has featured himself practicing Maya as a beginner here in Quintana Roo in a few different videos. Our personal favorite is here. Ari even has a second channel, called “Xiaomanyc en español”, where his videos are re-uploaded with Spanish subtitles, if you want to get some Spanish learning in there as well! (He also specifically promoted Na’atik in these videos, for which we are eternally grateful!)
Want to get more serious about learning Maya or Spanish? Our professionally certified native-speaking Spanish and Maya teachers from Mexico can get you to speak the language from day one, whether in-person or online! Connect with us at say@naatikmexico.org to inquire and book a package.
To read more about studying Spanish with us, visit our Spanish Immersion page , or our Online Classes page.