Learning a new language requires time, practice and good study skills. There are different programs available on the market that offer the chance to learn Spanish while you sleep, in only 30 days or without any effort. However, there are no shortcuts to learning a new language. Whether you are in a Spanish class, taking online courses or have purchased self-paced workbooks, the best tools for learning Spanish are discipline, commitment and effective study habits.

Purchase an English-Spanish dictionary. This is the best way to know what a word means quickly. Consider purchasing a pocket dictionary for when you are out of the home.

A couple of good English-Spanish dictionaries include "Merriam-Webster's Spanish-English Dictionary" by Merriam-Webster and Eileen M. Haraty and "Barron's Spanish-English Dictionary (Barron's Bilingual Dictionaries)" by Margaret Cop.

Purchase workbooks. Stores sell workbooks with different teaching formats. Carefully look through the workbooks to find the one that best fits your needs.

Workbooks recommended include "Fundamental Spanish" and "Easy Spanish Step-By-Step" by Barbara Bregstein, "Spanish Verb Workbook" by Frank H. Nuessel and the "Practice Makes Perfect" series of workbooks by Dorothy Devney Richmond.

Learn the basics. By using books that teach Spanish and utilizing other study aids, learn how to say and recognize numbers, letters, days of the week and basic phrases. Constant repetition is the best way to learn the basics effectively. Place sticky notes on household items to serve as constant reminders of what they are called in Spanish. For example, place a note on a window that says "ventana," one on a door that says "puerta," one to the entrance of your kitchen that says "cocina," and so on. Knowing basic Spanish vocabulary will set a foundation you can build upon and help make your studies more effective.

Books such as "501 Spanish Verbs: with CD-ROM (Barron's Foreign Language Guides)" by Christopher Kendris and Theodore Kendris or "Easy Spanish Phrase Book: Over 770 Basic Phrases for Everyday Use" by Dover Publications can help you learn basic Spanish vocabulary, verbs and phrases.

Develop a study routine. You will learn Spanish effectively when you have time set aside to study and practice. Set a study routine by dedicating a specific time everyday to studying and practicing Spanish. Mark your study routine in your agenda or calendar so you can plan around it. Good times to time study include during a lunch break, after work or while using a machine at the gym that has a book holder (like treadmills or elliptical machines).

Ideally, those wanting to learn Spanish should study everyday for 45 to 60 minutes. During the study session, dedicate about 15 to 20 minutes to review items previously studied. Spend the rest of the study time learning new topics.

Practice reading and writing in Spanish. Read materials that are of interest to you in Spanish, and keep your Spanish-English dictionary handy. Practice writing in Spanish by writing notes to friends or translating something you read in English into Spanish.

Practice listening to Spanish to augment your vocabulary. A great way to do this is to not only watch Spanish-language television, but also watch your favorite movies in Spanish. Movies on DVD often give individuals the choice to watch the movie in a different language through the menu settings. Have the movie's closed captioning capabilities turned on so you can have English subtitles while you watch the movie.

Immerse yourself. Spanish-speaking people are not only in foreign countries. Look for cultural centers and churches that offer activities to the Spanish-speaking community, and participate. Make friends with those who want to learn to speak English and set aside time every week to practice your Spanish with them for English-language help in return.