Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Learn Spanish With Board Games
As a fan of both board games and foreign languages, I couldn’t help to notice that some board games served as a great mental exercise for learning languages. I’ve come to realize that these board games allowed me to learn new vocabulary in a fun way while also helping me bond with other language learners or native speakers at the same time.
In this post, I will share 7 board games that have helped me learn Spanish as I reflect on my personal Spanish language learning journey thus far. Maybe one of these recommendations will help you find the perfect candidate for your next game night with your Spanish-speaking friends!
Board Game Recommendations For Language Learning
The following board game recommendations are of games that I have personally played. I’m sure there are tons of other games out there that are beneficial to language learning but these are the ones that I have enjoyed playing and helped me improve my Spanish comprehension.
1. Spot It!
Description: Spot It! is a fast-paced card game designed for two to eight players. The main objective is to quickly identify and match symbols between two cards. Each card features eight objects, and there is always one matching symbol between any two cards. The game is about thinking fast on your feet and reacting as quickly as possible.
Language Learning Benefit: Spot It! is an excellent choice for language learners, particularly beginners. It reinforces vocabulary through repetition as players have to identify and name symbols. The simplicity of the game’s concept makes it accessible to learners of various ages and proficiency levels. It’s a great way to practice basic vocabulary and improve visual recognition skills.
One tip to help you use this game for Spanish beginners is to have the full vocabulary list available while playing. That way, players will only take more time to find the right word rather than getting completely stuck on a particular word.
Recommended Minimum Spanish Level: Beginner
Can You Play This Without Native Speakers: Yes. This game is 100% playable without a native speaker to help guide you. You can create the vocabulary list ahead of time and use it as a reference.
Spanish Version Necessary: No
2. Dixit
Description: Dixit is a creative and imaginative game that accommodates three or more players. In each turn, one player becomes the storyteller and selects a card from their hand, describing it with a sentence based on the card’s image. Other players choose cards from their own hands that they believe best match the sentence. The storyteller then guesses which card belongs to each player.
This game is all about thinking about the right word to give enough clues for some of the players to pick up on but not make it too obvious that everyone is able to guess the card correctly.
Language Learning Benefit: Dixit offers a unique language-learning experience. It encourages players to use precise language to share hints with other players and fosters creativity as players craft specific words based on abstract images. Unlike Spot It!, which focuses on a specific set of vocabulary, Dixit allows players to freely choose the words that they want to use, making it beneficial for learners looking to enhance their range of vocabulary.
Recommended Minimum Spanish Level: Beginner
Can You Play This Without Native Speakers: Yes. Although having a native speaker playing the game with you may help you think of more complex words, this game is totally playable in a group of players who are still learning Spanish. The beauty of this game for a group of complete beginners is that you can choose to use simpler vocabulary and discuss as a group over unfamiliar words. Playing with native speakers can be great too as your native speaker players will be able to challenge you with more complex vocabulary.
Spanish Version Necessary: No
3. Bananagrams
Description: Bananagrams is a rapid and addictive word game that combines elements of Scrabble and quick thinking. Players race against each other to create a grid of interconnected words using letter tiles, in order to be the first to use up all their tiles and shout “Bananagrams!” It’s a game of wordplay and strategy, where you can rearrange your grid at any time, making it both challenging, dynamic, and fun to play.
Language Learning Benefit: Bananagrams is an entertaining way to build vocabulary, improve spelling, and enhance your word-forming skills. It’s especially useful for language learners as it encourages you to think quickly and creatively in Spanish. What this game will do is force you to internalize all the Spanish vocabulary that you have learned so far and put it to the test. This will help you recall the words you have already learned quickly so that you can think faster on your feet when in real-life Spanish conversations. Also, this game is just a lot of fun and will keep you entertained and learning at the same time!
Recommended Minimum Spanish Level: Beginner
Can You Play This Without Native Speakers: Yes. This game is most certainly playable without having native speakers present. When you finish the game, you can double-check the words and spelling in a dictionary or online.
Spanish Version Necessary: No
4. The Chameleon
Description: In The Chameleon, players step into a world of deception and deduction. One player is secretly designated as the Chameleon, while the others attempt to identify them without revealing the secret topic. Suspicion runs high at the start as everyone is a potential suspect. The twist is that each player must provide a single word related to the undisclosed topic to expose the Chameleon’s identity, but the Chameleon is clueless about the topic and has to try to blend in.
Language Learning Benefit: This game is a linguistic challenge, as it encourages players to think on their feet and craft words that reveal their role without giving away the secret. If you end up being designated as the Chameleon, you will have to think quickly of a word that is general enough to not raise suspicions. The Chameleon is an excellent choice for language learners looking to improve their recall and reinforce their vocabulary.
Recommended Minimum Spanish Level: Beginner
Can You Play This Without Native Speakers: Yes
Spanish Version Necessary: N/A. Spanish version does not exist to my knowledge. But, the game does come with a board that allows you to add custom words so I recommend you use the custom board to add vocabulary that your Spanish study group is learning.
5. Codenames
Description: Codenames is a word-based party game designed for groups of various sizes. The game is played on a 25-card board, with each card having a target word. It involves two rival spymasters who try to give clues about which cards they want their team to pick. The objective is to contact all your team’s cards before the opposing team does, without accidentally revealing the assassin card. The spymaster gives clues by saying one word that relates to your team’s target words while avoiding the other words on the board that are not part of your target.
Language Learning Benefit: The game Codenames promotes vocabulary expansion and word association. It’s especially valuable if you have access to the game in your target language, as it allows you to see the new vocabulary directly on the card. Additionally, the game encourages strategic thinking and communication as players provide clues that not only guide the team to reach the team’s target but also avoid picking the wrong cards.
Apart from being a fun, team-based activity, this game forces you as the player to think of various synonyms and relationships for the words at play while also learning new terms from the game board.
Recommended Minimum Spanish Level: Intermediate
Can You Play This Without Native Speakers: Yes. As you can set up the board however you like, you can choose only the words that most interest you. That way, you can choose whether or not you want to exclude unfamiliar words. Similarly to Spot It, you can also prepare a vocabulary list ahead of time so that everyone can have access to the definitions.
Spanish Version Necessary: Yes. While technically you can play the English version and play using Spanish words, I think the language learning is better served with the Spanish version.
6. Password
Description: Password is a classic word-based game where players give one-word clues to help their teammates guess a secret word. The challenge is to provide concise clues that lead to the correct answer without using any form of the word itself.
Language Learning Benefit: Password is a language-rich game that enhances vocabulary and communication skills. It encourages players to think critically about word choices, synonyms, and context. Playing the game in a foreign language can be an excellent way to improve word association and deepen understanding of language nuances.
Recommended Minimum Spanish Level: Intermediate
Can You Play This Without Native Speakers: Maybe. This game tends to use more difficult words so having a native speaker may help clear out some unknowns.
Spanish Version Necessary: Yes While technically you can play the English version and play using Spanish words, I think the language learning is better served with the Spanish version.
7. Time’s Up!
Description: Time’s Up! is a charades-based party game designed for teams of two or more players. Each player selects cards featuring famous historical or fictional characters, movies, and TV shows and tries to get their team to guess the right word over various phases of the game. Each phase of the game has a different requirement. For example, in the first round, you are allowed to explain the word by talking about it and saying as much as you want without saying the actual word. In a later round, you basically play charades, acting out the word in question. Players take turns acting out or describing the phrase on the cards to their teammates, who will try to guess your phrase within the time limit.
Language Learning Benefit: Time’s Up! is an engaging board game that can also serve as a great language learning tool, especially when played with native speakers. It provides an opportunity to learn about cultural references and famous figures from Spanish culture, making it beneficial for gaining cultural insights and expanding vocabulary related to history, current events, and pop culture. Additionally, it hones listening and expressive skills as players act out or describe characters.
I learned a lot about Spanish celebrities and also learned various different ways to describe people in movies by playing this game with Spaniards.
Recommended Minimum Spanish Level: Advanced
Can You Play This Without Native Speakers: Maybe. There are a lot of cultural references that might be lost without a native speaker, especially depending on the version of the game that you get. That being said, you can certainly play the game without 100% knowing all of the references to famous people and movies on the cards.
Spanish Version Necessary: Yes. While technically you can play the English version and play using Spanish words, I think the language learning is better served with the Spanish version.
Conclusion
In summary, these board games offer various language-learning benefits, from vocabulary reinforcement to improved communication skills, creativity, and cultural insights. Depending on your language-learning goals and preferences, you can choose the game that best suits your needs while still enjoying a fun and educational game night with friends.
See you next game night! 🎲