20 Best Songs to Learn Spanish

When I was a kid, everyone around me was listening to Eminem, Britney Spears, and the Spice Girls. 

I was secretly listening to Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, and J.Lo. The other kids thought I was weird, but I didn’t care. I have always loved the energy, the emotion, and the rhythm of Spanish music.

Now, as a Spanish teacher, I use those same songs as tools. Music is hands down one of the best ways to learn a language. You repeat lyrics without realising, grammar slips in naturally, and you feel the culture at the same time. 

And that’s why we learn Spanish, right? To experience new cultures and connect with new people.

So, here’s my personal list of 20 songs to learn Spanish, straight from my own playlist. Each one is a mini grammar lesson wrapped inside a banger!

Songs to Learn the Spanish Subjunctive

Let’s start with songs that help you to learn the Spanish subjunctive. And yes, they do exist!

1. Déjala que vuelva – Piso 21

This song is a brilliant introduction to the subjunctive. The title itself, “Déjala que vuelva” (“let her come back”), is a perfect example of que + subjunctive.

If you’d like to know more about why and how the Spanish subjunctive is triggered, check out this guide to the subjunctive in Spanish.

The chorus repeats it in a way that burns the structure into your memory without feeling like study. 

Even if you haven’t learned the Spanish subjunctive yet, listen to this song and try to memorise the phrase.

Fun Fact: Piso 21 started as four friends rehearsing on the 21st floor of a building in Medellín, hence their name!

 

2. Ojalá que llueva café – Juan Luis Guerra

If the subjunctive had a theme song, this would be it. The phrase “Ojalá” or “Ojalá que…” always triggers the subjunctive, and Guerra repeats it throughout this iconic track about wishing coffee would rain from the sky. 

The poetic imagery makes it unforgettable while you practise one of Spanish’s most challenging grammar aspects (everyone seems to hate the subjunctive!)

In case you haven’t heard of him, Juan Luis Guerra is a Dominican legend who helped take bachata and merengue global.

3. A Dios le pido – Juanes

In this song, famous Colombian singer Juanes layers request after request: “Le pido a Dios que…” followed by verbs in the subjunctive. 

It’s catchy, uplifting, and a grammar drill disguised as a rock anthem.

Students I’ve taught often find the subjunctive intimidating, but this song makes it stick.

Oh, and a fun fact about Juanes. During Colombia’s conflict years, the song was adopted as a peace anthem and sung at football matches across the country.

4. Héroe – Enrique Iglesias

Where were you when this song was on the radio? It’s a real throwback. 

Romance and subjunctive go hand in hand in the Spanish version of this Enrique classic. Listen for lines like “Si pudiera ser tu héroe” (“If I could be your hero”), which highlight the subjunctive in hypothetical situations. 

Pudiera comes directly from the verb “poder” – to be able to. This is a form of the imperfect subjunctive.

Listen to the lyrics carefully. The slow tempo is great for pronunciation practice, too.

Fun Fact: Enrique originally wrote the song in English, but the Spanish version gave it a second life across Latin America.

5. Chantaje – Shakira & Maluma

I’m not even embarrassed to say this one is my favourite of the first five Spanish songs we’ve covered. 

This reggaeton collab is packed with natural, conversational subjunctive. The line “Oye, baby, no seas mala” is a textbook example. It’s a negative tú command that requires the subjunctive. 

If you want more examples of this, check out any subjunctive or negative imperative section from the hundreds of Spanish verb guides across the Learn Spanish With James site.

These short, punchy phrases are exactly how you’ll hear the subjunctive used in real life.

Fun Fact: The video, filmed in a Barcelona supermarket, smashed through a billion views in record time.

 

Songs to Learn the Future Tense in Spanish

Next up, I’ll share some of my favourite Spanish songs with you that will help you to learn various forms of the future tense in Spanish.

6. Yo te esperaré – Cali y El Dandee

The future tense doesn’t get much clearer than “Yo te esperaré” (“I will wait for you”).

The repetition in the chorus means you’ll have that conjugation of the verb “esperar” locked in after just a couple of listens.

It’s romantic, emotional, and perfect for practising the -é, -ás, -á endings of the future tense.

You may not have heard this song, even though it’s been out a while now. The duo are brothers from Colombia, and this track turned them into household names across Latin America.

7. Vivir mi vida – Marc Anthony

If you’re learning Spanish, the chances are you’ll know this song, and it’s impossible to listen to without smiling. The lyrics lean heavily on the near future with “voy a reír, voy a bailar” (“I’m going to laugh, I’m going to dance”). 

It’s upbeat, repetitive, and ideal for reinforcing ir a + infinitive. If you want to learn more about how to conjugate “ir” then check out this ir conjugation guide.

By the way, this song is actually a Spanish adaptation of an Algerian hit called “C’est la vie.”

8. Vamos a bailar – Gipsy Kings

Next, it’s a band I’ve seen live twice!

Vamos a bailar literally means “we’re going to dance,” and the Gipsy Kings deliver it with that trademark rumba flamenca flair.

The phrase “vamos a” is everywhere in Spanish when making plans, and this song gives you repetition with rhythm. 

Fun Fact: Although their sound is quintessentially Spanish, the band actually formed in southern France among Catalan-speaking families.

9. Qué pasaría – Rauw Alejandro & Bad Bunny

This one introduces the conditional tense – “would” –  rather than the simple future. 

Lines like “Qué pasaría si…” (“What would happen if…”) give you ready-made structures for talking hypotheticals.

Just make sure you take note of how the subjunctive follows when you use the conditional tense in this way. 

The relaxed trap vibe makes it a great listening challenge.

Also, did you know that Bad Bunny is now the world’s most-streamed artist?

This makes songs like this unavoidable if you want to understand modern Spanish. Just watch out for the swear/curse words!

 

Songs to Learn the Gerund in Spanish

The gerund in Spanish means “ing” – for example, walking, talking, eating, sleeping, etc. And it’s really easy to learn, as the following Spanish songs demonstrate.

10. Bailando – Enrique Iglesias & Gente de Zona

I was actually in Havana when they filmed the video to this one. The whole city felt like one giant dance floor!

If you want to master the -ando/-iendo endings, this is your anthem. The chorus hammers “bailando, bailando” (“dancing, dancing”), and the verses show estar + gerund in full swing.

The lyrics “Tu cuerpo y el mío llenando el vacío subiendo y bajando” show how to use the gerund for both –AR and -ER/IR verbs.  

The slow pace of the chorus is also excellent pronunciation practice.

11. Sigo extrañándote – J Balvin

The title says it all: “Sigo extrañándote” (“I keep missing you”) uses the Spanish verb seguir + gerund to express continuing actions. 

This Spanish song is packed with other everyday phrases too, and J Balvin’s delivery is clear and slow enough for learners to catch.

While many think of Daddy Yankee or Bad Bunny when they think of reggaeton (both from Puerto Rico), Balvin is also known as the “Prince of Reggaeton” and was one of the first Colombian artists to dominate globally. 

12. Si veo a tu mamá – Bad Bunny

In this song, listen out for “Pensando” from “pensar”, “mirando” from “mirar” and “diciendo” from “decir”.

They’re not easy to spot, but that’s a good listening challenge for you!

The lyrics in this song are raw and colloquial, full of everyday slang that helps you tune your ear to real-life Puerto Rican Spanish, even if you wouldn’t use every phrase yourself.

Fun Fact: This track opened Bunny’s Grammy-winning album “YHLQMDLG,” cementing his place as reggaeton’s rule-breaker.

Songs to Learn the Past Tense in Spanish

13. Te vi – Piso 21

Piso 21’s rise out of Medellín reflects how Colombia has become a powerhouse for pop-urban Latin music.

The line “y cuando yo te vi” is a neat example of the preterite tense. “Vi”, meaning “I saw” – is the past tense of “ver” – to see. 

The song continues to tell a story in the past, making it perfect for practising narrative Spanish.

This song is catchy enough that you’ll end up repeating “y cuando yo te vi” without even trying.

14. Caramelo (Remix) – Ozuna, KAROL G, Myke Towers

Listen for Ozuna singing “te volví a probar” (“I tried you again”) in the chorus several times throughout the song. It’s a clear example of volver in the past tense + the infinitive. 

The following line in the song actually changes the meaning somewhat, but I’ll let you listen to the song and view the translation to see what it’s really about!

This Spanish song is pure reggaeton and addictive. One of my favourites. 

Fun Fact: Karol G became the first female reggaeton artist to top Spotify’s global chart, breaking barriers in a male-dominated genre.

15. Volví – Aventura & Bad Bunny

The single marked Aventura’s long-awaited reunion after years apart, and fans went wild. The title itself is a lesson: “volví” = “I returned” from the verb “volver”. 

This collaboration blends two different Spanish music genres: bachata and trap.

The contrast in delivery between Romeo Santos and Bad Bunny is fantastic for training your ear.

Also, to be quite honest, this song is a banger!

Songs to Learn the Imperative

The imperative in Spanish is described as a verb mood used to give commands, orders, requests, advice, or suggestions directly to one or more people.

Make sense? Essentially, it’s form of telling someone to do something. For example, “eat!” or “dance!” It’s super useful.

16. Enséñame a bailar – Bad Bunny

This is, without a doubt, one of my favourite Spanish songs. 

Bad Bunny has a knack for turning everyday expressions into song titles that double as grammar lessons. 

And the imperative is front and centre of this one. “Enséñame a bailar” (“teach me to dance”) is a perfect example of the Spanish imperative tense. 

You’ll hear similar forms throughout the track, and they’re the exact kind of phrases you’ll use in real conversations.

17. Cázame – María Becerra

The title — “hunt me” or “catch me” is another tú command with a pronoun attached. It’s from the verb “cazar” – to hunt.

In this Spanish song, Becerra’s diction is clear, making it easy to follow even if you’re new to Argentine Spanish.

The song is also a great intro to Rioplatense intonation.

Fun Fact: María Becerra was the first Argentine female artist to hit a billion streams on Spotify.

18. Bailamos – Enrique Iglesias

We’ve had plenty of modern Spanish songs, and this is a real throwback. Here, the imperative is implied in the invitation: ¡Bailamos! (“Let’s dance”). 

It’s a great springboard into the nosotros imperative, which often mirrors the subjunctive (although not in this case). 

Fun Fact: This track was part of Enrique’s big crossover into the English-speaking market in the late ’90s.

19. Ponte pa’ mí – Justin Quiles

Now, back to the present. And we’re sticking with the Spanish imperative. 

He may be a little lesser known, but Quiles is a prolific songwriter who has penned hits for J Balvin, Maluma, and Karol G.

The phrase “ponte” is the imperative form of ponerse (to put on/get ready). 

In this song, you’ll also catch Caribbean clipped speech – pa’ instead of para. It’s an excellent example of how people actually speak, not just how textbooks present it.

20. La Player (Bandolera) – Zion & Lennox

Last, but certainly not least, we have one of the catchiest examples of the imperative: “dime que te vas” (“tell me you’re leaving”). So, “dime” is the imperative from the verb “decir” – to say. 

I really do love this Spanish song. It’s impossible not to feel good when you listen to it. 

Zion & Lennox were part of reggaeton’s first wave in Puerto Rico and are still going strong decades later.

If you want a quick exercise, flip it negative: no me digas. 

That’s the grammar in action!

Why Reggaeton is My Favourite Genre for Learning

Some people will tell you reggaeton isn’t good for learning Spanish because of slang, explicit lyrics, or rapid delivery. 

Personally, I couldn’t disagree more. Yes, it can be raw. But it’s also one of the most authentic reflections of how Spanish is spoken today in many Latin countries, as well as in the Caribbean.

This very list shows how reggaeton tracks teach the subjunctive, the gerund, the past tense, and the imperative forms. 

Spanish music of any genre, including reggaeton, can provide you with grammar knowledge and plenty of cultural context. 

For me, reggaeton is more than music. It’s proof that Spanish learning doesn’t have to be stiff or academic. It can be modern, fun, and alive.

Final Thoughts & Try LyricFluent Free

These 20 songs are some of the best Spanish teachers you’ll ever meet. 

They’re catchy, emotional, and packed with grammar and vocabulary. Whether you’re vibing with bachata or getting hyped with reggaeton, you’re absorbing Spanish the way it’s really spoken.

For the next steps, I recommend that you check out LyricFluent. Just download the app from your smartphone, whether Apple or Android, and start learning Spanish with music.