I'm no expert but I am am enthusiastic learner. It's never too late. And you have advantages that kids don't have. E.g. if you read Spanish world news, you'll recognise half the vocab because it's the same as formal English (which is mostly from Latin rather than German) or it's 'international' language (like brands and international bodies with the name in a different order). So after a little bit of study, you can read Spanish to get the gist reasonably soon.

To get that start, Language Transfer Spanish is a great free course and will give you a big leg up. (Just be sure to start the playlist at the first episode as the SoundCloud link sometimes starts halfway through!)

Do you speak any other languages?

Here are some answers I've given others:

• Learning languages, step-by-step
• Listening-Reading (LR) method (this works with any language)
• Summary of the LR method
• Some tips for making your own Anki decks (spaced repetition cards) if you fancy that
• Some tips on playing games and using word lists to learn vocabulary

Happy to answer questions if you have any. Here or in !learnspanish@lemmygrad.ml or tag me.

Everyone I know who is trying to learn a language as an adult uses duolingo, but I think that's more out of convenience and less because it's actually the best way to learn.

The best way is still probably from a native language speaker who has been teaching a class for a while.