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 Post subject: spanish lessons
PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 10:19 am 
Ticas ask me for advice!

Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 3:58 am
Posts: 415
Ive bought books, CDs etc in my attempt to learn basic spanish. Im trying to learn it in order to have a better time with chicas when I visit CR. Im in construction and need to know some spanish in order to communicate with all the spanish speaking skilled tradesmen as well. I started a conversational spanish course a couple of weeks ago and the text book is the best tool Ive came across. Its called Spanish in 10 minutes a day, available at borders, 21 bucks. It uses phonetics, colored pictures, simple pronunciations and phrases a tourist would use. I feel that Im learning more and at a faster rate because of the simplicity of the text.


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 11:57 am 
PHD From Del Rey University!
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Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2005 5:21 pm
Posts: 2024
Good for you for making an attempt at learning the language, this will help you out in more ways than just communicating with the chicas, especially since there are 28 million hispanics in the US... and still growing.

Hola, como estas usted? :lol:


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 Post subject: Spanish
PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:03 pm 
Not a Newbie I just don't post much!
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Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:03 pm
Posts: 95
Location: Erie, PA
I still use my college spanish text, by John a Crow. Circa 1980.
It works great.

yo estoy
tu estas
el, ella, usted esta
nosotros estamos
ellos, ellas, ustedes estan

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:38 pm 
PHD From Del Rey University!
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Tonka,
I think that's the best way to learn, like they teach in schools, starting with the basics: word formation, conjugation, sentence structure, etc.

I am using Pimsleur, and it's ok, but it's all about memorization. They don't really explain why it's said that way, they just want you to remember to say it. Occasionally they'll give an explanation but not much. Also, they always use the formal (Usted), and they don't tell you how to use the informal (tu).

Luckily, I still remember a lot of things from high school spanish (coming back slowly as I'm learning more), so that's helping me out a lot.


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:55 pm 
PHD From Del Rey University!
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Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2003 4:50 pm
Posts: 3822
Raw,
Two of the big ingredients to your success is the DESIRE to learn the language and the WILLINGNESS to practice it.

Good luck, it will pay you back 100 fold.

Wit


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 1:16 pm 
I can do CR without a wingman!

Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 1:50 pm
Posts: 192
Location: Canada
lend the book to JMac when you're finished. :roll:


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 2:04 pm 
PHD From Del Rey University!
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Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 3:00 am
Posts: 3136
Location: anywhere without CBJ's
Yeah so I can burn it and ship it back to you. :twisted:


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:23 pm 
PHD From Del Rey University!
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Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2005 11:30 am
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Jmacaula wrote:
...Yeah so I can burn it and ship it back to you....

Now THAT'S the spirit!

No se preocupe por aprender español, Jmacuala. ¡Apenas significa más chicas para el resto de nosotros! ¡Gracias! :roll:

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:34 pm 
Masters Degree in Mongering!

Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2005 3:31 pm
Posts: 749
Location: Florida
In addition, tune your radio to an a.m. spanish talk radio station to train your ears. Little people learn conversational spanish by listening to it from birth.


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 4:31 pm 
Buying a verb practice book is a good way to continue once you know the basic words. It really helps bring it all together.

I have a 10 CD set and a couple books I have been using. The verb book allows me to write the language and has greatly increased my understanding.


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 4:35 pm 
Ticas ask me for advice!

Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2005 1:42 am
Posts: 317
Location: California
Also tune into the telenovelas, reading the lips and facial expression is also helpful. Check out El Cuerpo del Deseo, some hot chicas that are easy on the eyes.

It's been said that many a Latino ballplayer has learned Ingles from watching ESPN. Which is quite an accomplishment because sports announcers in both languages speak mucho rapido.

One key to learning, from my recent experience, is to stick with it for the long haul. After one success, you step through a new door which shows you a whole new set of things to learn, reflexive, passive, pronoun sentence structure, subjunctive, expressions, etc. Frustration and looking like an idiot is part of the learning process. I made some really funny mistakes in my time (i.e. exitado instead of emocionada).


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 5:02 pm 
Not a Newbie I just don't post much!
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Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 8:34 pm
Posts: 86
Location: atlanta
You can also find tutors on Craigs List in your area. Much cheaper than the Lang. schools.


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 6:03 pm 
PHD From Del Rey University!
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Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2004 10:24 pm
Posts: 11358
Location: Sabana Oeste , Costa Rica
I found this article that appeared in an Oklahoma City newspaper (Oklahoman) very interesting. One of the last places I would have thought someone might need to speak a little Spanish was in Oklahoma City.

Quote:
Oklahoma's Oldest Radio Station Switches to Spanish ---
(The Oklahoman) --- WKY-AM 930, Oklahoma's first radio
station, switched Monday to Spanish language
programming.
WKY is rebroadcasting the signal from another Citadel
Communications-owned station, KINB 105.3 FM out of
Kingfisher. Until now, the Kingfisher station's
Spanish-language format could not be heard throughout
the metro area. The other Spanish-language radio
stations in the Oklahoma City metro area are: 106.7 FM
La Zeta in Okarche and 1410 AM KZUE in El Reno. The
station dropped its news/talk format and began
simulcasting Spanish station KINB-FM 105.3, also owned
by Citadel Communications. "We looked at our profile at
KINB (La Indomable), and at the growing population for
Latinos in Oklahoma City, and realized the success we
could reach between our La Indomable listeners and our
advertisers," Citadel Oklahoma City operations manager
Chris Baker said in an e-mail Monday. "Merging KINB and
WKY now gives us one of the biggest regional Mexican
signals in the Southwest. WKY morning show host Mark
Shannon, a longtime Oklahoma City morning personality,
said he was notified of the format switch Sunday night.
"There are a lot of people who want to reach that
Spanish market," Shannon said.



JMac take heed. Can Canada be far behind in the spread of Spanish langauge in North America?

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 6:13 pm 
PHD From Del Rey University!

Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 11:07 am
Posts: 4858
501 Spanish verbs is also one of the best books you can use.


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 6:37 pm 
PHD From Del Rey University!
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Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:20 pm
Posts: 12646
Right Hand Man wrote:
Little people learn conversational spanish by listening to it from birth.


Nice. I think they prefer that, hey don't like to be called midgets. :lol: :lol: :lol:


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