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Learning Spanish poco a poco
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Author:  El Ciego [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:33 am ]
Post subject:  Learning Spanish poco a poco
Okay, you've seen the value of being able to speak some Spanish on your C.R. trips. You look on with a mixture of envy and admiration as more fluent speakers chat amiably with their girls, cabbies and hotel staff. "How can I get there...fast?" is a question you've asked yourself.

Let's get real for a moment. If you've never studied Spanish (or if it has been years since that class in high school), you need to have reasonable expectations. Still, with a little study and a whole lot more immersion (i.e. more trips to Costa Rica), you'll learn a little at a time...poco a poco. :D

Is it expensive? In terms of both time and money, learning anything worthwhile can be expensive. Fortunately, there are hundreds of resources that can help you learn to speak, read and write Spanish...poco a poco, and many of them are either free or offered at very low cost.

* You can buy the first Pimsleur CD for under $10.00 online.

* You can rent Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone at http://www.audible.com

* Beginner Spanish classes are offered at most community colleges, extension classes and community-based education sites. Look around.

ABSOLUTELY FREE Dept.

* http://spanish.about.com offers everything from beginner classes via e-mail (free) all the way through advanced courses in grammar. Again, it's free!

* http://www.spanishdict.com also offers a "Word of the Day" e-mail list, and has lessons in basic vocabulary and grammar.

* Your local public library (remember those?) will have dozens of Spanish education resources...check them out! :wink:

* http://www.verbix.com offers online verb conjugation help. They also offer a downloadable shareware product for Windows. Excellent.

* Watch Spanish-language TV. No, you won't understand most of it...but every once in awhile, something will break through. What do you think the announcer is saying when he says, "Estas tu en buenas manos con Allstate?:" If you answered, "You're in good hands with Allstate," you're right!


I have (inconsistently) studied Spanish since age 11, and I am now conversational, if not completely fluent. However, you can learn Spanish now, even starting from scratch... poco a poco. :D

Be patient. Open your ears and your mind. You will learn to speak and understand Spanish a little at a time. 20-30 minutes a day between now and your next trip will yield amazing results.

PM me for a more extensive list of Internet Spanish-language resources! :idea:

One more thing: Your Spanish will never be perfect. Thankfully, it doesn't have to be. The important thing is to try.
Author:  Orange [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 10:12 am ]
Post subject: 
A tip on learning: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. You will not learn it well if you don't practice conversation, that includes speaking and listening. The books, CD's, TV shows, and websites are great but if you don't speak it, you're not going to learn. It's as simple as that.
Author:  Whosear [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:13 pm ]
Post subject:  You can teach yourself
Good ideas on the materials.

The first thing you need is motivation and perserverance. I can recommend good materials, but if you are not able to practice each day, then nothing may help except an immersion syle program. That said,

Spanish in 10 Minutes a Day This is a very successful language program that includes a book and CD. It is focused on the traveler, uses phonetic pronunciation in the written part, and has stickers that you can place around your house or business and practice.

Now, to improve your skills...

If you are exercising, either turn the TV to a Spanish speaking station, or listen to the dialogue. This will help to train your brain to hear Spanish. The goal is not to listen for understanding, but to hear the rythm. It will not be effective if you are talking, listening, reading or writing in English.

Find a practice partner. Here or in the States.

Practice everyday. The time is up to you, but daily is best.
Author:  Rainman3 [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: You can teach yourself
Whosear wrote:
The first thing you need is motivation and perserverance.


Nothing like completing your first trip to Medellin for making a man want to study Spanish with a passion :wink:

8) 8) 8)
Author:  Cujo's [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Learning Spanish poco a poco
El Ciego wrote:
Be patient. Open your ears and your mind. You will learn to speak and understand Spanish a little at a time. 20-30 minutes a day between now and your next trip will yield amazing results.



Well said El C 8)

Another thing, don't go into learning spanish like a fat gringa goes into a "diet". The way that word diet alone defeats those fat heffers is the same way guys approach learning a new language.

Don't make it bigger then what it is, everyone on this board has the aptitude to learn a new language. Before computers were so mainstream I didn't know the difference between a memory chip and a potato chip.. :shock:

Haven't we all come a long way with computers even if some of us resisted learning?

Lastly, if it takes you 5 or 10 years to learn, whogivesafuck? Once you know, you own it and its there forever.

Oh yea, it makes CR a much easier place to monger too.... :idea:

Congrats and good luck to those currently working on it :wink:

Cujo
Author:  Pacifica55 [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
El C said:
Quote:
I have (inconsistently) studied Spanish since age 11, and I am now conversational, if not completely fluent.

I was sitting at the SL bar next to El C one night with a Colombiana who spent half her years in Japan. As El C held forth I was surprised to hear her say, "he speaks Spanish better than I do...". So, yeah, I would say you are fluent.
Author:  El Ornitorrinco [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:35 pm ]
Post subject: 
I also try to get some learning in when watching DVD's at home by turning on the Spanish subtitles, or occasionally watching Telelatino.
Author:  El Ciego [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:04 pm ]
Post subject: 
Orange your point about conversational practice is well-taken. Unfortunately, finding a conversation partner who will help more tha hinder can be difficult, depending upon where you live. Also, it's pretty tough to converse without basic grounding in the language; this post was aimed not at guys like you and me who have grounding inSpanish, but for the guys who have not learned very much yet. :wink:

There are numerous free resources and good strategies to learn a new language; Wassier and El O. have pointed out a couple. Think of others that are free or low cost:

* Grab a copy of a Spanish-language newspaper (if they're sold in your area).

* Go online to read Spanish publications; most are free to browse.

* Try to read the Spanish-language instructions included on the packages of many consumer products *before* "cheating" and reading the English instructions.

* Old fashioned, but it still exists, international shortwave broadcasting can be a great Spanish-language resource, and shortwave radios are inexpensive.

* International broadcasters such as the BBC, Radio Exterior de Espana and others provide free language courses and materials.

* If you have an hour per week, offer to aid native Spanish speakers some English tutoring in exchange for Spanish practice. The problem here is, depending upon where you live, Spanish speakers who speak their own language well might be tough to find. In my area there are thousands of Mexicanos, but few speak Sanish well, due to lack of basic education.

* Shop at stores owned/run by native Spanish speakers.

Let's keep this rolling! I have returned to studying Spanish in order to improve both grammar and vocabulary. I learn something new every day, and the resources I am using all are free! :D

BTW, Pacifica55: I was told by more than one chica that I speak Spanish like a radio announcer. Go figure. :roll:
Author:  Californicationdude [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:14 pm ]
Post subject: 
CURTESEY OF BROTHER COOLHAND



Pimsleur Spanish

CD1
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UDDS8AQA


CD2
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=07O3ZHQA


CD3
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5Y6HXN81



http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UDDS8AQA
Author:  HR_Juan [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 9:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
www.rocketspanish.com

It's affordable, rated better than Rosetta Stone and has worked well for me. That and immersion.
Author:  Skosh [ Wed Sep 23, 2009 1:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Learning Spanish poco a poco
El Ciego wrote:
20-30 minutes a day between now and your next trip will yield amazing results.

An excellent post, and in my opinion if you only take one thing from it, it should be the above quote. The 20-30 minutes a day of practice is the key. I would also highly recommend Learning Spanish Like Crazy. They have a beginner and intermediate course which are composed of audio files that you listen to and practice along with. Each lesson is about 30 minutes long. I found it to be very effective. Here's the website for anyone interested :

http://learningspanishlikecrazy.com/

I put the mp3 files on my iPod and do a lesson every day while driving to work or taking a walk. My spanish has gone from virtually nil to a solid intermediate speaker in a little over a year. While I don't consider myself fluent I can go somewhere where no one speaks english and get along pretty well. Of course having a favorita who didn't speak any english when we first met helped quite a bit also. I'm coming up on my 3rd trip to MDE in a few weeks and now I actually look forward to getting out and about and using my spanish as much as possible. It has become fun for me.

No matter what method you use, I think if you take El C's advice above and practice a little every day you will be amazed at how much better you can speak and understand spanish in a relatively short period of time.
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