jases1000

Hi all, I have been promising myself for months now that I will begin to learn Spanish. The only problem being that with work commitments it would need to be some sort of off the shelf self teach system. I've had a look and there are thousands available - can anyone recommend any?

El Capitan

classes
web site - tons of em
get out and practice in the street/bars

El Capitan

p.s I was told that if I had found a Spanish girlfriend after my divorce I would be fluent by now. I am happier with less than fluency and my new Scottish wife of just over one year

jases1000

none practical

Classes - work all over Europe - never in same place
website - cannot always gurantee connection where I'll be
get out - love to and I've learnt more this way in my last 2 visits than I will by any other method - but not there enough!

Needs to be a mobile CDROM based system or similar

Rosemary

Highly recommend Synergy Spanish and Short Cut to Spanish by Marcus Santamaria. I am useless at posting links so just google and it should come up. There are loads on the market and they will all give you good lessons but we found that his method of teaching helped more than any others.

My advise would be to try several different ones to gain different teaching methods. The Usbourne First 1000 Spanish words dictionary is also a good book for giving you loads of names of items and because it is pictorial it is easier to remember.

Good Luck

Rosemary

jases1000

thanks - will have a look at these - already have the reference book, you can't miss me I look like the sad tourist!

Rosemary

Are there loads of Spanish people living in Preston???????

Rosemary

El Capitan

I recognise the symptoms.
300+ flights some years
20+ countries some years
Dont always have lappie with me
After 11 yrs + living in Spain I am still trying to get to second base on a course I have done 3 times but was never around enough to get off first base.

I tried numerous CD and tape based "courses" and if anybody recommends one then good luck.

El Capitan

No but doesnt put Preston at top of list.

bil

I loved the Ealing German course. The tapes were the only ones I have ever found in four languages that I could understand easily, and whose content was stunningly relevant.

Sadly the Spanish Ealing is long out of print.

I always advocate studying grammar, else how will you know why a word is where it is and why it looks diferent.

1,001 pitfalls in Spanish is a fascinating book, and a cracking good read once you have a bit of the language under your belt.

Rosemary

Under user name it says Location: PRESTON

Rosemary

El Capitan

Yes Rosemary 100% correct but the content of the posts tells a slightly different story. This is after all an "ex-pats" web site isnt it ? Didnt think we were responding to a "normal" UK resident in Preston who simply wanted to learn Spanish.

pete_l

The basic problem is not learning to speak spanish (or any other language), but to learn to understand native spanish speakers. You can get a CDROM course such as the Michel Thomas set. This will help you speak spanish, but you won't understand what people are saying back to you - it's a one-way system: speaking, not listening/understanding.
For example, after 2 years of classes in england I could converse with other native brits speaking spanish - using the common vocabulary we all had learned. However when you go into a bar in andalucia and order 2 beers, the reply you get is more like "OK mate, hang on a sec, I've got to finish cleaning out the sink then I'll be with you", not the "here you are, that's 2 euros please" that you learned in the course (or from the CDs).
One system I haven';'t tried, but might look into is Rosetta Stone but you'll need a laptop to go with it. However, there's no such thing as "instant" spanish. It took you 10+ years to get a fluent, adult level of english - and that was 24*7, so expect spanish to take a similar amount of time and a similar level of commitment.

jases1000

Now now children - you are both right. When at home I have a place in Preston. Also have a place in Spain. Not an ex-pat but would love to try and integrate more when I'm over there

El Capitan