Learning Spanish
 

Can anyone suggest some childrens books that I might try?

I can't get on with Michel Thomas, took me a while to realise he was speaking in English :blink:

Also tried the Caxtons Editions book/discks, but can't seem to tune in.

So I thought I'd try going back to basics. So bought Collins First Spanish Picture Dictionary, age 3+ (I qualify because of the +) There is a guide in the back for Pronunciation but it's not much help to me as a total novice.

I can ask for a beer and the bill, ect. But was embarrased to hear someone with an English accent (whom had been in Spain for 6 months) Could/would not ask for their drinks in the native tongue. It gave even me with my very limited vocabulary and pointing ability great satisfaction to help them out.

One of my problems is that I was brought up in South Africa, and even today
My grammar is arse about face. So feel this is a handicap?

Re: Learning Spanish
 

I started with Spanish-word-a-day.

Easy to get to know many words and eventually you learn to put them together. They also give you a good guide on how to pronounce the words and usually a sentence in which you use the word.

Good luck and stick with it!

:fingerscrossed:

Re: Learning Spanish
 

Try BBC > http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/mividaloca/

Re: Learning Spanish
 

I joined the Spanish public library and took out books from the junior section, progressing onto the adult section.

I suggest if you take out books which you know in English, it makes understanding easier.

Also, stick with English authors, as I found following the 'concept' of Spanish writers difficult at times.

The problem with the children's section is I learnt a lot of words which I have never uses since; earwigs, flowerpots, wheel barrows etc.

English authors I found good were Agatha Christie, HG Well, and in particular CP James, as her books would be really slim but for the fact that she repeats everything over and over, thus if you don't understand it first time you may do so later.

I used to get a 'cheer' from the library staff when I return a book rather than just constantly renewing it.

Re: Learning Spanish
 

I always recommend joining the library too- and watching DVDs of films that you know - if you buy them here they will be in Spanish & English - but often not if you buy them in the UK

Re: Learning Spanish
 

I strongly recommend the Teach Yourself series and the Breakthrough series. Both are CD/book combinations.

I learned with teach yourelf Spanish, then used the Breakthrough Further Spanish.

Re: Learning Spanish
 

I found that all the tapes/CDs I tried were too fast or too dialectic.

My core books were 501 verbs, Punto por punto, Teach yourself Spanish grammar and an illustrated encyclopedia.

I also found the Spanish magazine 'El Jueves' particularly helpful. The articles and cartoon strips run from those needing almost no Spanish to understand to the more serious, with everything inbetween.

I keep a notebook to note down interesting expressions and then get my Spanish friends to explain them. That in itself is a learning experience, adding to my vocabulary, as well as helping me to put down roots.

Don't throw them away when you have finished, but go back to them in a year's time. You will be amazed how much more you understand, and then you will have a second wave of expressions to query.

Good luck with it all.

Re: Learning Spanish
 

Whilst newspapers, magazines etc are good sources, I found that with reading a book one can get into the story, and thus it's a lot more likely one will press on than they might with 'shortish' news articles and particularly with grammar or verbs, which used to turn me off very quickly.

Of course one needs a certain basic understanding even before reading Goldilocks in Spanish.

Re: Learning Spanish
 

the Parador Magazine is useful too - it's in both Spanish & English, so you can read the Spanish & then check the English to make sure you understood - & the English (mostly) actually seems to be in English, too (if you see what I mean:rolleyes:)

it always has interesting articles too

Re: Learning Spanish
 

Yes,the first time you listen to them, but you keep listening and listeining.

Then when you realise that you understand easily what was just noise before, it's great for confidence.

Re: Learning Spanish
 

I been there, done that, but when I used to wake up I could never recall anything !!!!!

Re: Learning Spanish
 

Trouble was, they were so bad that for a beginner they were next to useless, and I found that even after some time I couldn't grasp them. The exception was the Ealing course in German that I used. It was BRILLIANT. The German was clear, concise and totally useable. From the start I could grasp what was being said, and even today I can remember chunks of it that I was able to slot straight into everyday conversation.

On one language course the teacher pulled out a new set of tapes she had just got, and as she did, I bet her that they wouldn't be a damn bit of use.

She put them on, we all listened for 5 minutes and she threw them into the bin.

Re: Learning Spanish
 

I certainly think learning a language nowadays "should" be easier than years ago, then you had a book, maybe some tapes, and that was about it. Nowadays there's tons of free stuff available on the net, from free courses, videos, online newspaper, free books, podcasts, skype etc. Of course, you need to apply yourself, but the days of looking through the local library for a Spanish book have long gone. :)

Re: Learning Spanish
 

I started buying books from the book shop to try and learn Spanish but they kept giving me strange looks so I started sending over a girl that worked for me and when they asked what I wanted the books for she told them that I was learning to read Spanish. Next thing I knew rumour had it that I was illiterate and couldn´t read :o.....stopped trying after that.:o

Re: Learning Spanish
 

surely that's a good thing really?

after all - isn't the Spanish you are going to need to be dealing with on a daily basis, dialectical?


or did you actually mean dialectic:confused:

Re: Learning Spanish
 

I can't be the only one here of an age to remember the 'language labs' at school?


listen - repeat - listen - repeat -listen - repeat -listen - repeat -listen - repeat -listen - repeat -listen - repeat -listen - repeat -listen - repeat -listen - repeat -listen - repeat -

Re: Learning Spanish
 

The only lab we had was the Science room.
Listen.

The only lab we had was the Science room.
Listen.

The only lab we had was the Science room.
Listen.

The only lab we had was the Science room.
Listen.

The only lab we had was the Science room.
Listen.

Re: Learning Spanish
 

ah but you had left school before I started:ohmy:

Re: Learning Spanish
 

I started Spanish classes last Sept through the Adult learning. They use the BBC Languages Talk Spanish quite alot. There is a CD/Book combination which goes along with it. You can get these from Amazon ( 2 books 2 CDs) for about £15.

I have also found the website below. The good thing about it is that the alphabet, numbers and some other sections have an audio section which obviously helps with pronounciation.

http://www.spanishdaddy.com/

Re: Learning Spanish
 

That is a handy learners site and easy to use. :thumbup:

Re: Learning Spanish
 

What I meant was that they had such a heavy accent, and the language was done in a dialect. A bit like doing English lessons where the person giving the lesson spoke in a thick Liverpool accent using local colloquialisms.

If I wanted to learn English, I'd want to learn BBC English, and when I wanted to learn German, I wanted to learn Hoch Deutsch. Spanish, Castillian.

Plus I always wanted someone to speak clearly and a little slowly to make it easier to get onto the first steps.

People forget that it can be very difficult to get onto those first steps, and you need all the help you can get.

Fast speech, slurred words and an accent are all enormous handicaps.

Re: Learning Spanish
 

Thanks all,

Has anyone tried the "Rosetta Stone" Way?

As featured in the spanishdaddy link from Guesswork.

It does seem to make sence, ie learn as if you were a child.

Re: Learning Spanish
 

A young couple who own a bar near us sometimes meet us for a drink. They don't speak one word of English and our Spanish isn't great at all, so sometimes there is not much conversation really, except one night we were watching the TV in a bar and during the football match (there's always a football match!!) one of the players stripped off his shirt, Paqui and I both looked at each other and said simultaneously Wow!!!
I said 'great six pack' and she said 'mucho tableta de chocolate'

We understood each other perfectly:)
Her O.H. and mine looked at each other and rolled their eyes, so they understood each other perfectly too!

She has a 2yr old and I listen intently when she talks to him, however I don't really use the word 'Caca' much, said a lot as he's constantly trying to pick things up off the floor and eat them.
Never mind, I have translated 'round and round the garden' for them:)

Re: Learning Spanish
 

I took Spanish classes in the UK before coming to Spain, and kept up with lessons after my arrival. I must admit it took a while (years), and I eventually gave up. It was only after giving up trying to learn more that I found out I could speak the language at a decent level.

I always watch the Spanish news and other Spanish programmes now, and treat myself to El Pais at least once a week.

I may have been helped by having to answer the telephone all day long because of my wife’s business interests, and most of the calls are in Spanish. Answering the phone used to terrify me, now I start off with Diga and blab away quite happily.

But, it did take a while . . .

Re: Learning Spanish
 

I am finding the earworms CDs quite good for the basics. There is relaxing music played in the background and an echo effect on some words. It does seem to get the words into your head. It is only a beginners course though and there is still a long way to go but will probably wait until we are living there to take it further to I can practise each day. :cool:

Re: Learning Spanish
 

well I,ve been here for about 18months and to be fair I am a bit embarrassed by my level of Spanish, but as I work in an English academy and my girlfriend is fluent in English I guess I have some excuses, but anyway my advice is as follows:
Dont worry too much about grammer, learn lots of vocabulary and use it as often as you can, dont be embarassed about sounding funny, have a laugh about it, people enjoy helping you.
Watch spanish television and read anything you can. You may not understand everything but you will get used to sounds and structures.
Use 'post it' notes around your house to learn vocab.
Get a dictionary.
if you want to use a book I found the bbc sueños series very good.
hope that helps, good luck:thumbup:

Re: Learning Spanish
 

Good suggestions on here. Just remember to try and include the 4 skills. A balance of reading, writing, speaking and listening.