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.