Learning Spanish
Mar 10th 2014 | 10:55 pm
#106
Moderator
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 15,149
From: Costa Valencia
Re: Learning Spanish
Very interesting hearing peoples stories about their learning Spanish experiences. I must admit, since starting to take an interest in speaking Spanish about 18 months ago, I have been quite disheartened at how difficult and prolonged the process is for me. I have undoubtedly been taken in by the staggering clams from language schools, and their 'Learn Spanish in 3 Months' slogans. I did start to think that I must be extremely deficient in grey-matter, to be unable to complete, or even get a good grasp of the language in this time. But I'm very pleased to see I am, in no way alone in my struggle in this quest. (Not that I'm glad you guys are finding it difficult too, of course!)
I’m 47, oh no, actually I’m 48 now, and have tried local council run night classes that I found were next to useless. I’ve listened to Pimslur and Learn Spanish Like Crazy’ audio material, but only completed about half of each. And now, after reading this thread, I am looking at ‘Synergy Spanish’. I realise of course, that jumping from one method to another is hardly conducive to good learning, but I do find that boredom sets in after hours and hours of the same one.
For me, the choice of course is also proving troublesome, as we intend to be spending a great deal of time in Mallorca, where I believe the official language is neither Spanish or Catalan, but instead Mallorcan and Mallorqui. I would like to learn Catalan which is where the Mallorcan language derives from, but I don’t seem to be able to find any suitable learning material (perhaps someone can point me in the right direction) I realise that Spanish will be understood, even South American Spanish, but would rather learn correctly from the start, as others have highlighted above.
I’m 47, oh no, actually I’m 48 now, and have tried local council run night classes that I found were next to useless. I’ve listened to Pimslur and Learn Spanish Like Crazy’ audio material, but only completed about half of each. And now, after reading this thread, I am looking at ‘Synergy Spanish’. I realise of course, that jumping from one method to another is hardly conducive to good learning, but I do find that boredom sets in after hours and hours of the same one.
For me, the choice of course is also proving troublesome, as we intend to be spending a great deal of time in Mallorca, where I believe the official language is neither Spanish or Catalan, but instead Mallorcan and Mallorqui. I would like to learn Catalan which is where the Mallorcan language derives from, but I don’t seem to be able to find any suitable learning material (perhaps someone can point me in the right direction) I realise that Spanish will be understood, even South American Spanish, but would rather learn correctly from the start, as others have highlighted above.
Rosemary
Mar 11th 2014 | 10:07 am
#107
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,163
From: london/gandia
Re: Learning Spanish
I'm finding that the "Duolingo" website provides small achievable bites each day of the week, which encourages me to return. In the past I have found the amount of effort over-whelming, given that I have the attention span of a gnat it doesn't take very much to distract me
Mar 12th 2014 | 8:48 am
#108
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,569
From: Finally now living in Lo Marabu, Rojales, and it feels like home
Re: Learning Spanish
I am actually learning it here, I took two one hour lessons of 1to1 each week, I must say its so much better, I really thought I wanted to do intensive but I need a regular daily / weekly income and they can be expensive but im sure the benefits are there.
The Michel Thomas was the best start for me as it gave me the confidence, I have probably only listened up to CD4 in all my life, then I did a bit of Rosertta Stone but until your here I did feel it was pointless, esp if you holidayed in expat areas, but even basics give you some respect.
I then did a course in Chelmsford but I could not get on with it, the teacher was Mexican, but the attendees were all retired so it was hard enough for me let alone them, I paid a year and turned up for 6 weeks.
My lessons now are 5€ a hour but I have learned more from one lady teacher in one lesson than I can say. Ill be honest id rather go and get pissed than learn Spanish, J2 was right its a country full of asswipes, but I have got over a bog verb hurdle in a few lessons and no out of hours homework/practice and there is mass improvement, I had 2 teachers and a few Spanish that come to my town to learn English and all of them siad that I have it, just needs some tweaking, and now some my brain is saying some words naturally.
I used to not hate going to the lessons and Ive missed a few with work and stuff but now I arranged a double 2 hour block at 6.30 on a Wed's and Thurs and today for the first time I have come out of the lesson looking forward to the next one, this is never usual, I came close to giving up as I did in Chelmsford, but I can see the improvement with the people I have to deal with.
I also misjudged just how big the language barrier is when you go outside of your comfort brit ex-pat zone, I probably did the wrong thing moving with a load of brits but I like both, I like where I live and I like to not now feel intimidated going to / through a Spanish area.
The Michel Thomas was the best start for me as it gave me the confidence, I have probably only listened up to CD4 in all my life, then I did a bit of Rosertta Stone but until your here I did feel it was pointless, esp if you holidayed in expat areas, but even basics give you some respect.
I then did a course in Chelmsford but I could not get on with it, the teacher was Mexican, but the attendees were all retired so it was hard enough for me let alone them, I paid a year and turned up for 6 weeks.
My lessons now are 5€ a hour but I have learned more from one lady teacher in one lesson than I can say. Ill be honest id rather go and get pissed than learn Spanish, J2 was right its a country full of asswipes, but I have got over a bog verb hurdle in a few lessons and no out of hours homework/practice and there is mass improvement, I had 2 teachers and a few Spanish that come to my town to learn English and all of them siad that I have it, just needs some tweaking, and now some my brain is saying some words naturally.
I used to not hate going to the lessons and Ive missed a few with work and stuff but now I arranged a double 2 hour block at 6.30 on a Wed's and Thurs and today for the first time I have come out of the lesson looking forward to the next one, this is never usual, I came close to giving up as I did in Chelmsford, but I can see the improvement with the people I have to deal with.
I also misjudged just how big the language barrier is when you go outside of your comfort brit ex-pat zone, I probably did the wrong thing moving with a load of brits but I like both, I like where I live and I like to not now feel intimidated going to / through a Spanish area.
Mar 12th 2014 | 2:14 pm
#109
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 2
Re: Learning Spanish
I am actually learning it here, I took two one hour lessons of 1to1 each week, I must say its so much better, I really thought I wanted to do intensive but I need a regular daily / weekly income and they can be expensive but im sure the benefits are there.
The Michel Thomas was the best start for me as it gave me the confidence, I have probably only listened up to CD4 in all my life, then I did a bit of Rosertta Stone but until your here I did feel it was pointless, esp if you holidayed in expat areas, but even basics give you some respect.
I then did a course in Chelmsford but I could not get on with it, the teacher was Mexican, but the attendees were all retired so it was hard enough for me let alone them, I paid a year and turned up for 6 weeks.
My lessons now are 5€ a hour but I have learned more from one lady teacher in one lesson than I can say. Ill be honest id rather go and get pissed than learn Spanish, J2 was right its a country full of asswipes, but I have got over a bog verb hurdle in a few lessons and no out of hours homework/practice and there is mass improvement, I had 2 teachers and a few Spanish that come to my town to learn English and all of them siad that I have it, just needs some tweaking, and now some my brain is saying some words naturally.
I used to not hate going to the lessons and Ive missed a few with work and stuff but now I arranged a double 2 hour block at 6.30 on a Wed's and Thurs and today for the first time I have come out of the lesson looking forward to the next one, this is never usual, I came close to giving up as I did in Chelmsford, but I can see the improvement with the people I have to deal with.
I also misjudged just how big the language barrier is when you go outside of your comfort brit ex-pat zone, I probably did the wrong thing moving with a load of brits but I like both, I like where I live and I like to not now feel intimidated going to / through a Spanish area.
The Michel Thomas was the best start for me as it gave me the confidence, I have probably only listened up to CD4 in all my life, then I did a bit of Rosertta Stone but until your here I did feel it was pointless, esp if you holidayed in expat areas, but even basics give you some respect.
I then did a course in Chelmsford but I could not get on with it, the teacher was Mexican, but the attendees were all retired so it was hard enough for me let alone them, I paid a year and turned up for 6 weeks.
My lessons now are 5€ a hour but I have learned more from one lady teacher in one lesson than I can say. Ill be honest id rather go and get pissed than learn Spanish, J2 was right its a country full of asswipes, but I have got over a bog verb hurdle in a few lessons and no out of hours homework/practice and there is mass improvement, I had 2 teachers and a few Spanish that come to my town to learn English and all of them siad that I have it, just needs some tweaking, and now some my brain is saying some words naturally.
I used to not hate going to the lessons and Ive missed a few with work and stuff but now I arranged a double 2 hour block at 6.30 on a Wed's and Thurs and today for the first time I have come out of the lesson looking forward to the next one, this is never usual, I came close to giving up as I did in Chelmsford, but I can see the improvement with the people I have to deal with.
I also misjudged just how big the language barrier is when you go outside of your comfort brit ex-pat zone, I probably did the wrong thing moving with a load of brits but I like both, I like where I live and I like to not now feel intimidated going to / through a Spanish area.
If you need some help with the spanish language, feel free to contact me all of you, i'll help you out for free, there's no need to pay someone.
In fact, i need to improve my skills with UK local accents and slangs, that's the trade.
I have andalusian accent (i can hide that, i guess) but if you through this, you'll be ready for almost everything
Last edited by Sierra1; Mar 12th 2014 at 2:17 pm.
Mar 12th 2014 | 3:05 pm
#110
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 2
Re: Learning Spanish
I am no expert in the varieties of Spanish but I think I am right in saying that South American and Canarian speakers don't lisp like the castellano speakers and don't get b and v mixed up in the same way. Certainly my SIL who learned hers in the Canaries asserts that.
So as it's nearer 'English' pronunciation might it not be easier to learn than castellano?
So as it's nearer 'English' pronunciation might it not be easier to learn than castellano?
some people lisp and some people don't, it's called "ceceo" or "seseo".
Ceceo, means Lisp. (th,th,th,)
Seseo means "everything it's pronounced with ssss" like in south america.
In the middle, appears the castellano, some words with (th) sound other with (ss) sound.
It's so hard for somebody who never used the (th) in this case we say the C (not Si) I'ts some kind of hard THEEE, the Z is (theeta)
For make it simple, wherever you go, listen and pronounce in the same way.
There's an overwhelming pile of videos and info where you can check
that.
Hope it helps.
Mar 12th 2014 | 9:08 pm
#111
Moderator
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 15,149
From: Costa Valencia
Re: Learning Spanish
People in the canary islands certainly speak more like south americans than spaniards, in some places in andalusia it depends (it not the east or the west)
some people lisp and some people don't, it's called "ceceo" or "seseo".
Ceceo, means Lisp. (th,th,th,)
Seseo means "everything it's pronounced with ssss" like in south america.
In the middle, appears the castellano, some words with (th) sound other with (ss) sound.
It's so hard for somebody who never used the (th) in this case we say the C (not Si) I'ts some kind of hard THEEE, the Z is (theeta)
For make it simple, wherever you go, listen and pronounce in the same way.
There's an overwhelming pile of videos and info where you can check
that.
Hope it helps.
some people lisp and some people don't, it's called "ceceo" or "seseo".
Ceceo, means Lisp. (th,th,th,)
Seseo means "everything it's pronounced with ssss" like in south america.
In the middle, appears the castellano, some words with (th) sound other with (ss) sound.
It's so hard for somebody who never used the (th) in this case we say the C (not Si) I'ts some kind of hard THEEE, the Z is (theeta)
For make it simple, wherever you go, listen and pronounce in the same way.
There's an overwhelming pile of videos and info where you can check
that.
Hope it helps.
BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.
Please let me know if you need any further help.
Rosemary
