Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

I have an idea, it might be fun, but also help us all a lot.One of the eventual most important thing we must do (not all but people of the same thought of our self’s) is learn as much language as possible, which I know some of us are doing the best that we can? I think we will improve if we start a thread in Spanish, not to brag what we know or to ridicule, but to help us all, who want to learn, our very own Spanish class. may be a set time a set day every week, like a chat thing?

Am I getting carried away!

Pero es posible no?

I ask you.

Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

Yay!!! I ordered this from ebay. It arrived this morning. I can't wait to get started. It looks very good.

I'll let you know ;)

Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

I agree with you.

Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

Thanks for the link SLR

Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

Very well said-especially the part about having non english friends and reading the local press (and watching the TV). I have also give the same advise about knowing you are getting there when you do not translate it, you just think in Spanish.

I had to chuckle at your comments about understanding the Andaluz accent- I lived 6 yrs in Zaragoza and have 20 odd years of improving my Spanish (which I thought was pretty damn good), only to visit Jaen, Cordoba and Malaga and go back to only understanding about 50% of what was said!! After a few days, I guess my ear became more tuned in, and I understood 90%.

Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

I am sure this learning tool you will find very interesting, and amusing. Great for vocab not to good on verb explanation, good on masculine/feminine, very affordable and moves to more advanced lessons as and when.

I found it a very effective tool to back up college, but must agree you learn more in Spain. But you must force yourself to go into totally Spanish establishments.

My wife tells me my Spanish is perfecto when I am totally drunk, on Spanish brandy, apparently I can hold a 1-hour + conversation no problem, with only Spanish speaking waiters. The big problem here is I can't remember!!

So who is up for Spanish!

Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

My written spanish doesn't exist, doesn't have quite the effect as flapping arms around and watching facial expressions. My barcelonian neighbour fell about laughing yesterday on my pronounation of "gate" I apparently called it a whore. :D :D

Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

One is tempted to ask what it was you were saying about your gate :)

Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

An extra er in the word :D

Thats why you should never call a PC a puta

Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

My embarrasing linguistic story comes from our first 6 months in Spain. Whilst my wife was very good, having been learning for 5 years in the UK, I had only picked up a bit from listening to her and the children, and a superficial listen to some CDs. We were living out near El Escorial, near one of the large reservoirs, shown on the map with the abbreviation Emb., the meaning of which my wife had explained.

I caught a taxi home from the airport one Friday night and, as usual, it was always a bit tricky explaining exactly where we lived, so far out. I got mixed up over the meanings of Emb. and told the taxi driver our urbanization was out near the large embutido. I expect the driver was impressed that I lived near a large cured sausage. It kept him quite for the rest of the journey mind. :o

On the subject of CDs, the set I started with was excellent for pronunciation exercises, the majority of a cd and a half out of a 12 CD set (which I've never finished) and book. It was the one used by the US foreign service. Beginning with numerous exercise on the difference between various vowels in different words (without work on the meaning), I spent ages mouthing them while commuting from London-Birmingham by car to work the week. I've been told my accent is very good and this certainly helped.

I thought the Michel Thomas cds were very good, too, and they've given me the confidence to try Spanglish in many circumstances, often successfully: if you're trying to say something without knowing the Spanish word, try saying the English one in the Spanish form and because of the number of similar roots and origins, there's a very good chance you'll get something with an appropriate meaning.

Well meaning thought it is, I don't think it would be productive to devote efforts to communicating in Spanish here. We are likely to reinforce mistakes and bad habits or have endless debates over correctness and there are numerous other, better opportunities to practice on the net with real Spanish people or students of Spanish.

Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

Hi ACD

Just saw your message about the Michel Thomas CDs. If you go to WH Smiths, they will cost you about £70.

I don't know if there is a Costco near to you (the American Wholesale type shop). You can get them there for about £30, which is a good saving.

Hope this helps you.



Regards.

Linda

Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

Play.com deliver anywhere in Europe for £45:
http://www.play.com/play247.asp?pa=s...D&title=170188

Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

I live in South Florida, and more people around me speak Spanish than English so my Spanish is coming along a treat - even if its beciming "Dirty Spanish". I did originally learn Valenciana since thats the are where my parents live.

Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

Those things happen to me! doh! But not using them online translation jobbies. They for frauds n cheaters! only the real thing will do! Michel Thomas is great. But I must have missed the bit where he explained the difference between Catalonian Spanish and the rest...or did he ever?

Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
 

I was sitting at the bar with a friend of mine who started a conversation in Spanish with a French waiter.

The friend of mine was trying to say to the waiter I think you would make a good boy friend for my 17 yr old daughter.

The whole place went deadly quite for one moment, followed by hilarious laughter; our Spanish friend explained that he asked the waiter to have sex with his daughter.