Learning Spanish in your home ?
Apr 26th 2005, 1:36 pm
#16
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 123
Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
Originally Posted by Mercedes
I'm lucky my neigbours do speak spanish to me as they don't speak English, I find I understand them better than I am able to speak it. I seem to get my point across in most situations, but its conversations I find hardest. My other neighbour is from Barcelona and find him much harder to understand and he also me. When I did classes I found because the teachers didn't speak English it became more like charades, I personally prefer tapes, I got on further with it.
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.
Apr 26th 2005, 2:57 pm
#17
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Posts: 16
Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
Originally Posted by Spanishliferules
I'll let you know
Apr 26th 2005, 3:34 pm
#18
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Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
Originally Posted by jaldridge
I still believe it is extremely hard to learn a language unless you live in the country and you are exposed to the language all the time.
We live in the Costa del Sol and the problem is that practically everyone speaks English, even the waiters.
Good luck...it's not easy.
We live in the Costa del Sol and the problem is that practically everyone speaks English, even the waiters.
Good luck...it's not easy.
Apr 26th 2005, 3:37 pm
#19
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Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
Originally Posted by Spanishliferules
Apr 26th 2005, 6:18 pm
#20
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Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
Originally Posted by Beachcomber
I went to evening classes for a couple of years before moving here and achieved a high level of Spanish but when I actually moved to Andalucía it was like learning a foreign language all over again.
The best way is to make non-English speaking Spanish friends, dump your Sky digibox (if you have one) and buy a Spanish newspaper like Van Guardia and make yourself read it.
You know you are getting there when you find yourself thinking in Spanish rather than translating what you are going to say from English into Spanish before saying it.
If you are still living in the UK and decide to have Spanish lessons try to get a tutor with Spanish as his/her native language preferably with an accent local to the area you are going to move to.
Learning a language academically is fine for passing exams but it's useless for living your life.
The best way is to make non-English speaking Spanish friends, dump your Sky digibox (if you have one) and buy a Spanish newspaper like Van Guardia and make yourself read it.
You know you are getting there when you find yourself thinking in Spanish rather than translating what you are going to say from English into Spanish before saying it.
If you are still living in the UK and decide to have Spanish lessons try to get a tutor with Spanish as his/her native language preferably with an accent local to the area you are going to move to.
Learning a language academically is fine for passing exams but it's useless for living your life.
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%.
Apr 26th 2005, 10:34 pm
#21
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 123
Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
Originally Posted by TheArmChairDetective
Thanks for the link SLR
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!
Apr 27th 2005, 10:14 am
#22
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Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
Originally Posted by Spanishliferules
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!
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!
Apr 28th 2005, 5:51 pm
#23
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Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
Originally Posted by Mercedes
My barcelonian neighbour fell about laughing yesterday on my pronounation of "gate" I apparently called it a whore.
May 2nd 2005, 1:02 pm
#24
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Location: Benalmadena Pueblo,Spain
Posts: 20,156
Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
Originally Posted by TheArmChairDetective
One is tempted to ask what it was you were saying about your gate
Thats why you should never call a PC a puta
May 2nd 2005, 8:02 pm
#25
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Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Madrid
Posts: 206
Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
Originally Posted by jdr
An extra er in the word
Thats why you should never call a PC a puta
Thats why you should never call a PC a puta
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.
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.
May 2nd 2005, 8:56 pm
#26
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Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Guardamar
Posts: 32
Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
Originally Posted by TheArmChairDetective
I'm not far from colerne.
Where did you buy your cd's from please?
Where did you buy your cd's from please?
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
May 3rd 2005, 5:00 pm
#27
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Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Madrid
Posts: 206
Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
Originally Posted by spanishgirl
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
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
http://www.play.com/play247.asp?pa=s...D&title=170188
May 4th 2005, 12:14 am
#28
Guest
Posts: n/a
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.
May 5th 2005, 9:37 pm
#29
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Joined: May 2005
Location: Grimblegrumble world
Posts: 5
Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
Originally Posted by Mercedes
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.
May 10th 2005, 2:18 pm
#30
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 123
Re: Learning Spanish in your home ?
Originally Posted by coralsoft
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.