# Learning Spanish



## madmuffy (Dec 5, 2008)

Did anyone try Rosetta Stone or any other aid to help them get a small jump on the language before they went over? If you did what did you use and how helpfull was it? What was the easiest way for you to learn the language? We will be headed over for a 2 year assignment and don't speak any Spanish at all. Any help would be great.
Thanks


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## nerja_boy (Jan 6, 2009)

madmuffy said:


> Did anyone try Rosetta Stone or any other aid to help them get a small jump on the language before they went over? If you did what did you use and how helpfull was it? What was the easiest way for you to learn the language? We will be headed over for a 2 year assignment and don't speak any Spanish at all. Any help would be great.
> Thanks


hiya
not tried the software but i remembard a running horse from the advert so it must be tidy, but getting cabbio correr in a sentance is proving hard 
good start would be learn the common verbs, hablar, vivir, comer, etc, and i want, i need, how much and so on, and allways start a sentance, "lo siento mi espanol es muy malo" always gets a smile and then lots of help 
lee

ps any one know of any good teach your self spelling and grammer books?


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## owdoggy (Jul 23, 2008)

For a standard, bury yer head in a book learning course I found "Pasos" level 1 to be pretty good but Mrs Doggy got the Rosetta Stone level 1 s/ware as a retirement prezzy & I reckon that was pretty good if a little unusual at the start. You have to get a good way through the course to suss where they're going with it but it does work. The bad news is of course that it's a tad on the pricey side. I fancied getting level 2 and nearly fell off me chair when I saw the price 

However, here we are in sunny Mojacar and I thought I knew quite a bit of Spanish but when it get's down to nut cutting time and I have to use it in real time with real people I have come to the conclusion that I know just about ................. naff all! ...........hey ho



Doggy


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

owdoggy said:


> However, here we are in sunny Mojacar and I thought I knew quite a bit of Spanish but when it get's down to nut cutting time and I have to use it in real time with real people I have come to the conclusion that I know just about ................. naff all! ...........hey ho
> 
> 
> 
> Doggy


You've hit the nail on the head Doggy!! All these lessons, books, pc programmes..... are good for learning the structure and one or two words, but placed in situ with real Spanish and the need to understand and answer quickly, they're all pretty useless. The only way to learn is to listen and be totally absorbed in the real thing! - and even then it takes months and months and months..........!!!!!!!

Jo


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

A Spanish friend of mine, who speaks 6 languages (but curiously cannot understand a word spoken in Andalucia - he is from Barcelona) told me that his advice is that there is no substitute for being in the country and being totally immersed in the language. When he is learning a new langauge and when he is not in that country, if available he tunes in to a TV channel spoken in that langauge and leaves it on most of the day. He told me that it is the way a baby learns (and we've all done that at least once) by constantly listening to the language even though it cannot, at first, understand a word. Gradually words become familiar from repitition and if you are also occassionally getting visual clues it begins to stick. Couple that with the technical side of learning from books and then visits to the country and you begin to learn the language the natural way. It works for him so now when I am at home I have TVEi on and it is beginning to work.


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

Thrax, spot on. I have Learning Spanish - Learning Spanish and there are numerous resources there including a free 6 part Spanish course but the ONLY way to REALLY learn Spanish is get out of the expat bars, buy El Sol instead of the Sun, cancel your Sky subscription and watch the (appalling) telenovelas. Watched dubbed films ...the Spanish is often dumbed down and the slang translated into standard Spanish, leave the RBL and walk into the Spanish pensioners club, stop playing pool and learn petanca with the locals. If you need to throw arrows make sure they are dardos and not darts. PRACTICAR, PRACTICAR, PRACTICAR.

Most of all do what you ENJOY. If you enjoy fishing, buy the Spanish angling magazines, if you are a football fan buy Marca, if you an Arsenal fan go to church and learn to ask for forgiveness!) if you watch porn there's plenty of Spanish porn (if you don't understand the words you can at least tell the wife you are trying to learn!)and if you like gossip you are half way there - the Spansih love their Prensa Rosa. 

There is no way I'd buy a magazine about embroidery so would not claim that my vocabulary on cross-stitching is extensive but as a football fan I'd be upset if there was a word in Marca I did not know ......and if there is I look it up. Likewise with IT/telecom/www and cooking! 

Good news? The Spanish do not "invent" words like the English press and there are many less puns, plays on words etc 


¡Os deseo mucha suerte!


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

While I'm in full agreement that you don't "really" learn a language until you're tossed into the middle of it and have to sink or swim, it still is useful to study up a bit on your own before you arrive.

Personally, I like the Assimil language learning materials Assimil - Le don des langues - in part because they're just plain fun, but also because they are "listen and repeat" type lessons. What you need to get started are whole phrases or expressions, not the understanding of grammar. (Make sure you know how to say things like, "I'm sorry, but I only speak a little Spanish - can you help me?" "Please speak slower, I'm having trouble following you." "Could you please repeat? I didn't quite understand that.")

The big thing once you get in place is to take on a sort of "oh what the heck" attitude and just try your luck. You're gonna make mistakes. You're gonna get into situations where you can't make yourself understood and where you'll have no idea what people are trying to tell you. You'll feel like a fool for the first weeks and months. Learn to laugh it off, be gracious about it and you'll be surprised how quickly you'll pick it up when you have to. 
Cheers,
Bev


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I'm doing everything, I have lessons twice a week, I go to a spanish conversation gruop once a week and I isten to Spanish radio in the car and at night in bed (our TV wont pick up Spanish stations for some reason??) I've been doing this since September. I guess I'ml earning a bit, but its slow, I can understand most of whats said to me, but I couldnt begin to hold a conversation. I think as we get older, our brains take longer to retain information.... or is that just me???!!

Jo


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

jojo said:


> I think as we get older, our brains take longer to retain information.... or is that just me???!!
> 
> Jo


Jojo, I thought you were getting YOUNGER ...at least that's what your other post indicated! Last week you admitted to being over 30 but today you are 21!! 

Women and ages! 

Seriously, you are doing all the right things and I am sure that one day it will all "click" Te deseo mucha suerte


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

We start learning our native tongue from around 3 months of age until??? How long before you could say you were really fluent in your own language and that using a pristine brain not one addled like mine with alcohol and enough useless facts to make me good at trivial pursuit (if only I could remember those facts...). A professor of biology (a really clever bloke mind) once told me that as we get older we don't, in fact, forget more, but simply remember more often how much we forget. When we are younger forgetting stuff doesn't bother us but as we get older it causes concern because we associate getting older with forgetting more. Make sense so far? The real problem for some of us with learning a foreign language is that we have forgotten how to do it and our brains refuse to accept this new information. People who are good at learning new languages haven't forgotten the technique. Now even knowing this hasn't helped me much because I seem to have forgotten what that technique is.....


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

A rather important FACT is that the average human brain actually only retains "x" words for normal use. If you use two languages daily - it's tougher to balance the word sets - Use 3 and it's HARD. 

You'll get into Spanish faster if you AVOID using all other languages. I appreciate it's NOT easy if teh whole family still thinks/speaks (i.e.) English. 

I travelled in Peru with a Language teacher who taught Diplomats children at EEC HQ. As she said - "They could all speak perfectly in 6 languages at receptions etc - and appeared exceptionally bright - but almost none could actually express themselves in a profound manner except their mother tongue (if that)".

I now actually have problems speaking when I first arrive in the UK.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I have problems speaking after a bottle of whisky; the only sentence I seem to be able to say is, "more whisky".


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

thrax said:


> I have problems speaking after a bottle of whisky; the only sentence I seem to be able to say is, "more whisky".


One thing to avoid is the Michel Thomas course. He claims to have taught Hollywood stars and our own Emma Thomson reckons he taught her enough Spanish in a w/e to answer questions for herself at a press conference for a new film she was in, with Antonio Banderas, who was expecting to translate all her answers.

But his course is dire. Just check out the Amazon uk users' reports. 

As in another thread, I recommend 'Talk To M'e by _Auralog_, an interactive dvd [get the beginner/intermediate/advanced package]. For grammer, I have found the 'Practice Makes Perfect' series [Dorothy Richmond. pub: McGraw Hill] very good indeed. Tip: if you get these P M P books, tear out the answers pages [they are perforated] and stash them in their own folder. Then do the exercises on separate sheets of paper, not in the tutorial books themselves, where blanks are provided for answers to be entered. This way a] you can look up answers from yr folder without shifting from the problems page. b] you can do the exercises repeatedly without rubbing out or tippexing yr previous efforts. Really good books, these. Grammer with minimum tears.


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## Phsye (Aug 4, 2010)

I know this is an old thread but I used Rosetta Stone before I came out and I found it a big help. I went to intensive language courses in the summer in Spain and then used Rosetta Stone when I was back in the UK (on the train commuting into London). I didn't want to lose my level and I found the software very good for that.

Mind you, some mornings in February I found it tough to open the laptop at 7am in the morning. However, by the time I got to London I had done 45mins and felt great about it.

I suppose it helped that I really wanted to learn Spanish.


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

*Language school.*

I don't qualify as hom sap at &am on a Feb morning. See photo for proof.

What school did you go to for your intensive?


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## Phsye (Aug 4, 2010)

Hey, I think I sat next to you once! 

I went to Clic (international House) in Seville. I like the atrmosphere there. I have also been to Liguarma in Madrid and I am currently with IDEA in Granada.


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## Hybr!d (Oct 9, 2011)

I have used rosetta stone and im taking lessons with a real teacher before i depart instead. Its good, the best software by far but i seem to absorb more in a class environment. It is bloody expensive too if you need to buy it, money better spend on real lessons imo.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

We were given the Michel Thomas CDs and tried them but never got past the first CD. The system he uses is simple and can be effective for beginners but after a little while you get very bored and frustrated with it. And as for the male student always getting everything wrong. You end up screaming at him.


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## Phsye (Aug 4, 2010)

Agree, It is a lot of money up front for the software but I spent about 150hrs using it so cost was about one pound per hour in the end!

That many spanish lessons would have cost a lot more!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Phsye said:


> Agree, It is a lot of money up front for the software but I spent about 150hrs using it so cost was about one pound per hour in the end!
> 
> That many spanish lessons would have cost a lot more!


That's true, you have to work out the real cost, but...
IMO, it's hard to beat a real live human being for interaction. And a small group 4/5 people with a professional teacher who gives plenty of listening and speaking practise is the best way to learn how to _*interact*_ and not be a _*passive*_ learner.
The software, some of which is only marginally better than a grammatical exercise book, has its place and is great for the essential at home practice that so many learners think they can ignore, believing that 2 hours of class a week will make them efficient language learners.
However, when you can access such great things on internet like the BBC sites for free, I don't know why you'd want to shell out for an American speaking South American Spanish, which can be quite different to Iberian Spanish.


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

Yes, indeed, the Michel Thomas course is woeful. For a start, why would one consider learning Spanish from someone with a 'mitteleuropean' accent?

You couldn't get past CD1. Image, I got through 6 or maybe 8! I was stuck behind the wheel of a truck at the time. I thought I'd give it a go. Then the whole lot went in the bin.

I do recommend the Auralog software lessons. I think they are on the same principles as Rosetta but _very_ much cheaper.


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

Phsye said:


> Hey, I think I sat next to you once!
> 
> I went to Clic (international House) in Seville. I like the atrmosphere there. I have also been to Liguarma in Madrid and I am currently with IDEA in Granada.


Err... I seem to recall ... was I dreaming?... Purple dress?... On the left or on the right?...

Heard anything about don Quijote schools?


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I have chosen a very cheap way to learn Spanish. I talk to Spanish people in Spanish


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

thrax said:


> I have chosen a very cheap way to learn Spanish. I talk to Spanish people in Spanish


How novel!
You should try marrying one - or then again, perhaps you shouldn't...

In some regions of the UK you might find it difficult to put your chosen method into action. When you're in Spain, of course it's the only sensible thing to do. However, a bit of study usually makes everything click into place quicker.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Well I have no plans to get rid of the current wife so marrying a Spanish one would present difficulties of elephantine proportions although it could be achieved. But living where I do in Spain, most Spanish don't speak English so my cheap method is working fine


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## Phsye (Aug 4, 2010)

thrax said:


> I have chosen a very cheap way to learn Spanish. I talk to Spanish people in Spanish





Pesky Wesky said:


> How novel!
> You should try marrying one - or then again, perhaps you shouldn't...
> 
> In some regions of the UK you might find it difficult to put your chosen method into action. When you're in Spain, of course it's the only sensible thing to do. However, a bit of study usually makes everything click into place quicker.


I learnt fastest with a bit of both, books, software and lessons to 'learn', then plenty of 'practice' with the other parents down at swings. I'd be practicing there all day long if my son had his way... I find that either practice or learning on it's own isn't enough, progress is was too slow.

Be careful marrying a Spanish girl, you might end up in Spain


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I am in Spain so marrying a Spanish girl won't cause that problem!!!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Pesky Wesky said:


> That's true, you have to work out the real cost, but...
> IMO, it's hard to beat a real live human being for interaction. And a small group 4/5 people with a professional teacher who gives plenty of listening and speaking practise is the best way to learn how to _*interact*_ and not be a _*passive*_ learner.
> The software, some of which is only marginally better than a grammatical exercise book, has its place and is great for the essential at home practice that so many learners think they can ignore, believing that 2 hours of class a week will make them efficient language learners.
> However, when you can access such great things on internet like the BBC sites for free, I don't know why you'd want to shell out for an American speaking South American Spanish, which can be quite different to Iberian Spanish.



As a former MFL teacher I totally agree.
Interestingly, the most fluent non-native speakers of English I have encountered both in Spain and the Czech Republic had had no formal teaching of any kind and had never opened a textbook or used a CD but had learnt entirely from...... Sky tv.
Hard to believe but true. 
They then consolidated their skills by interaction with English-speaking clients as, strangely, the two most fluent speakers of this kind were in the rental business!
I guess money is a powerful motivator...


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

*Learning on the job*

Some current renowned thesp or movie director or somesuch [senior moment - the name escapes me] - learned English by watching the films whilst working as a flunky at The National Film Theatre. 

Can anyone suggest a good on-line Spanish 'broadcast' I can listen to in UK?




mrypg9 said:


> As a former MFL teacher I totally agree.
> Interestingly, the most fluent non-native speakers of English I have encountered both in Spain and the Czech Republic had had no formal teaching of any kind and had never opened a textbook or used a CD but had learnt entirely from...... Sky tv.
> Hard to believe but true.
> They then consolidated their skills by interaction with English-speaking clients as, strangely, the two most fluent speakers of this kind were in the rental business!
> I guess money is a powerful motivator...


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## Phsye (Aug 4, 2010)

chrisnation said:


> Some current renowned thesp or movie director or somesuch [senior moment - the name escapes me] - learned English by watching the films whilst working as a flunky at The National Film Theatre.
> 
> Can anyone suggest a good on-line Spanish 'broadcast' I can listen to in UK?


You can listen to a lot of Spanish radio online. My teacher recommended Radio Granada which is Cadena Ser, they do speak relatively clearly! The call ins are tricky though so don't beat yourself up! I get on better with the radio than I do with subtitled TV. Trying to read and listen (intently!) is a bit tricky, it will depend on your level.

Link to radio granada is www.radiogranada.es

Another good one to learn from is Radio National de España.
(Radio Nacional de España - RTVE.esRadio Nacional de España - RTVE.es (just click Radio National en directo on the right handside) 

Happy listening!

Best regards

James


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

*Spanish radio*

Thanks James.

I agree with the comment about subtitles. My French is good enough to follow the audio whilst checking the s/t and a lot of the idiomatic stuff gets lost.

Is the Granada station in Andalucian Spanish? I've heard them do things like dropping 's' off words eg "ma' " for "mas". In other words, is it in a regional accent?




Phsye said:


> You can listen to a lot of Spanish radio online. My teacher recommended Radio Granada which is Cadena Ser, they do speak relatively clearly! The call ins are tricky though so don't beat yourself up! I get on better with the radio than I do with subtitled TV. Trying to read and listen (intently!) is a bit tricky, it will depend on your level.
> 
> Link to radio granada is www.radiogranada.es
> 
> ...


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## JulyB (Jul 18, 2011)

chrisnation said:


> is it in a regional accent?


It's definitely a regional accent - but if you can follow that, everything else will seem easy!

As well as the radio, I listen to a few podcasts from *rtve * which are available from (UK) iTunes, while commuting, cooking etc. If there's something you're interested in, there's probably a show for that.

Don't forget that the *rtve * website also lets you watch Spanish TV from the UK, so if you like, you can find 24 hour news, or if you prefer fiction a historical soapy-drama or an action-adventure show to watch obsessively until your Spanish improves. I've quite enjoyed 'La República', 'Cuéntame cómo pasó' (20th Century Historical Drama) and the fabulously OTT 17th Century Spanish Ninja show (!) 'Águila Roja' which have all been invaluable in being able to understand normal idiomatic Spanish spoken fast.


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