# no hablo español



## billnkim (Dec 2, 2018)

We are looking to retire to La Paz next year. While we are trying to learn Spanish (slow going) and have translator apps how difficult is it to manage day to day with the local culture?
thx


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

billnkim said:


> We are looking to retire to La Paz next year. While we are trying to learn Spanish (slow going) and have translator apps how difficult is it to manage day to day with the local culture?
> thx


If you want to only mix in English speaking groups, shop only in US shops and miss out on all the wonderful experiences that Mexico has to offer, you'll probably scrape by. Just bear in mind what all the Americans have to say and how up tight they get, about Mexicans who go to the States and struggle to speak anything other than Spanish. Shoes on other feet come to mind.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Just keep studying and use what you learn every day. Mexicans like the fact that you are trying, and will help you along with patient listening and a friendly smile. When someone does that for you on several occasions, you may eventually be surprised to find that they were quite fluent in English, but didn't want to interfere with your learning process. Enjoy the experience...Que disfrutes de la experiencia.


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## Bodega (Apr 20, 2016)

baldilocks said:


> If you want to only mix in English speaking groups, shop only in US shops and miss out on all the wonderful experiences that Mexico has to offer, you'll probably scrape by. Just bear in mind what all the Americans have to say and how up tight they get, about Mexicans who go to the States and struggle to speak anything other than Spanish. Shoes on other feet come to mind.


“All the Americans”. You’re painting with a pretty wide brush there.


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## billnkim (Dec 2, 2018)

RVGRINGO said:


> Just keep studying and use what you learn every day. Mexicans like the fact that you are trying, and will help you along with patient listening and a friendly smile. When someone does that for you on several occasions, you may eventually be surprised to find that they were quite fluent in English, but didn't want to interfere with your learning process. Enjoy the experience...Que disfrutes de la experiencia.


I totally agree and believe it is very respectful to understand and speak the native language. I'm sure once we start interacting the learning process will go more quickly. 
thx


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

To get by in Spanish is not that difficult, to master the language is another story. It takes years of studyng and being serious about learning. You will figure out quickly how to shop and how to deal with the merchants but you may need someone if you go to the hospital , to deal with doctors and to interact when it is important to get it straight.
I bet that there are lots of Mexicans speaking English in La Paz anyways.


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## Meritorious-MasoMenos (Apr 17, 2014)

billnkim said:


> We are looking to retire to La Paz next year. While we are trying to learn Spanish (slow going) and have translator apps how difficult is it to manage day to day with the local culture?
> thx


Hiring a young student/students once you're in La Paz should be easy to do and not costly if you shop around. The best way to learn any language is immersion. You can hire various students for, say, two hours a day, four or five times a week for a few months (assuming you have basic understanding of Spanish grammar). You and your spouse speak only Spanish with teacher for two solid hours each day. Once or twice a week, walk to market or plaza with teacher and talk, talk, talk. Investment will be well worth it.

Supplement with watching Mexican newscasts, where they speak relatively slowly and in standard Mexican Spanish. From pictures, you'll grasp subject of each news story and will be understanding more words every day.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

National Geographic and Reader's Digest are both published in Spanish, and are easily found. The text, supported by the pictures, is very helpful, and the content is always interesting.


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## Maggi3 (May 25, 2019)

*Slow News in Spanish"*

Hola!

I moved to Mexico in the mid-90s without knowing a word of Spanish. I jumped in and 20 years later, I'm still fluent. By using apps and lessons, you're already ahead of the game! Unlike in the US with ignorant "Speak 'Merican!" folks, most Mexican people I've met are very polite and patient with foreigners. Especially in a place where tourism is their "pan y mantequilla" (bread and butter). 

You seem to want to learn and that's a plus! Just know you'll make lots of stupid mistakes and laugh them off. You weren't born speaking English. I'm sure you can think of lots of silly words that toddlers misspeak ("pa-sketti" for "spaghetti"). Just roll with it. Getting over the feeling stupid when speaking a language is the hardest obstacle but also the most important to finally learning how to "habla with ease."

Have you heard of "Slow News in Spanish"? I'm still a new member and cannot post links but Google it. It's a great way to hear spoken Spanish and learn the language. My husband is trying it out. 

Buena suerte!
Maggie


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## almot (Aug 25, 2012)

Billnkim - since this is La Paz, - better ask at the Baja Nomads forum. Don't expect a concise and 100% correct answer, though. Who can tell "how difficult"... Depends on your needs, how much of the local culture you want and how much efforts you think it's worth to you. Also, - depends on how old you are. 

Translator apps do one thing - translate. I doubt they help learning.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

A couple of comments:

1) The biggest impediment to your learning will be that it sounds like you are a couple and so will be speaking English with each other much of the time. I don't think you can do anything about this. You could help each other by setting aside a time each day or week when you only use Spanish but it is difficult to do that. And it would help with speaking but not much with listening.

2) Finding a place to live in a community where there are very few English speakers also helps. If everyone you deal with is used to speaking English for all the foreigners, you won't get much practice in your daily life. In La Paz that should be easy because there is not the overwhelming foreign population of some of the more popular tourist or retirement destinations.

3) The idea of hiring students to practice with is a good one. You can also easily find people who want to practice their English and will trade an hour speaking English for an hour speaking Spanish. It is a good way to get to know people as well as work on your language skills. My three closest and oldest friends in Mexico are all people I connected with because of intercambios.

That is one more comment than I promised, so I better quit there.

Edit: Regarding getting by while you are learning. You can do it just fine, just realize you will feel like a two-year old a lot, but you can do it. For the first 5 years I was here, my comprehension was pretty low. I managed to buy a house, get visas, get a driver's licenses, RFC, CURP and do all the stuff needed without a translator or other help. I often had to ask several times before I understood, and probably went back to offices more times than necessary, but I survived and it all helped to learn.


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## almot (Aug 25, 2012)

Lack of Spanish immersion impedes the learning for ****** retirees. Locals are busy surviving, they don't have much time to chat with you. 

You really asked about getting by, while learning is something that you are trying but not sure how soon and how good your results will be. People after 50-60 who are trying, in vast majority of cases end up at the level of a 6-year old child - after several years of intermittent learning. Can talk some, can understand some, and are lost when native speakers start talking at their normal fast pace. 

Getting by in La Paz without Spanish is doable. Americans and Canadians living in Baja with none or very little Spanish (most of them), are a proof. Grocery shopping you just read the labels, using the app if you have to, then at the cashier's she'll tell the price and show it to you on the screen - done. Doctors many speak English. 

Buying a place can be done without speaking foreign language in any country. Just look at the Chinese populating the US and Canada in great numbers every year. Finalizing RT/RP papers at INM office takes a little talking, but not much, it's mostly filling the forms (and they have almost all the forms online now). US expats in Baja often hire local facilitators for this, to save time and stress, though the process is not that difficult.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

If you speak more than one language , learning Spanish late in life is no problem but if you are not fluent in another language it will be much more difficult. I retired at 53 n Mexico and I learned Spanish in about 3 years.. at that point I could understand everyone on the street but had still problems with movies. It is doable but you have to want to learn especially if you are in a place with many foreigners or if you speak English at home. I lived in Ajijic and speak English at home and I did it so it is possible..My husband failed but he s 4 years older is not driven and does not speak other languages.. He is American.

The Chinese in the States.. I was on a flight coming back from Hong Kong and the chinese man next to me asked me to fill out his form for him.. He was a US citizen and I was not...


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Maggi3 said:


> Hola!
> 
> ...
> 
> ...


When we’re in Mexico, we usually tune into the morning press conference of the Mexican president (AMLO). He speaks very slowly, clearly and with great deliberation. Whether you agree with his politics or not (I do, along with about 70% of the Mexican population according to polls), his clear, slow speaking style is good for those learning Spanish, and can help you keep up with current affairs in Mexico to boot! 

P.S. You can also pick up colloquialisms like “huachicoleros” (gasoline bootleggers) and “chayoteros”, prominent/influential journalists who have been paid significant amounts of money by politicians for favourable press coverage.


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## almot (Aug 25, 2012)

I've come to think that watching slow talk on TV is appropriate for those at intermediate level. When they've already learned basics of grammar and some vocabulary. Though beginners might still pick up some vocabulary from slow el presidente speeches.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

listening to a foreign language gets our ear used to the differnt sounds and eventually it will help but yes agree it does nothing to help you speak it or understand it onless you have some basic knowledge of the language to start with. I never listen to slow talk because in the end no one speaks very slowly except for the politicians who bore me to death.. I rather watch the cooking shows, the travelling show and I started with the weather channel but I had to graduate to the cooking show when they discontinued the weather channel...


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## almot (Aug 25, 2012)

I'm not sure how much passive listening helps even if you understand what they are talking about. Anything done repeatedly will eventually help, though. 

There is one rather productive technique called "shadowing" - repeating after native speaker in real time, whether it's slow or fast. Audio memory kicks in, you start remembering how this word or phrase sounds AND how to say it. Then there is a better chance that you will recognize it in conversation and use it. For shadowing it's better when material is recorded/downloaded. True for any other audio and visual materials as well. Download it, listen/watch, repeat.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Ro me the best way to learn is with kids.. they are patient , their vocabulary is poor and they love the attention..You can learn a lot playing with them.


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## kcowan (Jul 24, 2010)

I remember when I got my drivers license where the questions were all in Spanish 8 years ago. They said "You can have a Spanish speaker beside you!" I passed but always remember their compassion because even today I can understand a lot more than I can speak.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Everybody can..The passive vocabulary of anyone is always larger than the active one, that is why you understand more than you can speak. It is also true in your native language, there are tons of words you neveruse but understand if someone uses them or if you see them in writing.


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## GARYJ65 (Feb 9, 2013)

ojosazules11 said:


> When we’re in Mexico, we usually tune into the morning press conference of the Mexican president (AMLO). He speaks very slowly, clearly and with great deliberation. Whether you agree with his politics or not (I do, along with about 70% of the Mexican population according to polls), his clear, slow speaking style is good for those learning Spanish, and can help you keep up with current affairs in Mexico to boot!
> 
> P.S. You can also pick up colloquialisms like “huachicoleros” (gasoline bootleggers) and “chayoteros”, prominent/influential journalists who have been paid significant amounts of money by politicians for favourable press coverage.


AMLO’s way of speaking is not the normal way for anyone. He can speak about one word per hour. If anyone tries to learn from him, you might even loose some IQ in the process


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## GARYJ65 (Feb 9, 2013)

ojosazules11 said:


> When we’re in Mexico, we usually tune into the morning press conference of the Mexican president (AMLO). He speaks very slowly, clearly and with great deliberation. Whether you agree with his politics or not (I do, along with about 70% of the Mexican population according to polls), his clear, slow speaking style is good for those learning Spanish, and can help you keep up with current affairs in Mexico to boot!
> 
> P.S. You can also pick up colloquialisms like “huachicoleros” (gasoline bootleggers) and “chayoteros”, prominent/influential journalists who have been paid significant amounts of money by politicians for favourable press coverage.


Just read your comment again. One observation; there is no way on Earth 1, that 70% of Mexicans agree with Andrés Manuel “Politics” perhaps that came from the numbers he makes up. 
PS I’m not affiliated with any political party, they all suck


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

GARYJ65 said:


> Just read your comment again. One observation; there is no way on Earth 1, that 70% of Mexicans agree with Andrés Manuel “Politics” perhaps that came from the numbers he makes up.
> PS I’m not affiliated with any political party, they all suck


Actually various polls show he has about 70% approval ratings give or take. Those aren’t his numbers, they’re from various independent polls. Here are a few links. Of course the exact numbers vary based on when the poll was done and who’s doing the poll, but overall he has a high rate of approval from the Mexicans polled. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-47946959

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-mexico-polls/support-for-mexican-president-grows-after-trump-tariff-threat-idUSKCN1T52JS

https://www.as-coa.org/articles/approval-tracker-mexicos-president-amlo


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