Wanting to Learn Spanish

[JustAGuy]

As the topic states, I would like to learn Spanish. It's a bit embarrassing for me since I'm a Canadian of Peruvian and Uruguayan descent, and only a pure English speaker. My entire family speaks Spanish, most of the time, and the older the relatives, the more they speak it. I can understand about 90% of what is said; occasionally there is a sentence, a colloquialism or a word that I've never heard before. In addition to my partial understanding, I have no confidence in my current understanding of Spanish to speak it. Verb conjugation seems to get me down.

It's like this with me with lots things. For example, when I was new at poker, I played and won, then lost, then won a bit, then lost a lot more. I had a feel for it, but didn't really know what I was doing. I would call when I should raise, fold when the odds say call, etc. Then, I chose to educate myself, and now I can hold my own on most any table around (casino or home-game. The no-limit games really hurt me, though).

The point is that I want to educate myself. Does anyone know a good "teach-yourself-Spanish" course or book I can purchase over the 'net? I have to rectify this pitiful situation regarding my linguistics. The thing is, according to my heritage and my place of residence, I should be fluent in three languages, English, French, and Spanish. As of right now, I can understand French and Spanish, but can only Speak and write in English. Despicable!

[Griselda]

Hi,

I don't know if you have any significant Spanish speaking population where you live, but it seems that the most effective way to learn a language is to try to communicate in it. There may be schools in your area that could use a volunteer to work with the Spanish speaking children or their families. You don't need to be fluent to be helpful in that area! Any Spanish would be useful.

If there's a University in your area, they may have some sort of program to help international students become proficient in English before attending University classes, or a support program for students who are already considered fluent, but would like to brush up on their English skills. You may be able to work out some sort of deal where you learned Spanish from the students, while they were learning English from you.

Many towns also have a "conversational" language group. These groups are generally people who are trying to maintain their native language, or develop a second language. They generally meet for lunch or something like that every week or two, and try to only communicate in the "target" language during their meetings. If there isn't one in your area and you have the time, you may be able to start a group like that.

If you speak even very basic Spanish, put it on your resume! Don't claim to be fluent if you're not, but advertising yourself as having "beginning" or "intermediate" Spanish language skills might just make the difference between you and a similar job applicant. The nice thing about that is, if it does make a difference, you may end up in a position where you have the opportunity to work with Spanish speakers in some capacity.

Some community colleges (not sure if they go by a different name in Canada, basically two-year colleges that are inexpensive and open to everyone) offer low-cost foreign language courses. However, although colleges and other courses will teach you the rules of grammar, it can be very difficult to understand, apply, and maintain them unless you have some excuse to practice actually communicating in that language. A course in addition to, rather than instead of, one of the above would probably be best, but requires a significant time commitment.

Of corse, I am only fluent in English myself. I took seven years of French, but have forgotten most of that. I work with Spanish speakers just about every day, though, and my daughter is enrolled in a Spanish-immersion program at school. I find that even though I have more formal training in French, my Spanish is already much better than my French (which is not to say that it's all that good, but it is getting better). Now that I'm using Spanish in my daily life, I plan to start taking Spanish courses this summer. Since I would be able to apply what I learn, I think it's more likely to "stick" than all of those French courses (of course, knowing the French was very helpful to me as I am learning Spanish).

-Griselda

[--Pete]

Hi,

My entire family speaks Spanish, most of the time, and the older the relatives, the more they speak it.

If that includes your parents, then just agree to speak nothing but Spanish at home. With the exception of the "dead" languages, learning from a book is probably not the best way to go -- language is a skill as much as it is knowledge.

--Pete (who speaks Engtalian with his parents :) )

[JustAGuy]

There isn't a Spanish community where I live, as far as I know. The biggest community is most likely my very own family, as we're fairly large (cousins, aunts and uncles total up to 40+ in the family) and most, if not all, speak Spanish. I knew some Spanish speakers in High School, and boy did I have a hard time speaking with them. It's nice to have a cultural acceptance with other "Latin" people, but I always felt different because of my linguistic shortcomings.

I agree that practise makes perfect; the best way to learn is to speak it. The problem with me is that I've got it all in my head, but I just can't spit it out. I need structure, I need rules. Therefore, I'd like to read a book about it, practise alone for a bit, then apply what I've learned. That's usually how I learn things. Book learnin' combined with the practical side.

ASIDE: Community Colleges are alive and well in Canada, but they offer lots of things, including some gems that are University standard (or better!). For instance, the Computer Engineering program I took in College (I guess it's considered a "community college") was a course designed around theory and practical together, and was very hands-on. It is widely regarded as a quality course, and in many people's opinions (mine as well) is superior to the Computer Science course at the neighbouring Queen's University. I was in and out in 3 years, and I left with more practical knowledge than any Queen's Computer Science student. Most of the Queen's students that graduated at the same time as me are currently unemployed, whereas I'm doing just fine at my Software Development job. <evil laugh>

[JustAGuy]

I do have a great resource in my parents.

I plan to speak with them to improve my Spanish skills. But, I need something to improve on first. In order to play the game, you've got to know the rules. Book learnin' is how I'll get a grasp, then I can compete.

I do have lots of information in my head. One of my main mental-blocks, though, is that I fancy myself a "good" English speaker, applying proper grammar and sentence structure when appropriate (that is, most all the time). If I switch to Spanish, all of a sudden, I'm back to square one; speaking like an American tourist in Mexico. I'd like to read something to cut down on the improperly conjugated verbs I'm likely to spit out. Vocabulary will come in time, but I've first got to get a solid grasp on the basics. I probably already know them, but it's nice to see things in print to solidify it in my head. It also helps since I have a photographic memory, and seeing the rules on paper would definitely help with comprehension.

As for your Engtalian... Good lord, the Spanglish around here is awful. My parents don't even realize that they do it anymore. It's actually kind of funny watching my parents speak with pure Spanish speakers. The looks on the Spanish person's faces as they hear half-Spanish/half-English is priceless.

EDIT: Tag error

[Jim]

Hi

This is one of the Best web site for on-line learning I've found & it's Free, although they do try to sell you their CDs... However you Might already be too Advanced but check it out :D

The best part it is not all reading, but listening as well, this site has Sound so you can hear it in both English & Spanish. :P

Welcome to the Internet's most extensive collection of free Spanish learning tools.

*Pronunciation: The Spanish a

The Spanish "a" is pronounced like the "a" in the word "father."

Pronunciation:&nbsp; Click here for oral exercise, listen & practice the Spanish "A"

Written part: here is a sample&nbsp; :blink:

Gender of Nouns: Part I

A noun is a word used to denote a person, place, thing, or idea.

Person: John, girl, dentist
Place: garden, university, Venezuela
Thing: book, car, tomato
Idea: liberty, despair, intelligence

In Spanish, all nouns are either masculine or feminine.

Masculine..............Feminine
el chico...boy........la chica...girl

Learn Spanish

[JustAGuy]

A-hah! That is what I am looking for. Good website. I'm looking for the ground up type stuff, treating myself like I know nothing. Thanks for the info.