Tips For Learning A Foreign Language

[TMagic]

Just looking for tips to learn Spanish.

I've purchased Rosetta Stone for Latin American Spanish.

I use it everyday for about an hour and a half. But I was wondering what else I should be doing or things that would be helpful in becoming proficient in the language.

My goal is to understand enough of the language that I am not consciously thinking about translating my english thoughts into spanish or vice versa. Like, if someone says something to me in Spanish, I dont want to have to think about what the person said and have to translate what they said to english before I understand it; then turn around and think about how I want to respond in English, before translating it into Spanish.

Just trying to become as close to bilingual as possible and any help in this apartment will be greatly appreciated fellas.

[iAM-IncReDiBLe-]

Get a Spanish girlfriend

[TMagic]

Get a Spanish girlfriend

Thats one of the main reasons I want to learn the language. Trying to get that Spanish girlfriend.

[sydrogerdavid]

Re: Tips For Learning A Foreign Language

Listen to Spanish music and watch Spanish movies.

Practice EVERYDAY. You seem to be on the right path. Don't slack.

Remember it took you many years to learn English. It's going to take longer to learn Spanish because you aren't a little kid anymore and you aren't growing up listening to adults speak it.

You will probably get frustrated, but keep on pushing. You will see results and surprise yourself with what you can understand in the real world.

[Cusefan]

Re: Tips For Learning A Foreign Language

Thats one of the main reasons I want to learn the language. Trying to get that Spanish girlfriend.

Well good luck with in Miami, you might want to look for a Cuban, Mexican, or puerto rican girl first.

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: Tips For Learning A Foreign Language

Saw this article on Lifehacker a couple weeks ago, may be useful to you.

[iAM-IncReDiBLe-]

Thats one of the main reasons I want to learn the language. Trying to get that Spanish girlfriend.

Unless their family is straight up traditional Spanish you won't have any trouble finding a Spanish girlfriend without being able to speak Spanish. Then just spend time with them an tell them to speak in Spanish. You will catch on over time.

Remember damn near every Spanish girl is conceited, be confident an they will love you. Also even tho they may not say it, they love a guy who can talk to them in their native language at times.

I just don't feel like any of those things that "teach" you Spanish will make you fluent. Your gonna have to just hang around with Spanish people to become fluent. Even Spanish has slang to it an yes every Spanish race speaks it differently. Some things don't mean the same for columbians an Puerto ricans for example. Good thing is I'm half Puerto rican an half columbian so it isn't a problem for me lol.

[TMagic]

Well good luck with in Miami, you might want to look for a Cuban, Mexican, or puerto rican girl first.

I actually moved back to Cali. So she'd be Mexicana. Lol

[Ermolli]

Re: Tips For Learning A Foreign Language

I would recommend you (besides practising) is to find someone who speaks fluent Spanish; he/she doesn't necesarily have to be a native speaker, maybe he/she is an American who learned it long time ago which you be useful to you because she/he can help you better because he/she went through the same things as you.
Listening spanish music would be a good option too. I, for example, learned some words in English because I wanted to know the lyrics of the songs I listened which later helped me when I wanted to write things in English.
Also, something you might consider is from which area of Latin America are you going to learn its Spanish. It has some different words (not many) and expressions between Colombia and Ecuador and from the Spanish of Rio de la Plata (Argentina and Uruguay). Maybe if you want to pick up some Spanish lady you would need to learn Spanish from the north and not from here.
And most important, don't be shy to speak it, I know many people who dominates a foreign language in classes and prefers to not speak it elsewhere because he lacks confidence. One learns a language best from speaking it and being corrected from their mistakes.
I hope this helps you something and buena suerte aprendiendo español.

[ABR173rd]

Re: Tips For Learning A Foreign Language

Get a Spanish girlfriend

lol nice!

To the OP, Rosetta stone is decent as far as picking up words and some of the easier sentences. However it doesnt do a good job of teaching you the grammar and how to use the different verb tenses properly. The best suggestion I can make if possible, is take a spanish class and surround yourself with people who speak spanish. Not necessarily because they will be able to teach you perfect spanish but it will reinforce what your learning. There is also a difference in certain words and phrases depending on the nationality or country of the person your trying to communicate with.

[TMagic]

lol nice!

To the OP, Rosetta stone is decent as far as picking up words and some of the easier sentences. However it doesnt do a good job of teaching you the grammar and how to use the different verb tenses properly. The best suggestion I can make if possible, is take a spanish class and surround yourself with people who speak spanish. Not necessarily because they will be able to teach you perfect spanish but it will reinforce what your learning. There is also a difference in certain words and phrases depending on the nationality or country of the person your trying to communicate with.

Yeah. With Rosetta Stone it doesn't necessarily teach you sentence structure per say. It tries to teach you like you learned your first language for the first time.

So its not like a Spanish class I might take where the teacher explains what the different verbs, nouns, and adjectives are, and how they should be arranged in a sentence or how the endings should be converted.

Its about repetition and because absolutely NOTHING is presented to you in English, your mind has to create understanding on its own and by doing this, I think it creates a deeper understanding of the language. It becomes more inherent in that I know when something doesnt sound exactly right because I've never heard or spoken in that way before on Rosetta Stone.

My ex was spanish. Her mom was from Puerto Rico. I took a spanish class in college and when I would ask her for help on certain things, she couldnt. Not because she didnt want to, but because she didnt know parts of speech, rules or sentence structure herself. She just knew when what I wrote or said "didnt sound right" to her and it was her first language.

I think most of us can say the same thing about the English language. I think Rosetta Stone does a good job emulating the natural way someone learns their first language. I just dont know if its the best way.

[RockinDaMike]

Re: Tips For Learning A Foreign Language

I'm in the same situation where I want to learn another language as well. I might be moving to the Philippines in about a year and half to run a hotel. My parents never taught me Tagalog (main Filipino language) while growing up but since I'll be possibly living there I'm going to take lessons offered in Phoenix.

[ABR173rd]

Re: Tips For Learning A Foreign Language

Yeah. With Rosetta Stone it doesn't necessarily teach you sentence structure per say. It tries to teach you like you learned your first language for the first time.

So its not like a Spanish class I might take where the teacher explains what the different verbs, nouns, and adjectives are, and how they should be arranged in a sentence or how the endings should be converted.

Its about repetition and because absolutely NOTHING is presented to you in English, your mind has to create understanding on its own and by doing this, I think it creates a deeper understanding of the language. It becomes more inherent in that I know when something doesnt sound exactly right because I've never heard or spoken in that way before on Rosetta Stone.

My ex was spanish. Her mom was from Puerto Rico. I took a spanish class in college and when I would ask her for help on certain things, she couldnt. Not because she didnt want to, but because she didnt know parts of speech, rules or sentence structure herself. She just knew when what I wrote or said "didnt sound right" to her and it was her first language.

I think most of us can say the same thing about the English language. I think Rosetta Stone does a good job emulating the natural way someone learns their first language. I just dont know if its the best way.

My wife is Peruvian and in her last semester to be a Spanish teacher none the less, so I feel you. I would ask her for help occasionally on some of my college level Spanish homework and she would have issues in regards to grammar and sentence structure. I can say though between Rosetta stone and really digging into Spanish classes, I have learned a lot more from the classes in regards to the language. It also helps being around her family and listening to them converse.

[FlyingFinn]

Re: Tips For Learning A Foreign Language

I actually completed Rosetta Stone German levels 1 through 5. When I was done, I was not fluent in German but I could express my thoughts in simple terms. I took the Goethe Institute German placement test afterwards and was graded at a B1 level on the CEFR standard. To progress, I got a good grammar book and started watching German TV online and listening to German internet news broadcasts on my iphone to and from work.

Also, creating vocabulary lists in Anki without using English in the translation (i.e. pictures or simple description in target language) helps you think in the other language (like Rosetta Stone because you never associated words to the English language.