Can you speak spanish?

[winkie]

I believe when you spend a lot of time in Spain it is only polite to try and speak the language, not only do you yourself benefit immensely, you gain respect from the Spaniards that live around you, and can make some wonderful new friends.

I am still learning, but the more I learn the better the quality of life I have in my semi adopted country.

Can you speak Spanish, enough to have a meaningful conversation with a Spaniard? Do you want to?

[katy]

Where is this thread going, are you wanting to carry out a poll on spanish speakers or what?

[spanish_lad]

yes, and sometimes. next question ?

[costachick]

I'd consider myself fluent in Spanish, however I do find depending on the situation there are always new words to learn, for example went to the docs the other with bad jaw, walked in said the usual chat about family and weather, got down to the jaw business and suddenly realised I didn't know what the word for jaw was in Spanish !!.

[pete_l]

At the risk of wandering off-topic a bit, for the past 2 years
I've been trying to learn Spanish at classes in the UK before I come
out.
However, I find that when I do speak to spanish people, they
haven't attended the same classes I have - and therefore
give different answers to my questions from the ones I've
learnt

My biggest problem is that these classes teach people how to
speak spanish, but I haven't found a class anywhere that teaches
the much more useful skill of how to listen spanish.
We do after all, listen much more than we speak.
(the old adage about 2 ears and 1 mouth)

I've tried watching the spanish station TVEi on Sky channel 822,
but I can't actually discern words from the sounds I hear.
Any ideas?

Pete

[geegee]

I too have been trying diligently to learn Spanish since I moved here, but not having learned another language before and being an older student (40 soon, yikes!) I am struggling, especially with the listening/understanding. My classes seem to be a traditional grammar-based approach which I find less than helpful as this style of learing does not suit me - in one ear out t'other.

Anyone out there doing a 'Michel Thomas' type approach I wonder?

[Grouser]

Geegee
I have the same problem. I have tried the Michel Thomas CDs and still only retain anthing from them after endless repeated playings. I find the mistakes the two people he is teaching make more memorable than the correct answers, which is a bit of a drawback. I think the only solution, at least for me, is to jump in the deep end and try and talk to real people using the little Spanish I have.

[geegee]

My retentive memory skills are equally atrocious, know what you mean about the Tomas tapes, Grouser, they can be a bit hard work, but still an improvement on endless drilling of verbs! I do try speaking to the locals as often as poss but their broad andaluz floors me every time so that 'meaningful conversation' Winkie refers to is still a bit elusive as yet. Suppose we just need to give it time and not get too discouraged.

[pete_l]

Anyone out there doing a 'Michel Thomas' type approach I wonder?

Yes, I bought the complete 8 CD set cheap off ebay last year.
It's quite good at the pronounciation bit but it does tend to bend the
conversations to fit the words you have learnt, which may not be the
way that real-life is scripted
The course is based on an instructor (MT) and two students: a man
and a woman. You're basically a fly on the wall as these two take
the course.
However, it does concentrate on speaking and doesn't help
much in comprehending the reply (see my earlier post). Since there
are only 2 students there's no real dialog, just "how do you say [this
english phrase] in spanish"

Also, you need to be aware that the course is wholly spoken, there
is no written component to the course.

Pete

[spanish hopes]

The MT course is as you describe, but in my opinion preferable to the strict grammar based courses at the local colleges.
It give confidence to try and if used with other aids such as watching Spanish Television or Films to tune the ears is a useful tool.

[spanish_lad]

its expensive for what it is, at around 40 pounds i think?

i have it, but only a ...backup...version. (not that i have EVER listened to it.. sooooooooooooooooo boring! )

[sioban]

I have been out here for over 2 years and my boss thinks i can speak Spanish well enough to work as a translator for a Gestoria.

[Emilio]

At the risk of wandering off-topic a bit, for the past 2 years...

You should watch tv using the captions for deaf people on the txt. If the channels you watch don't have any captions, try the dvd's subtitles.

[spanish_lad]

You should watch tv using the captions for deaf people on the txt. If the channels you watch don't have any captions, try the dvd's subtitles.

thats ideal, if they translated the tv correctly.

[costachick]

Subtitles don't translate word for word.

On TVE2 at 7.00 in the morning they have a programme for Spanish people learning English, It's a really good programme as the presenters speak in both English and Spanish.

[Lavanda]

I did two years of evening classes in England as well. The course was based around business Spanish and had an exam at the end - to get government funding. I started at level two - it was tough - but I did learn a lot. Excellent teacher. Great group of fellow students.

I read an hour of Spanish a day - Tintin, Enid Blyton, kids books, etc. I read aloud. I practice speaking as much as I can each time I go to Spain. I listen to Spanish music, songs, radio, etc. I just listen to 'the noise' of the sound (sound of the noise?).

Just had six fantastic days in Extremadura and I spoke Spanish nearly all the time. The more I speak the better I get.

The following might be useful:
• Don't be afraid to get it wrong
• Don't be afraid to guess
• Tell people to slow down if they are going too fast - tell them you are not stupid but you are learning
• If a person uses an unfamiliar word ask them to repeat it and practice it with them (great fun - you can get quite a crowd involved)

My best learning experience ever:
• Easy Spanish reader (2nd edition) by William T. Tardy
(A three part text for beginning Students)
ISBN 0-07-142806-2 £7.99

[Emilio]

There are no miracle methods. Learning a second language is a hard and long process. It is funny to find posts of people who intend to come to Spain and start their lessons some months before moving. There are two ways of learning a scond language, intensive learning, that is lessons and grammar knowledge that let you know how the new language work, and extensive learning, contact with the goal language as long as possible. A combination of both is ideal. I've been a teacher of English and Spanish as a scond language for 16 years now.