Learning to speak Spanish

Do you have a query about moving to Andalucia and buying property in Andalucia. Find out by posting questions and reading about other peoples experiences.
User avatar
IreneD
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 2347
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:35 pm
Location: Canillas de Aceituno

Learning to speak Spanish

Postby IreneD » Sat Apr 07, 2012 1:03 pm

I've made some half-hearted attempts to learn Spanish back in the U.K. the most useful being an evening class one night a week for GCSE Spanish with one of my daughter's and her OH - they managed to keep me at it for 2 terms. They went on to get A* in the exam and my DD had never done Spanish before! *hangs head in shame*

Anyway - motivation is high now that we're actually in Spain and I've found a great language website and it's free! Hope the link works, otherwise Google 123TeachMe

http://www.123teachme.com/site_map

I did find it a bit complicated to get around but I've got the hang of it, now. There's also a page where you can test your Spanish and that really encouraged me! I got Intermediate 2 for 2 of the categories and advanced 1 for 1 (grammar I think) and beginner's 3 for verbs (which didn't surprise me) Have a go - it does take a while to get to the end, so keep at it.

http://www.123teachme.com/online_spanish_test

Have a go and tell me how you get on :thumbup:

User avatar
chrissiehope
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 3668
Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 7:52 pm
Location: Cheshire & near Antequera

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby chrissiehope » Sat Apr 07, 2012 1:35 pm

What a great site you've found Irene :thumbup:

I had a go at the test, and got Superior for vocabulary !!! I only got beginner 2 for listening, but as I didn't put the speakers on and just guessed, it's not surprising :wink: Overall I was intermediate 2, so onsidering I've never had proper lessons but am basically self taught, I think I'm doing quite well :angel:

I shall get hubby to have a go - or maybe not, as I suspect it will depress him :lol:
Alexandr for President (Squire for PM !)

Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog it's too dark to read (Groucho Marx)

Footprint
Resident
Posts: 365
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:21 pm
Location: South Lincolnshire & Jimena de la Frontera

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby Footprint » Sat Apr 07, 2012 3:50 pm

Great site thank you - will have a go.
You can spend, minutes, hours, days, weeks or even months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could've, would've happened - or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move the f**k on.

User avatar
IreneD
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 2347
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:35 pm
Location: Canillas de Aceituno

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby IreneD » Sat Apr 07, 2012 5:27 pm

Listening won't be easy without the speakers, Chrissie, so you did great lol! Overall I was intermediate 2 as well, which did surprise me and gave me a boost. Mind you, just been for a walk in Torre and could only pick out the occasional word from the passing Spanish people, as I tried to listen to conversations. It's not going to be easy, but will keep at it! 123 Teachme also have a page on facebook, which I've subscribed to and now get a little daily lesson :) Glad you and Footprint liked the site :)

User avatar
concorde
Resident
Posts: 1588
Joined: Sun Jul 23, 2006 8:52 am
Location: UK

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby concorde » Sat Apr 07, 2012 8:55 pm

It is most definitely American site, and I wasn't impressed when I saw this

Spanish for Maids & Housekeepers is perfect for anyone with Spanish speaking help in the house.
with the title of
How to speak to your Hispanic Maid

or this

http://www.123teachme.com/learn_spanish/landscaping.

I've just read 'The Help' so feeling a little belligerent at the moment and reading the above site info didn't help!

However if you ignore that patronising tripe, it is a decent site for learning I suppose.
I'm always disappointed when a liar's pants don't actually catch on fire.

User avatar
IreneD
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 2347
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:35 pm
Location: Canillas de Aceituno

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby IreneD » Sat Apr 07, 2012 9:23 pm

Oo-er! I haven't stumbled across that, just as well! The Help is a brilliant book, isn't it? No wonder you were incensed to see those parts of the site. :( I just want to learn to speak Spanish and it's the best free site I've come across. Busuu is good but you have to pay after an introductory period, same with Babbel. BBC Spanish is quite good, but I feel as if I'm getting somewhere with 123. I won't do too much exploring , though - just stick to the bits I've found.

User avatar
concorde
Resident
Posts: 1588
Joined: Sun Jul 23, 2006 8:52 am
Location: UK

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby concorde » Sun Apr 08, 2012 5:11 am

Hi Irene, no offence intended.
Sounds like you have stumbled onto a good site for yourself, everyone has their own way of learning.
just wish it would sink in and I'd wake up one morning being able to speak and understand perfectly :thumbdown:

I've been glued to Inspector Montalbano on BBC3 and can understand Sicilian now better than Spanish :lolno:

Yes, The Help was an incredible insight to what actually still went on in America.
Black 'help' raising white babies and doing all the cleaning and cooking, but not allowed to use 'white' toilets in their employers homes :evil: :evil: :evil:
I'm always disappointed when a liar's pants don't actually catch on fire.

User avatar
IreneD
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 2347
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:35 pm
Location: Canillas de Aceituno

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby IreneD » Sun Apr 08, 2012 12:47 pm

None taken :) and I am bothered that the site has that sort of article. The Help really made the racial injustice issue come alive for me - uncomfortable reading in lots of ways.The thing that I couldn't get over was that it happened in the 60s!! I was a teenager in the 60s!! It really wasn't that long ago (well, my grandchildren might see it as ancient history lol). It does disturb me to think that in parts of America, 'help' may still be being looked at as some sort of lesser species.........

As for 123teach me, I will continue with it and hope that the people who contribute to the basic conversational type aspect aren't racist bigots. It does impress me that it's free, I keep looking for a catch :?

Lavanda
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 6192
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 1:42 pm
Location: Cáceres Province, Extremadura

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby Lavanda » Tue Apr 10, 2012 2:45 pm

Brilliant! My overall is Intermediate 3 but vocabulary advanced 3, listening advanced 1 (couldn't understand the woman AT ALL but the man was great) and, surprise, surprise, verbs and grammar only intermediate 2 each — but what a good site, Irene. Thanks.

User avatar
IreneD
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 2347
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:35 pm
Location: Canillas de Aceituno

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby IreneD » Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:00 pm

Hope I can get to intermediate 3 with a couple of advanced thrown in :thumbup: - glad you like the site, Lavanda.

carrowcrin
Resident
Posts: 705
Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 10:14 pm

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby carrowcrin » Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:56 pm

Thanks for your post as this site is of great benefit to me, it may be Americian Spanish but its better than mine.
By the way i have some Spanish and if i think the word should be different i cross check on google translate.

Regards

User avatar
IreneD
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 2347
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:35 pm
Location: Canillas de Aceituno

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby IreneD » Tue Apr 10, 2012 11:45 pm

:thumbup: great minds think alike! I've been doing that, too :) Glad you are finding it helpful, carrowcrin

User avatar
tjtops
Resident
Posts: 1615
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:05 am

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby tjtops » Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:55 pm

I agree...great site Irene! I was delighted to see that a year after having uttered my last word in Spanish -- or hearing any, for that matter! -- I was still intermediate 3!!! (Only the grammar let me down.....thanks to Alhaurin :lol: )
Life is as good as you make it, just keep my glass half full

User avatar
IreneD
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 2347
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:35 pm
Location: Canillas de Aceituno

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby IreneD » Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:23 pm

Hi :wave: ! Good to see you - hope you're well and happy back in the UK! Intermediate 3 - and after a year away (doesn't time fly!) Well done indeed :thumbup:

User avatar
tjtops
Resident
Posts: 1615
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:05 am

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby tjtops » Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:28 pm

Thanks!!!!! Yes, I'm fine thank you......all well in sunny Lincolnshire!!! (Except the weather of course but hey ho...as someone else has said on here recently, there's more to life than good weather!!!) hope all still going well for you over there...and yes, I was astonished :shock: to get that result!!! Take care! :wave:
Life is as good as you make it, just keep my glass half full

scouser
Andalucia.com Amigo
Posts: 84
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2010 4:21 pm
Location: Velez Malaga - Rubite

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby scouser » Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:31 am

I've just tried the test an been judged intermediate 1. This is quite odd as my Spanish is about as good as that of my dog. I think this site is trying to humour me.

Nonetheless, I shall give it a fair try.

Thanks for the tip.

User avatar
Bluefish
Andalucia.com Amigo
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri May 25, 2012 10:44 pm
Location: Estacion Cortes de la Frontera
Contact:

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby Bluefish » Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:06 pm

http://translate.reference.com/
is a handy site with normal translate facility, but underneath, each word you had typed in is spoken and shows different meanings in some cases. A good learning Spanish tool I think.
There are three types of people; those who can count and those who can't

User avatar
IreneD
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 2347
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:35 pm
Location: Canillas de Aceituno

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby IreneD » Wed Jul 18, 2012 11:56 pm

I use Google Translate which also has sound facility, the translated sentence is spoken aloud if you click on the sound icon. I'll have a look at your link, too, thanks Bluefish.

I have been using another site actually, http://www.busuu.com/which is also free but some of it you can't access without paying - so far I've resisted! It is annoying though - you get stopped in your tracks at certain points, I have been tempted to join the paid for part for the 'full experience' lol. I like it better than teachme123 as it is more methodical, you can see your progress.

User avatar
Bluefish
Andalucia.com Amigo
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri May 25, 2012 10:44 pm
Location: Estacion Cortes de la Frontera
Contact:

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby Bluefish » Thu Jul 19, 2012 11:59 pm

Well, blow me over with a feather !! Thank you so much IreneD. I use Google Translate and never noticed that Talk Icon. Well, blow me over with a feather !! :thumbup: :wave:
There are three types of people; those who can count and those who can't

User avatar
IreneD
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 2347
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:35 pm
Location: Canillas de Aceituno

Re: Learning to speak Spanish

Postby IreneD » Fri Jul 20, 2012 12:07 pm

:thumbup: glad to help, Bluefish!


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests