Conversation works best
- Conversation with another person is best. I actually prefer with a native English speaker who speaks Spanish well. They are much more likely to speak slower. When by myself, I like to study grammar and vocabulary and then have a series of English sentences to translate into Spanish. Yes Eng-to-Sp translation works well for me. I also carry a list of 15 or so Spanish verbs on a 3x5 card and practice congugating them in simple sentences, like "I have heard it," "They hear it.".
- —ebeamer
Reading the news in Spanish
- For years I have read more than I have spoken. I read columns and stories from El Nuevo Hearld, the Miami Hearld's Latin newspaper and also La Nacion. My ability to read Spanish is decent and I enjoy reading the news from Latin America. Recently, I joined a group that meets monthly to converse in Spanish. This way I should improve my conversational abilities.
- —Guest Joe
Nmemonics
- As an older student I find nmenomics very effective in learn vocabulary. For those who are visual learners, having an English picture of a Spanish word makes the job quite easy. Look up nmemonics on Google. There are many good sites.
- —Guest John Holter
Methods for learning Spanish
- Here are some methods of learning: e-mail and Windows Messenger with nice Spanish speaker who also knows English fairly wel , being allowed to write in English and insert the Spanish words which I know , Spanish videos, dictionaries, translation websites, make my own flashcards, spanish.about.com, spanishdict.com, lomastv.com, ajaxtrans.com, Spanish-for-children websites, music CDs with Spanish songs for children, Spanish Internet radio stations, books about Spanish, websites with Spanish songs for children.
- —Guest John
DVDs
- Get your hands on some of your favourite movie DVDs. Watch again and again, English with Spanish subtitles, Spanish with English subtitles, Spanish with Spanish subtitles. Mix and match, and have fun learning! By the way, I disagree with a guest comment about learning like kids. Don't forget that kids are fully exposed to a language for several years before they aquire the capability to properly communicate. Grammar is necessary for rapid progress while not living in a Spanish environment.
- —Guest Animesh
Learn in phrases
- Great idea,this question. I've been pondering it for months. Finally I realized that the most Spanish I am remembering I learned in phrases! i.e. tengo que, lo vie, que hora es, etc. So today my tutor and I did phrases and did a question and answer session. It was finally FUN. It goes without saying review is vital as is repetition. I think ALL language teachers are santos!
- —kaferg4
Movies
- Watching movies I know by heart in English, but in Spanish!
- —bexicali
Mnemonics
- I liked "The Spanish Memory Book" and "The Intermediate Spanish Memory Book" by Harrison and Welker, which use clever mnemonic jingles to recall Spanish words. Not all of the jingles are that great, and some of them are redundant (like for easy, obvious cognates for example), but boy, are there many great ones as well. Also, the book "Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish" (I think it's by Josephn Keenan, and also published by Univ. Of Texas Press Books, like the other 2 books I've mentioned). The author is a native English-speaker who has attained a high degree of proficiency in Spanish; he offers a lot of entertaining anecdotes and cultural tips. What else? "False Cognates in Spanish" by Marcial Prado, printed by NTC books...for avoiding false cognates. And, the VocabuLearn CDs pentonoverseas.com) are quite helpful too, for learning vocabulary and common expressions in Spanish. Spanish speakers can use them equally well to learn English.
- —Guest el guapo
Writing helps
- For me, I find it best to listen to Spanish lessons and to write down during this that which I do not know. Then on review I can check whether that learning has improved. I find combined auditory and tactile learning makes a huge difference.
- —Guest brian jones
Volunteer
- You should join as many activities as possible that are Spanish only. Volunteer, volunteer. volunteer. Not only do you help the community, you brush up on your skills as well
- —Guest dpardo74
Music
- I too buy children's books in Spanish, but try music for kids. Combining music with language is a great way to learn!
- —Guest Lauragreen
Emphasizing vocabulary
- I have found that getting a very large vocabulary helps. I use mnemonics to memorize words daily. Use SuperMemo as well. This program looks at ones forgetting curves and tests you when it figures you are most likely to have forgotten something. I am at advanced level in speaking, not quite as good at listening. Now I am compiling a mega list of about 1,500 verbs to learn the infinitives and English equivalents. Conjugations are easy for me at this stage. I can guess if a certain verb is irregular even if I have never seen it before because I know what sounds right, and what does not. Similar to English. I do wish I had more listening opportunities, however. Seems the folks from Spain talk slower and I find it easier than those from Spanish America. Oh, I am also focusing on idiomatic connecting phrases like "luego que," "a traves de," "en vez de," etc.
- —Guest Terry Brown
Kids' movies
- I use popular children's movies (specifically "Polar Express," "Shrek," and "Finding Nemo"). We watch them in Spanish with English subtitles. (I teach level 2.) This is an opportunity for them to hear the native tongue in everyday conversational situations, but in ways that they think are fun. I have activity packets that go with each movie. I usually break them into three thirty minute sections. We do a preview activity and follow-up activities with each section. Their test at the end of the movie has them match up useful vocabulary and then write in Spanish, either describing the characters or summarizing scenes. We have great fun with it!
- —Guest kj
Don't stick to one method
- I find that using many different methods is effective and keeps it interesting. I had 3 years of Spanish in school, 40 years ago, but never used it. Then I started again to learn about 5 months ago. I started with books, published learning courses and various online resources [including this great site :)]. I also bought magazines published in Spanish and got newspapers through friends in Argentina. I also started attending a weekly 2-hour Spanish chat/practice session at my local library. Then I discovered an online resource where I could exchange messages or chat with people that epak Spanish (and were trying to learn English). There I met someone that I have since been talking with daily. That one-on-one talking and listening, on a regular basis, has really moved me to a new level. My conclusion is that, for me, the way to become proficient is concurrent use of as many different sources of information and media types as possible.
- —ghunt1919
Learn like children learn
- I agree. Learning grammar does not help a person with conversing. I take out Spanish children's books from the library and read as many of them as I can. This is how a child starts to learn their mother tongue, by repetitive bedtime stories.
- —Guest Lolocarmen
Podcasts!
- BBC Mundo, Notes in Spanish, Coffee Break Spanish, etc.
- —Guest J
Correspond in Spanish with a native
- Yes, actually conversing with a Spanish speaking person is ideal, but when I can't do that, I correspond with a friend in Guadalajara, Mexico. She uses every day words and phrases that the locals use. It forces me to research and learn the words and expressions that I am not familiar with. I then try to use those words and expressions in future correspondence. As an example, 'Hablar' is a common word in the Spanish-speaking world, but so is 'Platicar'. I've heard this word used more frequently in Mexico than 'hablar'. So, one can learn a lot by corresponding.
- —rhin0ski
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