Spanish Lessons

1. 61

   Mrs. Moneypantsposted 14 years ago

   What are the best CDs to learn Spanish.  I am trying Michel Thomas and I am thinking of trying Rosetta Stone.  Has anyone found success with a particular product?

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      Indigitamentaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      You get better results if you pick a product and stick to it until you've completed it. Michel Thomas is good enough.

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         Mrs. Moneypantsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         You are probably right.  Spanish is such a tough slog for me that i really want to start with the best product.

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   2. 60

      blue dogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      it may not be possible for you, but if it were, i highly recommend a 2-4 week class in a spanish-speaking country.  immersion is the best possible teacher.

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         marieryanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         definitely, immersion is the most effective, fastest way to learn any language. Just written a hub on learning Spanish!
         ¡Buena suerte!

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         LeslieAdrienneposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Best thing to do.....immerse!!!

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      LeslieAdrienneposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      If you can get a copy definitely choose Rosetta Stone....and, watch a lot of telemundo (if you are in the US) the grammar isn't always correct, but you will begin to automatically tune your ear to the language....
      
      Remeber, there is only one way to truly learn a language and that is the language experience.....listening, body language association and repitition.......just like you learned your native language...

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      chemayaneposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Has anyone tried TELL ME MORE. They have a great program for Spanish. that is the one I am currently using. There customer service is great and the language training is excellent. I found them reading Rosetta reviews and I found that they were cheaper and ranked number in language training

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2. 88

   IzzyMposted 14 years ago

   Pimsleur Spanish. Look it up on btjunkie.com or the likes:)

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   1. 61

      Mrs. Moneypantsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Izzy.  I'll check it out.

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3. 61

   meteetseposted 14 years ago

   Always wanted to learn Spanish

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4. 71

   aguasilverposted 14 years ago

   Speak with this guy, he has a very effective course on download which you can easily follow, and he is not expensive or invasive, i.e. he seems to give away a whole heap of stuff!
   
   Marcus Santamaria
   PMB 680, 482 W.San Ysidro Blvd, San Ysidro CA 92173
   Phone (619) 591-8770

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      Mrs. Moneypantsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for the info.  I really love the help I can find on hubpages.

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      1. 0

         gordonaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Marcus Santamaria created a product called Synergy Spanish. It is available for purchase online. But Synergy Spanish is tailored for absolute beginners only.
         
         By the way, Synergy spanish receive great reviews by the netizens.

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5. 68

   motricioposted 14 years ago

   Lo mejor es compartir una amistad con alguien del idioma nativo, expresiones y sonidos naturales.
   La fluidez del idioma se da en el dialogo. Después de todo será otro medio de expresión y comunicación.
   :lool:

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      WriteAngledposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Para mí, es muy difícil comunicarse en otro idioma.
      
      I earn my living translating medical literature out of several languages. I am good at it. My clients keep coming back and I have to refuse more work than I am able to accept. However, when it comes to using languages actively, I am useless.
      
      Of the languages I work with, my favourite is Spanish. I would love to be able to speak and write it fluently.

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      1. 70

         LeslieAdrienneposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         WriteAngled
         
         Perhaps you think too much about it.....switch from the left brain to the right brain hemisphere, close your eyes and just let it  flow.... ,
         
         Ole'

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      LeslieAdrienneposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      motricio
      
      Si, pero, la gente es a menudo tímida y tímida, asustado incurrir en una equivocación, si verdad....

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6. 92

   habeeposted 14 years ago

   When I had a boyfriend from Colombia, I was almost fluent in Spanish. That was years ago, however, and I've forgotten much of it.

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7. 46

   LRobbinsposted 14 years ago

   You can learn Spanish for free at http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/ but I agree immersion is the best way to learn any language.

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8. 71

   ddsurfscaposted 14 years ago

   I took spanish in Jr. hi. and two years in high school, one year college, but didn't understand anybody for about two months when I moved to mexico.  It was about four months I began understanding most and at about six months felt like I was speaking about 6th grade spanish so far as vocabulary and grammer goes.

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      TLMinutposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      That's what I did too and also the same is the experience in Mexico! Didn't catch a word. But my teacher in school was Puerto Rican and in the military I made a couple of Puerto Rican friends and didn't have nearly the trouble.
      
      A friend of mine has also suggested Rosetta Stone for immersion learning. I'm not sure though, immersion without the daily experience of living? It's said we learn like that as babies, fine, our minds don't work quite that way anymore. Still, learning German was easier for me once I actually lived in Germany and spent my days using the language.
      
      I found something online for my son when he started learning Spanish, way above him as yet but I enjoyed it: Mi Vida Loca This is a mystery series in Spanish with lots of lessons and help.

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   mcbeanposted 14 years ago

   Travelling alone in a spanish speaking country is by far the fastest way. That is true immersion. Doing an immersion course with a friend who speaks english defeats the purpose as you get way too lazy and 'cheat' all the time.

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   1. 88

      IzzyMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Bit like me then. I've been living with my Spanish boyfriend for 5 years and he doesn't speak English! We listen to Spanish radio and television all the time, and I guess I've picked up enough of the language to get by, but I've just started a beginner's spanish course in the local village because I do not know the grammar and it's high time I learned.
      I can't really read or write it either, just speak it, sort of.

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    Melissa Rowlingsposted 7 years ago

    The best book to learn Spanish is -A Good Spanish Book!- It's the one I am using and I always recommend it to all my friends.

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11. 91

    VirginiaLynneposted 7 years ago

    I've learned several languages and most recently been learning Mandarin.  I used the Pimsleur 1-3 course along with a number of free podcasts.  My husband did other methods.  When we went to China, I found that although my vocabulary was limited (Pimsleur teaches you just a few things very, very well), people could understand me clearly and usually commented that I spoke very well, which is much more difficult in Mandarin because of the tones.  If you can't do an immersion program, I think Pimsleur is an excellent start.  You can always learn more grammar and vocabulary but after Pimsleur, you will have a number of phrases that you can say as immediately as you could in your native language.  That gives a reluctant foreign language speaker (like me!) a place to start and feel comfortable.

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