subject: Why Learning Spanish Is Not Difficult [print this page] It's always a great idea to learn a second language. How many times a day do you hear something in English translated into Spanish? That is a good reason for learning Spanish. But a lot of people have difficulty with learning new languages. If new languages are difficult for you, what follows are some tricks and tips that may help you.
Developing a Spanish accent or tongue is a good place to start your study. You can study grammar from books and memorize vocabulary, but how you actually speak is of primary importance. While written material is good to practice with, you can also get good practice by repeating any phrases you hear from people actually speaking Spanish. By doing this, you'll start to instinctively use the right words and inflections when you speak. An added bonus is that reading out loud in a separate language--especially when you work at it--is a lot of fun. Don't think of this as hard work; make it more like singing out loud.
Always try to improve your 'ear' for language. Some languages put more emphasis on the 'verbal' than the written. If the language is 'alive,' then it will be important to learn how to listen to it. Correctly reciting the alphabet or composing a sentence will only take you a certain distance. You will need to understand people when they talk to you. You'll get the best results by hearing the spoken language as much as possible. When you're able to positively identify the language after hearing a few words spoken, then that's a sure sign you're well on your way to learning it.
Watch movies and television shows that are in Spanish. You'll find quite a lot of Spanish broadcasts, and all movie rental stores have foreign language films. You'll be able to learn how Spanish is really spoken without needing to travel. Your learning will accelerate if you don't have the ability to speak with an authentic Spanish speaker. Just turn on the subtitles when you watch. Then as your understanding increases, just turn them off and check yourself. Keep doing this, and your learning will improve fast.
Getting started seems the hardest part sometimes, but it'll become a lot less difficult in a little time. You definitely can become fluent if you stay with it and use the helpful tips that are available.
