subject: Desperately Seeking Help Learning Spanish [print this page] Learning Spanish is something you can definitely do, even if it's the first time you've ever tried to learn a foreign language. Speaking a language for the first time may seem difficult, but anyone who makes a serious effort can learn how. When you think about it, you can probably think of many advantages to being able to speak another language. Knowing more than one language can really help if you do any traveling. Yet it can be just as helpful in your own home town. If you only speak one language and want to learn another, Spanish is a very good choice. Let's look at some ways to make learning Spanish simpler.
Remember that you need to be patient. You won't be fluent in Spanish before the end of the week. You could have all the rules of vocabulary and conjugations memorized yet still have some difficulty with the sentences. You will only slow your progress if you put a lot of pressure on your self to get fluent fast. So allow yourself to slowly learn. If you do this you'll find you're more comfortable with Spanish. If you learn at a slower pace, when you're trying to speak with people in their language they'll show more patience toward you. You need to be careful so you don't offend anyone. If you really want to learn another language, you have to get to the point where you can actually think in it. You may find this hard at first, but you can gradually learn how to transform your thoughts into a new language. Take your time and learn how to do this at your own pace. Anytime you find yourself thinking something, simply try to construct the same words using Spanish. if you do this often, you'll find that you get much more skilled at it. The more you do it, the more quickly your mind will be able to convert words into the new language. You will know you have mastered this when you find that you sometimes think in the new language when you aren't even intending. If you know how to think in Spanish you can work on saying those thoughts out loud--the key to truly interacting in Spanish.
It helps if you follow a plan. Most courses use a very specific approach to teaching languages. Languages have a certain logic to them, and you have to follow this. Don't try to start off reading a complex novel; begin with the alphabet and saying "good morning" and the like. The fastest methods always teach vocabulary first and then grammar. Whether you are using a book, tape or video, follow it as much as possible the way it is presented. If you follow the courses as they are set out you'll have an easier time learning Spanish. If you jump from one lesson to another you might really hinder your learning process!By trying to change the order, you can become confused. You want to learn the language as quickly as possible, don't you?
It's great to learn a new language, but many times its not easy to find out the best way.
You may think about buying a book from the local bookstore. A class is a great idea, and so is meeting people who are fluent. There are a lot of options available when you want to learn Spanish (or any other language). Have fun with it!
