What is the hardest thing about learning Spanish?

Question

Is it the grammar? Or the difference in gender? Or etc...?

Answer 1

To me, the verbs are the hardest. There are so many forms!

The prepositions aren't exactly a walk in the park either. In that case it's not that there are so many, it's more that it's hard for me to get a feel for when they should be used.

• I agree - ian-hill Sep 14, 2009
• Wow...ok. Thank you! - kalita Sep 14, 2009
• Yo también. - Seitheach Sep 14, 2009

Answer 2

Oddly, rolling r's aren't my problem. Its the first thing I got the hang of as a matter of fact. What I struggle with is appropriate responses to basic stuff. For instance, it took me forever to remember "Muy bien, gracias" is the response to "¿Como estas?" when its spoken to me. On paper or typing it, I know it all day long. In real life, in practical use, I stumble, get stage fright so to speak.

• This sounds like something I could've written. Glad I'm not the only one!! - lulucamel Sep 14, 2009
• My problem is time and lack of partners and writing what I am hearing. I think SpanishDict may have solved my time problem. - dok951 Sep 14, 2009
• Yes, it is exactly like stage fright, isn't it? - webdunce Sep 16, 2009

Answer 3

rolling my tongue for a double 'r'...lol

• Haha...thanks! But I can do that! - kalita Sep 14, 2009

Answer 4

Me too! I can never get that doube r sound right. :(

Answer 5

Finding someone to practice with.

• That is for sure! I'm never sure if the translations that make it from my head to my mouth are quite right in Spanish. - Jennivee Sep 14, 2009

Answer 6

Everybody commenting on here is wrong... LOL, nah just kidding. But for me, the hardest hardest hardest thing about learning Spanish... is separating the words when you are being spoken to by a native speaker. When spoken to, it all sounds like one word. Once you get the gist of separating, for example "Comosellamausted" into "Como se llama usted" then the rest is easy street....

• This is MY big problem too. - ian-hill Sep 14, 2009

Answer 7

The hardest part about learning another language is understanding what is being spoken and then responding. This is not limited to only learning Spanish, but also for any language.

Reading is relatively easy once you learn the vocabulary and verb conjugations.

Writing is relatively easy (in the sense that you can be understood without having an accent impeding understanding).

Even if you know a language "perfectly" the listener may not understand what you are saying, or perhaps even worse, they may mark you as a "foreigner" and then "choose" to not be able to understand you out of impatience.

• I agree with this. Reading, writing tend to be solitary processes. When it comes to interacting with others, that is when it all falls apart. - tom5 Sep 14, 2009
• That is a very good point of view Nathaniel! - RicardoP Sep 14, 2009
• Haha! I totally get what you mean about them "choosing" not to understand us! I live in China and get that a lot, even though I can speak enough chinese to communicate. - kalita Sep 14, 2009

Answer 8

The hardest thing about learning any new language is that it is not your language. Whatever the language, there will be differences in vocabulary (which should be obvious) and differences in the way things are said (syntax). The latter should be obvious but may people seem to think that some sort of word-for-word substitution (with respect to language A) will result in an acceptable utterance in language B (this is rarely the case) which is rarely the case.

Answer 9

The problem of pronunciation is fairly simple (although, in some cases the answer may be disheartening). After a few weeks (months, at the outside) if you haven't managed to pronounce something "correctly" (assuming that you have/had access to a good role model), your pronunciation is probably as good as it will ever be. I suspect most learners of a second language have entertained hopes of being told "Oh! I thought Spanish (or whatever) was your native language.") However, it is a simple fact of life that some are better than others at reproducing "new" sounds (and the general observation is that this ability declines with age).

Unless you've led a very sheltered life, you probably have had the experience of speaking with a foreigner whose command of your language was quite good (you understood each other without problem) but whose pronunciation was a bit "off". A number of years ago, I went (with my brother and mother) on a "wine pilgrimage" in central and southern France (our intent being to sample the regional cuisines and wines). He and I were somewhat embarrassed by her pronunciation (her knowledge of vocabulary and syntax was quite good but she had an "American" accent [and our accents were much more "authentic"}). Nonetheless, the French with whom we spoke were unfailingly polite and helpful (and the French have a certain reputation for being hostile to foreigners who don't speak French).

I treasure the memory of an occasion when, in France, I was told (while renting a room for the night) that I needn't provide my passport number, because that was only for "foreigners") and I have always been pleased when some Spanish speaker (whom I addressed in Spanish) asked where I was from and, then, showed surprise when I said New York and asked if my parents were Spanish speakers.

When I was in college, all but one of the teachers that I had were native Spanish speaker (as it happened form various countries in Latino America). The sole exception was American born and was teaching "advance grammar". She had a perceptible American accent but was quite knowledgeable about Spanish grammar and had no problems engaging in a conversation in Spanish.

In summation, it is reasonable to undertake learning a new language with the hope of being able to sound like a native but, if you find yourself falling short of that goal, do not despair (being good, though not perfect) may well be "good enough".

• Great post, Samdie! - --Mariana-- Sep 15, 2009
• thanks sam :) - Heidita Sep 15, 2009
• That was a summation of what you just said? Lol, that's funny..... - oo70mar Sep 22, 2009

Answer 10

If you were able to learn such language as English I really doubt Spanish can be a challenge. And if I am finally capable of NOT rolling English "r" and pronouncing such weird thing as "th" - it means you will be able to roll "rr" before you notice.

---

Look for fun, not for troubles.

• Heh. Good job. Our English R is very difficult. I can actually explain how to roll the Spanish R, but I cannot explain how to make the English R sound, and I am American. - webdunce Sep 16, 2009

Answer 11

When you look at it spanish is a much easier language than most others. I'm from Miami which has tons of spanish speaking cultures so I guess the transition for me is easier. Spanish is much more simpler when you have others who are willing to help.

Answer 12

Verb endings for different groups, tenses and moods. The vibrating "r" wasn't a problem, because it sounds the same in my mother tongue. And remembering about an indirect object pronouns in sentences like "Le doy el dinero a Miguel" is tricky at times...

• I quite agree, throwing in a pronoun when you will also be using the actual noun is just strange to me and my brain rebels at it. - webdunce Sep 16, 2009

Answer 13

I agree with Greg. The verbs, at this time, are really frying my brain. At times I want to throw my headphones across the room. When I am listening to Paralee, I realize that I do not even know English that well (when she is giving grammar rules) and here I am trying to learn Spanish. One thing that is helping me though is Spanish videos with the sub-titles.

Answer 14

I agree with Samdie. The hardest part is that you don't start with a blank slate. You bring all of your preconceived understandings and biases with you.

You try to make Spanish mesh with your native language so you try to force "rules" and usages from your native language on to Spanish or it just simply impedes or slows down your assimilation of the language.

As we all learn, language and culture cannot be separated. Our own cultural biases may prevent of from seeing the Spanish cultural viewpoint of how the language functions.

Answer 15

Yes the verbs are the hardest.