I understand spanish, but i have trouble putting sentences together when i conversate. what do I do?

Question

when it comes to conversating in spanish I have trouble puttting my sentences together.

• "Conversating" should be "conversing" - Extrano Oct 1, 2009
• You are not the only one Feli - me too. - ian-hill Oct 1, 2009
• I wish there were ''plug-ins'' for humans too... - Mz-Badger Oct 1, 2009

Answer 1

In order to speak in sentences, you will need to know some vocabulary, along with the basics of Spanish grammar. Think of a small child learning to speak. They start with small sentences, which gradually become more complex.

One tip that works is to memorize small phrases. For example: Tengo que ir (I have to go...). You can then plug in different words to that phrase to make completely different sentences:

Tengo que ir al baño. (I have to go to the bathroom.) Tengo que ir al banco. (I have to go to the bank.)

¡Buena Suerte!

• I would have to agree...in my own experiences with my own children, nieces and nephews, I have noticed that when their use of language really started to develop they would immitate whole phrases rather than individual words - Izanoni1 Oct 1, 2009

Answer 2

When learning a language is good to practice in all sectors. Try listening to radio and Spanish TV, do some reading and also write. Practice will eventually do the trick.

Answer 3

Have conversations with yourself, either in your mind or out loud, so you don't have the time pressure. A good source of material is conversations you recently had in English.

• I used to practice Spanish with my cat or my dog. They are good listeners and don't care how many mistakes I make :) - Valerie Oct 1, 2009

Answer 4

Try narrating your day and what's going on in Spanish. If you don't know a word or how to express an idea in Spanish, just substitute it with English. Make it a game and try to have as little English in your narratives as possible. Eventually you'll be able to express just about anything in Spanish.

Answer 5

I agree with Nicole. Take a step by step approach, and think about how we learn language naturally when we are young.

When you learn some basic vocabulary, start repeating to yourself those simple words you know on a regular basis. Also learn some stock phrases, and repeat those to yourself until those pieces and parts (phrases) feel natural. When you have learned enough pieces and parts you can interchange them. Practice speaking to yourself when you don´t have others around to practice with. When you talk to yourself you have all the time you need without the pressure to respond quickly. The more you practice and repeat to yourself the Spanish words and phrases you know, the more natural they will feel and the easier it will be to think in Spanish rather than needing to translate.

It´s a matter of time and practice. Keep working at it, and have fun.

Answer 6

I like to translate what I hear or read, it may not always be correct, but it gets me thinking in the language.

Answer 7

Lo que hago yo, es hablo. Yo hablo. No me precupo en que, pues, si es esta palabra es correcta, o esta en la posicion correcta. Yo hablo. Un buen pana mia me dijo, Hable tu mente! Jamas me voy a olvidar esto. Bueno...tu eres nina en esto. Buen cosa entiendes bien. Pero, no te molestas en tus palabras, o la orden de ellos. Tienes sed? Dices entonces, dame agua. Estas enjoada? Digalo! Cuando tu piensas demasido en que te vas a dicer, no estas pensado en un a forma natural, o sea, no vas a communicarse en una forma relejada, o natrual. Dale palabras a tus sentamientos. No piensalo, digalo!

Answer 8

try just using a string of words, eventually it will come out correctly

Answer 9

Think in Spanish.

Answer 10

Immerse yourself in Spanish for a little while by listening to a podcast, watching a movie, or reading something, and THEN practice by chatting online, talking to yourself, writing, or any of the things suggested... I find it much easier to find the words & phrases in Spanish if I've just been absorbing it.