Why did you start learning Spanish and why?

Question

Why did you start learning Spanish and why? I'll go first... I started because my schooling required it. I fell in love with the language. I feel quite educated when I speak what little Spanish I knew. I also loved speaking the language with my friends in front of my (not as inteligent in Spanish) enemies, and we could say whatever we knew and they would be completely blank. I love spanish! Yo el amor español!

• I learned it to interigate spanish gangsters :P :(:) - nflrocks123 Dec 6, 2010
• Hola New! Instead say 'Me encanta el español' - it sounds more Spanish! - margaretbl Dec 6, 2010
• Gracias! Tengo estudiar espanol para dos mas. - valiente Dec 6, 2010
• Welcome, new2espanol! - cogumela Dec 7, 2010

Answer 1

I have always wanted to speak a second language, but never had time in my life before. I actually had collected a few German and Spanish text books a number of years ago, recognizing that I wanted to learn one some day. I truly am bothered by people who tell other people to learn a language and yet have made no attempt to do so themselves (I could go on about this subject for a while). I also think anyone who wants to consider themselves to have a broad-based education should know a second language.

This incipient desire was combined last May with a trip to Mexico in which twice we were in situations where we had to communicate without a common language. This was our second annual trip in what at least for now seems to be an ongoing annual event with our friends. It was not so much a communication barrier- as for instance the cab driver had a clip board with all the likely destinations for anyone to point out where they wanted to go- It was more the hypocrisy of planning to go to a country on a regular basis and expecting them to figure out how to communicate with me.

I am doing this recognizing that language learning is not my strong point (I have frequently said that I am not sure I can even speak one language properly). I also am doing this recognizing that German would be easier for me, as I learned it to some extent in college (at a time when to get a BS in Chemistry at my university you learned German, French or Russian with no other options). Nonetheless the only language that I am liable to use on a regular enough basis to motivate me is Spanish. I find the wonderful people at this site motivate me to continue this quest, even though at times I question as to whether I am truly capable.

• Join the club, Stadt. It's a pleasure to have you here! - Echoline Dec 6, 2010
• Thank you, it is a pleasure to be here - Stadt Dec 6, 2010
• I loved this aswer. - cogumela Dec 7, 2010

Answer 2

I travel to Mexico almost every year, This year I went to quaymas. It´s more fun to interact with the locals by speaking Spanish.

• I'm planning going to Spain in 3 years! - valiente Dec 6, 2010
• It's spelled Guaymas. - simpevets Dec 6, 2010

Answer 3

To meet Spanish Ladies!

• lame - yomynameis__ Dec 6, 2010
• Lame? Have you noticed how many Ms. Universe's come from Latin America? - KevinB Dec 6, 2010
• There's no such thing as a lame motivation, so long as it works! ;-) - pesta Dec 7, 2010
• LOL srry i was jk but KevinB thats alittle creepy that u know that rofl - yomynameis__ Dec 8, 2010

Answer 4

I decided to learn Spanish for a couple of reasons.

1. It has always been on my bucket list because I enjoyed the one year I took in high school.
2. A recent report in the Smithsonian magazine noted that by 2030 our hispanic population will account for 30 percent of our children.
3. It helps to keep my mind active since I am done with school.

Answer 5

I started learning Spanish, because I needed to communicate with my parents... being a baby and only speaking "gugu tata"... didn't help very much... so I decided it was time to learn a new one...

My parents decided that language to be Spanish... so well... there you have it...

• That's cheating. - KevinB Dec 6, 2010
• Good decision, Tony. - Leatha Dec 6, 2010

Answer 6

I moved to Dodge City, Kansas 7 years ago to work as a therapist. Hispanics make up almost 50% of the overall population and about 70% of the school age population. I want to learn as much Spanish as I can to communicate better.

• I had absolutely no idea that there were so many Hispanics in Dodge City. Is there a meat packing plant there? - Echoline Dec 6, 2010
• Yes, two in Dodge and a couple more 50 miles away. - Leatha Dec 6, 2010

Answer 7

I started studying Spanish for three reasons.

First, I attend a church where about half the members are immigrants from Latin American countries. I have participated in the worship services at that church for almost thirty years. We started having bilingual services a few months ago, so I have learned what I need to know to handle portions of the public service. I am now improving to the point of conversing, at a very basic level, with some of the Latin American members.

Second, I retired from my job and volunteer at a free clinic. Some of our patients speak only Spanish, or have a limited use of the English language. Here again, I'm learning as much as possible to handle this new situation.

Finally, I believe it is important for everyone to challenge themselves mentally and physically. Learning a new language is mentally challenging to me.

Answer 8

I learned a little last year because I was going to visit my daughter in Buenos Aires. I picked up some more while I was there. After the holiday I continued learning in case she didn´t come home to Australia. She didn´t! She invited me to join her in Ecuador.

I´ve just come back from 3.5 months travelling around Ecuador and Colombia. Whenever I found myself in a place for more than a week I found a teacher. It was heaps of fun.

Now I have too much invested in the language to stop studying it, even tho she is due home in Feb. I have my sights set on Mexico and Cuba.

I love travelling and have got to threshold level in so many languages and then forgotten them. I´d like to do better in Spanish.

Answer 9

I started studying Spanish about 14 years ago because it was a requirement for school. I had always loved Latin and grew to love Spanish even more because it's a living language. Unfortunately, once I met my middle school/high school/college requirements, I stopped taking Spanish entirely...I had other courses to pay for!

I recently started studying again after a seven-year hiatus because it's my boyfriend's first language. I've fallen in love with the language all over again. I'm just now starting to get back to the point where I don't have to translate everything in my head and can "think" in Spanish some. It's like putting on an old familiar pair of cozy slippers!

Answer 10

I started in 1972 when I was a high school freshman because I thought learning a foreign language would be cool, and Spanish was much cooler than French, my only other option. In 1975 my family and I moved to Venezuela, so it worked out well. I studied it for 4 years in high school, 2 of them in Caracas, then moved back to Michigan for college and didn't use it much for a long time.

I moved to California after college, then my wife and I bought a horse ranch about 10 years ago. The workers mostly speak Spanish. I had been coasting by with what I could remember, until a few months ago when I decided to brush up and joined this place. Use it or lose it.

Answer 11

I wouldn't want to discourage anyone just started out learning Spanish by saying how many years I've been struggling away, but I've enjoyed the challenge. Although there has been alot of stops and starts along the way, I'm persistant and believe one day the fog will lift.

• It's the journey that matters, not the destination. And I'm with you about the starts and stops. - KevinB Dec 6, 2010
• I'm happy I've kept at it. - swampy Dec 6, 2010
• Now Swampy, after those 1 million learning points, something's got to have stuck!!! - Echoline Dec 6, 2010
• I am learning alot of new words but sometimes I wonder if there's a Teflon coating in my head. - swampy Dec 6, 2010
• A friend of mine said said he studied for quite a while. And, one day, almost an overnight occurrence, everything just clicked and he was basically fluent. He said he knew he was fluent when he started to have some dreams in spanish. - ronm192 Dec 7, 2010
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Answer 12

I'm 15 I started when I was about 6 in the second grade. I love it at first I was learning colors and numbers and animals. Then I transfered school and I didn't start again until 6th grade. That's when I started to hate it. I felt like it was an unnecessary burden and it was so annoying for me. I didn't start to like it again until last year in 9th grade. Now I speak Spanish with whoever can understand me and all my friends who can speak it (even the ones who can't just to annoy them haha).

But ...Sí me encanta el español!!

Answer 13

I decided to learn spanish because it is a requirement for my school. I started in first grade and have had it for 11 years now. I used to like it til 9th grade year and my spanish teacher is extremely difficult and stupid. In fact some of the worksheets and translation things he gave us for homework this year, i looked up on this website and he marked somethings wrong! grrr lol ruined my gpa

srry to be so depressing dude

Answer 14

I love the language! Most people may think of Italian or French as the "language of love", but in my world Spanish is! I love the different Latin cultures, I love the foods, I love the music...and what better way to fully immerse yourself in a cultural experience than to learn the language? I don't want to have to rely on anyone to communicate for me, I'd much rather do the communicating myself!

Answer 15

i love it and i want go to Spain and live there!