Tips on learning spanish
Hello SD community! I am a beginner and am looking for tips and tricks on how to most effectively learn spanish. So in other words I would like to now your experiences and what worked best for you guys in your quests for learning spanish. Thanks!
6 Answers
I am also new to this site, but I have already found a few things that help me learn efficiently as well as with better retention.
1. when you listen to the video exercise, do not over use pause.
Try to keep up with the pace that the teacher is speaking even when you don't grasp it all. Let it go by at the speed it is presented, and then go right to the flashcard exercise(s) to get better recognition.
2. while doing the flashcards, at first sght, of course you won't
know what the images are meant to represent. Just look at the image, then "show" the words under the image and listen to the pronunciation AND speak the words until you sound like what you hear. Now go to three other words, that you have already memorized, looking, showing and speaking them in the same way. Now, go back to the original word(s) to see if you remember it(them) correctly. If you have ANY trouble with any words keep going back and forth in like manner until the trouble word(s) become(s) a habitually known (memorized) word(s). Always make sure that you know the whole set of flashcards without trouble then go to your "recognize" exercise.
3. As you go, make up useful sentences for a flashcard set
of your own. Include your new words, tenses, and grammar facts in these sentences. This will help you start carrying on conversation and doing it correctly.
4. In the "recognize" exercise set a goal - get all frames correct.
Correct does not mean scoring 10, it just means that you pick the right words for each frame with even 1 point. Of course, it shows more ability if you score higher but the main thing is to know the answer not speed.
5. For the "listen" exercise LISTEN diligently.
The speaker is gving you the way to say the words. Even if it sounds like words are merged and slurred together, remember this is supposed to sound like the native speaker speaking, not the student.
6. The "recall" exercise is hard for those who don't type well.
Just remember to get it correct and you get at least 1 point. Incorrect is always 0. This exercise makes your mind use memory. Memory helps you communicate with others.
7. Diligently do each of the above referenced exercises, and you
have a great chance to immediately do well on the "write" and "speak" exercises. You'll need to try it until you get it right, but that seems to be easy to do in SpanishDict, because it allows you to "practice, practice, practice" and have fun doing it until you get it right.
My favorite: Always say out loud what you are learning in print. Some people do all their learning in writing. Then when they try to speak, they don't realize they can't have a conversation or pronounce the words.
Additionally:
This question is often asked on the forum, so you can also click Q & A -> under green question box type in "best ways to learn Spanish" by the search icon, and you will get many threads that come up with all kinds of great advice from other SD users.
Here is one of them:
Start by memorizing these verbs and what they mean. Then learn to conjugate them at some point. Then learn some nouns (remember to also learn the genders along with every noun) - Then when the memory is in gear, start learning more about the grammar, when you use what. (Also learn little phrases).
Having a native to help you out is also good. If I remember correctly, you have that help already.
5) Don´t be afraid to make mistakes. That´s how you originally learned English, and the more embarrassing the mistake, the more certainly you´ll remember it!
The answer is the same as the answer to, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" (Para los que no son norteamericanos, la respuesta es, "Practicar, practicar, practicar!") More seriously, I would suggest: 1) look for sources where you can hear Spanish. Live is best, but the web offers this site, plus bbcmundo.com, educatina.com (which tends to have Buenos Aires pronunciation), and lots of things on youtube. 2) repeat what you hear, and try to mimic the pacing and pronunciation. 3) do all the exercises you can here on spanishdict.com - they´re really good! 4) There is also duolingo.com - imho not as good as this site, but still useful, especially for forcing you to listen to and repeat short sentences.
For me it is important to both study and use the language (writing or speaking or listening) every day.
This Q&A forum is extremely helpful too because we learn from each other.
