Understanding spanish movies

Question

I thought I might just share this tip with other people who are spanish movie patrons. The idea, for me, is to start hearing spoken spanish so that I can understand it when spoken to in real life. I thought watching the movie a few times might help, but I was mistaken. The best way is to watch specific scenes repetitively, this well help your comprehension of the spoken language much better than watching the same movie a bunch of times. It keeps it fresh in your mind, that way those bits and pieces of misunderstood gibberish can be more easily understood.

Estaba pensando que quizas dé una cuenta para otra gente quien mira los peliculas español. y...eso es todo lo que voy a escribir para la traduccion, tanto por decir y no quiero hacer dos horas escribandolo.

Nice thread fred, thanks :) - 00494d19, SEP 11, 2009

Answer 1

Thanks, Fred. I need all the advice I can get with understanding movies in Spanish.

Answer 2

Subtitles can be a big help with movies. Often I can't figure out a word from hearing it, but I can read it, practice it a couple times, then understand it when I rewind.

The only tricky part is making sure the subtitles match the words. I have several DVDs for TV shows that have multiple languages. Often the Spanish subtitles are a very different translation from the Spanish vocal track.

True, I've also noticed the english translations aren't always direct. However, on one dvd I have it offers two different versions for the spanish subtitles. - Fredbong, SEP 11, 2009

Same for me. Shrek in Spanish has terrible Spanish subtitles. - ian-hill, SEP 11, 2009

Answer 3

The Spanish subtitles appear to be a close approximation of a word-to-word translation. Probably done at a different time and by different people than the voice overs.

The Spanish voice overs are probably changed to use words that will retain the meaning and yet allow as close an approximation of the actors' lips as possible.

I find it most beneficial to watch with Spanish voice and English subtitles or the other way around (unless the Spanish subtitles actually match the Spanish voice over, which I've yet to see). Or, I watch in Spanish only.

It's just a personal thing (no right or wrong way here), but I prefer to watch the movies all the way through. Each time, I seem to be able to hear more and more Spanish words.

I try to only watch films that were made in spanish, rather than listen to voiceovers. But I've found that the english subtitles are a bit odd. "Nada mas" is sometimes translated as "that is all," when "nothing more" would have been a fine translation. - Fredbong, SEP 11, 2009

Answer 4

Some of my advanced student use the following method, they watch the film in Spanish first and then in English so that they are least know what is it about.

Hehe, I was doing the opposite of that before I started doing what I do now. I would watch it with subtitles first, and then turn off subtitles and just listen. - Fredbong, SEP 11, 2009

Answer 5

I find myself reading the english when I have the english subtitles on. I don't think I pay as much attention to the spoken language that way.

Answer 6

Good to know. I just picked up a spanish language movie today at the PX. I also recently ordered two from Amazon. I will keep that in mind and try it out. Thanks.