How can I learn to hear spanish better?

Question

How do I learn to ear spanish better? I cant seem to understand normal spanish speech. When it is slowed down I am able to understand the words clear.

Answer 1

I think there are several threads that deal with this topic. You might want to look them up in the Reference Section.

For now, I think we all have some difficulties understanding Spanish when it is spoken. I have found that watching Spanish news helps a little. Usually, the pace is a little slower and the speakers enunciate words more clearly than we would in regular conversation.

Also, I have used a site called LoMas TV. The whole site consists of short videos, with subtitles in both English and Spanish underneath. You can slow the pace of the video at any time and click on words for their definitions. It is not as good as this site in my opinion, but for listening skills it is very helpful. There is a fee of about $10 per month for the service.

Hope this helps, Nicole

I am too parsimonious Nicole. lol - ian-hill, Oct 11, 2009

I looked up parsimonious because I didn't know what it meant. When I saw the definition "tacaño" I finallly understood. Maybe I have finally crossed to the other side. - Nicole-B, Oct 12, 2009

Afterall parsimonious is an English word! - Nicole-B, Oct 12, 2009

Answer 2

Keep listening and listening and listening. Get music you like that's not too fast and listen to it over and over. Download podcasts. Here are a few places with free podcasts:

www.codyscuentos.com (children's stories... three levels of difficulty)

www.notesinspanish.com (also three levels of difficulty)

www.spanishpod.com (Some of these are really good. Sign up for a week free trial and download several podcasts from the archives)

Answer 3

practice makes perfect!

de acuerdo. - cheeseisyummy, Oct 11, 2009

Answer 4

Pay attention when someone talks and use phschool.com. There are conversations between native speakers to clarify the words said. They also ask you to repeat the words. It seems that you have a problem with speaking and listening. This should help. Use the audio file link. If you need anyone more help, feel free to ask and I can give you the e-mail address to my teacher. http://www.phschool.com/webcodes10/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.gotoWebCode&wcprefix=jck&wcsuffix=0001

Okay I LOVE some of the stuff at that link, ian! If you're a level one student you gotta check out the animated verbs (scroll down). However, isn't this copywrited material? I was real surprised it didn't ask me for a password. - Valerie, Oct 12, 2009

yea, but the full textbook is not online... Just click the Repaso del Capi' tulo - its gives the main jist of the realidades books! - iankaploski, Oct 17, 2009

and thats good i could help... if anyone needs help (my fellow spanish 2 students or spanish 1 students, too) feel free to ask me.. - iankaploski, Oct 17, 2009

Answer 5

Spanish is like someone who speaks english with a heavy accent. You have to pay a little more attention to each word than you would with someone who speaks it fluently. The best way to understand spanish is to listen to it often enough to distinguish the flow of words and notice that they may sound as if they are speaking fast but realize that spanish is a musical language where the way you speak it is pretty much the way it is written down on paper.

Answer 6

I have the same problem - I don't have it with other languages - not even French or German which I am very poor at. Italian seems much clearer to me.

Answer 7

Obviously Spanish people talk fast. We can't change that. The thing I do to listen better is

Watch Movies Listen to music Go to a Spanish meetup every week Record yourself speaking