Listening is hard.
Hi everyone. I am learning spanish and can write and speak a little. Probably the late beginner early intermediate level, but I have a real problem listening and recognising what has been said. When a sentence is said, I recognise some words but when i understand those words another 5000 words have been said. I can just keep up. The other thing is when a sentence is written, 9 times out of 10 I know the meaning of most of the words but to understand the sentence is a bit tricky sometimes. Can someone please tell me that this it is not me but just a thing that always happens when you are learning a new language. Does everyone go through this??? Any help will be appreciated. ohh p.s..... I am going to Argentina in March and I want to be able to at least have and understand a basic conversation. regards.
29 Answers
Hello Mike , welcome to the forum. My answer to your question is that you are describing a common experience.Good luck in your studies and journey. I am going to edit your post for you as proper English is required on this site.
One word, Mike:
(A hard one...)
Patience.
There's no shortcut!
Some days I felt like 
Other days my brain felt like 
Sometimes my feeble attempts to communicate in Spanish would unleash a torrent of sentences from the other person causing me to feel 
But slowly, eventually it started clicking and I was 
that I kept at it.
All these suggestions you see here can help. Just keep at it!
I spent a long period not understanding anything at all. I went to the doctor's and I couldn't understand anything he said either. Finally, he shouted at me and I understood immediately. "Estás sordo?"
Wow guys. Gracias por ayudame tanto rapido. I didnt think i would get these responses so fast. I try to listen as much as i can, and i can say one thing, that i am learning!! But it is a very "testing" learning process. I have come this close to giving up but no,, I have made a decision to learn this language even if it takes me 50 years!!!!!
G'day Mike,
"owyagoin?" and "didyaavagoodweegend?" - yes another Aussie, and apparently we are the worst offenders for speaking English way-too-quickly and running our words together.. Aussieelision perhaps?
And the going to Argentina thing? Don't worry too much, I went to Costa Rica this year with my terrible Spanish but once I told them I was there to learn/improve (Spanish) everyone I met went to no end of trouble to help me - I'm sure it will be the same in Argentina - just soak it all up and have fun!
And recently here I've had connected, through "Selecttv" satelite television, four channels, totally in Spanish - ($34.95 a month) - well worth it if you can stretch the budget!
Annie.
Yes, this is normal. I have this problem too even now, however by listening to everything I can in spanish as much as possible, movies, music, and by speaking aloud in spanish often especially while reading (even though people might think you're crazy to talk to yourself), I am slowly understanding what is being said more and more. It's like a little lightbulb goes on, but it takes time and lots of it. Especially when I've heard a song 100 times with no clue on what they are saying, and then one day I hear it again and actually pick up on what they said. It amazes me. It does take lots of practice though, and I think if you try to speak alot, then you get used to how words sound when 'meshed' together. Hang in there, you'll get it.
Try and try. After 3 years I am still striving to reach that day when I can understand my Mexican friends in open coversation. To make things worse I am very hard of hearing and I read lips in English. With these deficits I am going to master espanol, no matter what.
Try Pimsleur Spanish course. Concentrates on listening and speaking. Has improved my conversational skills no end! Keep plugging on, you'll get there.
Los acentos de Argentinos son difíciles de entender. Tengo amigas Colombianas quien me dicen que no es facíl aunque por ellas para entenderlos.
What seems to be working the best for me right now is reading newspaper articles out loud for an hour a day and watching TV for 4 hours a day, both in Spanish of course.
I would say this is normal. I studied Spanish for four years in school and have the opportunity to speak it up to 4-6 hours a day, but comprehending what is spoken and speaking is the worst for me. I also feel I write fairly well, (although my conjugating is very rusty right now.) The only saving grace I have is that the person I converse with is very patient and speaks very slowly with me!
Here is a site you might find useful: Spanish Listening Proficiency
A number of different voices, subjects and spoken Spanish that ranges from beginner level to "superior".
Yes, I myself get one CD story in Spanish "down" (i.e., I can understand it directly without translation in my head) and move to the next to find that I once again have the sense that I can understand nothing at all!
But I am encouraged when I go back to my beginning tapes ... ones I once listened to but couldn't even hear where one syslable, word, sentence or sometimes even tape!! ended and the next began. And yet I hear something that now sounds as familiar to me as English.
You are very fortunate to be able to go to a country where you will be immersed! ... and after that it should all be downhill.
Hola a todas. I just had another dream last night in spanish. From what i have been told this is a good thing. Maybe the more listening i am doing is paying off!!!!
Does anyone have the link to the pimsuler webpage. I might have a geese at it. If that works for me it will hit the nail on the head. woo-hoooo. Anything that can improve my listen and speaking will be as sweet as a nut.!!! Sorry aussie slang!!! I get carried away sometimes when i see something new that will improve my learning!!!!!
Oh yeah mike123587, you might want to check out the movie "Nine Queens"(Nueve reinas), as it takes place in argentina so you will get a general idea of their "accent"...
