Dubbed shows vs. Shows that are made in Spanish originally
So I've been really pleased with my progress lately. One of the ways I learn is by watching shows in Spanish. I mostly watch dubbed shows. Lately I've been watching Star Trek: The Next Generation in Spanish and an anime called "Monster". I find that I can understand more than 90 percent of what is said, and that I easily digest those shows. It is very pleasing to feel that I have progressed far enough to "get" shows without pause or relisten at all. I feel like I have finally reached an advanced level beyond intermediate. Today I started watching a show called "Mujeres Asesinas" which is all the rage with the girls at work but.....I can barely understand a few words. I am getting maybe 10 percent of it. The words are flying out of their mouths, everyone is talking at once, even going back again and again I can't understand them no matter how many times I listen. At 9:30 a woman says "Soltame" I listen to it again "Soltame" again "Soltame" is she saying "Sueltame"? That can't be it. Then the guy says something about silver and ends his sentence with the word "Val". Not Vale. Val. Listen again. Val. Listen again. Val. What am I doing wrong here? I feel frustrated like I am taking a big hit in my confidence when I have recently decided my level is advancing very well.
¿Vaya...Como la plata siempre Val? Soltame. :(.
Edit: does he mean money when he says plata...Como la plata siempre vaya...As the money always goes....
21 Answers
I watch TV and movies in Spanish all the time both shot in Spanish and dubbed.
Here's why you are experiencing the difficulty with movies shot in Spanish vs movies shot in English and dubbed in Spanish. When movies are done in Spanish, you are hearing the actors speak at the normal pace for native spanish speakers. When movies are shot in English and dubbed, the speakers laying down the Spanish track have to match as best they can the lip movements of the English speakers. In order to do that, they generally must speak more slowly in Spanish than they normally would in order to match the lip movements of the English speakers (but this is not always true). That is why movies shot in English and dubbed in Spanish are easier to understand than movies originally shot in spanish.
With time you will pick up speed and all will be fine.
I have a suggestion for you if you have an ipod or mp3 player. Try audio books. The readers generally speak more clearly and distinctly than the dialogue in movies. It will be somewhere between dubbed movies and movies shot in Spanish. Plus, with an iPod you can slow the speed down to 1/2 or double it to double speed. The one downside is that the sound has a little bit of an echo at altered speed but still it help.
One last thing. Watch tele novelas on television. Especially the Mexican ones. They tend to speak in theater voices which are more clear and articulate but still faster than dubbed movies. In addition, with most of them you can almost tell what is going on even if the sound were off altogether.
Just some thoughts.
Jeezzle dear!! Mujeres Asesinas is from Argentina!!! Don't feel frustruated... We use "vos" instead of "Tú" for the 2nd person singular and that changes the conjugation of the verbs. (I try not to use it here so that no one gets confused) And yes... plata is money... I guess he ment... Cómo la plata siempre vale!... meaning with money you can buy anything! and Soltame is suéltame.
Have a look at this article: http://spanish.about.com/cs/historyofspanish/f/vosqow.htm
Anything you want to know, don't hesitate to pm me
I found it!!
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- . -Ahora entiendo...
- -¿Qué cosa?
- -Adónde fue a parar la plata que estaba en el cajón...
- -La plata va y viene mi amor (money comes and goes sweety)
- -Va... con vos la plata siempre va (with you, money always goes)
- -Soltame (Let me go)
- -No vas a ver más un centavo
- -Soltame te dije!!!
http://pelisargentinas.blogspot.com/
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In this link you'll find Argentinian movies and tv series (there are some Mexican as well). You can download them by direct download.
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If you find it too difficult to understand, I recommend you watch Argentinian news live on http://c5n.infobae.com/
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Hope it helps!!
Free audiobooks to listen online or download on your computer
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http://albalearning.com/audiolibros/index.html
http://www.albalearning.com/ (main page)
http://albalearning.com/audiolibros/bazan_cuentosdeamor.html (Love short stories)
Puff, qué tía!! Lo encuentra to !! jeje
Ahhh, pero eso es un juego de palabra más bien, jeez, no me sorprende que tuvieras problemas con esto.
try disney movies in spanish... they are super fun
A side note Jeezle, if all the girls at work are raging about "Mujeres Asesinas", watch your back! 
Val could also be a short form for Valeria (also Vale). It´s very common (maybe too common) to use them in everyday language. So, just guessing, the quoted dialogue could go something like this:
- !Vaya¡ ¿Cómo? ¿La plata siempre Val(eria)?
- Soltáme.
do you have the name of the episode? I´m really curious now.
Yes, it is difficult to understand Spanish!! Exactly for that reason I have been trying really hard to learn via audio (native speakers speaking Spanish from Spanish sources...not dubbed, which will always be easier, as you have experienced!! ...congratulations, too!!)
Well, here is what I can share with you:
FirstI finish a chapter - thoroughly - from my audio presentation of Pepe Carvahlo y una desconocida (wonderful story, terrific author and the professional speaker is Katia Borras, ("elegant Castilian Spanish: excellent pronunciation, no regional accent"). I can hear that chapter again and again and understand it then immediately without translation! She might as well be speaking English to me. I am sure I am now really advanced!!
And then I begin the next chapter. Where does one word end and the next begin? I am a raw beginner again.
But we won't give up, will we jeezzle!! In my case, I suppose that Katia Borras will be the ¨"step-mother" for this, my next language, if I should ever even approach finally understanding and speaking it a bit like a native...or at least with true fluency.
Here is a link to a series of learning videos with a taste of Mexican, Argentinian, and Puerto Rican spanish which is quite understandable.
Hey Jeezzle, my only thought is "soltame" could mean "let go of me". Here is the link to the infinitive:soltar It is hard to figure out without seeing the show or understanding the context.
It is so great that you are understanding so much. Don't be discouraged because there is one show that is causing you difficulties. To be able to understand Spanish TV is a true sign that you are really advancing. I can hardly wait until I can actually watch an entire show in Spanish from start to finish with understanding. I want to be able to laugh at the jokes and understand the entire plot. Currently, I can comprehend the overall story, but I am still depending too much on body language and facial expressions. As far as Star Trek...I don't even think I understand it in English yet.
So keep up the great work. You are an inspiration to us all!!!
Thank you Jeezle for bringing the show to my attention, I finally checked out an episode of Mujeres Asesinas 2, thought it would be lame but I'm now Hooked! I've only seen a little bit of it at work today but I love it, I now know what I will be doing at work from now on instead of working, lol... I can't believe they show some of the stuff they do on it on TV...
Are there any other Argentine and shows with peninsular Spanish you kind folks could recommend?
HI Maike, welcome to the forum
Wait till Benz comes on, she is from ARgentina, and will sure be able to give you a hint. You can also write a PM to her, in case she does not see this
For a completely different point of view, consider that when you watch a dubbed film, the action (and the behavior of the actors) reflects American (or whatever) values/thought. The actual dialog may have been translated into Spanish but the fundamental message/behavior reflects American culture.Part of learning a foreign language involves learning about it's culture (and how those people think/react).
When you watch a dubbed film you may be learning how something would be translated into Spanish but you may also be missing out on what Spanish speakers would actually feel/think/say in such circumstances.
