Spanish television and music

Question

It makes sense to me that watching spanish television and listening to spanish music would help me in the learning process, but they usually speak so quickly that i find it nearly impossible to keep up at all. so my question is, will doing this actually help me, or is it something i should avoid untill i have a better understanding of the language?

Answer 1

You know, I believe it is all beneficial. Even though you may not hear word for word, your brain is in fact learning, receiving, and slowly integrating. I avoided it at first too, but there is definite benefit in training your ears to the real speed of the language. Even if you are doing something like dishes, have it going in the background. I also got recently, a harry Potter book in Spanish to start picking apart the sentences. I think the nervous system learns faster and more comprehensively when we are, in fact, exposing it to comprehensive styles of learning. (see, say, write, listen, etc).

If you chart your progress, I bet a month from now you will turn on the music/radio/tv and be surprised at some of the words you will have learned through osmosis!

I also think that every word you DO understand is reinforcement, which can only be a good thing :) - galsally, Apr 2, 2010

Answer 2

You must avoid it.. You mustn't watch or listen anything in spanish while you are learning.. If you are for example in the same club and you hear spanish song, cover your ears and run just run fast as you can.. Of course I'm joking..In my opinion that is good way of learning..For example I'm beginner, but it's going great for me, and reason for that, beside this great site, is that I adore spanish music, films, literature and tv shows.. It's very helpful..I understand everything very easy.. And I have one more prove that it is true.. I didn't have that when I started learning franch and it was so much harder..

Answer 3

Go for it.

If you keep learning vocab and grammar rules on the one hand, and immerse yourself in Spanish on the other, you'll create the best way to learn a foreign language.

You need the immersion but unless you plan to sit yourself down in Madrid or Buenos Aires for a few months immersion won't be enough. So you need both the boring, repetitive grammar rules and vocab cards, and as much immersion as you can get in your daily life.

Answer 4

You should have a better understanding of Spanish, but keep in watching them every day.

Answer 5

Good question. My view is that when you first start out learning a new language you should focus mostly on learning grammar and vocabulary and verb conjugations and all that fun stuff. As you learn more you should gradually expose yourself more and more to music, tv, and real world conversations where you use your new language. Of course it would not hurt to listen to spanish music and television you don't understand but if you are having trouble maybe the time would be better spent on booklearning and working up to the point where you can understand the spoken spanish better.

Answer 6

Find the lyrics to spanish songs you like and sing them with the music. This will help improve almost all aspects of your spanish. I also recommend translating them to english.

Answer 7

It would depend on what words you are catching. The "bad words" are common used on Spanish channels and if you mistakenly say one to a business person (or whoever) in place of another word, they will consider that rude or un-business-like.

I think I have to go with waiting until you know more

Hope I helped a tad-bit

Answer 8

Yeah you should obviously be watchin to Spanish music and Spanish channels. I have Rosetta Stone and the Audio Companion says that a great way to practice Spanish while entertaining yourself is to watch tv in Spanish, listen to Spanish music, and really pay attention to how fast the natives are goin because when you do get fluent, and even learning (my Spanish friends and I) speak really fast, and if you don;t learn to comprehend things that fast, well it's gonna be harder to answer or input in that conversation.

I've got some good Spanish songs that you'll like: Ciega Sordomuda, Estoy Aquí, No Morira, Oye, Pero Me Acuerdo de Ti, Conmigo Quédate, Mi Tierra, No Llores, Toma de Mí, El día Mi Suerte, Como La Flor, Bidi Bidi Bom Bom, Ojos Así, La Tortura, Suerte (Whenever, Whenever), Las de la Intuición, Loba (She Wolf in English), y Años Luz

¡Necesita cantar durante los canciones! (Buenas suertes)

Answer 9

Listening to spanish songs is a great way to learn the language, specially if the melody of the song is catchy. My favorite spanish song is La Bamba by Ritchie Valens. The melody is so good and the lyrics are not that hard to understand. And when I watch DVDs I switch the language to spanish. And sometimes I watch fights of latin boxers where the commentators are speaking in spanish. Here are a few sentences and phrases that I heard from watching but I'm not sure if I heard them correctly because sometimes they talk very fast:

1. Los hueces para esta pelea son....
2. Buena combinacion en el parte de Erik
3. Tres veces campion del mundo
4. Pelea limpia (clean fight)
5. Tienes que tirar muchos combinacciones para ganar esta pelea
6. Yo no soy marinero, soy capitan

You like labamba, check out the version by Lila Downs its good - cheeseisyummy, Apr 2, 2010

Answer 10

Hey

I've been watching 1 or 2 children's programmes each day, mostly Postman Pat, and I try to fit in 1 more, like a documentary or anything really that takes my fancy and isn't very long.

I started about 2 weeks ago, and I am certain I'm improving already. Yesterday I watched Códiko Lyoko, which is like a step up from Postman Pat for me, and I feel quite happy with how much I understood .

So I would say it's a good combination to be learning the grammar but also trying to get your ears adjusted.

Buena suerte amigo!