why can't I learn spanish?
I've taken 3 semesters of Spanish and I still can't have basic conversations with people. I'm terribly frustrated but don't want to quit. I stopped taking classes and now I'm losing the little I learned. Any advice would be gladly accepted.
14 Answers
It takes me too long to take what I want to say from my head to my mouth, if you get what I mean.
Read books out loud while trying to understand them at the same time.
Watch your favorite DVD with Spanish language track activated.
Participate in the Skype exercises here at SpanishDict.com.
Watch a movie in English and attempt to translate as much of it (in your mind) into Spanish as fast as you can (you will barely be able to do this at all at first...and progress will be veeeerrrry slow). This will make you physically and mentally exhausted quick. Don't be hard on yourself if you only do it for two or three minutes and then just slip into watching the movie.
Translate a book that you really enjoy from English to Spanish. Do another one from Spanish to English. Just do the first few pages or a chapter.
Hire an online tutor who is a native Spanish speaker (there are various websites offering such a service...you can come here for opinions on any of them if you find one you might like to sign up with).
Go and take a look at Encouragement Island and see how many people say they are much better at reading and writing the language than they are at speaking it.
I used to think it was just me now I think it is a normal thing.
I feel for you in your frustration and I understand something of how you feel but realistically speaking It takes years to learn a language. 3 semesters is just the beginning. Please don't be discouraged ...Keep learning you will make progress if you don't give up!
The most important thing is to practise and use everything you know as much as possible and to regularly practise speaking the language/languages you are learning. I would encourage you to find a native speaker with whom you can do an exchange: you help them learn your native language and they will help you to learn theirs.
Heidi, our chief administrator and native from Madrid runs Skype chats and you can speak to her and join one of them. There are beginner chats, Intermediate level chats and advanced level chats. You can learn a lot through participating in them. 
You have to ask yourself this....do you want to learn? As was stated before...you didn't set out to learn your native language....you just did. You did this in the appropriate developmental stages....it's ok that you can't carry on a conversation after three semesters of a language....you need to listen to Spanish, interact with Spanish, watch Spanish, read Spanish....yes read it!! We learn through a multitude of different paths...the dictionary will become your friend and the gentle corrections from people on this site will take hold of you and you will love it!! Remember never give up on something you truly want...it's there for the taking.....take it!!!! Good luck and see you around the forum!
"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."
Winston Churchill
After 3 semesters of Spanish you have likely covered the majority of the grammar. Try watching TV in Spanish. Telenovelas have simple plots so you know what is happening even if you don't understand every word. I have also found it helpful to watch shows in English with Spanish subtitles. You can download these from the internet. Good luck!
Coming here 3 times per week would be a good start, but I'd advice you to do something with Spanish EVERY DAY. Even if it's something as quick as thinking up the Spanish words of the objects around you, writing a few sentences in Spanish of what happened today or checking the sports page of El País.
Also: Accept that it's going to take a while and be happy with every little piece of progress that you see. The less you get frustrated the better.
Try to enjoy it. If it's a hassle for you then it's going to be very difficult to master. So see if there's things that you already enjoy doing in your native language that you can do in Spanish.
Hola! ^_^
If you want to learn Spanish then you're definitely in the right place we have Spanish courses for learning Spanish and we have reference article section where you can find all of the Spanish grammar that you need ,we also have a dictionary ,translation section , flashcards , a phrasebook and a conjugation section for the Spanish verbs , and if you have any question about Spanish and you want to know the answers just ask it here and we will be very happy to help you
Welcome to the forum. Learning a language is not a simple task. It takes time and a lot of practice. 3 semesters may seem like a long time, but how long did it take you to learn English when you were a baby?
If you don't want to quit, then don't. Maybe you just need to find another way to learn. Try taking the lessons here and see how you do. But you can't just watch the lessons and do the flashcards. You have to try to apply what you learn every chance you get.
This website will really help you with your spanish.
This website has been helping me with my spanish.Good luck with school and I hope you learn a lot on this website. 
You didn't learn your native language in 3 semesters, and you won't learn another, either!
But, seriously, it is next to impossible to learn a language without interacting with native speakers. As a matter of fact, I've known people who had PhD.s in a language and couldn't speak it
One of them was a Secretary of State, too!
It took you 7/8 years learn English, you can not speak fluent Spanish in 3 semesters, you need more time...but watching "novelas" is an excellent idea
I would say take the plunge and go and learn in another country. do a course there and refuse to speak english to anybody unless absolutely necessary!
i recently did this in argentina, though it turned out speaking any english is easier said than done... however, my spanish is sill miles better than before!
i went to this school in buenos aires, if you're interested: www.expanish.com
good luck!
Hi there!
Well you could try different ways of learning spanish after 3 semesters. First you have to focus on why YOU think you can't learn it. Is it memorization? or perhaps you can't get the details down? If you can pinpoint where your weaknesses are, it'll help.
Working with others helps as well.
For now, maybe take a break? Do another activity and clear your mind. Don't focus on your negative aspects. It's almost guranteed if you have a positive attitude, you'll work better
Also its true what they say, practice makes perfect! So come and work a little everyday while doing something you like afterwards. It will give you something to look forward to.
For actual work, use flashcards? this website helps a lot too!
And remember never think you can't do something. It'll stop you from trying. If you don't try, you'll never succeed.
Goodluck! ...(not sure if this helped much)
It's excellent that you've already taken 3 semesters, but the fun has just started. There's so much you can do at this point. There is so much more ahead of you
If you have taken 3 semesters, then you must know most of the basics by now. That's enough to get you going. You can use what you already know to learn more.
You can listen to Spanish movies with or without subtitles.
You can pick up a book in Spanish and read any story you like.
You can practice having conversations with natives. If you have any Spanish friends, that would be a great way to practice. (don't be afraid, get out there and SPEAK)
Oh, and I almost forgot, you have this awesome website, SpanishDict, with all of the features lovely pointed out, and you can come visit it any time you can!
You can do it! 
