Are you only using SpanishDict to learn Spanish?

Question

Do you use other websites or resources to help with your learning, or do you rely solely on SpanishDict?

How does SpanishDict compare with other resources?

Answer 1

I read (and sometimes listen) to Spanish from sources like newspapers, books, blogs, etc. and I rely on SpanishDict for questions and definitions, deferring to the DRAE when SD's dictionary doesn't make sense for the sentence I'm wondering about.

As far as I have seen nothing comes close to SpanishDict in terms of quality.

Livemocha has terrible lessons, but it has a rather unique system for improving your pronunciation, something which SD is abysmal at.

Rosetta stone is basically only good for vocabulary and is basically a re-imagining of flashcards, really, except you learn even less. The only advantage, I suppose, is that unlike most flashcards rosetta has images and full sentences for learning.

Pimsleur is good for pronunciation, but as for content, by the thirtieth lesson you're still learning things that you've long memorized by the end of course one on this website.

Answer 2

No. If you only use SpanishDict you are missing out on a lot of great stuff.

There are a TON of other fantastic resources available on the web, many for free. If I weren't posting from my phone I would list some. However, I have a list of what I label as some of the best free resources on my blog. If you want see them, go to www.myspanishnotes.blogspot.com and look for the button that says Learn Spanish Links.

Good links, Rodney!! - territurtle, Aug 26, 2011

I am a big fan of your blog, Rodney. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is learning Spanish. - MLucie, Aug 26, 2011

Answer 3

I took 4 years of Spanish in high school, the last 2 of which were in Caracas. I use SpanishDict to rebuild my vocabulary and brush up on grammar. I also listen to podcasts and the radio, watch T V and movies, read books and newspapers, etc. You really need to try to immerse yourself as much as possible to learn a language. Using just one source is difficult, at best.

Answer 4

You must develop a "learning library" of resources. there are so many out there.

Those sites will give you exercises and confirm usages and other questions.

SD is " home base" for me, but in order to ask and answer questions you must expand your base.

Answer 5

What terri said to the letter.

Answer 6

I just checked Livemocha and I think what is missing in Spanishdict is quizes at the end of the units. I think it would be better if they divide the courses in 5 or 6 and make small quizes including reading, writing and vocabulary as well.

Answer 7

I'm using several books, several apps (very helpful for vocab), but only one website: this one.

Answer 8

I thoroughly agree with what everyone else has written.

Yes, I use a lot of other resources: sites, books, dictionaries, audio tapes, podcasts, exercises, etc.

But nothing, absolutely nothing, even begins to come close to SpanishDict .

Answer 9

I only use SpanishDict but I saw a Rosetta Stone commercial but I decided to stick with SpanishDict because it gives you a lot of details in my opinion, like it gives you the Spanish dictionary where you can type in any word and it gives you the definition. You should try it. I hope my answer is helpful to you please look for my questions. My user name is gagafan2. Please find my questions and vote up I'll vote up for yours and please accept mine I would appreciate it.Thanks.

hope you don't mind I fixed your English to make it readable. - toothpastechica, Aug 25, 2011

thanks but dont do it again please. - TrueBelieber, Aug 25, 2011

@gaga there's no reason why he shouldn't correct you; there are people learning English on this website and you should try to use proper spelling and grammar - 00c05604, Aug 26, 2011

Toothpaste, you missed a few.:) Gagafan, get used to it. - Yeser007, Aug 26, 2011

"dont" should be spelled "don't" (apostrophe) - pesta, Aug 26, 2011

In my humble opinion (IMHO) you saved yourself a lot of money by not buying Rosetta Stone. It is my impression their money goes into advertising, rather than their product. - territurtle, Aug 26, 2011

P.S., ***absolutely no offense intended***, but it is our habit to correct each other, and we cherish having a site as free of typos and other errors as possible. It sure makes our learning experience a heck of a lot less frustrating!! - territurtle, Aug 26, 2011

If you wish to be part of this community, get used to being corrected, it is part of learning after all!! - pacofinkler, Aug 26, 2011

Yes, and why are you asking for votes in all of your posts? What do you intend to do with reputation points? This site is great for learning. :) - EL_MAG0, Aug 27, 2011

luka ll i did was answer a qestion.and if u werent dumb,u would no tht this is called text form yea.i bet u old ppl dont no nothin bout tht now do u. - TrueBelieber, Dec 25, 2011

I think that people that ar elearning english should be exposed to the way that americans talk. NOw i do agreee that we should talk proper, but people will never no how we talk.And this is to amor_y_paz,yeah im new and wanted to get my stats up........... - TrueBelieber, Jun 23, 2012

Answer 10

I'm using SpanishDict every day for learning, translating, conjugating and asking questions. I think this is the best website I've ever found. But "sometimes" I use studyspanish.com too in order to read more details and examples about Spanish grammar. I also have a self-study book in my native language which has very useful content. I use google translator too. I used to work with Byki too. That wasn't bad. I wish I could find a website like SpanishDict which teaches English with video in my own native language, Persian...

Google is a proper noun, so it should be capitalised. - MrSillyInc, Aug 26, 2011

You're right. Sorry for my carelessness. - mini_coral, Aug 27, 2011

Answer 11

I use SpanishDict daily and it is a valuable resource, but I also talk with natives regularly, read books and articles written in Spanish, and listen to talk radio in Spanish. As for the internet, I also use wordreference, the R A E dictonary and dudas, and assorted articles on Spanish grammar.

Answer 12

Rosetta stone is basically only good for vocabulary and is basically a re-imagining of flashcards, really, except you learn even less.

Maybe Version 2 (which was horrible). Version 3 was better, and now Version 4 (TOTALe) is incredible.

SpanishDict is great! It's free, the lessons are wonderful, and the help you get from the members is awesome.

But, comparing SpanishDict to Rosetta Stone is like comparing manzanas y naranjas. Rosetta Stone doesn't explain how you are learning as you go through the course. You just do. I, personally, like to know the meaning behind the structure, grammar, etc, so I'll read books and ask questions here.

But, as I have mentioned many times before and probably will many times again... as you go through the course you can sign up for 50-minute Online Sessions (which are included in the price) and you are able to talk 100% in Spanish with a coach and other learners. And you can do this hour after hour after hour all day long if you had the time.

Sometimes, I'll be the only one in the Session with the coach. We'll go off the stuff we are supposed to talk about and end up having a 50-minute long conversation entirely in Spanish. Pretty neat.

Thanks Tosh for correcting my misimpression, based as you noted, on earlier editions. I certainly wouldn't want to trash **any** helpful learning tool!! - territurtle, Aug 26, 2011

Answer 13

Spanishdict has become my 'go-to' site as it is simple to find your way around and is people based, not machine or curriculum based. I do suppliment it with going directly to the R.A.E (dictionary) and double check on google to see if Spanish sites use the word I want the way I am thinking about using it. Word Reference is another question thread that I often go to if I cannot find an answer here.

Also I have taking university level spanish (intermediate), and have lived in Latin American countries, I use Spanishdict mostly as a suppliment to doublecheck my own spanish more then to "learn" in the traditional usage of the word

Should be "supplement," and "Google" is a proper noun. Lastly, it should be "have taken." - MrSillyInc, Aug 26, 2011

Answer 14

I had a class for Spanish (college, spanish for beginners), but couldn't go most of the time due circumstances, but i use spanish.dict in combintation with my course book. I'm making sets as summaries to study my book (Aula sets!) the book is called Aula internacional 1 - curso de español. I started out just trying the sets that were close to what I had to learn (conjugations, basic vocabulary like countries, languages, colors.., question words like cómo, dondé, estar, ...).

On top of that I'm trying to read as much Spanish as I can, articles and stuff . Hope this helps a bit!

Answer 15

He are 10 sites I have saved in my favourites.

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I will add some more later (I didn't realise I had so many)

Here they are

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link text eighteen I like this one.

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