Training Your Ear for Spanish
What are some of the best ways to train your ear for picking up spanish cadence and nuance. What ways helped you most in this process, how do you think you could have developed faster (por ejemplo: having more time to do said method.)
And what is a reasonable time scale for the development ?
8 Answers
Just start watching movies in Spanish, and write in Spanish as much as you can. By that I don't mean you make up phrases, but instead to transcribe a novel from Spanish to Spanish and then translate it to English.
Start reading out loud while recording yourself then listen yourself and correct according to what you are understanding.
Don't worry, just do it, and within little time you'll start to notice the difference, especially if you keep all of your recordings so you can compare.
Good luck and be persistent.
I think the best method of accomplishing this is by putting your Spanish speaking to use with a variety of different speakers from different countries. Spontaneous conversation forces you to start picking up little nuances that may otherwise go unnoticed. I would also suggest actively watching programs, movies, etc. in Spanish. At first I would recommend finding something you like that has subtitles in Spanish and watching it over and over until you have it down. Same with music. Analyzing music word by word has helped me a great deal.
Personally I feel pretty lucky to be in the situation that I am in. 3 years ago studying Spanish became my passion. In this moment in time I am surrounded by Spanish speakers of all types and levels - Co-workers, family, fellow students, a huge Spanish speaking population where I live, etc. With all that, it is still hard for me at times.
Looking back at my experience studying the language, there are a few things I would have done differently. First, I would have started listening to music/watching programs from different countries a lot earlier in my studies. Although this can be frustrating at times, it is necessary. Also, I would highly recommend developing friendships with native speakers. Do whatever it takes! If you hear people speaking Spanish around you do your best to become involved in the conversation. Nothing can replace direct, spontaneous conversation.
What are some of the best ways to train your ear for picking up spanish cadence and nuance.
I agree with what others have posted..... this may sound weird, but it's a method of practice that my teacher started me on a few years ago. Spanish does indeed have a cadence, a rhythm if you will, it's like music. So, for practice, I would imitate the sounds of a phrase, even if I couldn't pronounce the words perfectly, I would continue to imitate the sounds in time with the rhythm of the sentence. I would finally discover the 'flow', the rhythm of the sounds. It made a huge difference in my ability to speak the language.
If you had no prior listening and speaking skills in Spanish, like I did, I would recommend Pimsleur level I (A and B) CDs. Most local libraries have them. It takes 15 hours to go through them.
Level I Pimsleur lessons helps "opening up" your Spanish ears so to speak. I tried to watch Spanish TV before I did Pimsleur, and I could hardly pick up any words or phrases. after Pimsleur level I CDs, I could pick up a lot more words and phrases.
Unfortunately Pimsleur level II and III classes did not give me as significant help as the level I lessons.
Seriously, a one year year subscription to Lomás TV helped me immensely. Regular TV watching with Spanish subtitles and Spanish radio and some quick online searches for the "letras" or lyrics is good practice!
You asked about timeline. Well, everyone's different, but there is one universal truth, and that is you progress at a rate equivalent to the amount of time and effort you put in to it. If you practice once a week (or less) it will take a whole lot longer than if you practice everyday.
My advice: Listen to something everyday, no matter how long or short it is. You've got to have the sounds of Spanish in your ear constantly, even if it's only for 5 mins at a time, whether you understand everything or not.
estudiante98 has given you some really good advice. If you're not familiar with LoMasTV, check it out. It's a great resource for improving your ear, and so is listening to music as you read along with the lyrics.
Find something that interests you and watch or listen to videos and audio about it. YouTube has become an irreplaceable part of my learning routine. You can find videos of various lengths and subjects, so there's no excuses. You gotta use materials that keep you engaged and entertained.
Lastly, be consistent. I said this already, but I'll say it again. Everyday you've got to have the sounds of Spanish in your ear no matter what it is.
Suerte!
There are some practice sites listed in the reference section here. Right now in the old SD it is on the drop down bar under more. Here are some examples listed in a previous post.
If you have access to a computer quite a bit, you should check out this website. They are Spanish proficiency tests from the University of Texas at Austin. They go from "Beginner" through "Intermediate," "Advanced," and "Superior." Each lesson has several audio recordings and videos of native speakers all talking. Each one is different but they are all on the same topic (ex: Asking for directions) and each has a grammar section and list of related phrases to go with it.
