How do you guys learn Spanish?
Do you learn 1 lesson every day? Do you repeat lessons? How many times? What do you consider most effective?
4 Answers
To actually understand Spanish grammar, usage and even vocabulary, I recommend translation, particularly translation of a current novel or book of short stories (all by one author); one which you have already read in your native language. To assist you in speaking without an accent, read it aloud as you go, recording your horrible mispronounciations and practicing them. Unfortunately, conversation with native speakers seldom allows you to learn much more than daily conversational Spanish and the Spanish are so polite that they will never tell you how horribly you mangle their beautiful language and its euphonious accents.
I think there is no one answer. I like a multi-pronged approach. For instance, I am doing the following now.
1) listening to audio-lessons when I drive for my work (which is a LOT) 2) taking a local community college course for formal grammar 3) going through spanishdict.com lessons (half-way through spanish2 right now) 4) going to 3 different meet-up groups each week for oral practice 5) listening to only spanish music for all of 2012 (which is ultimately, more expensive than my tuition -- I've bought a LOT of CDs and MP3s in the last 4 or 5 months 6) going to 2 different oral practice groups at my local library 7) working on the duolingo site 9) both unintentionally, and intentionally picked up more hispanic clients, which con only be good 10) (and I realize this avenue is not open to most) just took on tuning duties (my job is motorcycle race tuning) for the Jr. National Mexican Champion motorcycle racer..
In short, hit it from a bunch of different angles and see what works for you best. In ALL of them, repetition is king. You can study over all the nuance you want (which is GOOD) but there is no substitute for practice/repetition/brute-force.
Buena suerte.
The better way is to talk with spanish people xD If you want I can to help you, so I practise English too.
En mi caso, he adoptado como pasatiempo, el aprender la lengua espanola. Tiene que dedicarse casi todo su tiempo libre en al empeño. Hablar, escuchar, mirar, etc. Mejor dicho "el sumergirse", en en español. Buena suerte! ¡Vale la pena, el esfuerzo!
In my case, I have adopted the pastime, of learning Spanish. One has to dedicate almost all your free time to the effort. To speak, to listen,look, etc. Better said, to sumerge yourself in Spanish. Good luck! It is worth the effort!
