Does anyone know a way around this?
Whenever I try to say something in spanish I get very confused how the words in the sentence are all jumbled up when you translate into english. So I did stop translating but still it got confusing because the same word would be used as a different meaning. For example Tener means to have or to be, but it will sometimes be used in a completely different way such as "Tener éxito en esto será un desafío para europa" that translates "succeeding in this will be a challenge for Europe" but not once does it mention anything about to be or to have and there are thousands of other examples like this. My question is do any of you here at SpanishDict have a strategy I could use to get round this?"
Thanks much appreciated!
4 Answers
To get this started I am posting the PM I sent to you earlier. I hope others will contribute with their approach to learning Spanish.
Tener exito is reallly saying To have success.... not, Succeeding.... Don't think of tener as to be but rather to have. English I am hungry. Spanish I have hunger.
Some of this you just have to use enough that it sticks. I was once told that for a word to become part of your vocabulary you need to have contact with it 20 times. So practice is the most important thing.
You mention two other very normal problems: Understanding how a word is being used and getting mixed up in the grammar. The first is as I said above exposure to words and building a strong vocabulary. I have said may times here on this site that vocabulary is King and grammar is the hand maided. I truly believe this. Don't worry too much about getting the grammar right, get the thought right. Use infinitives if the correct conjugation doesn't enter you mind immediately, Don't worry about gender and matching. Just start talking. The more you talk the easier it gets.
You will make a million mistakes. That is okay. I still make dozens every day but it doesn't stop me from talking and communicating. Writing and reading help but talking and listening are the key to the language. Children learn to speak long before they learn to read and write.
I hope this helps. I works for me.
I agree with Gringo completely. He has learned a lot simply by using the language, of course being immersed in the language and culture is the best possible way to learn any language.
I caution you about "to get around this" because to do so is to not accept how the language is used and will lead to word-for-word translations and constantly trying to process things in English when you are trying to speak Spanish. I suggest you follow Gringo´s advice, it´s best way.
The other answers are really good and I will only say the same thing:
Read a lot. Read whatever interests you, football articles, gardening articles, dog-blogs, meteorological forecast, it doesn't matter, READ. Look up key words you don't understand but don't worry about every single thing, just read.
Watch film and TV, or just listen to the radio. Watch with or without subtitles, it doesn't matter, if you listen enough you will start to hear the constructions you have read. Write: write sentences on this site, write to a real or imaginary friend, it doesn't matter either, but writing helps you structure things.
Also, if you can, take some classes, it will help your learning. ( It is quicker with help, much quicker)
I answered earlier but lost my connection.
I was going to say it is to have success rather than be successful.
You are analysing too much. You need to read lots and notice patterns and phrases. You can increase your vocabulary by looking for cognates - for example ción in Spanish is usually tion in English. In addition when you notice a noun or verb work out the related words such as adjectives and adverbs.
In Spanish they often use the infinitive where we use the gerund - you will soon get so that when you speak Spanish a different word order is more natural. You have probably already learned many expressions which in Spanish use a third party construction such as encantar and gustar.
When studying read out loud - you are getting used to the sound of the language.
You mentioned tener - there are lots of colloquial phrases with this verb. Do not think of it as to have - learn phrases - you say in Spanish I have thirst/I have hunger/ I have 16 years. If you were a Spanish person you would be saying why do English people say I am hungry?
If you want to do extra work find an article on something that interests you in the news - the subject doesn't matter. Perhaps find something in El País. It can be a major car crash, a celebrity or something political. Read it without looking anything up. Find the same story in for example BBC Mundo or ABC and read it. Use your knowledge of cognates or even of a similar report in English. If you are now stuck on some words look them up and note them down. Find a third report and read it now find a short video on the topic El País has a Youtube channel BBC Mundo has some and 20 minutos es
has lots of videos.Listen trying to understand and have several goes. The site vertaal often uses news items from rtve. Unless you use a programme like audacity to slow the video down rtve daily news items may be too fast especially if the newsreader is from Madrid.
It is a good idea to note down words or phrases then try and use them in a sentence and read them every day after a time you will realise you know them. Do not make an effort at this stage to learn unusual words though some may stick.
Keep reading - blogs, twitter, articles even a book. You can download a chapter or two for free.
