Speed of language is challenging
I find the speed of which the language is spoken makes it very difficult for me to follow. It's challenging when I am trying to learn by listening to the radio or watching tv or even speaking to people because it's spoken so quickly. I have to keep saying mas despacio o repetir constantly. Any suggestions. It all sounds like one long word.
3 Answers
The answer is vocabulary. If someone were speaking in English but you did not know the words then it would sound the same. Having vocabulary is the only thing that allows you to begin to hear words and then you can begin to break that stream of sounds (syllables) into words and it begins to make sense and amazingly it slows down.
At first you may only catch a word or two and then as you fall behind you lose the ability to hear words. You fall behind because you are not hearing words only sounds. The more words you know and are familiar with the less likely you are to "fall behind" the stream of syllables. The other posts suggest ways to build vocabulary. But vocabulary is the only way language will start to make sense.
The more you listen, the easier it will get. Do some concentrated work eg find an article in a newspaper or blog, read it guessing words you do not know - many will be cognates - patterns of words such as ción in Spanish is usually a word in English ending in tion. Read another article in a different paper on the same subject and look up any troublesome words now find a short video about the article El País has a youtube channel BBC Mundo has some videos and so does 20 minutos es. You could of course choose a news item where you already knew the basics in English. Keep a note of words and phrases that interest you.
Listen to songs/music in Spanish. I guess from your name you may be based in the USA I like Gabriela Morena and Mercedes Sosa as they are very clear but Jot Dog and Julieta Venega are good plus Juanes and there are many lovely songs from Cuba with a great beat. Spain - Amaral, Manu Chao and Joaquin Sabina. I and others have made suggestions before.
I do not know your language level BBC Mi Vida Loca which is an interactive video will hel
Ver Taal a Dutch site has lots of exercises including brief news items from rtve - these can be fast. However, they ask questions which make you listen there is also a transcript available.
I watch rtve television and sometimes listen to the radio. Some of the TV programmes have Spanish subtitles. In class we have often listened to short videos some of which are on marcoele.
Reading improves your vocabulary and understanding of structure.
You could also listen to podcasts but I do not know where you are based or your language level - I have recommended some before.
You can use programmes like audacity to slow recordings down.
Remember in normal speech, just like in English you run words together
The more exposure to conversations, musical lyrics, and repeating sentences of example in the word of the day here. Investing in the culture's history can give perspective. Also, strolling about a Spanish market to learn something new every day!
