Help Needed with Spanish Phrases

Question

¡Hola!

¿Como estás?

Okay, I'm puzzled by this and have been for a while. It is no doubt that Spanish is 80-90 times more difficult to learn than English and because it is so, so difficult and will be by far the most difficult thing I will ever experience in life, I'm motivated to accomplish this feat.

With that said, I see these:

http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/ya

You see all of those phrases and how they really don't make sense, unless you memorized them.

For instance,

Ya en 1926

which means:

As long ago as 1926

however, ya is supposed to mean already. So it would be difficult to get its true meaning, unless you just know that from memory. How do native speakers handle that when it is so many of these. It is really hard to have a 100% comprehension because everything is said in such a sophisticated manner and not built just on words, but phrases that you just have to remember. It's intimating how difficult Spanish is.

So I feel like I have to be missing something. There are so many rules and exceptions and there has to be something that I don't know, which is slowing down my progress.

¡Gracias, mis amigos!

The missing link is the premise that Spanish is more difficult than English , that is not a proven fact. Also all languages have phrases that make no sense one has to memorise them ,Languages cannot be translated word for word. "Give me a break,". - ray76, Jan 30, 2017

Now translate and explain that phrase mate. - ray76, Jan 30, 2017

Hi ray76, thanks for your reply and trying to provide me confidence. I really, really want to learn Spanish, but is way too difficult for the average person to learn. - BernWillChris, Jan 30, 2017

ray76, "Give me a break" is a comprehensible phrase. Think about it. The Patriots are a better team than the Falcons. "Man, give me a break" - BernWillChris, Jan 30, 2017

So in this case, I'm saying that what that person is saying is crazy and I'm asking them to give me a break, a break as in stop talking nonsense. :) - BernWillChris, Jan 30, 2017

You missed the meaning mate, it comes from the game of Billiards where one gets a break which is a run of points, you see how difficult it is in English , no different than Spanish , we are here to help you mate so keep trying . - ray76, Jan 30, 2017

If an ancient twit like me can struggle through it then a young scallyway like you will be given an"even break" ! Do our lessons mate and forget about phrases for the time being. - ray76, Jan 30, 2017

Answer 1

Chris I have given you a vote to set you off .Most of us have found that one must

read and listen as much as one can , complete as many lessons as possible

and things like phrases etc will fall into line as you need and use them.

Bueno suerte mi amigo y aprendizaje feliz.