Is It Really Possible To Learn...
Has anyone actualy sucessfully taught themselves another language, with one of the 'teach yourself courses such as Rosetta Stone or Linguaphone etc. Not living in the relevant country, not having studied it at school.
Genuinely taught themselves from scrath '
18 Answers
I try to spend an hour a day, obviously life can get in the way and it doesn't happen. That's why I subscribe to a horoscope that's delivered to my email. It forces me to do a least that translation every day.
RogerHH said:
Sharon, how many hours a week do you spend on Spanish ?
Sharon said:
I have taught myself from scratch. I started with Rosetta stone through my public library on-line. It was helpful but I wouldn't pay for it. The best sites that I have found are http://www.spanish-is-easy.com (Which I purchased and it really helped) and http://www.notesinspanish.com/ (the audio is free, you can purchase transcripts). At this point after a year of studying I can understand a lot of most conversations that I hear. Using this site and lots of other fun stuff (for example: sign up at hola.com to have your horoscope sent to your e-mail daily) you can learn on your own and have fun doing it.
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The suggestion of LoMasTV has been made by a couple of people, and I have to throw in with them. It's not free, but it is very reasonable ($10+ a month). The amount of stuff for beginners is not that great, but There is stuff there. There are also audio lessons here on this site. With LoMas though you have subtiles in Spanish and English which can be turned off and on as you wish, and the ability to slow the video/audio down. I was watching a video of a Madrileña last night, and was very glad to be able to do that. Either they speak very rapidly in Madrid, or she had had demasiado cafe.
hello im stacey how are you
Any suggestions, Gus?
Gus said:
Permalink Reply by duy 8 hours agoStudy the grammar first(get any grammar book), then add vocabs. Read Spanish newspapers, watch local Spanish TV. They help me a lotNot jut any grammar book, It has to be an up to date grammar book . And, if possible get a international Phonetic Alphabet.
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Permalink Reply by duy 8 hours ago
Study the grammar first(get any grammar book), then add vocabs. Read Spanish newspapers, watch local Spanish TV. They help me a lot
Not jut any grammar book, It has to be an up to date grammar book . And, if possible get a international Phonetic Alphabet.
Sharon, how many hours a week do you spend on Spanish ?
Sharon said:
I have taught myself from scratch. I started with Rosetta stone through my public library on-line. It was helpful but I wouldn't pay for it. The best sites that I have found are http://www.spanish-is-easy.com (Which I purchased and it really helped) and http://www.notesinspanish.com/ (the audio is free, you can purchase transcripts). At this point after a year of studying I can understand a lot of most conversations that I hear. Using this site and lots of other fun stuff (for example: sign up at hola.com to have your horoscope sent to your e-mail daily) you can learn on your own and have fun doing it.
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Study the grammar first(get any grammar book), then add vocabs. Read Spanish newspapers, watch local Spanish TV. They help me a lot.
No. It was purchased for me by someone I am doing some work for but, in my opinion, it is too expensive for the casual user. This site and others on the Web can be just as effective given a little time and effort.
ztaylor said:
I would like to know if you think the Rosetta Stone is worst the price. Have you tried the learns here? I think they are fantastic and they are FREE! Please let me know what you think about both.Zan
Clint Trammel said:
I have Rosetta Stone and have finished Level 1. I have learned several vocabulary word and a very little bit about sentence structure but cannot carry on a conversation at this stage. There are three levels.
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I don't know but I am sure into finding out and I love this site and all its suggestions.
I have taught myself from scratch. I started with Rosetta stone through my public library on-line. It was helpful but I wouldn't pay for it. The best sites that I have found are http://www.spanish-is-easy.com (Which I purchased and it really helped) and http://www.notesinspanish.com/ (the audio is free, you can purchase transcripts). At this point after a year of studying I can understand a lot of most conversations that I hear. Using this site and lots of other fun stuff (for example: sign up at hola.com to have your horoscope sent to your e-mail daily) you can learn on your own and have fun doing it.
Kelly's tip of www.lomastv.com is excellant. I am not at that standard but for those who are more advanced, it really looks like an excellant source of material.
I am watching Mi Vida Loca and that showed me that by lesson 52 of Pimsleurs Spanish - I really have not got very far !!!
Thanks
You can listen to spanish music on Pandora.com and also a wonderful website is called www.lomastv.com check it out, it cost money but you can try a demo. I did it for a year and it is great they have shows for different levels and you can slow down or speed up the talking. It is amazing for learning.
RogerHH said:
I have 60 + channels of TV and none are Spanish. T.V. has got to be a good way to learn. Radio obvioulsy not being visual, can't be anywhere near as good.
Does anyone have any ideas of any radio, with the internet we can get anything, or ideas of wht to listen to ?
ztaylor said:
Well I have completed all of the Learning Spanish 1 here on SpanishDict.com. I can have very basic conversations now. My conversations are not perfect at all but I am understood. I still can´t understand most Spanish conversations but the more I learn the more I can pick out. I have turned on the caption on my TV and watch Spanish programs. I can read it better than just listening but I think it is helping.
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www.learner.org has an intelligent 52 episode series to accompany someone learning Spanish called "Destinos." TV is only good if it is interesting enough that you will actually watch it. The British broadcasting system has a series called "Mi Vida Loca" at www.bbc.uk.com/languages/spanish which is more instructive than "Destinos." In fact, the BBC has a lot on that site www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish. On another person´s suggestion, I read the reviews on Amazon for Rosetta Stone, Tell Me More and stumbled upon the review for yet another learning program for which the reviews sounded yet better for me: www.fluenz.com. Certainly learning outside a Spanish-speaking country demands a lot of discipline.
To answer your original question, I am certainly hoping that one can teach oneself, I for one am trying. But we will have to wait for another good six months or so to hear whether or not I have been successful...(ps, and I have the advantage of already once having learned another language while immersed in another culture.) We will see. I sure would prefer having a full-time teacher.
I have 60 + channels of TV and none are Spanish. T.V. has got to be a good way to learn. Radio obvioulsy not being visual, can't be anywhere near as good.
Does anyone have any ideas of any radio, with the internet we can get anything, or ideas of wht to listen to ?
ztaylor said:
Well I have completed all of the Learning Spanish 1 here on SpanishDict.com. I can have very basic conversations now. My conversations are not perfect at all but I am understood. I still can´t understand most Spanish conversations but the more I learn the more I can pick out. I have turned on the caption on my TV and watch Spanish programs. I can read it better than just listening but I think it is helping.
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