Learning Spanish by CD course , I am trying Pimsleur... What else do you all recommend ?

caslug says on Jun 8, 2005, 17:18:

recommd u search the forum.. there are several threads on this subject..

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WidowerfromCanada says on Jun 8, 2005, 18:00:

I have searched the forum I want to find out more detailed information.... I am willing buy any other course..

Love is like a butterfly , if you chase it you will not catch it but you can hope the butterfly of love lands on your shoulder.

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kiwi says on Jun 8, 2005, 18:21:

Michel Thomas Is another method, I used it when I was starting out learning Spanis. He sells an 8 CD course online, think I bought mine from amazon, but now you can probably get it from ebay or similar cheap (or just download it from the likes of kazza).

I met my (now ex) gf in London 2002, knew maybe 6 words, tried to impress her by counting to 10, couldn't get past 5! So I went full on, used Michel Thomas, a mate gave me a copy of Pimsleur, plus I read online newspapers, listened to spanish music, and generally immersed myself as much as I could. I just got back from 6 months in Colombia, my first ever trip, not the last, and now I'm pretty good, maybe 7 or 8 out of 10. Fluency takes years, but you don't need to be fluent to enjoy it and communicate. I constantly got compliments about my spanish, they really appreciate any seriously attempt to speak. Anyway good luck man, I've learn German, Russian, Thai over the years and Spanish is the easiest and BEST language I've ever studied, el español hasta la muerte! jeje

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Caballista says on Jun 8, 2005, 19:29:

Hola The best way to learn other language its to read, write and ask. Keep a dictionary next to you all the time. And do not be afraid to repeat it. It's the way I'm learning English and Greek. And I live in NY. A friend of mine gave me a very good advice and I pass it to you now: do not be afraid and speak laud, in a tone that the person can hear you. If you speak low, they will ask you (Cómo) (Qué) (WHAT)??? and then you will feel embarrassed. So try to speak in a good tone. I can help you writing to you in Spanish and you look in the dictionary. Even here I asked some times for help, because I do not speak perfect English. I'm not afraid to ask.

Buena Suerte!!!

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Gator says on Jun 8, 2005, 19:40:

One problem...and some useful Spanish phrases. you ain't going to learn it "good" quickly. Watch Spanish TV, especially news broadcasts and use the language every chance you get. Even after a number of years living here I am fluent but the idioms are hell. Submersion is the quickest-like getting thrown into a swimming pool-sink or swim.

Avoid, at all costs, learning phrases like "Will Maria watch television at her home on Saturday?" or "José is wearing new pants."
Do NOT bother learning "I don't speak Spanish." Colombians will know that as soon as you open your mouth.

Some useful phrases to get started might be:

"Quisiera la habitación más barata."
I would like your least expensive room. Followed by
"Quisiera una major habitación".
I would like a better room.

"Quisiera una habitación que no sufiró daños en el temblor reciente."
I would like any room not damaged in the recent earthquake.

"¡Cálmese! No son balazos; es el estómago."
Relax! That is not gunfire; that is my stomach.

Seriously it will take time but the more you try the quicker it will come. BTW no one will laugh at you so fire away.

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

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utopiacowboy says on Jun 8, 2005, 22:20:

I was going to second roofus' suggestion - hours and hours of pillow talk. Tonight my wife and I were at a gathering of coworkers for a farewell party for one of them. Sometimes when I would be babbling away rapid-fire in Spanish with my wife, the looks I would get from my coworkers were priceless. My advice is listen to and speak as much Spanish as you possibly can. Don't get hung up on grammar. Stick with the present tense until you have a large enough vocabulary to say nearly anything you wish in normal conversation. Yes you'll sound like a 4 year old but most 4 year olds can express themselves pretty well. Move on to the preterite and future and once you master those tenses, you can move on to the other commonly used tenses. What really helps is having to communicate with someone in Spanish 24x7 - it's like a mini-immersion course. Find some penpals on amigos.com who don't speak English.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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Elsa Lopez says on Jun 9, 2005, 12:57:

Cartoons watch cartoons on TV. The characters explain what they are doing while talking, that's how my 3 year old boy learned english.

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jh816 says on Jun 9, 2005, 13:42:

learning spanish Pimsleur isn't too bad for a quick start(I used it for Russian, and imagine the spanish version is similar). Short of an immersian program, I've found the most fun and had the most success with listening to and translating music. Spanish music is amazing, and what better way to learn the words you want to say(I assume you're learning for love) than listening to music(most songs are about love). Good singers: Juanes and Shakira(both Colombian), Paulina Rubio, Christina Aguilera(pre-freaky days), Los Rodriquez, Jennifer Pena.

Also, here are some websites I've found really helpful. The first one is verb forms for about every verb you'll need. The second is a free translation site, not perfect by any stretch but not too bad to help you until you learn more.
http://users.ipfw.edu/jehle/VERBLIST.HTM
http://www.freetranslation.com/

Really though, if at all possible, just go on an immersion program. I have seen people go from no spanish to conversational in 3 weeks and the costs are not bad at all. It's too easy not to push yourself or to learn incorrectly when you're on a self-study program.

Hope this helps, Bueno Suerte.
joe.

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flaleo says on Jun 9, 2005, 16:33:

Here's what worked for me Will you be in Colombia?

I used Pimsleur (but for Portuguese and after some good Spanish). I would recommend complementing it with the following:

1. A good textbook or small travel guide that gives you some real basics, like basic verb conjugation and lists of pronouns, sentence syntax, adjective/adverb forming, etc.

2. Right, get a GF. For sure to speak with, but better (for early learning) to do IM. Use IM and open a web page translator (I like freetranslation.com) to help you. You'll learn a lot through repetitive learning by doing this.

3. Practice by traveling to S. America (or Miami) often - and avoid speaking English.

I found this combination worked great.

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Dan says on Jun 9, 2005, 17:38:

I pretty much learned Spanish on my own. I learned a lot of verbs speaking mainly in the present tense, but at first wasn't too serious about it all. All I had was a Spanish Dictionary and a 501 verb book. That was it. Next thing I know, I got a girlfriend, started studying even more with those two books I had and learning about this wonderfull woman. I played around with some of the other Verb tenses until I got comfortable with them and now I only look at a dictionary when I'm trying to explain something that I haven't talked about before. I also know when I'm not saying something just right because my wife starts laughing. Sometimes she doesn't tell me what I said wrong. Like someone mentioned above, pillow talk can be very helpfull. For me, it was wanting to learn about someone else without having to go through someone else translating. It is well worth it and now I have a wife I can communicate and grow with in life.

Best wishes to you and abilities,
Dan

God Bless America!

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misterB says on Jun 10, 2005, 00:04:

Cartoons "watch cartoons on TV"

Where can I find these? I've looked on ebay and only found a few spanish cartoons. The are scarce for downloading as i've yet to find that much.

Anybody know?

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Miguel says on Jun 10, 2005, 00:25:

Lots of ways to learn ALL versions of Pimsleur (1, 2, 3, and Spanish Plus); Michel Thomas for grammar tips; listen to Colombian radio online and watch Spanish language TV; read online newspapers; go to Latin American grocery stores or a salsa club and converse; and travel! La practíca lo hace todo.

And joe, its BUENA suerte.

"There is nothing lower than the human race...except for the French." - Mark Twain 1878-79

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fosth says on Jun 10, 2005, 01:27:

Immersion is the key I spent 3 weeks out of my first 6 in Colombia studying spanish at a Bogota university. WHile this was really helpful,lecturers were great and a good kickstart to me learning spanish. I found i learnt more from chatting to people when i went out at night (maybe a few aguilas made me less nervous). Went out on plenty of dates and soon suprised myself by being able to hold quite a good conversation for an entire evening without muttering any english.
Now i'm back in the UK, i talk as often as i can to Colombian friends on MSN or email, Listen to Juanes and Carlos Vives whenever i'm in my car,watch any program or film that happens to be in spanish and read Colombian websites (El tiempo,semana,SoHo etc)
I also do what Dan mentioned and use a dictionary and Verb book to help me through. I'm not fluent but am pelased with where i am and where my spanish is going.

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cdn says on Jun 10, 2005, 02:03:

I would recommend... being your nice normal self

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cdn says on Jun 10, 2005, 02:17:

en serio creo que es mejor hablar con mas volumen. Louder,man.

If you don't have that kind of time, may I suggest a Colombiana?

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lpdiver says on Jun 10, 2005, 04:26:

Here are some more ideas. I tape my wifes novellas with the subtitles turned on. Transcribe the words make a vocabulary list and learn the vocabulary. Watch with subtitles on and off.

Voice chat with numerous people on yahoo.

Read to my daughter in Spanish...the 23 day old and the 15 year old. The baby get the kiddie books and my oldest gets Harry Potter.

Teach ENGLISH locally. Who knows you may find your Colombiana already in Canada. At any rate you will find lots of cultures including latin and you will be SO appreciated.

Listen to language tapes in your car.

Tune in to radio caracol on your computer and listen to the talk
radio.

Buy a Colombian cookbook. You will get the added bonus of learnig where to shop for the products in your area and no doubt find a lot of interesting people in the process.

And if your going to be dealing with a Colombiana steer clear of that "stoopid" Mexican Spanish.jejeje this one's for cowboy

I could go on and on but you should be getting the idea by now.

tony

Remember what the monkey says, "Fuck money it's free"

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emero says on Jun 10, 2005, 05:09:

more help keep practising, bought a vocabulary book yesterday, e books off ebay, speaking to 6 year olds who correct me beautifully!

my boyfriend also does the same. I have cd's & BBc Suenos books, I go to evening class, I can't hold a coversation yet, but I can ask my man what do you want for dinner, I mutter names of vegetables when i go round the supermarket and bought a kids clock and practice the time in spanish

I like writing too, so I have grammar, preposition and verb books which are really cheap and excellent.

I have some kids books that I read to mi novio... which are hilarious I just do a page at a time, if i don't know the word i look it up or ask,

I have a little book which i carry around with me I learnt the word for custard and sticky(we were talking about mangoes straight from the tree)

I do reading, writing, and listening to my cd's and the Suenos video tapes so when I can't be bothered I can just chill out and watch it on the tv.

I also have a good cd rom, which is on my computer.

my son will be learning spanish soon as he is going to secondary school, and there are now lots of stickers on various things round the house.....

As with other suggestions, listen to tapes, cd's radio tv, native speaker etc, I picked up no me gusta the other day, even though for 4 months I couldn't understand a word this person had been saying... (they talk incredibly fast)
My boyfriend's spanish is easier to understand as his is very clear, maybe i have got more used to it.
As you can see i have gone mad with my spanish.... i just pick it up when i feel the mood, as i'm not doing it as work it's a hobby I enjoy, it's good to have non stressy attitude and enjoy it, Ip refer to have lots of different resources at hand, if you want a list( it's big) i can pm you. I am only a beginner,but i've researched language learning for German and Spanish

hugs Diane x

hugs Diane x

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vladimiro says on Jun 10, 2005, 05:13:

see www.audioforum.com Pimsleur is excellent for beginners. But you still will not be able to understand the Spanish soaps after completing all three Pimsleur volumes.

I recommend purchasing the two advanced cd courses from Foriegn Service Institute because the dialog is much faster than pilsmeur which trains your ear to listen to the nomral fast spoken spanish. FSI also has much larger vocabulary ( 3,000 words vs about 1000 for pimsleur) and covers grammer not in pimsleur (the heavily used subjective/subjuntive verbs or whatever they called ).

Books on tape, spanish radio, soaps etc can then be understood after listening to FSI.

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WidowerfromCanada says on Jun 10, 2005, 09:50:

Thank you everyone for your ideas and feedback.

Adios,

Jeff

Love is like a butterfly , if you chase it you will not catch it but you can hope the butterfly of love lands on your shoulder.

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