me dicen*
Is it worth me continuing my Spanish studies...?!
But writing isn't your biggest problem, right? It's speaking. If you like, why don't you make a sound file and share it here. Anyway, I wish you the best.
My first 7000-8000 words I learnt from vocab lists. Nowadays I just pick up vocab as I go along. I study grammar from various textbooks; they explain a rule and then give a couple of sentences. Accent-wise I've used the Rosetta Stone accent trainer.
I'm starting to get a better picture of you, not just a whiner (sorry, that's how I was reading you). I certainly can understand your Spanish.
I'd like to see what Gabriel thinks.
I'd like to see what Gabriel thinks.
I think that a good advice is: make the process of learning languages as fun as you can. For example when I was younger I had to study long lists of phrasal verbs but almost immediately I forgot them because they were meaningless to me since I didn't learn them interactively (or at least semi-interactively). On the other hand those things which I learned practizing with natives, or watching movies are more diffcult to be forgotten.To learn languages is not like to study Maths or subjects like these hence I don't think that to study three hours every day is the path to follow like some people say. For example I like to watch videos on youtube to improve my English. I think that you could do the same with your Spanish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTeXXb_VoXE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTeXXb_VoXE&feature=related
Why are you learning vocab? Vocab is obviously not what you need to be learning now... but grammar. You should be reading books in spanish, studying grammar.
Dear Steven,
If I were you, I would not continue studying Spanish because its speakers have not contributed any important ideas to mankind such as in science, technology, arts, literature, and medicine.
The economies of Spanish speaking countries are hopeless case because of the culture of corruption, violence, vanity, and indolence. They will remain forever.
If I were you, I would not continue studying Spanish because its speakers have not contributed any important ideas to mankind such as in science, technology, arts, literature, and medicine.
The economies of Spanish speaking countries are hopeless case because of the culture of corruption, violence, vanity, and indolence. They will remain forever.
>corrected<
ESTE es un párrafo para enseñarles mi español. Llevo 8 años estudiandolo, pero mis amigos (me) dicen que todavía hablo como un auténtico extranjero. Me cuesta hablarlo porque tengo que pensar DEMASIADO en la gramática y suelo COMETER muchos errores. No creo que sean gran errores, pero son errores que cometo de manera equivocada, O SEA, un poco raro.
ESTE es un párrafo para enseñarles mi español. Llevo 8 años estudiandolo, pero mis amigos (me) dicen que todavía hablo como un auténtico extranjero. Me cuesta hablarlo porque tengo que pensar DEMASIADO en la gramática y suelo COMETER muchos errores. No creo que sean gran errores, pero son errores que cometo de manera equivocada, O SEA, un poco raro.
It's sad that the french fanatics have to come inturrupt a civil conversation about spanish. They must be very insecure about something.
Pregunta. Why is it Este and not Esto? I thought that you use Esto if there is not a noun immediately following. What am I missing?
Este coche.
Esto es un coche.
Este coche.
Esto es un coche.
>>>Hmmm... I definitely want to improve, but after reading about the Antimoon Method and how grammar study is bad, (which I agree with, I have definitely internalised my own mistakes)<<<
Since you're already an adult (so am I), I think you should be able to understand phonemes through conscious study - I mean, using a book, like introductory phonetics for budding linguistics students (that is to say, everyone who can read English can read it), like the one I personally have for my courses in Hong Kong. And actually, even before I enrolled, I already learnt phonemes in a trial-and-error fashion while browsing wikipedia articles occasionally - in your case, like learning how to distinguish between b and v sounds of Spanish (as far as I can remember; I don't know a single word of it).
As for grammar, I learnt English grammar as a kid and improved (actually, expanded) my knowledge through unconscious reading: because I found wikipedia and some forums, like this one, very interesting. But then I already could read basic English, and so can you for Spanish. However, when I try to learn new ones, I'd put grammar in real examples (like using assimil, though somebody would say that's too expensive; no, I borrow it from my uni. library; I'd actually consider translated novels now). I don't even have contact with any sort of native speakers except those of my native language, but then my grasp of grammar through rather conscious study doesn't fail me in terms of expressing myself when I do meet natives.
I didn't use word lists to learn English, nor will I for ANY language I can think of. My maxim is: I won't be able to write or speak anything until I read AND hear it; I won't be able to even THINK of it until I read AND hear it. You can't really try to write or speak something that doesn't really exist in your mind. For example, how do you say good morning and how old are you in Spanish? How different are they from English? I'll try to acquire these basic expressions on day one and regard it as my second nature, or else it just won't fall into place.
Then, just think about it: so, you are having troubles with Spanish verb conjugations (past vs present, subjunctive), right? How did I learn English verbs when my native language NEVER "change" (conjugate) verbs at all? When I was 8, I was asked to recite irregular verbs, which I did foolishly but happily; but then, it really worked, not because my memory was good (though in part, yes), but because I was encouraged to put those little words (swim, swam, swum vs hit, hit, hit vs take, took, taken vs wait, waited, waited) into practice ALL THE TIME. So, my $.02: if "I" can learn "terribly weird" verbs as "irregular" ones, so can you, when you never have encountered one that has none.
Since you're already an adult (so am I), I think you should be able to understand phonemes through conscious study - I mean, using a book, like introductory phonetics for budding linguistics students (that is to say, everyone who can read English can read it), like the one I personally have for my courses in Hong Kong. And actually, even before I enrolled, I already learnt phonemes in a trial-and-error fashion while browsing wikipedia articles occasionally - in your case, like learning how to distinguish between b and v sounds of Spanish (as far as I can remember; I don't know a single word of it).
As for grammar, I learnt English grammar as a kid and improved (actually, expanded) my knowledge through unconscious reading: because I found wikipedia and some forums, like this one, very interesting. But then I already could read basic English, and so can you for Spanish. However, when I try to learn new ones, I'd put grammar in real examples (like using assimil, though somebody would say that's too expensive; no, I borrow it from my uni. library; I'd actually consider translated novels now). I don't even have contact with any sort of native speakers except those of my native language, but then my grasp of grammar through rather conscious study doesn't fail me in terms of expressing myself when I do meet natives.
I didn't use word lists to learn English, nor will I for ANY language I can think of. My maxim is: I won't be able to write or speak anything until I read AND hear it; I won't be able to even THINK of it until I read AND hear it. You can't really try to write or speak something that doesn't really exist in your mind. For example, how do you say good morning and how old are you in Spanish? How different are they from English? I'll try to acquire these basic expressions on day one and regard it as my second nature, or else it just won't fall into place.
Then, just think about it: so, you are having troubles with Spanish verb conjugations (past vs present, subjunctive), right? How did I learn English verbs when my native language NEVER "change" (conjugate) verbs at all? When I was 8, I was asked to recite irregular verbs, which I did foolishly but happily; but then, it really worked, not because my memory was good (though in part, yes), but because I was encouraged to put those little words (swim, swam, swum vs hit, hit, hit vs take, took, taken vs wait, waited, waited) into practice ALL THE TIME. So, my $.02: if "I" can learn "terribly weird" verbs as "irregular" ones, so can you, when you never have encountered one that has none.
Esto es un párrafo para enseñarles mi español. Llevo 8 años estudiando español, pero mis amigos mi dicen que todavía hablo como un auténtico extranjero. Me cuesta hablar porque tengo que pensar mucho en la gramática y suelo hacer muchos errores. No creo que sean errores grandes, pero son errores que hacen que lo que diga no suena normal osea un poco raro. (original)
ESTE es un párrafo para enseñarles mi español. Llevo 8 años estudiandolo, pero mis amigos mi dicen que todavía hablo como un auténtico extranjero. Me cuesta hablarlo porque tengo que pensar DEMASIADO en la gramática y suelo COMETER muchos errores. No creo que sean gran errores, pero son errores que cometo de manera equivocada, O SEA, un poco raro. (corrected)
For comparison.
ESTE es un párrafo para enseñarles mi español. Llevo 8 años estudiandolo, pero mis amigos mi dicen que todavía hablo como un auténtico extranjero. Me cuesta hablarlo porque tengo que pensar DEMASIADO en la gramática y suelo COMETER muchos errores. No creo que sean gran errores, pero son errores que cometo de manera equivocada, O SEA, un poco raro. (corrected)
For comparison.