Learn to speak Spanish fluently

Learn Spanish - Helpful Hints For Learning Quickly

2010-09-30T05:46:00.000+08:00

You want to learn Spanish - congratulations! One great thing, the Spanish language is not hard to learn. Even if you are someone who has trouble learning languages; Spanish is such a dominant language today, and there are plenty of methods to use that will make your learning process easier. Next we'll go into some strategies you can employ to make learning Spanish a whole lot easier and more fun.

Get a course on CD. A course on CD is really great for anyone who feels shy about taking on a new language. You will be able to listen to someone pronounce the words and use them in sentences. The learning material is as good as any classroom. But with a CD you won't have to worry about making mistakes in front of the classroom. Also, with your Spanish language CD - it can go where ever you go! You can download them to your favorite mp3 player, or simply use a portable CD player and learn while you are on the go! So there's no single location where you must learn.

Be sure to work on your listening skills for any language. Some languages put more emphasis on the 'verbal' than the written. You will still need to learn how to 'hear' a language as long as it's still alive. Memorizing the alphabet, or writing a proper sentence, only takes you so far. You need to be able to understand the language when you hear it. The best thing to do is listen to your language as much as you possibly can. When you find yourself being able to identify your language after hearing just a few words you'll know you are on your way to really learning Spanish (or whatever language you have chosen)!

Keep in mind that perfection comes from practice. Just forget about it comes out, the important thing is to speak the language as much as you can. Another tip is to replace the words in your language with the words you know from the language you're learning. For example, if you are learning Spanish try using "cena" instead of "dinner" or "uno" for "one." The words will feel like second nature to you, in time. This will help you to know the words when you hear them being used. That is the best way to start piecing together translations when you speak with people who are fluent in the language you are trying to learn. There's really no reason to go through a lot of frustration when learning Spanish. You can find a lot of helpful tips to help you with it. You can help yourself learn any language, including Spanish, by having an open mind to it. You can absorb the information much more with an open mind. You will only experience more difficulty if you try to make it sound like your native language.

It Is Finally Time to Toss All Your Spanish Verb Conjugation Books in the Garbage: Master Your Spanish Verb Conjugation

How to Learn Spanish Faster

2010-09-30T02:50:00.000+08:00

So you've decided to learn Spanish. Great choice, you'll be joining millions of speakers around the world. The problem is one weekly lesson at the local community centre isn't going to get your lingo in shape before that holiday to South America or that in time to land that big promotion that requires a second language. You know how to say 'Hola!' to your friends, but you just don't feel confident having a full conversation with your amigos yet. There are ways you can learn Spanish faster.

Here are some tips to get your Spanish skills increasing as quick as Speedy Gonzales;

Take an Online Course: Even if you are already attending a class. Enrolling in an additional online course can help speed of your learning. The great thing about online courses is that you can move through the material at your own pace, and in some cases pick what you are learning. It should be easy to pick up different vocabulary in your class, and you will find that the extra practice help a lot.

Vocabulary Programs: These programs have become quite a useful tool for language learners. Many of these programs send you a few words each day in your target language, usually to your email account or mobile phone. Set aside five or ten minutes each say to learn these new words and build your vocabulary.

Language Immersion: This is the process of immersing yourself in a community where only the target language is spoken. Booking a holiday in a Spanish speaking country like Mexico or Peru for a week or two is a great way to set your skills on the increase.

Local Culture: Is there a community of Spanish speaking people nearby you? See what local festivals or other activities you can join in on. You will be surprised how much you can learn from these events. Find out if you have access to Spanish language TV or radio networks where you live, you may find that watching or listening to one or two of these a week will help you build your vocabulary and also assist in pronunciation.

Find a Language Buddy: Spanish is such a popular second language choice, you will be sure to find a friend who is learning as well. Meet up once a week for coffee and practice your language skills with each other.

Practice, Practice, Practice: Yes, it does actually make perfect! Try to make time everyday to review what you have learnt so far, or look ahead in your class materials. Even ten or fifteen minutes a day can make a huge difference to how quickly you learn. You may like to develop your own system of flashcards that you can use at home to test yourself or to learn new words.

Of course, there is no miracle answer of program that will have you speaking fluent Spanish in seven days. Keep practicing Spanish whenever you get the opportunity and you will find that your skills will follow. With a little time and effort you can learn much quicker than you thought.

Here's a great way to get started with the Spanish language for free - take the 12 daily Spanish lessons over at the Spanish Lessons For Free website. When you finish the lessons, they'll also give you some really important tips and methods for learning any language quickly. Well worth it, for free!

Oh, and make sure you complete the challenge at the end of lesson 1 - It makes all the difference!

Learn Spanish Lessons Online the Fun and Easy Way

2010-09-29T23:07:00.000+08:00

Since the dawn of the Digital Age, the Internet has provided us with thousands of opportunities to shop, read, discover, and learn online. One of the best ways to learn Spanish is to learn Spanish lessons online. You can always find quick tips and advice with short lessons that will help you to become fluent in Spanish enough to hold casual conversations. Or, you can take a complete Spanish language course that includes, reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

There are many Spanish courses online that promise you will be speaking Spanish as if you were a native. However, you need to realize that if it sounds to good to be true, it usually is! There are some programs to learn Spanish lessons online that will teach you a few words and phrases but you won't be even close to knowing how to speak the language fluently.

When learning any foreign language, you have to immerse yourself into language, and understand the language completely. This includes, all verb tenses, and grammar. If anyone tries to tell you that learning a language is easy, they are not telling the truth. It takes time to learn Spanish lessons online, and to learn all the intricacies of the language.

To teach yourself Spanish online, and to learn it completely, you should choose a quality online Spanish course that has a multifaceted plan. The course should have interactive lessons, CD's, even DVD's where you can learn from the comfort of your home, or anywhere you want.

If you think you're ready to start learning Spanish and want to get a kick-start to learning it, I highly recommend you check out Rocket Spanish--to learn more about Rocket Spanish you can go to the followinghere

If you want to see a real customer review of Rocket Spanish, check out this video to see if Rocket Spanish is right for you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is8A_WSlFk4

iPod Spanish Classes - Learning a New Language From Your MP3 Player Or iPod

2010-09-29T21:20:00.000+08:00

Learning with iPod Spanish classes can help cut down on the amount of time it takes you to learn to speak this great language. Understanding and speaking fluent conversational Spanish is important in order to understand what people are saying to you and how reply. With the help of your MP3 player or iPod you can understand a grammar, pronunciation, verbs and phrases which are all vital to understanding how to speak Spanish.

Using this type of learning gives you a better learning experience when compared to other more traditional learning ways. Here are a few reasons why learning with interactive software is better.

1) Learn at a rate that works for you. You don't have to rush or keep up with the class mates which is perfect for people who are slow learners or those who want to jump ahead.

2) You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars hiring a tutor when you can get everything you need downloaded straight your iPod or MP3 player. Having a full Spanish course at the tip of your fingers allows you to learn any time, anywhere.

3) Quickly assimilate what you're learning and use it in your everyday life. Using what you've learned even if it's only a few words here and there can help your brain remember more and recognize objects, places and things in both English and Spanish.

iPod Spanish classes can cut down your time spent learning and the amount of money it will cost. Hiring a tutor can be very expensive and you have to work around the tutors schedule. Going to Spanish-speaking classes can be a bit cheaper than a tutor but require more time spent going to classes because you learn less during the classes. This simply comes down to having more students in one class and more people requiring the teachers attention.

You can get a great Spanish-speaking course for your MP3 player or portable device by going toiPod Spanish Classes. This interactive course will help you save time and learn Spanish faster.

Not sure of if learning from your iPod would be the perfect fit for you? You can compare interactive Spanish courses at iPod Spanish course reviews [http://www.ipod-spanishlearning.com/ipod-spanish-courses-reviewed.html] for comparison to other Spanish classes.

3 Easy Ways to Learn Spanish Free of Charge

2010-09-29T17:56:00.000+08:00

Learning Spanish in this day and age is nearly as necessary as having a computer. There are many people that live in the United States that speak Spanish. There are many different online games, internet websites, and Spanish speaking neighborhoods that make it easy to be around Spanish stuff all the time. These are a few ways that may help you become more Spanish friendly.

1. If you want to have fun and learn a new language like Spanish the best way is to find an online video game. There are all sorts of different games to choose from. For example, they have cross words, hang man, and different word games. It is as easy as finding a search engine and typing in free Spanish online games. Finding games on the internet is very easy. You also have many to choose from and it is a great way to gain knowledge while having fun all at the same time.

2. Another way to help you learn Spanish with out having to buy different programs is to search different Spanish web sites. Although you may not be fluent enough to understand most of what you might be reading you can use your basic knowledge of different items and scroll your mouse over the items and relate the item with the Spanish term. Using these simple ideas will open up a different world. A world you have never explored. Just be patient and take your time.

3. If you live in the United States you probably do not live far from a Spanish speaking neighborhood. I personally live in one and you experience a lot of needing of understanding Spanish. People say, when you are in Rome, act like the Romans. Same situation. You never know what you might find you may learn. If you submerse yourself with fluently speaking Spanish people you may be able to teach them some English and they may teach you some Spanish. Time to travel outside of your realm.

I have personally tried these tips and they work quite well. Online games are fun for you and the family. Different web sites are also fun and some are quite difficult. When considering a second language you will need to devote time, determination, and headaches. you will find that you are using you time as an asset to your future and it could also open doors of opportunity.

You are going to be able to speak at a restaurant, at an airport, with new friends... in basically every situation you can think of! So, whether you are interested in learning Spanish for your job, to communicate with neighbors, or if you are planning to travel to a Spanish speaking country, learning a new language online has never been easier!
Learn Spanish Online with the Best Spanish Course Online!

You Can Learn Spanish Online Very Easily With Many Resources

2010-09-29T15:17:00.000+08:00

There are so many people all over the world who like to learn foreign languages. Besides English, Spanish is one of the most popular languages, which the people from different countries like to learn. It is no longer a constraint for you to be far off from Spain. It is possible to know language online. Internet has eliminated the distances and its innovation is a blessing in many respects.

If you want to learn Spanish, it could not have been possible for you to know language online sitting at home, if internet were not there. Then, you had to sit in a classroom in some institute teaching the foreign languages or Spanish.

Here we give you a couple of simple tips to proceed to know language online. Of course, being motivated is the first requirement to know language as is true for anything else.

You can accomplish your goal to know language online, if you keep up your motivation even in your difficult times. You will learn Spanish on line. You get additional benefit by visiting Spain on your holiday trip. It is worthwhile visiting the native countryside where you can talk to the people who speak the real Spanish language.

People in Spain are very cordial and they will honor you with a warm reception when they know you are learning Spanish and try to converse with them. No one is perfect. All of us do some mistakes. When you learn Spanish online, do not worry if you make some errors, people will appreciate your motivation and effort. You will soon get fluent in the language.

When you understand this and know that you have your own dignity and values, you will unquestionably be determined to put all your efforts in learning the language. If you opt to learn Spanish online, you get many choices, including the different Spanish sites and software to choose from. Learners should try to master over the flow of the language when it is spoken. If you follow this step, it becomes simpler to pronounce Spanish words and you can be expert to follow the accent.

To get better job opportunities in the United States, knowledge of Spanish is very important as it is the second most commonly spoken language. The number of people who know language is increasing very fast day by day. It is estimated that in next ten years there will be about 20% increase in Spanish speaking people in USA alone.

When you are in employment, it is not feasible to join a regular class to learn Spanish because of shortage of time; to learn Spanish online is the best option for employed people. Moreover, it does not restrict you anyway and you can learn it at any convenient time on internet. You are free to multitask. You can learn Spanish online at home, or while traveling or camping somewhere. If you learn from a recognized institute approved by Spanish authorities, you receive a certificate after completion of your course and that certificate authenticates your qualification in the Spanish language.

You can now learn Spanish online. The following link is a very helpful resource if you are looking for help in learning Spanish for kids!

Quick Tips to Learn Spanish Fast Online

2010-09-29T10:32:00.000+08:00

What is Your Goal?

You've came here because you want to learn how to speak Spanish online quickly, effectively, and easily. In order to start learning Spanish, it is important to develop an action plan. If your goal is to become a fluent Spanish speaking person, then you will want to practice every single day, however, if you only want to learn Spanish enough to be functional, then you'll be fine practicing several hours a week.

Setting up goals is the greatest way to achieve anything in life, especially when it comes to learning a new language. When you set goals and achieve them, you'll be of the 5% of the people in this world who meet their preset goals.

Maximizing Time In Your Car

When you are driving in the car, make sure you try practicing your Spanish. You can even start listening to the Spanish radio station, just to get your daily exposure to the Spanish language. It would also be wise to find Spanish learning audio-books, and put them on your IPOD. You can then find a IPOD to radio converter (they're sold everywhere), and start learning Spanish every single day you are driving in the car. You will be surprised of the results.

Some tips to follow to learn even faster

Don't be afraid to make any mistakes.

Master your fundamentals

There are many rules that might seem "strange", however, just be sure to follow these.

Mimic native speakers, you will blend in with your speech better if your learn how to say certain phrases.

It would also be highly wise to find software, in which you can learn Spanish on your own computer, at your own pace.

Do you want to learn Spanish Online?

Are you looking for easy lessons to teach you spanish quickly?

Read Free Here: Rocket Fast Spanish Lessons For Beginners

Tips On How To Learn Spanish

2010-09-29T06:23:00.000+08:00

Most colleges require at least two years of study in a foreign language. The only majors that are usually excluded from this requirement are business and technical majors. If you're pursuing a bachelor of arts, this will most definitely be a prerequisite. One of the most popular languages to take in college is Spanish. Why? Because it is the closest foreign language to English and is becoming increasingly important to understand due to the large influx of Spanish-speaking individuals in the United States.

But to be honest, most students take Spanish because of the first reason listed above: it will be easier than other languages since its so close to English. However, do not let this popular myth fool you. Spanish can be a very difficult language to grasp, especially in the more advanced levels. It would be wise to invest in a quality study tool to aid in your absorption of material such as vocabulary, conjugation, and pronunciation. Here are some basic guidelines that will enable you to learn spanish most effectively:

1.)Organize and categorize vocabulary words. Learning a plethora of vocabulary words is standard in any foreign language. But a good way to avoid getting confused or increasing your mental retention is to organize the vocabulary words assigned into relatable categories. For example, organize all the vocab words relating to the home (like bathroom, garage, sofa) and then create a category. Whenever you receive more vocab words of the same ilk, place them in this category. This simple technique will really aid in your studies.

2.)"Micro-study" -- Study a little bit each day rather than trying to cram everything in one night. This is an extremely important technique when studying a foreign language. There are so many rules and intricacies associated with foreign language that it's important to study a small amount each and every day as opposed to cramming everything into one major study night before a test. Taking the "micro-study" approach improves both retention of material and understanding.

3.)Find a study partner. Since all foreign languages focus on speaking and interacting with individuals, acquiring a quality study partner is essential if you truly want to succeed with any foreign language, especially Spanish. As most people know, those who are fluent in Spanish speak in a rapid manner and the only way to emulate this style is to speak Spanish regularly with others. The more you speak, feel the words roll off your tongue, and understand the flow of a conversation in the language, the better you will learn spanish. It's that simple.

Check Out the Best College Information Site on the Net

Learning Spanish - I Hate My Accent!

2010-09-29T02:37:00.000+08:00

Are you trying to learn how to speak Spanish? Embarrassed of speaking because you have a terrible accent? Do not fret; you are not the only one! There are many people just like you out there. The problem with most Spanish instructors nowadays is that they put too much emphasis on mechanics and grammar and too little emphasis on the most important thing, speaking. The difference in emphasis between the two concepts will usually opaque the beauty of simply being able to speak Spanish. Spanish is, after all, one of the romance languages highlighted by its beauty. With that said it is time to close the books for a little bit and enjoy the beauty of the language. How can you do that? Simply follow the tips below and you will see how easy it is to improve your accent and enjoy the beauty of speaking Spanish.

1- My Spanish class is over, it is time to go home, make some popcorn and take a break from Spanish by watching my favorite English shows, right? Wrong. You should not confine your learning to the classroom! Instead of watching the same show every afternoon, why not add some variety and watch a movie in Spanish! This way you are being both entertained as well as learning! Also, your accent will dramatically improve by listening to the dialogue in Spanish. If you need to, feel free to repeat what the people in the movie are saying and rewind until you feel comfortable with your accent.

2- Get some friends! Many people who are trying to learn Spanish probably do it because they have interacted or interact with Spanish speakers during their daily lives. What better opportunity to learn Spanish than with your friends? If you have any friends who are fluent in Spanish, why not start a conversation with them in Spanish? It doesn't have to be something complex like discussing politics. It can be something as simple as asking them how their day is going. With this exposure to hearing and speaking the language your accent is bound to improve in no time.

Remember, learning from a book is not every thing. Sometimes just getting out and starting conversations with friends outside of the classroom can be equally as effective when trying to learn Spanish.

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How to Use Learning Spanish Audio Tools Effectively and Improve Fluency

2010-09-29T00:33:00.000+08:00

Learning how to be fluent in Spanish or any other second language is not so difficult if you are using the correct set of tools. Audio based tools are a fantastic addition to the process of language acquisition and learning Spanish audio programs are a main part of this virtual language tool chest. Here are five tips which will help you and your Spanish fluency.

Tip 1. Mimic what you hear

When you are listening to songs, watching TV or movies in Spanish, make sure that you occasionally stop and repeat out loud some of the text. While you are doing this, make sure that you mimic not only the accent but the inflection of the voice that you hear. Practice this skill everyday and you will see a definite improvement in your fluency.

Tip 2. Have conversations with native speakers

The whole point of learning Spanish is to speak and communicate. One of the easiest ways to practice and improve is to speak with native Spanish speakers. You can check out communities of Spanish students at local universities and form a conversation club. If you have a business in a Latino neighborhood, try out your Spanish in the store. You might surprise yourself.

Tip 3. Communicate

Do not be afraid to use your Spanish skills. You must practice them in order to develop. Get rid of all your inhibitions and do not be afraid to make mistakes. These are very important and will help you improve. The main point is that you are understood. Always go for fluency over accuracy.

Tip 4. Get groups of students together

Practice, practice, practice. You must use your new language skills as often as you can. One of the best ways is to form some sort of social group that has the same goals in mind. Find some friends who are learning Spanish and go out for coffee or just get together and practice. Remember that fluency is much more important than being correct. Keep the conversations moving and have fun.

Tip 5. Watch DVD movies

There is a fantastic tool available these days and that is the DVD. Go out and rent some movies. Many DVD movies have subtitle features. Some, if not most are dubbed into Spanish as one of the language options. Try watching your favorite movie in Spanish with subtitles in Spanish. You would be surprised at how effective this can be.

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Free English to Spanish Translator

2010-09-28T22:30:00.000+08:00

I you're looking for a free English to Spanish translator, then I'm sure you want to write something in Spanish. However, I don't suggest you use any free english to Spanish translators - I believe you should be doing something else. As someone who wants to write in Spanish, I'm sure it won't be your last time trying to do so, and in that sense I think you should simply learn Spanish.

You might think that learning Spanish is too hard or requires to much work. I'll be honest with you - you do need to be motivated and put some effort into learning Spanish. In another sense, after you get to know the most popular Spanish words and you're able to speak a little-bit, you'll find it fun to talk to someone in Spanish or to listen to someone speak Spanish. At this stage, you'll amuse yourself by trying to understand and find the right words to express yourself.

Now, if you simply continue using free English to Spanish translators, you'll keep on sending Spanish texts that are very poorly written. Even if you only know basic Spanish, with some tools you will be able to write much better than by simply using a free English to Spanish translator. These translators don't understand sentence structure nor most grammar, and they often simply translate word by word which doesn't give very good results. That's why by simply investing into learning Spanish, you'll be able to seem proficient, professional and knowledgeable when you write in Spanish.

When I first started learning Spanish, I was scared of how much work there would be and of giving up in the middle of learning it. When I first started learning some vocabulary, I did use free English to Spanish translators, but I only translated one word at a time. If you translate anything more than that, then you will not get effective translations. Free English to Spanish translators are good tools to use, but use them wisely.

Now, you might think that learning Spanish is a very hard process, but if I can do it you can too. When I first started, I decided that a Spanish class wouldn't be a good option for me. I thought that learning myself from home would be better, since I can manage my own sessions and work when I want to. So the next step I did from there was to do my homework: I researched how to learn Spanish on my own, and I did some research on the most popular Spanish courses.

Today, I can speak fluent Spanish thanks to a course I got my hands on, called Rocket Spanish. This course helped me a lot to learn Spanish, and together with some language learning tips online I learned Spanish quite quickly. Rocket Spanish is truly one of the most easiest courses to learn from because it installs directly on your computer and it comes with many audio files. These audio files helped me acquire great pronunciation.

If you would like to learn more about Rocket Spanish and how I learnt Spanish, simply go to My Rocket Spanish review now.

Getting to Know Rocket Spanish

2010-09-28T20:02:00.000+08:00

If you have ever wondered what Spanish course to take then you have probably been searching for the Spanish complete course that will teach you everything that you need to know. Rocket Spanish promises to be the course that will teach you how to have a very fluent conversation in Spanish within three months.

Most people who choose to learn how to speak Spanish wish to be able to have everyday conversations in the language with people that speak as their mother tongue. Often times when one is learning how to speak Spanish they may find that practicing on people that speak it can assist them in the learning process because the people that speak it naturally will teach them what they are doing wrong.

Rocket Spanish promises to deliver some highly advanced teaching techniques in a Spanish complete course that will allow one to learn the language in at least one third of the time that it would normally take at a college or nighttime classes. Although these are some impressive claims, there are many people who have found much success with this program.

Containing 12 hours of audio lessons the Spanish complete course from Rocket Spanish will teach the student the proper pronunciation of Spanish words as well as conversational speaking. There are two course books that accompany the audio lessons as well as two additional software programs that are available to help further your knowledge of the language.

The creator of Rocket Spanish offers a 60 day money back guarantee if one does not feel that the program is helping him/her to speak the Spanish language as fluently as they wish or as quickly as they anticipated.

As an added bonus, a person contemplating whether or not to utilize the Rocket Spanish program as their Spanish complete course can utilize the trial run which is a free six day e-course that will teach a few of the Spanish language basics. This can be a great tool to decide if this is going to be the best program.

There is a lot to be said for the ability to be able to carry on a conversation in another language. This program has been very helpful to many people who have traveled around the world to various locations that consider Spanish to be their mother language. Any time one visits another country it is important for them to be able to locate certain places that they wish to visit, restaurants, retail outlets, hotels, or even taxicabs. Learning conversational Spanish with the Rocket Spanish program has proved too many people to be a great way to quickly learn a language before traveling to the country that actually speaks it.

It is no wonder, with all of the various Spanish learning programs available, that many people are turning to rocket Spanish because of the Spanish complete course that it offers in such a short amount of time. It is expected that as time goes on more and more people will be utilizing the lessons, tips, and tricks taught in Rocket Spanish.

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Get Hired Quick - One Righteous Career Tip

2010-09-28T17:08:00.000+08:00

Think of it as career insurance. Versatility is highly desired in any market. Especially by the mid to smaller sized companies which are the engines of the economy. If you wish to always be instantly employable it is even more valuable than ever to have two in demand skills. Say you made the final 5 to be hired for two spots, odds are 40% you will be hired at this employer. If 15% of their clients are Spanish or Portuguese speaking wouldn't it pay off big time to be fluent in Spanish? Certainly your chances of being hired would jump to at least 90% in the former scenario. Since people forget what they learned in school if they don't practice, only about 10-20% of all Americans are really fluent in two or more languages.

Generally you get the idea that versatility is two marketable skills not one. For the record, speaking a less popular language or having a minor skill won't help too much. But with the great success of Rosetta Stone software today learning a second language is in reach for all. What makes Rosetta Stone software so unique and different is the way it uses your brain's natural language pictures to teach you words just like your parents did when you were younger. What ever you learn with the help of this revolutionary software you can retain by watching DVDs in Spanish instead of English. Listening to Spanish radio stations is very popular too. Another example of versatility is: If you are an administrative assistant who specializes in working with QuickBooks software for small businesses, then you learn basic HTML and Website building skills. Now you can maintain or build your employers website and increase the company's sales. You can learn HTML courtesy of the Video Professor Computer Courses in your home in your spare time.

Now you have just become a key employee and near irreplaceable unless they hired two regular employees. Learning basic HTML and Website building skills may take a month or two but there is no rush as long as you are making positive progress. The whole idea is to make you instantly irreplaceable with your employer. Let's face it if you were not learning a new skill in your spare time it would be highly likely that you would just be watching TV. In another example, let's say you work for a newspaper as a writer.

Times are tough and you've survived the first round of layoffs already. Don't wait for the ax to fall helplessly, learn digital photography skills. Basic photo editing and touch up skills with Adobe Photoshop software might take you 1-2 months of practice. Becoming a better photographer with practice and study from the library might take another two months. Now you are both a Journalist and a Photographer for your newspaper. In addition to greater job security now you have two valuable sources of freelance income. Now don't you think a versatile employee will be the first one to be hired?

Learn Spanish the right way here

2009 Darrell Z. DiZoglio of http://RighteousResumes.com, the website for free job hunting assistance and strategies. Publishers may reprint this article if my links are included & article is unchanged. "PAY IT FORWARD." Use my free resume critique service, free resume samples, Cover letter samples, expert advice & free info articles. For recession busting specials on all the professional services you need click here: http://www.RighteousResumes.com/services.html. Would you like to find out why the competition got the job you wanted?

How to Learn Spanish Pronunciation - 4 Techniques to Help You Speak Spanish Fluently

2010-09-28T12:12:00.000+08:00

Learning proper Spanish pronunciation is a key part of gaining fluency. If you want to know how to learn Spanish pronunciation then here are some great tips:

- Listen to your favorite TV shows or movies with Spanish audio where available. Turn on the Spanish subtitles to see exactly which words are being said, and pay careful attention to the way that they are spoken out loud. Sometimes the pronunciation is quite different from the way that you would assume just from reading the word.

- Interact with native speakers. If you are living in a foreign country, and talking to native Spanish speakers in their own environment, the chances are that you will learn to speak Spanish with the correct pronunciation, however audio courses often feature people speaking slowly with a deliberate pronunciation that will not sound natural. Try to find people nearby who are native or very fluent Spanish speakers and practice your pronunciation with them.

- Repeat the alphabet. This may seem like a simple exercise, but it is a proven way to help you improve your pronunciation in a foreign language. If you can master your pronunciation of the basic elements of Spanish, your pronunciation of words will come a lot more easily.

- Don't be afraid of talking out loud. Too many new students are intimidated by speaking new words or phrases that they have learned, but this is the only way that you will become comfortable enough to really master your fluency. Repeat words that you hear but are unsure how to pronounce properly in Spanish until they sounds as close to the original native speaker as possible.

Alejandra K. Legarda is a free lance Spanish instructor. She is also a contributor to the Learning Spanish Like Crazy course. If you would like to get immediate access to 7 free learning-Spanish videos lessons from Aleja and the first 2 lessons of Learning Spanish Like Crazy, then go here now: LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com

Keys to Finding the Right Spanish Language Software

2010-09-28T07:22:00.000+08:00

Are you looking for Spanish language software? Looking for software to be a difficult challenge when it comes to learning the Spanish-language. There are many options out there and choosing the right program can seem very challenging. Here are a few tips that you can use to help you decide what program to pick. Thinking of most expensive program is not always the wisest choice to make.

Conversational Spanish

When it comes to learning to speak the Spanish-language you want to learn conversational Spanish. Conversational Spanish is the ability to speak Spanish as well as understand what people are saying to you in the Spanish-language. It's not bad to know if you Spanish words and phrases but when you're speaking Spanish and someone assumes you understand more there going to talk to faster and use more Spanish words that you may not understand. If you understand conversational Spanish you'll never have to worry or doubt your Spanish-speaking ability.

Choosing the right course

Choosing the right course is important for your education of this language. Find a course that keeps you entertained as well as teaches you conversational Spanish. Focus on ones that teach grammar, nouns and verbs and proper pronunciation of Spanish words and phrases. Focusing on these key points going to ensure you're going to get the best Spanish course for your money.

Product price

Don't jump on the first product that is either cheap or expensive. Courses range from $75-$400. Some Spanish courses can even be more expensive than $400. Choosing the right course really comes down to preference. What can the course offer you the other courses can't. As long as the course you choose focuses on grammar, nouns and verbs and teach you conversational Spanish paying $100 or so can be a very good investment.

Learning time

Each Spanish course teaches differently. The learning time that it takes for you to become fluent in a Spanish language can range from three months to a year. It really depends on how much you devote yourself to learning and how often you are learning. Because interactive software programs can teach anybody young or older the Spanish-language the learning time is really going to you. The more time to devote the faster you will learn.

Spanish language software is a better way to learn than more traditional ways like hiring a tutor or going to Spanish-speaking classes. More traditional ways can cost more money and take more time. Using your home computer and Spanish interactive software programming you can cut down your learning time and the amount of money is good to cost you.

If you have not found the right Spanish language software [http://www.ipod-spanishlearning.com/ipod-spanish-courses-reviewed.html] yet then visit [http://www.ipod-spanishlearning.com/ipod-spanish-courses-reviewed.html] to see a review of the top 5 online Spanish courses.

Learn Spanish Lessons For Beginners

2010-09-28T04:49:00.000+08:00

In this world where traveling can bring a lot of opportunities, acquiring a second language would make a great impact. When you learn a foreign language, you would not only have the capacity to understand and converse with the person speaking that particular language, it would also boost your self-confidence as well.

Whether it is for the sake of your career or just for fun, learning the Spanish language is definitely a benefit.

Spanish is just one of the several languages in the entire world with a lot of speakers. And since Spanish has many users, it is a plus factor for one to be able to understand and speak this particular language which is one of the oldest in world history.

The following are tips for those who are interested in learning Spanish lessons for beginners.

There are several Spanish lessons for beginners that are being offered in newspapers and on the internet. If you want to go for the traditional way, then choose to enroll in a Spanish class. These classes are normally situated in Spanish institutions and other language schools.

Depending on your budget and availability, you can attend their offered courses along with other students. In just a few months, you can learn the basics of the Spanish language like their commonly used greetings and salutations, of course, with the aid of a fluent Spanish-speaking teacher.

If you want to master the language, then your schedule of attending Spanish classes would be longer than the usual, it may even take a year. Now, if you want your Spanish instructor to be concentrated on you alone, then a Spanish tutor would be another choice. It may be costly compared to a Spanish class but it is more convenient since the sessions will go after your preferred time and place, mostly at your own house. Plus, experts say that a one-on-one class is more effective in teaching Spanish lessons for beginners.

If you think your language-acquisition skills are good and you don't need someone to teach you, then buy a book or an installer software that will teach Spanish lessons for beginners like you. When you arrive at the last page of your Spanish book or you have come to the final lesson of your Spanish-teaching application, it would be a sure shot that you are knowledgeable with the basics of Spanish.

Just keep in mind that while you are learning the language, you need to always put your skills to the test.

One suggestion that would test your Spanish is to write sentences in Spanish during your free time. You can also try to watch Spanish cable channels and Spanish television series or movies minus the English subtitles to test your comprehension. You can also read Spanish books and pamphlets aloud to practice your accent. If you are confident and brave enough with your Spanish understanding and speaking skills, then speak with someone who is adept with the language and let him or her correct you with your errors.

No one should be afraid to indulge themselves in Spanish lessons for beginners. For one, Spanish is widely spoken, two, it is very easy to learn and lastly, just think of the many benefits you'll get once you have learned to imitate native Spanish speakers.

Stop procrastinating and learn Spanish lessons today! Find the best Spanish learning programs available.

Learn Spanish Fast Online - Free and Paid Alternatives to Learn Quickly

2010-09-28T01:59:00.000+08:00

There are many online resources available, that teach Spanish free of charge. Rather one is looking to learn Spanish because of an upcoming visit to a Spanish speaking country, to qualify for a different job, or just because it is something they have always wanted to do, free resources are readily available.

The Why Dictates the How

The type of course that would prove best for the beginner depends on the reason for learning Spanish. If one desires to learn to have conversation with Spanish speaking people, then they should look for a more conversational lesson plan. If one plans on writing and speaking fluent Spanish, then they would need to learn more grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation. There are many online resources available with a focus in these areas, and should be checked out and considered as learning tools.

Other tips for learning Spanish quickly is to study every day, even if it is only for half an hour. Use an online tutorial. Watch Spanish speaking programs or movies. Listen to Spanish music. Watch Spanish teaching videos, Listen to Spanish audio, listen carefully to the accent and try some of the pronunciation. Try to find a Spanish coach, someone willing to help you learn the language.

Although the free online sites do not work well for everyone and one may not want to take the time to sift through the various sites and teaching methods, many do learn from using these free sites.

Better then the Free Alternatives

If the free online sites do not provide enough information or support, or are not teaching fast enough, one should consider a small investment in a tutorial program, such as Rocket Spanish.

This program teaches conversational Spanish and is great for the beginner, or an intermediate learner wishing to expand their language skills. The course includes audio lessons, pain-free grammar lessons in the form of guidebooks and exercises, vocabulary games, audio games, verb games, 24-hour tutorial support, and more. The Rocket Spanish course offers a free 6 day Spanish course and when purchased, a 60 day money back guarantee.

Whatever method of learning Spanish one chooses, the more serious they are and the more time they are willing to put into a course, the more successful they will be. A big part of being a motivated learner is the teaching methods. The tutorial or program should keep the learner interested and provide fun as well as challenges. Learning without the pain may be well worth a small investment.

Ready to start learning Spanish today? Visit our website at learn Spanish software to read detailed reviews of the best audio and software products like Rocket Spanish now.

Learn Spanish Courses - Four Ways To Find Spanish Courses

2010-09-27T23:27:00.000+08:00

The easiest way to get started learning a new language is to take a course in it. Taking a course in a foreign language gives you a solid background in the basics of the language and, frequently, the culture behind it. It provides a strong base for the many ways you may be interested in using the language such as travel, business or friendly conversation. This article suggests different ways for you to find Spanish courses.

Learn Spanish Courses Tip #1: Check With Your Local Community College

If you live near a community college, you may be able to sign up for an evening or weekend Spanish class. Most colleges offer several different types of Spanish classes. Business Spanish, for instance, is appropriate for people who need to interact with Spanish speaking clients as part of their jobs, whereas conversational Spanish might work better for travelers or people wanting to pick up just enough of the language to converse with friends or in-laws. Finally, a formal Spanish 101 class generally teaches basics of Hispanic culture as well as written and spoken Spanish.

Learn Spanish Courses Tip #2: Check Out Online Universities

Maybe you're not thrilled with the idea of being back in a classroom, or maybe your schedule doesn't fit in with the schedule of the community college. Not to worry. Online (or virtual) universities offer Spanish classes, too. You can complete the lessons when you want, and if you make a pronunciation mistake, nobody has to know but you. The drawback, of course, is that you do not get the personal interaction that a brick-and-mortar classroom would give you. Online universities that offer Spanish for beginners include the Rosetta Stone Language Library and the Penn Foster Career School.

Learn Spanish Courses Tip #3: Check Out Online Spanish Classes

Some websites such as Learn Spanish Online, and SpanishNetCollege exist solely to help online learners master the Spanish language. They differ from online universities in that their entire focus in on Spanish, or at least on foreign languages. A quick search with your favorite search engine will turn up multiple online learning opportunities. Many of these programs offer a free initial lesson so that you can make sure that their teaching style suits your learning style. As with anything else, don't hesitate to comparison shop for the best deal.

Learn Spanish Courses Tip #4: Buy a Spanish Language Course CD Series

There are several language course CDs to help you learn Spanish ranging from advanced conversational Spanish with regional dialects to the most basic Spanish for beginners. Read the promotional materials carefully and select the audio course that appears most helpful to you. For instance, if you spend a lot of time in your car, a CD designed for commuters might be just the thing; and if you're less interested in formal Spanish than on mastering a few phrases to use on your next Mexican vacation, you may want to try a travel or a conversational Spanish CD.

One of the best ways to learn a new language is to take a course in it. Between brick-and-mortar schools, online universities, online language programs, and audio CDs, there are plenty of courses available to help you become fluent in Spanish.

You can listen to a FREE report (in either English or Spanish) at [http://www.instantspanish.info] on how you can easily and quickly learn to speak Spanish. In today's changing world, speaking Spanish is a requirement!

Dean Novosat learned to speak Spanish and Russian in school. He uses audio and video-based systems to stay current and fluent. [http://www.instantspanish.info].

When You Need To Learn Spanish Fast - Know Where To Turn To

2010-09-27T21:48:00.000+08:00

You just got a memo from the boss. He wants you to be in charge of the company's division in South America. This is that promotion that you have been working so hard for. Unfortunately, you don't speak a word of Spanish and you ship out in six months. Here are some things you need to know if you want to learn Spanish fast.

Take a class: Almost every community college in America has an introductory course for people who want to learn Spanish fast. Most institutions have very accredited teachers who know what they are talking about. Most teachers spend their entire summer in a Spanish speaking country to stay fluent and up with the new terminology. For example, ten years ago, who in America knew what a 'blog' was? Not many. Chances are that 'blog' is a word that has been given a Spanish name, and is something that most people won't know if they don't interact with other Spanish speakers.

Buy an audio program: An audio program is a good idea for those people who don't have time to take a class, but still need to learn Spanish fast. An audio program goes at your own pace and at your own time. If you want to learn Spanish at 3 AM, feel free to do so. Make sure you buy a good audio program, though, as there are many out there on the market. Just taking a few minutes to read reviews can save you time and money.

Full Immersion: If you have the time and the money, then total immersion is for you. It is a proven and guaranteed method for anyone to learn Spanish fast. For this method, you travel to a Spanish speaking country and surround yourself with only locals. That means you must stay out of tourist destinations! You can't be around English speakers at all. Besides, when locals find out whom you are and that you are trying to learn their language and culture, they will be more than happy to help you learn to speak Spanish. Plus, you may make some friends for life!

As you can see, if you want to learn Spanish fast, it is entirely possible. These tips can take anywhere from three weeks to six months to work, but they do work. Try them out. What do you really have to lose?

If theses tips have helped you and you want more help on how to learn Spanish fast, check out http://www.squidoo.com/learnspanishfast101/ and get the information you need to learn the Spanish language in a super fun and quick way!

DVDs to Teach Spanish to Young Children

2010-09-27T20:23:00.001+08:00

Many parents are using programs for learning Spanish with their preschoolers and young school-age children, whether for homeschooling Spanish or not. I went looking around Amazon for some, and I ended up finding…

Very useful and simple way of introducing Spanish to your kids. For a more in depth learning system, try Rocket Spanish here.

View the original article here

How to Tell If You Are Learning Genuine Spanish Language Or Not - The Indirect Method

2010-09-27T19:18:00.000+08:00

Except if you are out learning the Spanish language and planning to be a jester and/or make people laugh, you are encouraged to discover fast enough whether the Spanish language you are learning or is being taught is genuine or not.

When you adopt the indirect method, you are sure to avoid all the embarrassment with an incomplete vocabulary that is sure to make you blush and stammer when you speak incorrectly especially when you are part of an exciting conversation and you are expected to dazzle everybody close to where you are speaking the Spanish language in a confident, free, easy and fluent manner.

It is a pathetic sight to make mistakes in public and become laughed at. Imagine feeling like you were caught taking a shower with your clothes on, it's totally absurd.

However, imagine the thrill and admiration you will command and receive as you speak Spanish easily, confidently, fluently and with the correct intonations among local Spanish speakers whether in Latin America or Europe?

Not only will you be the toast of the moment, you can watch as everyone around will view you with envy and treat you with respect because it is a wonderful sight to behold when you come across total strangers conversing freely in your local language.

Everybody can use a little recognition and attention sometime.

You must realize that it is absolutely easy to learn Genuine Spanish starting right from the basics to the advanced. There are enough resources online that you can access and become proficient in the use of Spanish for business, pleasure, when with friends, colleagues, in the marketplace, etc.

Whatever resources you are using right now, endeavour to speak to a native Spanish speaker and find out how vast you have become in mastering the Spanish language.

A few helpful tips and corrections here there should go a long way to ensuring that learning to speak the Spanish language is good money spent well and a quest worth all the effort and investments.

With Shortcut To Spanish, you can successfully learn to speak Spanish language in seconds without being laughed at or embarrassed in public again -easily, fluently and confidently. Discover a new world of opportunities and possibilities with Spanish Made Easy.

How an Accent Reduction Coach Can Help You

2010-09-27T15:39:00.000+08:00

This article struck me as interesting, and it was on one of the websites where authors put their articles to be used by other webmasters. It is written for people needing to improve their English, so just substitute Spanish wherever you read English in the article. (The terms of service of the articles website don’t allow me to change the article.)

This could be a good idea for someone with access to native speakers of Spanish who have good accents, which is in many places!

By Susan M Ryan

An accent reduction coach can tell you which sounds and patterns you currently use that contribute to your accent. Then you can focus on the areas that are problems for you and help you learn the sounds and patterns of spoken English.

People from many different fields are now looking for ways to improve their American English pronunciation and reduce their accents. These include: doctors, nurses, clergy, business executives, engineers, professors and call center employees. They understand that clear spoken English will allow them to communicate more effectively with business associates, customers, colleagues and friends.

You may be one of the many people learning to read, write and speak English in your native country. Chances are that your reading, writing and grammar are excellent. However, you may have found that your spoken English is so accented that American English speakers don’t always understand you when you speak. Your foreign accent prevents American listeners from understanding you, causing frustration and breakdowns in communication.

Accent reduction involves changing or modifying some of the sounds and patterns in your current speech to make you sound more clear and comprehensible to American listeners. By learning to recognize and change the sounds and patterns that you unconsciously transfer from your own language to English, you can learn to speak in a way that will allow American listeners to understand you more easily.

An accent reduction coach can identify the pronunciation feautures that keep Americans from understanding you. Then she can help you learn the sounds and patterns of spoken English that you need to adapt in order to sound more American.

After each session with your coach you simply must practice your pronunciation every day for 20-30 minutes, even more if you can. This will help the new sounds and patterns you are learning to become natural for you. Most people actually begin to both hear and speak English differently once their coaching sessions begin.

People who take accent reduction courses are usually highly motivated individuals who are looking for better job opportunities or promotions. increased social opportunities and better cultural understanding. If this sounds like you, it may be time for you to investigate these kinds of classes.

Susan Ryan is an American English pronunciation and accent reduction instructor in Washington, D.C. Visit her blog to read more about Accent Reduction Coach.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_M_Ryan
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-an-Accent-Reduction-Coach-Can-Help-You&id=3507227

View the original article here

8 Reasons to Use an Online Spanish Language Course

2010-09-27T15:00:00.000+08:00

A great way for learning to speak, read, write, and understand Spanish is to use an online Spanish Language course. Because an online Spanish language course is so versatile, and interactive, it is highly effective for today's learning style.

Actually, I am fluent in Spanish, but I had to learn on my own, with a lot of trial and error, mostly error! This was due to the fact that I lived in Spain with non-English speaking people and had almost no instructional material to use. The only thing I had was a first-grade Dick and Jane type book.

Different way to learn Spanish

If you are unable to immerse yourself in the language and culture by actually living in a Spanish speaking country, you need to find another way to learn. There are courses offered at community colleges, high schools, and private schools, plus you can always listen to tapes and CD's. I have personally used all these methods since returning to the US, but found them greatly lacking.

I found the classroom setting a big distraction and also quite boring. One of my classes was a little exciting though: we had a Cuban exiled criminal who was quite interested in the pretty American teacher. We all watched out for her, especially after class. This was part of president Carter's amnesty for them.

The tapes and CD's were also rather monotonous and quite out of date. I really was not interested in how to buy a brown umbrella, or hail a taxi. Probably the biggest benefit of the tapes and CD's was the fact that I could listen to native speakers, though even that was out of date as well.

One time I loaned a Spanish language cassette tape course to a female friend, who told me she didn't like it at all. Turns out that most of the dialog was in a bar, with a man trying to pick up a woman! Funny, I hadn't even noticed!

Another series I own focuses on a businessman trying to get an apartment in a big city. This was OK, but I'm not a big businessman, and I don't like big cities. So, a lot of the dialog just was irrelevant.

Interactive, relevant and up-to-date

This brings up the fact that an online Spanish language course is up-to-date and relevant. Because it is interactive and updated, you get fresh information and terminology. So, rather than learning how to leave a big tip and hail a taxi, you learn how to use the internet and a cell phone.

These interactive courses teach you things like slang words, jokes, riddles, games, and how everyday people might speak. This is much more useful than elephants, and desks! In the real world, people just don't talk like a book.

With the emphasis on up-to-date usage and interactive participation, you will be in a much better position to actually be able to carry on a conversation. For example: if you can talk about futbol, you automatically have a connection!

Because an online Spanish language course is kept current, you will get things like updated grammar and dialog. This keeps the program more interesting and motivating.

It is a known fact that learning on a computer is much different than a conventional style of learning. People have much shorter attention spans online and tend to browse and skim much more, looking for the main points. This type of course meets that need very well.

8 reasons for using an online Spanish language course

Interactivity-you participate Fresh and current Self-pacing Designed for internet users Costs are kept at a minimum Good to the environment-no packaging Learning materials are updated Fits all levels of competency

These are just a few of the many very good reasons to use an online Spanish language course. Overall, if you cannot immerse yourself in the language and culture by living abroad, this is the best way to learn a language.

Since living in Spain and traveling in South America, Randy Hough has continued to learn Spanish and test program after program to find the best. You can read his reviews and comments on his site: http://CompareSpanishLanguageCourses.com. You can compare the benefits of many Spanish language courses and find what fits your learning style. Ask me about the time the drug lords henchmen almost cut me in pieces in Mexico! I was very glad I spoke fluent Spanish that day!

Steps to Learning Spanish Online

2010-09-27T13:09:00.000+08:00

Learning a foreign language is both challenging and exciting. The sense of accomplishment after you've successfully passed a language course is indescribable. There are benefits derived from learning other languages - in business, for example, it;s easier to close deals when you know the language of your client. For job seekers. It's a great advantage to speak multiple languages, as well.

Spanish language courses have increased in popularity in recent years - maybe because more Spanish soap operas are available on cable! Fortunately for those who want to learn the language, Spanish courses are available online. You can of course, try and learn Spanish on your own, but you'll see better results if you take proper Spanish course.

If you'd like to translate Spanish text online, it's simple:

1. Using a search engine, find a language translation page on the web. There are many to choose from.

2. After selecting a translation page, choose the appropriate translation format - say, Spanish-to-English - indicate the languages you are translating.

3. If you'd like an entire web page translated into English, simply paste the URL into the space provided and then press the submit button. A translated version of the page will then appear.

4. If you want other text translated, you have to simply paste the text instead of the URL into the space provided and then press the submit button.

Things to remember:

o Bear in mind that the translations produced are quite rough - usually an intermediate Spanish student could do better.

o When pasting in your own text, you may be limited to one or two paragraphs.

There are also tutorials available online, offering tips on how to speak Spanish:

1. In speaking the Spanish language, remember to pronounce the letters B and V the same way they are pronounced in English. This is easy to remember.

2. Don't bother to learn verbs in anything other than the present tense.

3. Don't forget to pronounce the letters D, G, H, J, L, Q and Z the same as they are pronounced in English. Again very easy.

4. If ever you don't know the Spanish word just add "o" or "a" at the end of the English word in order to make into a noun or "ar" at the end to make it into a verb.

5. Remember that if a Spanish word looks like an English word, it probably means the same thing.

6. Also bear in mind to forcefully pronounce all consonants and to muddle the sounds of vowels.

7. Don't forget to study courtesies such as "por favor" (please) and "gracias" (thank you) are important in Spain and Latin America.

8. Speak using the "tú" form of "you"

9. Avoid redundant pronouns

10. Hopefully, learn something!

It is still recommended that you take a professional Spanish course in order to learn correct grammar and pronunciation. Be sure to practice what you've learned in order to become more fluent in the language.

Jeff Linaker has an interest in Recreation & Hobbies and Learning Spanish Online, for more FREE information and articles please visit Learning Spanish Online Resources

Smoked Paprika Tin

2010-09-27T12:33:00.000+08:00

Another food product to sizzle your Spanish learning journey :D
Pimenton Ahumado - Rich and complex with Smokey overtones, this paprika is the foundation for many Spanish dishes. Use this paprika to develop rich flavors on meat and seafood dishes. This gourmet quality paprika is far superior to the bland Hungarian or Domestic varieties available at your local supermarket. The Fresh pods from the mild Nora Pepper are smoked over oak logs to develop the flavors. This technique brings out different aspects of the peppers complex flavor, thus we suggest trying out at least two different varieties in your cooking. Peppers smoked over an oak fire develop into a rich and complex palate which is much more powerful and pronounced than in our sun-dried varieties.
We suggest Sweet and Hot Varieties for sauces, vegetables, fish, eggs, and French Fries. We suggest the Bittersweet and Smoked varieties for Paella, Fabada, beef, lamb, or for use on the grill.
As with saffron, pimenton releases its flavor when heated. Sprinkled over a colorless dish, the pimenton will liven up the color without changing the flavor. Adding to a cooking recipe, the flavor will be released to infuse the dish with complex flavors.
One important note: The sugar content of pimenton is very high, thus you must be cautious not to overcook the spice or it will burn. Add to a cooking dish only when liquids are present, and then keep a watchful eye if using high heat.
Price:
Click here to buy from Amazon

Spanish Verbs

2010-09-27T11:18:00.000+08:00

If you're interested in learning Spanish verbs, then you're probably on the right track to learning Spanish. I suggest you get some vocabulary before jumping into grammar. There are many Spanish grammar books out there, but it's very important you know enough vocabulary before going into verbs - you need to know who does the action and you should have a complement to the verb you are using.

Learning Spanish verbs isn't that hard. You should memorize the basic rules, and then practice them. Practice makes perfect. However, like I have already mentioned, you should gain some knowledge of the most used verbs and what they mean - get to know some verbs and their meanings.

Once you practice the basic verbs in the tense you are studying, you should move on onto irregular verbs that are also quite common in Spanish. They aren't much harder however and can be learned pretty quickly. Spanish verbs aren't that hard to acquire, but they do require practice and work so you can know your verbs on the tip of your fingers.

Another way of learning Spanish verbs is to simply train your ear - I'll give you an example of this. If you ask a five year old to conjugate a verb in the first person in any given tense, the five year old will probably look at you very weirdly. However, if you speak to the child for some time you'll realize that he or she always says he sat and not he sats.

Why? Simply because the child has been listening and speaking english for quite a long time, and now has a trained ear which automatically detects which conjugation is correct and which one is not. This is a good way of learning, however you should still know Spanish verb conjugation rules very well.

Once you know the rules and you have practiced yourself a little, you can then go out and listen to the language to train your ear. This way you'll insure you'll always say verbs the right way.

When I first started learning Spanish, I did my homework and I looked around for Spanish courses. The one that I found and that I thought would be right for me is called Rocket Spanish, and thanks to it I can speak very fluent Spanish today.

If you would like to listen to my experience with Rocket Spanish and get my tips and tricks for learning Spanish, please visit my website. The great thing about Rocket Spanish is that it is mostly an Audio course which also helps to train your ear.

If you want to hear my story on learning Spanish with Rocket Spanish, simply go to My Rocket Spanish Review.

Streetwise Spanish

2010-09-27T07:48:00.001+08:00

This is a very relevant course on How To Easily and Confidently Speak Vibrant Streetwise Spanish In Just One Week! Learn to speak Spanish fluently now! Check it out!

Quickly Learn A Language By Thinking In It

2010-09-27T07:47:00.000+08:00

It can be tedious to learn a language. There will always be a certain amount of rote memorization required. However, there are also many little techniques for more easily learning a language. Labeling things around the house in the language you want to learn comes to mind. Listening to tapes while in the car is another. Then there is a technique I used to learn Spanish.

How I Quickly Learned Spanish

I studied Spanish books for six weeks before going to Ecuador. I didn't speak a word of the language during this time - a big mistake. Still, I was able to converse with the locals in the hostel in Quito the day after I arrived. Within a few days I was discussing philosophy, politics and more with Ana, who is now my wife.

How did I learn a language so quickly? I didn't really. I had a very limited vocabulary when I arrived in Ecuador, and a very limited vocabulary when I left. However, I could use what little Spanish I knew to express myself. This I credit to a habit that fortunately is also a great technique for learning a language.

I have conversations in my head. I think of what I am about to say, and have always played out future discussions in my imagination. I found myself doing this in Spanish too. The result was that I learned how to speak the language quickly, and say a lot with few words.

Learn To Think In A Language

People imagine that they have to be fluent to think in a language. This just isn't true. You can choose to think "I am walking to the store," so there is no reason you can't think "Yo estoy caminando a la tienda," as soon as you know those six words. If you don't know the word "caminar" (to walk), but you know how to say "Yo voy a la tienda," (I go to the store) you can think that. Alternately, you can look up a word or two as you get "stuck."

One reason this is a great way to learn a language is that it helps you remember the words. Repetition works, and saying the words, even if only in your mind, works better than reading or hearing them. When you make a point of translating your thoughts into your new language, you are always practicing.

It is more than just good practice, though. Putting your thoughts into your new language forces you to learn not just words and rules, but also specific ways to express what you want to say. We all talk about different things and have different interests, right? A doctor might want to know how to say "where does it hurt?" while I may want to ask where the mountains are. Often, you learn what others think you should know. This helps, but your thoughts are uniquely yours, and when you think in your new language, you are learning exactly what YOU need to learn.

Speaking a language is perhaps the best way to learn it, and thinking it is just speaking it in your mind. You'll learn your most important words, expressions and sentences quickly if you are thinking them continually. Another tip: Carry a language dictionary with you to use whenever your thoughts stop flowing. This is a powerful way to learn a language and start speaking it quickly.

Steve Gillman has been working on his Spanish with his wife Ana Blum, a native of Ecuador. Together they have built a website where you can get free lessons in Spanish. Visit: http://www.TheSpanishLesson.com

Learn Spanish Course - 3 Important Tips to Help You Choose

2010-09-27T06:14:00.000+08:00

So you want to take that first step to speaking fluent Spanish and for that I applaud you and the fact your reading an article like this shows your serious about wanting to find a learn Spanish course that will actually help you learn Spanish. So all you need now is some basic tips to help you come to the right decision.

The tips I am going to give you are very obvious to those who have already started a learn Spanish course but maybe not so obvious to those who are just starting to find out about learning Spanish.

TIP 1 30 to 60 Day Money Back Guarantee.

This is a must pick a product that has a no nonsense money back guarantee. You will never have to use it if the product says does what it says but by the very nature they are prepared to give you a money back guarantee tells you everything you need to know about the company offering the product

TIP 2 Make Sure The Product Uses Accelerated Learning Techniques.

Again this is pretty obvious but when you're buying a brand new product you want the best and most modern techniques available. I learnt using Accelerated learning techniques and it does make basic Spanish stick in your head. However there are also very good learning products that also use interactive learning.

TIP 3 Beware Of Free Lessons.

If someone is offering you a free lesson the obvious question is why? In reality there trying to hook you into there product probably because this is the only way they can get customers. The reality is you will never learn Spanish with a free product you will have to sign up to get a full course eventually. So why not stick to tip one from the start and you will always get your money back if it doesn't work out.

I hope you found the tips useful and it helps you decide which learn Spanish course is right for you. The reality is you can be speaking the language within 10 weeks for as little as $40.00 Dollars.

If your really want to know which LEARN SPANISH COURSE is right for you then contact Fiona Gonzales at her blog where you can see her exclusive review of all the best learn Spanish products and courses currently available. alternatively have a look at these EASY SPANISH LESSONS for only $40.00 surely worth a click of a button. FIONA IS HERE TO HELP YOU SO DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK.

Tips On How To learn A Foreign Language

2010-09-27T03:58:00.001+08:00

A very interesting article :)
When referring to the languages I speak they are English, French, Spanish, Italian and Polish which to many may seem like an impressive number but before some get the idea that I should be admired for my linguistic skills. I would like to say that this is due more to circumstances then skill. First of all I was born in New York City where I spent the first 3 months before being sent away to live with my grandparents who spoke both Spanish and Italian, so unsurprisingly the languages I started speaking were Spanish and Italian. By the time I was five years of age I spoke both these languages well however I did not speak English at all so it was with this in mind among other things that my parents brought me back to New York where I started learning English. It was strange to me at first; going to school in a country that was my own hearing people speak a language that I did not understand. With time however since I was still at that early age in which languages come with ease; English started becoming more and more comprehensible and in a bigger way it was the cartoons I watched on television which I had already seen in Spanish that helped me. It is because of this factor which I experienced when I learned English at the age of 5 that I can lay claim that those who are in their very youthful years need not to have languages taught to them as they will learn them their own. It is with this in mind that I urge parents whose wish it is for their children to learn a foreign language or two to simply expose their child to the language as I was by my parents who sent me to a school where everybody spoke English.
Of course when giving this advise I have not lost sight of the fact that not all parents have at their disposal the chance to send their child to a school where the language they want their child to learn is spoken either because they do not live in a country where it is spoken or they don't have the funds to send their child to a school in which all subjects are carried out in that language. It is to these parents that I suggest that constant exposure to that language by all means at their disposal would be the most appropriate. When I say this I have in mind that parents naturally if they speak the language in question should do so with their children; this basically being the way most people get to speak a language at the start; from their parents.
However to those parents who are not speakers of the language they wish their child or children to learn then I would suggest exposing their child or children to that language by way of television such as "Cartoon Network" or perhaps films on DVD. As an idea to follow first have the child watch the film in his or her first language and then in the second one; repeating this process as many times as possible everyday. To many parents it may seem that their children only waste time when they sit in front of the TV set and to a large degree they do but time spent watching TV need not be a waste of time specially if it can help their child learn a foreign language. I recall in my many years as an E.S.L. (English as a Second Language) teacher; a five year old child. It was this child who spoke fluent English. Naturally making grammatical errors but then again what child his age does not. Regarding his accent I can say in earnest that this child from Warsaw, Poland spoke English with no traces in his accent that would have given away even to a foreign accent trained ear like mine that he was not an American. One might think as I did that this child had spent time in America or another English speaking country or that his parents were English speakers but when I asked the child's mother she informed that this child had neither set foot in an English speaking nor did she or her husband speak any English what so ever. As far as lessons were concerned he had only had those which were offered at the public school which he attended which did not exceed those that would have taught him the very basics. My curiosity took over my actions at this point making me ask how it was possible for their son to speak English fluently like any American child his own age even without the slightest trace a foreign accent. To this question I was met with the answer that this child watched "Cartoon Network" in English practically 24 hours a day.
If there is an unfortunate side to learning languages it is that those who did not start at a very early age in life for the most part will always be at a disadvantage to those who did. They will tend to speak with an accent that will classified as foreign and for the most part struggle with grammar however I say this not with the aim of dissuading but of informing those who start past the age of 10 that they will have to work harder. Of course this is not to say that they will not learn and learn well but perhaps certain nuances of the language will be lost to them.
Many are the reasons for wanting or needing to learn a language from living in a country to seeking a job to so many others that I will not go over all of them however as many as there be reasons there also be methods. If the later be the case I have found that the "target method" to be the most efficient when the matter be simply learning to communicate. As this is what most people seek to get when they study a language. By communicating I have in mind learning how to understand and be understood in a second language which by its own virtue does not concentrate so much on grammar's rules but on how one should speak a language using correct grammar without the need to necessarily go over a lot of rules that would not necessarily make one a better speaker. I in my fourteen years as an ESL (English as Second Language) teacher have come to discover that those who know more rules regarding for instance when to use "present perfect" as opposed to when to use "past simple" do not always speak more grammatically correct however it is important to have a basic understanding of the tenses if one is to use them correctly. During the course of this time there is a lot I have taught my students but also a lot which I have discovered for myself from both my students and from teaching them and here are some tips which I would like to provide those who are seeking to learn a language:
1. Find a teacher or a school; this is of more importance to total beginners as languages are not like history which can be learned solely by reading it. Languages require the spoken part which involves learning how words are pronounced in languages that are not always systematically phonetic so for this reason I recommend getting a teacher. For total beginners I also suggest starting in a group because at the start what people are most in need of is repetition. For instance a teacher might begin with each student saying "My name is ___." and if there should be 20 students in the class then we should hear this sentence repeated just as many times and therefore making it more provable that the sentence will stick in our mind then if we had just heard it repeated twice. Granted groups advance more slowly but the speed in which we cover the material is not the issue but what is, is how much of it we absorb and I noticed specially when I was studying French and Polish how much easier it was to learn things because of the repetitive nature to be found in groups.
2. When learning a second language we must think in the language we are trying to learn. There are those however who may say that for beginners this is the neither possible or recommendable but to those I would say that on the contrary it is. The reason I say this is for instance if a person is learning Spanish and the first sentence he is presented with is "Yo me llamo ___." (My name is ____.) then he or she should say this sentence not translating in to English and then repeating it in Spanish but knowing what the sentence means and simply repeating it. This method perhaps may be slower at first but will pay off in the future because if the student can say the sentence in the language he or she is learning without having to translate in his or her mind this will make it possible for that student to become fluent as that person will be able to speak without thinking of the words. Fluent speaking is when a person gets an idea and can put that idea in to words without thinking of the words because they come automatically. Naturally this does not mean that if a person speaks a language fluently he or she will speak that language correctly as these are two different things. Fluency dealing with how much time passes from the moment the thought enters the mind to the moment the words come out and only this. Many of my students on many occasions have asked me how can they think in the language they are speaking and to them I tell the following. When speaking or repeating a sentence or word in a language one should pretend that the only language one speaks or knows is the language one is trying to speak. In other words one should forget all other languages that one may speak and if one does so speaking a foreign language fluently will be easier ; reason being that translating as one goes along slows one down. This even holds more true when listening to a language for if we had to stop and translate every word in to another language that is being said to us by the time we translated the first word the whole sentence would have gone by so with this in mind I say we should only think in the language we are speaking or listening to forsaking all others.
3. To learn a language when we wish to translate a sentence what we should do is translate the general idea of the sentence and not word per word but as a whole for it is there where we see the general idea. For instance in Italian we say "Io me chiamo Gianni" which when translated word per word would be "I call myself Gianni" which in English does not have the same meaning. This however if translated not word per word but the general idea we would get "My name is Gianni". The reason this stands as truth is that every language is different and not only that words are different but their grammar. Grammar being the order in which we place words. Sometimes however it is not a matter of grammar which in an of itself differs one language from another. As an example I can give that Polish only employs three tenses (present, past and future) and does not have articles, definite or indefinite but the way people speak. For instance in French it is correct to say "J' ai 40 ans" which when translated directly in to English would be "I have 40 years" which in proper English would be "I am 40 years old". This proving my point that is not always a question of grammar but of the way people in different languages speak this making it that the same thing is expressed in a different way. As an added example I can give that in Polish the sentence "happy birthday" does not exist but in its place Polish people say (from a literal translation) "all the best wishes".
4. Never ask why! In languages it is not important to know why Polish does not use articles or why English does not have articles that differentiate genders like French which has them in the form or "le" and "la" or why Spanish and Italian do not use the letter "k" to spell any of their own words. What is important is to understand how the language is and speak it as such and not waste time analyzing why it is one way or was made one way and not another. Knowing this; if we could even find out why will not help us speak the language we are trying to learn anymore then knowing why most of us have two instead of three eyes would help us see better. So in short do not worry about why it so just accept it and speak it or write it as such.
5. Languages do not require thinking or least none that be analytical but the ability to understand a situation and repeat the sentence that explains it to another person. For instance when we say "This is a pen." we establish what something is and if the object we were establishing were a table then the structure would be the same "This is a table". These two sentences only requiring us to change one word but not the structure which should not change since the situation has not.
6. Do not be afraid to make mistakes. When learning a language mistakes are as unavoidable as is falling down to a child who is learning to walk. If that child or his parents were afraid of their child falling down that child would never learn to walk; same thing with languages. I always tell my students that if they can not avoid mistakes at least they should try to learn from them. One of the reasons people are afraid or perhaps embarrassed about mistakes is what other people might think. This if one logically thinks about should not represent a problem as those who are mindful will understand that the person who is speaking is not a native speaker of that language and will not only understand if that person makes some mistakes but will not think less of that person for doing so.
7. Using good grammar is not the most important thing! Unless we are teachers of that language or writers in that language; then grammar is not the most important thing if we just want other people to understand what we are saying. Grammar only becomes an issue when we are misunderstood or not all. For instance if I heard someone say "I had bought a book, yesterday" I would understand that this person bought a book yesterday. This despite the fact that he or she used "past perfect" in a situation when he or she should have used "past simple". So my advise to those who are speaking a foreign language is to not worry about what is grammatically correct and just to speak.
8. Practice as much as possible! To learn to speak Spanish fluently or any other language well we need to have at least 20 hours of contact a week with the language. By this I mean taking lessons but they are not enough. For instance if a person took piano lessons this would not be enough to learn the piano as that person would have to have a piano he or she could practice on at home otherwise lessons would not be so beneficial. Having said this what I recommend to those who do not live in a country where the language they want to learn is spoken is to look for as much contact with the language in question as possible. May be in the form of watching television in that language, making friends with people who speak that language or just having a romantic acquaintance that would also contribute to one's linguistic needs apart from all the rest.
9. The four parts to languages are the following: the spoken one, the read one, the written one and listening. To practice the last one all we need is to watch films in that language maybe even with subtitles. With regard to reading this we should practice for the reason that it is the best way for us to expand our vocabulary in the language as we have time to look up the words we do not understand. Writing should be improved by reading because after seeing the words many times this should teach us how to spell them. The speaking perhaps is the hardest to practice as it is most advisable to not do this alone as this would force one to answer oneself.
In all my years as a language teacher and learner of languages it has been my experience that has taught me that when speaking or learning a language as in life all we can do is our best and hope for just that so with this in mind I leave those who should read this with the following thought. It is better to speak a language badly then not at all because if we really think about it how many people speak a language with grammatical perfection even their own let alone a second or a foreign one.
My name is Gianni Truvianni, I am an author who writes with the simple aim of sharing his ideas, thoughts and so much more of what I am with those who are interested in perhaps reading something new. As for the details regarding my life I would say that there is nothing that lifts them above the ordinary. I was born in New York City in 1967 on May 21st and am presently living in Warsaw, Poland because my wife happens to be from this particular country that was also the birthplace for my only daughter. My daughter being the star of "Little Opera Singer" which was my first ever completed story.

How to Find the Time to Learn a New Foreign Language

2010-09-27T02:22:00.000+08:00

There is nothing new in this article if you have been reading my blog for a while. But I loved seeing someone else saying the same things, or very similar! — Rosana

By Martina Srblin

With the frenetic rhythm of nowadays, it often seems impossible to fit a(nother) foreign language into your busy schedule. But when you think of the benefits this new knowledge entails, it also seems impossible not to try, right?

So, what can you do to bring in the magic and conjure up enough time to start learning a language? Here are seven of my favorite strategies…

Committing to 20-minute chunks

While allocating a whole hour of your day to a new language may be difficult, splitting it up into smaller chunks of 20 minutes is much easier. And since consistency will get you more results than sporadic learning for prolonged periods of time, you can easily settle for one 20-minute chunk a day. In the morning, before you go to sleep, during lunch break or your commute to work, when you can listen to audios if you’re not in the position to read.

Creating pocket-size memory cards

Write down the words, expressions or grammar patterns you’re having troubles with on small, pocket-size cards. Then flip them over and fill their back with the proper explanations. Skim through these memory prompts whenever you get the chance. While you’re queuing or waiting for your dentist appointment, you’ll be glad you have something to distract yourself with!

Replacing your reading materials

Another language learning booster is reading. If you can’t squeeze in the time to learn a (new) language no matter how hard you try, think about replacing your native-tongue-literature reading time with reading materials written in your language of choice. You’ll appease your reading desire and do yourself a major favor, since reading is no less than a vocabulary building wizard!

Thinking in the chosen language

An extremely effective method of improving your foreign language skills is thinking in this language as often as possible. It works best if you’re surrounded with natives, since it feels more natural, but in your mind, you can always pretend you’re a native, too. The beauty of this technique is that it increases your responsiveness in conversations and ignites your learning curiosity.

Attending a live language course

If you’re not disciplined enough to work on a language on your own, sign up for a live language course. The financial investment and the group support will swipe the excuses away in a heart-beat. In addition, you’ll be »forced« to do your homework, which will get your language learning ball rolling faster than ever!

Finding a hidden time treasure

If your everyday routine devours all of your time, you need an efficiency check-up. Which actions you take are making you waste more time than necessary? Maybe you could adjust your work schedule so as to avoid rush hours, or, if you’re working from home, limit your social media and email management to a couple of times a day. Instantly, you’ll have another hour on your hands, to say the least. Just imagine how many new words can you learn in an hour…

Increasing overall productivity

Fix the overwhelm by single-tasking; your productivity will skyrocket and you’ll get more done in less time. Again, an additional half-an-hour or more will magically appear in your day. Every day! How powerful is that? Use those 30 minutes for language learning, and in a year, you’ll have studied for more than 180 hours!

If you finally have time to learn Spanish, click here

Martina Srblin is the Language Learning Magician who will help you discover the language learning system that best fits your needs, skills and schedule, so you can stop wasting time, money and energy on language learning methods that – for you personally – are inefficient. For free resources and to sign up for a FREE report on “7 Key Steps to Smart Language Learning” and a FREE subscription to the Language Learning Magic Ezine, please visit Martina’s website http://www.martinasrblin.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martina_Srblin
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Find-the-Time-to-Learn-a-New-Foreign-Language&id=3548070

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The 1000 Most Common Spanish Words And Phrases Make Up 80% Of Everyday Speech

2010-09-26T23:02:00.001+08:00

Studies show that the 1000 most common Spanish words make up approximately 80% of everyday speech. Interestingly enough, this figure holds steady in pretty much all languages, not just Spanish. Furthermore, the 2000 most common Spanish words account for approximately 95% of all speech.
This is good news for learners. Inevitably, beginners who would want to learn to speak Spanish fluently observe the amount of vocabulary unknown to them and begin to feel like it’ll take years to learn enough to be able to carry on a conversation. The 1000 number above, while it sounds like a lot, really isn’t. Following my vocabulary card approach, most students should be able to learn an average of 10 new vocabulary words per days in an average of 20-30 minutes scattered throughout the day that would otherwise be wasted and unproductive anyway.
Knowing which words are most useful is another trick entirely. Most decent vocabulary card sets more or less contain to the most useful words to know, but not always. Similarly, I have seen some vocabulary lists in the past with seemingly no connection to reality; the FSI program in particular is bad at this (just how many ways are there to ask for a cigarette, anyway?). Fortunately, the most useful source I’ve come across is also the cheapest. There is a book called 1001 Most Useful Spanish Words (Beginners' Guides)s that sells for just $2 on Amazon, brand new and contains the most accurate list of common Spanish words I’ve seen yet. Realistically, an $18 total investment between 1001 Most Useful Spanish Words and a good set of vocabulary cards is probably all you’ll ever need, because it’s much easier to absorb new vocabulary organically once you’ve reached an advanced Spanish level.

Ready to get started? Buy 1001 Most Useful Spanish Words and Modern Spanish Bilingual Vocabulary Cards from Amazon today and get stared on the road to fluency!
Complement the handbook with this simple Spanish Learning system.
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Oryany Handbags Katie Spanish Satchel

2010-09-26T22:48:00.000+08:00

We absolutely adore the vintage-modern approach to style that Oryany Handbags' Katie takes. This very roomy bag is featured in slick, sheeny contemporary fabric with quilting in the pattern of a centuries-old Spanish decorative motif.

Price:

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Spanish accents with mac keyboard

2010-09-26T19:57:00.001+08:00

A sure way for you to start to learn to speak Spanish fluently is by typing the words you've learnt and review them over your Mac/PC. Here’s how you can write the Spanish accented letters with a Mac keyboard. First, locate the Option key. It either has:
The word “OPTION” written on it (dead give-away)A symbol which looks a bit like a stretched out Z with another horizontal line at the topOr it might be the same key as “alt”, so look out for that one too
To get the accents that look like this one: é, hold down option and then press e, then release both keys and press the letter you want accented, as follows:
Option + e, then e = é
Option + e, then a = á
Option + e, then i = í
Option + e, then o = ó
Option + e, then u = ú
To get the one that appears over the n, which looks like this: ñ, do the following:
Option + n, then n = ñ
And for the other thing that appears above the u, which looks like this: ü, do the following:
Option + u, then u = ü
Finally, you’ll also need to know the upside-down exclamation and question marks. For them:
Option + 1 = ¡
Option + Shift + ? = ¿
Good luck! You can learn Spanish here
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501 Spanish Verbs with CD-ROM and Audio CD (501 Verb Series)

2010-09-26T17:48:00.000+08:00

The world's bestselling Spanish verbs reference book has just gotten better! The authors focus directly on a command of Spanish verbs--and fluency in Spanish starts with knowledge of verbs. This new seventh edition shows students and travelers exactly how to use the 501 most common and useful Spanish verbs in all 15 tenses and moods. Each verb is alphabetically listed in easy-to-follow chart form, one verb per page with its English translation. Enclosed with the book are two discs, a CD-ROM with language-learning aids, and an audio CD that reviews the formation and usage of Spanish verb forms.

New features include--

Formation and usage of Spanish verb tenses and moods summarized as they relate to their English equivalents

The 55 most essential Spanish verbs used in context

Another 2,200 regular verbs conjugated like the book's 501 model verbs

Verbs in idiomatic phrases

Passive and active voice formations

Sentences demonstrating Spanish verb usage in all tenses

Exercises in Spanish verb usage with answers

Appendixes covering impersonal verbs, weather expressions, and English-Spanish verb index . . .and more

501 Spanish Verbs plus software--the best language learning program of its kind!

It's a must have for language classes, a self-teaching guide for international travelers, and a handy reference volume for translators. In addition to the 501 verb tables the book with software includes a wealth of additional features to help students develop a truly comprehensive command of Spanish for speaking, reading, writing, and listening comprehension. There's a reason other publishers imitate Barron's 501 Spanish Verbs. After almost 50 years on the market, Barron's verb books are still the best. Choose the original!

(sidebar)
Enclosed with each book
A CD-ROM
It's filled with sentence completion exercises, dialogue exercises, word completion exercises, word puzzles, and more. Barron's CD-ROM is more adaptable than those from other publishers because you can download it on any PCÂ® or MacÂ®.
Brand-New with This Edition--an Audio CD
It emphasizes Spanish pronunciation and listening comprehension. Here's an audio feature that presents the true sound of spoken Spanish

Price: $16.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

How to Learn Spanish Even If You Think You Can’t

2010-09-26T16:12:00.001+08:00

A friend of mine diligently studied Spanish for months before a trip to Mexico. But right after flying to Guadalajara, she went out for dinner and discovered that she couldn’t understand a word anyone said, nor could they follow her halting attempts at speaking Spanish.
All too often, when people go through an experience like this, they give up quickly. Possibly you can relate to this. Maybe you had some Spanish in high school and decided you didn’t have a knack for languages, perhaps you had an experience like my friend’s, or maybe you don’t think you could remember all that vocabulary and all those verb endings.
But no matter how poor you think you would be to lean to speak Spanish fluently, the chances are excellent that you can do much better than you think. As an American living in Mexico, I have seen other Americans who don’t even try to learn Spanish, but I also have seen many people speaking Spanish surprisingly well not long after moving here. Sure, they do make errors but they can communicate, and the Mexican people are typically very gracious and patient when we foreigners try to speak their language.
Why Do People Think They Can’t Learn to Speak Spanish?
Often it does go back to bad experiences in high school or college. Academic courses are not really designed to get you speaking Spanish. They start you out with grammar and with learning to read and to write. Speaking is just a part of the curriculum, and with quite a few students in each class, there just isn’t much opportunity for practicing conversation. Also, even if speaking is emphasized, the environment tends to make many students self-conscious and timid. It’s nothing like chatting with the friendly people you might meet on a vacation trip.
But a vacation isn’t guaranteed to teach you Spanish. As my friend found, it can be overwhelming to listen to Spanish all around you. You may be lucky if you understand just a few words here and there. The idea that you can go to another country and just “pick up” the language is not very realistic unless you are under about 12 years old.
Another issue is that we often think we aren’t intelligent enough to do something like learn a new language. Or if we have any gray hairs, we may think we are too old. But research shows that motivation is way more important than age in learning Spanish.
What Works in Learning Spanish?
There are several ways you can develop a speaking ability in Spanish, and even basic skill at speaking Spanish will get you a long way in communicating. You could take an adult education course offered through a college where you live, but it may well have the same problems mentioned above: that it is going to focus on grammar and not provide enough speaking practice. Besides, it may not fit your schedule or budget, and you have to allow for time going to and from class.
Better choices exist now via the internet. There are many Spanish language computer programs. Some are downloadable, while others you would order for prompt delivery, often from well-known internet retailers like Amazon.com. There are also online Spanish classes. There are free websites to help you learn Spanish. If you have the time and money, there are immersion classes in Spanish in probably every Spanish-speaking country in the world. So while it can be quite a task to sort through these options, they do exist. Don’t give up on speaking Spanish… it can be so worthwhile, whatever your reasons for wanting to learn it!
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De La Cruz Pomada De Azufre Sulfur Ointment, 2.6-Ounce Jar (Pack of 6)

2010-09-26T15:56:00.000+08:00

De La Cruz Pomada de azufre sulfur ointment is used for treatment of acne, this ointment penetrates the pores, dries and clears pimples and blackheads. Helps to keep new pimples and blackheads from forming. Does not contain preservatives, or artificial colors or fragrances.

Price: $23.76

Click here to buy from Amazon

Bloch London Women's Spanish Bow Ballet Flat

2010-09-26T12:34:00.000+08:00

The Spanish bow flat from Bloch is the modern version of your favorite ballet-inspired silhouette. Featuring a super low profile, a unique bow with glints of metallic, and a flexible leather construction, there's no detail about this graceful shoe that you won't love.

Price:

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Spanish Rose Italian Mask Black Lace Red Rose with Feather Masquerade Mardi Gras Mask Venetian

2010-09-26T11:37:00.001+08:00

Getting ready for a ball, Halloween party or any dress-up functions? Or simply need to add zest while you learn to speak Spanish fluently?
You could definitely use a Spanish Rose Italian Mask. It comes with Black Lace, Red Rose and Feather trim. This carnival masks are based on Venetian tradition and are hand crafted with artesian quality.

Perfect for a party or the bedroom.

Price: $49.99
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Rosetta Stone V4 TOTALe: Spanish (Latin America) Level 1-5 Set

2010-09-26T10:13:00.000+08:00

Develop your command of the language. From the simple to the complex, gain the confidence to share your ideas and opinions in your new language. Develop the conversational skills to plan adventures, care for your health and move abroad. Talk about government, work, movies, family, and more. Includes everything you need to learn at home and on the go.

What Will I Learn

This level will help you:

Build your vocabulary and language abilities
Read, write, speak and understand your new language
Speak without a script
Retain what you've learned
Practice unscripted conversations in your new language
Negotiate complex situations with confidence and accuracy

Sample topics include:

The basics, such as age and family relations
Questions, greetings, introductions
Telling time, calendar terms, the weather
Directions, locations, dining out
Emotions, opinions, ideas
Political, media, business terms
Arranging home repairs
Planning to move abroad
Discussing the arts and tourism
Careers and conducting interviews
Problem-solving and commercial transactions

What Do I Get?

Interactive Software

Our Lets award-wining version, complete with proprietary speech recognition technology.

Audio Companion

For your CD or MP3 player so you can review while on the go.

Headset with Microphone

For use with our state-of- the-art speech-recognition software.

Live Online Lessons

Practice sessions led by native speaking tutors.

Games & Community

Language-enhancing games move you towards real-world proficiency.

Mobile Companion

Learning application for your iPhone or iPod Touch device.

Our Method

Recreate the natural way you learned your first language and reveal skills that you already have using Dynamic Immersion. This award-winning method has been adopted by countless organizations, schools and millions of users around the world.

Learn Naturally: Discover how to speak, read, write, and understand--all without translating or memorizing. Our award-winning solution recreates how you learned your first language, unlocking your natural abilities.

Speak Confidently: Perfect your pronunciation with speech-recognition technology. Gain the confidence in your new voice as you practice with other learners in our exclusive online community and participate in online sessions coached by native tutors.

Immerse Yourself: Be surrounded by your new language. From core lessons to online sessions, Rosetta Stone gets you engaged and interacting with others.

Stay Motivated: Experience accomplishment with each moment of achievement; with dedicated success agents you will never lose sight of your language-learning goals.

Your Natural Ability. Awakened.

Natural Discovery

Learning your first language is as natural as smiling. Effortless. Rewarding. Every step in Rosetta Stone feels like that. Clear, compelling images appear precisely, in juxtaposition, conveying meaning. Intuitively, you just know what it means.

Our puzzle-like environments--a systematic presentation of sounds, images, and text--help learners absorb meaning intuitively.

Rosetta Stone's award-winning software, where you will interact by speaking, clicking, selecting phrases and writing.

Speech Activation

Rosetta Stone's proprietary speech-recognition technology provides immediate and ongoing feedback.

Build your confidence and polish your pronunciation skills with state-of-the-art speech-recognition technologies and success-filled dialogues.

Our software provides immediate and ongoing assessments of your speech through Actionable Feedback, which helps you pronounce syllables, words and sentences correctly and easily.

Based on a collection of literally millions of speech samples, our proprietary speech-recognition algorithms and speech models were engineered with a singular purpose--to help you communicate with accuracy, confidence and ease.

Native Socialization

Language-learning games will keep you motivated along the way.

Practice with native speakers in our live interactive sessions and our online community. Every conversation gives you the confidence to communicate in your new language.

For many, traditional language-learning fails because it lacks real conversation. With Rosetta Stone you'll play games and chat with native speakers and other learners in our online language community.

Hundreds of native-speaking tutors trained in the Rosetta Stone method are ready to help reinforce the language you're learning through live, online conversations. From Day One you'll be speaking your new language with confidence and ease.

Price: $749.00

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Xbox 360 3 Luces Rojas (Red Light Fix - Spanish

2010-09-26T06:53:00.001+08:00

Game lovers out there could definitely try the Xbox 360 Red Light Fix In Spanish! Have loads of fun while you learn to speak Spanish fluently. Check it out!

Easy Spanish Phrase Book: Over 770 Basic Phrases for Everyday Use (Dover Easy Phrase) (Spanish and English Edition)

2010-09-26T05:17:00.000+08:00

More than 770 basic phrases for everyday use enable you to communicate instantly on a host of topics: health and medical situations; essential services; boat, plane, and train travel; much more.

Price: $2.00

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Tips on How to Learn Spanish Fast

2010-09-26T03:03:00.001+08:00

If you're in a hurry to learn to speak Spanish fluently, no matter the reason, there are things you can do to help. Even if you've never learned a foreign language before, there are tips and techniques you can use to make sure you're speaking fluent Spanish in no time.
One of the first things you can do to learn Spanish in a hurry is to concentrate on the alphabet, especially the vowels. If you can master this part early and easily, you'll be in a lot better position to be able to pick up the rest of the language and be speaking, reading and writing Spanish in no time. If you think about this, it makes a lot of sense because this is how children usually begin to learn to speak a language.
Another tip to decrease the time it takes you to learn Spanish is to immerse yourself in both the language and the culture. Hopping on a plane to the nearest Spanish speaking country isn't a possibility for everyone, but there are other options available. From Spanish music to Spanish television to Spanish websites, there are a lot of ways to immerse yourself in the language without leaving the comfort of your home.
If you're the more adventurous type, you can even explore your area of the world to see if there are any Spanish speaking areas of the population where you can go (without traveling far) to listen to the language being spoke by people who have been speaking it their whole lives. This is even better than the other immersion methods mentioned because you can get feedback when you respond in Spanish.
These are just a few ideas to help you get started with learning Spanish fast. If you're dedicated and disciplined, learning a language like Spanish isn't an impossible feat. Whatever reason you want to learn the language, there are ways to learn it quickly.
Learning spanish will get very challenging as you advance, and for some, it will seem impossible to master. Articles like these are great as a starting point, but in order to really TAKE ACTION, you're going to need a better resource. Visit here to learn to speak Spanish quickly and fluently.

10059 Two Liter Spanish Wine Bota

2010-09-26T01:21:00.000+08:00

Whether you are going hiking, camping, to a football game or on a picnic this camouflage bota will keep the wine cool and can be passed around and shared with a group without bothering with glasses.

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The Rosetta Stone Audio Companion CDs Are Mostly Useless

2010-09-25T23:58:00.001+08:00

Seeing as how Rosetta Stone (relatively) recently released Levels 4 and 5 Set with Audio Companion, I decided to purchase the complete program (levels 1-5, see my complete review) both as a means of refreshing my Spanish skills and as a way to check out the latest and greatest from perhaps the best Spanish learning tool on the planet.
I was particularly interested in trying the Audio Companion CD’s advertised as coming with the program. It’s been a while since I’ve used Rosetta Stone, and my previous experiences didn’t include any audio CD’s (I guess they didn’t exist back then). I was looking forward to honing my pronunciation (a major strength of the computer program) and practicing useful conversations. Sadly, I got neither.
The audio companion CD’s are nothing more than a listen-and-repeat version of the phrases covered in the corresponding computer lesson a la the Living Language Ultimate Spanish series. Needless to say, this isn’t the most effective way to learn the language. I mean sure, it’s better than nothing, but I expect more from a program as expensive as Rosetta Stone. The complete Rosetta Stone program is upwards of $600 while Ultimate Spanish products are right at $100 for the complete program. If I wanted listen and repeat, I would have bought Ultimate Spanish (actually, I did…not worth the money unless you can get it used for under $25, in my opinion).
That said, Rosetta Stone is still well worth buying. It’s the best, most complete product I know of. In conjunction with a good Spanish grammar aid (like the Practice Makes Perfect series), it can get you as close to fluency as you can get without traveling to a Spanish-speaking country and hiring a private tutor, for a fraction of the cost. I just don’t appreciate the obvious money-grab of advertising the audio companions as a major pro of purchasing the program. After all, if that method of learning Spanish actually worked, there would be no market for Rosetta Stone to begin with.
Buy Rosetta Stone from Amazon.com and see what all the talk is about. It’s expensive, but I think it’s well worth the price if you are to learn to speak Spanish fluently.
A cheaper version of a Spaning learning program is here
View the original article here

Oryany Handbags Katie Spanish Satchel

2010-09-25T23:04:00.000+08:00

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The Music Method

2010-09-25T19:33:00.001+08:00

The music method simply involves listening to Spanish music, getting the lyrics in Spanish, translating them to English, and listening to it over and over again.

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There’s an awesome YouTube user who takes the hard work out of this. He goes by the pseudonym escorpio123, and has uploaded LOADS of Spanish music with both Spanish lyrics and their English translation underneath. What’s more, he has assigned a difficulty level to each song, ranging from level 1, which includes the slow, soppy, lovey-dovey power ballads like Noelia, up to Level 5, which includes Reggeaton and Spanish rap music.
Just in case escorpio123 gets shut down by YouTube, he does have a website where his stuff is available for download.
As awesome as escorpio123 is, some of his stuff might not to be your taste. I kinda like it in a strange way, especially Nino Bravo, but if you like something else it’s pretty easy to find. Just Google “Spanish Genre.” For the knuckleheads reading this, replace ‘genre’ with the type of music you want. You’ll find a Wikipedia page usually. I found the rock band Heroes del Silencio this way. Then find the lyrics and use Google translator, supplemented by an online ESP-ENG dictionary (Google isn’t always completely accurate).
I’ve found that the most effective way (for me at least) is to listen to one line at a time. I just skip back over the same line over and over while reading the Spanish lyrics, until I can make out each individual word. Literally I do this 50-100 times. Then I do the same thing, but without looking at the lyrics. Try it. Not so easy now is it? Getting a bit cocky there, weren’t you? We need to be able to comprehend without having the words in front of us, so it does makes sense to practise this way.
The idea is to get to the point where you can understand without translating. At first, you need the English lyrics nearby to recall what each word means, especially for new words or conjugations. But over time you ‘know’ what the word means without having to mentally use English as an intermediary step.
Brutal repetition of single lines will achieve this much more easily than listening to the whole song on repeat, and your are on your way to learn to speak Spanish fluently!
To complete your training regime, use this as well.
View the original article here

Brazil Butt Lift - Workout DVD (English and Spanish)

2010-09-25T18:22:00.000+08:00

Join lead criminalist Horatio Caine (David Caruso) and his state-of-the-art forensics team as they investigate hot and steamy Miami crimes using cold hard facts. The evidence leads into seedy nightclubs privileged suburbs and explosive family secrets. The stakes are higher than ever before because this time it's personal.

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Improve Your Spanish by Speaking Spanish at Work

2010-09-25T15:08:00.001+08:00

The idea of working on your Spanish by speaking it at work won’t apply to everyone, of course, but if it doesn’t apply to you maybe you can modify the concept so it does provide you with an opportunity, through other community groups, for example.
Today I’m suggesting that if you have a job where some of the employees are Hispanic, get up your nerve and try speaking a little Spanish with them. Even if you just try to say something very basic, chances are that — once they realize you are trying to learn to speak Spanish fluently — that they will be very pleased.
I’ve noticed this delighted reaction when traveling as well. A couple of years ago, my husband and I were vacationing in the Ozarks and we had dinner in a Mexican restaurant in a small town in Arkansas. There was a gray-haired Hispanic man running the place and when he walked by our table and said hello, I said “Vivimos en Jaliso.” (We live in the state of Jalisco.) His jaw dropped, and we had quite a long conversation.
The convenient thing about practicing your Spanish with co-workers is that you see them regularly. Once they realize you are serious about improving their Spanish, they are likely to help you. They may tease you about your pronunciation or other errors you make, but it will be in a light-hearted and friendly way. You will be able to ask them how to say something you want to learn.
This will give you a chance to pick up vocabulary that relates to work, or at least to the things around you. You can point to something, and they can tell you what it means. You can say a phrase that has to do with your work, and they can translate it for you. If you do this quite a bit, you will pick up useful words and phrases.
If you are doing this with people for whom English is a second language, you may be able to help them a bit with their English. At the very least, they will understand what you are feeling.
This practice is a great way to use words you may be learning in one of the Spanish learning programs here.
View the original article here

How to Learn Spanish Fast - Simple Tips That Can Help You to Speak Fluent Spanish Really Fast

2010-09-25T13:24:00.001+08:00

As one of the most romantic languages of the world, Spanish is easier to learn than you might have originally thought. It is one of the oldest where all the other languages was derived from, and also one of the most predominant languages in the world. Learning Spanish is all worth it, especially if you're thinking of visiting Spain and some Latin countries some time in the future.
With the advent of the internet, it has now become way easier for people to learn Spanish at the comforts of their home. You don't to spend costly fees on Spanish classes just to be a pro. There are literally hundreds of websites online teaching you how to learn Spanish fast while having fun during the entire time. They may be free or may be available for a minimal fee.
To learn Spanish quickly, try to chat with a native speaker. Conversation is always the easiest path to learning a language because as human beings we had all learned to speak before we write. Work out your schedule to set at least an hour a day going through an online course and speaking with your Spanish tutor. With this pace, you will be able to communicate effectively in just two or three weeks.
Among the tips on how to learn Spanish fast is to take note of the sentence structure, vocabulary and pronunciation. As with any languages, these are key to forming speech habits that closely resemble that of a native speaker.
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Learn Spanish with a Kindle!

2010-09-25T10:30:00.001+08:00

I’ve been fascinated by the Kindle ever since it was announced, and now here is another reason to get one:

Amazon has a list of several dozen books to help you learn to speak Spanish fluently via a Kindle. Quite a few of them are very inexpensive, and some have text-to-speech enabled, I noticed, though I don’t know how good that is.
When Kindles came out, you could only buy them in the US but now they are available for many countries. I am pretty sure there is one in my future! Here is what the Kindle DX looks like and clicking on the image takes you to its sales page on Amazon, loaded with information, a couple of videos, and more. If that price is steep for you, notice that there is a link to a less expensive version as well, on the Amazon page.

View the original article here

How to Speak Spanish - Useful Tips That Will Help You Learn How to Speak Spanish Fast!

2010-09-25T09:43:00.000+08:00

If you want to speak Spanish fast, this article will give you some great tips on how to speak Spanish.

When you are learning Spanish, it is important that you picture the object in your mind. This will help you to connect the meanings behind each word with what you are saying. Don't worry about translations at this time. Just let the word roll off of your tongue.

Learning a foreign language can be quite a challenge. This is especially true if you are going about it the wrong way. When you want to learn a foreign language, you should just learn how to pronounce the words. Don't worry about how to spell them and don't worry about if the word you are saying is a noun or a verb. Why make it harder for yourself than it already is?

When you learn how to speak Spanish, you should concentrate on how to express yourself as you say the word. Some words may have a hand gesture for emphasis. Learning these little extras will help you to gain respect when you visit a Spanish speaking country. The native people will know that you took the extra time to learn how to speak Spanish the correct way.

So if you want to learn how to speak Spanish, just dive right in and do it. Don't worry about the mistakes that you are going to make. Everyone who try to learn a new language will make plenty of them. But with enough practice you will speaking fluent Spanish in no time at all.

To accelerate your learning curve, make sure that you get a good and experienced Spanish teacher. Before you start, you need to understand that all teachers are not created equal, so you need to do your homework before you start with your next professor.

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Foreign Language Tips on Learning Spanish Online in Only 3 Months

2010-09-25T07:11:00.000+08:00

Many people think that learning a new language is difficult so they don't even attempt to learn. There are many reasons why people don't want to learn a new language. The main reason is that they think that they will have to take time out of their busy schedules to go back to school to learn. The opposite is actually true.

Learning to speak Spanish has become the most desired languages to learn. It is the second most spoken language in the world and rapidly growing. Learning to speak Spanish is in higher demand than most languages also learning the language does not have to be difficult. In fact, Spanish can be learned in the comforts of your home; online. The days of driving to a classroom a couple of times a week to take Spanish classes is a thing of the past. You don't even have to work around the schedule of a tutor. Today's advances allow you to learn Spanish quickly and efficiently at home and on the internet in only 3 months.

Here are some tips on how you can learn to speak Spanish in as little as 3 months or less.

1. Learning to speak Spanish software programs such as "Rocket Spanish" guarantees that it can help people gain the skills to learn fluent Spanish in 3 months or less. Other interactive language courses will give you the tools you need to speak, write, and read Spanish.

2. Join a Spanish group that meets online so gain the practice you need to improve your skills. Getting involved with a Spanish community that meets on a regular basis will enable you to improve your Spanish speaking skills much faster than practicing on your own.

3. Read everything you can in Spanish. Start by purchasing children's books, then work your way up to more complicated books and novels.

4. Watch the Spanish channel whenever you can. Instead of watching your weekly programs in English, see if the same program is being aired on the Spanish channel. This way you will be able to easily associate different scenes with the language that's spoken.

Learning to speak Spanish in 3 months is subjected to constant practice and effort on your part. The object is to surround your entire environment with things that enhance your study of the Spanish language. Lastly, continue to practice speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish to ensure that you will become proficient within 3 months.

You can quickly and easily learn to speak Spanish by investing in a quality Spanish speaking course. See immediate results with the top Spanish tutoring program currently being used by thousands of people wanting to learn Spanish just like yourself.

Spanish Saffron Acrylic Box (3 pack)

2010-09-25T05:52:00.001+08:00

Increase your Spanish 'senses' with a zest of Spanish saffron in your cooking! Who knows, you may be able to learn to speak Spanish fluently after this!
We have secured a special deal on this saffron from Spain and are passing the savings on to you. Saffron (azafran) from Spain is the best quality available. This particular batch is grown in La Mancha, but packed in a modern facility in Alicante to keep the price down. The quality of this saffron is only surpassed by our own 'La Mancha Saffron' or our 'Certified Origin La Mancha Saffron.' Hand harvested from the crocus sativus flower, this is the absolutely indispensable ingredient in Spanish cooking. The Saffron from La Mancha accounts for a small portion of the world's production, but the quality is unmistakably superior to that grown in Turkey, Iran, and India. These 100% red threads (stigma) contain no waste or white plant parts (styles) that reduce the quality or add to cost; only the best of the best in our products! Tips for use of Saffron: - Pimenton or Turmeric can mimic the color of saffron, but the wonderful flavor is unique to this prized spice. - We recommend 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of Saffron threads be added to a recipe that serves 6-8 people. - Saffron releases it's flavor when heated, thus it is important to add the saffron before the dish is done cooking. - You may add the saffron directly to the dish, or infuse it in warm liquid to release the flavor. Feel free to experiment by making a saffron "tea" by using water, broth, or wine to add to your favorite recipe. - Some traditional recipes recommend gently toasting the saffron in a skillet (being careful not to burn) and then grinding prior to adding to the dish. - Powdered saffron has half the volume of thread saffron; 1/2 teaspoon of threads is about 1/4 teaspoon powder.

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Six Keys to Help You Learn Spanish Online

2010-09-25T04:03:00.001+08:00

This article consists of six tips to help
you learn Spanish online. If you follow these
six tips, you can be sure that you will
learn to speak Spanish online much easier.
Key Numero Uno to Learn Spanish Online:
"Stay motivated"
I think everyone that studies
a foreign language will experience
a time when they are becoming less and less
motivated. You may feel that you are
losing your desire to learn Spanish online
around the same time that you have reached a plateau.
If you feel that you are losing your desire
to learn to speak Spanish online,
try planning a trip to a Spanish speaking country.
Since you will want to get the most out of
your trip, this should motivate you to study.
Here's another tip to help you stay motivated and
to make you want to learn to speak Spanish online.
Find a native speaker that you are romantically interested
in. Since you will probably want to impress him or
her with your Spanish, this should motivate you
to keep studying and make you want to learn Spanish
online. You will also notice that you
are making progress quicker by practicing your
Spanish with a native speaker and that should also
motivate you to keep studying and practicing Spanish.
Of course, this tip only applies to single people
or other people without a significant other.
Key Numero Dos to Learn to speak Spanish Online:
"Don't Be Afraid of Making Mistakes"
Make lots of mistakes. And then after you have made
lots of mistakes go make some more mistakes. And then
go make some more mistakes.
Many people are afraid of making mistakes
when learning Spanish online. If you really
want to learn to speak Spanish online, then you
have to accept the fact that making
mistakes is part of the learning process.
The more mistakes you make, the quicker
you learn to speak Spanish online.
If you are not making mistakes, that's probably
an indication that you are not making
the effort to learn Spanish online.
Some people will try to learn to speak Spanish
online by ONLY listening. Their reasoning is
that once they learn enough Spanish that's
when they will begin trying to speak Spanish online.
But I can I assure you that it doesn't work that way.
It works in reverse.
That is, once you start trying to speak Spanish
and making mistakes that's when you will begin to
learn to speak Spanish online. Not the other way around.
So go ahead and make mistakes. The mistakes
aren't there to embarrass you. The mistakes
are there to help you master Spanish.
Key Numero Tres to Learn Spanish Online:
"Focus on how to speak Spanish"
Don't focus on "why Spanish is Spoken
the way it is"
Many people have sent me emails with questions
such as why is it "me gusta" (I like) instead
of "me gusto" or why is it "me toma" instead
of "me tomo"
Of course, I could easily answer these questions.
(And I do) But the objective is not to try equate everything
in Spanish with English or your native language.
Accept the fact that Spanish grammar is different
from English grammar. And focus on the objective
of any language -- which is to communicate effectively.
And in order to communicate effectively, you only
need to understand and be understood. It is not
necessary that you understand each and every
grammatical facet.
Trying to do so will only hinder your learning and make
it difficult to learn Spanish online.
Imagine trying to teach a 4 yr old the definition
of a direct pronoun vs. an indirect pronoun.
We would never attempt such a thing. But the
4yr old child is still fluent in his or her
native language.
So make your goal to understand and be understood.
Focus on "how to speak Spanish"
Don't focus on "why Spanish is Spoken
the way it is."
Key Numero Cuatro to Learn to Speak Spanish Online:
"Master the Fundamentals"
Many people spend their time learning
a bunch of Spanish vocabulary that they could
go a life time and never use. That's
because the words are hardly used
in normal everyday conversation.
If you want to learn to speak Spanish online without
Wasting anytime, I advise you to master
the fundamentals. When I say the
"fundamentals" I am referring to
the basic vocabulary and basic grammar.
I know adults that have studied Spanish
for a few years and they know thousands
of words in Spanish. Although they may
be proficient in Spanish, I would not
consider them fluent. On the other hand,
a three or four year old native Spanish-speaking
child can speak Spanish fluently. It is not
because the child knows thousand of words in Spanish.
The child may only know about a thousand words
or less in Spanish. But the child has mastered the fundamentals.
Mastery of the fundamentals is what separates
the proficient from the fluent.
If you really want to learn to speak Spanish online
make it a priority to master the fundamentals.
Key Numero Cinco to Learn Spanish Online:
"Take Advantage of downtime"
Finding time to study can be a challenge.
Many people just don't have the time
to sit down and study. But who said that
you have to be sitting down? If you are
waiting in line at the bank or waiting at the
doctor's office, turn on your mp3 player
or ipod and listen to an audio Spanish lesson.
If you drive to work everyday, that's
an excellent opportunity to practice your favorite
audio Spanish course. If you like to jog or
exercise on a stairmaster or treadmill,
bring your mp3 player or ipod with you
and listen to your favorite audio Spanish course
Instead of watching the 10' clock News. Watch
"Las Noticias" Instead of watching a movie
on HBO, watch a movie on HBO Latino.
So to those that say "I just
don't have the time to learn Spanish online."
My response is that you can make excuses
or you can learn to speak Spanish online.
But you can't do both. The choice
is yours.
Key Numero Seis to Learn to speak Spanish Online:
"Become an Imitator"
Some Spanish courses do not put much emphasis
on pronunciation. I think that is a big mistake.
If you really want to be understood, you must try
to mimic native speakers.
Have you every experienced someone that
asked you for directions or some other question
and you were unable to assist the person because you didn't
speak her language. And then you suddenly
realized that the person was actually speaking
English but her accent was so thick that you
thought the person was speaking another language.
The same thing happens to Spanish ears. If
you do not develop good pronunciation, you will
not be understand.
If you say the word "dad" in Spanish and you do
not stress the appropriate syllable, a
native Spanish speaker may think that you are
talking about "french fries." To English ears
the difference may be very subtle. But to the
Latin American its the difference between
"dad" and "potatoes".
So focus on mimicking native Spanish speakers.
I hope that you enjoyed these 6 Tips to Help You
Learn Spanish Online and that they truly help
you in your journey to learn to speak Spanish online.
Patrick Jackson
Patrick Jackson is a self-taught speaker of Spanish and the founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy method. Webmasters, feel free to republish this story. It must remain unedited and whole. All resource/footer copy including this statement must remain intact and unedited. All links must remain clickable. Learning Spanish Like Crazy makes it quick and easy to learn Spanish.

Spanish Language Speed Learning Course. Speak Spanish In 12 Days

2010-09-25T01:20:00.001+08:00

Isn't it great if you already could speak Spanish confidently in 12 days or less? This is especially an essential for travellers who want to learn basic Spanish quickly before their holiday and people in business. Learn to speak Spanish fluently! Check it out!

How You Can Learn Spanish Quickly

2010-09-25T00:28:00.000+08:00

Learning the Spanish language is not that easy especially if you do not find the right method. Beware of believing in the make-believe promises of many sites that you can learn the language in just few weeks. You can learn Spanish quickly through different methods. Memorizing thousands of words in an instance is impossible and to achieve your goal to learn the language you need to set your goal.

In achieving your goal it requires commitment as well as discipline. As much as possible, before you start a lesson you should commit yourself until the end. Likewise, self-discipline is important so that you can undertake the lesson in a fun and exciting manner.

Tip #1: Do not Rush Things

When you start to learn any other foreign language like Spanish, you should not rush yourself. Forcing yourself will not yield best result that is why you should learn as comfortable as you are with the lesson. Choose an online course that suits your preference and level of learning so that you can adapt the lesson well. Make sure that you meet your goals to learn Spanish quickly and speak like a native speaker.

Tip #2: Practice Makes Perfect

Learning and knowing the words is not enough. Remember that practice makes perfect. As much as possible, you should practice what you have learned by speaking and conversing with other people. Using the Spanish words frequently will make you become fluent. You can practice while conversing with your family and friends that will enable you to practice proper accent and pronunciation of the words.

Tip #3: Get a Buddy

Learning a foreign language is fun especially if you do learn it along with others. You can ask or invite a friend whom you can converse with to make the learning process more enjoyable. If you are learning the language in a classroom setting, make sure to participate and interact with other learners. Immersing yourself to Spanish speaking communities could help to learn Spanish quickly.

Tip #4: Grab a Book

Using a Spanish book is a great way to comprehend the language even better. There are many books that you can use in learning Spanish language. You can start from the basics of the language then advance as you progress your lesson. In addition, it is essential that you use Spanish-English dictionary that can help you to understand fully the new words that you have learned.

To know more about learn spanish quickly, I recommend you to visit Verbarrator Review.

Spanish Grammar

2010-09-24T22:47:00.000+08:00

Learning basic Spanish grammar isn't very hard to do, and it's even easier if you already speak French or Italian. If you don't speak either of these two languages, then you can learn them after learning Spanish. Spanish grammar is very good to know - you'll be able to communicate with Spanish speaking people and travel the world. Before you start learning Spanish grammar rules and conjugation charts, I suggest you study some Spanish vocabulary.

A fact that is to your advantage in Spanish is that the thousand most spoken Spanish words make eighty percent of regular speech. This means that if you simply learn the thousand most popular Spanish words, you'll understand most of what you will hear in Spanish, given that you're not hearing a medical explanation. This can be used greatly to your advantage because if you focus on these thousand words, you'll be able to get around with the little Spanish you know.

The rest (20%) can be obtained simply by using the thousand words you know. When you see a word you don't understand, you'll be able to decipher what it is since it'll be used in it's context close to many other words you already know. This is why Spanish is easy to learn - once you know these thousand words you can go out there and speak it, and by speaking it you'll learn alot more.

Now that you have words to work with, you need to study a little Spanish grammar before going out and speaking - you need to be able to make sentences and express yourself. Without any vocabulary you won't be able to study Spanish grammar since vocabulary are the building blocks of your sentences.

To study grammar, I suggest you learn one tense at a time with the most verbs possible. You should get a list of the most common verbs and learn their conjugation in present. Revise the verbs that are not conjugated normally, and once you know the present tense on the tip of your fingers, move onto the past. This way you will master Spanish grammar slowly but surely.

Once you know some Spanish grammar it's very important to go out there and use it. This is the only way you'll make sure of not forgetting it - and this also goes for vocabulary.

When I first started learning Spanish, I used a great Spanish course called Rocket Spanish. Thanks to the course, I now speak great fluent Spanish.

I'd love it if you would read about my experience learning Spanish with Rocket Spanish. Simply read my Rocket Spanish Official Review.

Tips On Learning To Speak Spanish

2010-09-24T22:19:00.001+08:00

Learning to speak Spanish means enrolling in Spanish classes, reading books that teach the Spanish language, reading Spanish dictionaries, or taking an online home study course where you are able to learn the language right from home at any time of day. There are many reasons for wanting to learn this wonderful language as there are ways of learning it.
The United States of America uses the Spanish language as a second language. Actually, over four hundred million people use the Spanish language. In the world today, Spanish is widely used even in business. To be globally competitive in your business, why not learn the third most popular language and one of the major languages in Europe? It would be a big help if you are able to speak in their language right?
So what you have to consider first if you have made the decision to learn to speak Spanish fluently ? If you have all the time in the world, try enrolling in a class near you. If you are that kind of person who has very little free time due to work and home, why nor try a computer or home study course? Or, with the right kind of attitude or perseverance, why not teach yourself and buy books about how to learn to speak Spanish? Once you have made this decision you can move on to the next step.
First, you have to learn the basics of the Spanish language. From the simplest of the language to the most complicated. Make yourself learn the vocabulary, grammar, verbs, and pronunciation of the language. Your teacher or instructor can help you with that. You should also learn how to use Spanish phrases formally and informally. From that, you will eventually learn the words you need to carry on a simple conversation.
There are numerous ways to help you learn other than have teachers or instructors. Having something to listen to in Spanish would definitely help you. Having a friend who speaks fluent Spanish is another help you really would want.
After a couple of weeks, you will be accustomed to everything in Spanish language. The next thing to do from then on is too keep on practicing what you have learned. Find someone who you can have a conversation with in Spanish and keep talking to that person in Spanish all the time. Eventually, after practicing and practicing, you will be able to speak in Spanish fast.
Being able to learn the language will also depend on your personality. Success in learning Spanish will depend on your conscious effort. It will take time but with patience and perseverance, you will get how the Spanish language works. It will be something like studying in your language class in elementary, where you were taught the verbs, pronouns, adjectives, and nouns but learning Spanish class will be a little difficult. Following these very simple steps will help in you in learning and speaking in Spanish.
You can find out more on How To Learn Spanish.

Learn Spanish - Audio Can Help You Speak Fluent Spanish

2010-09-24T18:36:00.001+08:00

First of all, before you want to start learning Spanish, you want to make sure that you are in fact an auditory learner. There are many people who simply do not know where to begin - but by knowing what type of learner you are, you can save yourself from tons of hassle.
Quick Ideas with Learning Via Audio
There are many different types of cassettes, mp3's or even podcasts that you can try out when trying to learn Spanish.
You may want to use these in your iPod, Zune, Cell phone (I've actually heard people have Spanish speaking ringtones, a different mini-lesson for each person that calls! How Creative!
You also want to make sure that you use the "radio" to learn, most specifically - the Spanish radio. By hearing fluent Spanish speakers on a consistent basis; you'll quickly be able to adjust your ears and start learning the language and the accents as well.
You may acquire the accent yourself if you aren't too careful! (that's a good thing)
Quick Tips on Learning Spanish With Audio
o When learning Spanish with audio, be sure to pay close attention to sentence structure
o Get your ears adjusted to the speed of the language - it's not that fast once you're adjusted to it!
o Pay close attention to commonly used phrases - there are many lists of commonly used phrases all across the internet!
Alternative Methods of Learning Spanish
There are interactive television programs, classrooms, online classes, and even software (my personal favorite) for trying to learn Spanish online. Software is great because it gives you audio, visual, and kinsesthetic type learning styles. This is great for those who like to diversify their learning!
Who wants to Learn to Play Guitar Step-By-Step? Learn how to play the guitar, hold a guitar correctly, how to perfectly tune your guitar, play every chord with ease, and develop habits that will make you play any song. Visit http://learn-to-play-the-guitar-now.blogspot.com - for a Step-By-Step Tutorial on how you can play any song you want!

Use Customer Reviews To Help Steer Your Purchase Decisions

2010-09-24T17:47:00.001+08:00

With so many people out there trying to make money selling you a product, it can be difficult finding honest opinions about various products. After all, if somebody stands to make money from your purchase, can they really be trusted to give an objective opinion or are they likely to steer you towards the product that will earn them the largest commission and not necessarily the one best suited for your needs?
That’s an interesting question and has a simple answer: while there are plenty of honest reviews out there, even by people who stand to gain something from your purchase decisions (I do my best around here!), there are also plenty of people who will stop at nothing to make a quick buck. So where to find unbiased opinions? I think customer reviews of products on the major eCommerce sites, like Amazon.com, are a great start. Even here, however, there are a few caveats. Here are a few guidelines to help you sort the good from the bad.
Be Wary Of Products With Only A Few Reviews – Customer reviews are more likely to be objective for larger, more popular products than smaller ones. For example, the Rosetta Stone customer reviews section on Amazon currently has over 130 reviews and counting. While a few of these reviewers may have an agenda, the vast majority are likely to be honest people with something to say that they feel is important. By contrast, a small product with only two or three reviews could easily be manipulated by the author and a few friends.
Be Wary Of Products With Only Stellar Reviews – No product is perfect, not even the best. Any honest product review will draw attention to the product’s faults as well as strengths. For example, FSI Spanish is a very effective program, but it has the disadvantage of being incredibly boring. Similarly, Rosetta Stone excels at teaching pronunciation but is a bit weak in the grammar department. A product with only positive reviews should set off an alarm in your head that maybe, just maybe, somebody is trying to make the product seem better than it really is.
Look For References For Competing Products – Often times, reviewers will attempt to compare and contrast the product in question with other popular products in the same niche. These reviews can be gold mines of information because they allow you to get an idea of the strengths and weaknesses of both products without having to spend any money. For example, the very first customer review of Fluenz Spanish (a software package gaining in popularity) is titled “Fluenz and Rosetta” and gives a detailed side-by-side comparison of what the author both likes and dislikes about both software packages. It would be wise to learn from the experience of this reviewer rather than waste your own hard-earned cash. You may not agree with their opinion, but at least it offers a different perspective.
So far, the best I've seen is Rocket Spanish. Check them out here to learn to speak Spanish fluently.
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How To Learn Spanish

2010-09-24T15:16:00.001+08:00

Are you interested in speaking Spanish? Maybe you work with some individuals that speak Spanish and you would like to be able to communicate with them better. If this is the case or you just want to speak Spanish, then you need to know how to learn Spanish. Here are a few tips to figure out what you need to build your Spanish vocabulary.
The first way you can get a fluent Spanish vocabulary is to take classes at your local community college. This is a great way to learn Spanish and to get college credits at the same time. You can even use this to add a Spanish minor or major to your degree, which can help you find a better and more rewarding job.
The second way you can make Spanish your second language is to buy a software program to use at home on your own time. This will allow you to work as slow or as fast as you want and you will be able to learn at your own pace. This will give you a chance to get over one of the language barriers that is out there.
The third choice for learning another language is buy some textbooks and a dictionary and teach yourself. You can follow the exercises in the textbooks and use flash cards to teach yourself Spanish. This is a great way to build your vocabulary at your own pace.
Now you have a few choices and all you have to do is pick the right option and you will know how to learn Spanish. Test all options if you want to and figure out which one is going to best for you.
Discover a surefire way to How To Learn Spanish. Get more information here:
How To Learn Spanish, Go Here

You already know how to learn a language

2010-09-24T13:14:00.001+08:00

How many English words do you know now compared to, say, 15 years ago? A fair few more I’ll bet. Some of these have the same meaning as other words you already know, some of them mean new things.
But you’ve managed to learn, retain, and use them.
In different situations you observe different sets of rules for using English. Your grammar may even change somewhat, your choice of words, the ordering of them, the pronunciation of them.
Do you speak to your mother the same way you speak to your best friend, your boss, when in a job interview, to a police officer, to an attractive member of the opposite sex, when writing a letter, a blog post, a tweet?
This example might be overly simplified, but it does serve to illustrate that you already have the basic skill set you need to learn Spanish, and to learn to speak Spanish fluently even more. All you’re doing is applying this skill to a larger and more unusual (to you) set of vocabulary and grammar.
Just a thought…
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Beginning Spanish – What Method is Best?

2010-09-24T12:30:00.000+08:00

My friend Jason wanted to learn to speak Spanish, but he was confused about how to go about it. Should he take a class? Maybe he should study Spanish online, but there were so many websites to choose from. Since he worked and had a young family, he didn’t have much time. Maybe he should give up on his dream of beginning Spanish right now.

If you have thought of starting to learn Spanish, what approaches have you considered or possibly tried? There are a variety of methods you can use to learn to speak Spanish. Here are five of them:

Beginning Spanish classes through a local continuing education programOnline Spanish coursesGo to a Spanish-speaking country for an immersion courseTaking a Spanish course on mp3 files you can carry with you or listen to in the carWorking with a multi-media Spanish program on your computer

Which Method of Beginning Spanish Would Be Best for You?

Here is a quick description of the pros and cons of each method. Really, there is no one method that will be right for everyone. You have to consider your own situation, budget, and reasons for wanting to begin Spanish.

(1) TAKING A LOCAL SPANISH CLASS

The routine of going to class may help you study, but if you want to learn to speak Spanish, this is not usually a good choice. Classes of this sort tend to be heavy on grammar and weak on conversation. Also, they are quite time-consuming when you think of going to and from the class and that part of the class time is wasted or spent on helping other students with things that aren’t a problem for you.

(2) ONLINE SPANISH COURSES

This is quite possible, and there are some free courses.

(3) IMMERSION COURSE IN A SPANISH-SPEAKING COUNTRY

By far the most expensive approach, this also provides a vacation. There are immersion classes in virtually every Spanish-speaking country. These vary a lot in quality, so do your research.

(4) MP3 COURSE

Probably the most convenient method, with a course like this you can listen to it from your computer but more likely you will listen via an ipod or similar device, or through a car stereo. This method can be very effective for learning to speak Spanish. If you also want to learn to read and write Spanish, be sure to select a program that also has books or workbooks. My favorite in this category is Rocket Spanish; see the link at the top of this article.

(5) MULTI-MEDIA COMPUTER PROGRAM

In this approach, you interact with a computer program. It’s nice that you can move at your own pace from one lesson to the next, learning as you go. Some of the programs include MP3 files you can use on an ipod or similar device. These programs are probably the very best way to begin Spanish on your own. Pay close attention to the differences between the programs, as some are based on current research into how adults learn languages.

Once you decide what method you want to start with, you can move on to the next step, of choosing which course or program or whatever you will select. Jason chose Fluenz, (see the link at the top of this article) a multi-media computer program with add-on MP3 files.

What will you choose?

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Learning Spanish Verbs: Two Books That Can Come In Handy

2010-09-24T10:13:00.001+08:00

I admit it, I love books… used to be a librarian, as I have mentioned before. I do not think you can learn Spanish just from books, but they do have their place for sure. And when you are learning Spanish verbs, a good reference book can come in very handy.
Several years ago, I got myself a copy of Practice Makes Perfect Spanish Verb Tenses, by Dorothy Devney Richmond.
It’s an oversized workbook, with lots of excellent exercises to do. Handily, the answers are in the back. I got through a good chunk of the book and might yet go back to it sometime. My copy is a little beaten up because it went to many parts of Mexico in our RV with us, and I studied it during that that.
I thought it was the only verb book I would ever need, and indeed it could be for most people. I do recommend it to anyone beyond the most basic level of learning Spanish.
But some people tend to get addicted to things, and in my case it’s books. (We won’t discuss chocolate just now.) Once we had settled into life by Lake Chapala, not far from Guadalajara, I realized I wanted to put some of the main verbs up on my refrigerator, in all their tenses and persons.

The book I chose for that task has 555 fully conjugated verbs, so I will never be done with it! The Big Red Book of Spanish Verbs with CD-ROM, Second Edition is a treasure trove of conjugations.
Mercifully, there is a list that has the 50 most common verbs, so you can get some good ideas for where to start.
Several verbs did in fact end up on my refrigerator and from there they did (mostly) get transferred into my brain. I like that each page has a variety of examples of usage for each verb. This makes the book fall into the category of light reading at times, even though the book itself is quite large. I enjoy flipping through and reading bits, without much effort to memorize. For example, you can notice that the verbs calcular and organizar – along with many others — have the meanings you would expect from your knowledge of English.
The CD it comes with has hundreds of interactive exercises, sample conversations (which you can listen to with a computer or on an mp3 player), and more.
For a complete system to learn to speak Spanish fluently, have a look at this great program.
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5 Ideas to Instantly Boost Your Linguistic Knowledge While Having Tons of Fun

2010-09-24T09:10:00.000+08:00

Here is an article from another woman who writes on learning languages. I was drawn to it because of the emphasis on fun. This begins a monthly series of guest articles by other writers on learning languages.– Rosana

By Martina Srblin

Having fun is the ultimate cherry on the pie – it makes everything, including language learning, an entirely different experience. You get the impression the materials are simpler, there’s less effort involved, the productivity skyrockets, and time flies by at an otherworldly speed. So why not enjoy the magic process of gaining linguistic knowledge, starting today?

Here are 5 ideas to introduce fun to your language learning:

1. Set an intention to spend a day thinking in your target language.

If you’re learning more than one foreign language, dedicate at least a day a month to think in each of them! It’s like gifting yourself with a home-made total immersion program that will sharpen your awareness and re-enforce your linguistic self-confidence. It’s an excellent exercise to enrich your vocabulary. And, you’ll most probably realize you’re perfectly able to express many more thoughts in your target language than you gave yourself credit for.

2. Master the vocabulary that’s relevant to you.

There’s no point to learn technical expressions from a field you’re not even familiar with in your native tongue before mastering the vocabulary that’s relevant and important to your life, business and any specific reason you’re learning a foreign language in the first place. Focus on the most pressing linguistic needs, and you’ll be able to start using your knowledge right away. Your motivation will reach new heights and you’ll be newly energized to take on new linguistic challenges.

3. Play the »copy-paste-memorize« game.

If you’re bored by the usual language learning methods, use some imagination and try something new. Gather some online and offline materials on topics that you enjoy reading about, and copy sentences, idioms, word phrases, words that catch your eye. Organize the new vocabulary in a creative way – it will be easier to memorize it – and add your own examples of its usage as well. With the help of dictionaries, figure out all the different ways to employ those expressions. It doesn’t have to take long. If you’re time-challenged, you can set a timer so you don’t get carried away.

4. Get in a competition.

Feeling lonely in your language learning efforts? With too little accountability to really care about your immediate results? Think about pairing up with a friend in a similar situation, and start a »competition« that will stimulate you both to achieve more in less time. Since it’s up to you two to set up the rules, you can make the game as fun as it can get. Invent linguistic tests of the learnt vocabulary, grammar and improvised/free speech, make up a special card game to challenge your memory and see how quick you are on your feet, do whatever it takes to move your linguistic knowledge to a new level.

5. Wake up and observe.

In case you’ve only used the books and worksheets you got at your language course or the home-study kits you acquired, it’s time to start noticing signs, product descriptions, news headlines, and other »real life« teaching materials all around you. This will shake up your usual language learning routine a bit, and bring in some fresh breeze you’re longing for. And with the resources to be found online at no cost whatsoever, there’s no way you’ll ever run out of brand new content to learn from.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martina_Srblin
http://EzineArticles.com/?5-Ideas-to-Instantly-Boost-Your-Linguistic-Knowledge-While-Having-Tons-of-Fun&id=3547984

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Which Country For Spanish Language Training?

2010-09-24T06:37:00.001+08:00

I am planning on spending a week doing Spanish language training in a Spanish-speaking country. The goals are threefold: to improve my Spanish dramatically (i.e learn to speak Spanish fluently) in as short a period of time as possible, to really immerse myself in the culture, and to just get away from it all (i.e. a vacation). I’ve done a bit of preliminary research and have narrowed it down to three cities: Guanjuanto, Mexico (Enforex, a school I’ve used before in Barcelona, has facilities there), Antigua, Guatemala, and Quito, Ecuador. There are pros and cons to each choice.
While searching online for Spanish schools in Latin America, I found Enforex has several facilities in Mexico. I am familiar with Enforex’s methods and I definitely learned a lot when I took classes with them in Barcelona, so at least I know what I’d be getting. They have facilities in Playa del Carmen (too touristy for my purposes), Oaxaca (just didn’t like the vibe I’m getting from reading about it online), Puerto Vallarta (again, too touristy and the beach would be a distraction), and Guanjuanto. Guanjuanto, by far, looks the most interesting of the bunch. It’s a colonial city with a rich cultural heritage. I think I could find plenty of productive activities here when not in class. The downside of Mexico, of course, is the Mexican slang. The differences between the Spanish dialects are more style than substance, of course, but I feel picking up too much of a distinctly Mexican dialect might hamper my Spanish learning efforts down the road. Or maybe I’m just being too sensitive.
First off, let me just say that everybody I’ve talked to who’s been to Antigua has raved about it. The city and environs are supposed to be absolutely beautiful. What’s more, Antigua is close to volcanoes, the beach, and tropical rain forests, giving me a plethora of outdoor activities to occupy my time outside of class. Let’s not forget this is a vacation, after all. The major downside is the Caribbean dialect, or at least I assume that’s the case. I’ve never been to Guatemala and don’t think I’ve ever spoken to a native, so I’m not entirely sure what characterizes their speech. If it’s anything like other Caribbean dialects, however, they probably speak quickly and swallow their middle s’s. While I think this dialect sounds awesome (it’s like you’re drunk and slurring your speech all the time!), I’m not sure how well served I would be incorporating this into my own speech, especially in light of my next option. Besides, I already have tons of practice slurring my Spanish from previous travels…
Quito is a massive city, with all the amenities you would expect from one. It has easy access to the rain forest, perfect weather year-round, and gorgeous vistas. I have a friend who recently spent a semester there and she can’t stop talking about the place. What’s more, Ecuadorean Spanish tends to be slow, deliberate, and easy to understand. It’s more the kind of “standardized” dialect most students of Spanish would do well to emulate. Still, Quito is significantly more expensive then Guanjuanto and especially Antigua. Do the pros outweigh the cons?
I’ve still got a while to make up my mind, but it’s something to think about. If you had to choose between the three places above to spend a week, which would it be? Or do I have a better option in mind?
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Learn To Trill Spanish ‘rr’

2010-09-24T06:24:00.000+08:00

Spanish is generally an easy language to pronounce with one exception: the infamous trilled double-r sound. The rr trill has confounded students of Spanish for generations. It must have taken me several weeks of practicing to get it right, and I probably still mess it up more often than not. The good news is that you can generally get away with either faking it or not trilling at all; however, if you really want to sound like a native and spend a lot of time in the Spanish-speaking world, you really should learn to trill properly.

The RR is formed by flapping the tongue against the front roof of your mouth. The mechanics of it are really quite simple, it just requires a lot of practice to get right.

Imagine your tongue flapping flapping like a flag in a strong windNow try purring like a cat with your tongue flapping like that flag

Once you can kinda-sorta form the proper sound with your tongue, there’s nothing left to do but practice. Following is a Spanish tongue twister with practically every word containing a trilled rr sound. If you can manage to recite this phrase correctly, you’ve no doubt mastered the trill. Good luck and remember, it will take hours of practice to master.

Erre con Erre Cigarro
Erre con Erre Barril
Rápido corre el carro
Repleto de ferro en el ferrocarril

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Using flash cards to learn Spanish vocabulary

2010-09-24T02:04:00.001+08:00

A great tip I found at 200 Words a Day is to use flashcards. You take index cards, and have the Spanish word on one side, the English translation on the other. Then you go through the cards, testing yourself either from Spanish to English or English to Spanish as you prefer.
Here’s how to mark yourself in order to learn to speak Spanish fluently:
If you know the correct translation instantly and without hesitation, that is a correct answer. You just know it.
If you hesitate even slightly, of have to ‘go into your head’ to find the answer, this is an incorrect answer.
Put the flashcard for words you do know into your right pocket, or on the table to your right side. For the cards you get wrong, put them in your left pocket or on your left side.
Now the next time you test yourself, only use the cards on your left. You already know the cards on your right, so there’s no point wasting your time going over them again. Again, correct answers to the right, incorrect to the left.
Gradually, you whittle the deck down until you know all the translations. Then it’s time to learn some new words!
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Learn Numbers In Spanish

2010-09-24T01:34:00.000+08:00

Numbers are usually given little more than a short overview in traditional Spanish language programs because Spanish numbers are considered “easy.” In theory, they are:

Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez, once, doce, trece…

Veinte y uno, veinte y dos

treinta y uno, treinta y dos

cuarenta, cincuenta, seisenta, ochenta, noventa, cien…

The pattern is simple enough to remember. The problem is that native Spanish speakers rattle them off so quickly it’s difficult to make heads or tails of what’s being said. Even advanced Spanish learners have trouble with numbers. Embarrassingly, they can still cause me quite a bit of trouble from time to time, because it’s something that can’t be practiced with a book and it’s not something audio programs the likes of Pimsleur focuses on.

Unfortunately, I think this is truly an area where “practice makes perfect.” I don’t know of any secret tools or techniques that are truly effective for this type of thing. So why did I bother writing this post if I don’t have any ideas on how to overcome the problem in question? I think it’s important to remind ourselves there’s no substitute for hard work. Often, we as consumers come to believe there’s a secret formula or easy answer for every problem we might have. Thus, we become susceptible to falling for every scam in town. Sometimes, you just have to do things the old-fashioned way. Nobody said learning Spanish would be easy, did they?

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How To Be Conversant In Spanish In Just 100 Days

2010-09-23T23:53:00.000+08:00

I’ve often warned of the dangers of believing over-hyped, incredulous claims such as “speak Spanish fluently in 3 days!” or “learn Spanish on your sleep!” Anybody claiming you can learn Spanish in 3 days without any effort in your sleep is a scammer, pure and simple. It simply can’t be done. However, I believe it is possible to become relatively conversant in the language in just 100 days if you’re willing to work hard and aren’t afraid to spend a little money. You won’t be fluent, of course, but you will be able to communicate effectively in most everyday situations and will have built a solid base for future learning.

In order to keep up with such an accelerated schedule, you’ll have to put in an absolute minimum of one hour per day, every day, no exceptions. Yes, this includes weekends and holidays. If you don’t consider yourself to be “good” with languages, you might even have to put in closer to two hours per day. It sounds like a lot, and it is, but you’ll get out of it what you put in. Just think of the sense of accomplishment you’ll have when you’re able to discuss current events with the natives in South America barely three months from now!

I’m not going to lie, you’re going to have to spend some money if you want to learn this quickly. The gold standard would be to travel to a Spanish-speaking country and hire a private tutor for three months. While this would undoubtedly be the most effective way to learn, I’m going to assume most of you have neither the money nor the time off work to do something like that (I sure don’t!). If you can swing it, I can unhesitatingly say you should go for it.

The less-well-connected among us will need an effective substitute for in-country learning. Once again, I find myself coming back to my two favorite learning programs: Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone. All three levels of Pimsleur can be purchased for around $300-350 total from Amazon and you can pick up Rosetta Stone used for around $450. If you can’t afford to spend more than $100, you should check out FSI Spanish. It’s not quite as effective as Pimsleur or Rosetta Stone, in my opinion, but in terms of bang-for-the-buck it’s quite a bargain.

Additionally, you’ll need two excellent (but very inexpensive) grammar books that come highly recommended and a set of vocabulary cards. Altogether, you can expect to spend anywhere from $100-$550 depending on which route you want to take. If it were me, I’d go with the most expensive package that includes Rosetta Stone because I’m a visible learner. Aural learners will probably want to go with the all-audio Pimsleur program. FSI will suffice if you’re on a budget, but the more you spend upfront, the quicker you’ll learn. FSI is very effective, but it’s boring and can be quite a headache to deal with.

Yes, there are two excellent grammar books I think you absolutely can’t go without: Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses and Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Pronouns And Prepositions, both by Dorothy Richmond. These are by far the best two Spanish grammar books on the market and cost a measly $8 each.

You’ll also need a set of good Spanish vocabulary cards. There are plenty to choose from, but pretty much any set out there will do because they mostly contain the same common words. I’ve used Modern Spanish: Bilingual Vocabulary Cards and I don’t have anything bad to say about this particular set.

Once you’ve got your tools, the methodology is simple.

Start Your Flagship Program – Whether you chose Pimsleur, Rocket Spanish, Rosetta Stone, or FSI, start working through your chosen program for between 30 minutes to an hour-and-a-half per day. Some days will probably be longer than others. If you’re working with Rosetta Stone or Pimsleur, each level will take you approximately 30 days to complete, give or take a few days. With FSI, each of the two levels will take more like 45 days to complete. It is important to make sure you completely master each section before moving on. If you rush through a unit without really understanding it, you’ll only impede your progress later on.

Practice Makes Perfect – Methodically work your way through both of the Practice Makes Perfect grammar workbooks for approximately 15-30 minutes every day after completing work on your flagship program for the day. While the above programs will teach you to listen and speak, they won’t teach you much in the way of grammar. That’s where these workbooks come in. Working 15-30 minutes per day on these workbooks will put you on course to finish right around the 100 day mark. Personally, I’d start with the Verb Tenses book but that’s totally up to you.

Learn 10 New Vocabulary Words Per Day – Since the 1000 most common Spanish words make up approximately 80% of everyday speech, its imperative that you ramp up your vocabulary as quickly as possible. Following my tips for learning Spanish vocabulary, you should find this task relatively eash to accomplish. As little as 15-20 minutes scattered throughout the day should be more than adequate to learn 10 new words most days.

If you follow my advice and work consistently for 1-2 hours each and every day, you’ll find it’s much easier than you think to reach your goals. Once you’ve succeeded, the most important thing is to keep working towards fluency. If you take a break to reward yourself for a job well done, you risk losing motivation and never starting again. Keep at it and good luck!

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Rosetta Stone V3: Spanish (Latin America) Level 1,2,3,4 & 5 Set with Audio Companion [OLD VERSION]

2010-09-23T22:28:00.001+08:00

Rosetta Stone Personal Edition contains everything you need to give the voice inside of you a new language. The method used recreates the natural way you learned your first language, revealing skills that you already have. This approach has won numerous awards, and has been adopted by countless organizations, schools and millions of users around the world. Join the language revolution today. Only with Rosetta Stone.

The comprehensive language-learning solution that fits your life.

Learn Naturally
Learn your next language the same way you learned your first language. Dynamic Immersion empowers you to see, hear and comprehend without translating or memorizing. You already have this ability. Rosetta Stone simply unlocks it.

Engage Interactively
Get feedback to move forward. You learn best by doing, and you'll apply what you've learned to get to the next step. Rosetta Stone adapts to your individual needs and skills, because you drive the program with your progress.

Speak Confidently
Start to learn to speak Spanish fluently, immediately. From the very first lesson, you'll speak. You'll begin with essential basics, which form the building blocks of the language. Soon you'll create new sentences on your own, using words you've learned.

Have Fun
Best of all, Rosetta Stone is addictive. With every entertaining activity, you'll feel success. You'll want to use Rosetta Stone to have that next moment, that next breakthrough. So you'll keep using it, and you'll learn more!

That's language-learning success.
That's Rosetta Stone.

No translation or memorization required.

The most effective way to learn a new language is to be surrounded by it. When you were an infant, your parents taught you this way, by intuitively associating words with images. That's the ultimate language lab, but most language-learning programs completely ignore this.

Think about all of the ways you've tried to learn a language: classes at school, tapes and cassettes, even software that uses your native language as a base for your next one. What do they all have in common? Translation and memorization.

Instead of taking a "direct flight" from your brain to your new language, translation and memorization connects you to your old language. You always have to "fly" from your brain, to your native tongue ... and then translate what you've memorized to communicate.

That might work for a few words, but what happens when you get to a sentence or phrase? When you have to change tenses? You're going to make a lot of "connecting flights." That's why those other methods are so frustrating ... and why they fail.

Enter Dynamic Immersion.
This method encourages you to think like a baby. You'll pair words with vivid, real-life images and make connections between things you know and the new language. Soon, you'll be thinking in a new language, stringing words together into phrases that you create.

Innovative technology.
Rosetta Stone places this Dynamic Immersion method at the core of a suite of software that works with you to develop your skills. The simple, intuitive interface helps to keep you engaged in the solution, while advanced speech recognition technology makes certain that you're speaking correctly and accurately. Best of all, Rosetta Stone never leaves you behind. You'll only move forward when you're ready, when you've become comfortable and confident.

Levels 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5
Develop command of the language as you master conversational language skills across five levels. Gain the confidence to share your ideas and opinions. Develop conversational skills to plan adventures, care for your health and move abroad. Talk about government, work, movies and citizenship. Discuss family and traditions. And celebrate success.

Audio Companion
With Audio Companion, you'll enhance the Rosetta Stone experience wherever you go. You'll learn new skills on the computer, and then reinforce what you've learned with Audio Companion. Simply play the CDs on a stereo or download them to a MP3 Player. Each Audio Companion activity corresponds to a lesson in the Rosetta Stone software, so you can turn your travel time into productive language-learning time.

Inside the box, you'll find:

Version 3 Personal Edition CD-ROM software for Level 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (Windows/Mac)
Headset microphone
User's guide
Audio Companion, a multiple-CD set to play or download to your MP3 player

Price: $749.00
Click here to buy from Amazon
Also, check this out for a simpler version

How To Brush Up On Your Spanish Skills After A Lapse

2010-09-23T19:20:00.000+08:00

I was recently fortunate enough to score a killer round-trip deal (hotel included) to Puerto Rico over the long Labor Day weekend ( ), so I’ll be spending 4 days and 4 nights on the island. Unfortunately, I haven’t really spoken much Spanish since my cruise to Mexico back in January. Simply put, I’m rusty. Believe me, it is extremely difficult to maintain foreign language skills when you’re constantly busy.

In order to brush up on my Spanish skills and get prepared to hit the ground running when I land in San Juan a month from now, I’m spending about an hour per day studying the language. Since I already know the language and am only brushing up, I can afford to focus my efforts only on the areas I’m most lacking in. Here’s what I’m doing.

How do you brush up on your Spanish skills after a long period of not using them? Is there anything I’ve missed?

View the original article here

Lights, Camera, Spanish!

2010-09-23T18:53:00.001+08:00

Want to have more fun while learn to speak Spanish fluently? A lot of Americans and Canadians in the Lake Chapala area of Mexico, where I lived for several years, would buy DVDs of Spanish movies at the local street markets.
My husband and I did this a few times, but sometimes the programs were too violent for me (not hard), quite steamy (not usually a problem!), or the Spanish was so rapid fire that we missed some of the essential twists and turns of the plot (frustrating).
Enter Lights, Camera, Spanish (Book + DVD): Learn Conversational Spanish by Watching a Romantic Adventure! It’s a movie made for learning Spanish, shot in Santiago, Chile.
Here is the blurb from the producers:

Get swept up in the romance, danger, and intrigue when an American businessman goes to Chile to take over a family winery and instead falls in love. As he learns his life lessons, you start your own Spanish adventure with:
The 90-minute film Sol y viento that was designed especially for language learners with both English and Spanish subtitle options so you can follow alongA workbook with key vocabulary and dialog from the filmExercises that keep you engaged in the story and reinforce your new skills
Save yourself an aisle seat for the best Spanish class ever! It's a sure way to learn how to speak Spanish fluently

View the original article here

Planters Peanuts, Spanish Redskin made with Sea Salt, 12.5-Ounce Packages (Pack of 12)

2010-09-23T15:18:00.001+08:00

You are what you eat! Peanut lovers out there beware! When you consume these tasty lovelies, you are bound to learn to speak Spanish fluently.
Good source of 5 vitamins & minerals.
Price: $39.88
Click here to buy from Amazon

Review Of Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses By Dorothy Richmond

2010-09-23T14:28:00.001+08:00

I will come right out and say it: Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses by Dorothy Richmond is, bar none, the absolute best Spanish workbook in existence. By itself it’s no substitute for the likes of Rosetta Stone or Pimsleur, of course, but you could certainly learn pretty much everything you need to know about Spanish verbs with this workbook and this workbook alone. Still not convinced you should buy this workbook? It costs less than $10 new!
Spanish Verb Tenses has almost all the attributes of a superior learning tool. It…

Follows A Logical Progression – The workbook starts with the easy stuff, the present indicative, and progressively works its way through more difficult subject matter such as the preterite vs imperfect, perfect and progressive tenses, and finally the subjunctive mood.

Contains Clear, Concise Grammar Explanations – Each section of each chapter is prefaced by a brief explanation of the grammar point about to be drilled. While short, the explanations build on each other and are clear enough that even absolute beginners will be able to follow along provided they start at the beginning.

Contains Tons And Tons Of Drills – There’s no getting past it: learning Spanish requires massive amounts of drilling to pound proper usage into your brain, and there’s no shortage of that here. Amazingly enough, the drills are varied and interesting enough that you never really get bored. Each section will take you an average of 20 or 30 minutes each, which is long enough to really learn the material you’re focusing on but not long enough to become terribly monotonous.

Requires You To Generate Complete Thoughts – Most grammar workbooks out there simply have you fill in the blank with the correct conjugation of a given verb. Thus, after a few problems your mind goes on conjugation-autopilot as you mechanically complete the rest of the exercises. The problem with that approach is you never quite integrate vocabulary, grammar, and conversational skills that way. I mean the correct verb is given to you, along with its meaning. You’ll never learn that way. Spanish Verb Tenses, on the other hand, forces you to generate complete sentences on your own in response to some prompt, often without telling you which verb to use. This keeps you constantly on your toes trying to figure out what form the correct response should take as well as the appropriate vocabulary to use. Trust me, you will learn natural sentence structure much better this way and retain a lot more vocabulary to boot.

Every Chapter Ends With A Writing Assignment – Every chapter contains at least one (sometimes two or three) short writing assignments where you are either given an English paragraph and asked to translate it (in the beginning) or given a topic and asked to generate a completely original Spanish paragraph on the subject all on your own (towards the end of the book).

Covers Every Verb Tense And Grammar Aspect In The Language – I can’t think of anything this workbook misses, off the top of my head. It covers every tense and aspect of Spanish verbs you need to know, including the infamous subjunctive mood, when to use the preterite vs imperfect, and common special constructions involving specific verbs (ir a- et al).

Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses is very much a master of the domain it purports to teach. It claims to teach you everything you need to know about Spanish verbs and it accomplishes that goal very, very well; however, it doesn’t delve into aspects of Spanish grammar not related to verbs, such as pronouns, prepositions, noun gender, etc (for that, I highly recommend its companion workbook Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Pronouns And Prepositions).
Additionally, its impossible to get any real conversational practice from an $8 workbook. Spanish Verb Tenses will teach you to form Spanish sentences, no doubt, but there’s a big difference between being able to write Spanish and being able to speak Spanish. Thus, you’ll either need to purchase a good audio program for conversational practice or hit up your local Mexican restaurant. But overall, this is a very small nitpick. It’s only $8 after all.
Buy Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses and its companion Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Pronouns And Prepositions from Amazon today.

Buy a wholesome Spanish learning program here
View the original article here

Spanish Advances Come In Quantum Leaps, Not Incremental Gains

2010-09-23T11:40:00.000+08:00

Any time you’re learning a new skill, be it Spanish, guitar, or basketball, it can be extremely frustrating when you reach a plateau in your studies, unable to make much forward progress no matter how hard you try. Constant forward progress are what many of us rely on to stay focused and motivated. Unfortunately, rarely on your journey to fluency will you see constant, incremental improvement in your skills.

As with most skills, improvement in Spanish competency tends to come in quantum leaps, not incremental gains. It is important to try to force yourself to remain focused when it seems like you aren’t making any forward progress. Rest assured, your brain is absorbing information every bit as rapidly as before, it just hasn’t managed to put all the various pieces together yet. Eventually, probably sooner than you think (especially if you follow my advice on pushing through learning plateaus) something will click in your brain and all of a sudden, out of the blue, you’ll see dramatic improvements in a very short period of time. Topics that seemed impossible to master just a few weeks earlier will now seem insanely simple. You’ll probably find look back and wonder why you had so much trouble to begin with.

For quantum leaps for your Spanish skills, click here.

View the original article here

Norpro Cast Aluminum Tortilla Press

2010-09-23T11:08:00.001+08:00

They say that for you to learn to speak Spanish fluently, you need to eat what Spanish speaking people eats! What better dish to start with - tortillas!
This traditional press allows home cooks to make corn tortillas that are superior to the mass-produced product found in supermarkets from Oaxaca to Cheyenne. Simply follow the easy recipe included with the press, roll up a ball of dough, press it down lightly with your fingertips in the center of the press, and push down the press's lever. Not only does this yield better-tasting tortillas, it's tons of fun--especially for kids. Norpro's 6-inch press is made of heavy cast aluminum polished to a chrome finish. --Fred Brack
Price: $17.99
Click here to buy from Amazon

Always learn some Spanish before bed

2010-09-23T07:24:00.000+08:00

It’s a good idea to keep a phrase book by your bed, and to learn a few extra words or phrases before you sleep. The reason for this is that learning new things at this time increases the amount of slow wave activity in the brain while you sleep. What research has shown is that people who have more of this type of brain activity through the night tend to perform better at the task the next day.

But the key point is learning – just going over things you already know won’t affect your slow wave activity. You brain needs to be changing, making new connections.

If you’re really hardcore, you could set your alarm for midway through your night’s rest, and learn a few more words then. That way, you’ll be learning prior to the next REM stage of sleep which should help. A similar technique is used in lucid dreaming.

View the original article here

Surefire Spanish Learning Package

2010-09-23T06:58:00.001+08:00

I've found a great program on the internet for you to learn to speak Spanish fluently. Learn Spanish In Just 20 Minutes Each Day.
Check it out!

To Be or To Be? In Spanish, That’s the Question

2010-09-23T02:54:00.002+08:00

Have you ever gotten flummoxed by the difference in Spanish between ser and estar, the two verbs that mean “to be” –depending on the circumstances?
I sure have, and I was a little reassured one day when I was chatting with a very well-educated Mexican friend of mine. I used the wrong one of these two verbs. Conchita laughed and said, “Getting ser and estar right is one of the hardest things for foreigners. I even have an Italian friend who speaks near-perfect Spanish — except for those two verbs!”
Well, I do have a secret weapon to help me : Spanish Verbs: Ser and Estar : Key to Mastering the Language is a very useful little book for you to learn to speak Spanish fluently.. It explains why the way these verbs are often taught is too general and not precisely accurate, and it gives you some easy-to-remember guidelines.
For example, the authors say, “The fundamental difference between ser and estar is the difference between WHATNESS and HOWNESS.”
I must say that no light bulbs went on in my brain when I read that the first time, but they go on to explain it quite well.
I was quite amused at some of their examples. These took me into subtle realms where I fear I have been messing up for years.
Here’s one example from the book:

Ser or Estar – and the Art of the Back-handed Compliment
As an example of the effective use of ser and estar, let us take the adjective inteligente (intelligent). Students are often taught that this adjective is one in that long list of exceptions which should only take ser, as for instance:
Ricardo es inteligente.
In fact, the word inteligente can also be used very effectively with estar. But when so used, the result can easily be an openly sarcastic remark or a nicely disguised insult. For by the very use of estar in this phrase we are explicitly limiting Ricardo’s intelligence to a particular accidental instance…

With this example, I will leave you. I won’t tell you about the example on page 59 that had me wondering how often I might have announced that I was a fallen woman. Without meaning to! (I’m not.)
Finally, you could also compliment the usage of this book with a full fledge Learning Spanish program to rapidly improve your fluency.
View the original article here

Learn the language you’re going to use FIRST

2010-09-23T02:34:00.001+08:00

One thing that strikes me as illogical, looking back on my high school French lessons, was how damned irrelevant the vocabulary we learned was!

Maybe I’m exaggerating a little bit… but when you can name 15 different professions in French before you can tell a girl she’s pretty, you’ve probably got your priorities mixed up (unless of course you are a girl, or you’re training to be a careers advisor. In which case, carry on).

There are what, 40,000 Spanish words you’ll need to learn to get to almost maximum fluency? (that figure’s off the top of my head by the way, correct me if I’m wrong). You probably only need 75% to get by perfectly well living in Spain (again, just making these figures up to illustrate my point), but of these, how many would you use on a daily basis?

According to this page, men speak 6,073 words per day, and women 8,805*. Now, many, many of those will be repeat words. Considering the high volume use of certain words like ‘the’, ‘and’, etc., the actual number of different words used per day is going to be WAY lower than this!

Obviously, you need to overshoot the mark because you never know when you’ll end up sat on a bus next to a careers advisor; but my point is made. You’ll reach fluency much more quickly by focusing effort on the vocabulary that is most likely to be used. That means the 100 most common spoken and written words, and from there, the words related to the things you’ll be using your vocabulary for. So think about what you’ll be doing with your Spanish and prioritise your learning from there.

Another interesting thing from the article cited above, are the most common words used by men and women:

MEN – fucking, er, the, yeah, aye, right, hundred, fuck
WOMEN – she, her, said, n’t, I, and, to, cos

That’s pretty interesting. Men talk about fucking, and three of our most common words are affirmatory (i.e., used while listening). “Yeah, aye, yeah, right. Fuck!” Hundred’s a weird one though??

Women, on the other hand, talk gossip about themselves and each other “She said to her…”, and also ‘cos’ (because) is a process word, so they discuss the meaning of things more often.

Anyway – there are some words to start with!

* They explain this difference with a joke:

A husband looking through the paper came upon a study that said women use more words than men.
Excited to prove to his wife that he had been right all along when he accused her of talking too much, he showed her the study results. It read “Men use about 15,000 words per day, but women use 30,000?.
The wife thought for a while, then finally she said to her husband “It’s because we have to repeat everything we say.”
The husband said “What?”

View the original article here

Learning Spanish - Tips to Speak Spanish Fluently

2010-09-22T22:50:00.001+08:00

Do you have a passion to learn a foreign language? Do you want to learn Spanish since you are moving to a Spanish speaking country? Are you tired of learning Spanish from dry or complicated grammar textbooks? Ahem! Maybe learning a foreign language is a tough job, there is an easy and hard way to learn it. You have to follow some simple guidelines to be able to learn to speak Spanish fluently.
The first and the most important aspect to learn any language is to love thy language. The best way to get exposure of the language is by listening movies and music in Spanish. Studying in Spanish speaking country is also another way to be fluent in its accent.
Perfection in Fluency will only be attained by speaking in that language. If the language learner waits until their grammar is true gold to communicate, probability are they will never get there. Make your habit to speak in Spanish as much as possible.
Some Spanish tutors guide you to read and listen in Spanish. But friends, reading and listening should be balanced by exposing the language in normal situations. Speak Spanish to oneself is also a great practice since you are making use of every language form and vocabulary learned. Writing small essay on different topics also make you aware of your mistakes.
Learn all pattern phrases since sixty percent of the language is spoken in those expressions only. It had being observed that the sentences by the Spanish students may be technically right but just do not appear correct to a aboriginal speaker. So, focus on grammar with pattern phrases to be expert in that language.
Make your daily routine to practice Spanish. Do not create a gap while learning Spanish. If possible, give only ten minutes daily to learn Spanish.
These guidelines can help you in learning Spanish only if you are committed to your goal. Remember, learning Spanish can be challenging and frustrating. Also, progress will depend upon your hard work and the resources you have available. But, friends, result is always rewarding and worthwhile.
If you are looking for a high quality information on learning Spanish then you should definitely check out Rocket Spanish.

Tips to Find the Right Spanish Program

2010-09-22T18:25:00.001+08:00

Hola! Are you ready to start learning actual Spanish online? Well the first step is finding the right Spanish program. Below I have created a list of some of the key components that your Spanish program NEEDS to have. So why should you take my advice? Simply because I have been scammed twice now by awful, overpriced Spanish programs, and I basically want to make sure that these programs don't get your money as well.
1) In my opinion, the number one component that your program must have is a money back guarantee. Without this, you can easily get scammed, because they just want your money and you could not learn to speak Spanish fluently in the end. Your program should allow you to email the creators and get a response within three days. With exceptional programs, you will even find a members forum where you can get help from the creators AND other users of the program.
2) Next, you should make sure that your program is affordable. Lets face it, this economy is not getting better, and the last thing that you want to do is waste over $600 (like I did) on mediocre Spanish programs. There are plenty of valuable programs for $100 or less, so don't feel the need to spend so much.
3) Finally, you should make sure that your Spanish program has plenty of good reviews. But be careful, because programs like Rosetta Stone appear to have good reviews...according to them. But if you actually look for online reviews, there are tons of unhappy customers. Just make sure that you do some good research before spending your money!
Now I mentioned above that I eventually did learn Spanish, and I have decided that it will save you a lot of time if I just let you know about the program that worked for me, and will definitely work for you as well.
The program is called Rocket Spanish, and is a VERY reputable program. I loved it because it was 1/5 the price of Rosetta Stone, and I was able to contact the creator either in the forum or via email. Check them out!

Lean to Speak Spanish Fluently - How to Go From Zero Or Basic to Fluent Spanish Quickly

2010-09-22T14:00:00.003+08:00

Learn to Speak Spanish fluently - that is the goal of many language learners but many of them quit when they reach a basic level. They look ahead and all they see is a learning curve the size of Everest and they soon lose interest. In this article, I want to show you how it is much easier than you may think to gain fluency with my 3 great tips.
First Things First - A Good Core Learning Program
You could learn to speak Spanish fluently by just watching Spanish TV but it might take you 5 years or so. Clearly, a good language learning program is the key to accelerating our learning.
The problems with traditional classroom lessons are many. First, teachers cannot accommodate everyone's learning speeds, secondly, there is an over-reliance on memorization and textbooks.
I highly advise you to get your hands on a self study audio course. These are what most people are using these days, including the US Foreign Service. The organic learning methods of audio courses - listen, repeat, create your own sentences - mean that you learn more quickly and without textbooks or memorization.
Daily Exposure To Spanish
I highly recommend that you expose yourself to the Spanish language every day, even as little as 5 minutes. Here's an easy way - tune into a Spanish internet radio station while you are doing the chores.
It is not important that you understand anything being spoken at first. Your brain will hear the Spanish passively and get used to this daily exposure and become more receptive to learning the language.
You could take this to another extreme - I know a guy who learned Japanese by doing a total immersion: he listened, watched, put up posters around the house, even went to sleep listening to everything Japanese! He learned fluent Japanese in less than one year! But be advised that most people find these intense methods to be too much.
Listening Reading Method
Once you have a basic level of Spanish - which should only take a few weeks using an audio course - you can try getting some bilingual parallel texts. Your local language stores may have these books which feature facing pages of English and Spanish.
So as you read the book in Spanish, you can quickly scan across to the English if you don't understand any words. As you progress, you'll soon be looking almost exclusively at the Spanish side only (in all languages, most people only use a small set of words and recycle them, again and again).
Discover how others are using a revolutionary self study course to learn Spanish in less than 8 weeks, Click Here!