Learn Spanish - Helpful Hints For Learning Quickly

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

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 Courses - Four Ways To Find Spanish Courses

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].

How an Accent Reduction Coach Can Help You

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
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8 Reasons to Use an Online Spanish Language Course

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

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

Spanish Verbs

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

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!

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

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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Spanish accents with mac keyboard

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)

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 PC® or Mac®.
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

Oryany Handbags Katie Spanish Satchel

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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The Music Method

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.


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

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.

Want to become fluent in Spanish FAST? Get your Spanish Learning Pack now at:Learn To Speak Spanish

Franck Silvestre helps others to speak Spanish fluently with his amazing Spanish e-Course.

Use Customer Reviews To Help Steer Your Purchase Decisions

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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Beginning Spanish – What Method is Best?

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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Which Country For Spanish Language Training?

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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Using flash cards to learn Spanish vocabulary

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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