Showing posts with label Vocabulary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vocabulary. Show all posts

Sep 29, 2010

Quick Tips to Learn Spanish Fast Online

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

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

Sep 28, 2010

Getting to Know Rocket Spanish

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.


If you would like even more information on the Spanish Complete Course then don't hesitate any more and check out the following link:-
Spanish Complete Course

Sep 27, 2010

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

Learn Spanish Course - 3 Important Tips to Help You Choose

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

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.

Sep 26, 2010

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.
View the original article here

Oryany Handbags Katie Spanish Satchel

Oryany Handbags Katie Spanish SatchelWe 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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How to Learn Spanish Even If You Think You Can’t

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!
View the original article here

Bloch London Women's Spanish Bow Ballet Flat

Bloch London Women's Spanish Bow Ballet FlatThe 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

Spanish Rose Italian Mask Black Lace Red Rose with Feather Masquerade Mardi Gras Mask Venetian
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
Click here to buy from Amazon

Sep 25, 2010

The Rosetta Stone Audio Companion CDs Are Mostly Useless

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
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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.

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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.
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Brazil Butt Lift - Workout DVD (English and Spanish)

Brazil Butt Lift - Workout DVD (English and Spanish)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.

Price:


Click here to buy from Amazon

Six Keys to Help You Learn Spanish Online

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.

How You Can Learn Spanish Quickly

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.

Sep 24, 2010

How To Learn Spanish

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

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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5 Ideas to Instantly Boost Your Linguistic Knowledge While Having Tons of Fun

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.

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/?5-Ideas-to-Instantly-Boost-Your-Linguistic-Knowledge-While-Having-Tons-of-Fun&id=3547984


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Learn To Trill Spanish ‘rr’

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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