Spanish For Your Second Language
November 21st, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
In the United States the Spanish community is growing, and just for this fact, it could become important to learn the Spanish language. In this article I will reveal to you my method of learning Spanish, and I hope that it may benefit you also.
When I first heard a conversation in Spanish I felt out of place simply because I did not understand a single word of the conversation. It then became my determination that this was not going to happen ever again. Learning to speak Spanish is not hard to do. When you start listening to the pronunciations you will be surprised by the amount of words that sound similar to the English pronunciations.
My way of learning was to start listening to Spanish music, and by watching the many different Spanish television shows. Repeating the words many times, and if I did not understand the meaning, I would either use my dictionary, or ask a Spanish speaking person what the meaning of the word was.
By watching Spanish channels on the television it will show images with the words. By carefully observing the programs, and the repeat of words with the images, I could soon make a connection between the words and the meaning.
This is when I started to feel more comfortable with the Spanish language and moved myself up to listening to Spanish music. Of course, by just listening to the music I did not have any images, however from watching television I could just picture in my thoughts the images that belonged to the singing Spanish musicians.
This method will take time to master but is not impossible to do. Also many Spanish speaking people that notice you have an interest in learning to speak their language are more then willing to assist you in learning.
In many work places, you will absolutely have a great advantage of being able to speak Spanish. Just for the fact that there is a very high demand out there in the market right now for assisting Spanish speaking people. Your chances to be hired for a specific job title, and also your chances for a higher income, is definitely increased by simply learning to speak Spanish.
Jolanda Leuschner is a proud mother of 3 lovely sons and is the owner and founder of Best Daily Articles She invites writers,webmasters, readers and publishers to come and visit her site any time.
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5 Tips to Help You Learn Spanish Vocabulary and Pronunciation
June 2nd, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
If you have ever attempted to learn a foreign language, you know that mistakes are just a part of the educational process. Even though you somehow feel inadequate when you start to learn Spanish vocabulary and pronunciation, you need to work through the common mistakes that most English speakers make with this language.
Obviously, there are certain recognizable issues with Spanish vocabulary that seems to form a pattern with English to Spanish translation. These are important vocabulary or pronunciation issues that need to be overcome if you plan to advance beyond a novice level speaker.
Here are 5 tips for overcoming these common Spanish language faux pas:
1. Spanish doesn’t always follow English sentence structure
In some cases, you can follow English sentence structure and you will still be understood. Consider it similar to a person who speaks broken English – the words are generally there but perhaps not in the right order. A major difference with Spanish is that there are many times that the subject is placed after the verb. You have won half the battle just by being aware of these differences and paying particular attention when Spanish is spoken.
2. Don’t assume that Spanish words that appear similar to English words have the same meaning
Both Spanish and English are derived from the same Latin roots. This makes many words in both languages very similar, and on many occasions they have the same meaning. But there are a significant number of times when the words appear almost identical, but with radically different meanings. Take careful note during your studies to distinguish those that have a different interpretation.
3. Learn when to use articles (un, una, el, la, los, las)
This is a similar problem with individuals learning English (a, an, the). It’s the same for English speakers trying to learn Spanish. When you use articles improperly you are signaling that you are a beginner and still struggling with the language.
4. Pay particular to pronunciation
This can be challenging for English speakers, but it is worth practicing your Spanish “r’s”. This requires a trill almost like a purring cat. Also, pronounce the “b” and “v” the same - there is no difference in Spanish.
5. And lastly, don’t be afraid to make mistakes
Mistakes just come with the learning process, they are inevitable. Even though you make mistakes as you learn Spanish vocabulary and pronunciation, most native speakers will appreciate your efforts and even help you correct your mistakes. Just take it all in stride and above all, have fun with your new language skills.
Technorati Tags: learn spanish, learn spanish vocabulary and pronunciation, spanish language
Related Tags: learn spanish, learn spanish vocabulary and pronunciation, learning spanish, speak spanish
