I want to learn Spanish

arie85

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Almost everytime when I talk to my girlfriend and she's home she tells me to wait a sec and then she talks to her mother in Spanish and it's killing me I can't understand what she says


She's from Dallas by the way, and we're on kind of long-term-relationship but love each other so much... I just want to learn the language that she knows (she speaks English fluently just like her Spanish but I wanna be like her too, although I'm pretty sure I can't have perfect Spanish lol)

So.. do you have any ideas what to do or where to go? Is there a good place at Newark? coz' I don't know anything, or maybe learning it online could be useful, dunno, I really need ideas and also'd like to know if it's "healthy" to feel that way and if I really should learn Spanish or maybe dump this stupid idea???

 

cococat

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It is good for you to want to learn her language and culture, it is not only healthy but also sweet!
Learn Spanish, it will be helpful in the US no matter how you look at it for you to learn Spanish. Employers frequently even pay more if you know Spanish .
But learn it for you too, not just her.

You can take classes, those will help. Many colleges and junior colleges offer them. Also buy books, flash cards (you can buy or make these), and jump into learning. Start building up your vocab. You can even buy CD's to listen to. Listen to Spanish music. Watch Spanish DVD's and make it to where when they speak you have the English translation on the screen. The more exposure you have to this language and culture, the faster you will catch on.

You will have her as a helper so that will be the best type of learning. Don't be worried about how you sound or how you pronounce things, you are learning and all practice is good for you.
 

lunasmom

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I personally think that learning any language benefits the person. Besides most of America is becoming a English/Spanish language nation (moreso in some areas than others).

Look up and find out if there are any community ed classes that teach spanish or if you have a computer buy a program built to teach you spanish (i.e. Rosetta Stone - if you have that money. There are alternates at lower costs).

The best idea, however is ASK your girlfriend to teach you. She'll probably love you even more for it!
 

twstychik

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Have you talked to your girlfriend about learning Spanish? Do you want to learn to be closer to her or just so you can inderstand her conversations with other fluent spanish speakers?

I think your best bet would be to see if she'd be willing to help you learn. The best way to learn a language is immersion IMO. I know there's alos lots of programs and such that you can buy to learn as well. Or if you can take a course at a community college or something?
 
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arie85

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Originally Posted by lunasmom

(i.e. Rosetta Stone - if you have that money. There are alternates at lower costs).
How much does it cost and what is it exactly? never heard of it


Originally Posted by lunasmom

The best idea, however is ASK your girlfriend to teach you. She'll probably love you even more for it!
Originally Posted by twstychik

I think your best bet would be to see if she'd be willing to help you learn.
Yes, of course, we're meeting each other at October (I'm flying to Dallas) and I hope to stay there for a long time and of course ask her to teach me


I talked to her a lot about it and she just laughed about it and tried to teach me but it doesn't go easily over the phone lol
 

twstychik

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Originally Posted by arie85

How much does it cost and what is it exactly? never heard of it
It retails for $200+ per level. You could probably find it at an online auction site for less though.

Yes, of course, we're meeting each other at October (I'm flying to Dallas) and I hope to stay there for a long time and of course ask her to teach me


I talked to her a lot about it and she just laughed about it and tried to teach me but it doesn't go easily over the phone lol
Well, if you can introduce yourself to it before then (perhaps you can find a beginners level book to start with) being with her and her family will be a great learning experience. If you have a basic comprehension and they ONLY speak Spanish around you I bet you'll pick it up quickly from there.
 

MoochNNoodles

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I do not speak Spanish, but I know how it feels to be left out of the conversation! My step-father is Puerto Rican and he, his parents, and all his siblings speak more in Spanish to one another than in English. Being in an awful awkward teenage position when my Mom married him, I never wanted to learn Spanish. I call it my rebellion!


My Mom did take a basic Spanish class from the adult education center. I think that would be a good place to start. I know that my step-dad could probably teach us, but he's not the best for teaching. My friends used to practice their Spanish with him in High school and man does he ever nit-pick pronunciation!
 
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arie85

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Originally Posted by twstychik

It retails for $200+ per level. You could probably find it at an online auction site for less though.
I found it at IsoHunt.com for downloading, is that legal or not? I'm not sure it's okay to download it from there but my friend told me he downloads games from this website, so I figured maybe I can check it there

Originally Posted by twstychik

Well, if you can introduce yourself to it before then (perhaps you can find a beginners level book to start with) being with her and her family will be a great learning experience. If you have a basic comprehension and they ONLY speak Spanish around you I bet you'll pick it up quickly from there.
Yeah! You have no idea how much her mom bugs me about learning some Spanish but she talks too fast and I can't understand anything
It's really difficult to learn it from her, really
 

capt_jordi

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Do you have an ipod or a mp3 player? You can download lessons and listen to them. Just do an internet search, you never know what you might find!
 
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arie85

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Originally Posted by capt_jordi

Do you have an ipod or a mp3 player? You can download lessons and listen to them. Just do an internet search, you never know what you might find!
Oh, I have an ipod, but I'm not a type of person to learn that way, I don't think it can work well for me
 

taterkitty

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I agree with MoochnNoodles about an adult education course. They offer them at one of our local high schools and they are really inexpensive(less than $50)
I have also heard on another forum that Rosetta Stone is a great product if you can afford. That $200 price tag sends me running. lol

Good luck learning Spanish. I took 3yrs of it in high school and 1 semester in college and it's honestly not that hard to learn but I could never learn to roll my R's so pronunciation was my big thing.
 
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arie85

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Originally Posted by taterkitty

I agree with MoochnNoodles about an adult education course. They offer them at one of our local high schools and they are really inexpensive(less than $50)
I have also heard on another forum that Rosetta Stone is a great product if you can afford. That $200 price tag sends me running. lol

Good luck learning Spanish. I took 3yrs of it in high school and 1 semester in college and it's honestly not that hard to learn but I could never learn to roll my R's so pronunciation was my big thing.
And you feel comfortable speaking Spanish with other people?
 

taterkitty

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Originally Posted by arie85

And you feel comfortable speaking Spanish with other people?
LOL no, not anymore. I've been out of school for almost 15 years now and did not utilize the language after school. When I was in school I did and I do still remember alot of it but I no longer feel comfortable trying to talk to someone. I regret not using it more.
 

cococat

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Originally Posted by arie85

Thank you cococat, you make me feel much more better now and thanks for the ideas


Arie
You are very welcome. I think that is a very nice gesture on your part. And it will be even easier for you since you have a wonderful teacher to help you one on one first hand (your girlfriend).
The classes I was speaking about are the adult short term language classes, basically they cram a lot of knowledge into a short amount of time, crash courses in Spanish but they are very helpful and can help you at each level that you are at in Spanish. I took a conversation class this way, it was a lot of fun, all adults, very laid back yet very professional and informative. You can find these at colleges, junior colleges, and sometimes the community hosts them. Good luck!
 

lunasmom

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Originally Posted by arie85

I found it at IsoHunt.com for downloading, is that legal or not? I'm not sure it's okay to download it from there but my friend told me he downloads games from this website, so I figured maybe I can check it there
ehhh...I don't recommend free downloads. Often times you gets bugs on your computer or spyware and such that will eventually slow down your computer.

Originally Posted by capt_jordi

Do you have an ipod or a mp3 player? You can download lessons and listen to them. Just do an internet search, you never know what you might find!
Good idea
Ipod rocks like that!

One way that my brother learned some things from his wife's native language (she speaks dutch) is by using post it notes. She would write the dutch word for "Couch" and then post it on the couch and leave it there. Then he could recognize the work.

I would have loved to see if she used a sticky note on their dogs!
 

babygirl

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Por que no le preguntas a tu novia que te ayude a hablar el español. Yo creo que la gente aqui te a dado mucha buena informacion para aprender el español. Si necesitas ayuda por favor mandame un mensage privado. Te deseo mucha suerte.

Good luck trying to figure out what I just said.
 

coolcat

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Hey Tina,...
you´re evil!...
....
....
you do it right!!!
I think our friend try to figured what you mean!
,...So......Gooooooooooooooooood afternoon my friend!

Do you know where is Merida Yucatan?............is in Mexico Country!
....and yes, my native language is spanish....
SO feel free to ask me everything that you want it to translate!
....

Asi es yo estaria muy feliz de poder ayudarte a aprender español, asi es que lo primero que tienes que hacer es comprar un diccionario y algunas revistas por supuesto en español para que te interiorices en el idioma!

Nos vemos pronto!
...
 
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