By Ronald Phillips
Picking up a new language is not as difficult as you might think. The truth is, you can have a great time learning a new language! A new language means that you have a skill that can be used in so many ways. When you travel, it can make you much more at ease. Even at home, there's a good chance it will enable you to speak to more people. Many jobs require applicants to know at least two languages. People who live in America are increasingly finding that Spanish is becoming the nation's second language.
Learning a second language is always a good idea. In the U.S., Spanish is nearly as commonplace as English. You'll very often hear English messages repeated into Spanish. So it's a great idea to learn and include Spanish into your life. Of course, very many people have a tough time tackling a second language. What follows are some helpful tips and a few tricks you can use to make things easier.
If you are immersed in an environment where only the new language is spoken, you are almost forced to pick it up quickly. That's why visiting a place where the first language is Spanish would be an efficient way to learn that language. In parts of the United States, you could easily immerse yourself in Spanish by simply spending time in certain cities. Usually what this means, however, is traveling to another country so that you are not able to simply switch back to your own language when it is convenient. The effectiveness of immersion is hard to deny, and some people say it's the only really good way to learn another language. For some, however, this puts too much pressure on them. It's up to you whether or not this is the way you'd like to learn.
Keeping some patience in mind will help. It will take longer than 24 hours to become fluent in Spanish. Even if you have a perfect memory and can remember all of your vocabulary and conjugations, you might still have some problems stringing together a sentence correctly. You will only slow your progress if you put a lot of pressure on your self to get fluent fast. Instead let yourself learn slowly. This allows you to feel more relaxed with Spanish. It's also good to learn slowly is because people will have more patience with you if they know you're trying to learn their language. You need to be careful so you don't offend anyone. Try to make yourself think in Spanish as much as possible. You have to use an internal translation process, where you take your thoughts from one language and put them into the new one. Take your time and learn how to do this at your own pace. Everyone has a certain amount of "mental chatter" in their heads; when you notice this, think how the words would translate into Spanish. This is an ability you will improve at the more you practice it. You will be surprised at how fast you will be able to do this translation process once you practice it for a while. At some point, you will become so accustomed to this that you won't even have to make an effort; you'll just find yourself thinking in Spanish. Once you can think in Spanish, you can then practice making these thoughts verbal by speaking them out loud; this way your ability to speak the language will also improve.
Use labels in your environment. Make labels for everything in your home and, if you can, your work space. This way you will get used to associating the correct words with the correct items. When it comes to speaking a new language, you don't want to make silly mistakes. You don't want to be remembered for making a gaffe or even making someone angry by using the wrong word by mistake. If you label your home and office you'll be able to practice learning your new language in a comfortable environment which, depending on your learning style, could speed up your learning process.
Take a course. Some people are uncomfortable to learn Spanish with other people. In a class, students usually have to talk in front of the other students. This intimidates many people.
You should still do it even if you make lots of mistakes. Actually that's the best time to learn because all the other people are learning and making mistakes. You can stumble over the words together! That's much better than doing it in real life where you people may be less forgiving of your mistakes.
Try to develop your 'ear' for Spanish, or any new language. Many languages are more oral-based than written. If the language is 'alive,' then it will be important to learn how to listen to it. Correctly reciting the alphabet or composing a sentence will only take you a certain distance. You'll still have to understand it when you hear it spoken. You'll get the best results by hearing the spoken language as much as possible. When you get to the point where you can correctly identify Spanish after hearing just a few words, then you'll be on your way to success.
Test yourself with flashcards Flashcards are an old school way of learning. Language is largely about memorizing, and these cards help you do just that! With flashcards you can quiz yourself on vocabulary and grammar and tenses. You can use flashcards almost anywhere you go, as they are portable. You can also have someone quiz you. Simply use one side for Spanish and the other for your original language.
Is there a nearby place where Spanish is mainly spoken? One of the best ways to learn Spanish is to listen to fluent speakers talk to each other. You might also find that people in these neighborhoods are happy to help new speakers learn how to properly communicate. It's convenient, close by, and you can receive really great practice speaking Spanish. If you research the subject, you'll find that there are a wide variety of methods that can help you learn faster. There are many sources of assistance; look online or in your local community. You will find that some methods will work better for you than others. The best way to find the method that works best is to try a variety of them. You'll eventually find a few that help you and, before you know it, you'll be speaking Spanish!
Don't think that it has to be hard work or a chore to learn this new language. If you don't yet have a second language, Spanish is a good one to start with, because it's relatively easy. In today's information age, you can find a variety of options to choose from for achieving this goal. Pick the system that appeals to you most. Once you find the right method for you, you will know it. If your goal is to speak Spanish fluently, just keep at it and don't be impatient, and you will gradually get there!
There are lots of reasons to learn another language but figuring out the best way to learn that language can be tough.
You might be thinking about driving to the closest bookstore and getting a book about it. You can check out classes, or even start meeting people who are fluent in the language. There are a lot of options available when you want to learn Spanish (or any other language). Be sure to have lots of fun!
Learning Spanish or any new language does not have to be so painful. Just starting out is the toughest part, but it will get much better in time. Just try to stick with it, and use all the tricks you can find. Soon enough you'll be fluent.
