Why do you want to learn Spanish? For fun or for real? Do you just want to learn the basics of the language just for fun? Or do you want to learn to speak, read and write Spanish fluently so that you can live and work in a Spanish speaking country? This is important to the way you approach your Spanish classes and to which classes you choose.

The “just for fun” students

If it’s just for fun – what I call “travel Spanish,” then I would not recommend intensive classes at all. The intensive classes are designed for people, who want to learn a great deal in a very short period of time. These classes are far from fun. Try instead and find a Spanish course that is six to ten hours a week. And start by enrolling for a couple of weeks. That should be enough to get a feel for the Spanish language and learn the basic grammar.

Then when you have done your homework, I would arm myself with a good tourist phrase book and a wide smile and head out into the streets of Barcelona. You will quickly learn a few basics, that you can use for travelling and meeting people, and have a fun time.

The “serious” students

If your goal is to learn to speak Spanish more fluently, usually because you want to live and work in Spain or another Spanish speaking country, then you must take a far more serious approach to your Spanish classes. Here are some tips for getting the most of intensive Spanish classes, so that you will flourish and learn and not crash and burn.

Don’t look for the easy route!

Many people, who come to Spain to live and work, do not really learn Spanish because they “want” to. They learn because they “need” to. So naturally they look for an easy way to learn. A fast way. A painless way. Sorry to disappoint you. There is no easy way. In other words – No pain no Spain. (Ouch… bad pun, but I could not resist it! Here are a few tips for the “serious” Spanish students.

Do it now!

If you are learning Spanish because you need to, then it will never be much fun, so my advice is to get the hard part over with and learn as much Spanish as you can at the beginning of your stay in Spain. Once you are settled in, working full-time and have an active social life, then you will not have time or inclination to take many intensive Spanish courses. Most Spanish schools in Barcelona offer 4 hours a day intensive courses either in the morning or afternoon. Just sign up for 4 or 8 weeks.

Be prepared for hard work.

Do not underestimate the effort needed. The pace is gruelling and you will need to show up every day to keep up. Almost all Spanish schools in Barcelona and Spain use the immersion technique, which means that everything in the classroom is in Spanish, all the time, even for beginners, even on the first day! There are not even explanations in English in the text books. This means lots of concentration and home study every day!

Don’t overlook the grammar.

Speaking a language without using grammar is like building a house without a foundation. A strong foundation of grammar will ensure, that you can keep adding more levels to your “Spanish” building. But a bad foundation makes a house of cards and one day your building will topple. Grammar is kind of boring and hard work. But a “I don’t need grammar” attitude is a short term, lazy solution. Grammar is half the language and you will end up speaking “half” Spanish, if you don’t learn it from the first day.

Prepare for your Spanish course.

Unless you have some knowledge of language similar to Spanish, (Portuguese, Italian, French) or have a good knowledge of your own language and its grammar then I would recommend preparing a little for an intensive Spanish course in Spain.

You could consider having a few Spanish lessons in your home country. The teacher’s explanations and instructions will probably be in your own language, just like in primary school. I would also recommend that you buy a Spanish study book in English (or your own language) that explains Spanish grammar and do a little bit of self-study before your start your class.

When you start your Spanish course in Barcelona, you might invest in a few extra private lessons with a Spanish teacher, who speaks English and who can explain a few basic things in English, if you are having trouble following the course. The Spanish school in Barcelona, that you have chosen should be able to help you with this.

Daily study tips for better results .

Show up for all classes! Make it your goal.

Do your homework. Every day. An effective rule is half the time at home as you spend at the Spanish school.

Compete with yourself, not with your classmates. If you are in trouble or falling behind in your Spanish classes then talk to your teacher.

Clear your head and calendar. Barcelona is a party town and your friends from back home will undoubtedly announce their arrival for fun filled party weekends. Try and postpone most parties until you have finished your Spanish course. There just isn’t time for it if you want to keep up.

Buy the books if possible so that you can make your own notes in them and keep them for future reference.

Buy a good dictionary, but not too big and heavy. A small, but good quality pocket dictionary is better investment, because you will be carrying it a lot!

Be realistic and you won’t be disappointed.

It will feel as if you are hardly learning anything in the beginning weeks no matter how hard you study. This is because Spanish is usually spoken at light speed and your untrained ear for the language and weak conversation skills are just not up to the challenge. Don’t worry. It will come.

But don’t overestimate the results of a few weeks of intensive Spanish classes either. Many people assume they will be able to speak fluent Spanish a matter of weeks. They usually book a 4 week Spanish course. Sorry to burst that bubble too. In 1 month you can really learn a lot, especially if you put in the work and show up every day. At the end of that period you will be able to have short conversations and understand a lot. But to speak really fluent Spanish? 6 months to a year is more realistic, and 2 months is the minimum for a really good start!

Suerte!

Peter Williams

http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/learning-spanish-crash-and-burn-or-fly-and-learn-98027.html

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Learning the Spanish language does not have to be difficult, however. Below are four ways you can learn the Spanish language that is more fun, exciting and less stressful. Just apply these four ways as you are learning the Spanish language and you’ll be speaking and understanding the language in no time.

Learn the Spanish Language by Conversing

You may know all the Spanish words and phrases, but if you do not put into practice what you learn, you are not going to become proficient in the language. Take every opportunity to apply what you have learned. For instance, practice your Spanish at Mexican or Spanish-speaking restaurants. Try ordering your meals in Spanish and even greeting the servers in Spanish.

You can also practice your Spanish by reading Spanish novels and other printed materials. See how much you understand. You can even try translating what you read. You can also try translating simple English sentences in Spanish. If you have friends or family members who speak Spanish, you can practice conversing with them in the language.

Learn the Spanish Language with the Help of a Spanish-English Dictionary

You can learn the Spanish language quickly and easily with the help of a Spanish-English Dictionary. You can increase your vocabulary of Spanish words. You will be able to know when and where to use the Spanish words. When you are reading printed materials in Spanish, make sure you have your Spanish-English dictionary close by. You can flip through it if you come across Spanish words you do not recognize or many have forgotten.

Learn the Spanish Language by Signing Up for an Advanced Spanish Class

Once you know the basics of learning Spanish, consider signing up for an advanced Spanish class so you can continue to progress with your learning. You can either take the advanced Spanish class at your local college or you can sign up for a class online. If you truly want to become proficient, the key is to not stop learning the Spanish language, which means you will have to find ways to continue learning the language.

Learn the Spanish Language by Travelling to Spanish-Speaking Countries

One of the best ways to learn the Spanish language is to travel to Spanish-speaking countries so you can interact with the locals, as well as experience the culture. So when you’re planning your next vacation, why not travel to Mexico, Spain or any country where Spanish is widely spoken?

Now you know the four ways to learn the Spanish language, there would be no more reason for you to not to learn to speak Spanish fluently.

John Platiko

http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/four-ways-you-can-learn-the-spanish-language-715357.html

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But where to begin, there are so many choices. Classroom study, while great for face to face learning, is not always convenient for the hectic lives we all lead. It requires extra time for traveling to and from classes, while having to arrange your schedule around class times someone else has determined. For the really dedicated and adventurous types, you can immerse yourself into a Spanish environment. You’ll certainly learn, but packing up and moving to a different city or country, is just not practical for everyone. There is a better alternative.

The internet provides an excellent opportunity to learn Spanish online. Finding the best course to learn Spanish can be a daunting task, especially on the internet where there is so much to choose from. So, how do you find the best one? Now I will give you some tips to help you choose the best spainsh course to learn spanish fast online:

1 Always be sure that anything you buy online comes with at least a 30 day money back guarantee. The consumer is pretty heavily protected these days, especially if you make your purchase using a credit card. Many reputable training courses, will allow you to try the course for a free trial period. This way you know if the course is good for you and the way you learn.

2 The learning should be fun. The material should be engaging. With creative use of multimedia, and game type exercises, learning Spanish should be fun.

3 Make sure the course has enough material and is complete. There are many courses that fall short in this area. You want to make sure there are enough exercises and lessons in the course to enable you to learn Spanish thoroughly enough to carry on conversations.

4 Compare prices for the type of content offered.Some spanish courses offer about the same information, but the prices fluctuate greatly.

Want to learn spanish fast online?Click the link below to find the best spanish course.

learn spanish fast

Hasspan Zhu

http://www.articlesbase.com/languages-articles/want-to-learn-spanish-fast-onlinetips-you-need-know-114248.html

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First of all, if you really want to learn Spanish and learn it well, you need to put yourself in situations where you are forced to actually use the language. Try watching a movie in Spanish, reading the Spanish language newspaper, traveling to countries where they speak Spanish, or getting a pen pal that speaks Spanish. The best way to learn a language is to actually use it, preferably with native speakers of the language. That way you can pick up on common idioms, as well as pronunciation and even slang, so that you will sound like a native a lot quicker.

However you choose to learn Spanish, you will need to be sure that you practice a lot. Some programs that are meant to help you learn on the computer are great for this as they will give you games to play to help you pick up vocabulary, and even let you use a microphone so you can record yourself and have your pronunciation compared to the correct pronunciation. Of course actually learning from a native speaker and speaking with them would be even better, but this is not always possible. Sometimes all that time and finances will allow are computer-based lessons rather than one-on-one or classroom based Spanish lessons. Just make the most of whatever methods you have available to you.

Another thing that you need to be aware of when you are trying to learn Spanish is that not all things can be directly translated from one language to another, and some things that sound like they would mean the same thing do not. Keep this in mind to save yourself some embarrassment. Idioms are one thing that do not always translate word for word, though a good dictionary or a Spanish speaking friend can help you figure out the correct way to say these in Spanish, or a Spanish idiom that means basically the same thing. False cognates are words that sound very similar in both Spanish and English but are in fact two different things. For example, the Spanish word for “pregnant” sounds very similar to the English word “embarrassed.” Watch out for these.

Daniel Major

http://www.articlesbase.com/languages-articles/tips-for-those-wishing-to-learn-spanish-720288.html

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In business, speaking Spanish will help you attract loyal customers and a diverse employee base. By speaking Spanish in your personal life, you will meet fascinating people from around the world– and you’ll build valuable, long-lasting friendships.

For adults learning foreign languages can be challenging. You are never too old to acquire a second language! In fact, it’s good exercise for your brain.

Prepare to be dedicated in the pursuit of your linguistic goal. After all, you didn’t learn English over night. We learn our native language through years of trial and error. Nevertheless, you can achieve good results quickly by using these ten practical tips.

1. Use the words you know. Everyone who speaks English knows more Spanish than they realize. When you are beginning to speak Spanish, it could be difficult for you to compose and say an entire sentence. That doesn’t matter. Don’t wait until you have an entire “perfect” phrase. Say the words in Spanish that you know.

When you observe native speakers, you will hear them converse in English, Spanish and even Spanglish. With language it’s never all or nothing! Say what you know, even if it’s only one word.

2. Set yourself up for success. Start with simple greetings like “hola” or “buenas tardes.” If you say please or thank you to a Spanish-speaking customer or employee and you know the words “gracias” and “por favor,” use them after you say the words in English.

Setting a positive bilingual tone for communication is always a good idea. It lets the person you are speaking with know that it’s fine with you to use both English and Spanish.

3. Expect to make some mistakes. If you had a foreign language class in high school or college, perhaps you were corrected so many times that you feel defeated before you start. We all make mistakes when we speak English, so making mistakes in speaking Spanish is normal and natural. Everyone makes mistakes– even native speakers.

4. It’s OK to feel awkward. Speaking Spanish will feel physically different to you. You might even feel like a cartoon character has taken over your speech! Speaking Spanish requires more use of your facial muscles- and then there are those “trilled” r’s. Just do your best. Your accent will develop over time. Not having the best accent will only stand in the way of your ability to communicate if you let it.

5. Being shy is normal. It takes a strong, positive personality to take the risk of speaking another language. We are all inhibited to one degree or another. We’re terrified that people will laugh at us– or even yell at us out of impatience. Smile and dive in! It’s normal to feel inhibited when you begin to speak another language.

6. Ask “yes-no” questions. As you begin to increase your skills, when asking questions pose them so that the answer will be yes or no. This will give you a head-start on understanding the rest of the answer.

7. Practice each day. Practicing just five minutes each day will make a “grande” difference in your ability. A few minutes here and a few minutes there really add up over time. When you do practice, put yourself in situations where you can use the language. Attempts at memorization are usually very ineffective.

Write the days of the week on your calendar at the office and look at them each day.

Put a sticky note on your phone and write the numbers in Spanish from zero to ten on it. Each time you dial a number, say it in Spanish.

Make index cards of the Spanish words you want to learn first, and carry them in your purse or car. Exercises like these make your practice habits practical and help you build them into your normal routine.

8. Learn practical phrases.Think critically about what you do each day and what you need to learn to function more efficiently at your workplace. Learn those words and phrases first. By learning words that are practical, you will use them more often. The more you use the words, the faster you will remember them–and add to them.

9. Don’t worry about your grammar. Remember that no one speaks perfectly. Always remember that communication is always more important than conjugation! If the individual you are speaking with understands you, that’s all that really matters. It doesn’t have to be pretty and perfect to be effective.

10. Go slowly. Learning Spanish is like eating your favorite meal. Savor the experience. Learn Spanish one word or phrase at a time. Chew it completely before going on to more material. If you learn slowly, you will remember what you have learned longer. And, that’s the whole point!

Myelita Melton

http://www.articlesbase.com/communication-articles/ten-tips-for-learning-to-speak-spanish-135734.html

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