Need Help Learning to Speak Fluently

[irmamar]

Once Villa said that he had learned a lot just repeating. Then, repeat (both writing and speaking) sentences (correct ones, of course), once and again. Repeat, repeat and repeat. I do it when I need to learn something, too. And then try to change some elements from these sentences until they become into your own sentences. And, as Hermit said, don't translate word by word, try to think in English.

[laepelba]

I always think that I'm doing fine - I try to imagine how I would express a certain idea or communicate a certain thing in Spanish. But then someone asks me a question in Spanish and I can't answer. I suddenly become physically unable to put two words together. Ack! The other thing I've discovered I can't do is to summarize or explain something in Spanish, nor can I summarize or explain something I've read or learned about that was originally in Spanish. Example: I listened to a podcast the other day about Susana Baca, a Peruvian singer. I also, then, read an article online about her. I found it all very interesting, and mentioned it to a Peruvian friend who immediately said, "Oh, I don't know much about her life ... tell me about her!" I couldn't come up with even one thing! Ugh!! I was mortified because I had spent SO much time working on listening and reading about this wonderful singer.......

[irmamar]

I think you have as a kind of fear, as a chain, which doesn't allow you to speak Spanish. But I've seen what you've written in Spanish and it is rather good . Try to speak alone, with yourself, in Spanish. Once I told you to do it in front of a mirror, but if you don't have enough time, try to do it when you are doing another thing, such the cleaning, when you're driving, etc. Try to explain something to you every day.

[CrOtALiTo]

Yes Rusty.

You're plenty the right, because you know how much time I have here around of this forums, since I arrived here with you, you know I didn't know almost anything, and with past of the time, I have achieved to learn the language in wrote way, but I need currently for my job to learn the speak the language more fluent.

And I'm being patient.

Chileno.

I have tried to have severals conversations in English with people native out , but sometimes the technology isn't good in the voice, when I have spoke for telephone sometimes the voice sound very bad and for a microphone sometimes have any kind interference and well the words sound with a lot of flaws, then sometimes I have opted for improve myself speaking the language alone, but well sometimes it isn't sufficient or enough for me, also I have tried to watch videos from youtube inclusive my brother gave me around of four hundred GB in only videos spoken in English, but you know it's not the same that speak with some in person, they well I need another way for improve more my skills, I have heard people and Mexican people who speaks so well the language that sometimes I envying them, because I want to reach that knowledge with the language. When I speak with the people for telephone because I have made it, I remember the words and I can pronoun them, but the nervous come to me and I forget the words that I should to say in the conversation, and it upset me, because I feel that I don't able to speak anything with anyone, and it's just for me, because I have effort me during more than 3 years, Rusty is a witness of my increase in the language.

Leapelda.
Here in the Island where I life currently there aren't places where I can go and have a conversation with people, yes there're American people, but they are companies managers and I can't intercept them always, sometimes I have the change to do it, but it isn't always that I want.

Then I haven't the chance in improve the language with anyone, only with my brother that speaks the language so well, inclusive he knows already American slangs, that sometimes he tell me and upss, I can understand him.

As you can see, I able to write at most everything in English, that I believe is the most easy in the language for many people this is the most basic, and for me this is't more than a advance of my achieves in the language.

Then I don't know what should I do with my situation, I'd like to speak with some of you for telephone or for skype or ICQ, inclusive in the MSN, with the poor or much of the that can remain the conversation then it's good.

Nothing is bad for me. Here I have learn thank to the corrections of the users as instances Jessica that isn't American native, she has helped me, Tomisimo has helped me.

Rusty.
He has helped me a lot of in spite of my bad humor.

Then definitely, I don't know what should I do it.

Thank you for your hints.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by irmamar

I think you have as a kind of fear, as a chain, which doesn't allow you to speak Spanish. But I've seen what you've written in Spanish and it is rather good . Try to speak alone, with yourself, in Spanish. Once I told you to do it in front of a mirror, but if you don't have enough time, try to do it when you are doing another thing, such the cleaning, when you're driving, etc. Try to explain something to you every day.

Thanks, Irmamar - and I definitely DO work on saying things out loud - especially when I'm driving. I appreciate your complement on my written Spanish. The other day, I wrote a letter to a friend who is a native Spanish speaker, and she got back to me right away and told me that she and her husband were SO impressed with my written Spanish. That is definitely where my confidence is because the majority of my learning time is spent reading/writing. Yes - it's definitely a "fear" - it's the same feeling I see in the eyes of my non-English-speaking students when I call on them in class. I KNOW they know the MATH, and I know that they CAN say it in English. But to be put on the spot is sometimes toooooo much.... I'll keep working on it.

Crotalito - I didn't mean on your island. If it is at all possible, I would say that you would learn a LOT if you could spend a week or two at some point in the US or some other country where English is the predominant language so that it's the only thing you have the opportunity to speak. I think that would help you move toward fluency MUCH more quickly!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Except that "online" doesn't give me the opportunity to have a conversation. I can write in Spanish - I can read some in Spanish. But to have a conversation is something that I cannot do yet....

And that is because you don't have a microphone?

I know, sometimes the mic's performance is not that good, but there are times of day and days of week in which you can have normal conversations with anybody, especially if in the same hemisphere, and possibly same continent.

If you don't have a mic, I would say you need to rush out to buy one. I wouldn't be a good student, if I didn't explore and exploit everything that is in my reach.

Now, would "a good soldier is a good general" be the same simile if "a good student is a good teacher" were to be used?



I don't let anything or anybody to interfere in my way to my goal.

Originally Posted by irmamar

. And, as Hermit said, don't translate word by word, try to think in English.

This part is the one where I don't get it.

If you translate:

"What is your name" that equates word by word to "Qué es tu nombre"

Would you say that in Spanish? Or would you have at least a little hint, in Spanish, that it "might" be "Cómo te llamas" instead?

That's why I always say, use what you already know.

[Esperar]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

Yes Rusty.

You're plenty the right, because you know how much time I have here around of this forums, since I arrived here with you, you know I didn't know almost anything, and with past of the time, I have achieved to learn the language in wrote way, but I need currently for my job to learn the speak the language more fluent.

And I'm being patient.

Chileno.

I have tried to have severals conversations in English with people native out , but sometimes the technology isn't good in the voice, when I have spoke for telephone sometimes the voice sound very bad and for a microphone sometimes have any kind interference and well the words sound with a lot of flaws, then sometimes I have opted for improve myself speaking the language alone, but well sometimes it isn't sufficient or enough for me, also I have tried to watch videos from youtube inclusive my brother gave me around of four hundred GB in only videos spoken in English, but you know it's not the same that speak with some in person, they well I need another way for improve more my skills, I have heard people and Mexican people who speaks so well the language that sometimes I envying them, because I want to reach that knowledge with the language. When I speak with the people for telephone because I have made it, I remember the words and I can pronoun them, but the nervous come to me and I forget the words that I should to say in the conversation, and it upset me, because I feel that I don't able to speak anything with anyone, and it's just for me, because I have effort me during more than 3 years, Rusty is a witness of my increase in the language.

Leapelda.
Here in the Island where I life currently there aren't places where I can go and have a conversation with people, yes there're American people, but they are companies managers and I can't intercept them always, sometimes I have the change to do it, but it isn't always that I want.

Then I haven't the chance in improve the language with anyone, only with my brother that speaks the language so well, inclusive he knows already American slangs, that sometimes he tell me and upss, I can understand him.

As you can see, I able to write at most everything in English, that I believe is the most easy in the language for many people this is the most basic, and for me this is't more than a advance of my achieves in the language.

Then I don't know what should I do with my situation, I'd like to speak with some of you for telephone or for skype or ICQ, inclusive in the MSN, with the poor or much of the that can remain the conversation then it's good.

Nothing is bad for me. Here I have learn thank to the corrections of the users as instances Jessica that isn't American native, she has helped me, Tomisimo has helped me.

Rusty.
He has helped me a lot of in spite of my bad humor.

Then definitely, I don't know what should I do it.

Thank you for your hints.

My MSN is michael charles moores @ hotmail dot com. All as one word, with a "." to replace the dot, obviously. If you wanna talk, my address is there for you, or anyone else who wants to speak in voice, or hell, even text.

Originally Posted by chileno

This part is the one where I don't get it.

If you translate:

"What is your name" that equates word by word to "Qué es tu nombre"

Would you say that in Spanish? Or would you have at least a little hint, in Spanish, that it "might" be "Cómo te llamas" instead?

That's why I always say, use what you already know.

I agree, I try not to think in English. I'll find out what a word, or phrase means, but then I'll try to put it in the Spanish part of my head.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Esperar

I agree, I try not to think in English. I'll find out what a word, or phrase means, but then I'll try to put it in the Spanish part of my head.

But, that's what you do once you know some Spanish. But to start you have to be fully alert of your own language, so you need to think properly in English. Use what you already know...

[Esperar]

Sí, pero si yo uso mi Inglés gramática, it comes out like that. When I say I try not to think in English, I try to remember that phrases are formed differently, like "puedo" is "can I," which is two words.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by Esperar

My MSN is michael charles moores @ hotmail dot com. All as one word, with a "." to replace the dot, obviously. If you wanna talk, my address is there for you, or anyone else who wants to speak in voice, or hell, even text.



I agree, I try not to think in English. I'll find out what a word, or phrase means, but then I'll try to put it in the Spanish part of my head.

I didn't understand your e-mail address, because I don't if you e-mail address is all separate or united, please if you could to send me a message or my main, then I will be grateful with you and so together we'll can start to talk online.