Práctica con "para" (Part One)

[laepelba]

OH!!! That makes loads of sense!

[tacuba]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Rusty - going back to your original corrections of my sentences, I have a quick question about #1.

Your version: "1) Estudio español para hablar con la gente de la Ciudad de México. Voy a visitarla en mayo."

So I get the "la" and "de" and even the "visitarla" - I simply need to work on prepositions and pronouns. I know that. But - the software I am using to learn Spanish uses the "estar + gerund" construction quite a bit. It seems to me that to say "Estudio" is to say "I study" and to say "Estoy estudiando" is to say "I am studying". Is it an English-ism to want to say "I am studying Spanish so that I can speak with the people in Mexico when I visit......"? Is it a correct vs. incorrect thing, or is it a so-so vs. more-correct thing? Or am I wrong in my understanding of the estar+gerund thing?

Thanks!

I'm pretty sure I know the software you're using. I tried it a couple of years ago and I found it rather odd that they so heavily emphasize a construction (present progressive) that is used much less frequently in Spanish than in English. It's very noticeable here where I live which English speakers have used this software - they are always saying things like, "estoy leyendo", "estoy estudiando", "estamos viviendo", etc...when most native speakers use the present indicative to convey the same message.

But they do have a very good marketing campaign. I see their commercials on CNN all of the time.

BTW, in our Wednesday market (tianguis), the program sell for 100 pesos (about $7 US).

[laepelba]

NO WAY! Amazing! And I'm considering getting the Part 2 and Part 3 - which is SUPER expensive. Well, I can't complain - their method of instruction REALLY works with my method of learning. So I have to say that it's worth it - even if they've taught me a strange construction here or there ... I'm hoping that my Spanish speaking friends will correct me. (Although most of them are so polite, that I have doubts that they'll ever say anything more than "muy bien" whether my spanish is any good or not!)

[tacuba]

Originally Posted by laepelba

NO WAY! Amazing! And I'm considering getting the Part 2 and Part 3 - which is SUPER expensive. Well, I can't complain - their method of instruction REALLY works with my method of learning. So I have to say that it's worth it - even if they've taught me a strange construction here or there ... I'm hoping that my Spanish speaking friends will correct me. (Although most of them are so polite, that I have doubts that they'll ever say anything more than "muy bien" whether my spanish is any good or not!)

But I didn't say anything about the "legality" of the courses being sold.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Hey, David - do you have access to the dictionary to add entries? I looked and looked for "name badge" or something similar. Found lots of "badge" entries, but none looked close except the one I used ("placa"). I just now went to the dictionary here at Tomisimo.org and typed in "gafete" and it's not recognized...... Thanks!

Done. gafete

[laepelba]

YAY!! David - you ROCK!