Hello -- English Learning Spanish ... Maybe

[pab1953]

Whether or not I can -- in middle age with a failing memory, a busy life and almost no contact with Spanish-speaking people -- succeed in learning Spanish remains to be seen.

On the positive side, I've found what looks like a very good iPhone app -- Start Spanish -- plus I love the work (in English, so far) of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and am interested in the life of countries like Colombia and Mexico. And my work has me online much of the day, so I have access to whatever resources exist in cyberland.

By the way, what's the best English<>Spanish audio dictionary online?

Thanks.

[JPablo]

Hello, Pab1953 and welcome to the forums! :)

Interestingly enough I am just reading "El general en su laberinto" by Márquez, and he is a master at writing... no question about it.

Not sure about "audio" dictionaries (probably Rusty or other forum members may advice you on that.) I know "forvo.com" which may be helpful in terms of pronunciations...
http://www.forvo.com/

Ask any questions you have and enjoy your learning!

[pab1953]

Thank you, your Lordship, for your welcome.

Forvo looks pretty cool. Thanks for that too.

(How do you say "pretty cool" in Spanish?)

One more question: What are the main differences between European Spanish and South American Spanish?

Okay, here's one more: Where's a good place online to buy Garcia Marquez books in Spanish and/or in dual language editions?

Gracias.

[JPablo]

You're welcome!

In Spain "pretty cool" would be something like "muy chulo" or "muy guay" (slangy sounding)
In México, you say something like "muy chido" (chido = fantastic, great).

Probably Chileno, Ookami, and other "foreros" [forum members from Chile and Argentina] can give you other versions... but don't want to overwhelm you with the varieties of Spanish...

I believe there are already several threads on the matter of the differences of Spanish 'dialects'... but to give you a comparison, it is something on the order of "American English vs British English".

There is a matter of accent, pronunciations and some spellings... and then idiomatic expressions and "common" ways to name things, "lorry/truck"... Similar thing goes on with Spanish... at both sides of the Atlantic.

I got my García Márquez books either in Spain or just at amazon.com. He is so widely known and published, it shouldn't be hard to find... what with the Nobel prize, etc. (I personally don't know of any dual edition, though.)

Again, enjoy your learning, (and if anything goes above your head, or doesn't make sense, just ask... The Spanish saying goes: "Preguntando se va a Roma" = literally: "Asking [questions] is the way to get to Rome." (achieve your objectives/aims) :)

[pab1953]

Gracias de nuevo!

[LibraryLady]

Welcome to the forums :)

[CrOtALiTo]

Hello I bid you welcome to these forums.

In the internet there're many resource with the finally to gives you the best audio English or Spanish for your upgrade into of the language, so you can get that audio files or video files trough websites where you can buy them or listen them freely.


The purposes is very educative.

[irmamar]

Welcome. :)

[Jessica]

hola y bienvenido!! ^_^

[pab1953]

Thanks for all the welcomes! I feel very welcome. :)

Here's a question someone could answer:

Does peninsular Spanish pronounce "c" as "th" or is that South American Spanish?

Gracia.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Pablo: "Chido" is extremely colloquial and not suitable for any social context. We'd prefer to say "muy padre", which is colloquial, but not rejected in more formal environments. :)


@Pab1953: Spaniards pronounce "z" and "c" as "th".

[Alex]

Welcome Pab 1953!

The C is also pronounced as a "k" depending on the vowel or consonat that follows it.

For example, this are two words with different "c" pronunciation:

- Casa (house) you pronounce the "c" like in the english word "camel" /k/
- Celeste (sky-blue) in here you pronounce the "c" as in the word "place"

A more neutral deffinition of "pretty cool" is "genial".

Feel free to ask whatever you want! :)

[JPablo]

@Angélica... ¡Muy padre! Sí, y "padrísimo" también.

Lo de "chido" sí es muy coloquial... ayer se lo oí decir a "Brozo" (el payaso tenebroso...)