So how long have you been studying your "new" language?

[ItsThaMonsta]

I have been studying for 4 months. And in these 4 months I can easily say I have learned a lot more than if I had taken Spanish classes for 1 hour a day over a couple years. I don't plan to do too much more "studying" of the Spanish language. I went through both Rosetta Stone and Pimsleur. I learned a lot but it is time for more advanced stuff. What I mean by that is actually trying to keep myself around spanish. I have to learn think and speak faster.

It is too many people who have been studying for years and are still not fluent. I am going for rapid results.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by ItsThaMonsta

I have been studying for 4 months. And in these 4 months I can easily say I have learned a lot more than if I had taken Spanish classes for 1 hour a day over a couple years. I don't plan to do too much more "studying" of the Spanish language. I went through both Rosetta Stone and Pimsleur. I learned a lot but it is time for more advanced stuff. What I mean by that is actually trying to keep myself around spanish. I have to learn think and speak faster.

It is too many people who have been studying for years and are still not fluent. I am going for rapid results.

Then, transcribe a novel in Spanish to English. Make it a point to speak aloud what you are translating.

Watch, movies, not TV, in Spanish without subtitles. Make it a point to not sleep through them :-)

And report often in this forums...

Eat, sleep and (blank) in Spanish.

DON'T DESPAIR!

I can assure you that in a couple of more months you will be even better than you are now, way better in comparison.

[ItsThaMonsta]

Originally Posted by chileno

Then, transcribe a novel in Spanish to English. Make it a point to speak aloud what you are translating.

Watch, movies, not TV, in Spanish without subtitles. Make it a point to not sleep through them :-)

And report often in this forums...

Eat, sleep and (blank) in Spanish.

DON'T DESPAIR!

I can assure you that in a couple of more months you will be even better than you are now, way better in comparison.

I have a few movies that are actually good with original spanish.. I will watch them over and over. It will be a challenge because I will be learning a ton of new words and learning to hear and speak faster as well... Time to begin.......... on Monday.

[CrOtALiTo]

The result of the Rosetta stone is depending of the volume that you study during the day.

Besides it's kind to study is very expensive.

[laepelba]

I studied Spanish in college ... um, ********* years ago. (Think decades......) I didn't learn much. My mind was ... um, elsewhere.....

It feels like I started from scratch again in October of 2008, a little over a year ago. I started with Rosetta Stone. Expensive, yes - but well worth it! I worked through just the first level of RS for Latin American Spanish.

Starting around the same time, and ever since, I have done a combination of the following: reading/writing here on Tomisimo (more beneficial than RS!!), interacting online and in person with Spanish-speaking friends, travel to Spanish-speaking countries (Uruguay and Peru this past summer), reading books in Spanish, writing in Spanish when I can, reading comic strips in Spanish, watching Spanish videos designed for improving listening skills, watching Spanish telenovelas (I'll get around to the movies, Hernan....), listening to Spanish music and radio, reading Spanish news websites, setting my Gmail and Facebook settings to always show the Spanish versions of the sites, etc., etc., etc.

As close as I could possibly come to immersion without actually being immersed...........

[ItsThaMonsta]

Originally Posted by laepelba

I studied Spanish in college ... um, ********* years ago. (Think decades......) I didn't learn much. My mind was ... um, elsewhere.....

It feels like I started from scratch again in October of 2008, a little over a year ago. I started with Rosetta Stone. Expensive, yes - but well worth it! I worked through just the first level of RS for Latin American Spanish.

Starting around the same time, and ever since, I have done a combination of the following: reading/writing here on Tomisimo (more beneficial than RS!!), interacting online and in person with Spanish-speaking friends, travel to Spanish-speaking countries (Uruguay and Peru this past summer), reading books in Spanish, writing in Spanish when I can, reading comic strips in Spanish, watching Spanish videos designed for improving listening skills, watching Spanish telenovelas (I'll get around to the movies, Hernan....), listening to Spanish music and radio, reading Spanish news websites, setting my Gmail and Facebook settings to always show the Spanish versions of the sites, etc., etc., etc.

As close as I could possibly come to immersion without actually being immersed...........

How well has it worked for you?

[laepelba]

I think that, short of true immersion, I'm doing well. I don't have nearly enough chance to practice my speaking or listening skills. That's where I can try to find the most opportunities for improvement. But for the most part, I am rather impressed with my own ability to create Spanish sentences/ideas and follow Spanish dialogue. I just downloaded some podcasts, and when I previewed them, I was surprised at how much I truly CAN understand! (YAY!!)

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by laepelba

setting my Gmail and Facebook settings to always show the Spanish versions of the sites

Cuidado con Facebook. A veces sus traducciones son horribles. Eso que lo que pasa por no querer pagar un traductor profesional.

[laepelba]

THANK YOU for letting me know that! I don't really spend a lot of time reading what they have, but I have just wanted to surround myself with the Spanish as often as possible, in as many places as possible. I'll keep your comments about FB in mind!

[danny]

I've started to learn this past July. I have only my old book from spanish 1 in college and the internet! I have always wanted to learn mexican spanish. I just joined here today and have learned a lot I think! I want to be able to speak fluent someday!I hope to soon!

yo aprendi mucho aqui hoy!
mi gusta it(<--?) aqui!

[CrOtALiTo]

You can give me any new word that you have learnt here today.

I want to see your progress.

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by danny

I've started to learn this past July. I have only my old book from spanish 1 in college and the internet! I have always wanted to learn mexican spanish. I just joined here today and have learned a lot I think! I want to be able to speak fluent someday!I hope to soon!

yo aprendi mucho aqui hoy!
mi gusta it(<--?) aqui!

Me gusta este sitio (o este foro).

[danny]

(o este foro)

how come you don't say "o esto foro" or can you use either?

[irmamar]

Masculino: este, estos.
Femenino: esta, estas.
Neutro: esto (singular)

Quiero este libro.
Me gustan estos foros.

Compro esta libreta.
Me gustan estas rosas.

Me gusta esto (no noun here).
Quiero esto.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Masculino: este, estos.
Femenino: esta, estas.
Neutro: esto (singular)

Quiero este libro.
Me gustan estos foros.

But I thought that when the gender is known to be masculine, then you had to use "este" and that you only use "esto" for neutral. No?

EDITED LATER: DOH! I get it - singular/plural ... este/estos for masculine. There's no such thing as "estes". Don't answer my (dumb) question.........

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by laepelba

But I thought that when the gender is known to be masculine, then you had to use "este" and that you only use "esto" for neutral. No?

EDITED LATER: DOH! I get it - singular/plural ... este/estos for masculine. There's no such thing as "estes". Don't answer my (dumb) question.........

Well, I had to have specified that they were singular and plural. Sorry.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Well, I had to have specified that they were singular and plural. Sorry.

Well, actually, it's good that you didn't ... because this is something that I should have already known, but needed to review. You forced me to think about it and figure it out for myself. (Shhh - don't tell Chileno!)

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Well, actually, it's good that you didn't ... because this is something that I should have already known, but needed to review. You forced me to think about it and figure it out for myself. (Shhh - don't tell Chileno!)

I'm just calling him up!

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by danny

how come you don't say "o esto foro" or can you use either?

The translation correct is Este foro.

[danny]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Masculino: este, estos.
Femenino: esta, estas.
Neutro: esto (singular)

Quiero este libro.
Me gustan estos foros.

Compro esta libreta.
Me gustan estas rosas.

Me gusta esto (no noun here).
Quiero esto.

You make it seem so easy haha! I have a question...
Why is it not, "compro esta LIBRO"
and could I say..."I'm reading un libreta" (estoy lectura un libreta)<-?