Hello Everyone

[Nina1000]

My name is Nina, I am Dutch and live in London, and so my Dutch and English are pretty good. However, I have family living in the South of Spain, and it annoys me to no end that I can not speak the language. I go there 3/4 times a year and every time - 5 to 6 weeks before I go - I start some Spanish course, telling myself I need to do this year round because 5 weeks is not enough. Does that sound familiar to Spanish estudiantes?

And indeed, every time I get to Spain, I do not understand a word (they speak so fast), I can only order drinks and usually they ask me in English to confirm.

And so after the visit I go back to London with all good intentions of doing it properly as of today. I have been doing that for about 10 years, but

TODAY

I am going to make it work, I am really going to do it. So I have started the Spanish course again, already ordered part 2, will read an article in 'ElPais' every day (or part of it), I have made a vocabulary playlist on my phone that I am going to practise every day.

And I am hoping to get some help here on this forum.

Any more tips?

First question: In French the word 'email' is 'courrier électronique', but most people use 'e-mail'. In Spanish I see everywhere 'el correo electrónico', how common is it to use 'e-mail'? like in French, or is that not as accepted yet?

Thanks all

Nina

[Rusty]

Welcome to the forums, Nina!

In addition to all the vocabulary and grammar you have to learn, you need to expose yourself to the spoken language daily. Read Spanish everyday and speak the words you're reading aloud. Listen carefully to the language. As much as possible, mimic what you hear.

'El correo electrónico' is the proper translation of e-mail (or email). This is the only form recognized by the RAE. There is an abbreviated form, 'correo-e', but it isn't RAE-sanctioned either.

El anglicismo 'email' se usa cada vez más en todo el mundo hispano.
You may want to read this article.

[Nina1000]

Rusty, thank you so much, that is helpful,

In that case, although not officially recognized,(smile) I will use 'email'.

Thank you

Nina

[Villa]

Originally Posted by Nina1000

My name is Nina, I am Dutch and live in London, and so my Dutch and English are pretty good. However, I have family living in the South of Spain, and it annoys me to no end that I can not speak the language. I go there 3/4 times a year and every time - 5 to 6 weeks before I go - I start some Spanish course, telling myself I need to do this year round because 5 weeks is not enough. Does that sound familiar to Spanish estudiantes?

And indeed, every time I get to Spain, I do not understand a word (they speak so fast), I can only order drinks and usually they ask me in English to confirm.

And so after the visit I go back to London with all good intentions of doing it properly as of today. I have been doing that for about 10 years, but

TODAY

I am going to make it work, I am really going to do it. So I have started the Spanish course again, already ordered part 2, will read an article in 'ElPais' every day (or part of it), I have made a vocabulary playlist on my phone that I am going to practise every day.

And I am hoping to get some help here on this forum.

Any more tips?

First question: In French the word 'email' is 'courrier électronique', but most people use 'e-mail'. In Spanish I see everywhere 'el correo electrónico', how common is it to use 'e-mail'? like in French, or is that not as accepted yet?

Thanks all

Nina

Hola Nina. Bienvenida al forum.
In addition to studying Spanish you need to listen to Spanish
every day as often as possible. For example right now as I write this I am listening to Spanish.
I hope you can get Spanish TV where you live. Here in California we have many TV channels in Spanish. I watch four Spanish novelas every day 5 days a week and on the weekends I watch "Sabado Gigante" which is a 3 or 4 hour variety show in Spanish. In addition to this I study the Italian language and listen to Italian in my car on CDs. I do the same thing with Spanish with Spanish audio books. On my phone I have downloads of Spanish and Italian audio books and music that I always listen. You can also download Spanish audio into your computer and listen to Spanish while you're on the computer or going about your business at home. Get songs in Spanish with the lyrics too. I have a lot of songs in Spanish. I have one I got not to long ago called Jose Luis Rodriguez La Historia del Puma. Jose Luis Rodriguez was one of the most popular singers of the 70's to up to the 90's. Have you heard of him?



Jose Luis Rodriguez - La Historia Del Puma - YouTube

[CrOtALiTo]

Hello I bid you welcome to the forums well I'm a mexican guy that enjoy the speak English with foreings then I leave you meanwhile because I'm posting directly my cellphone and it some hard to type in the virtual keyboard also you don't get more upset with your learning I dont ennoy me when I cant with something