I have hit the wall...

[ElDanés]

Hello!

I've been learning Spanish for now about two months, and I have felt like I always had something to do. Lots of grammar to go through. I have learned to conjugate and use verbs, adjectives, nouns and much more, but I find it hard to actually use all this, like in a real conversation. I only know the theory.

I don't know anyone who speak Spanish, or who I could talk to in real life about Spanish, and when I'm on the internet I find it hard to jump into a Spanish conversation/discussion, like here on Tomísimo.

Do you have any suggestions?

I have thought about starting watching Spanish movies (with or without subtitles?), but I don't know how effective this is? I have also thought about just using my Spanish, no matter how bad it is, and let you guys correct me. How effective would this be?

I will start having Spanish at my school after Christmas, so I believe it will become a bit easier to find something to do with Spanish at that time, but till then, what should I do? I have really hit the wall.

Thanks in advance.

[geeper]

Originally Posted by ElDanés

I have also thought about just using my Spanish, no matter how bad it is, and let you guys correct me. How effective would this be?

This is what I have done and I feel it has helped me a lot. We are quite lucky to have people on these forums who will take the time to explain things.

[CrOtALiTo]

Well, In my opinion you must to see some movies with subtitles, if you are able of understand the Spanish then you only see movies without subtitles, because I have made the same that you say, but it's hard sometime of understand, because when you don't domineer the language it make hardest still of speak and listen, I give you a council, if you have the opportunity of speak with someone who knows Spanish is better, because at least, in the conversation the person, you friend or family or whoever, she or he cans correct to you, if you make some mistake, instead if you are watching the movie anybody will cans correct to you, this is my own view point, I don't know if you can understand me, but I believe that this is a good idea.

A lot luck.

[ElDanés]

Originally Posted by geeper

This is what I have done and I feel it has helped me a lot. We are quite lucky to have people on these forums who will take the time to explain things.

Oh, thank you a lot for your comment. Good to hear about other's experience.
Maybe I should really consider doing so then.

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

Well, In my opinion you must to see some movies with subtitles, if you are able of understand the Spanish then you only see movies without subtitles, because I have made the same that you say, but it's hard sometime of understand, because when you don't domineer the language it make hardest still of speak and listen, I give you a council, if you have the opportunity of speak with someone who knows Spanish is better, because at least, in the conversation the person, you friend or family or whoever, she or he cans correct to you, if you make some mistake, instead if you are watching the movie anybody will cans correct to you, this is my own view point, I don't know if you can understand me, but I believe that this is a good idea.

I was just thinking that watching a movie without subtitles could help me logically pick up understandment of Spanish. Like, if I know certain words and constructions, I believe I would be able to pick up the meaning of a sentence, even though I may not know some words. And if a word, which I really don't know repeats, I could look it up.

I don't know if this is true. It's just a thought I had.

[CrOtALiTo]

Yeah, Gepeer is right.

[Rusty]

Lay your Spanish on us, ElDanés.
Whenever you post something, try writing some things in Spanish. No seas tímido.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by ElDanés

I have also thought about just using my Spanish, no matter how bad it is, and let you guys correct me. How effective would this be?

I think that would be pretty effective. The one thing it would be lacking is pronunciation, but Spanish is almost completely phonetic in that it is pronounced as it is spelled.

[ElDanés]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I didn't know it could be so effective just using Spanish, even though it may be wrong.

I will do that in the future then.

[sosia]

Try reading comics, magazines and novies with subtitles.
Then come here and ask fot meanings.
You can also write in spanish here or mix english and spanish.
saludos

[ruby]

Hola

I moved to Spain in January and did not speak any Spanish, I had a dictionary and I wanted to learn. So I walked around the village where I live and spoke a little each day - The one thing I have found with the Spanish is they want to help you, the people don't laugh if I make mistakes (or maybe sometimes if it is a bad one but then they laugh with me) I joined this forum which is helping me so much but I am like you - hitting the priverbial 'brick wall' What I need I think is a Spanish person who wants to learn English so we can go for coffees and shop and talk etc. But I have this forum (time difference a little difficult sometimes) and I watch España Directo (Spanish local news with spanish sub titles) I listen to Canal Fiesta Radio - the jingles help with numbers and pronunciation and the music. Keep trying is what this forum has helped me with. Good luck and don't give up !

Ruby

[Jessica]

*Shrugs* Do what the others said...maybe you should stick to Tomisimo

Good luck improving your Spanish...I hope I can too

Wish you best of luck

[Tomisimo]

My recommendation for getting past the "brick wall" is to have a complete love for learning languages. You need the desire and ambition to want to understand every nuance of Spanish, explore every nook and cranny of meaning, usage, vocabulary, grammar, and culture. Of course, you won't understand everything the first time around but every time you look into something, you're hitting that brick wall with a sledgehammer and you're weakening it. Whenever you hear a new word, determine within yourself that you're not going to let it get away from you. You've captured it and now it's yours. Write it down on your hand or a napkin. Look up its meaning. Find text on the internet to see it in context. Try to use it in conversations today. Review it tomorrow. But don't let it get away from you. It's yours now. Do the same with bits of grammar or syntactic structures. Do the same with natural little phrases that native speakers use over and over every day. Do this and you'll find the language really gets inside of you and you begin to understand it in a more native-like way. You start thinking of ways to say things in Spanish and they come out naturally. You're not sure how you would explain the grammar, but you know that's how a native speaker would say it, because it 'feels' right. Focus on every nuance of native speakers' pronunciations and imitate them in every detail. When you're alone, imagine you're the lady you just saw in the store and repeat the question she asked in the exact same tone and rhythm. Then go back and practice using the word you wrote down that you refuse to let get away from you. These are the things you should strive toward.

[CrOtALiTo]

I agree with David, you must start to see movies and translate in your mind, and later if even you haven't understand anything then you write down of your hand the meaning of the word and so you will can remember the word and translate too.

When you are alone practice speaking yourself or try of practice with some CD to Music, and repeat and repeat the lyrics of the song, sometime such I study the language, as mainly I have not with who to chat or talk, well when I'm driveing, I repeat the music all the time that I want.

[Elaina]

Yes, yes......movies with subtitles to help you learn the pronunciation of a word but as David has already mentioned, Spanish is very easy to speak as it is phonetically spoken.

If you are all alone in this project, maybe including a friend or someone who shares the same interests as you and you can practice with each other and laugh at each other. Draw encouragement from each other.

IT CAN BE LOADS OF FUN!!

Don't give up! You will be so happy you didn't in the future!

We all will help you. Just think, you have people from all over the world giving you encouragement and support and a promise to help. It doesn't get any better than this!

Good luck.....

[CrOtALiTo]

I agree with you Elaina, if you want figure some sence or sentence or anything, first you must start by understand the language wrote and a little speak, then if you see movies with subtitules, you try of understand them.

[DaveCool]

Listening to movies is good for your pronunciation, but not really good for speaking or writing...

I think you're past that level. You must get to the higher level now.

I agree with Tomisimo that you need to have a love for the language and here's a tip how:
Find out more about their culture. Find out more about their tradition, about the famous people that got out of their country. Find out the books written in original Spanish. Imagine yourself being part of that culture, tradition, reading the masterpieces. By learning another language, you're getting into the 'minds' or the natives and you'll start finding out how they think.

In my opinion this is a very good motivator to start learning ANY language

[CrOtALiTo]

Yes, I agree with you, I think that the best to way of learn the language is write and speak it, if you can speak with someone who knows the language is much better it, because such you will can to practice with thim, when you are speaking with somone in Spanish, and if you didn't know some words that he has told you, you shall tell him that he repeat you again the word, such you will can to write and a paper, then when you have a little of time, you find the word and any dictionary of your tasty, and you find the meaning of the word and also learn it, ever if you don't the practice of speak with someone, don't worry it's mormal to the beginning of all learning of some language, anyway, you are intelligent and I know that you will can to learn as faster as you can to do it, I wish you the best in your course of idioms, look, I will give you a tip, I've leart faster in this forums than in some schools, because here at least my friends is from U.S.A and they can correct to me, in my post, of course, if my post needs some corrections, I believe that if you continue enjoing to the website, you soon will can learn fast, if your later post you were feeting that have make mistakes don't worry it's mornal.

[Jessica]

Get past the brick wall

[ElDanés]

Thanks to all of you, and sorry about the late reply!
I will try the best I can to follow the steps you have been providing me.

I've been vacating (and I still am), so I haven't had much time for using the computer, and I forgot my Spanish books, so I haven't really had a chance to practice my at all, except for conjugating verbs from memory, etc., so I don't hope I've become too rusty, now when I return home in three days.

See you around!

[CrOtALiTo]

Nop, Danes, you enjoy your vacations, and later you get worry by post here in the forums but first you enjoy the vacations.