Hardest thing for you learning a new language?

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by chileno

I speak, read and write english, or so i think.

Just that, and my trusty Spanish.

It took me about a year to be completely functional in English, and about 2 more years to, more or less, have "almost" completely translated what I knew in Spanish to English.



Yup, and that's exactly what you have to do, concerning "mocking" other people in order to get the intonation of the language. You still have an accent, but the intonation is correct, and that's makes a huge difference.

Yes. I can understand you when one language is not your tongue native is very hard to learn it, well in my case I have around of one year and four months leaning the language, but the difference with you is that I can't speak the language with other people, because I haven't practice even, then I need to improve my English with someone who speaks English, I can write the English as you have could to see, but it's not sufficient to me, then well, I don't know How time more I will take me to learn the language as spoken as written.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

Yes. I can understand you when one language is not your tongue native is very hard to learn it, well in my case I have around of one year and four months leaning the language, but the difference with you is that I can't speak the language with other people, because I haven't practice even, then I need to improve my English with someone who speaks English, I can write the English as you have could to see, but it's not sufficient to me, then well, I don't know How time more I will take me to learn the language as spoken as written.

Sure you can. Remember, Internet is your friend...

Specially if you have a mic and speakers.

[CrOtALiTo]

I know that my dear Chileno, but you know, I haven't anyone with who to speak and practice the English to way spoken. Therefore, I have tried to enter to website where should I can speak with somebody at English but I have had good luck with that search, then if I can't practice my English with someone, I believe that my English will takes time to learn everything about the language.

In my case is harder because, as you could to learn very fast is because you live on U.S.A, you are there and it's easier to lean the language because you are in contact with the American people, you can hear them everyday, you can exchange words and conversations at English, then I believe is easier of that form.

Here in my country likely the people who speak the English only are in the D.F. Or in the borders and, as I said before time before, I'm live in the south where the people does not speak English.

[AutumnBreeze]

Originally Posted by chileno

Realize that your mental block is produced because of what is highlighted in red, above.

Once you solve that problem (by not caring about it), then you won't have to be in the place you describe below. Because you do it well in English, so there should not be a problem doing it in Spanish either.

Just pay attention to your errors, so that you can self correct later and you'll get it in no time!

Well of course you're right .I think I'm getting more into the not caring side, trying to look at this from a different perspective. It's amazing how much fear and self-doubt so many of us wrap ourselves in as adults.

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

Very true. My own personal experience about feeling ridiculous was when I was learning French. My teacher hated me because I couldn't pronounce anything right... the day I felt angry and started "mocking" my teacher, it was the first time she said "très bien".

Paying attention to errors and correcting them by making exercises and practicing as much as one can needs a bit of discipline, but it does work.

Yes discipline . I'm getting the hang of that, or trying to . I'm a Libra and we are notorious for having a lack of discipline .

I've been thinking about trying to do a language exchange with one of the Spanish speaking mothers around here but if she's as busy as I am, well, we'd never get anything done! lol

[Jessica]

I haven't met anyone that speaks Spanish...it's hard for me to practice saying my Spanish but I can practice reading it because when I go shopping with my mom sometimes I see Spanish sentences and I know the meaning of some

[chileno]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

I know that my dear Chileno, but you know, I haven't anyone with who to speak and practice the English to way spoken. Therefore, I have tried to enter to website where should I can speak with somebody at English but I have had good luck with that search, then if I can't practice my English with someone, I believe that my English will takes time to learn everything about the language.

In my case is harder because, as you could to learn very fast is because you live on U.S.A, you are there and it's easier to lean the language because you are in contact with the American people, you can hear them everyday, you can exchange words and conversations at English, then I believe is easier of that form.

Here in my country likely the people who speak the English only are in the D.F. Or in the borders and, as I said before time before, I'm live in the south where the people does not speak English.

Go to univision.com and I am sure you will get to chat with many people there in English.

Originally Posted by AutumnBreeze

Well of course you're right .I think I'm getting more into the not caring side, trying to look at this from a different perspective.

That's good. Just do not care and you'll learn by leaps and bonds.

Originally Posted by AutumnBreeze

It's amazing how much fear and self-doubt so many of us wrap ourselves in as adults.

We are an incredible breed.

Originally Posted by AutumnBreeze

I've been thinking about trying to do a language exchange with one of the Spanish speaking mothers around here but if she's as busy as I am, well, we'd never get anything done! lol

You can always chat with people over the internet that are looking forward to learn English etc. And please read and write an Spanish novel, espcially one you have already read in English and you really liked.

Originally Posted by jchen

I haven't met anyone that speaks Spanish...it's hard for me to practice saying my Spanish but I can practice reading it because when I go shopping with my mom sometimes I see Spanish sentences and I know the meaning of some

Again, go yo univision.com

Or even with people from this forum that have the time to chat.

I have been looking at the statistics and there is an incredible amount of guests reading the forums. If you make a post addressed to them, I bet there will be more than one willing to help you, with conversational Spanish.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by chileno

Go to univision.com and I am sure you will get to chat with many people there in English.



That's good. Just do not care and you'll learn by leaps and bonds.



We are an incredible breed.




You can always chat with people over the internet that are looking forward to learn English etc. And please read and write an Spanish novel, espcially one you have already read in English and you really liked.



Again, go yo univision.com

Or even with people from this forum that have the time to chat.

I have been looking at the statistics and there is an incredible amount of guests reading the forums. If you make a post addressed to them, I bet there will be more than one willing to help you, with conversational Spanish.

I will try to do it. But if you have some website where I can do it, then you tell me. Or at least you give me the address of the web.

[Oteo]

I quote: "The hardest part about learning another language is knowing one already." From studies I've done and researched, I found out that languages taught at an early age stay in one part of the brain and the child can learn to speak multiple languages with native profficiency and easily as well. Once past the "critical stage" a child learns a new language by applying the concepts to concepts he or she alreadys knows in his or her native tongue. Point being, teach language early. It's much easier then.
As for trying to learn a new language later in life, it's much easier to do when the necessity is present around you. I desperately want to be fluent in spanish and I feel that I am really close, but I can't be fluent if I'm not around people who speak spanish. It's frustrating, but you have to be around the language to get it. ... Im my opinion.

[irmamar]

I think that this is the reason because we are here. We don't have people who speak the language we're learning around, so we've looked for them in the web. In this way, we're able to write and read in the language we're studying and others make corrections to our mistakes. By the other side, we're the help to those who are learning our own language.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by Oteo

I quote: "The hardest part about learning another language is knowing one already." From studies I've done and researched, I found out that languages taught at an early age stay in one part of the brain and the child can learn to speak multiple languages with native profficiency and easily as well. Once past the "critical stage" a child learns a new language by applying the concepts to concepts he or she alreadys knows in his or her native tongue. Point being, teach language early. It's much easier then.
As for trying to learn a new language later in life, it's much easier to do when the necessity is present around you. I desperately want to be fluent in spanish and I feel that I am really close, but I can't be fluent if I'm not around people who speak spanish. It's frustrating, but you have to be around the language to get it. ... Im my opinion.

What does languages is hardest to learn?


Have you some idea which is the language to I ask you?

For me the language hardest to learn is the Russian.

I don't know if you think the same than me about it.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Oteo

I quote: "The hardest part about learning another language is knowing one already." From studies I've done and researched, I found out that languages taught at an early age stay in one part of the brain and the child can learn to speak multiple languages with native profficiency and easily as well. Once past the "critical stage" a child learns a new language by applying the concepts to concepts he or she alreadys knows in his or her native tongue. Point being, teach language early. It's much easier then.
As for trying to learn a new language later in life, it's much easier to do when the necessity is present around you. I desperately want to be fluent in spanish and I feel that I am really close, but I can't be fluent if I'm not around people who speak spanish. It's frustrating, but you have to be around the language to get it. ... Im my opinion.

Oteo:

Read out loud a novel in Spanish. If possible record yourself and go over the recording to correct what you know it is wrong. :-)

In less than a month you should be able to tell the difference. :-)


@irmamar and Crotalito.

Try to make an appointment with anybody for this forum, English native preferably, and speak live on messenger or whatever chat program you have.

In order to do that, you need to have your computer equipped with a mic and speakers, you can use headphones so the sound doesn't get mixed with you mic.

you both can go to univision.com

Crotalito, that is the internet address you can use. Try any topic you like, and I am sure people are going to help you and direct you. :-)

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by chileno

Oteo:

Read out loud a novel in Spanish. If possible record yourself and go over the recording to correct what you know it is wrong. :-)

In less than a month you should be able to tell the difference. :-)


@irmamar and Crotalito.

Try to make an appointment with anybody for this forum, English native preferably, and speak live on messenger or whatever chat program you have.

In order to do that, you need to have your computer equipped with a mic and speakers, you can use headphones so the sound doesn't get mixed with you mic.

you both can go to univision.com

Crotalito, that is the internet address you can use. Try any topic you like, and I am sure people are going to help you and direct you. :-)

Well, I'm not able to because I've got my computer "capado" (sorry) to avoid virus, and I intend to leave it so.

Is it effective that method of reading aloud a novel?. I did the other day because I read it from you, but I haven't done it again. Is this your famous method for learning a language?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Well, I'm not able to because I've got my computer "capado" (sorry) to avoid virus, and I intend to leave it so.

Is it effective that method of reading aloud a novel?. I did the other day because I read it from you, but I haven't done it again. Is this your famous method for learning a language?

Part of it.

According to you, you are not too sure of your English, written and spoken.

So, in your cae, read and write an English novel, and then re-read out loud while recording yourself... etc

Is the right prescription for you. :-)

You already seem to have achieved functionality in English. So this will be done to dissipate your own doubts and lime away any imperfection(s), in doing so.

[irmamar]

Thanks. But I'd like to know your method

[chileno]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Thanks. But I'd like to know your method

The premise of it, is that you do not have to "learn" English, because you already know Spanish.

So what you have to do, is to translate what you already know in Spanish to English.

How?

By utilizing everything you have at your disposal in Spanish. Namely, reading, writing and speaking.

Best way to do this, is by reading a novel in English, that you have read already in Spanish, and you absolutely loved it, translating it to Spanish the best way you think, and try to enunciate the pronunciation that the dictionary provides.

I realized of all this, because at my second job in the US I translated the phrase "por favor, hable despacio porque estoy aprendiendo ingles" to Emglish. The people understood me, corrected me. So I decided to do it in reverse, from English to Spanish, because Spanish is my thing.

Combined that with watching a movie weekly, without subtittles nor caption box for the deaf, on TV.

I asked a lot of people the unthinkable, because I wanted to know.

In a year I was functioning in English, and in about 2 more years, I think I translated most of my Spanish vocabulary to English.

The rest is history. I did not care about grammar, because most people, and this is true in any language, do not recall grammar, however, that fact is not an impediment to understand spoken or writen language, nor is an impediment to express from fairly to extremely well in their language.

[irmamar]

How did you do that in reverse? Did you say the sentence in Spanish? I don't understand.

Well, I'll try to do as you say, if I've got enough time. I'll tell you about this . Thanks for your secret

Anyway, I won't leave my dear grammar...

[chileno]

Originally Posted by irmamar

How did you do that in reverse? Did you say the sentence in Spanish? I don't understand.

I wrote my first sentence in Spanish to say it in English. I looked up for each word and its pronunciation, and then just said it.

When I realized I had some kind of system, then I did the opposite, read and write in English, in order to translate it in Spanish, because that is what I know best.

Originally Posted by irmamar

Well, I'll try to do as you say, if I've got enough time. I'll tell you about this . Thanks for your secret

Wait, you made me write all this, to tell me you are going to TRY?

I know you've got enough time, else you wouldn't be able to post here.

Originally Posted by irmamar

Anyway, I won't leave my dear grammar...

Funny you say that. Why would a person who wants to speak English, who has no problem and is knowledgeable in Spanish grammar, would need to re-learn all that in English in order to speak English?

Can you answer that for me?

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by chileno

Oteo:

Read out loud a novel in Spanish. If possible record yourself and go over the recording to correct what you know it is wrong. :-)

In less than a month you should be able to tell the difference. :-)


@irmamar and Crotalito.

Try to make an appointment with anybody for this forum, English native preferably, and speak live on messenger or whatever chat program you have.

In order to do that, you need to have your computer equipped with a mic and speakers, you can use headphones so the sound doesn't get mixed with you mic.

you both can go to univision.com

Crotalito, that is the internet address you can use. Try any topic you like, and I am sure people are going to help you and direct you. :-)

I have two person in my messenger who was got them their address in this forum, but they never are online in the messenger, then I tried to have contact with other new people here in the website, anyhow they don't want give me their address for their security, you know anything will give you his address without know about you first, then I'm going to the website that you told me before, and well I will try to find some interesting thread or speak with someone awhile.

[Plym]

The internet is a fantastic way of learning another language but the main problem I had at first, was talking to myself and not getting any feedback!
I am learning spanish from reading it, listening to it and listening to podcasts but with no teacher or friend to correct me or engage in a conversation, it's often hard to know if what I'm saying is right.

I have a Spanish friend in Cordoba who I talk to over MSN and he is VERY helpful with my spanish. And I hope I am too with his English. We have spoke to each other through camera/microphone but both quite shy and ashamed of our attempts at one anothers language so haven't done it too often!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

I have two person in my messenger who was got them their address in this forum, but they never are online in the messenger, then I tried to have contact with other new people here in the website, anyhow they don't want give me their address for their security, you know anything will give you his address without know about you first, then I'm going to the website that you told me before, and well I will try to find some interesting thread or speak with someone awhile.

Ok, try this link. http://foro.univision.com/univision/...oard.id=ingles

Originally Posted by Plym

The internet is a fantastic way of learning another language but the main problem I had at first, was talking to myself and not getting any feedback!
I am learning spanish from reading it, listening to it and listening to podcasts but with no teacher or friend to correct me or engage in a conversation, it's often hard to know if what I'm saying is right.

I have a Spanish friend in Cordoba who I talk to over MSN and he is VERY helpful with my spanish. And I hope I am too with his English. We have spoke to each other through camera/microphone but both quite shy and ashamed of our attempts at one anothers language so haven't done it too often!

You are on the right track. Now defeat your insecurities, by just doing it. Try to convince your friend of doing the same. How? Just try. The best way you can, and do not feel defeated.

You already read, write and speak English, and well, There is no reason why you cannot do it in Spanish.