Trying to learn Spanish

[Gator44]

Hi everyone, I’m new on here but would like some advise please?

I’m trying to learn Spanish and I’m struggling with the tenses and remembering the rules etc.

I think I did better in face to face lessons than I am over zoom. I really want to learn but struggle getting the answers to my mouth. I can get it from the brain to my hand quicker.

My teacher is losing patience and I don’t want to lose her as a teacher.

Any ideas please?

[FrankieSoup]

I did a course on language acquisition as part of my Danish degree many years ago. I don’t remember much, but the main point was repetition and exposure - how are you studying?

There are loads of tools you can use now to help work more exposure into your life.

- Use the subtitle feature of Netflix/DVDs for example, to put Spanish subtitles on as you’re watching stuff.
- Apps like Duolingo can be helpful, but be aware that there are ads and micro transactions on it (MTs even feature in the paid version so I’m not renewing my subscription next year). If you trust yourself not to spend, it’s pretty good.
- check out podcasts for language learners. You can sometimes find some aimed at adult listeners in simpler language.
- I use a plug in for Chrome called Toucan where it changes the odd word to (in my case German but in yours) Spanish so that you build vocabulary.
- most uk libraries have a good (if old) selection of language learning cds (and sometimes cassettes!!) - if you have a CD player still, it might be worth looking for these.
- the BBC bite size website has Spanish lessons for free and YouTube has hundreds of videos about grammatical concepts- a different explanation might work for you
- digital/internet radio might allow you to listen to Spanish stations
- if you can, find someone to practice with
- unlikely but definitely most fun: go to Spain and order in restaurants- lots of short practice conversations

[FrankieSoup]

Oh! And lots of large production video games have alternative language settings.

Sometimes you have to go digging- on the PS3, for example, you have to change the console language settings and then the game will automatically play in your chosen language.

I’ve been playing dialogue heavy stuff like dragon age in German. Admittedly, my vocabulary is now very niche, but it’s definitely helping. I chose to use the PS3 rather than a newer console because it doesn’t matter as much if I forget how to turn the language back to English

[Gator44]

Thank you so much for all your advice. I lost where I’d typed this and couldn’t find my way back. But thank you so much I appreciate it very much. I will put these things into practice.

[petrderbikov]

It is nice! I want to learn spanish too

[atlantean]

For some reason I found audio-only courses useful for getting grammar into my head - stuff like Michel Thomas

The golden rule, perhaps, is to keep trying different methods and approaches.