Speak Spanish Fluently

Spanish is a beautiful language that is spoken in many parts of the world. Being able to speak fluently in Spanish isn’t as difficult as you might think. Know your resources and get into the right mindset to help you learn the language. Taking up a new language may seem daunting but is worth the challenge. Whether learning for work, a trip, or simply for fun, stay positive and immerse yourself in the language as much as possible.

Steps

Optimizing the Proper Tools

  1. Familiarize yourself with your library. Inquire if your library offers learning programs or if there is a local Spanish language club. You may also ask for help finding the best books and resources to learn how to speak Spanish. Also check out the bulletin board in case tutors or teachers are offering their services.[1]
    • While your local library may be small and not have the resources that you are looking for, they may be able to order books and point you in the direction of other local resources available to you.
  2. Find a tutor. Create a budget and post or search online on job forums or college websites for an adequate tutor. You may also physically visit schools to check bulletin boards. Inquire about Spanish departments as most of the tutors would post in that area of the college. You may also find a tutor by offering to tutor English in exchange for Spanish lessons. This can keep your costs down.
  3. Enroll in a class. Depending on the institution, classes can be expensive. Set a budget and a goal and make sure that the classes you take meet your standards. Read reviews and the course syllabus before fully committing to anything. You may also find classes online if you live far from any suitable institutions.
  4. Purchase a Spanish language app. Choose from a multitude of free or purchased apps for download onto your home or mobile device. Make sure to research and read reviews to ensure that the apps has the functions that you are looking for such as creating flashcards or visual aids. Flashcards are a great way to memorize vocabulary and apps can be searched for Windows, Apple, or Android devices.[2]
  5. Listen to radio programs, podcasts, or audiobooks. Stream Spanish radio, search for language tutorial podcasts, or borrow audiobooks from the library. Make sure to research whether the tutorials are at an appropriate level. Podcasts may have a rating system that you can use prior to download.[3]

Developing the Right Mindset

  1. Aim to be conversationally fluent. Conversationally fluent allows you to just focus on speaking Spanish rather learning how to also write and listen. It can be overwhelming to undertake the Spanish language in its entirety. Being conversationally fluent allows you to connect with others while expressing the gist of your ideas.[4]
  2. Identify what makes you passionate about speaking Spanish. Everyone will have a different motivation for learning the language but you do not want to make it feel like work. Whether you are learning the language for a trip or your career, you want to have fun and motivation to fuel your drive.[4]
    • Learning Spanish may be difficult and frustrating so find any motivation you can to get you through any mental blocks. Don’t limit yourself to just one thing. Find as many reasons to feel impassioned as you can.
  3. Create your own phrasebook. Based on your motivations, think about what the most important phrases you will need to start than work out from there. Think about expressions and words that you need to immediately master to best describe yourself and connect with others. Start with phrases about your personal history, family, friends, hometown, education, or career.[4]
    • Continue to add to your list as you begin to speak spanish and encounter situations that will help you in the future.
    • The first 100 words of your list will be words that you will always use like yes, no, where, when, etc. Fill out the rest of your list with words specific to you and your experience.[4]
  4. Learn conversational connectors. Conversational Spanish is different from the written language. Conversational connectors add space and let your bridge ideas with phrases. Only use one or two connectors to begin with as it is extremely difficult to memorize all of them at once. Simply use enough to get you through a conversation and, as you begin to gain more confidence with the language, incorporate more into your everyday vocabulary. They can range in a variety of categories but focus on:[4]
    • Filler ex “well, as a matter of fact…”
    • Quoting ex “recently, I heard that…”
    • Apologising ex “Don’t be upset, but...”
    • Agreeing/Disagreeing ex “most certainly”
    • Passing ex “and what do you think?”
    • Closing ex “to sum up...”
    • Elaborating ex “to be more precise…”
    • Opening ex “that is a good question…”
    • Qualifying ex ”to tell the truth…”
    • Switching ex “by the way..”
  5. Speak Spanish on a daily basis. Chat with people who speak Spanish as their first language. You need to speak as much as you can so try to limit how often you use English when speaking to native Spanish speakers. Even if you don’t have access to native speakers, you can simply speak to yourself. Whenever you find yourself drifting in your head, try to do so in Spanish. Whether you’re waiting for a coffee or thinking about tv, try to perform your inner dialogue in Spanish.[4]
  6. Listen actively. Whether you’re speaking to a native Spanish speaker or using an online resource, list to the sounds and try to mimic them. Not only should you be trying to comprehend what is being said but you should also be focusing on how it is being said.[4]
  7. Focus on the easiest parts of the language. Determine what makes the language easy to learn and don’t get overwhelmed by any of its complexities. There are a lot of things that make learning Spanish easy including:
    • Spanish is phonetic so learning the pronunciation of a word you read should be easier than learning English.
    • While other language have exceptions to their language rules, Spanish has none. For example, Czech has 14 ways of saying a lot of their words whereas Spanish will not have an exception. The word “casa” in Spanish will always be “casa”. When you learn a word you will never have to learn another variation of it.
    • Spanish does not utilize tones. For example, Punjab can change the meaning of the same consonant depending on your inflection when you say it or whether your tone is high or low. Spanish has similar intonations as English so it may seem familiar.
    • There are thousands of Spanish words that you already know because Spanish is similar to French and many English words originated from French. The ends of a lot of English words can give you their Spanish equivalent. These are known as cognate rules. For example, change “-tion” to “cion” for words like assocation. This will give you “asociación” which sounds virtually the same but is Spanish.
  8. Keep positive. Have an optimistic and inquisitive mindset. You should have a positive approach when learning how to speak Spanish fluently. Be patient and immerse yourself in the language as much as possible.

Immersing Yourself in the Language

  1. Watch Spanish television. If you don’t get Spanish television you can ask your cable provider or simply check what is trending on Youtube for a Spanish speaking country. You may also purchase or download a popular Spanish television series online. More popular series may have English manuscripts or subtitles to help you follow along. You may also have content in alternate languages. Check the site of your local channels and inquire whether they provide a Spanish alternative.
  2. Follow the Pareto principle. This principle states that you need to learn the right words, which means that you don’t have to learn the entire language but simply learn the most important words. It’s easy to find the most important words because they will be the ones used most frequently.[3]
    • For example, rather than learning the formal forms of words and phrases, learn colloquialisms.[3]
  3. Find a skype partner. Post on forums, colleges, or even the library. You don’t have to find someone overseas or living in a Spanish speaking country as Skype is great for generally working within your schedule at the comfort of your own home. Watching someone speak the language or using visual aids will help speed up the learning process so don’t be afraid to ask your partner to keep that in mind.[3]
    • Use multiple windows when using Skype so you can simultaneously use another language app or check your notes to help you follow the conversation. Use translation tools to help you keep pace in the conversation but don’t use it as a crutch. You shouldn’t hesitate to ask your partner for a break if you are lost in the conversation.[3]
    • You may also find a partner on Skype by offering to exchange English lessons. Practicing a second language together allows you to take a breath and regain your momentum when you switch over to your native language.
  4. Visit local cultural centers or plan a trip to a Spanish speaking country. There’s no better way to learn a language than immersing yourself fully in the culture. However, traveling can be very expensive so seek out local cultural centers for countries like Mexico, Spain, or most South and Central American countries. If you do not have a local cultural center, establish a language club so that you can share resources with others around your community.
  5. Limit your English. Practice makes perfect and there’s no substitute for simply forcing yourself to only speak Spanish. While this may be difficult because of your location or career, develop blocks in your schedule where you only speak Spanish. As your confidence grows, continue to expand these blocks.

Tips

  • Watch Spanish TV shows. Start with subtitles, and turn them off as you learn more.
  • These methods work best when surrounding oneself with the spoken language because it creates an atmosphere in which one can intuit the logic of the second language. So basically, listen and speak as much as possible.
  • Try to get with friends who are also interested in learning Spanish to keep you motivated and communicate in full sentences.
  • Get Spanish Learning apps on your smartphone. Listen to them during your free time like when you're walking between classes, working out, or in the car.
  • The visualization process works as well as any. This is an essential step which almost everyone ignores.
  • Go to a book store and get an English to Spanish dictionary to read or study in your free time.

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.colapublib.org/languages/
  2. ↑ http://www.fluentu.com/japanese/blog/how-to-learn-kanji/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 http://fourhourworkweek.com/2014/03/21/how-to-learn-a-foreign-language-2/
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 http://www.fluentin3months.com/fluent-spanish/

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