Learning Basic Spanish

[MMoore]

Hi all.. I want to start learning some basic Spanish before I head off next May. I'm thinking of trying either Duolingo or Babbel !!!
Any thoughts on these or another online options.
I would say languages were never a strong topic in school so looking for something easy and fun!!!
Thanks in advance..

 

[TSchulen]

Duolingo is great for learning vocabulary and a few useful phrases. The lessons only take a few minutes each. I tried to do 5-10 minutes each day and thought it helped. I would supplement that with a Berlitz phrase book or Google translate. It's surprising how far you can get on just a few phrases. (¿tienes un servicio de lavandería?)

 

[Via2010]

Babbel has rather good recommendations. As far as I am informed, you can sign up on a monthly basis. So just try.

On other routes than the Camino Francés some Spanish proves useful. E. g. you sometimes have to do a phone call to get the key for the albergue or the menu is available in Spanish only.

 

[Mary Doll]

I thought Language Transfer was excellent and it’s free.
https://www.languagetransfer.org/
I also found Duolingo useful

 

[SFletcher]

I found Duolingo useful for getting familiar with some vocabulary, starting from a position of knowing no Spanish. I felt I needed something additional to get to the stage of being able to converse, but I was at least able to phone an albergue and confirm a reservation.

 

[Terri B]

I took classes for a couple of terms at Adult Education. It helped.

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

I liked language transfer a lot, at the moment I am trying Duolingo. Language transfer I liked a lot more, because it gives much more insight in how the Spanish language is build and it takes it starting point in the many similarities between the English and Spanish language. I liked it also because it is a audiocourse so I could listen to it while walking/training.

 

[Leibniz]

I’m doing Duolingo plus stuff like watching every Spanish or Latin American film on Netflix and listening to Spanish pop songs and translating the lyrics. I’m also making a list of specific Camino things I might want or need to say, and will put them on flash cards.

I got by on the Frances last year but I met a lot of Spanish peregrinos who didn’t speak any English or French so I think a bit of Spanish on my next Camino will make more connections possible.

 

[martin1ws]

I used duolingo.
There is a duolingo podcast as well:
https://podcast.duolingo.com/

I like these threads about learning Spanish:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/immersion-spanish.51893/
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/learning-easy-spanish.14029/

And this interactive video as well:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/mividaloca/ep01/

 

[t2andreo]

I use Duolingo.com every day for at least an hour. I have done so for a continuous 382 calendar days without break.

My Spanish is improving. Each time I return, I can communicate better and I have more confidence in my ability to do so.

All in all, I remain a work in progress.

 

[Theresa Brandon]

See if your local library offers access to the Mango app. It focuses on everyday conversational skills.

 

[MMoore]

I’m doing Duolingo plus stuff like watching every Spanish or Latin American film on Netflix and listening to Spanish pop songs and translating the lyrics. I’m also making a list of specific Camino things I might want or need to say, and will put them on flash cards.

I got by on the Frances last year but I met a lot of Spanish peregrinos who didn’t speak any English or French so I think a bit of Spanish on my next Camino will make more connections possible.

I like the idea of writing down a few common phrases or questions I might need to ask... Thanks for that

 

[MMoore]

Thanks so much everyone... I'm gonna give Duolingo a go.. Getting so excited about going (my first camino) but hopefully I'll have plenty of trips back to improve my Spanish..

 

[Leibniz]

Buen Camino

 

[Latecomer]

I think there were some interesting ideas in this post:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/learning-spanish-1-on-1-sydney.53241/
Especially practicing making reservations on the phone.

Also some good phrases here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...s-every-pilgrim-should-know-in-spanish.35794/

¡Buen Camino!

 

[Phil71]

I've been using duolingo for some years and mainly find it very useful and has got me to a level where I get complemented by Spanish people and can hold simple (if slow) conversations. Recently though I think it has become more focused to Mexican Spanish rather than Spanish Spanish. Just certain words that are not in common usage in Spain. Wondering if anyone else has any views on this?

 

[Morning Waters]

In preparation for my Camino Portugues next year I am trying to learn some basic Portugues and brush upon my very rusty Spanish. I have found some Meet Up groups for both languages where people meet and practice conversation together, that I will be attending after the holidays. I have also been watching spanish TV, with the subtitles on in spanish to help me get a better ear.

 

[Leibniz]

I've been using duolingo for some years and mainly find it very useful and has got me to a level where I get complemented by Spanish people and can hold simple (if slow) conversations. Recently though I think it has become more focused to Mexican Spanish rather than Spanish Spanish. Just certain words that are not in common usage in Spain. Wondering if anyone else has any views on this?

I don’t worry about this too much. I’m a native French speaker and I also speak Dutch and English, and in every one of those languages there are some occasional word variations in the different countries that share them. It’s never a problem. Think of US English vs UK English...

I’m thinking that if I unwittingly use the occasional “Mexican Spanish” word when in Spain, it is very likely that the people I’m speaking to will know exactly what I mean, as that’s my experience with French/Dutch/English.

 

[Leibniz]

MMore I forgot to say...I also listen to a great podcast called Coffee Break Español. I find it really helpful in conjunction with Duolingo.

I tried a few podcasts and this one was my favourite. You could try a few and see if you enjoy any of them. There are loads to choose from.

 

[Karl Oz]

As someone who has spent a number of years formally learning a language I can endorse the suggestions to perhaps undertake a term at an Adult Education establishment. There are often courses for 'fun' or traveller's' Spanish and are not grammar-focused. You meet people and share the experience, which makes it more enjoyable. Meet Up is also a good suggestion, although probably not for total beginners. I actually took a Spanish phrasebook with me on my first Camino stint in 2012, and never opened it. I left it in the albergue in Santiago!

Not to discourage you from apps such as Duolingo though; they have their place, although it is a solitary way to learn.

Enjoy it any way you approach it, and the reward is being able to communicate with, and partly comprehend people during your journey.

 

[t2andreo]

In preparation for my Camino Portugues next year I am trying to learn some basic Portugues and brush upon my very rusty Spanish. I have found some Meet Up groups for both languages where people meet and practice conversation together, that I will be attending after the holidays. I have also been watching spanish TV, with the subtitles on in spanish to help me get a better ear.

Try www.duolingo.com

It is free. Use it online. Plus they have a smartphone app. That is how I keep my learning going every day, even if traveling, or on Camino.

Hope this helps.

 

[John Sikora]

I’ve had pretty good luck using Fluenz for both Portuguese and Spanish. If you’re going to be in Spain for more than a week or so, it’s worth the effort.

 

[Dsavid Keyte]

I find it less of a problem,speaking Spanish, than understanding what is being said to you, this is especially true on the Frances, where you travel through the Basque country, rural Castilla León and Galicia, all with very distinctive versions of Spanish, mixed with a liberal sprinkling of local words.

 

[J Willhaus]

Hi all.. I want to start learning some basic Spanish before I head off next May. I'm thinking of trying either Duolingo or Babbel !!!
Any thoughts on these or another online options.
I would say languages were never a strong topic in school so looking for something easy and fun!!!
Thanks in advance..

I used Duo lingo everyday for about 12 months before our first Camino and do brush up lessons several times each week. I can read quite a bit now and understand quite a bit, but apparently my pronunciation is pretty bad. It would be good to have someone to talk to who can correct your spoken words.

 

[Vanozza]

Hi all.. I want to start learning some basic Spanish before I head off next May. I'm thinking of trying either Duolingo or Babbel !!!
Any thoughts on these or another online options.
I would say languages were never a strong topic in school so looking for something easy and fun!!!
Thanks in advance..

If you can afford it, I recommend finding a private tutor for the quickest progress in the shortest time.

 

[Dayle Robertson]

Hi all.. I want to start learning some basic Spanish before I head off next May. I'm thinking of trying either Duolingo or Babbel !!!
Any thoughts on these or another online options.
I would say languages were never a strong topic in school so looking for something easy and fun!!!
Thanks in advance..

I’ve been using Duolingo and am enjoying it! I too will be doing my Camino next May. Buen Camino!

 

[HelenPenfold2018]

Hi all.. I want to start learning some basic Spanish before I head off next May. I'm thinking of trying either Duolingo or Babbel !!!
Any thoughts on these or another online options.
I would say languages were never a strong topic in school so looking for something easy and fun!!!
Thanks in advance..

 

[HelenPenfold2018]

Hi,

I agree with all the suggestions. Do what works for you. Get the local people to teach you a few words each day.

On the Camino I found ‘dict ‘ on my phone to be really helpful. Easy to put on your phone. Translates words from Spanish to English or vice versa, and then gives you examples of the word in different contexts. I used it while I was walking to check signs etc along the way. It stores all the words you looked up so you can review them later. Works off line, but when you are online you can get pronunciation as well.

I really recommend it.
Buen Camino,

Helen

 

[Simon B]

Hi all.. I want to start learning some basic Spanish before I head off next May. I'm thinking of trying either Duolingo or Babbel !!!
Any thoughts on these or another online options.
I would say languages were never a strong topic in school so looking for something easy and fun!!!
Thanks in advance..

Also if you are taking a smart phone Google Translate is most helpful. You can ask what words mean and the video will translate the written word. Apologies to the purists who advocate leaving the smart phone at home.

 

[Pia Valbak Schmidt]

Hi all.. I want to start learning some basic Spanish before I head off next May. I'm thinking of trying either Duolingo or Babbel !!!
Any thoughts on these or another online options.
I would say languages were never a strong topic in school so looking for something easy and fun!!!
Thanks in advance..

I use Duolingo just about every Day. I find it is very good.

 

[gheggie]

It had been mentioned above but I like the free podcast called ‘Coffee Break Spanish’. It’s audio, the lessons are 15/20 mins long, each lesson has a topic such as ordering food in a restaurant or booking a hotel room, asking directions etc.

 

[Nomad Pack]

I practice with my wife from Valencia..... Still learn more with duolingo, hope she don't see this message haha. You know you can learn Klingon and High Valerian as well. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klingon_language

 

[jungleboy]

Duolingo is a good option for what the OP has asked for (to learn some basics).

But if I can add my two cents while I'm here, I would seriously doubt that anyone could attain fluency or even a decent intermediate level using Duolingo as their sole or primary form of study. Firstly, at a certain point you need to start speaking in the language - a lot - to get to where you're trying to get to. Secondly, Duolingo is mostly based on translation from your native language to your target one and vice versa, and anyone who has learned a language to a high level will tell you that the magic starts precisely when you stop translating.

For the input side of Spanish learning, the Notes in Spanish podcasts are great. There are three levels (Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced) and the audio is free, with worksheets available to purchase.

 

[Anik2001]

My Spanish teacher recommended a series of show in Spanish called “Destinos”. You can find it on “learner.org”. It’s old but well built, especially for people learning the language. It’s good for vocabulary and getting used to hear Spanish.

 

[gerardcarey]

I would also recommend "COFFEE BREAK SPANISH."
I used it for the basics.
Once a day for 15 minutes, first to review and practice yesterday's lesson, then proceed to today's lesson.
Quite fun.
Gerard

 

[Pelegrin]

I find it less of a problem,speaking Spanish, than understanding what is being said to you, this is especially true on the Frances, where you travel through the Basque country, rural Castilla León and Galicia, all with very distinctive versions of Spanish, mixed with a liberal sprinkling of local words.

Understanding the local people is always difficult in any language because they speak much faster than in classroom.
The Spanish on the Frances in Castilla León is the closest to the normative one, because it was born in the Burgos/La Rioja area.
Finding a local Basque speaker in Navarra is very difficult (I didn´t find anyone). and they speak a good Spanish but with some accent.
The people in Galicia speak a quite good Spanish but with accent. Most of them also speak Galician which is a different language.

 

[jungleboy]

I find it less of a problem,speaking Spanish, than understanding what is being said to you, this is especially true on the Frances, where you travel through the Basque country, rural Castilla León and Galicia, all with very distinctive versions of Spanish, mixed with a liberal sprinkling of local words.

That's why listening practice is so important (and yet so often neglected) in language learning. If you can't understand what's being said to you, then it doesn't really matter whether you can say what you want to say or not. I wrote about this in more detail once (article here); the basic gist of it is that listening is the most important language skill and that extensive listening practice is crucial in successful language learning.

 

[trecile]

My Spanish teacher recommended a series of show in Spanish called “Destinos”. You can find it on “learner.org”. It’s old but well built, especially for people learning the language. It’s good for vocabulary and getting used to hear Spanish.

And it's fun to laugh at the early 90s fashion.

 

[JFG]

Hi all.. I want to start learning some basic Spanish before I head off next May. I'm thinking of trying either Duolingo or Babbel !!!
Any thoughts on these or another online options.
I would say languages were never a strong topic in school so looking for something easy and fun!!!
Thanks in advance..

Also consider the podcast “Coffee Break Spanish”. It is a language professor and augments Duolingo and Rosetta Stone.

 

[trecile]

After you have the basics down, and want to increase your understanding, I recommend Unlimited Spanish podcasts. You can also buy courses from the website, but I find the free podcasts very good. https://www.unlimitedspanish.com/podcasts/

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

My Spanish teacher recommended a series of show in Spanish called “Destinos”. You can find it on “learner.org”. It’s old but well built, especially for people learning the language. It’s good for vocabulary and getting used to hear Spanish.

I've tried to watch this show a number of times over the years but it drives me nuts. I find it so boring. It seems like half the time nothing at all is being said. I did like the similar program for learning French.

 

[tpmchugh]

Hi all.. I want to start learning some basic Spanish before I head off next May. I'm thinking of trying either Duolingo or Babbel !!!
Any thoughts on these or another online options.
I would say languages were never a strong topic in school so looking for something easy and fun!!!
Thanks in advance..

Have used Duolingo and found it very good and a self teaching book and cd my kids got me for Christmas. Best lessons though were listening and learning on the camino

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Be aware that there are a few differences in the Spanish spoken in Spain and that in Latin America. Briefly: https://blog.esl-languages.com/blog...erences-latin-american-spanish-spanish-spain/

 

[LeeNLR]

Hi all.. I want to start learning some basic Spanish before I head off next May. I'm thinking of trying either Duolingo or Babbel !!!
Any thoughts on these or another online options.
I would say languages were never a strong topic in school so looking for something easy and fun!!!
Thanks in advance..

 

[LeeNLR]

I found Duolingo really helpful for the basics and it is easy and fun. Buen Camino

 

[RuediG]

The quality of Duolingo varies widely, depending on the language. (For example, Chinese is excellent, Vietnamese hopeless, Italian random...) I have not looked into Spanish, but my experience has been with Italian. Basically you get lots of random phrases and it will be difficult to put those together or use them in a normal conversation. (How often will you need the phrase, "The snake is not eating my apple"?!)

By contrast, Babbel starts out right away in a conversational context, along the lines of "My name is... What is your name? Where is the train station?" Overall, I'd recommend Babbel as a much better path to practical fluency. The drawback is that Babbel is not free (except for a very brief try-out.) And again, this is my experience for Italian...

 

[trecile]

Be aware that there are a few differences in the Spanish spoken in Spain and that in Latin America. Briefly: https://blog.esl-languages.com/blog...erences-latin-american-spanish-spanish-spain/

The Unlimited Spanish podcast that I mentioned above is done by a Spaniard.

 

[John Crawford Howell]

Duolingo is a good option for what the OP has asked for (to learn some basics).

But if I can add my two cents while I'm here, I would seriously doubt that anyone could attain fluency or even a decent intermediate level using Duolingo as their sole or primary form of study. Firstly, at a certain point you need to start speaking in the language - a lot - to get to where you're trying to get to. Secondly, Duolingo is mostly based on translation from your native language to your target one and vice versa, and anyone who has learned a language to a high level will tell you that the magic starts precisely when you stop translating.

For the input side of Spanish learning, the Notes in Spanish podcasts are great. There are three levels (Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced) and the audio is free, with worksheets available to purchase.

You strike the correct note, jungle boy Nick. It's why, in diplomatic circles, interpreters are far more valuable than translators.

 

[TMcA]

I have had a lot of language instruction - French, Thai, Haitian Creole, Italian, Japanese, and most recently Spanish. The best learning tool, IMHO, is the classroom experience because it forces the learner to go for a series of lessons and to do homework and to listen to the foreign language spoken by the instructor. Here are some more thoughts on learning at home either as a stand alone method or as a supplement to a class...

I am a staunch believer in what used to be called the aural/oral method of language instruction. I have tried Rosetta Stone (for Vietnamese) and Mango (for Spanish). Neither worked for me nearly as well as the Pimsleur series of recorded lessons which I have used for beginning Spanish and intermediate French. I also learned Thai using this method in the mid 1960s but that was before Pimsleur. I later studied French in Paris in a school where we never learned grammar and never used a textbook. Yes, heretical in the eyes of most of the French teachers I have since encountered. That French school used the oral/aural method but added in-class slideshows which showed the people in the activity that was the subject of the dialogue.

The aural/oral approach is used in Pimsleur tapes or CDs, available in the US from most libraries or via interlibrary loan. You listen to a dialogue which is eventually broken down into phrases which are timed to allow the listener to repeat them. Vocabulary is not learned separately; it is embedded into everyday conversational phrases. You listen carefully and you repeat. Then you make substitutions of the subject or verb all while repeating the complete grammatically correct structure.

The greatest benefit of the Pimsleur method is that it facilitates fluency because the learner is always speaking phrases, not single words. And it forces the learner to listen carefully to pronunciation - instead of seeing a word or phrase and imagining how it is pronounced.

Because there is no visual content with the Pimsleur method, it is convenient to use while commuting. The lessons incorporate the typical scenarios of most language learning programming: introductions, ordering at a restaurant, asking for directions, etc.

 

[RuediG]

One more thought: Whatever method you choose, hold it lightly. Nobody says you have to do Duolingo, or Babbel, or...., or..., or.... for the rest of your life. Different programs and approaches will serve you best at different stages of your life and language learning. My personal recommendation: do something you can do on your smartphone. Get an app. Get Duolingo, do it regularly for a month - if you like it and think it will give you what you need in a way that you can enjoy, keep doing it. If not, drop it, and do Babbel for a month.

 

[t2andreo]

Understanding the local people is always difficult in any language because they speak much faster than in classroom.
The Spanish on the Frances in Castilla León is the closest to the normative one, because it was born in the Burgos/La Rioja area.
Finding a local Basque speaker in Navarra is very difficult (I didn´t find anyone). and they speak a good Spanish but with some accent.
The people in Galicia speak a quite good Spanish but with accent. Most of them also speak Galician which is a different language.

That is why one of the first phrases I learned was "habla mas despacio por favor..." I continue to use Duolingo with affect daily. It has become part of my daily ritual.

It actually works. I can then apologize in Spanish for my poor Spanish and try to continue with the conversation. That way, the Spanish person can see that I am trying and, hopefully, try to help me communicate better. That is how IMHO one learns... Just dive in.

Of course, living in South Florida the opportunity exists daily for me to exchange pleasantries and make light conversation with employees where I shop or service providers. Everything helps. Usually, when the realize I can speak Spanish...they are off to the races... Then I have to say "Whoa caballero (or caballera)...habla mas despacio por favor..." It usually works.

Hope this helps.

 

[ginniek]

I don’t worry about this too much. I’m a native French speaker and I also speak Dutch and English, and in every one of those languages there are some occasional word variations in the different countries that share them. It’s never a problem. Think of US English vs UK English...

I’m thinking that if I unwittingly use the occasional “Mexican Spanish” word when in Spain, it is very likely that the people I’m speaking to will know exactly what I mean, as that’s my experience with French/Dutch/English.

Spaniards are amused by my Spanish. They compliment me on the fact that I speak it pretty well, but they find it really amusing that I'm American, but speak with a Mexican accent. Coincidentally (??) I'm at the Atlanta airport right now, waiting to fly to Merida, Mexico (not Spain, alas). Feliz Navidad you all.

 

[Pelegrin]

That is why one of the first phrases I learned was "habla mas despacio por favor..." I continue to use Duolingo with affect daily. It has become part of my daily ritual.

It actually works. I can then apologize in Spanish for my poor Spanish and try to continue with the conversation. That way, the Spanish person can see that I am trying and, hopefully, try to help me communicate better. That is how IMHO one learns... Just dive in.

Of course, living in South Florida the opportunity exists daily for me to exchange pleasantries and make light conversation with employees where I shop or service providers. Everything helps. Usually, when the realize I can speak Spanish...they are off to the races... Then I have to say "Whoa caballero (or caballera)...habla mas despacio por favor..." It usually works.

Hope this helps.

Yes, the phrase is "Habla mas despacio por favor".
This phrase with Caballero is: " Caballero hable mas despacio por favor" because is formal (Usted treatment).
Don´t say "Caballera". Nobody says that, sounds funny. Better say Señora or Señorita.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

This phrase with Caballero is: " Caballero hable mas despacio por favor" because is formal (Usted treatment).

Please follow up by saying whether it is generally okay to use the informal. Maybe if you are in the gray hair age? I'm used to (like other employees) calling CEOs of Fortune 500 companies by their first names. Oh, yeah, once I greeted an officer with a "Hi Admiral" (though I was in civilian clothes.)

 

[jsalt]

Hi all.. I want to start learning some basic Spanish before I head off next May.

Hi, it doesn’t matter how much Spanish you learn before you get there, there will be lots of items on the menu that are a complete mystery. So I downloaded “Buen Provecho” by Robert West onto my Kindle app on my smartphone. It’s simple but brilliant and has most things that you find on menus but are not in the dictionary.
Jill

 

[Robo]

I've tried to watch this show a number of times over the years but it drives me nuts. I find it so boring. It seems like half the time nothing at all is being said. I did like the similar program for learning French.

This one is much more entertaining, and the vocabulary is not difficult

 

[Pelegrin]

Please follow up by saying whether it is generally okay to use the informal. Maybe if you are in the gray hair age? I'm used to (like other employees) calling CEOs of Fortune 500 companies by their first names. Oh, yeah, once I greeted an officer with a "Hi Admiral" (though I was in civilian clothes.)

A phrase including 'Caballero' is necessarily formal in Spanish. But you can say only 'Habla despacio por favor' that is informal but is ok.

 

[GinaMarie]

Hi all.. I want to start learning some basic Spanish before I head off next May. I'm thinking of trying either Duolingo or Babbel !!!
Any thoughts on these or another online options.

I have found the ed2go courses (https://www.ed2go.com/search?term=spanish) to be really good. Try the Speed Spanish level 1. It's online, fairly short, & inexpensive & I found ALL the spanish to be really practical & useful. The course instructor has a great sense of humour & the material is well organized. Although the focus is on Latin American Spanish, I found it just fine for surviving on the Camino.

 

[trecile]

A phrase including 'Caballero' is necessarily formal in Spanish. But you can say only 'Habla despacio por favor' that is informal but is ok.

Probably even easier would be a simple "más despacio por favor"

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

I did try to find my post from last year about learning Spanish. The problem with the Search engine on here is that every response to this recent question is found in the list first so there is a lot to dig through.

Duolingo is my first "go to." As a side note, there are apparently more people learning Irish Gaelic on Duolingo than the population of Ireland.

Second, and more important is this fellow's complete, "Spanish for Pilgrims." There are 6 or 7 videos. What I did was to take note of key phrases in my little notebook. But the younger set will put these notes on their cellphone notebook. Here is the link to the first lesson;

Finally, even attempting to use the native language, you will receive great respect for trying.