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Wow trecile, just googled Baselang and it looks really interesting. According to the website after 4 months, 1 hr a day you should have a base conversational ability. Where would you say you are at? I think I will stick to duelingo for now and maybe join Baselang a few months before our - hopefully - Dec 22 Camino.I've been using a company called Baselang for the last 6 months or so. For a flat monthly fee I can take as many one on one Zoom classes daily that I want. I try to do at least one hour a day.
Thanks Gumba, I have now installed Duolingo and it looks like a good supplement to the book work which can be a bit dry.Wow trecile, just googled Baselang and it looks really interesting. According to the website after 4 months, 1 hr a day you should have a base conversational ability. Where would you say you are at? I think I will stick to duelingo for now and maybe join Baselang a few months before our - hopefully - Dec 22 Camino.
JEsler, the course - and experience - sounds really interesting. Check out Duolingo too, I am unfamiliar with the others mentioned above. I walked with my family April 2018 - lots of snow! Be prepared for the cold weather! Am a fellow Aussie in Vic - were are you?
Wow trecile, just googled Baselang and it looks really interesting. According to the website after 4 months, 1 hr a day you should have a base conversational ability
I didn't start at the beginner level, so I'm afraid that I can't answer your questions.@trecile , I take it (since you are recommending it) that Baselang lives up to its guarantees of being able to hold a conversation in 4 months?
I've been working through that too! Just know that it doesn't cover vosotros. All of my spanish classes have been Latin American (emphasis Mexican) Spanish so while I know vaguely about vosotros, I'm not sure when to use it and why. So much to learn!Thanks for the very helpful info vjpdx. I am using “Easy Spanish: Step-by-Step” by Barbara Bregstein.
Wow, I'd heard of Baselang but hadn't actually looked at it. Thank you, Trecile!I've been using a company called Baselang for the last 6 months or so. For a flat monthly fee I can take as many one on one Zoom classes daily that I want. I try to do at least one hour a day.
I'm really just starting my Spanish study, but why does eliminating the "vosotros" conjugations make it "so much easier"? I'm focusing on old world Spanish.I am reasonably fluent and I understand vosotros conjugations and pronouns, but I never used them in two lengthy visits to Spain and it didn’t seem to matter. You’ll make much more rapid progress as a beginner if you study the New World dialect that doesn’t use vosotros. I had to study those forms when I was at university and I hated them. When I started studying Spanish again years later and the class didn’t include them, it was so refreshing and so much easier. That’s probably why I was so resistant to using them when I was in Spain. I was scarred! Lol! Anyhow, based on my experience, you can just pretend they don’t exist and go about your business as a peregrino and tourist and you’ll be fine. If you decide you want to move to Spain, then you’ll have to learn them.
Lots of great suggestions.... I'm also learning Spanish. Book, Rosetta Stone, Duolingo have been my mainstays. Oh, and Destinos.I’m using some lockdown time to do some beginner level book based Spanish study before a planned April ‘22 start in StJPdP.
I also reading a book where the author spent a week at the Pamplona Learning Spanish Institute while boarding with a Spanish only speaking family before continuing along the way. Total immersion sounds interesting.
Does anyone have any experience or comments, positive or otherwise.
Find the Spanish language TV channel on your TV. Watch 30 minutes a day. News or sports program. WARNING, do not watch the soap operas. They are addicting. You will get bits and pieces but most important the rhythm. In the car, when alone, listen to english talk radio. Try to respond emotionally in Spanish. Gaps in vocabulary will become apparent.I’m using some lockdown time to do some beginner level book based Spanish study before a planned April ‘22 start in StJPdP.
I also reading a book where the author spent a week at the Pamplona Learning Spanish Institute while boarding with a Spanish only speaking family before continuing along the way. Total immersion sounds interesting.
Does anyone have any experience or comments, positive or otherwise.
the free APP Duolingo is an excellent way to get the grammar and pronunciation down pat.I’m using some lockdown time to do some beginner level book based Spanish study before a planned April ‘22 start in StJPdP.
I also reading a book where the author spent a week at the Pamplona Learning Spanish Institute while boarding with a Spanish only speaking family before continuing along the way. Total immersion sounds interesting.
Does anyone have any experience or comments, positive or otherwise.
The free APP called Duolingo is excellent to get the grammar and pronunciation down pat. Been using daily for years.I’m using some lockdown time to do some beginner level book based Spanish study before a planned April ‘22 start in StJPdP.
I also reading a book where the author spent a week at the Pamplona Learning Spanish Institute while boarding with a Spanish only speaking family before continuing along the way. Total immersion sounds interesting.
Does anyone have any experience or comments, positive or otherwise.
Well, for starters, you eliminate at least 1/6 of the verb endings you need to memorize. And those are the most complex endings. If you eliminate the "tu" form as well (which I don't recommend) you cut out another 1/6 and can still use Spanish perfectly correctly.why does eliminating the "vosotros" conjugations make it "so much easier"?
I agree with @Esperanza . I learned Spanish many many years ago in Latin America, in my 20s. The "vosotros" form was simply not used, so I put it out of my mind.I wouldn’t worry too much about learning New World Spanish to use in Spain. Vocabulary differences can cause some confusion, but that’s pretty easy to rectify... I am reasonably fluent and I understand vosotros conjugations and pronouns, but I never used them in two lengthy visits to Spain and it didn’t seem to matter.
I'm really just starting my Spanish study, but why does eliminating the "vosotros" conjugations make it "so much easier"? I'm focusing on old world Spanish.
Just my 2 cents....I am a Canadian who can speak English...French....some German ( Military service in Germany ) Italian and Swahili ( My Dad's postings in Italy and Kenya....Diplomatic service ) and I too wanted to learn Spanish...got the books and tapes and I flopped on the streets...the Spaniards speak so fast and they have some dialectics that only a brilliant ear can understand ..i.e.. ( Barcelona ). This is not meant to be rude..but man do they ever speak so fast....I applaud your efforts....carry on.I’m using some lockdown time to do some beginner level book based Spanish study before a planned April ‘22 start in StJPdP.
I also reading a book where the author spent a week at the Pamplona Learning Spanish Institute while boarding with a Spanish only speaking family before continuing along the way. Total immersion sounds interesting.
Does anyone have any experience or comments, positive or otherwise.
Minor detail, but this is the name for the squiggle on ñ. The stress accent likely has another name but I just say "accent".tilde
I flop on the streets a lot, even though my standard Spanish is pretty good. Don't let that stop you. Maybe you were over confident because of your other languages!I flopped on the streets
I have heard Spanish teachers say tilde. It's confusing to me!Minor detail, but this is the name for the squiggle on ñ. The stress accent likely has another name but I just say "accent".
I flop on the streets a lot, even though my standard Spanish is pretty good. Don't let that stop you. Maybe you were over confident because of your other languages!
@trecile, thanks so much for posting the information about Baselang! I had never heard of it before and it looks very interesting. The chance to make a last minute decision of "Oh, I have a half-hour free. I think I'll try a conversation in Spanish," is quite tempting. Do you find that the teachers are agreeable to you using Castilian pronunciation (ce, ci, z, etc) in your conversations with them even though they are using Latin-American Spanish pronunciation?Yes, the teachers are based in South America, so the accent is different, and there is no vosotros, but the basics are the same.
In Spanish they use “tilde” for both the little wiggle over the /n/ and accent marks. In English we only use it for the little wiggle, and we call accent marks accent marks.I have heard Spanish teachers say tilde. It's confusing to me!
I’ve found that over time, they start to slow down.This is not meant to be rude..but man do they ever speak so fast....I applaud your efforts....carry on.
@trecile, thanks so much for posting the information about Baselang! I had never heard of it before and it looks very interesting. The chance to make a last minute decision of "Oh, I have a half-hour free. I think I'll try a conversation in Spanish," is quite tempting. Do you find that the teachers are agreeable to you using Castilian pronunciation (ce, ci, z, etc) in your conversations with them even though they are using Latin-American Spanish pronunciation?
The only online tool that I have found, at the right level, is this one. I had an Audible subscription at the time, but you can get it as a free trial - there are 17 hours of advanced drills. On that link you can listen to an excerpt. I hate the name of the program, I can't make sense of their website, and cannot recommend whether the beginner-intermediate program is any good. But those 17 hours of advanced drills available on audible.com have been excellent use of walking time."If they were planning to leave tomorrow, would they have already packed their bags?"
Imperfect subjunctive in the first clause and conditional perfect in the second clause. My Spanish isn’t too shabby, but I had to sit down and have a good old think about that sentence.
I think if you could form that sentence in real-time you would have a strong claim to fluency.
The link just takes me to the Audible site - not to a particular title.The only online tool that I have found, at the right level, is this one.
Try searching on Audible for some of the following words:The link just takes me to the Audible site - not to a particular title.
I've watched several of her videos, y ¡me encanta! I love the topics that she discusses, and best of all I can understand casi todo sin subtítulos!Linguriosa is Spain spanish)
I’m using some lockdown time to do some beginner level book based Spanish study before a planned April ‘22 start in StJPdP.
I also reading a book where the author spent a week at the Pamplona Learning Spanish Institute while boarding with a Spanish only speaking family before continuing along the way. Total immersion sounds interesting.
Does anyone have any experience or comments, positive or otherwise.
I watched a couple of her videos this morning, and I was mesmerized with her tongue while she spoke. Her tongue operates completely differently than English speakers (IMHO). I find myself getting tongue tied sometimes during class and almost need to pause, and take a sip of coffee before starting again. I think it is muscle memory in my tongue fighting resisting the Spanish pronunciation.Linguriosa is Spain spanish
Are/is this it, C clearly?Try searching on Audible for some of the following words:
Learn Advanced Spanish Bundle: Includes Both New Version & Original Version of Learning Spanish Like Crazy Level Three
After I posted about Linguriosa, I think she might be Argentinian? Oh, accents, I don't have a clue.I've watched several of her videos, y ¡me encanta! I love the topics that she discusses, and best of all I can understand casi todo sin subtítulos!
I believe that she is Spanish. She does talk about accents in different countries and regions of Spain. To me, Argentinian accent is particularly difficult because they use a sh sound in words with double L and Y. So Yo becomes sho, calle is cah-shay, etc.After I posted about Linguriosa, I think she might be Argentinian? Oh, accents, I don't have a clue.
I took advantage of the free credit, and then also (of course) forgot to cancel within a month, so I got some additional credits. I feel I got my money's worth with the Advanced Spanish drills, plus the excellent History of Spain: Land on a Crossroad.These might make an audible/amazon membership worthwhile...
After I posted about Linguriosa, I think she might be Argentinian? Oh, accents, I don't have a clue.
The word for accent is tilde... Confusingly i first taught that ñ was called "n tilde" but i don't think that is how it is called en españolI have heard Spanish teachers say tilde. It's confusing to me!
I studied Spanish in high school and university here in the US 40 years ago. Vosotros was never used. I am teaching myself the conjugations now as I hear it used frequently when we are in Spain. I wish now that I had been taught those conjugations so long ago. Espanol con Juan is a good resource if you want to learn them. We have also recently purchased a course from Great Courses on DVD. Latin American spanish, very clear and understandable. They frequently have sales with free shipping.It’s easier because for every verb in every tense, you only have to learn five conjunctions instead of six. That is significant. Also, pronouns are a difficult area for most learners of Spanish, and vosotros adds a sixth form there as well, making an already challenging area even harder. In the nominative case, it has to agree by gender, so that’s just one more detail that can trip you up. In the possessive case, instead of four ways to say “your” you have six. It all adds up.
I see that you’re based in the US. You’re going to have a much broader selection on learning materials if you are willing to use New World Spanish because outside of very academic programs at universities, Castilian Spanish isn’t bothered with much in this country anymore. Mine did it because: 1. It was a long time ago, 2. They were preparing us to read Spanish literature, not to talk to people, and 3. Just to torture us, I think. It was a euro-centric bias, and certainly not focused on the communicative needs of the students. Since then, I have taken Spanish classes at two other universities in the US, and neither taught Castilian Spanish. Of course, it depends on your language learning goals, but there are some very practical advantages to studying New World Spanish.
Edited to add: And what C clearly said!
I studied Spanish in high school and university here in the US 40 years ago. Vosotros was never used. I am teaching myself the conjugations now as I hear it used frequently when we are in Spain. I wish now that I had been taught those conjugations so long ago. Espanol con Juan is a good resource if you want to learn them. We have also recently purchased a course from Great Courses on DVD. Latin American spanish, very clear and understandable. They frequently have sales with free shipping.
This is the link that I meant to post. Sigh. Sorry.Are/is this it, C clearly?
These might make an audible/amazon membership worthwhile...
As with my post, your link just goes to the Audible site. What I recommended was the audio book called "Learn Advanced Spanish Bundle..." by Patrick Jackson.This is the link that I meant to post. Sigh. Sorry.
Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced Spanish by Peter Jackson
If you are in the US or Canada and have a public or university library card, you may have access to Kanopy, which is a library-based streaming service. They have the Great Courses' Learning Spanish, and the History of Spain. It's totally worthwhile to see if your library offers this. (Kanopy also has a great selection of documentaries and foreign films, including three CdS docs)We have also recently purchased a course from Great Courses on DVD. Latin American spanish, very clear and understandable. They frequently have sales with free shipping.
This is a great service which my library also has!If you are in the US or Canada and have a public or university library card, you may have access to Kanopy, which is a library-based streaming service.
Another thing that I like about Language Transfer is the very calm and reassuring voice of the teacher. I like listening to it when I'm stressed.I liked language transfer very much, because it builds on things you already know and does empathize understanding a language instead of memorising. The form, a " dialogue between teacher and non Spanish speaker was also satisfying because it follows your own thinking proces. I liked to listen to the course on my headphones while training for the Camino, so I could combine two preparations. Being Dutch this course still worked well for me.
The only other course mentioned in this thread that I know is Duolingo, but that I did not like. Like someone else wrote "after 30 lessons I was till counting to three"
I also forget to mention that it is free, so you can easily try itAnother thing that I like about Language Transfer is the very calm and reassuring voice of the teacher. I like listening to it when I'm stressed.
I am in Australia but the public libraries have very similar services here so I will check it out. I asked a simple question and have got back so much info. Language Transfer sounds very interesting.If you are in the US or Canada and have a public or university library card, you may have access to Kanopy, which is a library-based streaming service. They have the Great Courses' Learning Spanish, and the History of Spain. It's totally worthwhile to see if your library offers this. (Kanopy also has a great selection of documentaries and foreign films, including three CdS docs)
This is the link to my library's Kanopy subscription -
https://multcolib.kanopy.com/s?query="great courses" "learning spanish"
The stress accent is called "tilde" too.Minor detail, but this is the name for the squiggle on ñ. The stress accent likely has another name but I just say "accent".
Yes, thanks, I have learned that now.The stress accent is called "tilde" too.
The stress accent is called "tilde" too.
That is how the idea came about. When my 6 yr old grandson comes to stay he loves interacting with the Google Assistant on a Nest in our lounge that also controls our lights and a couple of other electrical devices.@Doughnut NZ my dad use to have ongoing arguments with Alexa ... calling her names etc, but her mood never seemed to change. That would irritate him even more. It would be interesting to switch her into Spanish, and learn some street slang.
Doughnut,Another resource that can be quite fun and which will allow you to speak and hear Spanish is to ask Siri and/or the Google Assistant to talk to you in Spanish.
In my case I also have several Google Nest speakers scattered around the house (Amazon also has these types of devices) and I switch them into and out of Spanish so that I don't mess with my phone too much.
When I am engaged with a more formal Spanish language lesson (I use Duolingo) and I need a bit of helpthen it is easy for me to talk to Google and ask for a phrase to be translated.
As a former language teacher, I would say the FREE (demo) version of Rosetta Stone is not bad for learning Spanish words but it's not enough to learn to actually communicate. And the full version isn't worth paying for. Even the demo sucks for some languages (Japanese).I’m using some lockdown time to do some beginner level book based Spanish study before a planned April ‘22 start in StJPdP.
I also reading a book where the author spent a week at the Pamplona Learning Spanish Institute while boarding with a Spanish only speaking family before continuing along the way. Total immersion sounds interesting.
Does anyone have any experience or comments, positive or otherwise.
I agree with that point - both grammar and exposure are needed. Too often I hear people disparaging their school language experience with the idea that somehow those grammar classes are useless. They aren't useless - they are just incomplete.grammar... it probably would have taken much longer if I hadn't had that foundation.
I have a slightly different perspective on the duration of immersion. I have attended language schools several times in an immersion context, and found that only a single week was enough to yield a significant improvement in my skills. In fact, I confess I was delighted! I would recommend it to anyone.Good for you for wanting to learn Spanish. Even a little can come in handy and so many peregrinos don’t bother to even try.
I learned Spanish in many ways, in many places, and over many years. In addition to self-study and various classes in the US, I have attended overseas language schools a number of times - in Guatemala x2, Puerto Rico, and in Mexico in Guanajuato x2, Pueblo, and Querétaro, as well as shorter lessons in a couple of other places in Mexico. (I’m a slow learner, lol!) Sometimes I did homestays and sometimes I stayed in shared Airbnb situations with a mix of English and Spanish spoken. One hundred percent immersion is best, but it is difficult especially for lower level students.
I usually stayed for 3-4 weeks, and in my experience and from observing others at the various language schools, a one week stay isn’t really long enough to have much effect. Your mileage may vary. A month-long stay really makes a difference, but it is exhausting. I strongly preferred one-on-one instruction because I had a huge mix of prior experience with learning and using the language, and I didn’t fit into pre-established classes.
I wouldn’t worry too much about learning New World Spanish to use in Spain. Vocabulary differences can cause some confusion, but that’s pretty easy to rectify. You would have to be pretty advanced for either accent or grammar differences to be much of an issue. I am reasonably fluent and I understand vosotros conjugations and pronouns, but I never used them in two lengthy visits to Spain and it didn’t seem to matter. You’ll make much more rapid progress as a beginner if you study the New World dialect that doesn’t use vosotros. I had to study those forms when I was at university and I hated them. When I started studying Spanish again years later and the class didn’t include them, it was so refreshing and so much easier. That’s probably why I was so resistant to using them when I was in Spain. I was scarred! Lol! Anyhow, based on my experience, you can just pretend they don’t exist and go about your business as a peregrino and tourist and you’ll be fine. If you decide you want to move to Spain, then you’ll have to learn them.
I have a slightly different perspective on the duration of immersion. I have attended language schools several times in an immersion context, and found that only a single week was enough to yield a significant improvement in my skills. In fact, I confess I was delighted! I would recommend it to anyone.
Of course, as you hint, everyone is different.
Guatemala has quite a little industry of language schools of all sorts, often catering to the long-term backpacking crowd heading for months of travel in South America, and is cheaper still. I’d say about 50% less than Mexico,
Oh my goodness!! This I never knew about. I just listened to the first 10 or so lessons and it really is fantastic.Language Transfer is a wonderful free course for those starting out or more advanced students.
The focus is on learning how the language works.
Lots of interesting features there. Thanks!For those interested in simultaneous dual-language subtitles for Netflix and YouTube, the browser extension formerly titled LLN (Learning Language with Netflix) is now called Language Reactor. It is still under development and doesn't work on every video, but I've found it useful. It currently only works on Chrome.
I'm glad you like it.Lots of interesting features there. Thanks!
Thanks, that was a fun video. Now I see why I am so learning challenged!!Also, you might enjoy this video: Qué difícil es hablar el español
I forwarded this on to my cousin who speaks Spanish fluently. He lived in Panama and he and his wife have traveled South and Central America and can attest to the accuracy of this little song.Thanks, that was a fun video. Now I see why I am so learning challenged!!
I can’t help it: in English we call them “diacritic” marks.In Spanish they use “tilde” for both the little wiggle over the /n/ and accent marks. In English we only use it for the little wiggle, and we call accent marks accent marks.
I’m using some lockdown time to do some beginner level book based Spanish study...
Does anyone have any experience or comments, positive or otherwise.
I noticed the DW videos were fairly easy to understand.I just ran across another YouTube channel that works well with Language Reactor (providing subtitles in two languages with ability to slow down the speed of the dialogue). Lots of interesting short documentaries and news stories in Spanish.
Deutsche Welle does everything well. If you need to learn or brush up on German, they are fantastic.I just ran across another YouTube channel that works well with Language Reactor (providing subtitles in two languages with ability to slow down the speed of the dialogue). Lots of interesting short documentaries and news stories in Spanish.
Oh! Here's something interesting.
Trece, a free-to-TV Catholic channel, has a series called Diario de un Peregrino. 34 episodes/etapas, each 26 & a half minutes or less. The reporter interviews many people - pilgrims, hospitaleros, business owners - all of whom speak Spanish. The presenter, Javier Escartín, speaks clearly, and if I slow it down, is pretty understandable. That said, it's a Catholic channel and this might be very Catholic but I haven't noticed it.
I have, like Pilgrim9, been firehosing, me with Spanish Camino videos. I especially like the packing lists. Did you know one name for zip-off pants is pantalones gringos? I love that.
I just watched the first episode and it is lovely! I especially liked the two Spanish friends who hadn't seen each other due to Covid restrictions but were now able to walk together. The programs are very recent - August of this year. Thanks for posting this.Trece, a free-to-TV Catholic channel, has a series called Diario de un Peregrino. 34 episodes/etapas, each 26 & a half minutes or less.
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