Does anyone have suggestions toward making learning a foreign language easier?

Question

I am trying to learn spanish and get tongue tied .

Answer 1

Take a holiday in a Spanish speaking country... Try to go where people are not too busy and they willl be more helpful. When you hear the sounds and have to speak the language you will soon forget to be tongue tied.

Once you begin speaking learning the language will be easier.

Answer 2

You will be more motivated if you are learning about and speaking about things that interest you. Perhaps there is a local community organization you can participate in that has some Spanish speakers. Or you can watch programs on Spanish-language television that interest you. Or choose reading material that is on topics that are already very familiar. It was so exciting for me when I started learning things through Spanish that I didn't know how to talk about in English.

It sounds like you are particularly worried about speaking Spanish. In my experience, Spanish speakers are very tolerant of people who don't speak perfect Spanish, and will generally be very patient to make conversation with you. When I was in Mexico City, as soon as people found out that I could speak Spanish well enough to follow the conversation, it seemed like they asked me my opinion about everything!

By the way, subtitles probably won't help much. It's much better for you to try to get the meaning out of the Spanish movie, even if you don't understand it better. If you see English subtitles, your brain doesn't have to pay attention to the Spanish at all. Likewise, if you're listening to the movie in English, why does your brain have to read the Spanish? If you can't tolerate listening to a movie without understanding much of it, maybe watch it with the English subtitles once first and then without.

Answer 3

German is a b***h of a language. There are part a dozen methods of claiming "the" and an identical quantity of methods of constructing a plural! I talk German and French and no longer Spanish, however I've heard that Spanish is the simplest. German is absolutely the toughest. You do not even want so much German in case you plan to journey in Germany, Austria or Switzerland on the grounds that inn and eating place men and women more often than not have a elementary seize of English, as do so much informed more youthful men and women. However German is valuable as a lingua franca (normal language) in japanese Europe. Also, if you already know German it is particularly handy to make out the gist of the opposite Germanic languages, i.e. the Scandinavian languages and Dutch. French will deliver you entry to a richer and extra fascinating literature than Spanish will. It can be extra valuable in case you move to Africa, on the grounds that a few of the nations are former French colonies wherein the men and women talk French. On the opposite hand, Spanish might be far more valuable in Latin America or even ingredients of the US. It relies on what you wish.

Answer 4

Try to make as many spanish friends as possible. You will enjoy learning the language much more (and it will be easier) if you have someone you want to share things with. Reading is a good way too, but it should be almost non-stop. Reading will make your language fluent. Watching films...well, i presume it all sounds pretty classical, but belive me, it works. Oh yes, spending time in Spain will definitly help you.

Answer 5

Turn on the Spanish subtitles on English speaking movies or English St on Spanish movies. Also watch movies you're really familiar with (like Sleeping Beauty etc.)in Spanish.

Immersion is best though, that way you've got the right dialect.

Answer 6

IMMERSION.
USE IT, don't just study it.
Listen to Spanish Music, Sing Spanish Music, Eat Spanish Food, Learn a Latin Dance, Watch a Telenovia, label things in your office with their spanish name...don't forget the feminine or masculine articles!!! Write silly poems in Spanish. Play "Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes" in Spanish. Make study sheets for around the house of colors, numbers, directions, places. Make a map of your house in Spanish. Do dialogues with a friend (Como estas). One of those hypnotic audio tapes couldn't hurt.

And check out Concordia Language Villages where I used to work and where I learned French fluently, Spanish and German enought to get by, and key phases in Norwegian, Swedish, Chinese (Dong bu dong?) and even a bit of Arabic.

Bueno Suerte!

You can actually get by in any country with about 20 key phrases like "Where is the bath room?" "Please" and "Thanks for the Food". Native speakers will be touched. And work on pronounciation and learn the BIG "faux pas". For example, in French, "Preservativs" are not food preservatives (Conservateur).
and the French don't know why americans put so many condoms in their food. hehehe

Answer 7

first of all it would really help if you had a spanish friend or somone who speaks spanish to help u pronouce the words..try watching spanish movies that should be a very good way to improve ur language skills..and try reading spanish papers or articles just to keep you in touch with the language

Answer 8

I tried too...it was too difficult, so I quit. Then a friend told me about Rosetta Stone (http://www.rosettastone.com/en/?a=b)...wow! It's a much easier way to learn!!

Answer 9

You're in luck! There is a terrific website where you can study for free:

http://www.studyspanish.com

It covers grammar, vocabulary, verbs, culture -- really everything you could ask for. Later, if you're still serious, they even sell a CD course.