how can i keep my knowledge of spanish?

Question

i studied spanish for 9 years and studied abroad for a month in barcelona in college.

after graduation, since i have not been hearing it and engaging in conversations, i am losing my ability to speak the language!

what are some inexpensive (so please no suggestions to go back to school) ways i can stay sharp on my knowledge?
any free websites to hear and practice? i will pick up some books on tape. but what else?

Answer 1

For listening, watch Univision, Telemundo, Telefuturo, Galavision, CNN Español, etc. [news, chat shows, movies, telenovelas, if you can stand them] Hear Spanish radio. I don't listen to it, but there are some call in shows you can interact with. Yahoo Answers has sites in Spain, Mexico, Argentina you can ask or answer questions on. But best way to SPEAK it is to hang out with Latinos. Go to dance clubs [try some pick up lines], bars, restaurants. At park, look for baseball or soccer games played by Latinos. Concerts. Churches with Hispanic services. Social clubs. Shop at Hispanic shops, stores, bodegas. Go to park in Hispanic neighborhoods, listen and start conversations. Go to events at colleges that are sponsored by Hispanic organizations or Spanish departments: dances, mixers, forums, films [get on mailing lists!]. Volunteer at Hispanic organizations to help students, old people, immigrants. Help them with English or whatever subjects your good at. Make some friends at chatrooms who will be willing to exchange CDs or audiotapes of conversations between them and yourself. [Maybe get a PO Box for the purpose, if you'd rather not give out your address.] Find chatroom friends with whom you can arrange to have VoIP conversations. Vacation at Spanish speaking places and make acquaintances with whom you can speak over the phone or VoIP, or at least write each other. Get a job where your language skills will be useful or required.

Answer 2

Go Into Spanish Chat Rooms

Answer 3

You can listen to the Spanish on the radio where you will find news and music.

Some areas have Spanish soap operas, or all Spanish content. Surf to find Spanish blog sites. Reading and writing is just as important. Isn't Spanish available here in Q&A?

Answer 4

Practice Practice Practice!

Make some hispanic friends and talk to them on the phone. Nothin beats that

Answer 5

Apart of all the good suggestions like listening to radio, watch films in spanish, etc. etc.

Keep following some courses, go to:

httP://www.donquijote.org/lessons/

you will have to register but it is free.

You will be able to continue practising. Because otherwise you will loose it.
Good luck!

Answer 6

Volunteer or work as a translator there is alway a need. In hospitals, social work, police stations, you name it, with the ever growing population of Hispanics, you would be valued!!!!

Answer 7

WATCH TELE NOVELAS!!! and when you see espanol en SAP on ur tv, find the button that allows you to watch the tv show in spanish. also you might want to move out to california, everyone speaks spanish here!
oh and listen to radio stations in spanish, listen to artists who sing in spanish like enrique englacious, ricky martin, shakira, selena....and others. XD

Answer 8

proper language is like riding a bike, you never forget. If you truly use it with people, it will never be forgotten. If not, I'd make it a regular aspect of life until it was as real as english is to you now.

Answer 9

listen to spanish speaking music....read books written in spanish....go to a spanish speaking church...date a hispanic guy/gal....go to the spanish speaking chat rooms

Answer 10

talk to other spanish speaking people or listen to Audio CD's