If I watch Spanish TV all day long, how long would it take me to understand Spanish?

Question

A couple of months? Half a year? Or a year?

I'm not stupid; of course I am going to communicate with other people. But it is a known FACT that watching television in another langauge can actually HELP you learn the language. Take that girl from That 70's Show for instance, she is from the Ukraine and learned English just by watching tv. My friend who was from China learned English the same way as well. Also, people in Scandinavian countries learn English because of the movies; common sense people.

Answer 1

I don't know any case in which somebody learned a language by just watching TV. Some formal education may come in handy (particularly in grammar, verbal forms and genre stuff), but what I DO know TV is helpful with is getting accustomed to hear the language in real speed (that is, not in the usual slow speed made for learning) and, over all, gaining more vocabluary and learning slang.

Anyway, as spanish is not as easy as english, I think it may take you about 6 months to get accustomed to hear it -and understand it decently. Songs are great for this too.

Some tips:
-Start with programs made for children. They are intended to teach the language, so it's a good idea
-Next, try some subtitled programs, but try to focus on the speech rather than the subtitles. Use them only for things you don't understand.
-Then, rent a movie and try watching it with no subtitles. If there's something you don't understand, turn the subs on.

Hope this helps. It did for me when I was trying to learn english.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Watching Spanish TV should not be the only method to learn the language. Watching the television would simply reinforce what you've already learned through books or class. Just watching spanish television alone will only teach you a few words and phrases over a long period of time. Think how long it takes babies to learn to speak and that's even with people simplifying their speech and using repetition techniques.

Answer 4

I don't about watching it all day (who has that kind of time) but I have watched Spanish soaps off and on for like 13 years and what little Spanish I do comprehend I learned it other places. I really wondered the same when I was younger. What a trip!

Answer 5

I enforced my English by watching TV shows in English, like episodes of the Simpsons I had already watched, so I didn't normally understand whole phrases, but I caught the general idea.

Then, with the time, I started to understand more... It took about a year or so, and my English isn't that bud, huh?

So, try to press that SAP button and watch those old episodes of Alf... You can rent movies (especially children movies, as their lenguage is easy)... Or movies you've already watched....

Have fun!!

¡¡Y hablemos español cuando querás!!
(Te esperamos en Costa Rica... Jajajaja)

Answer 6

Watching television is part of it. Any and all types of absorbtion or stimulous is good. You can also start by reading the "cuentos" like Semanal or Vaquero or Policiaca to also learn to relate many of the slang and inproper uses in the many contexts in which they are used.

Answer 7

It´s difficult to say, if you just watch and don't comment with someone, you'll probably forget many words and expressions, if you do comment and practice, probably it will take short time. Anyway, i think that it's better to interact with people, in regular conversations, just watching TV you will eventually get bored

Answer 8

reading is much better the book will keep u thinking and you get greater detail in what people are thinking and you get more imagination

Answer 9

Reading the e book instead of viewing the movie is the best way to see what the author intended. Reading uses your imagination, hones your reading skills, and can make your vocabulary

Answer 10

at least a year but you would also need help to figure out the words that are not the everyday words.