I've been studying Spanish for about 5 years now. How do I know when I REALLY can speak the language?

Question

I have not yet had the opportunity to study abroad, but I usually can understand native speakers relatively well if they don't speak too fast. I watch Univisión/Telemundo every night, and usually have to Tivo a clip 4 or 5 times B4 I (might) understand it. I'm getting discouraged, because I feel I'm not making any progress.

Answer 1

Don't worry if when you watch TV in Spanish you can't get everything. That comes with time so don't let that discourage you!

I would say you know you can really speak the language when you can just start speaking Spanish without having to translate each word from English to Spanish in your head before you say it. Also, I know this sounds weird, but, when you start to dream in Spanish, thats a big sign that you're pretty proficient with the language.

Answer 2

Even though you may not feel that your making any progress you are. By you watching telemundo/univision you are constantly becoming acquainted with new words. In addition, you are reinforcing the information that you have learned before in the past. Don't feel discouraged. I've been studying Spanish for 3 years now and while I can understand the bulk of what I hear the first time I can't understand every single word used.
Keep it up : )

Answer 3

Learning a second language is hard. Kudos to you for all of your hard work. I teach Spanish and can tell you that if you can understand anything on Telemundo, you're doing well, because it goes very fast. You'll find that lanugage learning doesn't go in a linear progression. Keep doing what you're doing and one day, everything will come together and you'll feel more comfortable with your skills. The best advice is to practice, and you're doing that. Do NOT be discouraged. My guess is that you're doing a lot better than you think. Buena suerte...

Answer 4

Call up your local utlites company & select the spanish option & try conversing with a live person in spanish to see how you do. If you get through the conversation, ask the rep how your spanish was to get live feedback. Your only other option is to take a trip to Miami & spend a night out on the town, but the first option is much more cost effective, lol.

Answer 5

Hi , I am glad that you are putting so much effort in learning my language like the one I put to learn English ...well I can tell you are doing the right thing by watching tv and stuff , I would recomend you to hang out with spanish people and just try to speak spanish and let them guide you and help you , also listening to the music , singuing and reading the lyrics helped me a lot ..just tell people to speak slowly , don't put pressure on you , just take it easy and u will see ....you will learn ...just read me , i came 4 years ago and now i can listen , speak and write ..how is that ?? remenber more practice more training ..good luck my friend you can do it !!!!!!!!

Answer 6

Try spending a day talking to a native speaker, or going to areas where native speakers congregate, and spend the day shopping there, or just talking in general.

If you can do it quickly and fluently without having to translate in your head, and you feel comfortable, you're fluent.

Best test, is to go abroad to a place where they speak only Spanish with NO english whatsoever, and try it out.

Answer 7

ive been in spanish for 3 years now and i understand most spanish but like you i can barely speak it. its a little easier for me thoug because i like in a city where the majority of the population is hispanic, so it's necessary to at least have a basic understanding of the language. the best solution for you could be to visit a spanish speaking country over the summer where you have no choice but to practice if u want to live, but if thats not an option, then go to a city like san antonio or miami in little havana to get a little more used to it. also, when you have alot of free time, if u read a poem try to translate it in your head to spanish, or when u write in your diary, write a few entries in spanish or when youre speaking randomly bust out a spanish sentence. itll help

Answer 8

well a few years ago i wanted to learn spanish so i watched some soap operas and some tv programmes in spanish.i learned spanish in just like 5 or 6 months and then i stopped watchin that cuz i didnt need anymore.i speak spanish very well

what i mean is that after 5 years u should speak it very well

Answer 9

The fact that you understood ANY of Telemundo is great. I've taken about 4-6 years, and I still can't keep up with that.

Answer 10

Usualmente, es mucho más fácil entender un texto en el idioma que se está aprendiendo que el habla diaria.
El problema principal es acostumbrar tu oido a la cadencia de cada región. No todas las naciones que comparten un lenguage tienen los mismos términos y entonaciones.
Tú descubrirás, cuando tengas la oportunidad de viajar, o de socializar con diferentes nacionalidades que comparten el mismo idioma, que hay diferencias substanciales.
En el momento que puedas aislar dichas diferencias y compararlas mentalmente hasta encontrar un significado, entonces puedes sentirte satisfecha que hablas el español mejor que muchos hispanoablantes.
No te desanimes. Sigue practicando. Y si encuentras palabras que no entiendes, pídele a alquien que te dé un sinónimo. No busques la traducción, deja que tu cerebro procese la información en español.