how did you learn english? how did you become fluently in this language?

Question

I am mexican and I live in mexico I want to learn more english that I am learning at school and I want to be fluently. I want to know your experiences of people which have been learning for many years or I dont know.. those people who learned english in their country or out of their country..

Answer 1

English is my first language, Spanish is my third. The best way to learn the language is by living in the country where it is spoken, and if you cannot do that, you MUST create authentic language experiences for yourself. The ideas presented by "anon" are very helpful.

I was never able to live in another country, but have been fortunate that Spanish has been my home language for many, many years due to marriage to a native speaker. This created the "authentic environment" for me. I learned both French and Spanish at the university, so of course classes are the first and most important way to learn.

Beyond that, look for opportunities to use the language in an authentic way. See if there is any way you can find organizations or groups in your area that have contact with native English speakers - such as university exchange students, cultural groups (there are many retired English speakers in Mexico), tourist activities.

The activity that helped me a lot with Spanish was watching Mexican movies with Cantinflas, Vicente F, los Almada (sí, los Almada!). I was totally fluent and VERY literate in Spanish when I married, yet I could not understand ANYTHING at the movies. Watching them frequently helped me learn more and more Spanish.

Here is an important point: you will become better at English by INTERACTING more and more in the language with other people who speak English. Reading books and listening to music alone will not make you fluent. It is a very good way to practice, but you need the interaction (it's from linguistic research).

Un aconsejito más: la palabra "fluently" es un adverbio, y como describes a ti mismo (sustantivo), tienes que usar el adjetivo "fluent."
I speak fluently now. I became fluent by watching movies.

Answer 2

I learned english at school , but I took special classes for this, too. I begin learning english at school 2 years ago. Then I wanted to know more and better. That`s why I do the another lessons (more complicated).
But u can learn from the computer, from the sites, from the TV

Answer 3

I learnt the basics in high school. It was enough to pass the class and write short letters to my British pen pals. Then spent a year in USA as an exchange student. That 12-month full immersion did it. Eventually I returned to the States to go to college and I now consider myself fluent (although there is still room for improvement). If English TV, movies, music are not accessible (like it was when I was growing up) studies abroad are the best solution.

Answer 4

I learned English as a third language in high-school, two hours per week for three years, but I wasn't fluent.

Then I found an old GI pocketbook with detective stories in my parents attic, and I started to read it with the help of a dictionary. The first pages, I had to look up every third word. A few stories further, I had to look up maybe 2 or 3 words per page.

I also watched the original version of Sesame Street on German TV, late at night. Plus any English or American movie in original version I could find, and tried not to look at the Dutch or French subtitles. Later on I looked at the subtitles to check if they were correct.

I also took out a subscription for Newsweek, and started reading huge numbers of English and American SF books at university.

Answer 5

I have a friend whose first language was Spanish and she says that she learned through watching television. Her parents didn't speak much English when she was a child so she spent a lot of time watching English television programs. She started with Sesame Street and moved on to watching soap operas and the news. I met her in high school and she was fluent then, she didn't even have an accent.

Answer 6

Arriba! Okay, I learned English at home, it being my first language. But I learned Spanish in university. And I am pretty good for a gringa, no crees? :) I spent time living in Guatemala and Mexico lindo y querido. And I lived with a Mexican family in Los Angeles for a while. I spoke it all the time. Todo el tiempo! Just keep practising. Don't be afraid to speak, don't worry about your accent, don't be ashamed to make mistakes. Just keep doing it.

If you'd like my experience with learning your language, email me. Chau!

Where in Mexico?

Answer 7

Spanish was my first language and I learned English in school.

Chat with people on the Internet read books, newspapers watch TV show in English.

Answer 8

i spoke only spanish at home and i went to a small preschool with a good student/teacher ratio and that's how i was able to become fluent at age 4. how about listening to music in english and watching english movies w/ subtitles. if you don't have the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the language. it worked for me to learn italian, good luck!!!

Answer 9

I have always lived in the U.S.A. and i personally talk using a lot of slang(improper English) but i like it that way. I wish i could speak your language it sounds so very nice-the music especially!

Answer 10

i learned english at school. but i listened to english songs a lot and that improved my english very much. it's an interesting way to learn english...