Language learning tips

[TheKey]

Anyone ever have any luck learning their second or third languages? I have been trying to learn Spanish for about two months with the Duolinguo app, very similar to Rosetta Stone (btw its free and has been great). I now have a vocabulary of around 800 words and can read 65.3% of real world Spanish, according to the app. I find this to be true, as reading and writing have been moderately successful. The problem I am having is listening and comprehending. While the app does have a listening component, if I flip on the news to practice listening, I don't understand much. It seems like even the words I know I don't understand. Naturally, this becomes very demotivational and makes me want to give up. After two months I would expect to be able to understand some conversations, especially when I can read so well.

So how can I get over the hump?

 

[RastaRocket]

You need to be immersed in real conversations and culture. For example, if you had to move to a Spanish speaking country you'd pick it up fast in order to get by.

 

[TheKey]

I've heard that. Problem is I work 50 hours per week. How can I do it another way?

 

[Denim Chicken]

I've heard that. Problem is I work 50 hours per week. How can I do it another way?

Telemundo?

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Limitations of the human brain when learning a second language. It's easier to read a conversation because you have more time. The words are there in front of you and you have all the time you need to look them over and try to make sense of it. Speech is completely different. It's in real time, you only get one chance, and you can't backtrack to try to make sense of it. Plus, reading Spanish is pretty easy since the spelling and sentence structure is similar to English. When I took a Spanish class in college, I was able to read articles in Spanish within a month but still couldn't understand spoken conversations even a year later. When I took Chinese (Mandarin) in college, I had an easier time understanding spoken conversation than reading, because the writing was in characters which were completely different from what I'm used to in English. Anyway, not much you can do. You can't expect to just listen to conversations and learn the language. You get better at listening by speaking. You'd need to find a way to have conversations. Best way is to immerse yourself in the culture, such as, like someone else said, moving to the country. If you can't do that, then you'll have to find some native Spanish speakers who will be willing to speak in Spanish with you for hours a day.

 

[Hoov]

Anyone ever have any luck learning their second or third languages? I have been trying to learn Spanish for about two months with the Duolinguo app, very similar to Rosetta Stone (btw its free and has been great). I now have a vocabulary of around 800 words and can read 65.3% of real world Spanish, according to the app. I find this to be true, as reading and writing have been moderately successful. The problem I am having is listening and comprehending. While the app does have a listening component, if I flip on the news to practice listening, I don't understand much. It seems like even the words I know I don't understand. Naturally, this becomes very demotivational and makes me want to give up. After two months I would expect to be able to understand some conversations, especially when I can read so well.

So how can I get over the hump?

I'm using the duolingo app too, for french. I am noticing too that reading and writing is easier than listening. Overall i like the app, i work 50-60 hours a week and i can use it anywhere for 10-15 minuets a day and keep progressing.

I also look on line when i dont understand why certain grammar rules play out the way they do or to learn verb conjugations and other things that are not spelled out with duolingo. This makes things a lot easier.

Consider finding someone who is fluent with spanish to provide additional teaching as private lessons, in addition to a few lessons they may give you some other practice ideas that are better for suited for you at this point in time than watching the news which may help bridge that transition until you get to the point where you can keep up.

 

[TheKey]

I'm using the duolingo app too, for french. I am noticing too that reading and writing is easier than listening. Overall i like the app, i work 50-60 hours a week and i can use it anywhere for 10-15 minuets a day and keep progressing.

I also look on line when i dont understand why certain grammar rules play out the way they do or to learn verb conjugations and other things that are not spelled out with duolingo. This makes things a lot easier.

Consider finding someone who is fluent with spanish to provide additional teaching as private lessons, in addition to a few lessons they may give you some other practice ideas that are better for suited for you at this point in time than watching the news which may help bridge that transition until you get to the point where you can keep up.

I think I could have a conversation with someone who understands that I'm learning and slows down a little bit. The problem with watching telemundo is the speed, I guess you have to walk before you can run.

 

[CyberB0b]

I think I could have a conversation with someone who understands that I'm learning and slows down a little bit. The problem with watching telemundo is the speed, I guess you have to walk before you can run.

Try watching novellas, they speak a lot slower.

 

[TheKey]

Try watching novellas, they speak a lot slower.

Can you give me an example?

 

[CyberB0b]

Can you give me an example?

https://www.youtube.com/user/TLMDnovelas