I talk to myself in Spanish all the time...lol..it's good practice for practicing Spanish when you are alone. And if I come across a word I don't know, I will look it up.
I have been very pleased with the progress I’ve made using this 4BestSpanishCourse.blogspot.com Spanish learning course. We are English ex-pats who moved to Spain, and have been trying to learn the language, seriously, for 4 years. However, in our 60’s learning a new language has been daunting. But we are making real progress now, thanks to your course.
Yes I like the suggestion about learning through music. I did it and still til' this day remember words that help extended my Spanish vocabulary. Si Musica!
Great tips. I live in Mexico City and these tips will definitely help. I've kept a vocabulary list for 6 months since I moved to Mexico and it helps a lot. I appreciate all the help you all provide. Take care, Doug
You said it all....inferiority complex is my major problem ...feeling anything I wanted to say is incorrect and it's better for me not to speak it at all...so sad 😢
This was super helpful & right on time for us. Before you gave us the bonus tip, I said I was going to make a list of vocabulary of everything that we have or use because I need to know what it is in Spanish. That made me feel more confident that I am indeed on the right track to leaening Spanish. Also, writing it down is so much more helpful to me than jotting it down on the phone. There's less distraction & it's more accessible. Thanks for the tips! -Brit
I’m glad you found the video useful, Brit! Sounds like you are on the right track indeed. 😊 And I agree. If you can physical write it down all the better. ¡Un saludo! -Jim
I've been watching many various videos on learning Spanish and Puerto Rico.....You and your husband's videos are my favorite. I have been able to progress because of the way I seem to be able to follow you both so easily. Thank you!!! I'm returning to Puerto Rico after 20 years of being gone and trying to build up an understanding of the language before returning in a few months. Thank you so much for all your P.R. videos. You 2 are such a great couple!!
Here's the deal. Anyone can speak Spanish in 6 months. The problem comes up when u attempt to speak Spanish with a native or you are listening to other Spanish speakers having a convo and try to understand. Nearly impossible due to speed of the language, slang and accents (pronunciation) . When I say "me duele en cabeza", it sounds waaaayyy different from when a Spanish speaker says the same phrase. Firstly, I use to say, "meeee duele" and someone corrected me and said it's more like, "meh duele". It's takes a lot of listening and determination to become fluent... Imo
Me gustan tus videos bastante. soy un maestro de espanol 3en un colegio aqui en California y quiero ayudar mis alumnos. Que lastima que no tengamos clases ahora por la cuarentena!
Hola, Great tips and easy to put into practice. The final tip was definitely worth the wait. Thank you for the helpful video and the encouragement to embrace your mistakes.
Thanks Mai. I appreciate your tips. I particularly like the idea of listening to my Spanish voice. Never thought of it that way but sounds like a good way to become more confident. I clam up whenever I think a Spanish speaker can tell I'm not fluent and as a result it's easier to just not talk. (I know, a cop-out). Listening to my Spanish voice will be something I will try. Thanks again.💃🤸♀️
Thank you! Lots of good points that I never thought of like about your "voice". I have found that I feel limited in my expression when I am speaking Spanish. Probably because I can add a lot of "junk words" to emphasize something when I speak English but you reminded me that Spanish is different from English and that's okay. Also, never thought about recording myself! I can't wait to do it and listen back!!
😂 That helps! I honestly wonder sometimes what my Spanish level would be right now without May. ¡Ayuda bastante tener una novia o una esposa que habla español como primera lengua! ¿De dónde es tu novia? ¡Un saludo! -Jim
Great tips. One tip I use when active listening to music is having the lyrics to the song and using my s-pen on my galaxy note 9 with the hover-to-translate feature while playing. Muy util!
EXCELLENT video and advice, May. Your use and pronunciation of English is muy impresionante. If I might give you two little tips that will help you more in sounding like a native gringa (the "different" English-speaking you), they would be: 1) Be careful with "i". You see/think that letter, and you default to the Spanish pronunciation of that vowel, which is the long "e". Hence, "this" comes out "thees". Or "in" becomes "een". Or "Spanish" becomes "Spaneesh". (On the other hand, you naturally pronounce the word "talking" correctly, because the "i" is the Spanish one.) I know this is a common problem even among advanced English speakers with Spanish roots. But conquer this, and you will be among the elite. 2) Careful with "s" when it should be pronounced like a "z". So, "these" should sound like "theez" ... not "thees". "Those" = "thoz". I hope this is helpful to you. I presume that, just as we gringos continually try to improve our Spanish, you are also trying to improve your English.
So glad the different voice and personality with different languages came up. I have a very different voice and personality when speaking spanish and I thought that maybe I was subliminally being a poser to the language.
My college language professor (1 of them) had a sign on his wall that said something to the effect that "the person with multiple languages has multiple personalities." I tend to agree. They may not be 100% different personalities but at least it's like being an actor living (not playing) a different role in a different play. In English I'm more self-assured and impatient. In Spanish, I'm softer and more likely to be generous. I have a Costa Rican friend (which is where I have lived for 22 years). I met him way back in the day when he didn't speak English and we spoke Spanish for decades. Recently, he asked me to speak English to him (after he studied English for a very long time). I do and the friendship has taken on a very different flavor.
@@stevekollen1672 That is very interesting! I am far from fluency in any language besides English, but know bare basics in some. In Spanish, I tend to be sweeter and simpler. In Japanese, smiley and unsure, and in German, more serious. If I can achieve fluency in any other language it will be interesting to know how it manifests in my personality and relations with natives of that language.
@@Alaina-w6y I also think that a person's proficiency in a language tends to shape their personality in that language. I had a gringa friend here in Costa Rica who was basically the most polite, kind, generous person in the world. She also liked to sew and do crafts. She and I went to a sewing/crafts store in my town. The woman who helped us was basically the same age group as my friend. My friend was SO RUDE to her that I stayed back and apologized to the woman. Later, I asked my friend if she had meant to be so rude or WTH happened. She had no idea she had been rude and was mortified. Other gringos I know who have lived here forever and have a horrible gringo accent who are incredibly rude and obtuse and don't give a damn. This may be a bottomless topic.
@@Alaina-w6y I didn't mean to illicit that response. It would be a mistake to give up, I think. If you have this much curiosity as shown by the fact that you have studied so many languages, if I were in your shoes, I'd really miss it.
I find that "narrating" what Im doing as I do it ( Yo camino en la calle...etc) and sometimes saying the verbs past, present and future in the sentence really challenges me and helps a lot....It goes with learning my voice. I just signed up for italki lessons with a sax player from Argentina! Im a bass player and I cant wait to converse with my new "brother" Who is going to help my Spanish fluency
Gracias por aconsejarnos por este video. Creo que usted es profesora excelente (y Jim). Me cuesta con sumergirme en español porque no eschucho el idioma mucho en mi comunidad, pero tiene razón cuando dice que practicar es la llave a tener éxito. ¡Saludos!
I wish the italki credits were still available now in 2023 jeje. i've just recently been looking into taking some classes with a native speaker there (based on Jim's story of meeting May there).
I want to learn. I maybe know 200-300 words I started watching instructional videos. I think watching Spanish soap opera would help because the subjects are simple. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
I love this video and found it so helpful! Since I live in Nevada, which has a large Spanish speaking population, I try very hard to learn some basic communication terms so that we can continue to become a more interactive community with all my fellow Las Vegas residents. As a side note, I would like to tell you how beautiful you are as I find so many Hispanic women are. 😘
¡Hola! I’m learning Spanish and I love your advice and video content it’s super helpful! I went on italki.com last night because you suggested it and it’s such a wonderful tool! Will definitely get lessons from there aswell! Muchas Gracias para tu ayuda! Xx
oh how true about being different personality in different language! didnt realize until i heard myself in a record, then now i understand my family who say i kind of put different face on even :) Tonality/voice are diff of course too
Speaking out loud in physical training is called “activity specific training”. This is when your practice matches your goal skill as close as possible.
huge tip for wanting to learn specific vocab from your country: find shows you like that were made from the country you want to learn the spanish from (example: if you wanna learn spanish from mexico find shows made in mexico) and any words you don’t know write them down then translate them i use spanishdict.com super useful for translating
I learn easily, but dang it...So hard to comprehend others. The best way to be fluent is to submerge oneself in the language...but feeling ackward is real. Speaking fast, not enunciating, ugh!
I am a subscriber and I love you guys and your videos! They have helped me so much! I have been doing all of your tips already (except for letting myself make mistakes, kind of a perfectionist). My comprehension is now very good. I am in the process of watching all of your videos! I listen in the car, listen while I sleep, and practice speaking every chance I get! I expect to be fluent by May 2020, and write my comments in Spanish!
Also, my bathroom walls are FULL stickies with vocabulary and phrases. Also on a lot of the mirror space. It's my classroom and I am in the classroom often, if you know what I mean, lol.
can u teach us Spanish like go in a market with camera tell one by one thing that i am giving u example this is the road,this is a car,this is a traffic police,this is crossing light,these r public,shops,malls,market like a basic then we will know the meaning that what v call in Spanish,like i dont know what i will call cycle,street light,
I am literally ALWAYS talking to myself in spanish lol I even listen to English songs and try to say the spanish translation with the vocabulary I’ve learned
I love watching la famila p luche and el chavo. I feel like songs arent the best because it's more like poetry than an actual conversation. I definitely learn more with shows. (Music is still good!)
I’m sorry, we can’t edit the video after uploading it. We try keep the music very low compared to the voice when we do include it. You could try watching the video without sound. We almost always include closed captions. Just click the “CC” button. Un saludo. -Jim
Hi Joan! All the prices for the different teachers are on the italki website. There are literally hundreds of teachers there and they all set their own prices. So the price depends on the teacher you select. I’ve seen classes for $10/hr. -Jim
Why don't you teach English to people who speaks Spanish. I think it would not only help learn English but those who speak intermediate Spanish could learn to speak advanced Spanish
Thanks for watching! Don't forget to download the FREE Fluency Exercises PDF at: spanishandgo.com/learn/tips-to-achieve-spanish-fluency
1- Active vs passive listening
2- Get used to your new voice
3- Imitation is key
4- Paraphrasing
5- Embrace your mistakes
el español no es dificil
@@katasamoru1505 sí
El español estas muy difícil
Thnks🥰
I talk to myself in Spanish all the time...lol..it's good practice for practicing Spanish when you are alone. And if I come across a word I don't know, I will look it up.
I have been very pleased with the progress I’ve made using this 4BestSpanishCourse.blogspot.com Spanish learning course. We are English ex-pats who moved to Spain, and have been trying to learn the language, seriously, for 4 years. However, in our 60’s learning a new language has been daunting. But we are making real progress now, thanks to your course.
Actually that's the best way to practice your language, I always do that and pretend to talk to a native 😅
I do this out about in stores...people definitely think I'm crazy! 🤪
I do this too, lol.
Misma!
And most importantly, keep those limiting beliefs away from your head. There's no limits to achieve fluency. Great video 🙌
I have experienced what you said about being a different version of myself in Spanish, I just didn't realize other people experienced it too!
Yes I like the suggestion about learning through music. I did it and still til' this day remember words that help extended my Spanish vocabulary. Si Musica!
That's great! I'm glad you found that tip useful. Thanks for watching! -Jim
Great tips. I live in Mexico City and these tips will definitely help. I've kept a vocabulary list for 6 months since I moved to Mexico and it helps a lot. I appreciate all the help you all provide. Take care, Doug
You said it all....inferiority complex is my major problem ...feeling anything I wanted to say is incorrect and it's better for me not to speak it at all...so sad 😢
add whatsApp porque no entiendo el ingles TuT
@@osaroboogbemudia3751 What is that?
Many of us feel that way, Tape yourself., and practice in the mirror, it helps.
Thank you!!! I’m getting started hoy!
Muchas gracias muy buen consejos
Great tips! I practice by speaking in Spanish to my dog.
LOL I like that. Definitely eliminates the feeling that you're silently being judged for messing up.
Thank you so much for this video. The tips are really helpful,; especially speaking out loud to myself!
This was super helpful & right on time for us. Before you gave us the bonus tip, I said I was going to make a list of vocabulary of everything that we have or use because I need to know what it is in Spanish. That made me feel more confident that I am indeed on the right track to leaening Spanish. Also, writing it down is so much more helpful to me than jotting it down on the phone. There's less distraction & it's more accessible. Thanks for the tips! -Brit
I’m glad you found the video useful, Brit! Sounds like you are on the right track indeed. 😊 And I agree. If you can physical write it down all the better. ¡Un saludo! -Jim
I've been watching many various videos on learning Spanish and Puerto Rico.....You and your husband's videos are my favorite. I have been able to progress because of the way I seem to be able to follow you both so easily. Thank you!!! I'm returning to Puerto Rico after 20 years of being gone and trying to build up an understanding of the language before returning in a few months. Thank you so much for all your P.R. videos. You 2 are such a great couple!!
Thank you so much! That means a lot to us. Keep up the good work!
Here's the deal. Anyone can speak Spanish in 6 months. The problem comes up when u attempt to speak Spanish with a native or you are listening to other Spanish speakers having a convo and try to understand. Nearly impossible due to speed of the language, slang and accents (pronunciation) .
When I say "me duele en cabeza", it sounds waaaayyy different from when a Spanish speaker says the same phrase. Firstly, I use to say, "meeee duele" and someone corrected me and said it's more like, "meh duele". It's takes a lot of listening and determination to become fluent... Imo
Gracias por hacer este video may!
I love your teaching techniques. It is the most effective, by far, for the way I learn.
Very good information. Thank you.
Me gustan tus videos bastante. soy un maestro de espanol 3en un colegio aqui en California y quiero ayudar mis alumnos. Que lastima que no tengamos clases ahora por la cuarentena!
I am taking Spanish class so your channel is going to help me out alot.
That's great! Please let us know if there is any video in particular that you'd like to see us make. Thanks for watching! Un saludo. -Jim
Gracias
Thank you, I have learnt a lot of Spanish phrases and grammar, but I never thought to listen to music and movies. I have subscribed.
Hola,
Great tips and easy to put into practice. The final tip was definitely worth the wait.
Thank you for the helpful video and the encouragement to embrace your mistakes.
Glad you found it useful! Thanks for watching! -Jim
Muchas gracias, love the videos!!
Thank you
Thanks Mai. I appreciate your tips. I particularly like the idea of listening to my Spanish voice. Never thought of it that way but sounds like a good way to become more confident. I clam up whenever I think a Spanish speaker can tell I'm not fluent and as a result it's easier to just not talk. (I know, a cop-out). Listening to my Spanish voice will be something I will try. Thanks again.💃🤸♀️
Me too! I told myself I was going to start ordering in Spanish at Mexican restaurants and then I freeze up and quit. 😔
Thank you! Lots of good points that I never thought of like about your "voice". I have found that I feel limited in my expression when I am speaking Spanish. Probably because I can add a lot of "junk words" to emphasize something when I speak English but you reminded me that Spanish is different from English and that's okay. Also, never thought about recording myself! I can't wait to do it and listen back!!
I expected the extra tip that helped Jim to be: Finding a novia/o who speaks the language. Tambien tengo una novia latina.
😂 That helps! I honestly wonder sometimes what my Spanish level would be right now without May. ¡Ayuda bastante tener una novia o una esposa que habla español como primera lengua! ¿De dónde es tu novia? ¡Un saludo! -Jim
no tengo una:(
easier said then done
Great tips. One tip I use when active listening to music is having the lyrics to the song and using my s-pen on my galaxy note 9 with the hover-to-translate feature while playing. Muy util!
EXCELLENT video and advice, May. Your use and pronunciation of English is muy impresionante. If I might give you two little tips that will help you more in sounding like a native gringa (the "different" English-speaking you), they would be: 1) Be careful with "i". You see/think that letter, and you default to the Spanish pronunciation of that vowel, which is the long "e". Hence, "this" comes out "thees". Or "in" becomes "een". Or "Spanish" becomes "Spaneesh". (On the other hand, you naturally pronounce the word "talking" correctly, because the "i" is the Spanish one.)
I know this is a common problem even among advanced English speakers with Spanish roots. But conquer this, and you will be among the elite.
2) Careful with "s" when it should be pronounced like a "z". So, "these" should sound like "theez" ... not "thees". "Those" = "thoz".
I hope this is helpful to you. I presume that, just as we gringos continually try to improve our Spanish, you are also trying to improve your English.
Muchisimas gracias, no dejo pasar tus videos!
So glad the different voice and personality with different languages came up. I have a very different voice and personality when speaking spanish and I thought that maybe I was subliminally being a poser to the language.
My college language professor (1 of them) had a sign on his wall that said something to the effect that "the person with multiple languages has multiple personalities." I tend to agree. They may not be 100% different personalities but at least it's like being an actor living (not playing) a different role in a different play. In English I'm more self-assured and impatient. In Spanish, I'm softer and more likely to be generous. I have a Costa Rican friend (which is where I have lived for 22 years). I met him way back in the day when he didn't speak English and we spoke Spanish for decades. Recently, he asked me to speak English to him (after he studied English for a very long time). I do and the friendship has taken on a very different flavor.
@@stevekollen1672 That is very interesting! I am far from fluency in any language besides English, but know bare basics in some. In Spanish, I tend to be sweeter and simpler. In Japanese, smiley and unsure, and in German, more serious. If I can achieve fluency in any other language it will be interesting to know how it manifests in my personality and relations with natives of that language.
@@Alaina-w6y I also think that a person's proficiency in a language tends to shape their personality in that language. I had a gringa friend here in Costa Rica who was basically the most polite, kind, generous person in the world. She also liked to sew and do crafts. She and I went to a sewing/crafts store in my town. The woman who helped us was basically the same age group as my friend. My friend was SO RUDE to her that I stayed back and apologized to the woman. Later, I asked my friend if she had meant to be so rude or WTH happened. She had no idea she had been rude and was mortified.
Other gringos I know who have lived here forever and have a horrible gringo accent who are incredibly rude and obtuse and don't give a damn.
This may be a bottomless topic.
@@stevekollen1672 That is my fear. I would give up if I made a faux pau that resulted in offending others.
@@Alaina-w6y I didn't mean to illicit that response. It would be a mistake to give up, I think. If you have this much curiosity as shown by the fact that you have studied so many languages, if I were in your shoes, I'd really miss it.
You two make a great couple.
¡Gracias! -Jim
I find that "narrating" what Im doing as I do it ( Yo camino en la calle...etc) and sometimes saying the verbs past, present and future in the sentence really challenges me and helps a lot....It goes with learning my voice. I just signed up for italki lessons with a sax player from Argentina! Im a bass player and I cant wait to converse with my new "brother" Who is going to help my Spanish fluency
Thanks for the tips. I will use them.
❤️ Excellent video!
Thank you May for all the good info
Gracias por aconsejarnos por este video. Creo que usted es profesora excelente (y Jim). Me cuesta con sumergirme en español porque no eschucho el idioma mucho en mi comunidad, pero tiene razón cuando dice que practicar es la llave a tener éxito. ¡Saludos!
Muchas gracias
thank you for the tips🤗
Thanks for watching! Un saludo. -Jim
I wish the italki credits were still available now in 2023 jeje. i've just recently been looking into taking some classes with a native speaker there (based on Jim's story of meeting May there).
Thank you for the teeeps 😁
Thank you so much ❤️ for this video!
Muchas gracias..
Muchas Gracias. Saludos de Abuja.
Really good video, May! Estaría bien padre colaborar con ustedes y crear unos videos juntos algún día. ¡Saludos!
I want to learn. I maybe know 200-300 words I started watching instructional videos. I think watching Spanish soap opera would help because the subjects are simple. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
I really enjoy your lessons and all I can do is listen LOL I am blind so it is a lot harder but I am getting there LOL
I love this video and found it so helpful! Since I live in Nevada, which has a large Spanish speaking population, I try very hard to learn some basic communication terms so that we can continue to become a more interactive community with all my fellow Las Vegas residents. As a side note, I would like to tell you how beautiful you are as I find so many Hispanic women are. 😘
Thank u
Me gusta muchísimo este vídeo
No puedo esperar subscribir
Amor de Australia 🇦🇺
¡Hola!
I’m learning Spanish and I love your advice and video content it’s super helpful! I went on italki.com last night because you suggested it and it’s such a wonderful tool! Will definitely get lessons from there aswell! Muchas Gracias para tu ayuda! Xx
I´m learning english, I´d like practice with someone, I hope it doesn't bother you, the right way is "Gracias por tu ayuda".
oh how true about being different personality in different language! didnt realize until i heard myself in a record, then now i understand my family who say i kind of put different face on even :) Tonality/voice are diff of course too
jaja Me dio curiosidad aver como ustedes aprenden el español, realmente yo quiero aprender Inglés y hablarlo fluidamente, mi ingles es muy basico
Speaking out loud in physical training is called “activity specific training”. This is when your practice matches your goal skill as close as possible.
huge tip for wanting to learn specific vocab from your country:
find shows you like that were made from the country you want to learn the spanish from (example: if you wanna learn spanish from mexico find shows made in mexico) and any words you don’t know write them down then translate them i use spanishdict.com super useful for translating
Do you guys still live in Puerto Rico?
Yes, we do! Thanks for watching. -Jim
I do too and I’m dying to see them :D
I learn easily, but dang it...So hard to comprehend others. The best way to be fluent is to submerge oneself in the language...but feeling ackward is real. Speaking fast, not enunciating, ugh!
Hello, i can help you with your Spanish, well, as long as you want to. 🤓
Tengo el mismo problema! Es tan frustrante pero supongo que la practica hacer perfecto💜
I am a subscriber and I love you guys and your videos! They have helped me so much! I have been doing all of your tips already (except for letting myself make mistakes, kind of a perfectionist). My comprehension is now very good. I am in the process of watching all of your videos! I listen in the car, listen while I sleep, and practice speaking every chance I get! I expect to be fluent by May 2020, and write my comments in Spanish!
Cómo Va?
Also, my bathroom walls are FULL stickies with vocabulary and phrases. Also on a lot of the mirror space. It's my classroom and I am in the classroom often, if you know what I mean, lol.
great
can u teach us Spanish like go in a market with camera tell one by one thing that i am giving u example this is the road,this is a car,this is a traffic police,this is crossing light,these r public,shops,malls,market like a basic then we will know the meaning that what v call in Spanish,like i dont know what i will call cycle,street light,
Could you say things in espanol and ingles?
I am literally ALWAYS talking to myself in spanish lol I even listen to English songs and try to say the spanish translation with the vocabulary I’ve learned
Tan Bonita !
Nice
Thanks for watching! Un saludo. -Jim
Background music is really loud. Otherwise, good info.
I want to learn my 3rd lenguaje but I’m scared , my first lenguaje is Spanish and my 2nd is English I want to learn either French or Greek 🙏
ありがとうございました
I love watching la famila p luche and el chavo. I feel like songs arent the best because it's more like poetry than an actual conversation. I definitely learn more with shows. (Music is still good!)
Genial
Hace 49 años no pude hablar nada en español. Ahor es lo mismo!
I like her latinean english accent.
hi
Someone to help me improve my English
and I help improve the Spanish if any doubt to improve and communication issue
"Queso de cobra"...mmm, suena delicioso!
Timestamps would be good
Some people say for every language you learn you become another person.
I wish they had English subtitles on Mexican soaps, I would be fluent in a few months.
Netflix has a few telenovelas on there( turn on subtitles).Also, there is a website called wlext.com where you can watch them with subtitles.
Hustle vid
Yt unsubscribe me. But Im back.
Por favor, turn off the background music
I’m sorry, we can’t edit the video after uploading it. We try keep the music very low compared to the voice when we do include it. You could try watching the video without sound. We almost always include closed captions. Just click the “CC” button. Un saludo. -Jim
hiiiiiii
¡Hola!
Watch soap operas in your target language.
Yo pienso en Español. No estoy de acuerdo #4. Es la manera lo que puedo mejorarme.
Como es que UA-cam me recomendó este video si yo hablo español!
first tip is having girl friend Spanish spoken .
Todo menos reggaetón eso ni los hispanohablantes lo entendemos :v
I do not find “Ten dollars off “ at all helpful.I would like to know how much each lesson costs .
Hi Joan! All the prices for the different teachers are on the italki website. There are literally hundreds of teachers there and they all set their own prices. So the price depends on the teacher you select. I’ve seen classes for $10/hr. -Jim
Spanish and Go Thank you Just what I wanted to knowb
Why don't you teach English to people who speaks Spanish. I think it would not only help learn English but those who speak intermediate Spanish could learn to speak advanced Spanish
That other person lol. He sounds drunk
Too much English......
Hor. Caliente. Just sayin.
Are you both on Facebook wanted to pm you