Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
soon2bMrs
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Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
My husband is originally from Argentina and his whole family speaks Spanish. Me, I am the typical American speaking only English. So my husband has been transferred to Ireland and I am currently unemployed. I thought this would be the perfect time to sign up for Spanish classes.
It is so hard and I am very frustrated, but it is something I really want to do. It is important to him that our children speak Spanish and I would like to just so I can participate in conversations with his family. I feel like a 5 year old learning to read all over again! So has anyone else ever been in this situation and if so were you successful and how did you do it?
alina
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
Most immigrants have, but then they were fully immersed in the relevant language culture. You're husband should help you with regards to keeping communication and practice, so I wish you luck and believe you can do it.
reallybehind!
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
practice, practice, practice!
flashcards really really help. perhaps try labelling items in your house, the door, couch, kitchen items, foods etc.
you're fortunate that you're trying to learn spanish since there are so many spanish language materials readily available. when you get a little better try going to the book store and getting a really simple kids book (preferably one where you already know the story) and work your way through it. reading harry potter has helped me get a lot of my german back!
good luck!
xjulietx
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
I teach ESL to adults two nights a week and I know that it is more difficult to learn as an adult because of a few reasons
1) You don't go to school every day to study the language and speak it everyday 2) You don't have friends who speak it to you all the time 3) we as adults are more apprehensive about making mistakes
If you have friends who speak Spanish, ask them to have small conversations with you in Spanish. And when you speak to your husband, have him say little things. It takes dedication for most, but it can be done. FH and his parents moved here from Poland in 1990 and they all speak English now. Sometimes they struggle, but they get their point across.
wacky
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
We are taking Spanish at work, its awesome. The company is Berlitz. I speak a second language now but my co-workers dont and although its tuff they are really getting into it
NYCHICK
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
I am conversational Spanish(at least I hope so take a look at my where is wacky thread ) I think it is the easiest language to learn. I have tried others but it is WAYYYYYYY to difficult. Don't get me started on Chinese, no alphabet..hell no will I liearn a language without an alphabet.way to difficult.
Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
I am currently learning Spanish!!! DH and his family is from Spain...so I am in a very similar situation as you...
I have tried many books...but I found taht 'Spanish is Fun' (by Heywood Wald - AMSCO school pub) to be the best...
I try to work on it when I can...and at night I will go over the pronounciation with DH...he is a stickler for the pronounciation...so that is good
My MIL also tries to speak Spanish to me...VERY SLOW...but she doesn't realize that if I don't know a word it doesn't matter how slow you say it...I still won't know...
on car rides...DH will teach me childrens songs..
slowly I am getting it...(also trips to Spain help )
soon2bMrs
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
Thanks for all the encouragement! DH helps me a lot. He helps a lot with the pronunciation, the rr's and ll's are hard for me. Hopefully by the time we return to the States I will have finished the first 4 levels at the institue I am going to and be able to hold small conversations.
dgtlsunshine
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
I want to learn Spanish. Don't ask me why I still can't get past Hola and I have taken spanish classes about 3 times and passed
karen32
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
i am taking spanish I right now, and my god, it's tough!!!!!!!!!! i took 5 years of it in HS, but that was over 13 years ago, so i don't remember anything!!! i find it more difficult learning it now as an adult.
peeweesgirl
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
I can speak Italian, Spanish and English that about it I would love to learn Japanese but i heard it is one of the most difficult languages to learn!
heidla
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
Si, but I don't remember a whole lot more. I wish that I would have paid more attention. Unfortunately, I feel like it is too late for me.
OctBride03
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
I've been trying for the past 5 years to learn Croatian. DH is 100% and his entire family speaks it, it's tough to learn a new language at this age, but then I think his parents came here when they were in their 20's and learned English, why can't I learn Croatian, who knows? Now I'm just babbling, lol
I do know a few words here and there, and actually I'm sooo used to asking the time in Croatian, I very rarely ask the time in English, so I guess I'm getting somewhere!
Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
Posted by peeweesgirl
I can speak Italian, Spanish and English that about it I would love to learn Japanese but i heard it is one of the most difficult languages to learn!
actually i think Japanese is not so hard...and Korean is supposed to be one of the easiest...
both took the Chinese language (very difficult) and made it easier and simple...
ThongLori
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
Yabbo I beg to differ about Japanese!
I visited Japan 2 years ago and spent my nights up with a CD trying to learn -- in fact i still remember one phrase -
Watashi wa nihongo ga sukoshi-shika hanasemasen!
Which means -- I only speak a little Japanese. But if that were written out in Kanji? Uh... duhh.... i found it very diffcult to learn. I learned to count to 10, a few key phrases... but overall, learning to read it and speak it are 2 diff things. Imagine knowing how to tell the waiter in a restaurant waht you want to eat, but you can't read the menu. Crazy!
Everyone in Japan spoke English. At least in the big cities...
Buena Suerte everyone with your spanish language studies!
Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
you are in Ireland right now?
I would definitely take the opportunity to got and visit Spain while you can...
it will help to reinforce what you are learning...
wacky,...I'm very jealous...Berlitz is supposed to be awesome...but its SO expensive...
cooky11111
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
There is a Spanish program that is interactive with your computer (actually I was dating someone from Agentina for years and he bought it for me) you need a mic and it tells you how well your accent is and teaches you everything from vowels to words to sentences.
1017Bride
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
I have tried to learn Spanish on my own using a CD-ROM. I had some success, but I feel you don't do as well unless you use the language regularly. Since your husband and his family speak Spanish, they can help with that!
soon2bMrs
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
yabbobay - Yes we are in Ireland right now. We have been here since the first week in November. We are actually planning a trip to Spain and Portugal over Christmas with my parents.
With the EU it is really easy and pretty cheap to travel around the countries here. So we are trying to see all of Europe. So far we have made it to Italy and Belgium and in two weeks Paris. Thank God for my Hubby because he does really well with the foreign languages, alone I would be lost.
Danielle
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Re: Has anyone ever tried to learn a foreign language?
I teach French and Spanish and had to go back to school after college to learn Spanish... and immersion is the way to go. you could try a class at night (community college charges just a few hundred dollars per class) or get tapes and a cd rom. Also, listen to the radio and try to pick up on some words or watch Spanish TV (there are a bunch of stations) You could also exchange emails with a Spanish-speaking person (maybe start up a thread here)
the key is practice and persistence... but you will be surprised at how much you can do if you are determined!
