Posted: 5/7/2006 3:41:14 PM EDT
| I am looking at the various learn at home Spanish programs and was wondering if anyone has any experience with Pimsleur products. I am looking at going to Costa Rica next year and would like to have a basic grasp on the language. Anyone have recommendations on this program or another? |
As a fluent Spanish speaker (near native), I'd have to agree. The biggest problem with learning a language is learning to THINK in that language, so you're not translating in your head as you go along. |
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pimsleur, there are three major sections. not the lite spanish (or quick and easy or whatever the call it) but the 3 expensive CD sets. make sure its south american (mexican) not iberian (continental) spannish.. i did them in about a year. I can ALMOST understand a mexican sitcom. beyond this you'll need to get a nice latino lady to keep your house clean.. (or join a framing crew). |
I have two sisters, both took Spanish in High School, and both of them learned very little. Curiously they both moved to Spain. They are back in the States now, and they are both extremely fluent, to the point of not only mastering the slang, but the local accents. In their case: Andalusian. One of my sisters speaks Spanish so fast that native speakers tell her to slow down. When you have to learn a language in order to order food, or find out where the bathroom is, you learn real fast. |
That's exactly right. My father (who spoke only Spanish at the time) managed to pick up Italian in less than six months while living in Rome. Like you said, when your choices are learn the language or starve, you learn quick. |
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I used the Hugo Spanish in Three Months book. It is concise and detailed, and easy to work through. Now I watch a lot of movies with Spanish audio to practice. I know enough to hold a conversation, but not well. I also sometimes think out loud in Spanish to practice speaking it. I've been studying it for almost a year, and can somewhat well follow a movie in Spanish that I haven't seen before. Espanol no es muy dificil aprender, pero se debe practicarlo y estudiarlo sin parar, o se pierde muy rapidamente. Lo practico cuando puedo. |
Bingo. Direct translation does not work well, if at all. |