Learning the Spanish Language- Everything You Need to Know by Leonardo Diaz-Garces

Learning the Spanish Language- Everything You Need to Know
by: Leonardo Diaz-Garces

• Learning the Spanish language is not rocket science. Although learning Spanish, like any other foreign language, poses a number of difficulties, it is not as hard as you might imagine it to be. In fact, if you are motivated enough you can even learn Spanish without any help from a formal instructor. You will need a few tools such as the dictionary, a grammar book, audio guides for enunciation exercises and a few conversation exercises.

• Learning the Spanish language does not have to be costly. There are a lot of available resources that so not need purchasing such as e-books and audio you can download online for free and public library resources such as books, publications, as well as some audio-visual presentations that are available for anyone interested to borrow them.

• Learning the Spanish language does not have to be a boring and solitary activity. You can get a partner to study the language with you. You will have all the support you can get plus a little bit of challenge from your co learner, which is very healthy in the learning process. This is very helpful especially those who are not capable of self correction. Having a pal to learn with can be both fun and academically challenging.

• Making mistakes is natural in learning the Spanish language or any other foreign language for that matter. It is part and parcel of the learning process and it even fortifies your fluency as you progress. It is much better if you can pin point your own mistakes and rectify them yourself.

• Never assume that Spanish words that look and sound like English words are of the same meaning. This is a common mistake among beginners, but can be easily corrected by looking at the proper usage of the words in English as well as in Spanish. This error happens a lot because both the English and the Spanish Language are Latin derived. When this happens, do not feel embarrassed or inadequate. As already mentioned, making errors are part of the learning process.

• Spanish, unlike the English language do not always require the use of pronouns. This is a common mistake among early learners, and even with seasoned Spanish speakers. It will not be at all grammatically wrong to include pronouns in Spanish sentences but since they are unnecessary, they will sound a bit lost in the sentence.

• Learning proper pronunciation is essential in learning the Spanish language. Although Spanish is not a tonal language, the meanings of many words are largely dependent on how they are spoken and where the accent is placed.

• Articles are very important to master. Just like in the English language where it is essential to know when to use a, an, and the, it is just as important in Spanish to know when to use un, el, una, los, les, and la.

• NEVER assume that one single source is always accurate. Multiple resources should be utilized in learning the Spanish language for purposes of verification and cross referencing.