| > | | | | - Buy a good book or better still a good tape |
| | | | series where you can hear the language and how |
| Spanish is the world's second most popular | | | | it sounds. Obviously you need to buy this but |
| language. This article contains tips and hints to help | | | | there are books that you will waste months on |
| you on your way to mastering and learning the | | | | and get nowhere and there are books where you |
| language whether you are visiting Spain, moving | | | | will start to be able to speak and learn Spanish |
| to Spain or visting a country that speaks Spanish. | | | | very quickly. |
| Spanish is a very useful language to learn as it is | | | | - Don't be afraid. Fear is a terrible emotion. You |
| the world's second most popular language. | | | | have to try and speak Spanish to people |
| Outside of the popular coastal tourist resorts a | | | | otherwise you won't know how you are |
| basic knowledge of Spanish is invaluable. Even in | | | | progressing. It really doesn't matter that you will |
| the tourist resorts you will find the Spanish will not | | | | make mistakes, it is only by making mistakes that |
| go out of their way to speak English to you. If | | | | you will learn. The worst that can happen is that |
| you try a few words and get stuck you tend to | | | | the person who are talking to will not understand |
| find they suddenly can speak a bit of English! | | | | you, yes it's frustrating but don't beat yourself up |
| The bottom line is that if you are moving to Spain | | | | about it. |
| and looking for work you might as well not bother | | | | - Go to Spain. Visiting Spain itself is a great |
| if you don't learn the language. If you are a tourist | | | | motivator to learn the language. If you don't keep |
| then obviously you don't have to learn the | | | | practising what you have learned then you will be |
| language, you will get by, but learning a few basic | | | | surprised at how quickly it is forgotten. |
| words or expressions will actually add to the | | | | - As much as you want to learn Spanish, there |
| enjoyment of your holiday as you delight the | | | | must be other people who are equally keen to |
| locals (and yourself). | | | | learn English - place an ad and try finding someone |
| I don't think it is fair to describe learning any | | | | who you can trade with. |
| language as easy but if it's any consolation, there | | | | - Spanish grammar is different to English - leave it |
| are hundreds of English words that are virtually | | | | at that. Don't keep trying to make sense of it in |
| identical in Spanish - so you already know a lot of | | | | English terms - just concentrate on being able to |
| Spanish vocabulary! | | | | communicate with people - otherwise you will end |
| TIPS ON LEARNING SPANISH | | | | up confusing yourself. |
| - Get motivated. The best way to do this is to | | | | - There may be thousands of Spanish words but |
| imagine your ideal outcome. If you don't do this | | | | you only need to learn a fraction of them. If you |
| you will most likely fail when you start hitting a | | | | analysed your own vocabulary during the day you |
| few inevitable hurdles. We all go though this stage | | | | would be surprised to find that you are not |
| but if you have burned into your mind the positive | | | | speaking like a dictionary but instead use a very |
| results that will follow then you will succeed where | | | | limited amount of words. Spanish is the same, you |
| thousands have failed. Imagine something like | | | | just need to know the most commonly used |
| getting a job in your dream destination or having | | | | words. |
| a relationship with a handsome Spaniard or | | | | - Turn wasted time into valuable time. Learning |
| meeting a pretty Senorita! | | | | Spanish is great when you are doing things like |
| - Take baby steps to build your confidence. | | | | driving, jogging, waiting for someone, ironing, |
| Remember that the first objective is to master a | | | | cooking the dinner etc. The more time you |
| few basic words like hello, goodbye, thank you | | | | practice the quicker you will accelerate your |
| etc. This will give you confidence to go forward - | | | | learning. |
| DO NOT start learning long and complex words. | | | | |