| I was half shocked, half amused reading all the | | | | like playing with a jigsaw puzzle. You know that |
| stuff on the Internet about how learning Spanish | | | | you want to get the bigger picture out of the |
| is "easy" and how some guides teach you how to | | | | small pieces, but before sticking them together |
| speak Spanish in 21 days. I always wanted to ask | | | | you'll need to start with the corners to give you a |
| the people writing this kind of guides, exactly who | | | | base (the "child" vocabulary mentioned above). |
| they think they're fooling. Spanish, just like any | | | | After that, you need to understand the rules |
| other language, takes time to learn. You'll need | | | | involved in sticking the pieces together (Spanish |
| constant exercise, you'll need to focus on several | | | | grammar) and finally, you will have to start picking |
| parts of the language, such as the Spanish | | | | the small pieces one by one and attach them to |
| vocabulary, Spanish grammar and so forth. Of | | | | the forming picture (improve vocabulary). |
| course, each person has a particular level of | | | | Improving vocabulary in Spanish can be done in a |
| informational absorption that can help them (or | | | | number of ways. Probably the most common one |
| hinder them if it's low) in learning Spanish from | | | | is "relating objects". That means that if you learn |
| scratch. | | | | a new word from a specific category (fruits for |
| Obviously, it depends whether you want to learn | | | | example), you should expand your vocabulary in |
| Spanish for your next-week trip to Madrid, or if | | | | that particular category first, then move on to |
| you intend to learn it for that job offer waiting | | | | another related context. |
| for you there in 4 months. You may be able to | | | | For example, you learn the word "apple", you |
| grasp the basic language notions in a week, if you | | | | move on to words like "pears", "strawberries" and |
| use one of those free language lessons that you | | | | "peaches" then after you're done with that distinct |
| can find online, but if you want to learn it properly | | | | group of words, move on to bigger contexts in |
| and in-depth, you'll be better off taking things | | | | which you can use them such as "kitchen", |
| slowly and chewing on what you learn instead of | | | | "farms" or "marketplace". This will allow you to |
| swallowing it as soon as you learn it. | | | | learn new words from the new bigger contexts |
| During your first 2 weeks, take a child's approach | | | | and at the same time, re-use the words you had |
| to learning Spanish. Learn what you would teach a | | | | learnt in the smaller categories, which "fixes" them |
| child to know in English first: the colors, 0 to 20 | | | | better in your memory. |
| numbers, helloes and goodbyes, seasons, months | | | | I'm not saying this is THE only way of learning |
| of the year, days of the week and all sorts of | | | | Spanish from scratch, but trust me, if you |
| easy things that will help you get a taste of | | | | manage to follow these easy steps, you'll soon |
| learning a new language as well as getting you | | | | have a solid and correct grasp of the Spanish |
| accustomed to pronunciation and writing. | | | | language. There might be faster methods of |
| Once you're at this point, go for a few grammar | | | | learning a new language out there, but this old |
| rules. Use a Spanish course if needed, or look up a | | | | fashion step-by-step one practically restrains you |
| Spanish grammar online lesson and try to find out | | | | from taking any huge leaps in the learning process |
| differences and common points between Spanish | | | | and skipping some important stuff. |
| and English (or your mother tongue if it's not | | | | If you want to add some spice to your language |
| English of course). You'll also work on your | | | | learning process, you can try playing some word |
| pronunciation, writing and understanding while going | | | | games, watching some Spanish shows on TV and |
| through the grammar rules. | | | | last but not least, you could search the internet |
| Next up, assuming you already know the basic | | | | for some free language lessons online or even |
| grammar rules and have a solid grip of the basic | | | | better, those free online "learn Spanish" videos |
| Spanish words, you'll need to work hard to | | | | that you can find all over the world wide web. |
| improve your vocabulary. Learning Spanish is just | | | | |