Any ideas?

[tampacigargirl]

Well, to start of I haven't tried to learn a second language since high school. For a little while when I was 18 I had my Step-mom to practice on.. needless to say, I can still recite the alphabet, numbers and some phrases, but no real grasp of the language (and that was quite a while ago). Since I moved to Florida, most of my customers speak a dialect of Spanish, I'm wondering what the best way to learn it or any other language.

I have one customer that speaks only Spanish, and he comes in twice a week, and sometimes I'd really like to have a clue at what he's saying and have a conversation.

Also I'd like to understand what the guys are saying when they switch from English to Spanish.

[mauied1101]

Start watching telemundo - I kid you not. You'll pick it up.

[guado]

Get spanish friends and have them talk to you in spanish. You have to get some books or something to relearn all the words and learn conjugation etc...

but that is where most people lose their ability. Learning a language seems to only come around by speaking it. I have a handful of friends who have taken spanish and continually try to speak to me in spanish or tell me phrases. Start small. If people see you are trying to speak spanish most of them will appreciate it and coach you along.

Of course now that I know this information I now know I can switch to spanish and secretly talk about you...teeheee

[nhcigarfan]

I've heard these are the programs to go with http://www.rosettastone.com/en/

[cls515]

Is going to a decent spanish program at a local juco or university out of the question?

[dHUTCH]

I've heard these are the programs to go with http://www.rosettastone.com/en/

I have that program...works well!

[kevin7]

My dad took spanish back in the 50's in high school and still speaks it. He cannot understand a word the illegals use in the hardware store though. He said he laerned Spanish as spoken by Spanish people in Spain.

[Newfie]

CG, I'm of a French mother and live in an area with a huge Italian community. I believe the languages are very similar in ways to Spanish. When I was in Cuba, in spite of the fact I don't speak Spanish, nor am I fluent in either French or Italian, if they were talking slow, I understood enough to pick up the gist of the conversation.

I've been told by people that it's a fairly easy language to learn so personally, I'd recommend it for when the Embargo ends you'll be prepared for that trip south I know you want to make so bad!!! That way someone can say to you in Spanish "Hey Seniorita, my brother's wife has a cousin who's uncle is a Security guard in the Cohiba factory ....." and you'll understand him!!!

All kidding aside, because of the Spanish influence in Florida, that's the language you should learn as second to English. My wife took Italian courses in night school to better converse in her job with older Italian people in the area.

[Monk]

Heya Tampacigargirl,

Definately watch as much spanish TV and listen to spanish radio when you can. Even if it is in the background. The key is to use it as much as possible. If you don't speak it or practice it, you will never learn. So taking a course, or using a language computer program, or tapes will be useless if you don't use it day to day in some fashion. Even if you only know a few phrases to start then you can build from there. I learned German this way when I moved to Munich a few years back and immersion is the only way to really keep it in your head.

Funny you mention this though, I have been trying to get started with Spanish as a third language recently, I just need to get off my @ss and do it!

-W.

[sprangalang]

I took years of Espanol in high school, and absorbed all of about a dozen words. Later I got a job at a factory, where most of the workers spoke Spanish. I learned a lot more there than ever did at school. Not that I became fluent or anything, but can understand somewhat and make my way through a city. And I know l lot of the bad words too. I think the suggestion of watching Spanish TV is a good one. And some of those Spanish soaps are HOT.
Some of the common slang you will hear on the street is pretty damn funny.