If you are wondering how to learn Spanish and how to speak Spanish quickly, here are some basic tips for you:
1. First of all remember that—as with English—Spanish has its own structure. Many times Spanish students want to speak Spanish using the same structure as in English. Sometimes this suffices, and sometimes it does not. To get to a level where you truly “sound” like a Spanish speaker requires more than just academic study, it requires interaction and immersion in a native Spanish-speaking environment.
2. Concentrate on thoroughly mastering the pronunciation of the vowels. Spanish vowels are more consistent that English vowels, and being able to pronounce them correctly will go a long way toward speeding up your language acquisition. Many of the difficulties students have with speaking well in Spanish are a result of inadequate “encoding” of the Spanish vowel pronunciations.
3. The second aspect to achieving correct pronunciation is to master the location of word accents. Learn the two simple rules, and pay attention to any special accent marks. Rehearsal with a native speaker will also help you to train your tongue and ear more quickly.
4. Understand that languages cannot always be translated “word for word”. What needs to be translated are ideas. Ideas may be expressed using different structures and different combinations of words in different languages. For example, the phrase, “I am late.” Many times Spanish students translate this as “Estoy tarde” rather than “Estoy retrasado.” The phrase, “I am excited” is often translated as “Estoy excitado” (in a state of
sexual arousal), rather than “Estoy emocionado.”… Be careful!
5. Lastly, yes, communicating and becoming fluid in a new language involves training your mind, but it also involves retraining your mouth and ears. The muscles of your mouth will need to learn how to position themselves and move in the coordinated sequences which are necessary for speaking Spanish phrases. Your ears (and their perception centers in your brain) will have to learn how to parse the long strings of sounds you hear into individually interpretable words. These skills require more than simply studying Spanish textbooks, they require sustained rehearsal—they require repeatedly speaking and hearing the language with a native speaker.
Spanish School Nicaragua offers you the opportunity to utilize these aspects of language acquisition with intensive and immersive Spanish language courses in a comfortable, safe, and affordable Latin American location: Estelí, Nicaragua! Our Spanish program includes: Basic Spanish and advanced Spanish lessons. Please contact us and we would be happy to help you discover the programs we have to get you speaking Spanish quickly.
Next Steps
Take a quick Spanish Proficiency Test.
Sign up for a free Spanish trial lesson.
Sign up for Spanish Lessons Online with this Spanish Online Enrollment Form.
Sign up for Spanish Lessons by Immersion in Esteli with this Spanish Immersion Enrollment Form.
Questions? Use our Contact Form, send us an email (rafael(at)spanishschoolnicaragua.com), or send us a message on Skype (user name “Spanish School Nicaragua”).