I start Spanish classes today.

[Trigger Hippie]

I'm a receptionist at a law firm whose clients are mostly low income immigrants. My employers want me to take Spanish classes so I can communicate with them better and even ultimately translate for some of the attorneys. I took 10 years of French, but have never taken Spanish. Do any of you espanol speakers have any tips for me?

Thanks

:hi:

[GOPisEvil]

1. Muy bien!

If you speak French, you have a leg up. They're similar languages in many ways.

[Trigger Hippie]

8. I do know:

Hola, GOPIsEvil

Como esta?

:hi:

[GOPisEvil]

24. Bien, gracias. Y tu?

:hi:

[Trigger Hippie]

25. Muy bien.

OK, that's all the Spanish I know. Except for the word for attorney: abogado. (I think.) :)

[GOPisEvil]

26. Excelente!

:thumbsup:

Tengo una...er...meeting. Adios.

[4morewars]

2. Vaya con Dio

go with god

[dhinojosa]

7. Dio?

This is Dio (a real Holy Diver)


This is Dios

:) Just having fun with ya :hi:

[4morewars]

11. Ay caramba !

High school spanish was a LONG time ago !

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

3. Que?

[Gato Moteado]

4. practica, practica, practica

nt

[Trigger Hippie]

13. Just like going back to school!

I'm so excited about taking notes and doing homework. OK, I'm such a nerd. :)

[LynzM]

5. Have fun!!

French will help you a LOT, especially visually while learning, since many words look similar, and many grammar constructions are similar. Good luck!

[Trigger Hippie]

6. I hope to have fun,

I just hope I don't speak Spanish with a French accent.

:silly:

[LynzM]

30. I spoke German with a French accent for a while!

You probably will, until your brain and ears start to adjust. Just try to listen and practice as much as you can, and eventually you will be able to separate the languages in your brain! :)

[dhinojosa]

9. Never ever say...

"Usted tiene pelos susios de mi nalga en sus dientes"

You have my dirty butthairs in your teeth. heheh

[Trigger Hippie]

10. Bwwhahahahaha

I'll make a note of it.

:D

[melissinha]

12. Real classes are better

Don't get caught up in tapes... they are only good as a reinforcement to a real class.

I myself have taught Elementary Spanish I and Portuguese I, and have studied French and Italian... So I get this stuff. As a someone who has studied another romantic language you will have a leg up, but beware of the absolute differences between Spanish and French. Just let go of the "pas" negation stuff and don't be hard on yourself if you aren't able to understand or speak with the clients immediately. The slang that your clients most definitely use will take time to undertand. I guess I mean: be patient. Spanish is easier to pronounce and learn than French... so have fun!

¡Buena suerte!

[Trigger Hippie]

14. Thanks for the tips!

Our clients are from many different countries, so the most worrisome thing for me is the slang and the speed at which they will be speaking. I'll just have to muddle through. I'll make it though!

I am taking a class at the Center for Adult Education. I knew I could never teach myself a new language with just tapes.

:)

[melissinha]

38. I figured as much

As you had spent so many yers learning French that you wouldn't resort to tapes. Just wanted to warn you, just in case.

Ah you will be challenged with a lot of varying slang!!Well then, just concentrate on the General American Spanish (this is most like northern south american spanish) if you show that you are trying, they'll really respond and make an effort to slow down in order to communicate.

Good luck!

[kick-ass-bob]

16. If you took a class in high school (15 yrs ago)

would the tapes still work for you?

[melissinha]

41. Really depends on what you remember

I think that the tapes could "help" but it jstu isn't comprehensive enough if you have lost alot of the content. But if you are just brushing up it could be a little helpful, but as others have said practice with natives is best.

[Shell Beau]

15. Uno! That is as far as my Spanish goes.

[kick-ass-bob]

17. I know Uno, dos, tres, catorce!

:evilgrin: to those who get an earworm.

[Shell Beau]

19. Me too (and U2 as well)!

Okay I am cheesy! :crazy:

[StopTheMorans]

20. .

:thumbsdown: :banghead:

[Trigger Hippie]

22. Argh!

Earworm!!! Noooooo!!

:cry:

[kick-ass-bob]

23. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

:thumbsup: :headbang:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


(ever notice the smileys are called headbang and banghead?)

[calico1]

18. I speak Spanish fluently.

With regard to French, I would say it might help you a little. But contrary to what many people believe they are not very similar languages. I don't understand most of what a french person is saying most of the time except for maybe one word here or there. Portugese is the closest to Spanish imo. My advice to you is practice, practice. If you know anyone personally that speaks Spanish practice conversing with them.

Now, I wonder which Spanish you are learning? LOL. You see, Mexican Spanish is different from Puerto Rican Spanish, which is very different from Argentinian Spanish, which is also different from Cuban Spanish. Good luck. :-)

[Trigger Hippie]

21. Yikes,

Yes, I will have to ask the instructor which one we are using. Do you think if, say, I learn Mexican Spanish, I can still understand someone from Cuba or Argentina or Spain decently enough? How big of a gap is there between languages spoken in different countries? Thanks for the help! :)

[CottonBear]

32. Note: Cubans speak at light speed! I had Cuban teachers for 4 years.

Cuban Spanish is similar to Spanish Spanish. When the two Cuban teachers spoke with us they must have been speaking in slo-mo because when they spoke together I had no idea what they were saying!

Have fun learning. I forgot most of my Spanish (no one to practice with) and now there are lots of Spanish speakers around here where I live. I'm thinking of taking a class to refresh my language and conversation skills.

Adios mi amigo! (I don't know how to type the upside down exclamation mark. :()

[Trigger Hippie]

34. Adios,

and thanks! :hi:

[calico1]

35. The general words are the same for the most part

But each country has its distinctive slang words and colloquialisms. That's where it gets complicated. I am Puerto Rican. If I went to Mexico or Venezueal I can guarantee you I would not understand half of what anyone was talking about. Plus, some very innocent words in one place might have an obscene meaning in another.

[Trigger Hippie]

36. Oh, this could get very interesting....

:o

[RedCloud]

46. No te preocupes.

Just learn castellano. All Spanish speakers understand it and are probably reluctant about using it, if they don't.

Historically, many of the new World occupiers came from Southern Spain where castellano is rare. Hence the difference between many countries.

Learn the basics like "autobús". If you learn "gua-gua" instead, most native speakers will think a dog taught you Spanish!

Best of all try to introduce people whose names are considered tabu in opposing countries.

For example, Concha, meet my little friend, Cuca. You would need an Argentinian named Cuca and a Venezuelan named Concha. These names are not used in opposing countries as they refer to female genitalia.

Viva la diferencia!

[RedCloud]

27. No estoy loco en este momento.

Get a video.

Watch the lips moving. This is important for articulation.

Play tapes and imitate the sounds you hear. Don't worry about the meaning. Eventually your ear will sort out sounds.

Train the ear to the sounds.

Do not try to "bottom down" learn it. Kids are "bottom up" learners and much better than snooty adults. Why, some learn "nuestra fermosa lengua" in only a month! Adults who want to know everything first, take years!

And don't let anybody grind you down!

Me voy con el amanecer lindo.

Viva la revolución.

Nube Roja

Note: This edit should not count as one as the gringo spell check can't handle accent codes.

[dhinojosa]

28. Actually what they may not teach you in class is here...

in case a client comes in talking about his 'cabron' employer.
Here are some offensive words in spanish, in case you need it. :)

First off, ask your teacher, how to correctly use Madre (Mother). Because inflection and usage can either describe someones mother or extremely insult them and their mother.

Cabron - goat but means a treacherous person, or weakling.

Pinchi - similar to fucking as an adjective, used extensively with cabron, and pendejo. "Pinchi cabron".

Pendejo - stupid. Used with pinchi, but can be used without. "El pinchi pendejo en Washington no sabes nada"

Verga - "dick", penis. Often times used as "A la verga" meaning "I am not going to do it, too many problems"

Panocha - "pussy", vagina (used only as a sexual vulger manner) - "Me voy agarrar panocha esta Viernes". In some regions it's also bread pudding. Yikes!

Chinga - "fuck" or even "hell" - this gets tricky.
"Chinga su madre" - the worse thing anyone can say "Fuck your mom"
"Dale Chingasos" - beat that person up (weird huh?) If someone asks you "Quieres un chingasos?" please say no! I learned that the hard way.
"Lleva me a la chingada" - take me to hell! (another weird one)
"Chingona" - a female badass or fatass
"Chingon" - a male badass

Puto - Male Whore
Puta - Female Whore
Joto(Hoe-Toe) or Maricon - Faggot, but really means the Jack in a deck of cards
Huevos/Cajones - Testicles

[Trigger Hippie]

31. Cool!

I'm definitely bookmarking this thread!

:)

[Richardo]

29. The spelling is probably the easiest and most consistent in the world.

Entirely phonetic, which is the opposite of French. :thumbsup:

If you speak French Spanish should be little or no problem for you. Buena suerte!

[Trigger Hippie]

33. It's been a while since I've spoken French

regularly, but I hopefully should get back in the linguistic swing quick enough. :)

[melissinha]

42. I agree

Your clients will really appreciate the effort and make the effort to reciprocate. But since you are taking the class you might advance past the french-spanish mix.

You'll do fine.

[DS1]

37. Don't fuck it all up like George W. Bush does and you'll be fine

:-)

[Trigger Hippie]

40. Shit, I hope I wont' be as bad as all that.

:crazy:

On edit: :)

BTW, I love your new avatar, DS1.

[Lisa0825]

39. I am an intermediate level student.

I like listening to rock and pop in spanish for practice in comprehension, and I think it has also helped me with pronunciation A LOT! The longer you study, the more words you will notice yourself recognizing when you listen to music (or the commercials on the radio). I found that being in an english speaking country, you can still surround yourself with spanish a lot with radio, CDs, TV, etc. I also eavesdrop on spanish speaking people I encounter, and try to follow what they are talking about! :evilgrin:

I like to translate random things for fun... www.chistes.com will send you a joke a day in spanish, for example.

[Trigger Hippie]

44. Oooh, good tips!

I live in a big Spanish-speaking neighborhood, so it'll be fun to eavesdrop. :evilgrin:

Plus, since I don't have cable, I'll be able to understand two more of my local stations once I can understand Spanish a bit. And Spanish music is pretty fun, too. :)

:hi:

[catmandu57]

43. Esta es muy bueno

es muy importante a sabe espanol ahora. I'm losing mine though, too damn long without hearing it.

[Trigger Hippie]

45. Uhhhh, too hard for me to understand all that.

But I will soon. :)

[Kathy in Cambridge]

47. I was thinking of taking Spanish or Portuguese

lots of Portuguese speakers around here too.

[Trigger Hippie]

48. Yes,

one of the attorneys I work for speaks Portuguese and it is a beautiful language. :)

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

49. I would recommend that you get music and movies in Spanish.

It helped my wife a great deal while she was taking classes in college. Now whenever we go to PR people can't tell she's not from there. Of course Greek is her 1st language which helped with the pronunciation. Buena suerte.

PS CD roms for you to practice at home are helpful too.

[Trigger Hippie]

50. Cool.

Movies and music make learning fun!

My first class was fun, btw. My teacher is from Spain, so some of her pronunciations are a bit different than what I'll be dealing with when speaking to our clients. The clients are mostly from PR and Central America. I went to my local pub last night and got a bit drunk and did my homework. Wheee!

:hi:

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

51. Yes, I forgot to add the drinking part. That is an essential tool. n/t

[Trigger Hippie]

52. hahahahaha

:thumbsup: