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29 Chalk and Talk Muy vs Mucho and other important words LightSpeed Spanish

Muy vs Mucho. Getting them right. It’s quite interesting how often we get the Muy vs Mucho question wrong. Mostly it has to do with our translation from English to Spanish. However, in this Chalk and Talk we go beyond the Muy vs Mucho question and look at the way that these words, along with... Read more »
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Top Ten Tips for learning Spanish in collaboration with Sprachheld.de LightSpeed Spanish

Why we have created Ten Top Tips for learning Spanish

When we first start out learning a new language, we often don’t have any experience of how to go about it. Certainly, if it’s our very first experience of learning a second language it can be quite daunting.

Where do we start? What is the best system? Where should I get advice?

A new language in just one weekend.

For the uninitiated, there can be a temptation to turn immediately to the courses that promise fluency within a very short space of time.  Titles such as ‘10,000 words in your tea-break’, ‘Fluent in a flash’, ‘Native in No-time’ can all be extremely tempting not to mention costly.

We’ve lost count of the times that students have come to us saying that they had just completed a ‘speed Spanish’ course that claimed that grammar wasn’t important. They often comment that they were more confused after having finished the course than they were before they started.

Warning: Any company that promises fluency in less than a couple of years may be pulling your leg.

Are you special?

If you are one of those people that can learn anything to an exceptionally high standard in a minute and a half, then you needn’t pay much attention to what we are saying. Our message is going out to the normal, regular learners like us that need time to learn and to assimilate new information.

Warning: Never compare your learning speed with others. We are all different. Only compare your own progress. e.g. How much better is your Spanish now than say, six months ago?

Why Ten Top Tips for learning Spanish?

The reason we produced Ten Top Tips for learning Spanish is so that those normal people could have a framework upon which they could structure their learning. Why? Because there are so many roads to learning a language, and many of them lead to the same place.

However, as new learners we can get sidetracked or bogged down in learning systems that really don’t take us anywhere. For example, many people spend an inordinate amount of time focused on writing and fill in the gap exercises. That’s great as long as you combine it with lots of other things. Doing it in isolation, however, won’t move your Spanish forward at the right speed. When that happens, the learner ends up feeling frustrated and demotivated.

Important: Involve all of your senses every day; listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Where do I go now?

The next step in your learning journey is your choice. There is a wealth of great learning systems out there. Find the one that you are happy with. Learning should be fun. If it isn’t, then you are probably not doing the right course.

Warning: People often take learning far too seriously. Be kind to yourself, keep it light, keep it fun. Smile as you learn.

We hope you find the Ten Top Tips for learning Spanish valuable and we are here if you need us in the future.

 

un saludo,

Gordon y Cynthia:)

This was brought to you in collaboration with Sprachheld.de  

Watch Ten Top Tips for learning Spanish here:

 

28 Chalk and Talk Spanish Subjunctive Possibilities LightSpeed Spanish

Making Spanish Subjunctive Possibilities the easy way! Making Spanish subjunctive possibilities needn’t be difficult nor stressful. In fact, once you have the tools to create these sentences, it all becomes far easier. Spanish subjunctive possibilities are a fundamental part of how we speak. It’s possible that you haven’t realised that yet, and maybe you didn’t... Read more »
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29 Lesson Ordering in Spanish Restaurants and cafés LightSpeed Spanish

Ordering in Spanish Restaurants is easy if you know how! In this lesson, requested by Pete Lovestrom, we cover the FOUR most important two word phrases that will allow you to order anything, anywhere. In fact, ordering in Spanish restaurants and cafés will become stress free. In addition to ordering in Spanish restaurants, one of... Read more »
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28 Lesson Making Spanish Sentences ‘Perifrases Verbales’ LightSpeed Spanish

Making Spanish Sentences with Perífrases Verbales (A rose by any other name!) This lesson was requested by Ian. Gracias por la sugerencia. Before we start, here is the official definition of what they are. You’ll understand why we’ve added this when you watch the lesson:  LAS PERÍFRASIS VERBALES. Son construcciones sintácticas de dos o más... Read more »
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