I hope you’ve been enjoying my posts lately. I thought I might do something different today and rustle up a few bits of info from around the WWW. These are some of the news items and blog posts that have been popular over the last few weeks. Leave me your thoughts.

free spanish lessons » Blog Archive » Spanish Noun: Artículo

Artículo' has more meanings in Spanish than in English, as in 'Los artículos del diario' [The newspaper articles], meaning a literary composition; 'El artículo 3° de la constitución' [Article 3rd of the constitution] meaning parts of a …

Learn Spanish with La Casa Rojas Magazine – Videos – Articles …

ROJAS SPANISH LANGUAGE ARGENTINA/URUGUAY 2010 “HANGING LIKE A LOCAL” We'll show you some of the stuff that tourists like to see and help to you get to. … By this time, we are hungry again and so we will enjoy a really extraordinary lunch where each course is paired with……can you guess? Yes, you guessed it, more wine! We know you are thinking nap now, but wine is serious business so it is our responsibility to learn how all that goodness got into those bottles. …

Learn Spanish fast and easy | This Is Torrevieja

LEARNSPANISHFASTNEASY This interactive course will teach you advanced Spanish rapidly,effectively and easily making it practical to communicate in everyday. … Learn Spanish Today for Free! …

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Hey Readers! I’ve been comin across some crazy stuff the past few days from a few different blogs around the web which I just had to share with you. Check em out below…

DVD Review: Spanish for Beginners: Adentro y Afuera (Inside and …

DVD Review: Spanish for Beginners: Adentro y Afuera (Inside and Out) · spanishforbeginners Educational research continues to point out that the best method for learning a second language is in early childhood, through immersion – the …

Car Video Dvd Reviews » Blog Archive » Ways to Learn Spanish Easily

You can also watch DVDs over and over again to learn the lessons where in a classroom once it ends the lesson is over. You can find many of these DVD type Spanish tutorials online. Learn Spanish the right way by discovering Learn …

Life on Mars – The Complete Series (a J!-ENT DVD Review) : J!-ENT …

DVD TITLE: Life on Mars – The Complete Series. DURATION: 17 episodes (731 minutes). DVD INFORMATION: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, French and Spanish Subtitles, Widescreen (1:78:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions. COMPANY: abc studios …. In fact, fans of the series will probably enjoy the audio commentary for the final episode as we learn what the original finale was supposed to be but also the reason why they made the final minutes of the f
d8
inal episode as is. …

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Spanish is the mother tongue of approximately 350 million people in 21 countries (Mexico: 95 million, Spain: 40 million, Argentina: 35 million, Colombia: 35 million, Venezuela: 25 million, Peru: 20 million. Spanish is the second most used language in international communication.

More than forty-seven million people learn Spanish anywhere in the world at this moment .

As you learn Spanish, traveling to Spanish speaking countries will be much more enjoyable. Time and time again while traveling in Mexico, Central America and South America I have had doors opened to me simply because I speak Spanish, allowing me to see and do things that many other visitors do not. When I read Latin American or Spanish newspapers, for example, I often find that I gain a sense of how other people think and feel, a way that is different than my own. There are many other reasons to learn Spanish like the great contribution of the Spanish and Hispanic American culture in Architecture, Literature and Arts.

Spanish can be easy to learn compared to other languages. Much of its vocabulary is similar to English’s, and written Spanish is almost completely phonetic: Look at almost any Spanish word and you can tell how it is pronounced. And while mastering the grammar of Spanish can be a challenge, basic grammar is straightforward enough that you can have meaningful communication after only a few lessons. Wherever you decide to go, be it to Central America, or to Spain, the mother country of the Spanish language, knowing the language will get you far. If you take a little time to learn some of the Spanish language before heading off to distant lands, your understanding and appreciation for the places you visit will be improved tremendously.

Spanish vocabulary is basically of Latin origin; however it contains many loan words from other languages, especially Arabic, French, and Italian. If you can learn Spanish, you’ll have a head start in learning the other Latin-based languages such as French and Italian. And I wouldn’t be surprised if learning Spanish might even help you learn Japanese or any other non-Indo-European language, since intensive learning the structure of a language can give you a reference point for learning others. It’s easy: Spanish is one of the easiest foreign languages to learn.

Learning a foreign language is fun and exciting and does not have to be boring. Learning Spanish allows you to enjoy the various nuances of a different cultural.

About The Author

Catherine Smith 2007-2008 Copyright

http://www.learn-rocket-spanish.info

Learn how to speak Spanish confidently and naturally in less than 3 months and take all the frustration, difficulty and headache out of your practice time. Simply visit http://www.learn-rocket-spanish.info to start learning Spanish today.

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Step 1: Determine What You Want

Are you trying to master the Spanish language and gain complete native fluency or do you just need basic proficiency to get by for a few weeks on vacation/work? How long do you have to gain the proficiency that you need, a few days, weeks, or years? I’m assuming that you’re just looking for basic proficiency and that you only have a few days or weeks to get there, so that’s what this article will be addressing.

Step 2: Choose an Appropriate Home Study Course

This is the one and only thing that you’re just going to have to spend some money on, although it doesn’t have to be much. If you’re serious about doing this, especially if you’re in a rush, there’s just no getting out of the fact that you’re going to have to spend some money on your own education here. I personally recommend Synergy Spanish (see bottom), as it’s specifically designed to get people to a basic level of proficiency inside of a week or two (68 10 minute lessons, and they only use 138 of the most commonly spoken words that they teach you how to combine properly, that’s the key).

There’s lots of other great programs out there, like Pimsleur and Platiquemos (basically FSI Spanish), but those will both take you several months to get through and see any results from, although your Spanish will be better at the end of 6 months with those than after 2 weeks with anything else, so it just depends on your needs.

Step 3: Watch Those Telenovelas (Spanish-language soap operas)!

If you have satellite or cable you almost certainly have a Spanish/Latino channel that shows these ALL day long–they’re GREAT because it’s native speakers speaking everyday colloquial Spanish at a normal rate of speed, AND you can turn on English subtitles. The key here is to remember to repeat after the actors! You know what they’re saying because you’ve got the subtitles on, and what’s the basic technique used by all Spanish learning courses? They have you listen to and repeat after a native speaker, which is what you’re doing here except it’s everyday spoken Spanish at a normal rate of speed, so you’re teaching yourself to sound just like a native in the process.

BONUS Tip

Find a subject that you’re personally very interested in (hobby, sport, country, a book, religion, politics, etc.) and then find resources about that specific subject that are in Spanish–it will actually be ENJOYABLE to you to learn Spanish this way because you’re learning about something that interests you in the process. It won’t feel forced, and it won’t feel like work or study–it’ll be fun and you’ll learn an enormous amount of Spanish in the process.

Also, obviously if you’ve got any friends who are native Spanish speakers, then any practice that you can get from them is wonderful, because what do you think would be the best way to prepare to speak with native Spanish speakers? How about practicing speaking Spanish WITH native speakers–see what I mean? Nothing beats having a native speaker to practice with and have help you, especially as far as getting the accent and pronunciation right.

About The Author

What do you call someone who speaks 3 languages? Trilingual. What do you call someone who speaks 2 languages? Bilingual. What do you call someone who speaks 1 language? … American. Don’t be an ignorant ‘gringo’: http://wickedhowtos.com/index.php/2008/04/14/learn-spanish-fast-online-3-quick-steps

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If you are reading this article, you are likely interested to learn Spanish. As the use of Spanish continues to grow in the United States and around the world, the more sense it makes that you learn to speak Spanish. There are multiple reasons that people decide to learn the language, and to reap the benefits of being a person who speaks more than one language.

Reasons That People Have for Wanting to Learn Spanish

• Employment: As jobs become more scarce, and the competition for those jobs becomes more intense, beefing up your resume makes sense. In many areas of employment, the ability to speak another language is incredibly desirable. Some of these jobs include business and management, health care, social work, education, construction and mechanics, and day care workers. Many native Spanish speaking people are immigrating to the United States, and communicating with them effectively in business is important.
• To better communicate with all Spanish speaking people: Perhaps you have a spouse, friend, or employee whose first language is Spanish. You may want to learn to speak their language in order to improve communication and to show that you value their culture and language. It may be especially important for you to learn Spanish if you are in a romantic relationship with a Spanish/English speaking person whose family does not speak English.
• Travel: If you are planning a long awaited trip to a Spanish speaking nation, you may want to learn to speak Spanish in order to make the trip more enjoyable. At the very least, basic Spanish skills will allow you to understand what is being said. This will be a valuable tool, especially when you are buying items and souveneirs from your trip. You should not assume that you will be taken advantage of if you do not speak the language, but people native to the country may have more respect for you if they know that you speak their language.
• Personal Satisfaction and Growth: It may be that you desire to learn another language, and that Spanish is the language that most appeals to you. As one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, it seems a good investment to learn Spanish. Learning another language adds to the arsenal of things that you have to offer, in addition to adding to your ability to adapt in a number of situations.
• Teaching your children: You may be motivated to learn Spanish so that you can use that knowledge to start your child on a learning path at an early age. The younger children are when exposed to languages, the more quickly they are likely to retain them. What better way to teach them than by learning the language yourself.

Learning Spanish can be very rewarding and extremely useful. You can learn Spanish in many different ways, including attending an adult education or college class, purchasing an at home learning curriculum, or participating in an online guided course. It is important to remember that as technology continues to expand our world to a global community, staying ahead may require you to become bi-lingual. Just as people in many other countries are familiar with or fluent in English, Spanish will soon be another global language that is needed to get ahead. The more time that goes by, the more important this skill will become.

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Learn spanish on your computer, it’s so easy to learn and retain a foreign language today and the top choice for learning quickly.Taking a spanish lesson on the computer has so many benefits.The most important reason, I think, is that learning spanish on the internet can really make the lessons stay in your brain.

Really, studying spanish online is the easiest way to learn another language.How come? Here are seven terrific reasons:

It’s easily affordable.

Go at your own speed.

Learn anywhere.

Plan around your schedule.

Have a lot of lightheartedness while you’re learning.

Practice speaking with interactive lessons.

You also get six extra lessons.

The advantages of learning spanish online are limitless.You won’t have to get in the car to drive to school.You’ll want to have a recommended english-spanish dictionary, but you won’t need to get any other books.You don’t have to keep up with the rest of the people in the classroom.

Finding the time to keep up with spanish courses can sometimes be really difficult.

Make sure that there’s a good money back guarantee before you commit to accepting any learning spanish online program.In case you don’t like the course or the technique used to teach it, you’ll want there to be no risks to you.

Any university or college spanish course can be considered the same as this learning spanish online classroom.You can go back and review as often as you like when learning spanish on the internet, so some people think it to be an even better learning process.

Another added benefit–you can practice while driving.Most especially if you travel or drive quite a bit–just put in a cd and practice those phrases while you drive!

The complete family will really like learning spanish together.You can all study together, or at different paces, whatever is best for them.The idea is for all to experience when it’s easy and online.

The top study spanish courses on the internet have a wide variety of techniques of teaching in a package.Better holding power and less boredom are side effects of this technique of learning.These are some learning tools included:

Online studying and CDs.

Study.

Hearing/repeating activities.

Game activity.

English-spanish dictionary.

Grammar linguistics.

Intonation basics.

Break apart verbs.

Basic wordage.

These internet spanish learning courses are available for all levels of learning.Start at the very basics – continue through advanced spanish speaking.Please look at this great and amazing tool to aid you in learning spanish online.

About The Author

Jennifer Field has an up-to-date learn spanish website, http://www.espanolnow.com that reviews all the top new and current learn spanish online software courses. Be sure to read the comprehensive review of Rocket Spanish.

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I hope you’ve been enjoying my posts lately. I thought I might do something different today and rustle up a few bits of info from around the WWW. These are some of the news items and blog posts that have been popular over the last few weeks. Leave me your thoughts.

Learn Spanish – Podcast: Newbie – At the Bank | Learn Spanish (for …

Free resources to improve your spanish: games, videos, vocabulary, phrases, grammar, exercises, tests, … … Learn Spanish – Podcast: Elementary – Oops, I got a ticket. Learn Spanish – Podcast: Newbie – At the Bank. Published …

English Learning Tips For Spanish Speakers By A Nutt At Isnare.com …

These two words both translate into Spanish with 'ganar.' 4. You can create 'flash cards' of vocabulary. Writing and seeing English vocabulary will help you remember. Learning the English language takes time, patience, and practice. …

Apple-Overload! » Update: Spanish: Countries and Nationalities by …

Spanish: Countries and Nationalities by MemoryLifter™ 1.1 Category: Education Price: $1.99 ( iTunes ) Version: 1.0 -> 1.1 Description: Learn Spanish vocabulary in a flash! MemoryLifter for the iPhone is an innovative, convenient, …

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Have a great day!

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Would This Help Me Learn Spanish?

I'm trying to learn spanish(immersion is not an option) and i'm having my hispanic friend help me,she is of mexican descent but is from Texas and speaks fluent spanish and agreed to help me learn to speak and understand spanish.Well,she has a “plan” for me and gives me “homework” or plans on doing so,which i don't mind,cause it really isn't homework.
Well,here is the plan:
-Teach The Basics;Numbers,Alphabets
-Teach Nouns & Verbs
-Teach Simple Conversational Spanish.Simple Things
-Assign Me A Telenovela to watch and I will watch 1 episode everyday.(idk if it will be an old novela or a new novela,if old i'll watch it on youtube)
-I have to listen to at least 30 Minutes of Spanish Music everyday.We Bought This Cool MP3 Player(not too expensive) and she's going to download her spanish CDs into it and i'll listen to it or she said I could borrow her CDs and listen to them while driving or while i'm just relaxing around the House

We also googled some simple free online spanish teaching websites and she said i could use them for studying and learning more

Is this a good plan?Would i learn spanish?(she said it wouldn't be quick and that it would take a while to learn spanish and that i may not even be fluent but i would know alot more)

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My wife belongs to an Internet group where there was a recent blowup over the insane expectation Americans have about foreigners who visit America’s shores. You know the one: the foreign visitors should somehow, as if by magic, be instantly bilingual. This “English Only” jazz is nothing new. It is a very old hat Americans have been trying to force everyone to wear for decades. I cannot begin to tell you how this irks me.

Look at some of the screed my wife shared with me:

· “When I was in McAllen, I refused to speak Spanish even though I knew it. Not all do this but enough that in McAllen, the signs are in Spanish first and English second. That simply isn’t right.”

· “Why after 20 YEARS and a property owner no less in this (USA) country shouldn’t he speak English. Another thing many of the Mexicans in this country DO know how to speak English and when it suits them they do. BUT, I’ve seen them make believe they don’t when it doesn’t suit them. Sorry that is my sore spot too. I could go on about other nationalities (in NY) that do the same thing. Parts of Queens NY the street signs and all other signs aren’t in English and when you walk into a restaurant that is all locals they ALL STOP TALKING and look at you. THIS IS AMERICA FOLKS. Ya wanna be here speak the language—-DON’T try and make our country something else.”

After five books and countless articles in which I’ve hammered this point repeatedly, here are two quotes that absolutely confirm my thesis of the rampant xenophobic xenoglossophobia in America.

The forum-chat group discussion began with a question about teaching ESL and the need to speak Spanish or not, but it quickly devolved into this English-Only Rant. It was so predictable.

Americans, who have an astoundingly pathetic 9% bilingual rate compared with the rest of the world’s 52%, actually think it is “good thing” not to be bilingual. They complain and whine when there are bilingual signs in stores. They speak of their utter and hateful disgust at the thought that someone speaks a language other than English. Is this not the height of xenophobic behavior?

In a recent survey in Europe, Americans were seen as an uncultured and vulgar lot. A whopping 85% of the Europeans surveyed had this opinion. Having lived in another country now for a few years, and having seen just how Americans act when they come here, I am not surprised one bit. I would have answered this survey’s question in the same vein.

Let me be even more frank: This nonsense of “That simply isn’t right” and “THIS IS AMERICA FOLKS. Ya wanna be here speak the language—-DON’T try and make our country something else” stems truly and absolutely from the depths of fear and hatred of all things foreign.

As I wrote in my just-released book, YOU CAN LEARN SPANISH or Any Language No Matter Your Age or Disposition, this American obsession (this fascist neonationalism) with eliminating foreign languages from the face of American soil is nothing new—it is old.

There was a time in America, though hard to believe, when learning a foreign language was considered the mark of a cultured and educated person. People, even poor ones, wanted their sons and daughters to learn French. Then came the xenophobia with the two World Wars. Soon, not only were foreign language newspapers shut down but also speaking a foreign language in public was outlawed.

Americans insanely saw the mark of true patriotism was the eschewing of learning and speaking another language. Just how remarkably simpleminded and ignorant is that reasoning?

I wonder if the person from whom I got that quote, “That simply isn’t right” rightly sees the consequences of that statement? On just what grounds does this person make this silly judgment of “That simply isn’t right?” And here is my favorite one: “Another thing many of the Mexicans in this country DO know how to speak English and when it suits them they do.”

You might be interested in knowing just how American tourists come to Mexico and shout this at the top of their lungs at waiters and hotel employees. I see this constantly in the town in which my wife and I live. They actually believe, as does this unthinking person I quoted, that Mexicans have some secret, dark, and menacing motive for not speaking English when in fact they really do.

Describing Americans as “uncultured and vulgar” is not a stretch. It is no wonder that Americans have such a hideous reputation in the rest of the world. But, in the survey I mentioned, Americans were also seen as not caring a whit what the rest of the world thinks of them. No surprise there!

You know, the members of my wife’s forum-chat group can hold to their phobias and hate about Mexicans—and that is what this is about, Mexicans—and they probably will. Rarely does anything enlighten the minds of fearful and hate-driven people. So, I will end it with this:

What gives Americans the right to harshly criticize foreigners who come to America and have problems learning English when the vast majority of Americans could not string two words of a foreign language together to save their lives?

Remember the 9% bilingual rate?

How would MONOLINGUALS have a clue about how difficult it is to master a second language and develop a high degree of spoken fluency? Just how would they? And, the real kicker is this:

Americans vociferously scream this fear and hate-driven screed from the rooftops when the reality is many Americans who move to foreign countries, Mexico for one, refuse to learn Spanish!

They complain and whine that Mexicans refuse to learn English (and how could they know that Mexicans refuse anything—are Americans telepathic?), yet when Americans come to live in Mexico, they do the very thing they claim to despise in Mexicans.

One American living in San Miguel de Allende said this:

“I’ve lived in Mexico for thirty years and not only do I not speak Spanish, I never will.”

Americans who live in Mexico, and have lived here for decades, boast they will never learn Spanish.

Just how big of a crock of hypocrisy is this?

About The Author

Doug Bower is an author of nine books and syndicated Columnist. You Can Learn Spanish or Any Language No Matter Your Age or Disposition http://www.zyworld.com/theolog/Page2.htm.

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