How did you learn Spanish?

[wenwilwa]

Estoy curiosa...¿de los miembros del foro que hablan español, como aprendieron el idioma? ¿Es tu lengua materna? ¿Aprendiste atraves de clases de español o de viajes a paises hispanohablantes? ¿Si no eres bilingue, como consideras tu nivel en español...principante, intermedio o avanzado? Si eres bilingue, tienes la misma facilidad para escribir como hablar?

Yo empezé a aprender español cuando tenia 25 años atraves de clases en TJC (o sea TCC). Luego fui a España a estudiar un mes en Barcelona y viajar unos meses despues en el pais. Luego fui a Mexico y estuve un año allá. Aunque tengo unos diez años de estudiar el idioma, todavia me queda mucho para hablarlo bien. Considero mi nivel entre intermedio y avanzado.

IN ENGLISH:

I'm curious...of those forum members that speak Spanish, how did you learn the language? Is it your native language? Did you learn through Spanish classes or by traveling to Spanish-speaking countries? If you're not bilingual, what do you consider your level to be...beginner, intermediate or advanced? If you are bilingual, do you write the language as well as you speak it?

I started learning Spanish when I was 25 years old through classes at TJC (now TCC). Later I went to Spain to study for a month in Barcelona and to travel a couple of months in the country. Then I went to Mexico for a year. Even though I've studied the language for more than ten years, I still lack a lot. I consider my level to be between intermediate and advanced.

[RecycleMichael]

I am relearning my spanish with my daughter. She is in kindegarten in the spanish immersion program at Eisenhower International School.

My mother wanted to learn spanish twenty years ago and went to the library to check out some tapes. The only ones they had on hand were some self defense tapes. The first phrase she learned was, "Stop! that's my purse."

[restored2x]

I learned spanish when I was 22 and went to live in Puerto Rico. I had never been exposed to the language before then. I bought two newspapers every day - the San Juan Star and El Nuevo Dia. Both had reports from the AP and UPI. One in english, one in spanish. I'd read them side-by-side and compare word and grammar usage. I understood about 80% before I ever felt bold enough to speak. When I did, almost immediately I began to think in spanish, and to dream in spanish. I lived in PR for two periods of 5 years each. My ex is Puerto Rican and my present wife is from Colombia. We speak 95% spanish at the house.

I read, write and speak spanish about as well as I do english - which may not be saying much!

The accent of Puerto Rican and Colombian spanish is very different from the accent I hear from Mexicans. I sometimes have to listen to Mexican spanish for a while before I can understand as well as I'd like to.

[pedrito34]

hola, pues su espanol es muy bueno y como estan cerrando la library, otro dia continuare con mi conversacion, realmente me encantaria charlar con usted si asi lo permite.

saludos

[jmo]

I speak only English because I live in America.  The offical language is english. 

[RecycleMichael]

The United States of America does not have an official language. If your home is the deciding factor of what language you speak, I would suggest you learn Cherokee.

No matter how many people use this wonderful forum to discuss interesting topics, there is always a poster who wants to use it as a political soapbox.

No hay rosas sin espinas (there are no roses without thorns).

[jmo]

The United States of America does not have an official language. If your home is the deciding factor of what language you speak, I would suggest you learn Cherokee.

No matter how many people use this wonderful forum to discuss interesting topics, there is always a poster who wants to use it as a political soapbox.

No hay rosas sin espinas (there are no roses without thorns).

You shouldn't assume.  I stated my opinion.  Nothing political about that.  Oh yeah, for the record, my children are indian and can speak they're language. 

[jne]

You shouldn't assume.  I stated my opinion.  Nothing political about that.  Oh yeah, for the record, my children are indian and can speak they're language. 

Well, I'm glad that your children can speak Hindi.  It's admirable that you are children have learned the language of they are homeland.

[jmo]

Oh no... lets get something straight, I want them to know everything about they're heritage but in the end, they are American and the main language spoken is English which will be they're main language.  If I went to another country to live, I would have to learn they're language.  Its the way it goes.  Deal with it.  Or not.  Thats your choice, not mine.

[TURobY]

Oh no... lets get something straight, I want them to know everything about they're heritage but in the end, they are American and the main language spoken is English which will be they're main language.  If I went to another country to live, I would have to learn they're language.  Its the way it goes.  Deal with it.  Or not.  Thats your choice, not mine.

I hope that you aren't teaching them English. If you are, at least use "their/they're" correctly, use contractions such as "let's" and "that's" properly, and fix your abysmal punctuation errors. 

[Conan71]

It is rather ironic the people who make the loudest noise on the issue have less a grasp of English than my foreign-born friends.

[jmo]

I hope that you aren't teaching them English. If you are, at least use "their/they're" correctly, use contractions such as "let's" and "that's" properly, and fix your abysmal punctuation errors. 

thank you for pointing that out social butterfly or should I say social dictionary.  lmao

[Townsend]

and so, back on topic, six years in highschool and college and I learned the wrong kind of Spanish.

six freakin' years

I might as well have spoken "bigfoot" for all the good it did me.

"that doesn't mean what you think it means" and me saying "What the heck is that?" when I hear actual dialect spoken on this continent

[Breadburner]

You shouldn't assume.  I stated my opinion.  Nothing political about that.  Oh yeah, for the record, my children are indian and can speak they're language. 

Casino or Slurpy....?

[dbacks fan]

Casino or Slurpy....?

+1