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HOW TO BECOME FLUENT IN SPANISH NOT FOR BEGINNERS
Tips to become fluent in spanish speaking.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2013
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85 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 11, 2013
This book is really for people who want to improve their Spanish vocabulary. It definitely has a great regimen for people who want to learn any Latin alphabetic language. However, I do feel like it should be more to-the-point. The "program" that Del Guadio describes is numbered, and yet described in a very complicated manner. He also jumps around in the order of things to do, making it complicated when the process is actually very simple.
This might not be fair to the author, but here's what he really is suggesting:
Vocabulary
(Using Barron’s 2001 Spanish Words and Idioms)
1. Master List
- Write and date a Master List Word/Excel document with 10 vocab words/idioms in one column and definitions in another
- Do 10 new ones a day, everyday
2. Ten Times
- Write each new word/idiom and definition 10 times each
- Say aloud while writing, making sure you are saying it correctly
3. Definition Test
- Write out each word
- Test yourself by writing the definitions by memory
- If you make a mistake, write the word and definition together 10 times (while sounding it out) (Extra tip, if you mix up the order in which you do this ex "en pleno dia: in broad daylight; in broad daylight: en pleno dia; en pleno dia..." it'll help keep you from zoning out and getting used to going from word to def and vise versa)
4. Word Test
- Write our each definition
- Test yourself by writing each word by memory
- If you make a mistake, write word and definition together 10 times
- Repeat until you master the list
5. Repeat Word and Definition Test by only saying words aloud
6. Use each vocab word in a sentence, preferably while speaking to someone else
7. Practicing the words cumulatively everyday
- Day One 10 Words. Day Two 10 New Words + practice 10 from the previous... keep doing this everyday for one week. By the end of the week you should have mastered 70 words or idioms.
- Start fresh with new words for the next week.
- At the end of the month, review all 280 words
- Quarterly review all words learned so far in that quarter
- Yearly review all words
Conversation and Pronunciation
1. Dramatic Reading
- Pick a section of a book/magazine/story/article/poem you would like to memorize
- Look up words you don't know so that you understand the basics of the section, but you don't have to focus on memorizing the vocab.
- Read aloud while recording yourself, standing and speaking dramatically
- Play it back and hear yourself, work on you accent
- Practice until you feel comfortable
- Memorize a new section at least every month (a good way to work sentences already formed into everyday conversation)
2. Work everything you have learned into daily conversation
As you can see, there is absolutely no grammar or conjugations covered. He literally just suggests another book. No I don’t remember it, but I like Brandon Simpson’s Demystifying Spanish Grammar. I will be using this to learn new vocabulary, but it's not exactly a complete method. He does understand this though, which is why he suggests other works for grammar.
This might not be fair to the author, but here's what he really is suggesting:
Vocabulary
(Using Barron’s 2001 Spanish Words and Idioms)
1. Master List
- Write and date a Master List Word/Excel document with 10 vocab words/idioms in one column and definitions in another
- Do 10 new ones a day, everyday
2. Ten Times
- Write each new word/idiom and definition 10 times each
- Say aloud while writing, making sure you are saying it correctly
3. Definition Test
- Write out each word
- Test yourself by writing the definitions by memory
- If you make a mistake, write the word and definition together 10 times (while sounding it out) (Extra tip, if you mix up the order in which you do this ex "en pleno dia: in broad daylight; in broad daylight: en pleno dia; en pleno dia..." it'll help keep you from zoning out and getting used to going from word to def and vise versa)
4. Word Test
- Write our each definition
- Test yourself by writing each word by memory
- If you make a mistake, write word and definition together 10 times
- Repeat until you master the list
5. Repeat Word and Definition Test by only saying words aloud
6. Use each vocab word in a sentence, preferably while speaking to someone else
7. Practicing the words cumulatively everyday
- Day One 10 Words. Day Two 10 New Words + practice 10 from the previous... keep doing this everyday for one week. By the end of the week you should have mastered 70 words or idioms.
- Start fresh with new words for the next week.
- At the end of the month, review all 280 words
- Quarterly review all words learned so far in that quarter
- Yearly review all words
Conversation and Pronunciation
1. Dramatic Reading
- Pick a section of a book/magazine/story/article/poem you would like to memorize
- Look up words you don't know so that you understand the basics of the section, but you don't have to focus on memorizing the vocab.
- Read aloud while recording yourself, standing and speaking dramatically
- Play it back and hear yourself, work on you accent
- Practice until you feel comfortable
- Memorize a new section at least every month (a good way to work sentences already formed into everyday conversation)
2. Work everything you have learned into daily conversation
As you can see, there is absolutely no grammar or conjugations covered. He literally just suggests another book. No I don’t remember it, but I like Brandon Simpson’s Demystifying Spanish Grammar. I will be using this to learn new vocabulary, but it's not exactly a complete method. He does understand this though, which is why he suggests other works for grammar.
September 13, 2013
This is a very effective book for those who are serious in becoming fluent in the Spanish language. It is not a text where all the phrases and the exercises are done for you and you just read it. This book require you to do your own work and just informs you about a method used by the author that helped him become fluent in the language. As always, students learn in different ways and, taking that into consideration, this book is not a cure all. The best you can do is try it and see if the method works for you. If it doesn’t help you, then look elsewhere. I believe that the tips would help me become more fluent in English or any other language I would like to learn or become better at. I think it is a good book to teach not the language but the possibility of becoming better at what you already know. It contains great ideas for those who understand and have the stamina to use these tips.
May 29, 2015
This audiobook is very short (only 35 minutes), but well worth it. The tips he gives in this book are really just common sense, but sometimes you just have to have someone else tell you what you already know (or should know!). I just hope I can follow the advice (I am basically very lazy).
Read
May 25, 2020Great method
This book has the best method of learning Spanish I’ve seen yet.
Actually, I’ve never seen a method like this before this book. I’ve also applied the same technique to learning German, which I already speak broken German. I can hold a conversation, but my grammar is atrocious.
I’ve learned more of both languages in a month then any other method I’ve tried.
I highly recommend this book to anyone learning a language, period!
This book has the best method of learning Spanish I’ve seen yet.
Actually, I’ve never seen a method like this before this book. I’ve also applied the same technique to learning German, which I already speak broken German. I can hold a conversation, but my grammar is atrocious.
I’ve learned more of both languages in a month then any other method I’ve tried.
I highly recommend this book to anyone learning a language, period!
July 20, 2017
Excellente
The author provides sound practical advice to help Spanish students acquire vocabulary and internalize the language. For learning vocabulary, the Memrise app is invaluable.
The author provides sound practical advice to help Spanish students acquire vocabulary and internalize the language. For learning vocabulary, the Memrise app is invaluable.
January 23, 2020
Good Title
Good learning tips for someone who wants to improve their Spanish conversation skills. For example, learning the Spanish words of foods you like to eat and how to cook them. Necessity is the mother of retention.
Good learning tips for someone who wants to improve their Spanish conversation skills. For example, learning the Spanish words of foods you like to eat and how to cook them. Necessity is the mother of retention.
May 19, 2021
It was short, sharp and sweet. I'd have to implement the strategies in order to speak decisively on them but given the fact that what I've ready so far falls in line with what I've currently tried, they make sense. I'll test them out and see if they take me beyond where I'm already at.
November 30, 2022
exactly what it says it is
This isn't really a Spanish book. It's a motivational book centered around learning Spanish. The guy's right; this is exactly the way to do it. I haven't been working this program very long, but I'm already feeling more competent and more conversant.
This isn't really a Spanish book. It's a motivational book centered around learning Spanish. The guy's right; this is exactly the way to do it. I haven't been working this program very long, but I'm already feeling more competent and more conversant.
May 1, 2023
seems solid
The author lays out what sounds like a good method for learning Spanish. And it worked for him, so why wouldn’t it work for us? I also like how he’s honest about how much work it is to learn Spanish and speak it almost like a native.
The author lays out what sounds like a good method for learning Spanish. And it worked for him, so why wouldn’t it work for us? I also like how he’s honest about how much work it is to learn Spanish and speak it almost like a native.
January 13, 2020
Makes sense
This was a quick read but very helpful. Seems like simple ideas but it’s a nice way to think about going from basic/intermediate to getting closer to fluency.
This was a quick read but very helpful. Seems like simple ideas but it’s a nice way to think about going from basic/intermediate to getting closer to fluency.
September 14, 2024
Important book
Extremely necessary. It really helped me put a plan together. There's no need to reinvent the wheel when all this information is right here for you.
Extremely necessary. It really helped me put a plan together. There's no need to reinvent the wheel when all this information is right here for you.
February 19, 2014
Unlike other books that try to help you learn a language, this book is not teaching you the language at all. This book will not teach you words or grammar, however it will teach you a new study system that helped the author become fluent in Spanish after many failed attempts.
If you have been taking numerous language courses and have even tried to spend some time in a country and for some reason you still can not learn the language then you need to read this book! If you follow the study tips in the book then you will certainly be on your way to actually being able to understand and speak the language you want to learn. As the author warns, this book will not help you learn a new language in a month (it will still most likely take you years) but if you put the work into it every day then you will most certainly be able to finally understand what others are saying without asking them to slow down!
I really enjoyed this book and will be using the study tips inside to get back into trying to learn Spanish. The book was not too long and the tips were to the point.
If you have been taking numerous language courses and have even tried to spend some time in a country and for some reason you still can not learn the language then you need to read this book! If you follow the study tips in the book then you will certainly be on your way to actually being able to understand and speak the language you want to learn. As the author warns, this book will not help you learn a new language in a month (it will still most likely take you years) but if you put the work into it every day then you will most certainly be able to finally understand what others are saying without asking them to slow down!
I really enjoyed this book and will be using the study tips inside to get back into trying to learn Spanish. The book was not too long and the tips were to the point.
March 24, 2016
This is a very effective book for those who are serious in becoming fluent in the Spanish language. It is not a text where all the phrases and the exercises are done for you and you just read it. This book require you to do your own work and just informs you about a method used by the author that helped him become fluent in the language.
As always, students learn in different ways and, taking that into consideration, this book is not a cure all. The best you can do is try it and see if the method works for you. If it doesn 19t help you, then look elsewhere. I believe that the tips would help me become more fluent in English or any other language I would like to learn or become better at. I think it is a good book to teach not the language but the possibility of becoming better at what you already know. It contains great ideas for those who understand and have the stamina to use these tips.
As always, students learn in different ways and, taking that into consideration, this book is not a cure all. The best you can do is try it and see if the method works for you. If it doesn 19t help you, then look elsewhere. I believe that the tips would help me become more fluent in English or any other language I would like to learn or become better at. I think it is a good book to teach not the language but the possibility of becoming better at what you already know. It contains great ideas for those who understand and have the stamina to use these tips.
January 23, 2015
I really like his method and I have tried others, but this seems to really work. The practice with real speakers of the language after and during establishing a basic vocabulary and rhythm to the language is essential.
June 6, 2014
It was a pretty good book. Definitely puts things in perspective. If you really want to be fluent it is going to take a lot of work. It's doable just not easy.
September 1, 2018
Good book
Great tips for the hard work necessary to learn any language well. Quick, easy and effective when put into daily use and practice.
Great tips for the hard work necessary to learn any language well. Quick, easy and effective when put into daily use and practice.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews