Got any advice on learning the language ?

[heather doran]

Am thinking of moving to the DR and one of the main barriers is I cant speak spanish! I was just wondering if anyone out there had any advice.And if anyone else had the same problem in the past and how they overcame it. Im not asking much at all am I

[SKY]

Find a Dominican girlfriend that speaks no English and live with her. You will learn fast, especially when her mother is sick.

[Rocky]

Originally Posted by SKY

Find a Dominican girlfriend that speaks no English and live with her. You will learn fast, especially when her mother is sick.

I'm just guessing, but as the OP's name is Heather, perhaps a boyfriend would be more suitable.

[samanasuenos]

I would move my post to the Language Forum.

My 2 cents:
spanish language TV
CDS/tapes in car
flash cards
practice with native speakers
try multiple ways of learning - we do not all learn the same way!

[Matilda]

I started off learning the present tense of 6 verbs. To go, want, be, come, have,take. Then listen and learn 10 word of vocab each day. Once a week learn 10 little words like: up, down, left right, before, because etc. I cooked for a colombian girl once a week and we spoke spanish all night. The main thing is confidence. Don't be scared of speaking.

matilda

[apostropheman]

exactly!

listen to Spanish music and internet radio

get Pimsleur Spanish and Spanish Plus,
Michel Thomas Spanish and Advanced Spanish,
Rosetta Stone Latin American Spanish,
Learning Spanish Like Crazy,
Learn Spanish in Your Car, etc...

Take a Spanish night class at a local Community College.

Originally Posted by samanasuenos

I would move my post to the Language Forum.

My 2 cents:
spanish language TV
CDS/tapes in car
flash cards
practice with native speakers
try multiple ways of learning - we do not all learn the same way!

[rubio_higuey]

Everything samanasuenos said, plus:
children books in spanish (not Harry Potter) - simple storybook in spanish
(e.g. books for 1st or 2nd graders) or comic books, etc.

Once you progress you can add longer stories, newspaper, magazines, and finally novels in spanish

It is very important to read in the language, from the very beginning, as you will intuitively learn many words.

As far as TV in Spanish, start with the news and novelas.
Good choice is Telemundo, where you can put CC in Spanish on, or even in English, so you can a) either listen spanish and read spanish while watching novela, or b) listen spanish and read english while watching the novela

[Janin]

Originally Posted by heather doran

Am thinking of moving to the DR...

Why?

Originally Posted by heather doran

....and one of the main barriers is I cant speak spanish!

Well, it all depends whether you want to learn proper Spanish or the local idiom...
For the latter a limited phraseology and a vocabulary of about 1,500 words would be sufficient for everyday life.
Again, it all depends whom you want to communicate with and in what circumstances you'll be living.

Janin

[Criss Colon]

Start "There",then continue at a Univ.here!
Learn "Proper Spanish" first,which you will NOT learn from a "Boyfriend" here! "Dominican Street Spanish" will mark you as a "Chopo" here!
I believe in the "Total Immestion" method,BUT it can take you a long time to "Un-Learn" "DUMBinican Spanish" if you start speaking like a "Chopo"!
When I first came to the DR,I thought it was "Cool" to talk like a "Ghetto Rat"! Not so!
You will be respected by "ALL DOMINICANS" if you speak correct Spanish!
You can "Interject" some "Ghettoeeeezzzzzz" for a bit of "Irony/humor" once- in-a-while if you like,but don't talk like a"Looser"!
Cris Colon

[Hillbilly]

I, the HB, heartedly endorse the above suggestions....they all work well, and the suggestion to learn "good" Spanish is well taken.

Once fluent, you can dot your talk with a few "ismos" but most of your friends will not appreciate local low-life speech...

I am wondering which Doran your are???

HB