Anyone have any experience using the Rosetta Stone Spanish (Spain) course? I have been around Spanish (Latino) since I was 3, but still have difficulty in understanding conversation or speaking Spanish. I have tried some of the online tutorials, but they haven't really helped much. I have been told the Rosetta Stone is the best way to go, but before I pony up the dough (over $500 USA), I would like to hear from someone that has used it or if there is a better way to go.

hey sam,
im currently using the rosetta stone to learn spanish. i've been at it for about 6 months now, an hour everyday. i'm almost done with the program. i know more spanish than i do french, and that's after 5 years of advanced level french in school. but even then, i still feel my spanish is very elementary. it's going to take more than this program to get me to a fluent level.

Anthony, Did you use the Spain version? Also have you completed all 3 levels?

yeah, im using the spain version. i'm on level 3 right now.

there's four sections for each level and each of these sections has 4 subsections.

i only got two sections left before im completely done. should take about two weeks.

I've only tried the demo and looked at the website, but I was quite impressed by the look of Fluenz. Priced similarly to Rosetta.

Byron

Guys you cannot learn Spanish from a course - get real. I won't you both to follow my instructions clearly and I guarantee you will learn some real fluent Spanish.

Get the bills, home and work sorted and take that 6 month hol (solo) you know you deserve
Take only enough money in cash to live like a poor spaniard
Guitar on back with spare strings and a change of smalls stuffed in your pocket
Get a cheap flight to Spain.
Go to the most obscure 'cuidad' you can find
Knock on doors until someone takes in a poor stranded traveller offering to teach their kids English
Take a senorita (senora if you're older) as your companion (pillow talk is a great way to learn and your volcab will shoot up)
Then live the life.


Bob's your uncle, job done

It works. Bet you'll think at least once - could I get away with that???? Well you only live once

But more seriously ( I expect you already do this but just in case) I still buy DVDs from 'El Corte Ingles'. Films by Spanish directors (eg. Jose Luis Garci) set in spanish culture. Quite often subtitles and vocals in both Spanish and English, sometimes just spanish. Watch them in English first (if poss) then 5 or 6 times in spanish. Really helped me. Courses just didn't ever get me there. But good luck with whatever method. I found it incredibly interesting and ended up with a spanish wife to boot

Nigel, you do have a sense of humor, you old dog. The only flaw in your detailed plan is the senora would have to be an old style flamenco singer with extreme patience, the voice of La Perla, the face of Aurora Vargas, and the body of Maria Toledo.

I agree that learning Spanish using a course is like learning flamenco using a course. The best way is first hand. I seem to have a mental block learning conversational Spanish. I grew up on the Mexican border, my dad was a Spanish teacher, our maid didn't know any English and the only time I understood her was when she waved a butcher knife at me and said lárgate. I learned all the nasty words and phrases at school on the playground and how to count and things like colors and animal names in class, but nothing I understand during conversation. Talking about sentence structure is beyond me as I am not that good at it in English. I know things like a J is pronounced like an H and ll is like a y, but that just about exhaust my repertoire. In the community where I live there is more Spanish (latino) spoken than English. We have a good friend that use to be a bilingual teacher so I have no excuse other than I just don't get it. I think it is like compas, one has to stop trying to count it and learn to feel it automatically. If I could fly we would be having this conversation in Spain this morning over some churos, chocolate, y huevos tapas, occasionally picking up an old guitar to play some of my siguiriyas falsetas to dampen the mood of our companion senoritas still partying from the three day juerga.

Since my hearing is very bad, how would I say, "I don't understand because my hearing is bad." Might be the perfect cover for my lack of Spanish language comprehension.

flyeogh,
that sounds VERY tempting. i might just do it.

but i agree, a spanish course wont get you there all the way. it certainly has helped me though and got me in the right direction. it's getting very tedious, however. after i'm done with this rosetta stone program, i'm going to do your watch movies all day program. and maybe read some children's books as well.

do you ever watch english movies with spanish subtitles?

Anthony here my thoughts and preferences but each to his own.

I find the best films are spanish set in spain. Then the language relates to spanish culture and I found that more useful

Dubbing tends to be poor and varies greatly from the subtitles, which I guess may be a good thing, but not my preference.

Once you have a reasonable vocab I find it best to enjoy the film in English and then in spanish with Spanish subtitles.

However on books I tend to buy detective stories and thrillers which have been translated into Spanish. I get the impression the translated language is more consistent and thus you learn by repetition. This doesn't work with the DVDs because the dubbers use strange phraseology to try and match lip movements.

I started with children’s books (great way to catch up on any classics you skipped as a child). And then at a book stall in Madrid I bought about a dozen Maigret paperbacks. When I first started I couldn't read a single paragraph without writing it out and getting the dictionary. But again they repeat the same type of phrases and I found that I could make much better progress after a month of half hour per day. Of course you know Maigret always gets his man and the story lines are not too complicated.

Interestingly now I only read spanish novels.

I also listen to spanish football on spanish radio over the net - but then I'm football mad.

One important thing is to decide if you are going to learn Castilian or Hispanic spanish. I expect you know that they are different in verb use and many words. My first teacher came from Barcelona and she was very strict on this.

Well hope you enjoy the experience whatever route you take. Perhaps we should communicate in Spanish here. Tomas could always pick us up on bad grammar
Un saludo amigo

flyeogh wrote:One important thing is to decide if you are going to learn Castilian or Hispanic spanish. I expect you know that they are different in verb use and many words. My first teacher came from Barcelona and she was very strict on this.

I came across this map which shows language-usage changes throughout Iberia over time and thought it would be of interest. However, note that it shows that Portugal was partially Castilian (Spanish) speaking in 1600 which may not be true.



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-Bob