"Short
Cuts For Learning Spanish"
1) Build your vocabulary. Try to learn a
minimum of five new wordy daily.
2) Watch Spanish TV programs. Keep a note
pad by your side and jot down new words
and expressions. Later, use the dictionary to
look up any words or phrases you don't
understand. Pay attention to the way the
locals speak the language.
3) Listen to Spanish music.
4) Talk with as many different Spanish speakers
as you can. You can learn something from
everyone. Carry a small notebook and write
down new words when you hear them.
5) Read aloud in Spanish for five minutes a day
to improve your accent.
6) Try to imitate the natives.
7) Don't be afraid of making mistakes.
8) Practice using your new vocabulary words in
complete sentences.
9) When you learn something new, form a mental
picture to go along with it — visualize the
action.
10) Try to talk in simple sentences. Remember,
your Spanish is not on the same level as your
English, so simplify what you are saying.
11) If you get stuck or tounge-tied, try using
nouns instead of complete sentences.
12) Remember Spanish and English are more
similar than different — many cognates (words
that are the same or almost the same in both
languages).
13) Learn all of the basic verb tenses and
memorize all of the regular and irregular
important verbs in each tense.
14) Study Spanish grammar, but don't get bogged
down in it.
15) Read the newspaper. The comic strips are
great because they have a lot of dialog.
16) It takes time to learn another language.
Don't be impatient. If you work hard you will
reap the rewards down the road.
Tiquismo (Costa Rican expression) of the
week:
No gaste pólvora en zopilotes means
you should not invest in bad businesses.
Christopher Howard M.A. conducts
monthly one-of-a-kind
exploratory
trips for those wanting to live
in Costa Rica in conjunction
with LIVE
IN COSTA RICA TOURS. Please call
toll free 800 365-2342, e-mail:
or see
.
Mr Howard is also the
author of "The New Golden Door
Door to Retirement and Living in
Costa Rica", Living and
Investing in the New Nicaragua"
and "The Costa
Rican Spanish Survival Book" and
cassette. For more information
call
800 365-2342, access:
www.costaricabooks.com
or
AMAZON.COM
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