Ship of Fools: Learning Spanish

Thread: Learning Spanish Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by moron (# 206) on :

Through an interestingly weird turn of events I will soon be in Santiago Chile for 10 days and it would be helpful to learn some Spanish. I've done a bit of free online stuff (for instance www.prospanish.co.uk) which helped. I also have a Kindle.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

[Eliminated errant parenthesis from link]

[ 21. November 2012, 17:07: Message edited by: jedijudy ]

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

I heard some good things about Pimsleur, but haven't tried it. I understand the first lesson is for free. ¡Suerte! (Good luck.)

Posted by Meerkat (# 16117) on :

If you have an iPhone, download the 'Google Translate' free app. It's pretty good... and works in a variety of ways (audio / visual).

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

I have Rosetta Stone (I'm trying to learn Arabic now), but it's quite pricy and it focuses more on grammar than on conversation. I guess it depends on what you want, if you're only going to visit Santiago for a couple of days I dont think you'll have much use for phrases like 'There's a boy under the airplane' [Biased]

Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :

quote:
Originally posted by LeRoc:
I dont think you'll have much use for phrases like 'There's a boy under the airplane'

Or "The toilet is not in the kitchen", which is what made me send Rosetta Stone back for a refund.

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

quote:
Amanda B. Reckondwythe: Or "The toilet is not in the kitchen", which is what made me send Rosetta Stone back for a refund.

When I was living in a students' house in Belgium, there really was a toilet cabin in the kitchen [Ultra confused]

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

Indeed. One place I lived in, the bathroom was through the kitchen.

It would also have used the Spanish for 'There is a giant slug in there looks like three inches of liquorice'.

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

quote:
Firenze: It would also have used the Spanish for 'There is a giant slug in there looks like three inches of liquorice'.

Normally, the right thing to say in this situation is ¡Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiih! [Biased]

(The translation would be Hay una babosa gigante allí dentro que se parece a tres pulgadas de regaliz.)

[ 21. November 2012, 17:29: Message edited by: LeRoc ]

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

quote:
Originally posted by LeRoc:
When I was living in a students' house in Belgium, there really was a toilet cabin in the kitchen

I've seen that in a reconstruction of an ancient Roman kitchen, too.

Posted by Loquacious beachcomber (# 8783) on :

One of my former church members, now deceased, loved to tell the story of his arrival in Canada right after the end of the Second World War.
He was given a job in construction, and needed to ride the bus to get to and from work. The bus was crowded, and he needed to ask people to please step aside and allow him to pass so he could get off at his stop.
He thought he had learned how to say something polite, and quite close to close "Excuse me, please."
But alas, he learned his English it at a busy construction site.
Eventually, someone coached him into no longer saying "Hey, you, fuck right off, please" and believing he was asking them politely to step aside and let him pass!
So do be careful who teachs you a new language!

Posted by Pancho (# 13533) on :

quote:
Originally posted by moron:
Any suggestions?

How much time do you have before you leave? If I were in your shoes I'd start with a really good phrasebook and a really good audio course.

The phrasebook should be for Latin American or South American Spanish (or Chilean Spanish if one exists) and preferably have a mini-dictionary and a mini-grammar, or at least a table of useful verbs. If you can, get one that comes with a CD you can listen to in your car or upload to an iPod. A good travel guide to Chile will also have a phrasebook section with Chilean words and expressions.

For an audio course I'd get Pimsleur or a Michel Thomas-style course. Michel Thomas was a famous language teacher whose method was based on stuff like short phrases, verbs, and function words as building blocks for more complex phrases and sentences. It doesn't give you a lot of vocabulary but it is supposed to get you speaking quickly. His courses are well-regarded on the language learning sites where I lurk. The Paul Noble courses have a similar style and they get good reviews on Amazon.

Last time I checked you could download the Paul Noble courses from the publisher's website for around 37 dollars. Sometimes you can get good deals on the Thomas and Noble courses from the Bookdepository.co.uk (they do free world-wide shipping).

Another Spanish course in the Michel Thomas-style is available from Languagetransfer.org. You can download that one for free.

quote:
Originally posted by LeRoc:
I heard some good things about Pimsleur, but haven't tried it. I understand the first lesson is for free. ¡Suerte! (Good luck.)

I like Pimsleur but it's relatively slow (with good reason, imho) and he might not get enough use of it before leaving for Chile. It's also horribly expensive. I'd still recommend it though, especially if the OP plans to continue learning after the trip. He can use it during the trip. What you learn you really learn and it's great for developing good pronunciation, among other things. Get it from the library, though, or get it used or on discount online.

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :

quote:
Originally posted by LeRoc:

quote:
Firenze: It would also have used the Spanish for 'There is a giant slug in there looks like three inches of liquorice'.
Normally, the right thing to say in this situation is ¡Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiih!

(The translation would be Hay una babosa gigante allí dentro que se parece a tres pulgadas de regaliz.)

And be careful, a babosa is also a kind of street food. Specifically, a deep fried slug.

Posted by Sober Preacher's Kid (# 12699) on :

Il y a un géant limace là qui ressemble un morceau de réglisse ayant trois pouces.

I learned French instead. [Razz]

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :

I suppose he can try that one out in Chile, but call me crazy, might not fly. [Biased]

[ 22. November 2012, 04:38: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

quote:
Kelly Alves: I suppose he can try that one out in Chile, but call me crazy, might not fly.

To be honest, even if you'd be saying it in Spanish I'm not sure if they'd catch the licorice reference. People in Latin America know about licorice, but it's not very common.

(If you'd say the phrase in Dutch to someone from Holland, he'd probably eat the slug on the off chance that it might actually be licorice [Biased]

)

A question: does someone know if the private board about languages is still active? I'd be interested in that (if they'll have me).

Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :

What's to learn? When I was in Cuba forty years ago, I got by quite nicely with:

Una cerveza, por favor. Gracias
and
Caffe con leche, por favor. Gracias

(Asking for beer and coffee, please and thank you)

I also knew how to ask for the loo, but forget that phrase. The rest of the time I managed with Frenglish.. It seemed to work, for the most part.

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

You didn't ask for a mojito? [Smile]

Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :

I was on the Atlantic coast. In February. I also learnt to ask for caffe con ron.

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

quote:
Originally posted by LeRoc:
I heard some good things about Pimsleur, but haven't tried it. I understand the first lesson is for free. ¡Suerte! (Good luck.)

Thanks - I shall give this a try. Not for Spanish, but for German. My son lives in Heidelberg and doesn't intend to leave - ever!

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

quote:
Boogie: Thanks - I shall give this a try. Not for Spanish, but for German.

Good luck! In this case, the phrase would be Da drinnen gibt's 'ne Riesennacktschnecke die ausseht wie ein drei Zollen langes Stück Lakritz! [Biased]

(Now I'm dreading that IngoB will pass by on this thread to correct my German [Hot and Hormonal]

)

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

Thanks to this thread, we may now all converse about slugs in four languages.

I feel my social horizons expanding so much.

Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :

It certainly would help to fill up those awkward pauses in casual conversation.

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

[Killing me]

(Also to all male Shipmates: whatever language you use to say this phrase, it's probably advisable not to look in the general direction of your trousers when saying this. I will not be held responsible for what happens.)

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :

Unless you switch it to Doce* pulgadas

* Twelve.

[ 22. November 2012, 19:12: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

Little did I think, thirty-five years ago, when navigating the tattier end of the Aberystwyth housing market, that I was collecting the basis for exchanges of bilingual double entendre in a medium which had not at that point been invented.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

On the first day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
One giant sluuuuuuug

On the second day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
Two Spanish language courses
And a giant slug

On the third day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Three pieces of liquorice
Two Spanish language courses
And a giant slug

On the fourth day of Christmas
My true love was arrested
He got four policemen
Three restraining orders
Two ASBOs and a curfew
And I returned
Three pieces of liquorice
Two Spanish language courses
And a giant sluuuuuug.

Posted by Surfing Madness (# 11087) on :

Ariel [Overused]

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

quote:
Firenze: Little did I think, thirty-five years ago, when navigating the tattier end of the Aberystwyth housing market, that I was collecting the basis for exchanges of bilingual double entendre in a medium which had not at that point been invented.

Life has its surprises [Smile]

Or as they say in Mexico: Si la vida te da limones, pide sal y tequila.
(If life gives you lemons, ask for salt and tequila.)

Posted by moron (# 206) on :

Normally I'd apologize for dredging a thread off the second page but not this time:

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
On the first day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
One giant sluuuuuuug

On the second day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
Two Spanish language courses
And a giant slug

On the third day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Three pieces of liquorice
Two Spanish language courses
And a giant slug

On the fourth day of Christmas
My true love was arrested
He got four policemen
Three restraining orders
Two ASBOs and a curfew
And I returned
Three pieces of liquorice
Two Spanish language courses
And a giant sluuuuuug.

You people are perverse.

This has been very helpful:

http://www.spanishdict.com/learn

I haven't ordered this yet but probably will - good reviews and inexpensive:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M39SN6/ref=gno_cart_title_3

Thanks again.

UBB.classic^TM 6.5.0