How do I get rid of my Gringo accent?

 

Have you ever wondered why you don’t have an accent in your native language, but you may in a foreign language?  

You might say it’s because you learned to speak your native language as a child, not as an adult.

But then how do you explain all the students that have native-like pronunciation in a foreign language, that didn’t start learning until adulthood?  

 

There are many ways to improve your pronunciation in a foreign language, but one of the best is through active listening.  Why do you think that the majority of students who study abroad have much better pronunciation than students who speak the language just as well, but didn’t study abroad?  It’s not necessarily being in a Spanish speaking country that improves your accent, it’s the constant auditory exposure to the language.

 

Most students try to SEE a word in their head before they pronounce it.  For example, when a student doesn’t understand his/her teacher in class she/he often asks for the word to be WRITTEN on the board.  The better way to go about this would be to close your eyes and ask the teacher to SAY it slowly several times, so that you can actually HEAR the word; then, when you say it, when it comes out of your mouth, you will be mimicking the real sounds of the letters, not the ones that you identify with those letters, because you learned those from birth.  

 

So you want to get rid of your Gringo accent?  Dedicate less time to reading & writing and dedicate more time to listening & speaking.  Yes, I know that it’s more likely to take you out of your comfort zone, but to get really good at anything, you always need to push yourself a bit.

 

I am personally a huge fan of audiobooks and podcasts, and use them at least 5x a week for Italian.

 

What are you waiting for?  Start listening!

 

Besos,

Caro

Why do Spanish speakers answer me in English?

Have you ever decided to put yourself out there and speak Spanish to a native Spanish speaker, only to have them respond to you in English?

I have 2 things to say about that:

1- Something to consider before practicing your Spanish with someone in the future:
If it is happening in the United States, I recommend asking first if you can practice your Spanish with them. I do not recommend assuming that someone that looks “stereotypically Latino” speaks Spanish, as many Latinos born in the US were not raised speaking Spanish. Apart from that, some people are insulted when you speak to them in Spanish, their thought process being that you do not think they speak English.
Recommendation: If you are 100% sure that they speak Spanish, tell them that you are studying it and would love the opportunity to practice for a moment and ask if it’s OK with them.
If you are not sure if they speak Spanish, ask them first.

2- if you are in a Spanish-speaking country and are being responded to in English, do not take it personally. It does not mean that your Spanish is not worthy! It often means that you are the customer (this often happens in shops) and they are trying to appeal to you in your own language. Again, I would recommend the same as above; tell them that you are a Spanish student and would like the opportunity to practice your Spanish with them.

Besitos,
Caro

A bit of random, useful stuff for Spanish students!

 

Vocab word: Hermanastro/a = step-brother/sister

Ejemplo: Mi hermanastro vive en el norte de California y mi hermanastra vive en París.

 

Useful expression: Hoy en día = nowadays

Ejemplo: Hoy en día la mayoría de la gente no tiene teléfono fijo en su casa.

 

Idiom: Tirar la casa por la ventana = To spare no expense.

Ejemplo: Para la fiesta de cumpleaños de Emilia tiraron la casa por la venta. ¡Hasta toco una banda famosa!

 

Correction: When someone says ¡Bienvenido! to you and you say ¡Bienvenido! back to them. Only the person who is at the location you get to can say Welcome! So you might say Thank you instead!

Ejemplo: ¡Bienvenido!

¡Gracias!

 

Resource: El Blog para Aprender Español = http://blogdeespanol.com/

 

Besos,

Caro

Does it have to be all or nothing?

A student this week mentioned that he has been feeling guilty for not working on his Spanish over the holidays, and confessed that he considered not continuing his classes because of his inability to spend a lot of time outside of class studying.

This student is one of many who confesses the same exact thing throughout the year. He is absolutely not alone in the way that he feels and in his thought process.

So let me ask you a few questions – a or b?

a – to not exercise at all, because you can’t make it to the gym five days a week like you would like, and be about as strong as a 5 year old?
b – or to exercise once or twice a week consistently, and ramp it up when time allows?

a – to stop eating veggies, eat McDonalds instead because it’s too hard to eat healthy 24/7, and end up looking like Jabba the Hutt?
b – or to eat well the majority of the time, knowing that a few times a week/month you will eat some unhealthy or fattening foods because that’s life?

a – to stop practicing Spanish altogether because you can’t practice every day as would be ideal, therefore not making any progress long term?
b – or coming to class once a week and doing the homework any time that you’re able to do so, and slowly but surely making progress?

Need I say more?

Besos,
Caro

Remember your level!

 

Spanish students often forget their language level when they’re speaking, which is something important to take into account.

Remember that if you’re in a lower level and trying to explain something very complicated, ask yourself “How can I make this more simple?”  You still want to tell the story, but there are often ways to simplify it to make it more level-friendly.

If you’re in a higher level trying to explain something complicated, don’t give up!  Find other words that you can use, ask for help, consult a dictionary, etc., but if you don’t make the effort, how will you ever get better at explaining complicated subjects?

The most important point is to stay in Spanish (no pic Inglich) and to tell the story in words you already know or can explain.  As you continue on your Spanish learning journey your stories will include more detail and more sophisticated vocabulary & concepts.  Poco a poco chicos…

Besitos,
Caro