How can I learn spanish?

[youcandoit]

Hi folks - I took spanish in high school and college but that was so long ago - I forget it all now, and I want to learn it again so I can communicate with my future patients. Local community colleges won't work because of scheduling trouble. Can any of you recommend any CDs or material to help me relearn spanish? Its hard to judge on Barnes and Noble and Amazon because the reviews are all over the place. Thanks for any help!

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[IgweEmeka]

Seriously, why would you post a question like this in the forum? It doesn't take a genius to figure out that in order to learn spanish, you should take a spanish class or live in Mexico or spain for at least a year. I don't mean to be harsh, but don't post stupid ass questions like this.

 

[dmitrinyr]

Seriously, why would you post a question like this in the forum? It doesn't take a genius to figure out that in order to learn spanish, you should take a spanish class or live in Mexico or spain for at least a year. I don't mean to be harsh, but don't post stupid ass questions like this.

Why respond in such a harsh way. The OP was just trying to get some advice. Of course it's obvious that to really learn Spanish one must live in a Spanish-speaking country or take a class, but the OP wants advice on something that could be a "satisfactory" substitute for this that would fit into a busy schedule. I was actually thinking about ways to relearn Spanish while being in medical school and having no time to take a class in college. Yes, this way you will not learn to be fluent but you may get comfortable enough that with practice you might get your point across to your Spanish-speaking patients and that's all that matters. If anyone ELSE has any suggestions on how a person with a busy schedule can re-learn a language well enough to "get the point across" to patients, your advice will be appreciated.

Thanks,

dmitri

 

[Haybrant]

Seriously, why would you post a question like this in the forum? It doesn't take a genius to figure out that in order to learn spanish, you should take a spanish class or live in Mexico or spain for at least a year. I don't mean to be harsh, but don't post stupid ass questions like this.

why do you respond to posts that you think are "stupid ass" to you?

anyway, im curious too; cant fit in cc classes b.t work and everything else; I think there are previous posts like this but i cant find em.

 

[JamesNunez]

Maybe some kind of computer software program??

 

[DrMarioNES]

Do you know someone who speaks spanish? If so you could talk to them and practice your conversational spanish. I take it you rather speak it than write it so I think this would a great exercise.

Hope this helps.

 

[LVDoc]

I was considering learning a language over summer; not necessarily to communicate with my patients, but more for my own personal goals. Anyway, I've been seeing a lot of advertisements lately for "Rosetta Stone" CD products. They claim there is no "memorizing" required, it is quick to learn from, and widely used by various institutions. Anyway, you might want to look online for more information about it. It seems like a great program, but it is a bit expensive (~$200-250 for each level).

 

[jmugele]

I purchased these off of Amazon for $35 or so. It's a series of 9 CDs that are pretty basic -- English phrase repeated twice in Spanish. It starts simply and then introduces more and more complex phrases. I thought it was pretty useful.

Learn in Your Car Spanish: The Complete Language Course : 3 Level Set (Learn in Your Car)

 

[Peeshee]

Hi,
I definitely think that if you are not able to live in a Spanish speaking country for a while, then the next best thing is to make conversation with a Spanish speaking person who doesn't speak English. You could also make conversation with someone who is bilingual,but just make sure they don't revert over to English that much. Otherwise, you will not learn.
If you dont know anyone, then find a private tutor who will work around your schedule. Since the classes are not in a group, you will learn quicker and at your own pace.
Maybe you could also try doing some electives at places with large populations of Spanish speakers.

 

[Brain]

Here's a program where you spend a few weeks over the summer in Guadalajara for a medical Spanish course. You get some clinical experience so you get to practice what you learn. Here's the link

http://www.uag.mx/medicine/medical_spanish.htm

This is something that can be done the summer between first and second year. I'm considering taking it. No prior knowledge is required but I'd like to find a good book or CDs myself to brush up my Spanish skills that I learned a long time ago.

Also, many schools offer a medical Spanish elective that they schedule so that it won't get too much in the way of your other classes.

 

[Peeshee]

Here's a program where you spend a few weeks over the summer in Guadalajara for a medical Spanish course. You get some clinical experience so you get to practice what you learn. Here's the link

http://www.uag.mx/medicine/medical_spanish.htm

This is something that can be done the summer between first and second year. I'm considering taking it. No prior knowledge is required but I'd like to find a good book or CDs myself to brush up my Spanish skills that I learned a long time ago.

Also, many schools offer a medical Spanish elective that they schedule so that it won't get too much in the way of your other classes.

I just don't think you learn very much sitting in a class. Also you will be surrounded by English speakers and you will make friends with them and be speaking in English. I think it is better if you just go live in Guadalajara with a Mexican family and become involved with the Mexican society. Talk to people on the streets,buses,malls,etc. You might sound silly at first,but over time, you will become more confident. People are usually willing to talk to you also.

 

[TanyaKatya]

I have been trying to learn Spanish and French, so I hope this suggestions help.

The best CD program out there to learn a language is the Pimsleur products, but they are sort of expensive since the original arthur of the method is deceased. You can find it on amazon and various other online stores. To learn a language, you really need to immerse yourself in it. You can start with the tapes, as you progress along, start watching Spanish programs to try to follow what they ar saying. You will see that this helps a lot to understand the language. Also, if you want to learn to read spanish, invest in some spanish novels and a good dictionary, you will be surprised at how much you learn with application. You will learn to pronounce the words through the CD, and see it used in practical situations in TV programs and books. And most importantly, visit a cafe or market with a heavy latino population frequently, so as to speak the language, cause I know not everyone is acquainted with a native speaker.

Also, don't forget that there is a difference between the Spanish the latinos speak and that spoken in Spain. Just thought to mention it so you don't mix up two programs while you are learning.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[LSUwannabe]

I just don't think you learn very much sitting in a class. Also you will be surrounded by English speakers and you will make friends with them and be speaking in English. I think it is better if you just go live in Guadalajara with a Mexican family and become involved with the Mexican society. Talk to people on the streets,buses,malls,etc. You might sound silly at first,but over time, you will become more confident. People are usually willing to talk to you also.

I think w/ the UAG deal you stay w/ native families and participate in standard clinical activities. It's a lot more than just class as I understand it.

The only person I know to have participated claimed it was great.

 

[Peeshee]

Oh, the other way to learn is to listen to music in Spanish, preferably slower music so that you can listen to the words, and then find the words to the songs on the internet and print them out.
Also, if you get any tv stations in Spanish, that's also very useful...

 

[Peeshee]

I think w/ the UAG deal you stay w/ native families and participate in standard clinical activities. It's a lot more than just class as I understand it.

The only person I know to have participated claimed it was great.

Yeah, I guess it is good for beginners. I think it would be beneficial if you take the course and after the course is done travel around Mexico so you can put your Spanish to use on your own.
Good luck!
Any way you attempt to learn another language, it is GREAT that you are at least trying and have an interest!

 

[youcandoit]

Thanks to everybody for their suggestions. I knew I could get help here on this board!

 

[IgweEmeka]

Thanks to everybody for their suggestions. I knew I could get help here on this board!

I apologize for my original post, I had a bad night at the bars and my ex-girlfriend was blatantly flirting with some guy in front of me and eventually left with him, so please bear with me. Anyways, I second most of the advice given by the previous posters. there is also another program of volunteering/spanish learning at www.cfhi.org. goodluck.

 

[Mutt]

I apologize for my original post, I had a bad night at the bars and my ex-girlfriend was blatantly flirting with some guy in front of me and eventually left with him, so please bear with me.

Ooof.

That stuff is the worst...

 

[deuist]

Seriously, why would you post a question like this in the forum? It doesn't take a genius to figure out that in order to learn spanish, you should take a spanish class or live in Mexico or spain for at least a year. I don't mean to be harsh, but don't post stupid ass questions like this.

Welcome to Student Doctor.Net, where you will be harassed, made fun of, and never have your original question answered.

If you are interested in Spanish, you can try Rosetta Stone. It's expensive, but I've heard a lot of good things about it. You can also go the free route by checking your local (not school) library. Spanish is a pretty popular language to learn---so they might have traveler's CDs.

 

[brightblueeyes]

I have been trying to learn Spanish and French, so I hope this suggestions help.

The best CD program out there to learn a language is the Pimsleur products, but they are sort of expensive since the original arthur of the method is deceased.

I'm not familiar with the Pimsleur products but I like the Assimil and Linguaphone packages. They're great for getting a base in passive skills like reading and oral comprehension--so long as the user makes it through the second as well as the first level. Unfortunately, Assimil and Linguaphone only have a second level for Spanish as spoken in Spain and I'm not sure if this would be acceptable.

Be careful to check the level of any product you find in a bookstore. There are some very flashy language packages that claim to be "advanced" that are almost useless. Remember the primary aim of most language packages is simply to be sold--their effectiveness in teaching you a new language is secondary.

Make sure that whatever you use has varied conversations and realistic speaking speeds. (Assimil is pretty good for this. The older Linguaphone packages might have more realistic speeds than the slower, newer ones.)

In any case, practice with Spanish speaking friends, watch Spanish TV and read Spanish newspapers.

 

[la gringa]

i went to Costa Rica for 6 wks as a 4th year elective, did an immersion program for 5 of those weeks at Adventure Education Center. Lived w/ a family and took classes - I knew very little Spanish going in and I do all right now. They have a medical course too where you learn medical terminology and whatnot and do some area clinic visits. There are also planned activities on weekends and such. Check out the website -www.adventurespanishschool.com

 

[pratik7]

i think that it depends on how much you remember from high school and college. Do you vaguely remember basic sentence structure and conjugation? If so, then you can prob learn pretty easily on your own by relearning vocab and the basics. However, if you need serious grammer help...its going to be difficult to do without some form of instruction (course, software, ect).

 

[Tom345]

I will tell you how I learnt spanish...the hard way. Talk to patients, learn 2-5 words each encounter. All you really need is 30 words of MEDICAL spanish, really...

 

[Stitch626]

I borrowed all the Pimsleur audio cassette tapes (I, II & III) from my public library and dubbed them onto my own tapes so I could "learn Spanish" at my convenience. All together I made 29 double sided 90 minute tapes - this gives me something to do over the summer. So far the lessons are going well. Pimsleur has a good number of positive reviews on Amazon.com and is thought to have an advantage over other methods b/c it involves mind-numbing repitition. Still haven't mastered the rolling "r" sound though.

 

[YouDontKnowJack]

how bout this.

buy your old high school spanish textbooks. and start from there.

there's tons to learn from spanish 1. and you want to be grammatically correct when you speak.

 

[pillowhead]

I borrowed all the Pimsleur audio cassette tapes (I, II & III) from my public library and dubbed them onto my own tapes so I could "learn Spanish" at my convenience. All together I made 29 double sided 90 minute tapes - this gives me something to do over the summer. So far the lessons are going well. Pimsleur has a good number of positive reviews on Amazon.com and is thought to have an advantage over other methods b/c it involves mind-numbing repitition. Still haven't mastered the rolling "r" sound though.

The Pimsleur products are excellent, esp if you have some minimal spanish or even french knowledge already. Don't get the 4 disc copy at the bookstore. you really need to get sets I,II, and III which have 16 discs each. Check your library. I used them before traveling to Spain and I managed to get around quite decently.

 

[llort]

Hi folks - I took spanish in high school and college but that was so long ago - I forget it all now, and I want to learn it again so I can communicate with my future patients. Local community colleges won't work because of scheduling trouble. Can any of you recommend any CDs or material to help me relearn spanish? Its hard to judge on Barnes and Noble and Amazon because the reviews are all over the place. Thanks for any help!

this is a stupid question. ask yourself this, how can I learn to practice medicine? the answer is by 3rd and 4th year clinicals and residency. in other words, hands on experience, not from books. so the answer is to live in a spanish speaking country for a year. obviously.

 

[llort]

how bout this.

buy your old high school spanish textbooks. and start from there.

there's tons to learn from spanish 1. and you want to be grammatically correct when you speak.

it doesnt matter how well you can speak it , if you cant understand it. you need to be able to have a conversation.

 

[Peeshee]

I will tell you how I learnt spanish...the hard way. Talk to patients, learn 2-5 words each encounter. All you really need is 30 words of MEDICAL spanish, really...

But,then how will you understand their response?

 

[Haybrant]

Oh, the other way to learn is to listen to music in Spanish, preferably slower music so that you can listen to the words, and then find the words to the songs on the internet and print them out.
Also, if you get any tv stations in Spanish, that's also very useful...

this is good but harder than watching news in spanish; you already know the story they are reporting

 

[PineappleGirl]

I just want to chime in with what others are saying about watching Spanish TV.

I took Spanish in High School and I keep it up to date by watching TV in Spanish. Some of the programs are down right hysterical. Where else can you see someone playing for a lifetime supply of mayonnaise?

I also listen to a lot of Reggaeton. If you're into this kind of music (it's kind of like Latin hip-hop/rap) I'd recommend getting some CDs. Daddy Yankee is my personal favorite.

 

[sweetpeamd09]

I would suggest going "Spanish only". I'm a Puerto Rican NON-native speaker of Spanish. I learned Spanish in hs and college, however, have yet to have had one substantial conversation in anything but English. My extended family speaks Spanish, so sometimes I refuse to speak English with them. I wouldn't recommend courses, programs...I recommend conversation. The summer after first year I think I'm going to try to go to a Spanish speaking country b/c I just can't get it down. The hardest thing is thinking in Spanish...it's fine to translate and all---much more difficult to converse at resonable speed.

 

[Gr42]

Hi folks - I took spanish in high school and college but that was so long ago - I forget it all now, and I want to learn it again so I can communicate with my future patients. Local community colleges won't work because of scheduling trouble. Can any of you recommend any CDs or material to help me relearn spanish? Its hard to judge on Barnes and Noble and Amazon because the reviews are all over the place. Thanks for any help!

I would say find yourself a girlfriend/boyfriend that speaks only Spanish or little English. There are plenty of them around(actually it might depend on which state you live in). You can help each other that way!!!!!!!!

 

[PineappleGirl]

I would say find yourself a girlfriend/boyfriend that speaks only Spanish or little English. There are plenty of them around(actually it might depend on which state you live in). You can help each other that way!!!!!!!!

LOL. This is a good suggestion. And this way, you get to learn all the naughty words.

 

[felipe5]

this is a stupid question. ask yourself this, how can I learn to practice medicine? the answer is by 3rd and 4th year clinicals and residency. in other words, hands on experience, not from books. so the answer is to live in a spanish speaking country for a year. obviously.

yes i must agree with this post......your options are really to a.) take some time and take a class, or b.) immerse yourself in a spanish speaking culture. You have to visualize your motivation in each choice.

Choice A.'s way of learning will drive you to study out of fear of doing poorly in a class and, IMHO, will suck. Language classes blow, even if you have El Chapulin Colorado for a teacher. Choice B will drive you to learn so that you can interact and socially survive in a culture without feeling like an idiot. Although the "ends" are the same in both choices, the "means" in the immersion choice will get you better results and be 50 million times more enjoyable of a process

 

[coxzilla97]

Most everyone has decided that there are only two options. Here is the third. Where I live there is a spanish speaking community and in that community is a spanish speaking only clinic called of all things "La Clinica". They are a government subsidized and volunteer organization that is dying for volunteers that have any experience with spanish. I have only taken 16 hours of spanish in college and none in high school and do just fine in situations like that one. I also go to the Latino and Mexican stores and an authentic Mexican food place when I want to brush up. You should indeed get a course of some sort to brush up on tenses and conjugation. The vocabulary will come if you try to talk to someone and can't figure out what to say. Just remember what you tried to say and then look up what the word was or just ask the person you are talking to. You wont forget it after you have gotten it wrong. A great book to get you back on grammar and vocab track is 501 Spanish Verbs conjugated. That is all you will need, and a dictionary or translator, of course. Dont waste your time or money on a trip to a foreign country when their are hispanics here to help you.

 

[njbmd]

Revival of a three-year old thread to promote website. Thread now closed.