Best way to learn Spanish, French and Italian? (1 Viewer)

[Pernickety]

Hi all,

Had a few significant delays recently keeping me off the van build. Now starting to wonder that by the time I get this done, it'll be the start of winter

If that's the case, I'm going to have to follow the sun for a few months, which means that much though I love Brighton in December, it'll mean heading south.

Does anyone know of a quick way, other than marrying a multi-linguist (had to check I spelled that correctly) of learning enough Spanish, French and Italian to get by?

 

[Burgo]

The Michel Thomas CD for Spanish is very good, as he concentrates on the basics like "I want..." and has the philosophy of the main thing is to be understood and not misunderstood, so doesn't get too hung up on tenses etc. "Me want beer please" will get you served and is polite, kind of thing. You may even be able to do it online now https://www.michelthomas.com/learn-spanish.php

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Depends how much you want to learn and how you learn best. It's fairly simple to pick up very basic "tourist" in most languages (apart from Flemish ) One of the apps or something like Linguaphone will do the trick for most people. The most important thing is don't be afraid to try it out once you're in a real situation. You get better by actually speaking the language and you'll find that the person you're trying to talk to will appreciate the effort and work with you.

If you want to get more advanced than that then proper lessons are the way to go.

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[Robert Clark]

Would also recommend Michel Thomas for Spanish
Also your local night school

 

[Podney]

Michel Thomas.
I think he’s dead now but you can still get the cd’s

 

[ianthebuilder]

Spaniiiish is eeeesy sinor, all you have to do is talk in a Mexican acceeent!!

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[DBK]

Here you go.

una cerveza por favor. (Spanish)
une bière s'il vous plaît. (French)
Una birra, per favore. (Italian)

After three drinks you'll be speaking like a local.

I'm in Portugal at the moment and the language is beyond me though if you stick to the Algarve there seem to be more English than Portuguese but elsewhere a smile and "Bom dia"* seems to work.

*Good morning I think. Like the Spanish they have another greeting which covers the afternoon and evening - but I'm not up to that standard yet.

 

[Pernickety]

Hmm, lots of votes for Michael Thomas then, rest his merry soul. Did he ever get to Italy?

Spaniiiish is eeeesy sinor, all you have to do is talk in a Mexican acceeent!!

For some reason that isn't converting very well in my Google Spanish to Scottish companion

una cerveza por favor. (Spanish)
une bière s'il vous plaît. (French)
Una birra, per favore. (Italian)
After three drinks you'll be speaking like a local.

Actually it'll only take me two, but I'd be happy to take you up on the offer.

 

[Lofty1]

Think your first idea is best a long haired dictionary ensure she can cook

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[pappajohn]

Don't be daft, it took you four or five years to learn enough English to have a simple conversation.

 

[pappajohn]

After three drinks you'll be speaking like a local.

Or you'll think you are.

 

[Podney]

For me,Portuguese is verging on the impossible,but....

Boa tarde. Good afternoon

Boa noite.....well you can guess that one.

So,not so difficult in parts,but,like the French they have masculine and feminine. Conjugating the verbs is,I was told,the key to it all,but as I can’t remember what I did yesterday I don’t stand a chance with that!

Oh and there’s always.......... A conta faz favor. Please may I have the bill".................that’s if you don’t resort to the international sign of writing your name in thin air with your index finger!

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[Pernickety]

Oh and there’s always.......... A conta faz favor. Please may I have the bill".................that’s if you don’t resort to the international sign of writing your name in thin air with your index finger!

Hadn't even considered Portuguese, but that's quite impressive, especially with all the hand waving. Maybe I'll just take you with me? Are you good at guiding new drivers into small parking spots too?

 

[Snowbird]

I was told a long time ago that the best way to learn French was to sleep with a French girl. Am not so sure that sleeping with Spanish, French and Italian ladies all at the same time would be such a bad thing, but not at my age now .

 

[Shrimp]

Immersion in the language is the best way!
I have an app called ‘Memrise’ it’s fairly good you can learn at your own speed.
We’ve just spent a couple of days talking, drinking & laughing with a French couple, she had a little English he had none, quite funny at times!

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[Burgo]

Forgot - Download the Duolingo app. It's free and not a bad liitle vocabulary builder at all. Also if you want more info on a particular question you can look at all the comments put in by others which helps a lot. You can also use it on your laptop or pc as well. It's got a little green owl as an icon. Recommended.

 

[Ridgeway]

The best method I've used (suggested by a competent linguist) was to watch films and select the language you wanted to learn but leave the subtitles on in English. This way you can hear the words being pronounced and see what they mean underneath in a language you understand. As you do this more you'll also start to watch the mouth movements and learn from that.

For French my neighbour leant me La Grande Vadrouille with Bourvil, Louis de Funès and Terry Thomas, worth learning French just to watch that !

From experience I would start with French (the closet of the latin languages to English and one you're likely most familiar with) then move to Spanish (Catalan to French is very close, just avoid Valencian...) and Italian last.

Portuguese = avoid at all costs ! you'll just confuse yourself and never keep up with the speed they talk at.....

 

[Freespirit1]

The best way and the most fun way is to find a local girlfriend in the country your in - but have to admit Greek is difficult

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[Fletton]

The best method I've used (suggested by a competent linguist) was to watch films and select the language you wanted to learn but leave the subtitles on in English. This way you can hear the words being pronounced and see what they mean underneath in a language you understand. As you do this more you'll also start to watch the mouth movements and learn from that.

I had diffuculty with that...
The reason being other laguages speak like “Yoda”...

A typical example
In english.... “I am hungry”
Spanish .....”I have hunger”

Spanish speaking is like saying...

“Happy you are?”... (yoda speak) as opposed to “Are you happy?”

So trying to match an “english” transcript can be confusing ... IMO

 

[Ridgeway]

I had diffuculty with that...
The reason being other laguages speak like “Yoda”...

A typical example
In english.... “I am hungry”
Spanish .....”I have hunger”

Spanish speaking is like saying...

“Happy you are?”... (yoda speak) as opposed to “Are you happy?”

So trying to match an “english” transcript can be confusing ... IMO

Try it, i don't think the point is a literal translation (which is why most English only speakers struggle) but it's to understand the meaning of the sentence, intention etc

When we learn languages from age zero onwards we first learn to hear the words, then say the words, then read and finally write. Some how we forget this complex process and expect that we can do all 4 parts of the language learning in one step as adults. We can all remember this from our French language lessons at school I guess.

Give it a go with a DVD this evening and If it doesn't drive you crazy you'll certainly know more about a language after watching the film than you did before.

 

[Littlewheels]

Watching a Film that’s for Children helps as the vocabulary is more simple.

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[MillieMoocher]

I used the Italian version of this one last year, and managed to get by for a month. Although it doesn’t give you the grammar it enables you to make yourself understood. For example I was able negotiate the price for a new small handbag for Swmbo in a market by asking “ what’s your best price”, “ can it be cheaper for cash” and so on.

Learn French™ by Greg Vick

I think there will be a Spanish version too, not looked for it myself.

Best of all they are free!

 

[Nasher]

Do what most Brits do, shout louder in English

But seriously, evening classes are good, if you have the time. But for me, a Girlfriend in each country has got to be the best way forward.

 

[Fletton]

Try it, i don't think the point is a literal translation (which is why most English only speakers struggle) but it's to understand the meaning of the sentence, intention etc

I think I may know what you mean.....

Insofar as... “hearing a sentence in Spanish”... and gleaning the meaning from the sub text... as opposed to reading the sub text as “literal”...

However, for me... having tried it.. it was difficult ... I would much prefer literal text to be displayed... as that would give/show the differing structure of the way other languages differ from english..

I will add that I started with M Thomas... and then supplemented with other methods.. and watched a very good series on the Beeb website IIR... about a girl who finds herself in Spain unable to speak the lingo and stays with her brothers spanish speaking girlfriend - or something like that... and learns by being “amongst it”...

John

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[Ridgeway]

I think I may know what you mean.....

Insofar as... “hearing a sentence in Spanish”... and gleaning the meaning from the sub text... as opposed to reading the sub text as “literal”...

However, for me... having tried it.. it was difficult ... I would much prefer literal text to be displayed... as that would give/show the differing structure of the way other languages differ from english..

I will add that I started with M Thomas... and then supplemented with other methods.. and watched a very good series on the Beeb website IIR... about a girl who finds herself in Spain unable to speak the lingo and stays with her brothers spanish speaking girlfriend - or something like that... and learns by being “amongst it”...

John

You'll never learn a language fast by starting to understand it's structure, that's a much more complex aspect to grasp that you can only comprehend much later on, sounds are the starting point. Immersion learning is a great way to learn and it's fast because you're motivated and you learn the intention of what some one is trying to say rather than having a comprehension of structure, vocabulary and other complexities each different language throws up.

The references to Michel Thomas are interesting as he had a different motivation. As a Polish person that was captured in the war his basic language skills were exploited by his captors as they "requested" he translate for them, sometimes in languages he barely knew so he worked out how to break down a language and simplify it so he could quickly grasp it, much like the OP wants i guess although I suspect without a Luger to his head...

My neighbour leant reasonable English in 6wks in Bournemouth when she was young. When she told me this and she could see my shock she said yes but it's much like learning any other language (she speaks 9 now) and again it's because she's learnt how to simplify the language and dissect it.

We did have a funny one a few weeks back though. Our 9yr old has started English lesson at school and the teacher was sure that the plural of mouse is mices..... even teachers get it wrong.