Tips for Learning a Foreign Language

Being English, I am unusual in that I speak another language!

Most English speakers in the UK, the USA and former colonies like Australia and New Zealand never really need to learn another language.

Wherever we travel throughout the world, with the possible exception of France everybody seems to Speak English, or have sufficient understanding to communicate with us or in the process of learning and therefore keen to practice.

I have had the benefit of living in Barcelona for nearly 6 years and in the time I have developed my languages to the point where I can get by.

It is interesting that in Barcelona, the people speak two languages, Spanish and Catalan, at first I was incredibly confused as I would hear people talking on the bus or in a shop and I found it really difficult to distinguish between the two.

Over time my ear became more attuned to the differences.

Methods that I have found to be effective are as follows:-

Read, I try and read everyday a newspaper or something printed in the language, at first it’s difficult but over time, as long as you have a dictionary at your side you start to fill in the blanks!

Watch, obviously living in Spain I have access to Spanish TV, initially I watched trash TV, Game shows, Big Brother etc. and then discovered most importantly the news, newsreaders tend to speak slowly and particularly with global stories you already have the gist.

But probably the two best ways I have discovered are Intercambio, this is where I meet with a friend every week and for an hour we converse in both English & Spanish, sometimes it does verge on Spanglish! And the other is a very good programme by Mauricio Evlampieff which I have found to be excellent.

However you learn remember, persistence pays! Hasta Luego!