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1. It's easy. So you want to learn a language, but you don't want it to be too hard? Then Spanish is for you. It shares a lot of the same vocabulary, which means you don't have to spend hours drilling words into your head. It is a mostly phonetic alphabet too. For English speakers, the pronunciation isn't a worry, so theres another worry gone. And for the Einsteins out there, since Spanish is a romance language, it means that you don't have to learn a new alphabet! How great is that?
2. Business. As Spanish establishes itself as one of the most popular languages in North America, the employment and business opportunities also increase. Having a second language looks more and more impressive on a resume and being able to sell to Spanish speaking people means that your market has just increased.
3. Become sexier. Thats right, a recent online poll stated that Spanish is one of the most attractive accents, for both men and women. So if you're struggling to find a date, then perhaps you should forget about those bicep curls and or breast implants, Spanish is your key!
4. Get to know that "quiet" guy down the street. Got some new neighbours who seem awfully quiet? Well, it's not that they're quiet, they just don't speak English dummy! With the Spanish speaking population of the United States at over 30 million, having some "quiet guys" move in down the road is a definite possibility. So take the initiative and learn Spanish, that guy down the street will thank you for it.
5. Have more fun travelling. Sure, speaking Spanish in Spanish speaking countries isn't a must. You can get around speaking English. But trust me when I say you will have so much more fun if you can speak even a little Spanish. Just the fact that you're trying will put you head and shoulders above the average westerner. Get ready for free drinks, better advice and invitations to places not normally frequented by tourists. It really can make or break your trip.
I hope after reading this article that you're all pumped about learning Spanish. It really is a fantastic journey and one that you'll be grateful for.
As a language teacher, a major problem I see for a lot of students is their lack of commitment. They claim to be passionate about learning this new language, but then they despair that it's too hard, or that they're not smart enough. I'm here to dispel those two reasons. I firmly believe that anyone can learn Spanish, regardless of their intelligence, as long as they are committed and go about it in an intelligent fashion.
If you want to become very proficient in speaking Spanish, then it requires time. I recommend doing something each day that will help you learn. I don't mean to say you must dedicate entire days to this, not at all. 30 minutes a day is a great amount of time. If you can commit to 30 minutes a day of intelligent study (And that is key) then you will amaze yourself with how well you progress. So let's get started on creating a daily plan that you can put into practice immediately.
You will need a few tools to complete this plan. A two way dictionary, a phrase book, and either an audio product or some Spanish reading materials (newspaper, childrens books etc). I highly recommend that you purchase an audio/software product (You can see what I think of various ones at www.JiffySpanish.com), however, if you cannot afford one of these, then some reading materials will do. In most western countries, Spanish language newspapers shouldn't be too hard to find. If you can get your hands on some childrens books, then this will also be a great way to learn.
So, with your new tools, you sit down to learn Spanish, but you don't know what to do. It's quite simple really. If you have an audio cd, play the first track. Listen and participate in the interactions, making sure you pronounce the words the best you can. As you go along, if you come across any words you are still unsure of, pause the recording and write it down. Once you have finished listening to the recording, have a look at all the words you are still unsure of. Grab your dictionary and get to work!. Working out words this way really makes sure that they stick in your brain.
If you are using newspapers or some other reading material, make sure you do the same thing. Read through the articles and as you come across unknown words, circle them and come back to them later with the dictionary. I'm sure you realise that this is a much more labor intensive activity, which is why I so strongly recommend that you purchase an audio program. In order to find out what I think are the best ones around, check out my product review section at www.JiffySpanish.com
I hope you have agreed to commit at least 30 minutes a day to learning Spanish. Just try it for a few weeks and I guarantee you'll be shocked with the results.