{"id":914,"date":"2016-06-09T15:00:27","date_gmt":"2016-06-09T14:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/grapevinelifestyle.com\/?p=914"},"modified":"2024-10-08T09:25:57","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T07:25:57","slug":"be-fluent-in-spanish-in-one-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grapevine-properties.com\/lifestyle\/2016\/06\/09\/be-fluent-in-spanish-in-one-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Be fluent in Spanish – in one month?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

First, let’s get that myth out of the way: “I just don’t have a talent for languages”<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course you do!  It’s not something you need to have a talent for. Just as you don’t need a talent for walking up straight. You just learn it by doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You already speak a language: your own. If you didn’t have a talent for it you wouldn’t be able to read this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly, … you don’t speak your native tongue because you followed a course one hour a week.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At that pace you would probably only have spoken English by the time you were 20.  But somehow you seem to expect that from a language course?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Do you really<\/em> want to speak Spanish?  And very quickly so?
In a very fun way?
Then here’s the ONE AND ONLY TRICK (and the one ‘secret’ of many a multi-lingual person):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

REFUSE TO USE YOUR OWN LANGUAGE FOR ONE MONTH<\/span>.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Simply put it on the shelf. You refuse to use it. You are going to live and breathe Spanish only. For one month only. <\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Be then prepared for that one single incredibly frustrating day: a day in with you are just not able to communicate. For you can’t use your language. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

O, you will feel to be like a toddler, utterly frustrated that you can’t get any message accross.\u00a0And that’s exactly how you picked up your mother tongue: stuttering and struggling through every moment. With that same feeling of: “Aaaaaaargh<\/em>“.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of a sudden you find yourself reverting to sign language. And you know what? That’s Spanish already!<\/em> If anyone is very expressive with eyes, hands and legs, it’s the Mediterraneans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inform everyone around you: “I am really sorry, bear with me<\/em>“! \u00a0Just as though you were a smoker committing to quit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s the only way to become one of those multilingual people. People don’t become Olympic athletes by practising a one hour a week… They dive in head over heels”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the 3rd or 4th day of feeling like a fool, you suddenly hear yourself say something that strikes you like a thunderbolt: gosh, where did that expression come from?? \u00a0From me??<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 2nd week you’ll start dreaming<\/strong> in Spanish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the 3rd week there’ll be moments you THINK<\/strong> something in Spanish. From this moment you learn it even while doing nothing. Your radar has become so\u00a0sensitive and trained, it starts to pick up everything,\u00a0like a snowball rolling down a hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And after 30 days you can tell your partner or colleague: “Ahora en Ingl\u00e9s”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raise the glass and say “salud”!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might not be a professional linguist or even haven gotten as far as you wanted to get: it’s a given though that you will be fluent enough to make any conversation with any Spaniard one from heart to heart. Your life will become richer for it – not to mention about how proud you will feel of yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you up for a challenge? <\/em><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Or a month in which you do what you’ve never done before?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Treat yourself to those few days of feeling like a Spanish toddler… and enjoy the evolution into Spanish youngster, teen, adult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Me and my colleagues will be with you, should you call our office stuttering and fighting yourself through a sentence. We will understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For we’ve been there too<\/em>. And often still are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a1Suerte! to those who go for it. Keep us informed from time to time… in Spanish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ben Geurts<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See how others struggle?  A fun video:<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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