One of the steps to communicating well in Spanish is learning how to handle fast Spanish.
I’ve found the best way to use Spanish quickly is by practicing with a mixture of slow and fast Spanish.
A sport that requires super fast reflex actions is martial arts. Yet, when I used to study karate, we spent a lot of time taking things slowly.
Every time we learned a new move we used to practice it very slowly, with a lot of attention to the finer details of the movements.
We practiced slowly until we could do the move correctly without thinking about how to do it.
You know, one of my favorite sayings related to learning Spanish is…
”You can’t think and hit at the same time” – Yogi Berra
Just in case you’re wondering, Yogi was talking about hitting a baseball not people.
So what do karate and baseball have to do with Spanish?
Actually a lot!
To defend yourself using karate, the moves have to be instinctive or they won’t work.
In fact, Spanish speakers often talk about their ability in English by saying – puedo defenderme en ingles. Which is something like saying, I can get by or I can handle myself in English.
If you want to be able to handle yourself in Spanish, to paraphrase Yogi, you can’t have a conversation and think about grammar rules at the same time.
Here’s how I start my students practicing slowly to build up their speaking and listening abilities… This audio is the very first audio lesson from Bola de Nieve, and here’s an action guide for that lesson.
Here’s another lesson from Module 9 of Bola de Nieve.
Notice how the audio is faster later in the course.
Also notice how we slow down the Spanish every time we introduce something new. Then, after a few practices we get back into the conversation at a very natural and authentic speed.
The later lesson may be beyond your ability right now. However, I included it to demonstrate to you that by starting slowly you can learn to defenderse y hablar naturalmente.
Plus, perhaps even more importantly you start to handle the speed of Spanish.
Besides using audio, another great way to have time to build your understanding, knowledge and skills is to read in Spanish everyday.
In fact, if you’ll just do two things everyday you can take your Spanish so far people will be amazed how well you speak. All you need to do is mix a little interactive audio each day with 15-30 minutes of reading and your improvement will be better than taking years of formal classes.
I know it’s true because my students have made wonderful progress in less than a year.
Let me know your thoughts by posting a comment here on the blog.
I’m learning english and I’m going to try the tips are giving. I’m Portuguese speker.
I have just got back from a couple of months in Argentina. I found their accent (and in Uruguay) a bit of a challenge re ‘shooshing’ the ‘double LLs’ in everything, but now I seem to do it naturally whenever I read or have to speak.
One question… on Synergy Spanish, what country does the spanish-speaking lady come from (I suspect Mexico, or somewhere in Central America).
I originally learned my espanol in Spain when living there for a few months, but haven’t spoken ‘Castillano’ for 20 years. Yesterday, I tuned into an Internet TV station from Espania and thought it really ‘cute’ listening to them ‘lisping’ all their ‘C-words’, etc. :-))
Thanks Marcus for a great boost with my spanish language skills.
John Crago
Sydney, Australia (soon to be living in Uruguay 🙂
Yes, she is form Mexico, Mexico City originally.
I recently met some Urugayos that now live in your neck of the woods.
Great people. Barbeque kings. Don’t mention the football vs Australia
though.
i meant the total cost pls
i find your material very useful in learning spanish i would like to get all available cds/dvd /casette there is,i have mailed you personally without any respponse from you .pls if you ever get this email send me the total of all your material plus shipment cost,i will prefer sending the money via western union.thank you
Your course is fantastic. Every day I feel more and more comfortable with using Spanish. I have been telling everyone I know about your course.
Is there a magazine or newsletter that has English and Spanish side by side for our reading assignment? At one time Rodale Press had one, seems like it was Quinto Lingo. Thank you and may God richly bless you for your work. Jim
The lessons are great, I enjoy learning everyday. I am making great progress because it is so simple to learn. Thanks a million for your generosity, I really appreciate it
I love the audio lessons. They are sharpening my listening and speaking skills. I try to use the little I know daily. Thank you for your help. Keep the lessons coming.
Fae (Bahamas)
I’m enjoying your course very much. I try to listen for an hour each day, however sometimes I don’t get to. I havent finished level one yet and I still have the lessons on disk that I am working at the same time. I’m making some progress but it is slow, BUT I will make it. I have about all that I can do right now, but in the future I would like to take the Bola de Nieve class.
I have never tried any other Spanish classes and am not aroung any spanish speaking people so I talk to myself as much as I can in Spanish.
Mucho gracias
Vince
Dear Marcus, i have started your course a month ago and i find it great i’m a french speaker and i
feel lot’s of progress in such little time . BBC lessons were fun but too difficult for me now.
thanks to you .
BBC lessons were fun, I was not able to open the activities for grammar and vocabulary so that was disappointing.
Good on you, Mate. Your course is the BEST.
Marcus: I loved the BBC website Spanish saga. What an engaging way to teach ordering in restaurants and renting cars! The Spanish was too fast for me and the Spanish accent, “hay caramba!” But I feel like I was there seeing the countryside. I was not able to open the activities for grammar and vocabulary so that was disappointing as I try to practice some Spanish every day. Thanks for tip. Linda
Just finishing Module 2. I am looking forward to the other modules, such as the “teaser” you gave us of the audio portion of Module 9. Thanks you. I feel I am making progress.
hola, mi profesor en linea; yo te agradeco por su manera de enseñar. Eso es muy útil especialmente para mi. siga en tu obras buenas mi Dios te pague
excellent, am able to use my spanish somewhat. Still in the early going.
Need more lessons.
Love your last name.