Two types of Spanish
In Spanish you can speak to people formally or informally.
Some people think, “Well I’m an easy going person, I’ll speak to everyone informally.”
Big mistake!
You see, if you use informal Spanish with the wrong person it can be disrespectful. Perhaps the word informal itself gives us a clue. The word is the same in Spanish as English, however in Spanish it also means unreliable.
Plus, in Spanish speaking culture there is a lot more attention to etiquette than there is in the English speaking world.
When you’re first learning Spanish it’s good to speak with most people formally, especially people you have just met.
But as you learn more Spanish you’ll find yourself getting invited to people’s houses to eat.
You might even get asked to weddings, baptisms or quinceañera(a popular coming of age party in Latino culture).
Many times at these get togethers, informal Spanish is better. It can make you seem more open and friendly.
Yet, it’s still not always appropriate. It depends on the people, the situation and the context.
So, how do you know when to speak formally and when to speak informally?
I’ll give you some ideas that have helped me on the next post Two Types of Spanish part 2
In the meantime get started on the Synergy Spanish Informal Dialogs course and leave me some feedback here.
Saludos
Marcus
Hola Marcus,
Thank you for pushing me .. I have only finished the two first lessons but I will learn spanish both formal and informal eventually .. 🙂 I know there are a university somewhere in Mexico in the mountains that have Art classes and spanish for foreigners so I thought one day I will do both spanish and Art .. after I finish your course ..
I also have taken ordinary gramar etc in Norway and Spain .. but as you say .. the more I learned the less I spoke. Much easier already with the Synergy.
Muchas Gracias
Catarina
Marcia,
Gracias, gracias, gracias. My Study Group (the Southlake Senior Spanish Study Group) and I still believe we can learn to speak Spanish, though we spent two years trying and failing to do so. Since discovering Synergy Spanish about nine months ago, we have been on a roll …a slow and steady one. Your teaching method works for us seniors. It seems that most other programs use either rote or are heavily into verb conjugation. Neither of those methods works for us.
I finished Syngery Spanish last week, and Synergy Spanish Informal Dialog this evening. I am ahead of the others. I redo each lesson as they get to it, and look forward to their getting a little further along so we can dialog among ourselves.
Ruby
Dear Marcus – Ken and I are both now 71 and have been in Spain for 10 years, most of that time with the English speakers on the Costa. Our lessons in spainish were formal and grammatical and we attended classes for two years. We rarely had the need to speak spanish, other than to order a drink or food in restaurants. We then moved further inland and now live in a real spanish village where our neighbours are spanish and often very Andalucian, so we understand very little. Ken walks the dogs and has exhausted his ;phrases about the dogs and the weather to the other retired men whilst he is out. We have recently been befriended by our Enfermero who asked if we would like to share our English with himself and his wife (Alcaldesa at Arenas del Rey), and we have spent a little time already with them. Your course is helping us to get into speaking real spanish with them and not to worry so much about the grammar! Many thanks for thinking this all through for us – learning a new language can be daunting, but we really feel we are getting somewhere at last!
Hola Marcus,
my wife and I are working our way through Synergy Spanish and although it’s a challenge it’s far more fun and helpful than the traditional program we’re also taking through nightschool!
Hi Marcus,
Blew a lot of money on a grammar course and struggled through a week of it and came out with very little chance of conversing with anyone. Bought your lessons and am thoroughly enjoying them. they really are fun and interesting and paced brilliantly. Still got a long way to go but looking forward to the journey. We were going to settle in Spain but for a lot of reasons have decided to move on and we are now on our way to Estados Unidas or Mexico Ext 3 so looking forward to using it there.
Hello Marcus,
Both my husband and I are following your course and absolutely love it, I have in the past attended a course in college to learn spanish, but your course just seems to gel. We are still only about half way through the first course, but are already able to communicate more and understand a little more.
Thanks from both of us
Ann
Dear Marcus,
LOVE your courses! I’ve also purchased Information Conversations II and really enjoy learning the past tense! Your program is the best! I’m looking forward to Bola de Nieve.
Thank you!
Natasha
Dear Marcus,
I loved Synergy Spanish and I’m looking forward to continuing with these lessons. I also was wondering if you would do a lesson for past tense as well as present perfect tense. These seem to be commonly used and it would be helpful. You have such a clear way of communicating and you make it so easy to learn!
Thank you,
Erin
Good morning Marcus,
I have just downloaded Advanced Concepts 21. How do I get the previous 20 lessons?
Kind regards
Mike
Hi Marcus,
The informal lessons have been great. I am now on Synergy Spanish Bola de Nieve Modulo 1 and absolutely loving it. All your courses are beautifully devised. Conversational Spanish is exactly what my wife and I need living here in Spain and nobody does a better job at teaching that than your excellent team and yourself.
Many, many thanks
Mike
Hello Marcus,
Thankyou so much, your lessons are amazing!
We have been in Alcala la Real for nearly three years now and like you have said we
have been struggling with mesa, cocina, and dormitorio, and not getting very far.
Already we are starting to converse with the locals and they are very happy.
At last we are making progress.
Thankyou again it means a lot to us.
Mike&Sue xx
Hola Marcus. Muchas gracias por los dos cursos You were wise to relase the informal version. In the small town where I live you soon get to know the doctor. pharmacist.postmaster and others . You soon become on “tu” terms with them. The Andaluces are very friendly to us foreigners if we make the effort to speak their language.
Don’t let anyone tell you that they are too old to learn a new language. Tengo 83 años de edad!
Con saludos cordiales ….Colin
Hola Marcus! Your Synergy Spanish course is awesome. I got a big head start last year with your Shortcut to Spanish course, but I really like the Synergy one. I’m learning so many useful things so quickly. Unfortunately, I’m only a bit better than half way through the Synergy program and so I’m a fair ways away from starting on the informal way of speaking. But, I’m really looking forward to it! Do any of your courses teach how to speak Spanish in the past tense? Am I getting ahead of myself? Voy a estudiar mas espanol ahora. Necesito practicar mucho mas. Muchas gracias Marcus. I’ll keep you updated as I progress. Gracias otra vez…..Gareth
Marcus, Thanks for the courses they are good value and I find the Senergy has brought my Spanish on. Trust me if it works for me it will work for everyone. Thanks Ian.
I am finding the lessons very interesting and am able to use the small amount of spanish i have learned to good effect. I never thought i could ever learn another language at my age, but have been surprised at how easy it can be with your lessons. I am progressing slowly but i am enjoying the journey so far. I find some parts hard to get into my head at times, but i keep going until i make sense of the language. Thank you for making the course so enjoyable.