Spanish Speaking Tips: How to Turn a Lemon Into Lemonade

Dear Spanish learner,

please, don’t get shocked by the statement below!

If you are not able to say something in Spanish, there could be two reasons for that:

1) You don’t have anything to say. I think here even God cannot help you :-) Better try not to open your mouth unless you think out something sensible.

2) You lack the proper vocabulary and/or grammar. That’s ok. Just sit down and learn some more. Next time you’ll be a success.

You don’t believe me? Read on, don’t hurry to get angry.

Speaking tips for beginners and advanced

Talk to an imaginary person or to yourself.

I know that in some eyes this might seem crazy but I can swear that talking to an imaginary person or to yourself GUARANTEES you fast progress!

You talk whatever you want. You could use all the words you can remember and consider relevant.

You could talk about any kind of topic. You could use your emotions. You could make a pause and go on in a couple of minutes. Just don’t restrain, say everything you think, everything what’s in your heart or in your mind. Say all that in Spanish.

Don’t be afraid that someone might mock you and consider you insane. Do you want to learn to talk in Spanish or not?

Do you want that next time be mocked by not a single person but by a group of people, after not making any efforts to be better prepared?

Describe pictures. This is the method that brings really quick results, especially in the beginning. It brought me a dazing success while I was studying French.

 When you see a picture, again try to use your vocabulary to describe it – just tell what you see.

Do you see any people and what are they? What are they doing? What are they not doing?

How are they dressed?

Do you like them and why (not)?

Try to tell something about every painted object on the picture. If you can’t find the specific words, just skip that and go on to the next detail. And don’t worry at all if you are stammering, making too many pauses, mispronouncing the words or speaking like a child. That’s absolutely normal. The first attempt is the hardest one, then things can only get better.

Try to use words in your vocabulary to tell about things you know – for example your family, your friends, your job, your favorite free time occupation, etc.

Don’t translate your English story into Spanish, just create a story directly in Spanish, using the words you keep in your memory.

If you come to a point where you don’t remember a particular word, just skip it and go on. Don’t stop, just talk, talk, talk.

Repeat what you hear by a native Spanish speaking person. You could do that while listening to the radio, while watching TV or – in a very low voice – while listening to a conversation you’re not taking part in.

Now, I don’t advice you to eavesdrop, just take advantage if you have such an option. I hope you remember one of the basic ideas of language learning – yes, imitation. If you cannot or don’t want to imitate, you’re lost. No innovation, just imitation. Search however only the best examples and imitate them as long as it’s worth!

Talk to your friends, no matter whether they can speak Spanish or not. The point is not to being understood, but if they speak Spanish, it’s wonderful – you could compare your skills to their skills.

When I was a teenager, I used to talk to my cousin in English, to exercise my spoken language. Although he would not understand almost anything – he was fluent in French but had never studied English – he would always listen to me with attention and stimulated me to talk. Sounds crazy? I’m sure you know at least one person who could hang on your words!

“Interpreter on guard”. That’s another proven method but it’s for intermediate and advanced. It’s really working for people who already have a certain amount of vocabulary and grammar and the most important – already master thinking in Spanish.

The method consists of trying to translate into Spanish all that you hear in English – whether news on TV, a politician’s speech, what the characters in a movie are saying, or what the people around you are talking. A

gain for the sake of politeness and good manners, you’d better not take part in that conversation or eavesdrop :-)

You are not a professional interpreter, so don’t overdose your new occupation. I think that 10 or maximum 15 minutes a day would be enough.

To cut a long story short, let’s summarize what to do so that your fast progress in spoken Spanish is guaranteed:

•  Take advantage of every chance to talk. The chances are described above.

• Talk every day, at least 10-15 minutes a day.

• Try to use only the words you know. If you don’t remember the word, move on.

• Don’t be afraid of making mistakes or that people would laugh to your Spanish. If you don’t make mistakes, you’ll never learn Spanish. No one has been born learnt to do something, and thank God! Imagine if you had been born learnt to talk Spanish and it later it turns out that you hate it…ain’t it funny?

• Get used to your voice in Spanish, using a voice recorder is a pretty good idea.

Once again:

If you are not able to say something in Spanish, there could be two reasons for that:

1) You don’t have anything to say. Eh, I think here even God cannot help you :-) Better try not to open your mouth unless you think out something sensible.

2) You lack the proper vocabulary and/or grammar. That’s ok. Just sit down and learn some more. Next time you’ll be a success.

Yes, that’s the plain truth. The sooner you realize it, the better.