How to Speak Spanish Fluently Dayton OH

Steps

1. Learn new words: this is the task in which every learner must memorize new words, and do so preferably on a daily basis. This is where all language learning programs and students begin. However, this is also where the first mistakes are made.
2. Associate the words: This is probably the most important step when memorizing new vocabulary or going over previously learned material. For example, when learning the word "cama" do not think of this as meaning "bed" it does not mean bed. A spanish person does not think of cama as meaning bed. Instead, associate "cama" with an image of a bed. Therefore when you hear the word "cama" your brain will not have to do a double translation of cama = bed = image of bed in mind. Thus, to fortify the newly acquired words into one's memory one must associate them with images and create a strong bond between the image and the sound of the word. This method works just as easily with verbs. For example, when learning hablar "to speak" do not associate the word with to speak, but with an image of a person speaking. If the verb is in the past, ie: hable "I spoke" think about the image as being in the past.
3. Practice: Never translate. Instead, after learning the new vocabulary practice as much as possible. For example, when walking by a bed say, veo la cama, (I see the bed)and try your best to not think at all in English. This is very difficult at first but with practice one is able to eventually obtain much more speed and fluency in the second language because one does not think in terms of English and the logic of English but in terms and images of Spanish.
4. Listen and Speak: There are four components to language learning: Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening. However, first and foremost language is spoken, so spend as much time speaking and listening as possible. This is another problem with most learning; it focuses on grammar and reading whereas these are only auxiliaries to the fundamental aspect of language as a spoken medium.

Tips

• The visualization process works just as well with any of the senses: Hearing, touch, taste, and smell.
• Avoid translation as much as possible! This is an essential step which almost everyone ignores.
• These methods work best when surrounding oneself with the spoken language because it creates an atmosphere in which one can intuit the logic of the second language. So basically, listen and speak as much as possible.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Speak Spanish Fluently. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.