Fluency in spanish!! How to acheive fluency in spanish?!!!!?

Question

I am basically fluent in these areas: speaking, writing. With reading I managed to read a book called, "Como estimular la intelgencia a sus hijos" I suprised myself. I could read that book with ease. So reading I am fluent.

BUt listening. Listening is the hardest part. I am getting a lot better with watching telenovelas. It seems like I can hear more and more words as the summer progresses. Its like it slowed down or something. HoweverI need to improve.

Answer 1

the easiest, fastest and cheapest way is to communicate in spanish with people that are not fluent in english. you will eventually become more fluent thru repetition in about 6-12 months. you just got to use it or you'll lose it. you'll make mistake but once you speak it more and get accostume to hearing a person only speaking to you in spanish you can start understanding in 3-6 months. dont translate words just speak in spanish and you'll be alright.

Answer 2

Maybe you have just become really good at quickly translating what you read and stuff whereas talking a language is a completely different aspect. Go get a job in a spanish speaking shop or something.

Answer 3

You may hate to hear this obvious answer, but all I can say is keep listening! Find as many opportunities as you can to continue listening- yes, you're right, your brain, getting used to the sounds, is perceiving them as having "slowed down". This is because they don't talk fast (as some people incorrectly assume), but rather, your brain is much slower in processing what's being said. Unlike reading, which can move at your own pace, ditto for speaking and writing, listening requires complete attention to the conversation- in fact, it's as if you're using all skills simultaneously. You're listening to the conversation, your brain's interpreting the information, and producing words.

This is why young children can be taught to communicate using sign language much sooner than they can talk- the so called "active" communication (speaking and listening) is perhaps one of the most complex, and therefore there's still much unknown about it. That's why there's still a lot of research being done by linguists to this day.