How can I get better at Spanish and achieve the accent?

Question

[Okay, now I need to tell you all I'm using my friends account because I forgot the password to mine. ]

You see, I'm really quite ashamed of this. My dad was born and raised in Mexico (Michoacan I think, with a long city name I can't say let alone spell). My mother was born and raised in the Philippines in Luzon or some place and speaks Tagalog.

I was born and raised in Southern California. Both languages have been around me my whole life but Tagalog is much easier to me though I can't speak it to save my life either.

I'm just horrible at Spanish. Bad, horrid, extremely awful. I can't even have that accent. No, every time it's a retarded voice that in my cousin's words are "You sound like a white person reading from a dictionary! AHA"

They also call me white washed because I like my American culture. I'm into Rock music - Grunge, Alternative, Screamo, etc. I like to watch musicals and plays. I don't like Novellas so I watch Lifetime, Science Fiction thing like that. I'm a huge book fan. I read Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Twilight, Interview with the Vampire, Gideon Trilogy, books like this. I have to admit, I rather like my British accent to be frank. Some people tell me it sounds real. I like to learn and go to school, I shop at Hot Topic and Target, American Eagle sparingly.

I know, it probably doesn't apply to my accent. When I talk English I speak Californian I guess. I heard we have an accent. But help me explain why I don't have an accent when I try to speak Spanish, Spanglish, or have a mexican accent.

Answer 1

It's quite, quite simple... Here are a few pointers:

1. Start blending in more with the Hispanic community at large. Go to church in Spanish, get more Spanish friends and ask them to speak Spanish to you. Join social networks such as facebook and befriend people from Mexico, or whichever other country that you are interested in.

2. Go on youtube and watch some Mexican soap operas such as ''El cuerpo del deseo'', ''Acorralada'', ''Palabra the mujer''... Those are all great titles. If you have movies -- in English -- on DVDs, chances are that you can switch the language to Spanish, with Spanish subtitles.

3. Music is also really good. Look up some local singers and start listening to their music. Pull the lyrics out of google, and just follow along.

4. Pick up a few books for Spanish learning, and try to follow them as much as possible. You can try software such as Rosetta Stone, Tell Me More, etc...It's all up to you.

Cheers.

Answer 2

You pick up your accent & language from how people around you are talking when you are a child.Everyone thinks their own accent is best. It doesn't in fact matter as long as you are understood.

It is your cousin that is retarded for saying what he did to you.

Answer 3

hahah i know what you mean. my spanish is really bad, but i really don't care. it's good enough so that i could survive with it. IF you do really want to achieve that accent, then i suggest watching spanish television or something.

you don't necessarly need to start hanging out with more hispanics.