Understanding Spanish?

Question

How long did it take you to be able to understand it when people talk in Spanish? I can speak fairly well. But my understanding is terrible. It seems like ltin people , specially Spanish people, just blurt the words out without pause.

What i wanna know is as a foreigner, how ling will it take to get used to this and actually start to understand it when they talk, if I live in Spain?

Answer 1

First, it is important to note, that we, as English speakers do exactly the same thing.  We blurt out our words without pause, as well, and we tend to slur over letter, as well.  Different letters in different regions...for instance, in most of the US, we drop the last G, especially when the word end in -ing.  So do the natives of most languages.  Think of French!  

I studied for ten years.  I could understand my teachers, and the aural tapes that we listened to in class, but I got off the plane in Madrid, and then in Sevilla, and couldn't understand A THING spoken for about a month.  I'm afraid, that speaking at a natural speed, it's incredibly difficult for most foreigners to understand natives until they are immersed for a while.   But once you get it, there is such a great feeling of accomplishment.  The fact that, since I learned to speak in Sevilla, I can understand pretty much anyone! is an amazing thing.

Answer 2

You are absolutely correct.  I have lived in Mexico 3 years and now feel I can understand others fairly well.  If it is a friend, and you know the subject of the conversation, and they make an effort to speak slowly for you, and they have very clear speech...you can understand them most of the time.  But if it is a stranger, you do not know the topic of conversation, they mumble, and they speak at rapid-fire speed...you haven't got a chance.  I have been able to get by the last couple of years, but it is just now really getting better.  I often restate what I thought they said in much simpler terms and ask if that is correct...many Spanish speakers just cannot say something concisely.  They use 100 words to say what could be said in 20.  Listen to Spanish TV, Spanish music as much as possible...start now.  Your ears gotta get retrained.  It is a thrill when you can actually recognize individual words.  Of course, some people are more gifted at this than others.  Spanish has so many more syllables than English...so they speak really fast to get their ideas out quickly.  My grandson, picked up Spanish in a few months and understood far better than I did.  It really helps if you have a Spanish friend who will sit down with you and just visit with you in nice slow Spanish for an hour a  couple of  times a week...

Answer 3

It often depends on how old you are, how quickly your brain can take it all in. I'm retired, I can speak fairly good Spanish, but once they realize how good you speak it, then they think you understand and they speak normally to you, which sounds fast.

Many illegal immigrants come to Spain from Africa. When they arrive many can't speak a word, yet within three months they are fluent. The big difference there is, if they don't learn quickly they starve.

As for the rest of us, we may never be able to fully grasp it. All I do is to try and pick out words they say and go from there. I have Spanish neighbours. They really appreciate me learning their language. They know to speak slowly, but even they gradually pick up the pace.

If you live within an expat community then you must try and get out and mix with the Spanish locals. It is the only way to really learn, to be with other Spaniards.

Answer 4

I agree with last poster - I was able to understand a lot easiert whatpeople were saying, but didn't have enough vocabulary to be able to answer the question/contribute to a conversation! Good ideas from others regarding watching news, etc. (I remember thinking I'll NEVER be able to understand them completely or speak as fast, then one day it just clicked!). People used to tell me "when you dream in Spanish it's when you've got it" but I can never remember what language my dreams are in, even now, just what happened, so don't take much notice of that!  

Answer 5

Hi, I am spanish, when the people see you dont speak spanish very well, they speak for you slowly and better. In 2 months, is enough.

Can you help me??

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...

Answer 6

I've been here for a year and I'm the opposite of you - I can understand most of what I hear, but my speaking is terrible.  I don't practice enough though so it's my own fault.  My boyfriend speaks better than he undestands so conversations go quite smoothly when we are together because we translate for each other.  I know some people who have been here for the same or less time than me and they speak and understand a lot better than me... I think it just depends on the individual and how much you practice.

I think it was about 3 months before I could understand really well - but that depends on how much exposure you have to listening.  I spent hours a day travelling on the metro for work so was surrounded by conversations to eavesdrop on.