Learn Spanish Vocabulary

Vocabulary Builder Spanish

IF your child's face lights up when they see a brightly colored picture, cuddly toy animal or a game, then this is for them. Vocabulary Builder Spanish is designed for kids who like to be entertained. It has lots of brightly colored pictures and fun games to get your child hooked on learning.

Adults love this program too!

Will it work for my child?

Vocabulary Builder Spanish is designed for children aged 4-12. It's a simple piece of educational software that they'll find easy to use. It's fun, engaging and encouraging - even for children who are easily distracted.

No reading required. Vocabulary Builder is all based on spoken language and pictures, so children don't have to be able to read in order to use it.

What will my child learn?

Vocabulary Builder covers some basic words and phrases. These have been chosen to be fun as well as useful. There are around 100 words in the program - just enough to get your child started without overloading them. The topics include colors, numbers, actions, professions and simple sentences with some prepositions.

How does it work?

There are three different sections:

Learn what the words mean with pictures accompanied by the spoken word.

Three exciting memory games that get progressively harder. It's this section where they really learn to recognize and remember words.

Record your own story. Browse through the pictures and record the words you want to appear. You can compare your recording with a native speaker if you want.

You can also string your story together with any words you want to put in, then watch your story played back on cinema screen followed by a big round of applause. This really gets them talking in a foreign language and you'll be amazed how quickly they pick up the accent.

Notes for parents:

Biologically, the earlier a child is exposed to a second language the better - studies have proven that a young mind is more receptive than an older one. Learning Spanish will also improve your child's ability in other languages.

Memory is greatly improved when accompanied by fun and laughter. That's why we've included plenty of games for your child to enjoy.

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System Requirements

Windows 2000 or later
Mac OS X 10.2 or above
CD ROM Drive (+ computer microphone)

For more information visit Vocabulary Builder Spanish Software.

Talk Now Spanish

IF you're new to Spanish, there are some basics you will have to learn, whether you're eight years old or 80, on business abroad or a tourist on holiday. Talk Now! Spanish offers a simple-to-use method for you to start learning the language, whoever you are.

Will it work for me?

Lots of people have difficulty learning languages. Why? Most have been put off at school, don't have time to learn, or think they are too lazy to do it.

Talk Now! Spanish answers these problems:

It lifts the language off the page. There are no dull exercises; just encouraging games that award you points for progress.

It fits easily into short ten-minute sessions. But if you want to push yourself you can learn the basics in a weekend.

if you think you're lazy, think again! You'll be amazed how motivated you can be when you enjoy the experience of learning!

What will I learn?

To speak and understand enough to "get by".

You're just starting, so we won't drop you in at the deep end. There are some things you'll want to say in any language: you'll want to say ?hello', order a drink, ask for directions and so on.

This beginners program gets straight to the point. It covers food, colors, shopping, parts of the body, numbers, telling the time, countries, greetings and essential phrases.

How does it work?

Talk Now! Spanish gives you easy-to-achieve goals. Learning a new language is far too big a task to tackle all at once, so we have broken it down into a series of rewarding challenges.

Play interactive language games. Talk Now! feeds you new words, along with pictures to reinforce your memory. It then tests your knowledge with fun quizzes. As soon as you start playing you start learning.

Earn points for every game you play. High scorers can go on to win bronze, silver and gold awards, which you can print out as a record of achievement.

You will hear Spanish all of the time and, using the recording games, you can start speaking straight away, then compare your voice to a native speaker.

You can learn on the move. Carry on learning in the airport lounge or the ferry without a computer. Just print out the phrasebook sheets included in the program and take them with you, or upload the program's sound files onto an iPod.

System Requirements

Windows 2000 or later
Mac OS X 10.3.9 or above
CD ROM Drive (+ computer microphone)
You can also upload words onto your iPod

For more information visit Talk Now Beginner Mexican Spanish Software.

Talk More Latin American Spanish

THIS program teaches basic conversational phrases with structures that can be adapted to fit different situations. It also tackles one of the main challenges in learning a foreign language: building the confidence to speak it. Talk More's recording function allows you to compare your accent with that of a native speaker. Perfect for building a learner's spoken confidence.

Will it work for me?

If you know some basic Latin American Spanish, but you don't think you could handle a full conversation, Talk More will get you talking. Because it's aimed at recent beginners, everything you hear will be clearly spoken at a speed that you can easily keep up with.

What will I learn?

In this program you'll start putting together complete sentences, as opposed to learning individual bits of vocabulary. We've selected a range of phrases you commonly need abroad, including many that you might find essential: for example, "I'd like to pay by credit card", "My camera has been stolen", and "Where is the pharmacy?"

Topics cover greetings, shops and restaurants, getting around, hotels, phone calls, emergencies, leisure and the basic vocabulary of business and technology.

How does it work?

Watch and learn! See and hear how to speak Latin American Spanish by watching video footage of native speakers.

Build confidence on a computer. Before testing your new speaking skills in the real world, record yourself, then play back to compare your pronunciation with that of a native speaker. (Note that we don't use electronic voice analysis: the human ear is usually much more accurate.)

Play interactive games. The comprehension quiz prompts you to react to real life situations, while a challenging recording quiz tests your knowledge and pronunciation.

You earn points for every game you play. High scorers can go on to win bronze, silver and gold awards, which you can print out as a record of achievement.

You can learn on the move. Carry on learning in the airport lounge or on the ferry. Just print out the phrasebook sheets included in the program and take them with you.

System Requirements

Windows 2000 or later
Mac OS X 10.3.9 or above
CD ROM Drive (+ computer microphone)
QuickTime 6 or higher

For more information visit Talk More Spanish Software.

Talk Business Latin American Spanish
PICTURE yourself doing business with someone who doesn't speak your language. The chances are you'll need more than "holiday level" conversation to get by. That's why Talk Business was developed. It teaches you basic business vocabulary so that you can concentrate on the important stuff and not waste time searching for the right words.

Will it work for me?

Talk Business is aimed at people who already have some experience of the language. You must feel confident enough to start up a conversation and keep it going.

The specialist phrases in Talk Business Latin American Spanish are clearly spoken at a speed that you can easily keep up with and copy.

What will I learn?
Talk Business Latin American Spanish gives you essential vocabulary for the workplace. It covers basics such as "what is your website address?" and "my computer crashed and I lost all my files" as well as more advanced discussion of exchange rates, product guarantees and marketing budgets.

Topics covered are: - Trading, buying and selling - Marketing, advertising and PR - IT, Internet, e-commerce and communications - Banking, finance, stock exchange and accounting - Business meetings - Business travel - Careers - Negotiations - On the phone - General business vocabulary

How does it work?

Watch and learn! See and hear how to speak Latin American Spanish by watching video footage of native speakers.

Build confidence on a computer. Before testing your new speaking skills in the real world, record yourself, then play back to compare your pronunciation with a native speaker. (Note that we don't use electronic voice analysis: the human ear is usually more accurate.)

Play interactive games. The comprehension quiz prompts you to react to real life situations, while a challenging recording quiz tests your knowledge and pronunciation.

You earn points for every game you play. High scorers can go on to win bronze, silver and gold awards, which you can print out as a record of achievement.

You can learn on the move. Carry on learning in the airport lounge or on the ferry. Just print out the phrasebook sheets included in the program and take them with you.

System Requirements

Windows 2000 or later
Mac OS X 10.3.9 or above
CD ROM Drive (+ computer microphone)
QuickTime 6 or higher

For more information visit Talk Business Mexican Spanish Software.

If there's one verb that gave me a lot of trouble when I first started learning Spanish grammar that verb was "gustar."
Many of the Spanish lessons and Spanish classes that I took in order to learn Spanish only confused me even more
about the use of "gustar." "Gustar" means "to be pleasing to" or "to find pleasant." But in many instances, Spanish
speakers use it the same way that we use the verb "to like."

For example, in Spanish you don't literally say:

"I like the dog."

In Spanish you would say:

"Me gusta el perro".

That literally means "the dog is pleasing to me."

Actually, it means "it pleases me the dog."

It may sound strange to your English-hearing ears. But you will get

used to it. Let's try it.

I like the house.

Me gusta la casa.

I don't like the car.

No me gusta el carro.

You like the table.

Te gusta la mesa.

He likes the screen/monitor.

Le gusta la pantalla.

We like the bridge.

Nos gusta el puente.

They like to lie.

Les gusta mentir.

If you want to say "I like the dogs," a couple of changes have

to take place. Can you guess what those changes are?

Of course dog ("perro") must now become plural ("perros").

But the article ("el") must also become plural ("los").

And the verb must change from third person singular ("gusta") to

third person plural ("gustan").

Let's try it:

I like the dogs.

Me gustan los perros.

You like the lakes

Te gustan los lagos.

She likes the streams

Le gustan los arroyos.

We like the rivers.

Nos gustan los ríos.

They like the waterfalls.

Les gustan las cataratas.

The following is the manner that we add clarity or emphasis, or mention the name of the person

or persons that the object is pleasing to.

A Carlos le gusta nadar.

Carlos likes to swim.

A mí me gusta la playa.

I like the beach.

A ti te gusta la orilla del mar.

You like the seashore.

The boys like the forest.

A los chicos les gusta el bosque.

They like the pool.

A ellos les gusta la piscina.

There are quite a few verbs in Spanish that follow the same construction as the verb "gustar."

Here are just a few.

Importar (to be important to)

Interesar (to be interesting to)

Faltar (to be lacking to)

Molestar (to bother or to annoy - note that this word does not mean to "molest")

Encantar (to like)

I have also been confused about when to use "gustar." Despite what the textbooks say,

you can use "gustar" to indicate that you like someone as in "being physically attractive to someone."

For example,

Tú me gustas.

I like you.

Me gusta Carmen.

I like Carmen.

But if you want to say that you like someone as in "I get along well with (name),"

there's a different way to say it.

Me cae bien Carmen.

I like Carmen or I get along well with Carmen. Literally, it means "Carmen falls well on me."

No me cae bien María.

I don't like María or I don't get along well with María.

No me caes bien tú, Or, Tú no me caes bien.

I don't get along well with you.

Let's do a few exercises with "gustar." Translate the following sentences adding emphasis on the person or persons that the object is pleasing to. The answers appear below.

1. I like the cats.

2. You like the wedding. (Add emphasis to "you" using the familiar form of "you.")

3. Joseph likes the building.

4. We like the shirts.

5. All of you like the insects. (Add emphasis to "all of you")

Answers:

1. A mí me gustan los gatos.
2. A ti te gusta la boda.
3. A José le gusta el edificio.
4. A nosotros nos gustan las camisas.
5. A ustedes les gustan los insectos.

Learn Spanish - 10 Top Tips to Learn Spanish and Enhance Your Life in Spain

By Nick Snelling

I have met very few English speakers in Spain who speak Spanish - and yet almost all have expressed regret at not being able to do so. In fact, not to learn Spanish, at least to a basic level, strikes me as self-defeating. I know that it is largely unnecessary (if you live here permanently within some coastal areas) but, unarguably, being able to speak Spanish enhances life in Spain.

It is not just that speaking Spanish makes day to day life in Spain easier. That is obvious and clearly beneficial. The really important point is that speaking Spanish allows you to to become an integral part of your local community. This is essential if you are to maximise your life in Spain and not lead an artificial and, often in the long term, unsatisfactory lifestyle.

Certainly, few people who know Spain well would deny that Spanish culture on every level is worth experiencing. This applies as much to 'high culture' as it does to the far more important (for me, at least) joy of integrating with the Spanish themselves. This is almost impossible to achieve if you never manage to learn Spanish more than is necessary to order a few sangrias and a coffee.

Of course, few Britons are natural linguists and many see learning a foreign language as a mysterious skill best left to foreigners! To some extent, before moving to Spain, I was inclined to this philosophy. However, although very far from fluent, I have managed to learn Spanish sufficiently to be able to work in it - and to revel in the joy of having many Spanish friends (hardly any of whom speak English).

So, you may well ask, do I have any tips for the (extremely!) reluctant linguist? In fact, I do - and I believe that if you follow them you will find learning Spanish, to a conversational level, easier than you thought possible. True fluency, of course, is another matter altogether...

Some tips:

1. Recognise that you do not need to be 'fluent' in a language to be conversational in it and to be able to socialise perfectly well - so do not be overwhelmed by the awesome(!) prospect of learning a foreign language to perfection. That is a skill few achieve and it is not relevant to most of us, who just want to 'get by' competently on a day to day basis.

2. Equally, do not think that you are too old to learn Spanish and do not be too over-impressed by the speed of children picking it up. They often receive 40 hours Spanish 'practice' a week (at school) compared to the tiny amount of time available to the average, busy adult. So, learning a new language is always going to be a slower process for an adult - and your expectations should match this fact.

3. Unfortunately, you will not learn Spanish through 'osmosis' i.e. merely because you live in Spain - you need to put in disciplined effort!

4. Take Spanish classes and make sure that you sustain these over a long period of time. Too many people take Spanish classes for a couple of months - and then lose interest because they have not achieved immediate usability or fluency!

5. Make sure that you have a minimum of two Spanish classes a week. Any less and you are likely to forget the benefits of the previous week's lesson and feel (probably correctly!) that you are making no definable progress.

6. Make sure that you have a good teacher and a very small class size. Four (roughly equally matched) people tends to be perfect, as it blends personal attention from a teacher with the fun of company and some beneficial competitiveness. If things are not working out between you and either your teacher or your fellow students then change the class quickly - and well before your enthusiasm is affected.

7. Learn Spanish daily. A good and rewarding way of doing this is by learning ten new (relevant to your daily life) words daily. Very quickly you will find your vocabulary expanding exponentially (and painlessly!).

8. Do not get mesmerised by tenses (fourteen!). By far the most important tense is the present tense, followed by the past, the future and the present perfect. If you can learn these four - then you will get by in most circumstances...

9. Use your Spanish all the time. Do not wait to participate in conversations until you feel totally confident or 'fluent'. The Spanish are naturally tolerant and just the fact that your are learning Spanish and trying to speak Spanish - will invariably be enough for them to be helpful and understanding.

10. Concentrate upon usable conversational Spanish that is relevant to your day to day life. It is speaking Spanish (for real) that will provide you with the greatest immediate reward! Writing and reading Spanish can come later...

It is also worth knowing that, thankfully, there are many words that are almost the same in Spanish - as in English. This makes learning Spanish much more accessible than other European languages - and allows you, often, to chose an 'almost-English' word that is easier to remember than something completely unfamiliar. Happy days!

Finally, enjoy the process! Learning something new can be great fun and the joy of learning Spanish can be considerable. If it is the first time you have tried to learn a foreign language then you will be overjoyed with delight as you find yourself communicating (surprisingly quickly) with the Spanish in their own language. It is a great feeling, enormous fun, will hugely improve your life in Spain - and be a challenge well worth undertaking. Of course, you will also be hugely popular with your non-Spanish speaking friends as a consequence!

Nick Snelling is a journalist and author of three books on Spain including 'How to Move Safely to Spain' http://www.movetospain-safely.com For his Blog and further articles see: http://www.nicholassnelling.com Nick has lived in Spain with his family for the past seven years and has worked within real estate as well as acting as an investigative journalist. He has extensive knowledge of Spain, its culture, economy, property market and history.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Snelling


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