Practical Spanish

I'm going to tell you what's blatantly wrong with most Spanish teaching guides, books, ect



Most of these manuals are flawed in that they only teach you how to memories words, things, rather than the verbs, adverbs, nouns, adjectives that link the words together.

Examples would be who, what, when, why, where.

Or

But, if, can, I, I am, going, we, they, them, that, then, and so forth.

Also it's first good to review good old fashion English definitions before charting into Spanish, knowing the meaning and function of words can help one know which words are key when learning Spanish.

1. Adjective = verbs that primarily describe people, ect Happy, sad, playful, angry, thrilled.

2. Adverb = Simplifies or changes meaning of a verb, ect Mark jumped high, 'high' is the adverb in this sentence.

3. Pronouns = we, them, they, him, us ect.

All of these are words that help link the idea you're trying to express together.

Memorizing the names of objects and things, isn't really as important as knowing how to link the objects and things you're speaking about together in a meaningful sentence.

Learning 'water' in Spanish isn't as important as conveying your intent with the water.

Do you want to drink it, share it, sell it, and to whom.

Once you learn how to link verbs and nouns together, the rest can be memorized later, or at least person you're speaking with will have an idea of what you're trying to express.

And it's a major flaw in most Spanish teaching books or lessons, in that they try to just have you memorize individual words, without first teaching you how to link words together using pronouns, adverbs and adjectives (and other such words that link meaning to what you're trying to express).

But here we (nosotros) will learn together, but the right way.

Some important connecter words to know in Spanish

1. I = Yo

2. You = usted

3. We = Nosotros

4. Where = Donde'

5. How = Como

6. Why? = por que'

7. And = Y {And you?} {Y usted}

8. They = ellos/ ellas

9. When = Cuando

10. What = Que'

These are some basic connector words that link verbs, adjectives, pronouns, objects and meaning of sentence together.

It's much more complicated than that, but if speaking with someone in Spanish, knowing these words will help them understand the context of what you're trying to express.

If they know Spanish, they'll be smart enough to figure out what you mean, just like someone who can barely speak English focuses on key words in English, and as English speaker, you can grab meaning of what they're trying to say.

These are the first words, and a few others, that manuals should teach, instead of trying to make you memorize table (un mesa), or book (un libro) or other objects, yet don't know how to link the words together.

This will be a long process, as I'm learning to.

But it's essential to start with basics first to express what it is you want or are doing, or about to do.

Yo soy = I am or (Estoy)

Estoy _____ < verb...hot, cold, wet, happy

Baby steps or Pesos de bebe'


One thing I'm noticing about Spanish is that the verb often comes before the noun.

In English it's 'Me tall', but in Spanish it seems to be 'tall me'.

The action word seems to come first, followed by the subject.

Label all objects in house, apartment, living quarters, in Spanish

Estoy labeling all items in dwelling with Spanish names and titles, and will force self to start using Spanish names for items until it becomes second nature.

Practice is the only way.

I really want to learn Spanish, if other can, why can't I or we.

I've always admired Las personas who could speak multiple languages, and I've always seen them as being more smart, keen and capable, cause they have to think twice as quick, and have double the vocabulary and can reach double the worlds population.

To me, one language people are lazy, and kind of spoiled.

I fall into that category, but by 3rd page, I really want to be writing mostly in Spanish, even if sentences are very basic.

Most Americans, these days, want to learn Spanish in order to better communicate with Hispanic immigrants arriving in Nation

The days of thinking people only want to learn Spanish who are going on vacation are long gone, but someone forgot to tell Spanish instructional Authors this, I guess.



Now, if one lives in the South West, Texas, California, parts of Colorado, Florida, South Georgia and other States, now one doesn't even have to visit Spain or Mexico to hear the language spoken. And depending on what trade you're in, up to 50% of co-workers possibly speak Spanish.

So there's a much more practical need people want to learn Spanish now days, other than for reason of taking nice long leisurely vacation to Spain or Mexico, like in the 1950's.

With that said here's some practice.

Like I wrote above, it's best to learn a language as you did as a mild, words that first express

1. What you want, need and feel.

Self centered expressions.

Example: I, I am.......two important words in English that express 'you' (usted).

I = Soy

I am = Estoy.

These are derivatives of the verbs 'ser'(soy) and 'estar' (estoy)
(don't worry about the above just yet)

Use 'Soy' when describing permanent condition. Example: Soy un hombre

Your gender is a permanent state, and normally can't be changed.

On the other hand your mood changes all the time thus you would express 'I'm happy' as 'Estoy feliz'


I'm or I am = Estoy, Soy depending on permanent or temporary state.

Estoy cansado...

Again, unless some ones a total dim wit in Spanish, if you know the basics, they'll be able to understand what you're trying to express.

In English it would be like this.

1. Me hungry

2. I tired

3. Where go for gas

4. Me lost

5. I hot

6. you mad?

7. no understand

8. Where store?

9. TV, I want

10. truck, yours?

And so forth...when foreigners learn English they speak in basics first, like a caveman would. And when you, we, learn Spanish or other language, we sound the same to them, but as long as you get verb right, and noun, they will know what you're trying to express.

And that's how we're going to learn Spanish on here, basic communication first, the complicate present, past, future tense stuff much later.

We will learn Spanish as if we are cave men/women initially, just enough to express ideas to person talking with.



el cavernicola