Where to begin? The words in your life. Yes, there are structures to a language. But language is meant for communication. Learning another language is so much fun!
I think a lot about the acquisition, or process, of learning a new language. Rightly so, because I teach Spanish. But also because I will always be a student of life.
Speak up. Listen and speak about your world. We learn through immersion. So what you do and who you interact with can be your framework.
For example... to get started in the classroom setting, one will need to understand some basic commands and scenarios.
Profesor/Profesora (Teacher):
[Addressing one student -- tú form]
[Addressing multiple students -- ustedes form]
Escucha (Escuchen). (Listen.) (escuchar)
Presta (presten) atención. (Pay attention.) (prestar)
Abre (Abran) el libro por la página 10. (Open your book to page 10.) (abrir) Repite (repitan) después de mí. (Repeat after me.) (repetir)
Lee (lean) en voz alta. (Read aloud.) (leer)
¿Tienes (Tienen) alguna pregunta? (Do you have any questions?) (tener)
Estudiante (Student):
(No) sé. (I (don't) know.) (saber)
(No) entiendo. (I (don't) understand.) (entender)
[Addressing teacher in tú/usted form]
Habla (hable) más despacio, por favor. (Please speak slower.) (hablar)
Disculpa (disculpe), tengo una pregunta. (Excuse me, I have a question.) (disculpar, tener)
Perdona (perdone), no oí lo que dijiste (dijo). (Excuse me, I didn't hear what you said.) (perdonar, oír, decir)
¿Puedes (puede) repetirlo? (Can you repeat that?) (poder, repetir)
Pregunta/Respuesta (Question/Answer)
¿Cómo se dice "rabbit" en español? (How do you say "rabbit" in Spanish?)
--Se dice "conejo." (You say "conejo.")
¿Cómo se escribe "hueso"? (How do you spell "hueso"?)
--Se escribe "H-U-E-S-O." (It's spelled "H-U-E-S-O.")
¿Qué significa "interruptor"? (What does "interruptor" mean?)
--Significa "light switch." (It means "light switch.")
Of course, greetings and polite conversation are nice beginnings. But after that... ¿qué quieres poder decir? (what do you want to be able to say?) One step at a time. Or as they say in Peru: "Poco a poco se anda lejos."
You can get creative and role play, such as, writing a script/convo. Imagine who you want to practice speaking with and what things you want to be able to say.
español:
Julia: ¿Que quieres hacer hoy?
Alma: Quiero ir de compras. ¿Y tú?
Julia: ¡Perfecto! Necesito comprar regalos para mi viaje.
Alma: ¡Qué divertido! ¿Adónde vas?
inglés:
Julia: What do you want to do today?
Alma: I want to go shopping. What about you?
Julia: Perfect! I need to buy gifts for my trip.
Alma: Fun! Where are you going?
Have fun learning! The more time and energy you put into learning, the more you get out of it. Keep track of your goals and figure out what motivates you. I would love to be a part of your learning journey!
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