mooose29
Nomad
Posts: 201
Registered: 10-1-2008
Location: Encinitas/Punta Chivato, Rancho Partera
Member Is Offline
Mood: All Smiles
|
|
Spanish class
I am looking for a good conversational Spanish class ideally located in the San Diego area. I would also consider weekend long classes or something to
that effect in Baja. Thanks in advance for the recommendations.
|
|
|
paranewbi
Senior Nomad
Posts: 913
Registered: 4-15-2011
Location: San diego
Member Is Offline
|
|
Quote: Originally posted by mooose29  | | I am looking for a good conversational Spanish class ideally located in the San Diego area. I would also consider weekend long classes or something to
that effect in Baja. Thanks in advance for the recommendations. |
Just find a Mexican person in San Diego that could use a little extra cash. Perhaps a tamale selling woman. Tell her you want to learn Spanish and how
to cook. You'll eat good on weekends, learn the real language and have a friend for life.
|
|
|
Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2729
Registered: 5-10-2011
Member Is Offline
|
|
You won't learn language from a partner, unless you've already invested time, efforts and money - in this order of importance - in learning basics of
grammar and vocabulary. But you will eat.
|
|
|
bajabuddha
Banned
Posts: 4024
Registered: 4-12-2013
Location: Baja New Mexico
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
|
|
Just because one speaks Spanish doesn't mean they can teach Spanish. I took a night-time conversational Spanish class many
years ago run through the city's Adult High School; may be a good place to start looking.
Also remember, Google is your friend. 
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
|
|
|
Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2729
Registered: 5-10-2011
Member Is Offline
|
|
Most of what you'll learn in class or other sources will be gone a few weeks later if you don't practice it in real life every day. The friend's or
partner's English is usually better than your Spanish, they'll switch to English all the time. For non-native speaker Spanish is several times more
difficult to learn than English - more tenses, conjugations, more of everything.
|
|
|
gsbotanico
Nomad
Posts: 209
Registered: 7-28-2015
Location: Cardiff by the Sea, CA
Member Is Offline
|
|
A conversational class in adult school is a good place to start. I took classes in Encinitas. I'm not sure what is offered now. At some point you
need to get a good basis in grammar. Verb conjugations and use of the subjunctive are the hardest part. Buy a grammar book. Except for the
adjective usually following the noun, word order is very similar to English. And there is the gender agreement that Spanish requires. However, the
wrong gender doesn't impede understanding by native speakers much, but getting the wrong verb ending will.
Practice, practice, practice. There is no substitute. Lots of speaking with native speakers without falling back on English as a crutch is the
fastest way to improve.
|
|
|
Loretana
Senior Nomad
Posts: 825
Registered: 5-19-2006
Location: Oregon/Loreto
Member Is Offline
Mood: alegre
|
|
gsbotanico is absolutely right on with their suggestions....
I taught first year Spanish conversation classes and you want to be with a group that is in the same category as yourself, as far as your
comprehension skills are concerned....
I would like to direct you to something like this type of class, non credit and at least one day per week. Buena suerte!
http://communityed.sdce.edu
"If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration."
-Nikola Tesla
|
|
|
DavidT
Nomad
Posts: 494
Registered: 4-9-2005
Member Is Offline
|
|
Some of the English speaking churches in central Florida have been offering Spanish classes. As I understand they are not religious classes but actual
language classes.
Perhaps the same in San Diego.
David
Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
|
|
|
BigBearRider
Super Nomad
Posts: 1299
Registered: 4-30-2015
Location: Big Bear, Punta Chivato, and Cabo
Member Is Offline
Mood: 
|
|
I like Baja Language School in Ensenada. They have intensive weekend classes:
https://www.bajacal.com/
|
|
|
BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13197
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
Shari in Bahia Asuncion also used to teach conversational Spanish.
Not San Diego, but great fun, for sure!
|
|
|
Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2729
Registered: 5-10-2011
Member Is Offline
|
|
Not only to improve, but also to keep what you've learned. After the age of 15-19 it doesn't come natural, you need to practice or you'll lose most
of it.
Grammar book is a must, but you won't learn grammar from grammar book alone - even with the best teacher - because it is difficult to memorize
reliably without using it. Saying Hi to neighbor or doing grocery shopping won't give you much opportunity to use Spanish.
|
|
|
willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
Member Is Offline
|
|
a number of classes offered in rosarito, interestingly enough in a town where everyone speaks english!
|
|
|
gsbotanico
Nomad
Posts: 209
Registered: 7-28-2015
Location: Cardiff by the Sea, CA
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: Originally posted by lencho | | Much to my surprise, I've decided that
it's actually prepositions which continue to challenge non-native speakers as they approach fluency; those pesky little brats defy
rules and require a huge store of passive models which can only be acquired through exposure. |
Prepositions can get tricky too because they can both be used as propositions and as conjunctions for subordinate clauses. Then there are certain
verbs that are always associated with certain prepositions either as a simple prepositional phrase or subordinate clause beginning with, for example,
"de que" or "con que."
There's a great little book called "1001 Pitfalls in Spanish" that is a wonderful tool for the intermediate and advanced learners. It's organized so
that the reader can pick and choose which sections to read. It has a good section on the difference between "para" and "por."
|
|
|
bajabuddha
Banned
Posts: 4024
Registered: 4-12-2013
Location: Baja New Mexico
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
|
|
Si, a huevo.
Yes, and eggs.
[Edited on 6-26-2018 by bajabuddha]
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
|
|
|
del mar
Banned
Posts: 1057
Registered: 7-23-2016
Location: the cantina of course
Member Is Offline
Mood: lil' fuzzy
|
|
huevo!
|
|
|
bajabuddha
Banned
Posts: 4024
Registered: 4-12-2013
Location: Baja New Mexico
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
|
|
thx, nevur kud spel gud. Speshuly in a foren laynguidge. 
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
|
|
|
Lee
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3508
Registered: 10-2-2006
Location: High in the Colorado Rockies
Member Is Offline
|
|
Si, y huevos = yes, and eggs.
Eso si que es.
US Marines: providing enemies of America an opportunity to die for their country since 1775.
What I say before any important decision.
F*ck it.
|
|
|
shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
|
|
Gracias Blanca.....some of our return guests now incorporate Spanish lessons into their vacation with us...we do as little or as much as you want with
some class type study and just speaking as much spanish as they can while they are here having fun. This method really works as you are learning
meaningful expressions using phrases that everyone uses here in Baja.
|
|
|
Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2729
Registered: 5-10-2011
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: Originally posted by gsbotanico | Then there are certain verbs that are always associated with certain prepositions either as a simple prepositional phrase or subordinate clause
beginning with, for example, "de que" or "con que."
There's a great little book called "1001 Pitfalls in Spanish" that is a wonderful tool for the intermediate and advanced learners. It's organized so
that the reader can pick and choose which sections to read. It has a good section on the difference between "para" and "por." |
Many expressions are like that, - need to memorize as a block and use without analyzing.
There is no single textbook that would explain all the areas of grammar and vocabulary perfectly well. Not to mention live classes, where both the
so-so skills of teacher and different level of other students will get in the way. I remember having difficulties with numbers at the beginner's
level, until found and printed out a small table from BBC Languages. For Por/Para I found that audio podcasts Coffee Break Spanish (free on Itunes)
and video podcasts by Spanishdict.com https://youtu.be/hld_jc6JY9s worked for me. Download to your computer or smartphone and re-play when you feel like. Coffee Break Spanish have
lessons from #1 to #80-something, and SpanishDict go from #1.1 to #15.12, I think.
Practice, practice and practice - tedious, but there is no other way. You may learn many real-life expressions and still will barely speak, and will
not understand anything they are saying unless they dumb it down to level of a 6-year old child.
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
