You can learn Spanish to a certain degree and still have trouble with certain words and sentence constructions. It seems that you are saying them right, but you notice that Spanish speakers say them differently. If you learn Spanish language secrets, you will understand the subjects better.
One thing to remember is that you don’t always have to use the pronoun. If you say “yo,” meaning “I,” each time you could, you will sound strident. This is because using the pronoun is only necessary when you are emphasizing it. If you are constantly emphasizing it, you will sound foolish. Learn Spanish rules like this and you will sound more like a native speaker.
You can learn Spanish word order in its basic form quite easily. It is usually like English except adjectives tend to go after the noun they describe. However, if you spend the time to learn Spanish word order by listening to Spanish speaking people, you will find differences. Meaning can have subtle variations when you change the word order.
There is another secret people can come across when they learn Spanish. There are many Spanish words that look very nearly like English words that you know. Sometimes, they can be considered direct translations.
However, some words only look similar. They actually mean something quite different. Pay attention to the exact translations of words, as you learn Spanish. Using some of these words incorrectly can cause you embarrassment, or can even insult someone.
An interesting secret when you learn Spanish is that common phrases, or idioms, don’t always translate word for word. If you try to translate an idiom word for word, you might get the meaning, or at least an approximation of it.
However, there are many idioms that would seem to mean one thing that mean something else when translated as a whole. The only way to learn this is by experience, or to get a book of idioms. You must remember, though, that there are different idioms in different Spanish speaking countries.
Learn Spanish from textbooks if you like, but when you are put into the culture, don’t rely on them. This is another secret to know when you learn Spanish. Many people don’t speak like the textbooks are written.
That’s ok; English speakers don’t either, if you think about it. If you try to learn Spanish better in this informal way, you will likely make mistakes that the book has not prepared you for. Don’t worry; you can pick up the language from the conversation if you’re alert.
Another secret is that pronunciation is important. The way you pronounce your “b’s” and “v’s” will mark you as a person who does or doesn’t consider it necessary to learn Spanish well. If you don’t roll your “r’s” properly, you will sound like a toddler to the Spanish speaking person. All these little things can set you apart or help you fit in.
Learn Spanish with all the nuances and you will not be looked at as an outsider. Taking a few steps to improve your Spanish will be worth it in the long run.
