Is Spanish difficult to learn. Self-study Spanish from scratch

According to statistics, Spanish is spoken by almost half a billion people worldwide. And this means that having signed up for and mastered the speech of glorious caballeros, you will not disappear either in Europe, or in America, or even in Africa. Not to mention the fact that you will be fluent in one of the six official languages ​​of the UN.

Many faces of Spain

Modern Spain consists of several autonomous regions(there are seventeen plus two autonomous cities), which were once independent Iberian kingdoms. And each of which, of course, had its own version of the language (and in different settlements also their own dialects that appeared in the Middle Ages). Dialects and variants of speech in different parts countries differed in pronunciation, vocabulary, and a little grammar. In fact, this situation has survived to this day, because in Spain, in addition to the state castellano (Castilian), which everyone should know, they also use official languages autonomies: Basque, Galician and Catalan. They publish books, print newspapers, broadcast radio programs, as the country's constitution recognizes the right of autonomous regions (Basque country, Navarre, Balearic Islands, Catalonia, Galicia, Valencian Community and others) to use their languages.

Castellano Features

I must say that learning castellano is not as difficult as it might seem, but some difficulties may still arise at the beginning of learning. Let's talk about them in more detail.

· Pronunciation. All Spanish words are pronounced as they are written, and when pronouncing, you should pay maximum attention to accents and stresses. The thing is that the meaning of a word often depends on the accent. For example, the word "esta" with an accent on "a" means "he, it, she", and without an accent - "this, this, this". In addition, the stress on the penultimate syllable is placed if the word ends in a vowel or the consonants "n" and "s", and on the last - if the word ends in a consonant (the exception is words ending in "n" and "s" In writing, phonological stresses can be marked with an orthographic acute (stroke, accent mark).Another feature is that the letter "h" is never pronounced, and the letter "u" is not pronounced in the combinations QUE, QUI, GUE, GUI.

· Verbs. According to experts, it is the verbs that are the most difficult part of grammar, since the entire verb system is divided into fourteen tenses (seven simple and seven compound compound, where past participles or the auxiliary verb "haber" are used) and is conjugated in four moods: indicative, subjunctive, obligatory and infinitive. At the same time, a significant part of all used verbs are irregular. All this you just need to learn, as well as the fact that the adjective is almost always placed after the noun.

Synonyms. Another pitfall could be a large number of synonyms and the subtleties of their use in speech. This means that communication even at the initial level will require a large vocabulary.

Tips for learning castellano

Sometimes students drop out at the very beginning, deciding that they will never master the speech of the conquistadors, but many teachers are sure that for a Russian person, Spanish is easier to learn than, for example, English. So don't be too quick to admit defeat. It is better to use a few tips from professionals:

It is more convenient to study in small groups, and the best results are obtained by studying with full immersion in the environment directly in Spain

· of all teaching materials the most necessary is the reference book of verbs

It is better to speak loudly and clearly (albeit not quite correctly) than politely and quietly

The more conversational practice the better

The material should be repeated every day, and all new words and concepts should be written down

You can consolidate the material in practice not only by communicating with other students or native speakers, but also by watching TV programs or films without translation

Of course, study Spanish is a labor intensive process. But on the other hand, you will be able to read Cervantes and Garcia Lorca in the original and will feel confident enough among Spanish-speaking people anywhere in the world.

Español is one of the most beautiful languages in the world, it is spoken by more than 400 million people on the planet, it is melodious, melodic and pleasant to the ear. According to its structure, it belongs to the Romano-Germanic group (the name is “Catalan-Spanish”), it is close to us in sound, word structure and sentence structure.

El numero marcado no existe

El numero marcado no existe (El numero marcado but existe) - beautiful phrase, which means only "The dialed number does not exist!". Or another option - "Puedo dejar el coche en el aeropuerto?" sounds very graceful and will help you on the road, because it translates as "Can I leave the car at the airport?".

If after that you want to urgently learn Spanish, then this information will facilitate the organization of the process.
Depending on the required level of knowledge of the language, it is possible to determine the source of information, as well as the method of learning. If for the pleasure of the language it is enough to know a couple of simple phrases, then phrasebooks and online learning may well solve it. And if you need to speak Spanish or work in Spain, then learning on your own will be much more difficult. You may need the help of a teacher or native speaker.

The first way is to learn Spanish on your own and for free

To do this, in the open spaces of the network and in bookstores of any city there is great amount materials: literature, audiobooks and video lessons. It will take willpower, a great desire, at least a couple of hours of free time daily and systematic work. For a leisurely development of the base, 2-3 lessons per week are enough, if you need faster and more voluminous, then much more.

• Let's count in Spanish: 1 - uno, 2 - dos, 3 - tres, 4 - cuatro, 5 - cinco, 6 - seis, 7 - siete, 8 - ocho, 9 - nieve, 10 - diez.

Social networks can be a good helper in this matter. Here you can find a native speaker for practice, as well as thematic communities and groups where videos and audio materials are posted for self-study of Spanish. Here you can also find like-minded people - additional motivation for studying, sharing successes, even blogging on the topic.
Almost 300 days a year the sun shines in Spain, so tourists often prefer it to other countries. Barcelona is considered one of the most popular cities for all European countries and Russian guests. And the island of Ibiza is the dream of the youth of the whole world!
In the case when you need to quickly learn Spanish at home, the most important thing is the systematic work performed and constant dynamics. What resources can be used:

• Audio recordings of lessons that you can listen to on the road, while cleaning or doing other things;

  Videos that teach the basics colloquial speech, prescribe the rules and show the peculiarities of pronunciation;

  Multimedia resources - Spanish-language TV channels, films and songs in Spanish for the development of auditory perception of colloquial speech;

  Books, newspapers and textbooks;

  Notebooks for taking notes necessary for memorizing the material.

The second way is the services of a tutor or individual training

The teacher will tell you what materials you need to pay attention to, put the pronunciation correctly, explain the basics clearly, thereby greatly reducing the time for studying. V individual work there are many advantages: timely correction of errors, phased submission of information, additional teaching materials and much more. But there is one significant disadvantage - the cost of personal lessons is significantly higher than group lessons, and in comparison with learning Spanish for free, the difference is even more noticeable.

Spanish is very similar to English in terms of pronunciation of sounds, spelling of words and structure of sentences. But it is much easier, because sounds and words are read the same way as they are written.

The third way is regular classes at a language school with a teacher

Group lessons in language school or in courses - a great option for a leisurely study of the language. It is relatively cheaper than the previous version and also has a number of advantages. Its main difference from other methods is the possibility of practicing immediately in the classroom, communication with like-minded people and big choice training programs. Moreover, training can be both offline and online, which is much more convenient for busy and working people.

Group classes, according to statistics, are much more productive than any other options, because the crowd effect is the strongest motivation for a person. And remembering colloquial turns is easier in the process of communication.

The fourth way is to travel to the country and communicate with native speakers

This is the most extreme, but the most effective way learning Spanish is like jumping out of a boat to learn how to swim. The most important thing is not to start looking for "countrymen" to alleviate your lot, but to immerse yourself in communication and study of the culture, life of the Spaniards and their colloquial speech. This makes it possible to learn everything right at once, not from textbooks, so that it is the Spaniards who understand you, and not the teacher. There are pluses here, but there are also minuses - it is morally difficult and not always financially possible.

Whatever method you choose, the main thing you need to know is that learning a language takes more than one day or even more than one month. Many learn it for years and each time they find something new.

How to start self-studying Spanish at home?

If you have never spoken Spanish and know nothing but greetings and words of gratitude, then you should start getting acquainted with the language from the basics, and then move on to more difficult words, turnover and offers. This will help you:

• Russian-Spanish phrasebook;

  Spanish-Russian dictionary;

  Brief materials on grammar and word formation;

  Additional materials;

  Notebooks for taking notes.

The whole process of learning a new language from scratch can be divided into several stages.

First stage

The first step in learning Spanish is learning the alphabet. Letters in Spain are very similar to English in spelling, with slightly different pronunciations. Let's focus on the transcription of the alphabet:

• A=a, B=b, C=k/s/s, D=d, E=e, F=f, G=g/x, H=mute, I=u, J=x, K=k, L = d, M = m, N = n, Ñ = n, O = o, P = p, Q = k, R = p, S = s, T = t, U = y, V = v, W = in, X = ks, Y = th, Z = s / - / s

The alphabet is the basis of any language, it is better if you can outline it and give an example of a word for each letter with transcription.

Second phase

This is the study of the basic set of verbs and basic nouns that are most often used in conversation. It is better to take them from a phrase book, where they are presented in conjunction with other parts of speech.

In phrasebooks and dictionaries you can find information about how verbs sound in different occasions- gender, conjugation, declension, and so on. At this stage, you can already begin to study literature and highlight already studied words and familiar phrases in the texts. You should start listening to Spanish speech, audio books, music.

Third stage

At the third stage, the most interesting begins - folding words into sentences. At this point, prepositions and other parts of speech are added to verbs and nouns. You can already try to communicate with native speakers, try yourself in conversational Spanish. V in social networks there are groups and communities where you can find an interlocutor. Here you can already understand the meaning of a phrase from a movie or a song, you can start translating printed texts with a dictionary.

To maintain a conversation and understand the speech of the Spaniards, it is enough to know 700-800 words! Already at this level, you can explain almost any problem and discuss some topic!

If learning Spanish at home is just for fun, then this step can be repeated daily ad infinitum. This level will be enough for a trip to Spain for a vacation or an excursion. If the language is required for work or moving, then you will need highly specialized literature in Spanish for a deeper study.

Fourth, additional stage

A deep study of the Spanish language on your own using specialized books, here it will be difficult to do without help. It is good if your employer has the opportunity to provide you with an employee or teacher. And if not, then you should find a person from the right area, knowing the language on the high level, and practice.

8 tips, or what should you know if you want to learn Spanish on your own?

• Daily practice. The basis of any activity. If you practice for 40 minutes daily, then the first successes in the conversation can be made in 2-3 weeks. The studied material without repetition and practice is completely forgotten in 1-2 weeks. To help in this matter, dozens of mobile applications, which remind, send tasks, notify of the need to conduct classes, and so on. Own blog or LiveJournal, the need for a daily report on the work done are excellent motivators for the systematic training.

• Material review. It will allow you to develop not only auditory memory, but also motor and visual. Since words in Spanish are spelled and read the same, writing them down will help you remember information faster. You can have a handwritten dictionary in which to enter the studied words with transcription for their repetition.
  All history and everyday life Spaniards is a dance, passionate flamenco! After all, this nation is one of the most emotional in the world. They love to relax, have fun and have fun, while being considered centenarians. The average life expectancy of Spanish women is 87 years.

  Mandatory communication with native speakers. This point is very important, since book and educational pronunciation is slightly different from colloquial speech, some idioms, or untranslatable turns of speech, you need to hear and be able to perceive them in the context of the conversation.

• Mandatory use of multimedia materials. Listening to songs and films in Spanish, reading books and other printed materials. Spain is not only a set of letters and speech sounds. This is a long-standing culture, traditions, a rich history, a special color and a unique temperament, which manifests itself in everything from the daily schedule to architecture and music. Studying all this will deepen your knowledge and instill respect and love for the culture of the Spaniards.

  Find yourself a motivation, a teacher, an observer. Any reason that will force you to systematically open notes, do assignments and not miss classes. No matter how strong the desire to learn Spanish from zero to conversational level is, after a couple of months the enthusiasm will begin to subside and there will be more important things to do. That's when a strong motivator comes in handy, which will spur your interest in learning.

  Surround yourself with "Spain" as much as possible. Feel the spirit and emotions of this amazing country, communicate, learn something new, watch informative films, historical materials. Let the language become a consequence, not a cause, so it will be easier to remember the rules.

Spain is a country of resorts, beaches and bullfights, the third largest in Europe, and the capital of the Kingdom of Spain (this is how this state is officially called) the city of Madrid is located exactly in the center of the country.

• Keep changing the way you study so you don't get bored. Write a graph, and use the methods in turn. Today - a dictionary and 3 songs, for example, and tomorrow I will call a friend from Spain and conjugate verbs. Look for your learning scheme, try new things.

  Make it a rule to start a new school day and study new material with a quick review of what has been covered. So it is better absorbed, the beginning of the lesson becomes simple and boring. These rules and recommendations will be enough to make the learning process a little easier and simpler.

As a conclusion, a little about the pronunciation of letters

In Spanish, the letter "v" is pronounced like "b", and the letter "y" is pronounced like u or y (Yo = io or yo). In combination with the letter "g" different vowels change its pronunciation - ga, go, gu = ga, go, gu; ge, gi = heh, hee.

The letter "c" changes its sound, depending on the vowel after it:

• In this version - ca, co, cu = ka, ko, ku;
  In combination ce, ci - ce and si, and the sound is similar to the English combination "th", interdental;
  In a bunch of "ch" the letter is read as "h".

The letter "h" at the beginning of the word is not pronounced, and "r" is not pronounced at the end of the word. Spanish is beautiful and easy to learn, especially for those who are fluent in Russian or English. And if you seriously decide to conquer it, then get ready for an exciting and vibrant journey into the world of joy, passion and fun.

Let's face the immigrant's truth in its shameless eyes: Spanish for you is not a whim, but a real necessity. For the first time, money is dripping onto the card, documents are being made, it's time to worry about the essentials: How will you contact the local population?

Okay, in stores you can somehow use gestures, but in supermarkets it’s even easier: you put food in the basket, handed out a card at the checkout - you don’t have to open your mouth at all. How about getting a job? Also gestures? Like, I can “clack-clack” on the computer /here we play the invisible piano for visualization/ and “blah-blah” on the phone /defiantly wave our mobile phone/? What if you go to college? And call a doctor and explain to him what happened and where it hurts? Also gestures and facial expressions? But the temperature of +40°C can slightly undermine your acting talent, and then what?

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You get the point: Spanish in Spain is must have. And he himself, sadly, will not learn. Therefore, we begin to work actively. By the way, working in Spanish is "trabajo", remember.

Properly motivated? Obviously a winner!

The fact that you have decided to move to Spain may be enough. But having this fact exclusively in your head is not enough! Your brain processes one million one hundred thousand gigabytes of information every day. And if something is not paramount right now, then cunning convolutions can easily push it away.

To avoid this confusion, we take get motivated! Desktop screensaver? Spain! Do you have photos from past trips? To the avatar! “Letters of happiness” were hung around the house on ordinary A4 sheets.

flickr.com/ [email protected]

The text is roughly as follows:

• “In six months - to Spain!”;
• “Whoever doesn’t finish learning Spanish lives in Voronezh”;
• Ready to conquer Spain!

Are you going to your beloved / beloved? Your shared photos should be everywhere. Have you been offered a dream job in Spain? Hang up your professional awards, photos of your future workplace, etc.

There is only one goal: do not let the insidious brain forget about the main mission! By any means!

Spanish ... What is it?

Did immigration force you to study Spanish? Do not be sad, if a similar situation happened to the Spaniard, he would have had much more difficult. Still, learning Russian is not an easy task.

Of course, if you start learning Spanish from birth, it would be easier. But then the teacher of an average Moscow kindergarten would have difficulty understanding you. Yes, school would be difficult. So learn now. As long as your brain is working, nothing is too late.

Spanish words are spelled almost the same as they are pronounced.. There are no burry "r" and similar problems with pronunciation in this language.

flickr.com/lexnger

It will be even easier for those who speak English. These languages ​​are similar, and Spanish is also considered easier. It has its own rules, but there are not as many of them as in the same Russian. And therefore ... go for it!

How to teach? Who to study with? What to teach?

Now about how to learn Spanish quickly and permanently. Method two:

Looking for my guru

You can learn Spanish with:

• Group language courses.
  This is an option for those who feel more comfortable in a team. But the courses must be chosen: it is desirable that the school has certificates from the Instituto Cervantes, CEELE and prepares students for the DELE exam.
  You can go to Spain to study at a language school. And on Wednesday you will plunge, and see the country, and you won’t get completely confused - the teachers will always be there.
  You can also take courses at the Spanish Embassy in your city.
• Individual lessons with a teacher.
  Lessons can take place at your home, on neutral territory, at the teacher's house or even on Skype. Do not trust teachers from your city? By Skype, you can study with those who are in Spain right now, and from there, through the kilometers, they will broadcast to you about tenses and verbs.

flickr.com/holtsman

We study proudly, independently and ... on our own!

And what? It's also possible! All textbooks, rules, exercises are on the Internet. You can download a tutorial, you can learn the language on specially designed sites (for example, busuu.com, hispanistas.ru, studyspanish.ru or livemocha.com).

Social networks have thematic communities, for those who learn Spanish. They post demotivators and memes in this language, learn words together, understand complex issues. And it's all free, by the way. Search the Vkontakte groups and see for yourself.

An important aspect: pronunciation and complex grammar issues. Learn for yourself, write down all the situations that you have not figured out. Later, go to a tutor for at least a couple of classes: he will explain difficult questions, listen to pronunciation, and tell you what to work on.

An alternative pronunciation option is to find yourself a Skype interlocutor who will be a native speaker.

Dude, practice!

Learning a language without practice is a dead number. But where to get practice in Spanish in a completely Russian-speaking environment?

Here are some options:

• Watch movies and . First with Russian subtitles, of course.
• Throw Spanish music into the player favorite genre. From time to time it is useful to read the lyrics of the songs you like, the translation, watch the clips, etc.
• Choose Spanish on your phone, laptop and social networks. Know your computer/phone/Facebook by heart? Here, check it out!
• Learn a language with the whole family. Children - Spanish cartoons and children's songs. And for each household item, hang a sticker with its Spanish name. Do you want to take possession of the TV remote control, computer or delicious candy? First, name him/her correctly. And rightly so - we now have it in Spanish!
• Read. Of course, in Spanish. Therefore, it is preferable - from a tablet or at a computer, in which case you can quickly see the translation. What to read? And what do you want: adapted texts, classics in the original, world news, thematic sites, Spanish mommies forums, etc.
• Go to conversation clubs. Remember English speaking club? This is the same.
• Don't take on everything at once. If in one day you reconfigure your whole life in a Spanish way, then ... You are more likely to get confused and irritably throw aside all activities. Therefore, we begin gradually with what appeals to you more. Added two more films a week to classes with a teacher? Here are the good guys! Turn on the next item when you start to cope with this volume easily and without stress.

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Dmitry (27 years old, Granada):

“I have been in Spain since I was 24. And he also moved his wife and son. It was easy for me: the goal was a long time ago, I learned the language from scratch gradually, with a good teacher. While I was settling in a new country, my wife and child lived in Russia. As a result, when I was able to pick them up, my son was already 4 years old. Like it is necessary to give to the kindergarten upon arrival. But a change of scenery new language, other rules… I was worried about how the adaptation would go. Therefore, even at home, the son began to study Spanish. My conditions were as follows: no grammar, rules, only a playful form of classes. Plus, I got a very experienced teacher who spoke excellent Russian, but never showed it to the children. The children thought that the teacher would not understand them in Russian and they simply had no choice. Therefore, the son mastered the basic set of phrases very quickly and without any stress: only games, fairy tales, cartoons, etc. Zhenya was greatly helped by the tutorials “Spanish in 30 Days” by Koenigbauer and “Espanol en vivo” by Nuzhdin.

Dasha made a video in which she told how she learned the language:

And another review on the topic - from Marina:

We learn Spanish from here and ... But in fact, to what level?

If you are planning to study or work in Spain, then you have to take an exam in spanish. The exam will test your ability to read, write, speak and understand Spanish.

The exam is called DELE and consists of six levels:

• initial or Inicial (A1-A2);
• medium or Intermedio (B1-B2);
• high or Superior (С1-С2).

To receive in Spain higher education, a high level is required:

C1 - fluency in the language and communication on any topic;
C2 - all the same + the use of highly specialized terms.

For simple work (nanny, cleaning lady, nurse, driver, builder), a household level is enough, i.e. B2. Do you want a position with a more attractive salary (doctor, programmer, engineer, teacher)? C1-C2 levels will help you.

Alina (32 years old, Madrid):

“Our family moved to Spain three years ago. I won't lie, it was difficult. The last time I studied something radically new at the institute, and here in a few months it is necessary to extend the new language at least to a level sufficient for everyday communication ... But we mastered it! The husband has already confirmed his diploma and works in his specialty, a programmer. So far I have abandoned all this: my daughter was born, I am taking care of the child. We plan to give it to the usual Kindergarten Let him learn Spanish right away. And my husband almost stopped speaking Russian with me at home: he makes sure that I do not forget the language.

Information about will be useful to everyone who is going to live in this European country. There are nuances that you should get acquainted with even at the stage of preparing for the move.

We've arrived! What's next?

In Spain, immigrants are treated ... As they deserve, they are treated. If everyone sees that a person is learning a language, is interested, friendly to others, works well, then they will help him, and prompt, and advise. For those who for several years of living in the country have not bothered to learn the language or remember the traditions, there will be no discounts. Spaniards don't care where you come from: everyone is treated the same.

The sooner you send your child to a local kindergarten or school, the sooner he will learn the language. The method is simple, but proven. But try to prepare your child for the move: taking courses at home will be useful not only for you, but also for him. Of course, there is a Russian-language school in Madrid, but did you move for this?

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Before moving, find out what conditions for immigrant assistance are in your city. For example, in Madrid and Castile, the Alcala Institute teaches Spanish to foreign students free of charge. Similar projects are also found in other cities.

Learn Spanish? Teach! And most importantly, don't be afraid to use it. Well, you will be mistaken a couple of dozen times, but you will see that you have been understood, and you will feel confident. And then you will stop making mistakes, start thinking in Spanish ... Buena suerte!

To the question Is Spanish difficult? given by the author Caucasian the best answer is I will answer your question - it's easier! Compared to German and English. True, it is necessary to take into account other factors: what the language is for, this determines the speed of learning as well.
Spanish is very easy in terms of pronunciation for a Russian person. Everything is read as it is written (and this is already a lot). Only the letter "h" is not readable! And then memorize verb conjugations and remember that in most cases the adjective is placed after the noun (unlike Russian!).
Spanish is really easy to learn, at one time I learned it in 3 months. At that time, I bought a book with "Spanish in 3 Weeks" CDs. Learning in 3 weeks is a utopia. But it's a good basic grammar. Then I had a textbook by Gonzalez-Fernandez, Shidlovskaya, Dementiev, it is entirely in Spanish, without Russian. What gives the advantage to immediately start thinking in Spanish, without the mediation of Russian. But to begin with, it's difficult.
And then, well, you just need to have language practice. To do this, you can find people on Skype (link), usually there are a lot of people sitting there, open for communication. The site is highly praised. link .
Source: good luck!

Answer from Naiman[newbie]
No for me yes

Answer from Natalia Ilchenko[guru]
harder than English

Answer from Staff[guru]
they say simple - in any case, pronunciation is not slippery there

Answer from Landrail[guru]
No, en absolutely. There would be a wish...

Answer from [email protected] [active]
in general, to whom. I don't think so. I'm learning true English. but we had an elective at school in Spanish for a couple of years. I can say that spanish is easier than english

Answer from Andrey Strizhkov[guru]
Each language is complex and easy in its own way. If you learn with pleasure, then it will seem easy to you, and you will master it perfectly. And if only because you are forced, or simply reluctantly, then it will turn out to be an insurmountable peak for you.

Answer from Dimka Miller[guru]
There are no simple languages, you know, everywhere there are squiggles.

Answer from Svetlana[guru]
harder than English but much easier than German, generally considered one of the easiest!!

Answer from DIMITRY SHUKOV[newbie]
Spanish belongs to the Romance group of languages. The most important thing is desire and patience. If you try, you will definitely get a good result... Phonetically, it is easier than English and German. Grammatically, it's complicated.

Answer from Elena[guru]
I tried to learn it on my own using a self-study guide, and after Polish it seemed much more difficult for me to learn it - the most difficult thing is the verbs and how they change ... but if you have a desire, then everything will be up to you!! Good luck!!

Answer from Lexy[guru]
learning 4 languages ​​- english french german and spanish
and Spanish is the EASIEST!! !
in general, it is considered the lightest of the European

Answer from Anna[guru]
like no! but easier than japanese))

Answer from Black Moon[guru]
it is easier than English. and if you learn it, knowing English at a decent level, then there will be no problems at all. and German, I would say, is many times more difficult than Spanish

What language is spoken in Mexico? Why when traveling in Mexico English language can not only not help, but also hinder? How to learn basic Spanish quickly and fairly easily? I will try to give answers to these and other questions in this article.

What is the language in Mexico?

Do you think that in any country you can safely travel and feel comfortable if you know English? Let me tell you a secret: if you are going to Mexico, English will not help!

How so? What is the language in Mexico? - you ask. Answer: Spanish. Yes, thanks to the Spanish conquistadors.

Do Mexicans really not speak English at all? It is very, very rare to find such a valuable specimen. Perhaps in quite touristic areas, such as Cancun (where we have not yet reached), the situation is a little better, but I would not count on it much. During the four months of traveling in Mexico, Andryusiks and I met literally a few people who at least somehow express themselves in English (you can count them on the fingers, perhaps even one hand is enough).

The whole point is that English can not only not help you in Mexico, but also play a cruel joke. It turns out that Mexicans do not like English just as much as they dislike their northern neighbors who speak this wonderful language. It happens that even knowing English, a Mexican basically does not want to speak it. He may not answer you a question asked in English, pretending that he does not understand anything at all, or he will communicate very reluctantly and not very friendly. But one has only to say a few words in Spanish, as they are ready to show and tell you everything.

So, my friends, Spanish!

The main thing is to have a goal

And what to do now? How to travel to Mexico? Learn at least the basics of the Spanish language. That's exactly what I decided when Andryusiks and I decided to go on a long Mexican trip. The situation was facilitated by the fact that I really liked Spanish and was interesting.

And then there was a specific tangible goal. After all, it is much easier to go forward when there is a reward waiting for you. We all need motivation.

So, if you have a desire to feel comfortable in the wonderful country of Mexico, set yourself the goal of getting to know the local language better and speaking it.

Spanish - easy and fast

Hooray! You are going to Mexico, there is still time before the trip (I think that such long-distance trips are more or less planned in advance). A reasonable question is how quickly, and even easily learn Spanish? I must say right away that I don’t know the secret a la “I wanted in the evening, woke up in the morning and spoke in Spanish”. Personally, I took care of this issue about three months before the trip. These three months I actively studied the language. So I can’t say that it was very easy for me to speak Spanish. You will also have to work. But I think three months is a very short time.

What makes you very happy? The fact that Spanish (especially its Mexican version) is considered sufficient easy language. Firstly, the pronunciation is very similar to our native one, there is no French “rrr” here (well, you understand what I mean), nor English “rrr”, which is also very unusual for us. Secondly, in Spanish, words are both heard and written, how they are written and read. You will have to remember a couple of rules, but there are at least exceptions.