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I'm old and would like to learn to speak Mexican. Recommendations.

Blugreenformula

Blugreenformula

Fuck Cancer
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
193
Messages
110
I am 44 years old and own an Automotive repair facility. Since we live in an agricultural area, we have quite a few Mexicans and Guatamalan's. I do work for quite a few of them, and expect their numbers to increase as time goes on. According to a few guys who are bilingual, my shop is one of very few they trust, and from a business standpoint, it makes sense that being able to communicate without a translator would be a major benefit.
So question: How do I learn brown person talk?
Is the old school book method best?
Take a collage class?
Babble (Online App)
Any recommendations are appreciated.
 
The biggest problem is how fucking fast they talk:laughing:

You tell them that you can habla poquito and they fucking unload words on you like an angry girlfriend :laughing:

I need to tune up my 2 years of high school Spanish, I was thinking I'd get something I could listen to while driving, I'll be watching
 
Blugreenformula said:
Take a collage class?
Click to expand...

Maybe start with grade school spelling? :laughing:

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I tried a couple, not sure if one is better than the other, they are just different. You can start with babble free on your phone.

Be surprised what you can pick up listening to the Spanish radio stations all day.

My wife is bilingual. Her parents are deep south Texas and we have a couple rentals there.

What I realized is my hearing is not good enough. I miss too much in a conversation and as said they speak pretty fast. Or I just plain hear it wrong.

Also hispanics tend to make up their own words or slang.

Wife and I would try to have conversations and she ends up laughing at me all the time. My ego does not need that.

So I gave up.

But I know enough to know when people are talking bad about me so stop it!
 
Being a business owner myself I can kinda see where your coming from but....

I got a crazy idea, how about they learn our language instead of us learning theirs to appease them. Last time I looked we speak English in The United States, learn it or leave.........:stirthepot:


.
 
Archer said:
Being a business owner myself I can kinda see where your coming from but....

I got a crazy idea, how about they learn our language instead of us learning theirs to appease them. Last time I looked we speak English in The United States, learn it or leave.........:stirthepot:


.
Click to expand...

germany does it this way. learn german or dont work. no exceptions. i would like us to do the same
 
Projectjunkie said:
The biggest problem is how fucking fast they talk:laughing:

You tell them that you can habla poquito and they fucking unload words on you like an angry girlfriend :laughing:

I need to tune up my 2 years of high school Spanish, I was thinking I'd get something I could listen to while driving, I'll be watching
Click to expand...
That’s no shit :lmao:

I took Spanish 1-4 in high school and have a minor in Spanish with my bachelors degree from 1-4 in college too. And I can’t speak shit!!

I have never been able to “roll my R’s” and they talk too fast for me to comprende

Good luck amigo
 
It's a use it or lose it skill. Immersive, IMO, works best if you have someone to converse with- employee, taco truck guy, etc. You'll have to overcome the hesitation, fear, or embarrassment of using your newly developed skill. If you have time for instructor led classes, I'd go that route first to learn basic language structure and conversation. The instructor would likely tailor the lessons to your profession- part names, services offered, and most importantly paga la cuenta pendejo!
 
I have friends/acquaintances that are real Mexicans from real Mexico. They tell me not to bother learning “Spanish” from Rosetta Stone or Babel. It’s not the same. Further from the mark than American English and England English. You gotta do immersion to learn Mexican.
 
JR4X said:
I have friends/acquaintances that are real Mexicans from real Mexico. They tell me not to bother learning “Spanish” from Rosetta Stone or Babel. It’s not the same. Further from the mark than American English and England English. You gotta do immersion to learn Mexican.
Click to expand...
Babbel has a mexican spanish version.

No matter what, conversational language isn't what the books will teach you. But you gotta start somewhere.
 
JR4X said:
I have friends/acquaintances that are real Mexicans from real Mexico. They tell me not to bother learning “Spanish” from Rosetta Stone or Babel. It’s not the same. Further from the mark than American English and England English. You gotta do immersion to learn Mexican.
Click to expand...
I worked with a few Mexicans, a Spaniard and a few Puerto Ricans on a crew and those mofos could barely understand each other. :laughing:
 
Mexicans are taught English in middle School.
Don’t let them pull the no Habla crap on you.

A 2nd language is a school requirement.
 
Was gonna say the same, I work with a lot of Spaniards and as far as they're concerned Mexican is absolutely butchered Spanish and way different.
 
Bebop said:
Babbel has a mexican spanish version.

No matter what, conversational language isn't what the books will teach you. But you gotta start somewhere.
Click to expand...
You would definitely know better than I would. Did you run into issues with English you learned vs how we use it in practice?
 
JR4X said:
You would definitely know better than I would. Did you run into issues with English you learned vs how we use it in practice?
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Of course.
I still do every day.

But that's part of it and super normal.
 
Archer said:
Being a business owner myself I can kinda see where your coming from but....

I got a crazy idea, how about they learn our language instead of us learning theirs to appease them. Last time I looked we speak English in The United States, learn it or leave.........:stirthepot:


.
Click to expand...
chaplinfj60 said:
germany does it this way. learn german or dont work. no exceptions. i would like us to do the same
Click to expand...

English is a defacto language in the United States :homer:


I personally learn well in a class room environment, so if you have the time or money, that would be best in my opinion. I messed around with Duolingo, which is really only decent for vocabulary and word memorization in my opinion. Being self-taught requires discipline that I don't have.

You will never be fluent without immersion which is tough without living abroad, but watching television and listening to radio, particularly talk radio, will help alot with learning colloquial language. I find reading is very helpful for me since I can pick up words much better from text than hearing them spoken, and seeing the spelling helps me a lot with pronunciation.
 
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I’m in the same boat. Large Hispanic population here that uses our shop. Some of them will struggle through English, most bring their kids as translators. I have always thought it would be useful to speak Spanish, but never made it a priority.

After going to Baja last year, and not even being able to order my own food, made it a priority.

I started the Rosetta Stone version a month ago. Trying to work on it a little every night. Maybe not the best option, but a start. I have some friends from Mexico, figure when I get the basics, I’ll have someone to practice with.
 
4 years in high school, 8 semesters in college with a minor, 20 years in construction. Didn't realize how shitty my espanol was until I went to the DR and Mexico the last couple years. Once you have the basics, a week or two in country will do more for you than any app can.
 
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