How do you survive without Speaking Spanish

No one was laughing last night when I was being muy bruto y directo, and was more than a little enfadada. (God, I can't stand people who talk / write like that!) But we had coffee with one nice old couple (who were at the meeting) this morning, and explained to them that us Brits are just like that in meetings, and that we didn't mean to offend or insult anyone. They seemed quite happy, and gave us a bottle of wine from their pueblo in Extremadura, so no harm done!

I would have used encontrar  too, and have never heard of conocer being used in that context. Could it have been reconocer? Literally to recognise, as in to see someone - I saw my friend last week?

Any native Spanish speakers willing to help us out here?

Honestly, try going to Argentina - then you'll knows Spanish pronunciation difficulties!

Actually, I find the many Argentinians who live here far easier to understand than the Andalucians.

Actually, I find the many Argentinians who live here far easier to understand than the Andalucians.

Mind you, if your Welsh... like me!... then you might find that you pick up a natural Andalucian accent, or is it a case of hablar español cuando he tenido una cuantas cervezas.

I do find it difficult to understand sometimes, as of course I'm still learning, but then I find that if I say:

Por favor, puedes hablar mas lento.

Then they do, and I can understand what is being said... well, most of the time.

I believe if you move to another country, then you should at least learn some basics of the native language.

On an interesting note, picking up a little on what Sanchez1 said about politeness, I find it very refreshing that you don't have to say 'please' and 'thank you' every sentence when you are say, ordering food or drinks, or asking the price of something.

Hello, I´m a Spanish who lived in England for a short time.

I think that the problem of English people is that usually you live in a big english comunity, so is very difficult to learn Spanish.

I´ve got a friend in england who told me that when he traveled to Spanish on holidays, he didn,t enjoy it, because it was like a hot england. English pub´s, shops, people, doctors etc. He was in Spain but he don´´t know Spain.

You should spend time with spanish people, trying to comunicate with them. I´m sure you can improve your spanish in a short time. For me was difficult in england, because people didn´t help me, but I impoved at all.

Sorry, but my english is dificult to undestand.

Hola darodedi

Your English is easy to understand so there is no need to apologise!  How long were you living in England, and whereabouts did you live?

We have been living in a Spanish community for over two years, however we still have problems understanding Spanish people at times, mainly because they speak so quickly!  It also doesn't help that we are getting older and our short term memories are not as good as they used to be.  I think all British people should try and learn some Spanish if they are living in Spain, even if they live on the coast.  After all, foreigners living in the UK are expected to speak English.

I hope that you enjoy Eye on Spain and continue to contribute to the forums.

Sue

 Could not agree more Suemac - it is a matter of respect for a community that you learn the language, at least enough to get by.  I think the problem is that the English, maybe even the British, go to Spain and expect to be able to absorb the language and magically speak it.  I wish!!!   It is hard and a slog, and I think unfortunately it is too easy to get by without any Spanish at all.  What a shame - it is a fantastic evolving language, and numerically speaking, as important as English on the world stage.  I have just completed a diploma (at least, if I have passed the exam) with the OU - it took four years and has been really hard but very enjoyable.  I still don't consider myself fluent, but I can at least understand what is going on around me, and read the newspapers.    

eight years and still battlling the langague ,recently found the solution to learning  = get 2 mates and 1 teacher meet in a spanish bar and relax .homework is given [rarely completed] but we are all enjoying it and serious about getting on. this definately works for us .

Thank you suemac.

I lived in Ware, Hertfordshire, just for 5 months. I would like to stay more time, but I had to go back to my job. While I was there, I studied every day and I improved a lot my grammar and vocabulary, but was really hard to undestand people talking, because they talked very fast. Was dificult to have a conversation as well, because nobody wants to spend time with a foreing person.

I began to improve when I had an accident and started to visit doctors, because I needed to speak with them and my phisiotherapyst helped me a lot during my threament, speaking with me all the time. (Thank you Joanne)

I enjoyed my time in England and I wish to live there for some time in the future.

Darodedi

I used to live in Welwyn Garden City, which is also in Hertfordshire.  Did you ever go there?  I think it is a great shame that English people didn't want to spend time with you because you were a foreigner.  One of the things that we love about Spain is the fact that Spanish people are happy to spend time with us, even though we don't always understand each other.  If my face goes blank they just say "No entiendes?"  and I reply "No entiendo!"  Your English is very good after only 5 months.  I wish my Spanish was as good after two years!

Bri

Let us know when you pass your diploma.  We can understand most of what is going on around us too and read the newspapers, though we do have to look words up occasionally.  We also watch Spanish TV.  As we live inland, we have to use Spanish on a daily basis, though we do know a few expats who have lived in the area a lot longer than us who don't seem to know much Spanish.  I did ask for a doctor who speaks English though when I registered at the health centre: after all if I'm ill I don't want to have to struggle to make myself understood!!!

Steve

We go to Spanish lessons twice a week, however our teacher doesn't speak a word of English!  It's all written work, so is useful for learning the grammar.  I bought the Collins Easy Learning Spanish Grammar book in the UK and we wouldn't be able to cope without it, as our teacher can't explain new things to us in English.  We have a very good Spanish friend who speaks good English, so we socialise with her and her family.  It helps us improve as her family don't speak English, so if we don't understand them she can help us out.

I think the message to all is that people DO survive without Spanish, especially if they live on the coast, but to get the most out of living in Spain you need to persevere with learning the language.  When we moved into our new apartment we had a fiesta with all our neighbours.  A year later we had another fiesta and realised how much more we understood this year compared to last.  Hopefully next year we will understand even more!

Sue

Hi Suemac.

I lived in Ware. I think Welwyn Garden City is close to Ware.

I´m not sure but I think I went to the fracture clinic there. I miss Ware because it´s a lovely place, and I´ve got some friends there.

To learn Spanish it is essential to mix with Spanish people. Don´t go to the English bars and restaurants; always choose the Spanish ones and earwig on conversations, even muscle in if you can. Nobody has ever turned their backs on us when we´ve asked them questions about what´s going on.

Watch out for the cheap council Spanish lessons. We´re almost finishing the intermediate lot.

When the lessons end in December, we´re going to set up a Spanish conversation group. We´re going to meet once a week in a Spanish bar and no English will be allowed. We´re going to set a topic each week just to get things started, but it doesn´t mean we´ll have to stick to that; it´s just to get us thinking.

My Spanish has improved by conversing with Spaniards far more than the lessons though, so for me this is the way forward,

Next Wednesday I´m starting teaching English to Spanish children in the care home in Elche. God help them!!!!! Spaniards with a cockney accent, whatever next?

Irene

I met a Spanish road sweeper yesterday (like you do) who had a cockney accent; he swept roads for 14 years in London, and is married to a Brit, but otherwise, in  his own words, he's a dego, born and bred in La Carihuela! (not sure how to spell day-go?)

close - dago. I wouldn´t use that word if I were you though; it´s considered quite offensive. OK for him to say it though!

Really enjoying reading this thread so far.  Thanks for all the really helpful advice re learning the lingo...makes me wish we were back in Spain, again.  We spent last winer (5 months) in Almoradi (few kms inland from Costa Blanca coast) and we were so cold we decided not to go this winter.  I know last winter was exceptionally cold and the way the houses are built in Spain doesn't help when it comes to keeping warm at this time of year.  Maybe the Costa Blanca isn't the warmest part of Spain in which to spend some winter months.  Does anyone know which part of Spain is the warmest from, say, October to March? 

Muchas gracias amigos!  Ahora, no puedo esperar volver a espana (how do you make those little wavy bits over the n?).  Not sure what I actually wrote there but I meant to write 'I can't wait to return to Spain!'

Megi (decided to start spelliing my name the same way as a typhoon!)

Don't think dago is correct - it's supposedly a corruption of Diego, hence my original spelling. I didn't, and wouldn't use it - I was shocked that he did, but I think he was just trying to impress me with his coloquialisms.

Meggie / Megi, try the Canaries! It's not exactly hot down here on the CDS either. Better still, go to South America, it'll be summer down there, and they're easier to understand as well.

try "Alt + 0241" for your ñ - or get a Spanish keyboard!
 

Thanks Roberto...

I'd love to go to South America but I hate flying (I haven't even been to the Canaries...we always drive to Spain)  I used to love flying until we had a horrendous flight 6 years ago)  However, if this is the best way to get some sunshine in the winter and also use what little Spanish I know...I will just have to make the effort!  My sister and brother-in-law have been to South America many times (they're in Brazil at the moment, bird watching) and they absolutely love it.  Their favourite country is Chile because, in their words, the country itself is beautiful...as are the locals.

Tried your method of making the wavy line..but my keyboard won't do this.  As you say, I will have to get myself a Spanish keyboard.

Megi (will have to change the spelling in my details)

Are you holding down the "Alt" key and typing "0241" (without the quotation marks) ? Or are you using a Mac ?

I´ve created my own character shortcuts. If you go into word and insert symbol, then character shortcut, you can assign your own keys. Make sure you don´t assign shortcut keys you might find useful though, for example control A - this selects everything on the page andis useful, or control o - this opens things. I use the Alt key plus the symbolled letter. ç

Does this make sense?

Irene