Here are three tips for studying Spanish that can help you when doing your activities or when you are in class with your teacher.
RAE?
RAE stands for The Royal Spanish Academy.
(The Real Bosses of the Spanish Language).
The RAE is a Spanish institution, founded in 1713 and made up of 46 academics, super experts in the Spanish language, who are in charge of “taking care” of the language.
This institution has a website that can be very useful for you, especially for two things:
Visit the website and try typing the verb “pensar” in the search engine. You can see the conjugation of ALL verb tenses in indicative, subjunctive and imperative.
It is great!
In addition, you can check whether a word exists in the Spanish language, because if it is not included in the RAE dictionary, then it does not exist in Spanish.
For example, did you know that the word “wok” is included in the RAE dictionary?
Visit the website and try typing “wok” 😉
How about?
Well, this is my tip today, use the RAE website especially to see the conjugation of verbs in Spanish.
In a course for entrepreneurs that I took in February, the course tutor said:
“The problem with many entrepreneurs is that they get used to their own shit (💩), they convince themselves that that’s enough and they’re comfortable with that shit (💩). They are so comfortable that they even think it is tasty.”
It’s a strong statement.
But this tutor is a bit of a thug guy 😎
…
Well, the main idea is that, if we get used to mediocrity in what we do…
How are we going to improve?
How are we going to grow?
How are we going to evolve?
How are we going to learn?
When we learn a new language in adulthood, we are going to make mistakes associated with our native language, it is inevitable.
One of my biggest mistakes in English is when I say “people is…” because in Spanish we say “La gente es…”
Ay ay ay…
They are mistakes that are difficult to correct, but not impossible.
In our classes, especially when we practise conversation, there is always a point or two of grammar or vocabulary that we review after our conversation.
Those are the points you have to work on.
Just a point or two in that week.
For me, one of those points is to repeat many times: people are, people are, people are, people are…
I’m not okay with myself, knowing that I might say “people is…” when I’m speaking in English.
And this is my tip today, don’t get used to your own mistakes, there are always points to improve, grow and learn.
There is a kind of internal resistance to using 100% of the language that is not our native language.
Sometimes, during classes, I see how my students pick up Spanish with one hand.
No problem.
But with the other hand, they hold on tight to their native language.
And they don’t let go.
So much so that while I speak to them in Spanish, they answer me in English.
Why?
There may be many reasons for this.
One of them is that it is faster, easier and more comfortable to respond in your native language instead of in Spanish.
But remember what I always tell you: quick + easy + comfortable = You don’t learn.
Our weekly Spanish class has to be for you, that bubble in which you immerse yourself in Spanish, have fun with your teacher, play with the language, test and try to speak, ask all your questions…
Your teacher will speak to you as much as possible in Spanish during class and will use words matching your level of Spanish so that you understand the information.
And even if you are aware that you are making mistakes while speaking in Spanish, that is always going to be better during your class than using your native language.
Also, if your teacher sees the mistakes you make in Spanish, she will then be able to help you correct them.
So, this is my tip today, in your Spanish classes, speak in Spanish.
I know that it is a little difficult at first to apply the tips for learning Spanish that the teachers give you in class, but if you are able to incorporate any of these habits that I recommend into your language learning routine, you will see the benefits very soon.
If you want to learn Spanish in a well-structured way, with the guidance of an accredited native teacher, and practising key skills such as conversation, you can take a look at our Spanish class catalogue or you can take a look at our Membership Programme.
Book your trial class with us today and meet your teacher!
