In addition to LTSteve's excellent advice (that I do myself), two of the words I use most frequently in conversations are "lento" and "despacio" (for slow and slowly, respectivley). My Dominican friends are very supportive and comply. They want to help me speak better Spanish. You will also be pleasantly surprised about how much you do understand when the words are separated more by the person you're talking to. It is very difficult for me (I still live in the States), but I believe that practice is the key. Don't give up!
- Thread starter chrisdr
- Start date
Anyone else finding it impossible to learn Spanish?
yes, that's what i mean. i see it in my case too. at home we only speak english because it is easier. we could use spanish and i would learn a lot more but we are too lazy for that... at the end of the day it is always about the comfort of daily communication. you want to understand and be understood? you use the easiest mean to achieve this goal...
I have lived here for over ten years and I still have problems communicating with some people here. I'm 70 years old but that is no excuse. I have been able to learn to understand the people in the countryside but when i go to the city and try to hold a conversation the say what! and my wife replies the exact same thing and they understand it gets a little frustrating. I moved to the countryside where no one spoke English and learn that way it is still not good because you learn only what they speak in that area which might compose of 200 words and that is it. When you go to a different area they use a different 200 words.
In the US, just ask a Cuban, Boricua, Mexican, etc., what they think about conversing with Dominicans. 
They often feel "lost" as well.
They often feel "lost" as well.
something to remember is that dominican spanish has certain specifics you may not see in your own language. people speak differently to each other and it shows: uneducated, kids, elderly, campesinos, teenagers... their vocabulary and pronunciation may be challenging even for other dominicans. some will use slang, some will use old fashioned expressions, others will mispronounce words.
i am not worried i do not understand what is being said. if i am alone i will ask to repeat again slowly. if i am in the company of other dominicans i will ask them what was being said and what does it mean.
there was a gut in the pharmacy once who demanded pills for tontos. now, there is no cure for stupidity i know of, so i ask him, what on earth does it mean. he got really upset and kept on shouting tontos, tontos until one of my workers came in and told me it means mareos. then the guy says: si, mareos. then why he did not say that?
you will find that more often than not people cannot explain the meaning of the word. maybe i am too fussy. i learn language by being able to replace words i do not know/remember with synonyms. i strongly suggest when you learn new words you do not just memorize that perro=dog but also: perro es un animal cos cuatro patas que ladra y muerde (dog is an animal with four legs that barks and bites).
ps i never remember ladrar. i had to check the dictionary writing this post i simply say: mi perro grita en la noche. and i am done with it. see what i mean?
i am not worried i do not understand what is being said. if i am alone i will ask to repeat again slowly. if i am in the company of other dominicans i will ask them what was being said and what does it mean.
there was a gut in the pharmacy once who demanded pills for tontos. now, there is no cure for stupidity i know of, so i ask him, what on earth does it mean. he got really upset and kept on shouting tontos, tontos until one of my workers came in and told me it means mareos. then the guy says: si, mareos. then why he did not say that?
you will find that more often than not people cannot explain the meaning of the word. maybe i am too fussy. i learn language by being able to replace words i do not know/remember with synonyms. i strongly suggest when you learn new words you do not just memorize that perro=dog but also: perro es un animal cos cuatro patas que ladra y muerde (dog is an animal with four legs that barks and bites).
ps i never remember ladrar. i had to check the dictionary writing this post
i simply say: mi perro grita en la noche. and i am done with it. see what i mean?In the US, just ask a Cuban, Boricua, Mexican, etc., what they think about conversing with Dominicans.
They often feel "lost" as well.
^^ This ^^
Spanish is not an easy language, but dominican spanish is even harder because grammar rules are bent too often, pronunciation is poor and there are way too many local words.
I think as foreigners and learners, we focus too much on the differences and it's normal. The more advanced we become in a language the easier it gets to understand the variations (whether it is in words and accent).
I remember when I first moved to the US, it was very hard to understand American because I had learned British English. Then, it was even harder for me to understand Blacks (LOL), people from the south or West-Indian. But as my English got better, it became easier to understand them.
No Language is static and if it is spoken in different areas by different people, it will have variations. To me, being truly fluent is being able to be above these variations just like a native. I am native French speaker and if I speak with someone from Canada, I understand them despite the numerous differences and totally different accent, because IT IS THE SAME LANGUAGE. Same with Spanish.
I don't find Spanish particularly easy, nor difficult (I would say it is a little easier than French for example, but harder than English). I am now used to Caribbean Spanish, don't find more difficult, I just think that overall my Spanish has improved.
Yet, I keep on learning (a little lazy on the grammar side).
I remember when I first moved to the US, it was very hard to understand American because I had learned British English. Then, it was even harder for me to understand Blacks (LOL), people from the south or West-Indian. But as my English got better, it became easier to understand them.
No Language is static and if it is spoken in different areas by different people, it will have variations. To me, being truly fluent is being able to be above these variations just like a native. I am native French speaker and if I speak with someone from Canada, I understand them despite the numerous differences and totally different accent, because IT IS THE SAME LANGUAGE. Same with Spanish.
I don't find Spanish particularly easy, nor difficult (I would say it is a little easier than French for example, but harder than English). I am now used to Caribbean Spanish, don't find more difficult, I just think that overall my Spanish has improved.
Yet, I keep on learning (a little lazy on the grammar side).
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