Forums > Specific Focus > Learning Spanish

balloftwine

Jan 9, 2003, 7:27 PM

Post #1 of 11 (3367 views)

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Audio CDs/tapes to learn spanish?

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Hola! I drive for 2 hours every day & would like to learn spanish while driving. Has anyone had any luck with audio CDs in learning spanish? I took 3 semesters of spanish back in college, so I have a really basic knowledge, but nothing beyond a rudimentary understanding. Thanks for your help!

Todd DF

Jan 10, 2003, 7:45 AM

Post #2 of 11 (3219 views)

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Re: [balloftwine] Audio CDs/tapes to learn spanish?

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Next to sitting with a native speaker and conversing in Spanish for 2 hours, I would say that the audio course is the best method, especially if your are practicing aloud. Also, what a great way to make good use of 2 hours of commute everyday!

Buena suerte,

Todd

Dzim

Jan 10, 2003, 10:45 AM

Post #3 of 11 (3200 views)

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Re: [balloftwine] Audio CDs/tapes to learn spanish?

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I have used and enjoyed the Pimsleur Tapes. They offer 3 levels and it's available both on tape and CDs. I get them from my local library. Donna

lmatthews22

Jan 10, 2003, 12:24 PM

Post #4 of 11 (3189 views)

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Re: [balloftwine] Audio CDs/tapes to learn spanish?

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Like you, I am also stuck in the car for about 2 hours a day commuting back and forth to work. I recently purchased "Learning In Your Car - Spanish" by Henry N. Raymond. It is broken out into 3 different levels. Level 1 has 6 cassettes and Levels 2 and 3 each have 2 cassettes. I purchased the Level 2 set and I am extremely happy with it. Very helpful and highly recommended.

balloftwine

Jan 11, 2003, 11:52 AM

Post #5 of 11 (3151 views)

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Re: [balloftwine] Audio CDs/tapes to learn spanish?

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Thanks all for your responses...I'm open to any more! Anyone want to "second" any of the recommendations? Do you all feel that the money was well spent? What do you do with the CD's after you've used the? i.e. are they re-listenable & still interesting, or do they become expensive coasters? :)

scott

Jan 11, 2003, 7:54 PM

Post #6 of 11 (3136 views)

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Re: [balloftwine] Audio CDs/tapes to learn spanish?

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I could have sworn I responded to this thread last night, telling you to go download the mp3s instead of buying the tapes. Sheesh, I can't believe I cant' even post that here.

quevedo

Jan 12, 2003, 8:01 AM

Post #7 of 11 (3132 views)

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Re: [scott] Lenguaje en nuestro Foro Español

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Estimado Sr. Scott:

Muchas gracias for your valuable participation on our forum.

This time I was forced to delete your post because it contained expressions which are not allowed on Mexico Connect's forums, according to the guidelines set for the site by its owner and Webmaster, Mr. David Mc Laughlin.

Por favor, repost your note taking malas palabras out.

Un saludo cordial,

Quevedo

jturpen

Jan 12, 2003, 8:22 AM

Post #8 of 11 (3130 views)

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Re: [balloftwine] Audio CDs/tapes to learn spanish?

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BOT ...

Your question is a good one ... one that I have asked and also have used tapes, it is very good. What I started to do within the past few months (suggested by a friend of mine who teaches spanish at the local Catholic high school) is try the 'immersion method' on a small scale by listening to the spanish speaking station. There are pluses and minuses to doing this. The announcers (DJs) sometimes speak so fast that my ears/brain strain to get all that is there. I do find however that because the 'listening' part of my spanish (and the speaking) is a very weak area, the radio station approach pays dividends.

Through repition and exposure like when your watch a foreign movie and the first several minutes the dialog sounds odd, but then when you stick with it the words sorta get more understandable. You might try it and see if it drives you crazy.

Also the music is very ecclectic, from rock 'n roll to mariachi and eveything in between. One word you'll hear many many times is corazón ... my guess would be that mexicans are real romantics.

Joe

scott

Jan 12, 2003, 10:03 AM

Post #9 of 11 (3127 views)

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Re: [quevedo] Lenguaje en nuestro Foro Español

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Sorry Quevedo, I was only meaning to give an example of the excellent Pimsluer style MP3's available on the internet.........

And some of them happen to teach those malas palabras.......

jemeta

Jan 16, 2003, 9:47 PM

Post #10 of 11 (3081 views)

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Re: [scott] Lenguaje en nuestro Foro Español

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Hey Scott,

If you wouldn't mind reposting how to get MP3's, I would love to know about it!!

Thanks,

Jennifer

scott

Jan 17, 2003, 12:01 AM

Post #11 of 11 (3116 views)

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Re: [jemeta] Lenguaje en nuestro Foro Español

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I used the program Kazaa, to download most of them. Some came from Gnutella.

In total I have about 623 megs worth of Spanish audio lessons that I downloaded. At the time it took me a couple of weeks to collect them all. Sometimes when I searched I got next to zero results, at other times many were available in that moment. If you really want them, and don't feel like paying the hundreds of dollars to buy them, then it is worth the time to find and download them.

Each 30 minute Pimsleur file is about 22megs, recorded at 96kbps.

I would let you download my collection, but my Cable Internet here in Mexico is pathetically slow compared to what I had when I got them (Canadians are very spoiled with access to quality high speed internet).

You should be able to find them on your own.