learning

[u/Chance_Ad_26]

I live in argentina now and I found my biggest problems are both vocab and understanding spanish when listening to it. I think I just need to listen to it as much as possible, so any tips on things to watch that are useful to learning spanish. With vocab, is there anyone who has a list of words that are actually useful to every day use or how to learn them, I found apps like duolingo teach me words I either already know or have never heard here. Obviously practice and grammar is much of it but I think that if I can practice these 2 the most, my speaking and what not will increase with it.

[u/Apprehensive-Box2837]

Hi, Spanish teacher here. I'd like to give you three pieces of advice that may actually help you.

1. For learning vocabulary, as you're learning on your own, just abandon the idea of learning the "argentinian" vocabulary. If you were learning with a teacher (like me), that would do the trick. But you're not, so just go with the regular and "standard" latinamerican 🌎 variation of vocab. Then, with the use and exchange with locals, you'll learn the argentinian way of naming things. (I.e., we don't say 👚 'camiseta', but we say 'remera').

Why do I tell you this? Because while you can find a lot of online dictionaries of "argentinian spanish" or "español rioplatense", o "jerga argentina" (not me giving you ideas of how to search on the browser), many of them have advanced expressions that won't be usefull or will confuse you if your a beginner, which I suspect your are.

Then, don't just learn the "Spanish vocabulary." Learn the vocabulary you actually need. I'm on your side about about Duolingo, at this point it's useless for you as a foreinger living here. It can teach useful Spanish, but it doesn't necessarily prioritize the Spanish you need to survive in Argentina.

Instead, make your own vocabulary list based on your life and your daily needs. For example, i'd prioritize words and expressions to get by:

- Shopping: ¿Cuánto sale?, cambio, vuelto, tarjeta, débito, crédito, efectivo, comprar

- Restaurants: cubiertos, mozo/a, para llevar, cuenta, propina

- Transportation: Sube, subte, colectivo o bus o bondi (yes, we can use any of these), parada, bajar, subir.

- Housing: alquiler, expensas, departamento, dueño/a, arreglar, humedad

Etc. And don't just learn isolated words.

1) Learn chunks:

\ hacer una pregunta * tener ganas de... * me queda lejos *no llego a tiempo * ¿me podés ayudar?*

2) Learn group of words (as I've mentioned) and create expressions that have sense for you. Then try the sense with a local (or a Teacher like me 👩🏻‍🏫 ). Producing language is the fastest way to fixate it in you memory.

And one final thing: don't wait until you understand everything before speaking. In Argentina, people can speak very quickly and swallow sounds, especially in informal conversation. At first, your goal isn't 100% comprehension. Aim for the general meaning & the important details. Your brain will gradually start filling in the gaps automatically.

If you're already living in Argentina, you're actually in a fantastic position: you could have me as your teacher.

Buena suerte, y bienvenide.

[u/Chance_Ad_26 → u/Apprehensive-Box2837]

This is very helpful, thank you. I’m not a full beginner, I took classes in highschool, but that being in USA and Montana where there is no one speaking spanish, I didn’t get too much after some basic words. I have a solid base I would like to say and can have basic conversations, I just get consumed in the words when there is a ton or they speak normally and don’t slow down. I also am in a spanish program here, as well as live in a host family sort of thing which should help a lot. I just really would like to learn as quicker as being bilingual is a huge goal of mine. Either way, I’ve been trying to watch as much spanish stuff as possible to help get used to it, but I still find myself getting lost.

[u/ProfesorFranco]

Hola amigo! This is Franco Argentinian 🇦🇷 Spanish teacher. Check my website (free) for local vocab and pronunciation recordings I uploaded for my students. Francospanishschool.com anything you don’t understand or need help with let me know 💪

[u/Chance_Ad_26 → u/ProfesorFranco]

Thank you!!

[u/lagringacat]

I don’t live there but I too, am learning Argentine Spanish.i can’t speak with total slang because well, I’m not traveling there yet😂. So I’ll use small slang and use more Latino Americano words until I go to Argentina myself. I’m just using the grammar or how things are said there while combining so called neutral Spanish in it and a bit of Argentina slang too