How I Became Fluent in Spanish...FAST (self taught)

Summary

In this video, the speaker shares their personal journey to becoming fluent in Spanish. They emphasize that it was a gradual process, not a quick fix, and credit their success to a combination of self-teaching, using the Duolingo app, listening to Spanish music, reading books in Spanish, and immersing themselves in the language through daily practice and routine. They also took a course with Lingoda to advance their skills and boost confidence. The speaker encourages patience and consistency, highlighting the importance of creating your own learning environment and taking breaks when necessary.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker became fluent in Spanish primarily through self-study, but struggles with imposter syndrome when claiming this achievement.
• 📚 The journey to fluency in Spanish was not a quick one, and the speaker emphasizes that patience and consistent effort are key to language learning.
• 👶 The speaker's initial interest in learning a second language was not specific to Spanish, but the desire to be bilingual was a long-held dream.
• 🛒 The speaker's language learning journey began in earnest after working in a local grocery store where Spanish was commonly spoken by customers and co-workers.
• 🐦 The Duolingo app was instrumental in building the speaker's foundational vocabulary in Spanish, making learning accessible and engaging.
• 🎵 Listening to Spanish music and learning song lyrics helped the speaker to grasp the language and relate to the content more personally.
• 📖 Reading books in Spanish, especially those the speaker was already familiar with in English, greatly improved vocabulary retention and understanding.
• 🌐 Lingoda, an online language school, provided the speaker with an opportunity to practice speaking Spanish with native speakers and improve conversational skills.
• 🏡 Creating an immersive environment by reading, listening to podcasts, and speaking Spanish aloud during daily routines was a significant part of the learning process.
• 📲 Changing the phone's language to Spanish for a year forced the speaker to learn and use the language in everyday situations, aiding in language acquisition.
• 💪 The speaker stresses the importance of practice, repetition, and integrating Spanish into daily life to maintain and improve language skills.

Q & A

What does the speaker attribute their fluency in Spanish to?

The speaker attributes their fluency in Spanish to self-teaching, with the help of various tools and methods such as language learning apps, music, books, and consistent practice.

What language was the speaker initially targeting to learn, and how did this change to Spanish?

The speaker initially did not have a specific language in mind but wanted to learn any language other than their native language. The change to Spanish occurred after realizing the majority around them spoke either English or Spanish and the practicality of learning Spanish due to its prevalence.

How did the speaker use the Duolingo app to aid in their language learning process?

The speaker used the Duolingo app for its convenience and accessibility, allowing them to learn foundational words and phrases in Spanish at any time and in any place.

What role did music play in the speaker's language learning journey?

Music played a significant role by helping the speaker to grasp the language better. They listened to Spanish songs, taught themselves the lyrics, and related to the songs to make memorization easier.

Why did the speaker choose to read books in Spanish as part of their learning process?

Reading books in Spanish helped the speaker to retain more vocabulary and understand the language in context. They started with books they were already familiar with in English and then moved on to other books in Spanish.

What is Lingoda and how did it contribute to the speaker's Spanish learning experience?

Lingoda is an online language school offering certified classes with native speakers. The speaker took a course to identify their level and advance their Spanish, which helped them improve their conversational skills and boost their confidence.

How did the speaker create a Spanish learning environment when they were the only Spanish speaker in their family?

The speaker created their own environment by reading books, listening to podcasts and music in Spanish, and practicing speaking Spanish out loud even when alone, such as during chores or in the shower.

What was the speaker's strategy for dealing with the intimidation of starting with a book in Spanish?

The speaker started with a book they were already familiar with in English and then moved on to simpler books in Spanish to gradually build their vocabulary and understanding without becoming overwhelmed.

How did the speaker use their phone to aid in their Spanish learning?

The speaker set their phone language to Spanish for about a year, which forced them to learn and use everyday Spanish language and reminded them of the language daily.

What advice does the speaker give regarding the consistency and patience needed to learn a new language?

The speaker emphasizes the importance of being consistent with studies and patient with the learning process. They advise against giving up too soon and to keep practicing even when facing frustration or plateaus.

What is the speaker's hope for the future regarding their Spanish fluency?

The speaker hopes to one day create a video completely in Spanish, indicating their ongoing commitment to improving and maintaining their Spanish language skills.