Sunday, 17 July 2011
Friday, 8 April 2011
Spanish Words and Phrases: Is It Worth Investing Time and Money Into Learning Spanish?
Learning foreign language takes time and a little bit of money and many people wonder if it is worth the effort. It usually takes many months of practice, learning of hundreds of Spanish words and phrases and doing the same boring grammar exercises before you can have a confident conversation without stressing out too much that others can't understand what you are trying to say. You might feel like you are missing out on things because you need to go to your Spanish course or just sit there at home and memorise new vocabulary, when your friends watch tv or have fun outdoors.
But despite all those inconveniences I believe that learning another language - be it Spanish or something else - is time and money well spent. It widens your perspectives, helps you understand new cultures and allows you to enjoy your favourite things in a new way. New opportunities become available to you.
If you like music, you finally are able to understand what the lyrics of Spanish songs are about. And you have to agree that music has got different meaning when you can understand the words. When you understand the lyrics you can make better choices in terms of what you listen to.
If you like movies, you will be able to watch them without being frustrated with inaccurate translations, which more than often are unable to express the true meaning of Spanish words and phrases. Subtitles are notorious for inaccuracies and understanding what the actors are saying can help you avoid those inaccuracies.
If you like traveling, you will be able to go on an independent trip to South and Central America or Spain and not worry about getting around and having good time. Traveling is much richer when you can talk to locals, read local newspapers, understand people on the streets and not being dependent on the tour guide speaking your language. The ability to interact with locals adds a new dimension to traveling experience.
If you like book, you will be able to read them in original version and never again miss the true meaning of words. Translations very often can't offer the same emotions that the original version provides.
So do not give up and keep learning. You will not regret about all the time and effort you put into gaining this new skill. Speaking another language is like gaining a new culture.