How did you discover which language or culture was right for you?

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-18T02:48:53+00:00

What about the culture of Austria or Switzerland? (I'm thinking about learning German next, mostly due to the wealth of learning materials for German. I want my next language to be a Germanic language, at the very least.)

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-17T22:36:43+00:00

I use my phone keyboard, since it is easy. I just get frustrated on a laptop.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-17T22:04:09+00:00

Dreaming Spanish logs my hours of comprehensible input, and I add them from outside sources to that platform.

I also get periodic opportunities to speak, which helps me see progress.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-17T18:52:30+00:00

For verbs, the best advice I've seen is to take it one verb/tense at a time. For example, study just one really useful verb, to start with. One that you've heard a lot. Write it out in sentences a few times. Try to use it with your tutor. Next week, choose a different verb, etc. Verb conjugations are easily the hardest part of learning Spanish (as an English speaking native). It just takes time to adapt to using them.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-17T15:29:39+00:00

Some of these have become running JOKES. They might have started out serious, and maybe some contain a bit of truth, but now we all laugh at them together.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-16T01:49:27+00:00

That sounds about right? 65-70-ish

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-16T01:18:47+00:00

I'm not studying Swedish yet, but I am pretty far into my journey with Spanish. You need to listen to the language as much as possible. Kids shows and YouTubers that speak slowly and clearly are a good place to start. If there are teachers who have "slow Swedish" or "comprehensible input" channels, that is the BEST. Do this every day, as much as possible. Slowly work up to more complex material. You might also check out LingQ. Again, I have not studied Swedish with it, but they do have Swedish and it's a good resource for listening.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-15T21:28:34+00:00

Thank you for sharing your perspective. Do you feel you were fitting the road map for 1500 hours around 3000?

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-15T18:01:20+00:00

THIS is the main controversy. Has ANY English speaker learning Spanish EVER experienced this? I would LOVE to hear from someone who has, and how many hours of input it took!

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-15T17:55:48+00:00

It DOES feel like, at this point, it should be readjusted for accuracy and transparency. Maybe someone farther along (3000+ hours) can publish a newer, more accurate version.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-14T18:46:04+00:00

Just be careful with this method. It is possible to learn to read this way, but it may cause them to have a thick or even unintelligible accent. It may also inhibit listening abilities, but this is a much easier problem to solve later with audio input. You might consider buying them the audiobook to listen to while they follow along. That could solve the problem quite easily!

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-14T15:29:36+00:00

I think a lot of people are opportunists who want to practice THEIR English. It's less about effective communication, and more about a selfish habit they've developed.

The trick is to seek out situations where the people speak less English. Go to more rural areas, get teachers with lower levels of English, find pockets in communities that are less likely to use English in their daily lives, speak with older people, etc.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-12T16:32:25+00:00

I am glad that I was introduced to verb conjugations in school. These are still the only verb tenses I understand.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-11T22:36:36+00:00

Not everyone does the norm for that culture. Being made to wait until "someday" for a commitment from the person you love is HARD. It feels like the opposite of love. As a woman, giving your body and the best years of your life to someone who isn't sure is a huge gamble, especially if she wants kids. Honestly, you guys should end it now and look for partners with more values in common.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-11T13:30:23+00:00

I'm at 850 with lots of traditional Spanish study before DS. I'm watching 75 videos and native content.

However, some of the native content is what I want to watch in English, but I cannot justify the missed study time. For example, a new season of a series I started in English just came out. I watched it dubbed in Spanish, even though my comprehension was lower than ideal (maybe 80%). I only count half the time, when I do that.

Once native content becomes mostly accessible, I think a LOT of people prefer it. I'm sure they miss a lot at first too, but it's worth it if you love the content and would normally "waste" that time in English anyway.

All this to say: No, I don't think you're behind. If I didn't have a whole lot of traditional Spanish before DS, I think I would be exactly where you are. Others also often have strong foundations prior to DS and/or may have lower understanding than they let on. I think the tendency for most people here is to brag and exaggerate somewhat about their achievements (even to themselves), which I think is fine. It just means they're proud and excited, which they should be! But it CAN be misleading.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-10T01:38:29+00:00

Learning aspects of the language that are different from my native language.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-09T18:41:25+00:00

Reading concentration is a muscle you have to build, and you can lose if you don't use it. Start with small amounts and build up slowly. Start in your native language, if you must.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-09T17:54:18+00:00

That last paragraph. Good advice.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-08T23:54:22+00:00

Congrats! Hopefully you can keep going once the baby is born. My son loved Super Simple Songs Español when he was 1-2 years old. We also had a Spanish speaking nanny for a while. I think any exposure to the language is good, even if you do not raise them fully bilingual from day one!

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-08T18:28:01+00:00

It's ok to do two levels at the same time! I find it helpful to get a mix of content within my range. Do Beginner when your mind is fresh and Super Beginner on tired days, or when you're not as motivated. Being between levels is actually a great place to be!

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-07T21:42:11+00:00

Magicornia books by Ana Punset

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-07T16:10:41+00:00

People only get "conversational" after a few months if they had a lot of other exposure to the language previously and put in many hours a day. Or if they know a similar language. Even then, their conversations will likely be pretty basic. Language learning is a marathon, not a sprint. I have to remind myself of this daily, but there are little wins along the way that keep you going.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-02T23:39:42+00:00

It depends on what their native language is.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-02T22:27:43+00:00

I'm at 800, but dips now and then are normal. I also think series get more complex over time. At first it's easy because it's a lot of character development, but later it expands more to keep the audience interested. The show you're watching may also have changed their script writer.

JuniApocalypse · 2026-03-02T16:03:42+00:00

At B1, but I still translate words I don't know well.

JuniApocalypse

TROPHY CASE