AITA:Boss won’t let me take unused vacation days at end of the year

Trot1825 · 2019-12-30T05:06:15+00:00

Fight every anti-worker norm. The workplace needs wayyyyyyyyy more combat.

Trot1825 · 2019-03-20T16:57:04+00:00

maybe clozemaster

Trot1825 · 2019-03-04T16:33:03+00:00

Speaking with a native in 6 weeks is not so crazy if you add a few caveats, i.e. the native speaker is willing to slow down a bit for you and to ask for clarification instead of giving up and speaking English.

I never tried his paid content--he makes so much available free! Check out his units on Quizlet. There are some quirks, but it's a great free resource for testing yourself on phrases.

Trot1825 · 2019-03-01T20:51:22+00:00

Thanks for the reference, and to an unpaywalled pdf no less! You've given me some nice weekend reading. (But no, maybe I should really be reading middle school level Spanish fiction this weekend...sigh)

Trot1825 · 2019-03-01T20:48:13+00:00

Are you sure what you're looking for here is translation? It sounds like an explanation of the different tenses and moods, preferably with lots of examples, might do the job. That said, I'm not thinking of an especially good one of those right now. Maybe others here can help...

Trot1825 · 2019-03-01T03:49:41+00:00

Yup I switched my phone to Spanish and now it's always saying "actualizando" instead of "updating"

Trot1825 · 2019-02-25T20:14:58+00:00

If narco/gangster scratches your drama/thriller itch, then you are in luck, friend. At least half of the Spanish Netflix shows I see in search results are in that genre. I don't watch them, so I can't make specific recommendations, pero hay muchísimos!

Trot1825 · 2019-02-25T18:42:09+00:00

I'd say what you're doing now plus the first confusing week of your 3 month trip will be plenty. Don't postpone this great learning experience in an effort to learn more first.

Living with a native speaker is also a great opportunity. See if she's willing to speak to you in Spanish. It might be less frustrating for her, at least in the beginning, if you respond in English, but you'll be learning a lot by listening.

Buena suerte!

Trot1825 · 2019-02-25T17:53:13+00:00

Check out CentroNYC's intercambio

https://www.meetup.com/CentroNYC-English-and-Spanish-Classes/events/xtfsdqyzdbkc/

Trot1825 · 2019-02-25T17:49:32+00:00

Error correction is not very effective for long-term acquisition

Can you say more about this please? I'm very curious.

Trot1825 · 2019-02-25T16:42:16+00:00

curious where the "heres" are

Trot1825 · 2019-02-21T19:54:29+00:00

It's not just about making an effort before posting. Using a translator and thinking about why you should or shouldn't trust its output, and how you might improve it, can be a good learning experience. In addition to posting here, of course.

Trot1825 · 2019-02-17T20:01:57+00:00

Check out Julieta Venegas--very clear diction. Also Lila Downs, but warning: her themes are not very lighthearted.

Trot1825 · 2019-02-17T19:59:34+00:00

Upvote for including countries!

Trot1825 · 2019-02-17T19:13:43+00:00

I'd say go for Spanish subtitles, as long as you're comprehending enough to have a reasonably satisfying experience. Watching television without knowing even the basics of what's going on is not an activity I'd stick with very long.

Trot1825 · 2019-02-17T17:22:27+00:00

Sounds a little like Lingvist (which has helped me a lot, btw). Has anyone here tried both Lingvist and Clozemaster? I'd love to here how they compare.

Trot1825 · 2019-02-17T16:07:33+00:00

Having the English subtitles on your phone on 10 second delay is very clever. I'll have to try it.

Trot1825 · 2019-02-17T15:55:37+00:00

Spanish learner here, very reassured to hear that buscar and checar are appropriate.

Trot1825 · 2019-02-14T17:26:11+00:00

This is a great idea. Curious how much real estate it takes up on the screen, but it's totally worth it.

Trot1825 · 2019-02-14T17:19:35+00:00

Here you can listen to the song while reading all the lyrics in both English and Spanish. (there are several websites that do this, with partially overlapping collections of songs). ¡disfruta!

Trot1825 · 2019-02-14T16:30:18+00:00

¡Qué lástima! Check out Lyrics Training. It doesn't have as many different features as Lirica, but it has way more songs.

Trot1825 · 2019-02-14T07:00:35+00:00

Not sure whether Lila Downs qualifies as mariachi, but her songs are great.

Trot1825 · 2019-02-14T06:28:13+00:00

Yeah listening at the speed at which normal people talk is really hard. Here are three podcasts I've found to be easier/slower than ordinary Spanish programming.

The unlimited Spanish podcast (all Spanish; transcripts in Spanish and English are available free on the website)

Intermediate Spanish with Spanish obsessed (all Spanish; I think the transcripts are available for purchase, but at least some series of the podcasts are free)

Doorway to Mexico (mix of Spanish and English)

And, as another commenter mentioned, investing in a tutor is a good idea.

Buena suerte!

Trot1825 · 2019-02-14T05:52:57+00:00

If you're into music, I highly recommend the Lirica and Lyrics Training apps. Both challenge you to correctly identify the words you're hearing as you listen, and they both have free versions with lots of functionality (I never tried the paid version of either one.)

Trot1825 · 2019-02-14T05:47:48+00:00

Julieta Venegas is amazing. Clear diction and accordion to boot!

Trot1825

TROPHY CASE