[CFC1]

Considering that I now go to Spain 2 or 3 times a year on holiday, I was thinking that maybe it's about time I tried to learn a little of the lingo, if only to pass myself in certain situations... i.e. in supermarkets, restaurants etc.
I have a couple of stock sentences that I use and I can feel that the Spanish themselves really do take kindly to us making an effort at least.
I see that our local College is starting basic conversational Spanish classes in September. These run for 2 hours every monday for 32 weeks and are limited to a class size of 24. I was wondering if anyone had done this, and if so, did you learn much... or has anyone any other suggestions for picking up the basics.

Cheers!

[Steven]

lol, my mate went to Barca for a week and said all he could say was "hola senorita" to the ladies

"Don't they speak Catalan?" I said

[CFC1]

Originally Posted by LFC_SL

lol, my mate went to Barca for a week and said all he could say was "hola senorita" to the ladies

Wahey.... that's one of the 2 phrases I use!

[la gran siete]

Si quieres aprender español pues tienes que comprar un libro que te enseña y it tambien tienes que ir al colegio para clases de esa idioma. Es importante que te pongas a hablar español lo mas possible porque asi lo aprenderas mas rapidamente. Buena suerte y cuidado con las chicas guapas!

[CFC1]

Si!

Right LGS... You are saying that taking College classes is for idiots and that it is important to speak Spanish as much as possible to learn quickly.... oh, and good luck to me in pulling the goodlooking Spanish birds .... Right?

[Speedoguy]

excúseme que sir usted sabe puedo quitar este tatoo había hecho cuando el refrán borracho "amors frank.forever gordo de CFC1" le agradece sir bueno siempre tanto

Might come in handy to know this CFC1.

[la gran siete]

Originally Posted by CFC1

Si!

Right LGS... You are saying that taking College classes is for idiots and that it is important to speak Spanish as much as possible to learn quickly.... oh, and good luck to me in pulling the goodlooking Spanish birds .... Right?

I am not calling anyone an idiot mate but the rest is about right. College can be very useful but it depends on how much work you put into itGood luck!

[Billo]

Try the BBC website
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/index.shtml
It looks good for basic phrases*
also if you have Google Toolbar, you can set it to translate words as you hover your mouse over them which may be a little slow but it can be used everyday that you are surfing.

*My brother maintains that you can survive in any country with just two phrases ''Another Beer please'' and ''Chicken in a basket''

[pixelpixel]

I was in El Salvador for 3 months and have picked up 0 words. Seems not everyone can speak another lingo.

Soy un estafador yo utilizo el internet para hacer esto.

[CFC1]

Originally Posted by Speedoguy

excúseme que sir usted sabe puedo quitar este tatoo había hecho cuando el refrán borracho "amors frank.forever gordo de CFC1" le agradece sir bueno siempre tanto

Might come in handy to know this CFC1.

You're frigging having a laugh, right?

I know that I'm completely ignorant of the Spanish lingo, but I'm hoping that I'm wrong and that the mouthful above doesn't have anything to do with me and a proverb about loving my idol, Frankie Lampard, or indeed making a snidy reference (under the veiled cloak of another language) about his size....


LGS .... tell me it isn't so!

[pixelpixel]

You could always use: ¿Puede usted decirme donde está el viejo trafford?

[Speedoguy]

Originally Posted by CFC1

You're frigging having a laugh, right?

I know that I'm completely ignorant of the Spanish lingo, but I'm hoping that I'm wrong and that the mouthful above doesn't have anything to do with me and a proverb about loving my idol, Frankie Lampard, or indeed making a snidy reference (under the veiled cloak of another language) about his size....


LGS .... tell me it isn't so!

Pretty good CFC1 - It's actually asking a spanish gent as to how you remove a tatoo* that you had done when you've consumed too much fizzy water.

*I think you got the gist of what the tatoo was about

[CFC1]

Originally Posted by pixelpixel

You could always use: ¿Puede usted decirme donde está el viejo trafford?

Huh? ... How come everyone's a Spanish expert all of a sudden?

de ninguna manera ... no, no, no, nevera ... hombre!
.
.
.
.
.
No entiendo Espanol, senor? ......

[youtube]qLmuZc1kSes[/youtube]

[CFC1]

Originally Posted by pixelpixel

Soy un estafador yo utilizo el internet para hacer esto.

Gracias amigo!

[Chris Muriel]

Not sure if they are still in print but we once had 2 excellent books which included all manner of local idioms and colloquialisms of the Spanish and French languages - as well as lots of naughty phrases.
They were called "Le Gimmick" and El Gimmick".
Must see if we still have these.

Chris Muriel, Manchester

[CFC1]

I did get a pc course a couple of years back, but it was heavy going, and I gave up after an hour or so. I just seemed to get bogged down with what words were male or female(!) and their consequent spellings, beit ending with an "a" or an "o" (or whatever it was!)
It is probably essential to grasp these nuances, but I got bogged down, as I say. TBH, I find it hard to get motivated going solo in front of a monitor, so the class situation might be best for me.....

[Pat_C]

You can pick up the basics from watching reruns of Fawlty Towers

[CFC1]

Originally Posted by Pat_C

You can pick up the basics from watching reruns of Fawlty Towers

Que?

[Pat_C]

Originally Posted by CFC1

Que?

See what I mean? Now you can respond to just about anything that is said to you in Spanish.

Mucho mejor que diciendo todo lentamente en inglés

[krish]

This is pretty good podcast series: www.coffeebreakspanish.com [iTunes link]

[CFC1]

Originally Posted by Pat_C

Mucho mejor que diciendo todo lentamente en inglés

Que? .... much better if you say everything slowly in English? (!)

[Setenza]

"I will not buy this record, it is scratched".

"My hovercraft is full of eels".

[Pat_C]

Originally Posted by CFC1

Que? .... much better if you say everything slowly in English? (!)

It was supposed to be much better than saying everything slowly in English.

Stupid Babel Fish ... <mutter mutter>

[CFC1]

Originally Posted by Xusia Of Delos

"I will not buy this record, it is scratched".

"My hovercraft is full of eels".

You're Spanish, right?

[CFC1]

Originally Posted by Pat_C

It was supposed to be much better than saying everything slowly in English.

Stupid Babel Fish ... <mutter mutter>

Ah, it was ... it was my ignorant attempt at deciphering that went awry!

[la gran siete]

main thing to remember is that its a phonetic language .All the vowels sound as in the alphabet unlike French or English. Verb tenses can be a bit of a pain as is the syntax .Spaniards love complicated phrases and sentences so be wary of formal textTe va romper las pelotas!Ordinary everyday Spanish is quite simple to pick up though if you are diligent enough

[Pat_C]

Originally Posted by la gran siete

main thing to remember is that its a phonetic language

You'd think that would be spelt 'fonetic' wouldn't you?

[CFC1]

Originally Posted by la gran siete

Te va romper las pelotas!

LGS... are you seriously suggesting that I should break my balls? ... or have I messed up again?

[la gran siete]

Originally Posted by CFC1

LGS... are you seriously suggesting that I should break my balls? ... or have I messed up again?

Its an Argentine expression refering to someone or something giving you grief
for eg
mi esposa me esta rompiendo las pelotas
meaning my wife is nagging me and giving me grief

[CFC1]

Originally Posted by la gran siete

Its an Argentine expression refering to someone or something giving you grief
for eg
mi esposa me esta rompiendo las pelotas
meaning my wife is nagging me and giving me grief

Ah... I see... like in those American gangster movies... Goodfellas and the like, when the bloke turns to his wife and says "you're breaking my balls"