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[NoVegetables]

Hey Guys,

I'm a new yorker who in four months will be an Argentinian resident! Well non-resident but i plan on being there for a while. The thing is I have never been to Argentina and do not speak a word of Spanish. I can kind of understand the written word, but cannot for the life of me tell what any Spanish speaker is actually saying. This is making me nervous as the days tick closer.

Can someone let me know how difficult it is to get by day to day on limited or no Spanish? And what is the best and fastest way to get to conversational level in Spanish? Is there a particular school/course that you would recommend? Is a private tutor the better option? Is there a free or inexpensive option?

Please let me know. In 28 days my BA adventure begins an I am getting nervous.

 

[steveinbsas]

Just get some listen and learn CD's and start now...it doesn't matter that "castellano" is spoken here. basic Spanish will be very, very helpful! A few sentences of Spanish will open lots of doors...and get the locals speaking to you in English in many cases.

 

[NoVegetables]

So it may not be worth it to procure a tutor or enroll in a class? I was told I'd be able to pick it up i a month or so on my own by friends who have spent time in none English speaking countries. I however have always been skeptical of the 'you'll pick it up approach'.

 

[steveinbsas]

So it may not be worth it to procure a tutor or enroll in a class? I was told I'd be able to pick it up i a month or so on my own by friends who have spent time in none English speaking countries. I however have always been skeptical of the 'you'll pick it up approach'.

You're not talking about enrolling in a class in the next 28 days, are you?

Prior to your arrival, however, you can "invest" many hours teaching yourself.

That's what I did prior to moving SOTB and it paid off.

Once you are here you can continue to listen and learn on your own and also enroll in a class.

Although Argentina is a non-English speaking country, many Argentines do speak English, but its advisable to be able to be able to speak a little castellano...just to show a little respect...and reduce the risk of being ripped off as well (LEARN TO COUNT IN SPANISH!!!!!).

 

[NoVegetables]

Thanks. I have been trying to teach myself, and it has been going well. I can read pretty well but i can't hear it. Maybe it's the spanish accent but i can't seem to pick out any definitive words when spanish is spoken. I guess maybe it's something i will need to be exposed to more before i get it.

I'll most likely enroll in class where i can focus on listening. Is there a particular course anyone can recomend? Would a tutor be better for improving listening skills?

 

[steveinbsas]

Don't worry! At first it's all hablablabla. Argentine castellano is quite different form the Spanish taught in the US schools or that which is spoken in Mexico, but the more you know the better...especially the numbers. You don't want to pay 40 pesos when you are only asked to pay 14! (I know this from experience.)

 

[thuy.ashtango]

UBA has great group courses. I'd recommend doing this for the beginner levels. Then getting a private teacher for a few hours a week. I've also found that taking classes in any topic (ie dance, photography), in castellano, is really helpful as you'll pay more attention if it's a topic you're truly interested in learning. You'll also be more motivated to speak and ask questions than you will be in a pseudo converstaion. SpanglishBA (http://spanglishba.com/) is conversation exchange group. It's a good way to practice. Hope this helps.

Thuy

 

[NoVegetables]

Thanks lots!

 

[steveinbsas]

Thanks. I have been trying to teach myself, and it has been going well. I can read pretty well but i can't hear it.

This is why the listen and learn CD's are so helpful...even if they don't feature the Argentine accent.

 

[betts]

My parents are Colombian, but I was born and raised in the USA. We spoke Spanish at home and I consider myself a fluent speaker even though my mother tongue is English. If it makes you feel any better....I don't understand the Portenos most of the time! The spanish spoken here is different, much!