Learning Argentinian Spanish (app)

[NiKo2b]

I’d like to learn some basic Spanish before I arrive (I can read it and understand most, but can’t speak any).

Preferably an app, but open to alternatives as I understand it’s not gonna be easy

The ones I know (aka Duolingo) don’t have Argentinian Spanish, and I really want to learn this variant for many reasons (including the fact that it’s easier for me to understand, I don’t like Spanish from Spain, and also it makes sense to learn the variant of the place you move to).

I mostly want to learn the basic vocabulary and sentences to get by in shops, markets and the likes. I’m not gonna write a thesis in Spanish or anything of the sort.


Any suggestions?

 

[MarshallE]

I’d like to learn some basic Spanish before I arrive (I can read it and understand most, but can’t speak any).

Preferably an app, but open to alternatives as I understand it’s not gonna be easy

The ones I know (aka Duolingo) don’t have Argentinian Spanish, and I really want to learn this variant for many reasons (including the fact that it’s easier for me to understand, I don’t like Spanish from Spain, and also it makes sense to learn the variant of the place you move to).

I mostly want to learn the basic vocabulary and sentences to get by in shops, markets and the likes. I’m not gonna write a thesis in Spanish or anything of the sort.


Any suggestions?

https://www.dreamingspanish.com/browse?guide=agustina

I highly recommend Dreaming Spanish, this will actually help you learn Spanish. The teacher Agustina is from BA and her videos are interesting and enjoyable to watch. Duolingo unfortunately has overly gamified the experience, they're more concerned with selling you lives etc in the app than you actually becoming conversational (I know too many folks with a huge Duolingo streak, but can't actually speak/understand real world Spanish)

 

[NiKo2b]

Thanks! It seems most videos are from Youtube?
I was looking for something a bit more interactive (like with quizzes and stuff) but I'll keep that link for practicing listening. Is the premium worth it in your opinion?

I agree on duolingo. It actually helped me a bit with vocabulary in other languages, but I don't really enjoy it anymore. It used to be much nicer. Also, they don't have Argentinian Spanish and pronunciation.

 

[julia_en_ruta]

If you want to take a class before you get here, CUI offers some of their classes over Zoom: https://cui.edu.ar/tipos_de_cursos.php . They have a few options for how many times per week the class meets. I imagine the next classes won't start until January, but I'm not certain.

 

[MarshallE]

Thanks! It seems most videos are from Youtube?
I was looking for something a bit more interactive (like with quizzes and stuff) but I'll keep that link for practicing listening. Is the premium worth it in your opinion?

I agree on duolingo. It actually helped me a bit with vocabulary in other languages, but I don't really enjoy it anymore. It used to be much nicer. Also, they don't have Argentinian Spanish and pronunciation.

The quizzes etc are not really necessary. You need comprehensible input. Think of yourself as a baby when you were first learning to speak with your parents, they didn't give you quizzes and drills.

The premise of the site is that by watching videos with images and gestures that describe what the teacher is talking about, you learn how to speak Spanish in a much more natural way, similar to how you learned as a child.

The videos start off incredibly basic, even someone that doesn't know anything about Spanish can follow along. And then you can progress. There's plenty of free content, but if you're cranking through the videos you can subscribe to see all of them

 

[NiKo2b]

If you want to take a class before you get here, CUI offers some of their classes over Zoom: https://cui.edu.ar/tipos_de_cursos.php . They have a few options for how many times per week the class meets.

Thanks. Sounds like something I’d like to do when I arrive. Group classes would be much better on site (not a fan of virtual things) and for now my schedule would make it very difficult to attend regular sessions. I see they also offer private lessons in 1to1 but can’t find the price. Probably not ready for that anyway as I’m focus on a few specific projects rn. I’ll contact them when I’m in BA and see if I can join the classes there if they are not too far from my place and reasonably priced. I’ll be much more flexible and available, and since at the beginning I won’t know many people in town it’s a good way to get some social thing.

The quizzes etc are not really necessary. You need comprehensible input.

The issue is that for me videos and audios are really difficult to focus on (I usually get bored after a minute, get distracted or whatever). Having quizzes helps me focus at least a bit.

The premise of the site is that by watching videos with images and gestures that describe what the teacher is talking about, you learn how to speak Spanish in a much more natural way, similar to how you learned as a child.

That’s great and I totally get the concept. It’s just difficult for me to do so.

I’ll definitely watch a few and see how it goes. I tried one (the one on the prejudices against argentines) and it’s quite easy to understand. But they also speak quite slowly and I guess trying to stick to a quite neutral Spanish.
I might try to take notes during the videos maybe to make it more interactive.
I’m quite ok with listening tho (a while ago I tried to listen to some Argentinian radio and was able to understand most of it), but speaking is my main issue (I don’t know how to speak at all as I don’t know Spanish).

 

[MarshallE]

Thanks. Sounds like something I’d like to do when I arrive. Group classes would be much better on site (not a fan of virtual things) and for now my schedule would make it very difficult to attend regular sessions. I see they also offer private lessons in 1to1 but can’t find the price. Probably not ready for that anyway as I’m focus on a few specific projects rn. I’ll contact them when I’m in BA and see if I can join the classes there if they are not too far from my place and reasonably priced. I’ll be much more flexible and available, and since at the beginning I won’t know many people in town it’s a good way to get some social thing.




The issue is that for me videos and audios are really difficult to focus on (I usually get bored after a minute, get distracted or whatever). Having quizzes helps me focus at least a bit.


That’s great and I totally get the concept. It’s just difficult for me to do so.

I’ll definitely watch a few and see how it goes. I tried one (the one on the prejudices against argentines) and it’s quite easy to understand. But they also speak quite slowly and I guess trying to stick to a quite neutral Spanish.
I might try to take notes during the videos maybe to make it more interactive.
I’m quite ok with listening tho (a while ago I tried to listen to some Argentinian radio and was able to understand most of it), but speaking is my main issue (I don’t know how to speak at all as I don’t know Spanish).

Speaking (output) comes after massive amounts of listening (input). When you land in Arg see if you can find someone to date, preferably that doesn't speak English. That'll get you up to speed real quick haha

 

[NiKo2b]

Speaking (output) comes after massive amounts of listening (input). When you land in Arg see if you can find someone to date, preferably that doesn't speak English. That'll get you up to speed real quick haha

Not sure my girlfriend will appreciate that! But maybe can find some people to speak in Spanish, yeah.

 

[James02]

https://www.diccionarioargentino.com is a good site with loads of Argentine words and phrases!

 

[LuckyLuke]

I’d like to learn some basic Spanish before I arrive (I can read it and understand most, but can’t speak any).

Preferably an app, but open to alternatives as I understand it’s not gonna be easy

The ones I know (aka Duolingo) don’t have Argentinian Spanish, and I really want to learn this variant for many reasons (including the fact that it’s easier for me to understand, I don’t like Spanish from Spain, and also it makes sense to learn the variant of the place you move to).

I mostly want to learn the basic vocabulary and sentences to get by in shops, markets and the likes. I’m not gonna write a thesis in Spanish or anything of the sort.


Any suggestions?

There's plenty of previous chats on this forum regarding various tools, methods and apps that you can search for. If you are old school (like me) and don't do well with Youtube videos, apps and virtual things then I would highly highly recommend just going to a community college or any night school and taking some basic spanish 101 courses in person. Learning another language is no fly by night affair and unless you already know a Latin language it will take study and practice. Immersion learning while "adventurous" can be also be extremely frustrating and cost you valuable time with mistakes. Getting the basics down is fundamental to further expanding into the argentine dialect.