Spanish

sophska · Post by **sophska** » 21 Nov 2006, 22:03

Just wondering if anybody knows of any Spanish conversation groups in Porty? Am looking to practise my beginner's Spanish to compliment the online course I am more or less managing to do at the mo (bare min!) I think enthusiasm is low as I'm not speaking it at all. Feels strange talking to yourself in front of a computer

Thank you for any help /suggestions, people

Sophia

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 21 Nov 2006, 23:01

No se si hay grupos pero....ah, bugger it. I dont know of any Spanish conversation groups but there are definitely lots of Spanish people living in Porty! You could always advertise for an intercambio - a conversation exchange - you meet for coffee with a native speaker, and you practise your Spanish for 30 mins and then they practise their English for 30 mins.

Just a thought.

Bellybabe

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 21 Nov 2006, 23:02

BTW that asterisked word was not as rude as it seems.

arachnid · Post by **arachnid** » 21 Nov 2006, 23:21

I went to a class here in Linlithgow for a year ( bit far for you though!!)

Learned a lot in that time, although tend to forget some of it as I've no reason to use it.

( holidays being an option of course!!!

) I find that I can read and write Spanish better than I do with conversation, think it's because I have a bit of a hearing problem and often miss conversation in my own language, never mind Spanish!!!

bearcub · Post by **bearcub** » 21 Nov 2006, 23:23

After being on holiday in Palma this year, I told myself I was going to learn Spanish as I found it embarassing that being able to say "two beers, please" and "thanks" is about my limit.............but haven't quite got round to it yet.

Still intend to though, PHS has a beginners class that I'm aiming to sign up to next term.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 21 Nov 2006, 23:28

I bought PoP 10 spanish lessons for his xmas, a couple of years ago. The ten lessons stretched to about 25 or 30. The teacher; Angelika was excellent although has gone back to spain now. I spotted her potential as a spanish teacher in that well know language school in Fredrick Street.

I joined a class at Edin Uni in 1986 and i believe Foxy was in the same class. I wished I had kept it going.

Sounds like we mayy have POL quorom for spanish lessons.

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 21 Nov 2006, 23:31

I'm not coming. I tried to teach someone Spanish once and realised very quickly I'm not cut out to be a teacher.

arachnid · Post by **arachnid** » 21 Nov 2006, 23:35

we could do it on the forum!!!

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 22 Nov 2006, 00:24

I have enough problems with English!!!!

On my first trip to Greece (eons ago) I wanted to learn the lingo. So I got to work on it.

Soon on the ferry from Athens to Portos Athinios on Santorini, I felt confident enough to ask for two ouzos with water.
"Thio ouzo kai thalassa, parakahlo!" I said confidently.
"Efhkharisto!" came the reply, as I was handed my drinks.
"Parakahlo!" I repeated, having learned my lessons well, I thought rather smugly.

After doing this five times, the barman said to me quietly in very good English ... "I hope you don't mind me giving you ouzos with ordinary water."
Puzzled, I asked him what he meant ... since that's what I asked for.
"No." He said. "You should have asked for thio ouzo kai nehro ... nehro means water."
"But, I thought thalassa was water!" I exclaimed. "What the hell was I asking for?"
"Thalassa is an ancient Greek word ... you were asking for two ouzos and the sea!"

I stuck to beer and retsina after that!

No more languages for me ... que???

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 22 Nov 2006, 00:27

I have enough problems with English!!!

!

We've noticed...

Edit:Cleopas edited his psot so mine didn't make sense - added quote...

Jamesie · Post by **Jamesie** » 22 Nov 2006, 08:47

I took the ten week course at Edinburgh Uni back in April. I spent September in Argentina this year and a wee bit time in Uruguay & Chile as well so felt it was necessary.

Trouble was being able to tell people what colour of hair they have wasn't so useful in booking a bus ticket

I was also lucky in having a Spanish girl staying up stairs from me and now and again I'd spend an hour or so going over stuff with her which was handy, but South American spanish is a little different from Spanish spanish.

Forgot everything now though

Pal of Porty · Post by **Pal of Porty** » 22 Nov 2006, 14:02

Bellybabe wrote:I'm not coming. I tried to teach someone Spanish once and realised very quickly I'm not cut out to be a teacher.

I tried to teach someone Spanish once and realised very quickly I could not speak Spanish!

Pal of Porty · Post by **Pal of Porty** » 22 Nov 2006, 14:06

The lessons Porty got me were really good. She taught you Spanish the way the Spaniards would use it. I ended up sort of OK when looking at the written word but still found it mission impossible to understand the spoken word - the real thing is nothing like any of the tapes you can listen to. Ken what I mean like?

sophska · Post by **sophska** » 22 Nov 2006, 22:42

Loved reading all the replies from you all ! Very funny thread - not at all what I expected when logging on this eve

Thank you for laughs AND good suggestions... I like the idea of a cambio / exchange. Also might look into the beginner's class at PHS in Jan. I decided after managing to do a little work last night on the virtual campus not to ditch the course, but to try and scrape by nonetheless - ok, I'll be rubbish, but at least that's better than not learning anything at all!

Meanwhile, if anybody knows of anyone looking to do an exchange, I am a qualified EFL teacher (and French), so do PM me!

Thanks again. Loved the ouzo and the sea story

I was in Greece last year and all I could say was efkaristo and parakalo, so was impressed that you knew the word for sea !

S

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 22 Nov 2006, 22:55

Oh the stories I could tell of my trips abroad. On my third trip via the Eurobus I had all the passengers referring to me as "the mad Scotsman".

Then nearly killing eveyone on the bus in Santorini as I drunkenly shook the driver (I didn't know we were going up a vertical cliff face over 2000 feet in the dark) screaming at him ... "Teach me your language! I wanna speak Greek!"

All I remember after that was waking up on a tip where the passengers had thrown me in annoyance. I WAS only 19 at the time!

But after living with a Greek family for a year, my Greek was pretty good. I taught the local kids English in return ... cos they all want to learn English on the continent.

We get told we're too lazy to learn a foreign language ... but when you leave Britain, foreigners don't WANT you talking their lingo ... they want to learn English! Or at least that's my experience.

My Spanglish, Franglais, Germeng and Italanglo is second to none!!!

Jamesie · Post by **Jamesie** » 22 Nov 2006, 23:37

sophska wrote: Meanwhile, if anybody knows of anyone looking to do an exchange, I am a qualified EFL teacher (and French), so do PM me!

Have you used the EFL qualification abroad at all sophska? I was always interested in doing it simply due to the chances to work elsewhere but I never got round to it.

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 22 Nov 2006, 23:58

I have a freind doing an EFL course to get the qualification at the moment ... and it's driving him nuts. Not the actual language part, but the people you get to work with who were immigrants and have problems fitting in.

Look at the courses carefully and get all the info you need before you get into it, Jamesie. Sure, it can be a great thing to have ... but there's as many foreign nutters as there are home-grown ones you have to work with!

Maybe do it like I did ... in exchange for renting or being put up with a family. As long as you know the Rules of English, and are a very patient person, you could teach it to anyone.

It was one of the best times I've ever had. Trying to make Greek children understand that toes are NOT foot-fingers!!!

And please make sure you have the right intonation when you say, "Getten ze feeten offen ze couchen!"

rathbone · Post by **rathbone** » 23 Nov 2006, 10:24

I've been trying to learn Swahili.

After "Jina langu nina itwa Rathbone" (My name is Rathbone) and "Mimi ni mskochi" (I'm Scottish), my most used phrases are:

"Sifahamu sielewi" (I don't understand)
"Sema tena" (Could you repeat that?)
and
"Sema pole pole" (Speak slowly)

and the one I'm most proud of:

"Ngoja kidogo. Nataka kushuka hapa" (Hang on a moment. I want to get off here.)

sophska · Post by **sophska** » 23 Nov 2006, 23:38

Have you used the EFL qualification abroad at all sophska? I was always interested in doing it simply due to the chances to work elsewhere but I never got round to it.

I have. Taught in Poland and in Italy - both for an academic year. Was great fun. Loved it. Poland more than Italy, though I love Italy and can't wait to go there this spring for a holiday. Would recommend it if you are looking for an adventure for a year or two (or more!). Easier to get work abroad than here, but it is possible, just depends on how much security you want/are used to. My OH is a CELTA trainer in one of the colleges in town. It is a tough course, but over in a month! If you have pretty good language awareness and good way with people and are willing to listen to practical suggestions, then you would pass no prob. Trainers WANT you to pass so do everything in their ken to help you

Hope that answers your question!

S

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