How I Became Fluent in Spanish Studying On My Own

I am surprised that you looked through spanish textbooks and they didn't mention the subjunctive at all. maybe just for the video, but my spanish classes absolutely, 100%, taught the subjunctive. I got grades better than a D, but still.

that's a really nice shirt

I just moved to Puerto Vallarta and am very hungry to learn this language as fast as possible. I have no idea what the best approach is. Any advice or suggest would be very much appreciated. I moved to a very local neighborhood and grew very uncomfortable because I really want to connect with the people but the language barrier is a real thing. I was considering American English Tree school but it is $3500 pesos a month meeting 3 times a week for an hour. Any suggestions or direction to crack this mystery puzzle??? Muchas Gracias , Muy amoble (don’t know how to spell it correctly) 🤦🏻‍♂️

Citrus county?

I think when it comes to Spanish grammar, it's a bit easier for me as a native German speaker. No problems with "usted" or "vaya". I never understood why not all Americans learn Spanish in school. In ervery other country you have to learn at least one language - that's the minimum.

Game changing. Thank you!

You’ve got me scared … WJERE DO I START?

IT ALL MAKES SENSE

GREAT VIDEO
SUBSCRIBED

To me fluency was when after 5 years in a country I wrote a high school essay and got a grade of 98.5 % compared to other fluent speakers.

Well done 👏 👏👏

Awesome you should teach Spanish

Great video, thanks

I know for a fact they didn't teach you that in school. I did get a "D" in Spanish, and it was not a nice, easy, friendly class. It was horrible. The teacher tried too hard, but didn't help as much I needed. Yep. Didn't learn that either.

Great point of view, and learning hacks. This is exactly right in my opinion. It is how I learned. Now, after a few years of little practice, I'm brushing up, getting ready for a trip to CR.

I think it's more appropriate to quantify learning in hours rather than years. It took you (and I) about 1-1.5 years to reach fluency, but at least I personally and I assume you as well was putting in several hours of dedicated study per week. Someone who only spends say, 15 minutes a day studying Spanish, is going to take several years to reach fluency, if ever.

I can help you cross the bridge from Spanish to Portuguese! Let me know, and let's talk!😉

I'm waiting for the AI brain plugin to speak all languages fluently ;)

Thank you for the way you dissected your way of learning Sanish, and not doing like many who said they learnt it in a timeframe I find unbelievable. I stumbled upon your video, and I am currently listening for the 3rd time as I write and commend you for taking time out of your schedule to help learners like me. I have been learning Spanish for a while, but I always have to stop at some point, so I am still stuck in the Intermediate level. My only wish is to sound, and speak better.

Great video! Thank you. Could you please advise what the advanced grammar book you referred to is?

How to learn a language that is completely different from your own language?

Brilliant. Thank you. Writing a book?

I have been learning Spanish using the Duolingo app for about 9 months. I haven't missed a day in that time and I still feel like I can't hold a conversation with my Mexican neighbor. Paul, your video changed everything for me. I'm putting your channel on every day, and putting Duolingo away for a while. Thank you for making such a genius program!!!!

All great stuff. I would add the obvious that you had many opportunities to dialog with Spanish speakers. Self-study alone isn't enough. You have to use what you learn in the real world and adjust accordingly as you did.

Awesome video, Paul!

Learning sets of starting phrases is great for other languages too like in Italian you could use it on ‘ho pausato che’ or ‘ho pensato che’ (forgive my terrible Italian).

I speak a bit more Spanish than most white guys. The hacks you use are what I do. I like your boxcar analogy. I'm going start using it more to keep the momentum of my conversational 'train' going. One thing that has helped me is to not be afraid of making mistakes or worrying how you sound. Of course your spanish is going to sound halting and broken. People from Mexico are always gracious and delighted to hear me try.

That was extremely helpful. Thanks.

I can imagine you being one of the police officers everyone is happy to see! Thanks for this, I’m doing great with Spanish but need some extra work outside of Duolingo if I’m ever going to be fluent

So the key to fluency is to have the language spoken everyday. So don't just try and memorize. You have to be using this stuff all the time.

your video is excellent... bien hecho, mil gracias...

I had it made when it came to expecting subjunctive, I took Latin in high school.

I just started to try and learn Spanish like 87 days ago according to dúo lingo and ima def be using your channel to help too. My biggest issue tho is alotta times the Spanish is spoken too fast

Hi. Si quieres practicar tu español mandame un mensaje. I can help you. Blessings

I want to learn spanish from spain and mexico

how do i learn fluenty spanish in the next 10 minutes pls help.

So I'm not even fluent in my native language 😅

After spending 5-10hrs a week for 2 months learning Spanish on Duolingo….. I’ve realised this video is probably farrrr beyond my comprehension of Spanish.
But it helps start to explain exactly what Duolingo completely ignores.

This guy also is fluent in Italian sign language.

Why is it sentemos instead of sentamos?

I am a Martial Artist for over fifty eight years and I remember telling myself the best and fastest way to improve in Taekwondo was to teach it I began learning TaeKwon at age ten but at age thirteen I began teaching friends for experience to my surprise I improved really fast in Taekwondo I am now in the process of teaching my grandchildren Spanish so I will be able to develop in fluent Spanish

great video, i can relate with once i get the train moving my spanish comes out.

Thank you very much! Very useful video for all languages. I am trying to improve also my English. I had been in Colombia and I love people, culture, food, all. That’s why I am trying to learn Spanish. And thanks to Netflix it’s easier than in past. Argyris

Yo hablo espanol muy poco 😢

Excellent !! I have been studying about 15 minutes a day for years! I always translate my english words to spanish (in my head) but it takes time and i've always been afraid to speak to Mexican people. Tengo mucho miedo cuando hablar Espanol. My lady friends speak Spanish, but we always spoke in English. So using phrases as you are teaching will really help i am sure. I can say what i want the vast majority of the times and followed you perfectly, but i reckon my fear is listening to a word i don't know, a word in a tense i can't translate well, and the whole conversation can come to a grinding halt unless i ask the speaker to speak mas despacio o lentamente. Ok.. You spoke daily in your job and that is something i think i must do. Lastly, when i hear a gringo, like yourself speak Spanish, it's twice as easy as listening to a native speaker. Good work, keep it up.

I love the fact that you start explaining the Subjuntivo from the very beginning. Most Spanish courses don't get to that point until Upper Intermediate level and even then they treat it like a wasp - with lots of warnings and precautions. I don't see why, to be honest, as probably 90% of Subjuntivo follows describable rules / phrases and if I'm wrong in 10% I can totally live with that. It might have something to do with the trend of most of the newer courses avoiding grammar as the plague to make thing "easier" for their clients. While, as you say the Grammar is the logical structure of the whole language. One has to start learning it from the very beginning, esp. if one belongs to the "logical" type of people. There are exceptions, of course, but in Spanish they're not so many, like in other languages.
This is the first video I watched on your channel, I liked it a lot and will have a look at the rest. Thanks for the excellent presentation!

This video has been very helpful to me. Thank you. I have been studying Spanish for 13 months with Duolingo and have been wondering about how to become less halting when I speak. Great tips! Also, instances of the subjunctive mood have been introduced in the app leaving me puzzled with no explanation of the conjugations. It's much clearer after this video. I'm certainly glad that I'm not behind. It seems that your exposure to Spanish spanned far longer than 2 years before you became fluent having started in school and interacting with native speakers in your job. When I heard you truly became fluent that fast, I thought that I wasn't learning enough. Now I'm encouraged. Your content is an excellent reference.