Learning Easy Spanish

[picosrider]

VAMANOS - LET'S GO!
At dawn tomorrow we set off on our bike ride to Santiago, well armed with our Berlitz Spanish Phrase Book!. Memories of the last ride along the coastal route of the Camino del Norte come flooding back. As you can see it was a hard ride! Here we are sweating it out at Colunga.

Then it was on to Cudillero where we fancied a fish and chip supper.
Then, worn out by our exertions, and feeling sleepy after too much good food and local cider, it was time to find a good place for the night. Such as this new albergue at Lourenza, up in the hills inland from Ribadeo.
Yes a pilgrimage is a real penance! So it is time to don sack cloth and ashes, and bid you farewell. Adios! Hasta luego, you can follow this years adventure at http://the-picos-ride-for-cancer.blogspot.co.uk/ when our first live post should be on line by Wednesday when our ferry docks at Santander.

 

[Audine]

What a great topic this is One might also try the language courses by Michel Thomas. I haven't tried the Spanish course yet (I'm off to my first Camino in a few weeks, starting in France, so there's no need to learn Spanish yet), but I'm currently practicing with his French course it's great. I've put it on a mp3-player, and I listen to it while training for my Camino He has quite a particular way of teaching a language. I really like it because there is no memorizing (memorizing is forbidden!), he really lets you "play" with the language making it fun, and insists you have to be relaxed while listening to it -since you cannot learn if you're not relaxed.

 

[DanaRuns]

Wonderful thread! I am trying to absorb as much of it as possible. But I have an even more basic question.

Albergue: is it pronounced AL-ber-gue, or al-BER-gue, or al-ber-GUE?

Por favor, digame. Gracias.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Wonderful thread! I am trying to absorb as much of it as possible. But I have an even more basic question. Albergue: is it pronounced AL-ber-gue, or al-BER-gue, or al-ber-GUE?
Por favor, digame. Gracias.

It's alBERgue Dana. [Al-BEAR-gway] In Spanish the penultimate syllable usually is accented, though that's a rule too often broken!

Stephen

 

[DanaRuns]

Thank you Stephen. That has been driving me nuts for weeks. Now I can finally sleep!

 

[SaraC]

Ahh! This is incredibly helpful! I took your recommendation, picosrider, and have drafted a (very small) phrasebook, since I've procrastinated on the learning Spanish front. (If I ever have kids, they'll be multilingual, no ifs, ands, or buts!)

Thank you all for your contributions to this topic!

 

[Pieces]

great list vagabondette, could you post it in reverse if you have it for a lightweight portable crashcourse please ?

 

[FaithandGratitude]

Hi Picos, I leave in 2 days and just want to say thanks for your time and generosity in providing us with all this help. Ive printed all your examples and shall be studying them on the plane! Many thanks

 

[ricrog]

Wonderful thread! I am trying to absorb as much of it as possible. But I have an even more basic question. Albergue: is it pronounced AL-ber-gue, or al-BER-gue, or al-ber-GUE?
Por favor, digame. Gracias.

It's alBERgue Dana. [Al-BEAR-gway] In Spanish the penultimate syllable usually is accented, though that's a rule too often broken!

Stephen

To be specific, all Spanish words ending in a vowel, n or s have the penultimate symbol stressed, all other words have the last syllable stressed. With words that break this rule an accent is written over the stressed syllable
Rick

 

[ricrog]

I had one friend who finally got corrected about her usage but that's because she was consistently using the wrong form and saying the wrong thing. She kept saying "soy borracha" instead of "estoy borracha" which would indicate she was permanently drunk (an alcoholic) vs. just drunk for the evening. While technically "soy borracha" was probably correct in her case, it's generally not something you want to advertise to people.

Ha ha! That was exactly the other example I had in mind. When I was learning Spanish I used 'estoy'. These days I tend to use 'soy'! Buen Camino!

In the same vein:
"Estoy aburrido" means "I'm bored"
"Soy aburrido" means " I am boring"
You wouldn't want to get that wrong!
Rick :?

 

[newfydog]

Just got back---I can't say enough about how much it helped practicing Spanish before going to Cuba!.......


"I'm off to Mexico and Cuba, so I thought I'd brush up on my Spanish. The last few years I have been working on my French by talking with several teachers in France via video skype. It works very well---private lessons right at your home computer. I thought I'd do some Spanish, so I went to

http://www.myngle.com/

And selected

http://www.myngle.com/users/XIMENAMITZI/lid/29

Ximenamitzi lives in La Paz, Bolivia, and studied in the states. She is nearly in our time zones and was really a very good teacher. I'd recommend anyone who wants to learn Spanish via affordable private lessons to sign up with her.

buen camino

newf

 

[max44]

I have typed a few of these into online translators.... had some funny results.
I will go back and write some of these down.
Funny thing is, my first phrase in Spanish is "How much is that spliff in the window" lol

I have a basic question. As in some countries, the national language seems to differ between provinces. In some cases, they can't understand each other. As I am taking the french way, would these work in "Bask country" (Not sure on spelling) Spain?
I ask because the on line translators have three different meanings, some of which are not even close to each other.
I don't want to order a turd on a stick when I wanted pinchos

 

[tyrrek]

The main difference I notice in Spain (apart from the regional languages/dialects) is between Andalucia and the rest of Spain. I find Spanish in Andalucia much softer like in Latin America, so 'Me parece...' sounds more like 'Me pareSSe' than 'Me pareTHe'.

For me Madrid is by far the easiest place to understand everyday Spanish, but I can't quite put my finger on the reason why!

Buenos Caminos Linguisticos!

 

[Tia Valeria]

We find northern Spanish is like our Argentine Spanish. I think it is Madrid Spanish which is different maybe.
(Un)fortunately Spanish taught in school will tend to be Madrid Spanish. But then, English taught in Spanish schools will be London English, not Yorkshire or Devon English.........

We listen to the Spanish weather forecasts. Very helpful.

 

[colinPeter]

I have a basic question. As in some countries, the national language seems to differ between provinces. In some cases, they can't understand each other. As I am taking the french way, would these work in "Bask country" (Not sure on spelling) Spain?

Basque, I think is the spelling. Yes, it changes along the way, but I wouldn't worry to much about it, if your just trying to learn enough to "get by". I've found most Spanish/Basque/Galician people along the way, to be very helpful with my poor Spanish. I'd just concentrate on basic Spanish phrases (Greetings, numbers etc) and smile a lot.
Just make sure you learn how to order a beer at the end of the day.

 

[tyrrek]

I have a basic question. As in some countries, the national language seems to differ between provinces. In some cases, they can't understand each other. As I am taking the french way, would these work in "Bask country" (Not sure on spelling) Spain?

Basque, I think is the spelling. Yes, it changes along the way, but I wouldn't worry to much about it, if your just trying to learn enough to "get by". I've found most Spanish/Basque/Galician people along the way, to be very helpful with my poor Spanish. I'd just concentrate on basic Spanish phrases (Greetings, numbers etc) and smile a lot.
Just make sure you learn how to order a beer at the end of the day.
It might help wash the "turd on a stick" down. :wink:

Quite right! Basque is totally different from any language known to man, but on the Camino Frances you only skirt round the edge of the Basque country and everyone speaks Castillian Spanish too. That said, enjoy the Basque culture in places like Pamplona, and try to understand the significance of the republican flags you still see hanging on the balconies there. I love that city. And the pelota courts in the Basque villages. Buen Camino!

 

[Al the optimist]

"Turd on a stick" ?

 

[ricrog]

"Turd on a stick" ?

"Cagado en un palo"??

 

[max44]

"Cagado en un palo"??

Thats it, lol

 

[Jennybelle]

The 'Coffee Break Spanish' podcast is free on iTunes. There's lots of 15 minute episodes that have really done the trick for me! Really starting to click with espaniol!

I also use the iPad app 'Spanish' by mindsnacks, it's a bit kiddy but when you get over the cuteness it's actually a really good learning tool. I think you get ten full lessons free, though I paid £2 for the full fifty lessons.

I've also got myself a small phrase book called 'super simple Spanish', the CGP gcse full revision and practice Spanish book (which is proving too advanced at the moment and a ks2 ¡Mira! Spanish book.


Hope this is of use to somebody!

Buen Camino!

 

[max44]

THanks jenny

 

[luke90]

So glad this thread is here, thanks to everyone who has posted. Planning for my first Camino in July, and i'm ashamed to say i am one of those lazy/ignorant/dim Brits that can barely speak or understand a foreign phrase. But I've got just over 6 months, and i refuse to rely on everyone else speaking enough English to help me. Time to make a list and start learning!

 

[tyrrek]

Hi Luke90! See if you can get hold of Sylvia Nilsen's new book on Camino Spanish. Also try to develop a friendly swagger for when you enter any kind of establishment to demonstrate not only your language skills, but that you have 'cojones'. Buen Camino!

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

..... demonstrate not only your language skills, but that you have 'cojones'. Buen Camino!

That comment only applies to the men, of course!!

Stephen
http://www.calig.co.uk/camino_de_santiago.htm

 

[tyrrek]

That comment only applies to the men, of course!!

I disagree. Buen Camino!

 

[max44]

I have been doing the coffee break Spanish. Once you get past the strong Scottish accent teaching Spanish, its not to bad. The words are different to a translation app, however, like they say in the pod-cast...they are teaching formal or polite Spanish. When you don't know the person, formal is better.
I have dumped my other roughneck Spanish apps.
Thanks for the link above

 

[tyrrek]

I have been doing the coffee break Spanish. Once you get past the strong Scottish accent teaching Spanish, its not to bad....

Hey! Scottish speech is quite condusive to speaking Spanish. We have a rolling 'r' which other English speakers don't always have. Buen Camino!

 

[max44]

I am not native English. I was making a comment from non native English how it's harder to learn a language when the speaks already has an accent on to of trying to learn an accent. The male does fine the female makes it harder to learn and she throws the accent off. I just focus on his accent. If you look at the site, this is a common comment.
My Spanish speaking friends said the same.
It's free and is working for me, so I am doing it.
Edit: The Scotts managed to get me to roll my rrrr's

 

[tyrrek]

It's a public site here, we are entitled to our options.
It would pay to read this whole thread first.

Oops! Sorry if I offended. I have read and contributed to this thread throughout. Take the as meaning a comment is light hearted or encouraging. Buen Camino!

 

[max44]

Sorry,
I did over react
On of the people I am meeting, good at sjpdp, and long term friend, and is from Glascoe, not sure on spelling. She was listening to me practice, and she said I have an accent as well., she interpreted some English words for me., between Russian, Spanish Scottish Australian, and English even the first lesson was complicated are my end.
The end result is, but listed to the male voice only, it is a great course so far.

I was pronouncing Buenos wrong
It's is bien sounding rather than Bowen sounding as I have heard someone say on a movie

 

[Shannon_Flekkefjord]

!Hola Peregrinos!! It's great to be able to communicate with people around you.. and when in Spain, Spanish is actually very usefull. If you are still at home, have internett and don't know much Spanish and want a good and fun introduction, I have a link for you! It has a storyline: a mystery to be solved, it has chapters that cover everyday events and needs. It's oral, you hear and speak Spanish. It's interactive; you get to give your own answers. It's English - Spanish, but I use it also for my Norwegian-speaking Spanish students. From the BBC's free language-learning series: Mi Vida Loca: (My crazy life). Enjoy and learn!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/mividaloca/

 

[Larry DeMaster]

Since joining this forum I've found 3 very helpful on line learning aids. Coffee Break Spanish is on my IPod & has been mentioned before.

"Mi Vida Loca" is a 20 lesson interactive program on the BBC website. Thanks to another forum member for posting it. Search this forum for the link as it excapes me at the moment.

Recently, I also found "Learn Spanish, Word Power 101" on my Ipad. It's free through IBooks, so I think it would be available to anyone with an I-anything - pod,pad, phone.

We fly April 16th and will walk from Roncesvalles.

Buen Camino!

 

[Laynni]

I find it helpful to study up on the local food terms as these seem to change from region to region, even within Spanish speaking countries. Not that it's hard to order the Pilgrim's Menu...

 

[freeflyer123]

Thank you to everybody who have been posting Spanish phrases here. I have been copying and saving them for later digestion.

Prior to this year, I never thought I would have recourse to learn another language, preferring instead to concentrate on my French as we often go there on our bikes and each time learn that little bit more. I, too, have used the 'listen-repeat' cds and love them. They were a great help when I was brushing up on School-girl French.

So I bought the same discipline to learn some Spanish, and am enjoying listening, and repeating, the phrases. Time constraint will inevitably mean that I won't have learned as much Spanish as I know in French, unfortunately. The funny thing is that when I hear the sentence in English, I translate it into French first, before I then have a jab at the Spanish! I can see why someone on the board has said they use a mixture of all three languages to get by. I suspect I will be the same!

One aspect that does worry me is that some people who have lived in Spain say that the dialect between the north and south of Spain are different enough to cause a problem if I have been learning what we would know as School-taught Spanish. But I stand with the brigade who say that knowing even a little bit of a language is much better than knowing none at all!

 

[piogaw]

another addition. NO PASA NADA.

 

[tyrrek]

another addition. NO PASA NADA.

God, yes! 'It doesn't matter'.

Last time I was on the Camino I was clearing litter with Rebekah. My boots were covered with mud and while sitting on a bar stool the mud dried off and crumbled onto the floor. After explaining to fellow customers that I was there to clear up the Camino I noticed the mess beneath my bar stool horrified! 'Madre, estoy aqui para limpiar el Camino y mira! (Mother of God, I'm here to clean the Camino but look!)' The whole bar laughed in the nicest possible way, and said 'no pasa nada'. I went to bed pretty soon afterwards. Buen Camino!

 

[Green Tortuga]

Why are Brits so poor at speaking foreign languages?

I've been finding this whole thread hilariously funny, but surely Brits can't be any worse at foreign languages in general than Americans! But they are trapped on that little island which does limit their interaction with non-English speaking people. =)

Of all the nationalities I met, I think the French and Americans were most likely to not know other languages. It's a gross generalization, of course, and there are certainly exceptions to the rule, but those two nationalities seemed the most likely not to know a second language.

And on the Camino Frances, I'd say that English was the most commonly used language! Even more than Spanish. I was actually a little disappointed that English was quite so prevalent....

-- Ryan

 

[piogaw]

hola y un saludo a todos los peregrinos en el camino,
hello and greetings to all the pilgrims on the camino,

spanish is a very easy language to learn on the camino and it is also a very romantic language. if you are walking the camino frances to sdc, you have at least a wonderful 30 days to learn the language along the way. for the vdlp, it is at least 35 days. i have found it to be easier to learn on the vdlp as practically nobody speaks any english. you are in their country, the spanish people, bless them, are a very friendly people. please try to speak to them in spanish. do not start with do you speak english. they will appreciate it and respect you more if you attempt to engage them in spanish, even if you don't speak properly or have mispronunciations. for the young people, english is a second language. but for the mature generation, it is either french, portuguese or german. if you have smartphones or tablets, try to download the google translate. this will translate anything-phrases words, sentences. also you can hear as to how to pronounce them.

you do not have to enroll in any formal lesson to learn spanish. when i started my first camino, camino frances, i was a novice in spanish. when i finished in santiago, i was able to converse in conversational spanish. my second camino recently, the vdlp, i was able to continue learning my spanish as hardly anyone speak english in the small pueblos. i am now able to engage in intermediate spanish without any formal lesson. i am also able to participate in discussion. mine you, i have still more to learn. but when i speak spanish, it is understandable. of course the conjugation of verbs in spanish is very confusing, but you do not have to learn all. just start with the present, past and future tenses. and be careful with the verb usage of the irregular verbs liker ser, estar and others. you will be alright.

que tengan un buen camino y que dios os bendiga.
have a buen camino and god bless you (plural).

 

[Shannon_Flekkefjord]

¡Hola Peregrinos!
So nice to hear that so many want to learn some Spanish while in Spain!
We have a great “Camino” book that combines a friendly guide with "Camino-Spanish" lessons. It’s an older Norwegian book, “Paa vei til Santiago de Compostela; En pilegrimsvandring i Spania” by Hege Jensen. There’s a short grammar section and an vocabulary list. It would be great to translate the book to English since it both has great descriptions of the walk from SJPP to Finisterre, and super beginner dialogues that you might hear on the Camino. Would you like to see the first one?

Anne: Buenos días, una vieira por favor. (= Good day, (could I buy) a scallop shell, please?)
Mujer (=the shop woman): ¿Una vieira? ¿Una pequeña o una más grande? (=A scallop shell? A little one or a bigger one?)
Anne: Una para mi mochila. Esa vieira está bien.(=One for my backpack. That scallop shell is fine.)
Mujer: Aquí tiene. ¿Algo más? (= Here you are. Anything else?)
Anne: Sí, un bordón. (=Yes, a hiking staff)
Mujer: Aquí tiene. ¿Está bien? (= Here you are; is it ok?)
Anne: Sí, muy bien, gracias. (=Yes, just fine, thanks!)
Mujer: ¿Es su primer día de camino? (=Is this your first day on the Camino?)
Anne: No, mañana. (=No, tomorrow .)
Mujer: ¡Buen camino! (=Have a good “Camino” hike!)

a todos, ¡Buen camino!! -sh

 

[ParistoCapeCod]

Spanish I can deal with, and I am a native English speaker and fluent in French. However, I will never learn Euskara Batua! How important is it, especially on the northern routes? Gracias todos

 

[CharlestonBill]

Why are Brits so poor at speaking foreign languages? Are we too shy or embarrassed to try, or too lazy to learn, or perhaps too dim?
When I did my last Camino del Norte, we had lunch on the fine beach at Colunga (near the aubergue at La Isla) and then cycled the camino along back roads to Ribadesella. Coming to a junction by a farm in the middle of nowhere, I stopped to let all of our party get together before we turned off. There was a young boy of about 6 or 7 years of age, by the farm entrance. He was a scruffy little urchin, but as I started to count my companions in - one, two, three, four - to make sure we were all together, the little lad continued in perfect English "five, six, seven" and continued upto 20.
In England most kids of 7 can't even count upto 20 in English!
English is a very difficult language to learn, but foreigners seem to have no problem speaking it. Spanish is one of the easiest languages to learn so why are we so loathe to make the effort?
I have read that in Spanish, 100 words are repeated over and over in 50% of conversation and that there are only about 20 verbs which are most commonly used. Now these should not be too difficult to learn, should they?
And you do not have to be a genius to understand hundreds of Spanish words which are so easily identifiable to the similar English word. For example: reparer = to repair, estation = station, repetir = to repeat, color = colour, durante = during, comprender = to understand/comprehend.
So make your Camino experience more enjoyable, and interesting, by learning a bit of basic Spanish.

Funny you say this. When I was in Turkey, I made it a point to always use what little Turkish I knew. They always appreciated it and assumed I was a Brit because "Americans don't speak Turkish"

 

[tweedy48]

The 'Coffee Break Spanish' podcast is free on iTunes. There's lots of 15 minute episodes that have really done the trick for me! Really starting to click with espaniol!

I also use the iPad app 'Spanish' by mindsnacks, it's a bit kiddy but when you get over the cuteness it's actually a really good learning tool. I think you get ten full lessons free, though I paid £2 for the full fifty lessons.

I've also got myself a small phrase book called 'super simple Spanish', the CGP gcse full revision and practice Spanish book (which is proving too advanced at the moment and a ks2 ¡Mira! Spanish book.


Hope this is of use to somebody!

Buen Camino!

Thank you! This is very helpful as I am starting to learn some Spanish for my Camino next September.
Buen Camino!

 

[tweedy48]

Since joining this forum I've found 3 very helpful on line learning aids. Coffee Break Spanish is on my IPod & has been mentioned before.

"Mi Vida Loca" is a 20 lesson interactive program on the BBC website. Thanks to another forum member for posting it. Search this forum for the link as it excapes me at the moment.

Recently, I also found "Learn Spanish, Word Power 101" on my Ipad. It's free through IBooks, so I think it would be available to anyone with an I-anything - pod,pad, phone.

We fly April 16th and will walk from Roncesvalles.

Buen Camino!

Thank you. Very useful in finding some tools for learning Spanish.
Buen Camino!

 

[WycombeMan]

I have no aptitude for languages, I attended a welsh language school and 20 years on I can't remember a single sentence, I attended classes at a local university and studied French, German and Italian yet all I can say are an order for a ham, cheese and salad baguette and a beer, I can remember all sorts of useless knowledge but I will simply forget what I have learnt in another language within minute's, so I will do what i've done in the other 60+ countries ive been to, be polite, smile, use hand gestures and speak English loudly

 

[annakappa]

Before we moved to Costa Rica 18 years ago, I decided that I needed to polish up my Spanish. ( i worked Spain back in 1963). I bought an Assimil course in cassette form and every day, as I drove to and from work, 4 times a day, I simply shoved in the cassette and listened and repeated. It is a course based on a colloquial form. . Just a book with 150 dialogues, the translation and, occasionally an explanation. And it's very economical too. The course was in Castillian Spanish, which I then quickly managed to get rid if the lisp and learn a whole new set if nouns for loads of common items once I arrived in Costa Rica. I learnt Spanish very, very quickly. In less than 6 months. It did help that we speak Italian at home besides English.
Today there are so many courses that you can download from Internet, without going to the expense of buying this Rosetta Stone course, just because it seems to me that it's fashionable. - and expensive!
Something else: to learn a language is like doing a jigsaw puzzle. First you sort out and fit together the border (that's your very basic start to learning your language). Next you start to fill in interesting parts in the puzzle itself, and that will move you ahead a fair bit ( that's you beginning to feel comfortable with the language, so that you can take part in longer conversations - not just asking for a beer). And then comes the nitty-gritty. Filling in the sky, sea and trees ( now you are really fluent and can can take part in anything) that's the joy of truly mastering a language! Anne

 

[xin loi]

Expensive Rosetta Stone? Bought Rosetta Stone for Spanish from Street vendor in Mexico City for $10. Only 3 parts work however. If you want to learn Spanish, try Antigua,Guatemala. One teacher to one student for $90 a week and another $50 for room and board. Beautiful old Spanish town with perfect climate and 3 volcanoes. Probably 90% of students are young European women in their 20's as guys just don't seem interested in learning languages.

 

[Nefeli]

Hi! I ve found this method and it works pretty good for me! check it out!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/mividaloca/

 

[jgore555]

There is a free app called duolingo which is fun and easy to use. Starts off with the basic phrases and becomes more complicate as you progress through the levels. I'd recommend it because it's free and easy to use whenever you have free time.

 

[jimmy3seats]

There is no doubt that it is very useful, if not essential, to speak at least a bit of Spanish when undertaking the Camino. However it does take time to learn a foreign language and most of us are short of time. However it is not too difficult, or time consuming, to learn just enough to get by.
I have a friend who over 50 years has cycled in many countries of the world and has done that, learned just enough of various languages to get by. These include Spanish, French, German, Polish and even Japanese!
From experience he has learned that you can get by with about 150 phrases. He starts with a phrase book which includes phonetic pronounciations. He recommends the combined phrase book/dictionary by Berlitz, but there are others. From this he writes up the 150 most useful phrases onto flash cards, and then starts to learn and practise them. This way you only have to learn a minimum of words/phrases, those which are most likely to be of use during your trip.
There are some phrases which will not appear in your phrase book, for example:
Please can you stamp my credencial - Por favor, puede usted sellar mi credencial.
And instead of asking if there are rooms free, at a hostal you will be asking for a vacant bunk bed.
But you get the idea, it just needs a bit of thought and adaption!
So perhaps it would be useful to set up a pilgrims crash course of 150 useful phrases. So to start the ball rolling, any suggestions for inclusion is what should go into the top 20 most useful phrases? Are there any phrases that you want to know, or wish that you had known?

G

 

[Jason Loke]

Learn some on Youtube. The channel "Butterfly Spanish" is very interesting.

 

[JanetEllen]

I have used Duolingo, but have found Google Translate app to be much easier.

 

[Owen]

There is no doubt that it is very useful, if not essential, to speak at least a bit of Spanish when undertaking the Camino. However it does take time to learn a foreign language and most of us are short of time. However it is not too difficult, or time consuming, to learn just enough to get by.
I have a friend who over 50 years has cycled in many countries of the world and has done that, learned just enough of various languages to get by. These include Spanish, French, German, Polish and even Japanese!
From experience he has learned that you can get by with about 150 phrases. He starts with a phrase book which includes phonetic pronounciations. He recommends the combined phrase book/dictionary by Berlitz, but there are others. From this he writes up the 150 most useful phrases onto flash cards, and then starts to learn and practise them. This way you only have to learn a minimum of words/phrases, those which are most likely to be of use during your trip.
There are some phrases which will not appear in your phrase book, for example:
Please can you stamp my credencial - Por favor, puede usted sellar mi credencial.
And instead of asking if there are rooms free, at a hostal you will be asking for a vacant bunk bed.
But you get the idea, it just needs a bit of thought and adaption!
So perhaps it would be useful to set up a pilgrims crash course of 150 useful phrases. So to start the ball rolling, any suggestions for inclusion is what should go into the top 20 most useful phrases? Are there any phrases that you want to know, or wish that you had known?

Ayudame for favor - help me please
Estoy perdido - I'm lost
Disculpe - sorry
Perdon - excuse me
Adelante/con permiso - go ahead
Gracias - thank you
Donde estan los banos / servicios / aseos = where are the washrooms
Donde esta...where is /

 

[Kmac]

What a great topic this is One might also try the language courses by Michel Thomas. I haven't tried the Spanish course yet (I'm off to my first Camino in a few weeks, starting in France, so there's no need to learn Spanish yet), but I'm currently practicing with his French course it's great. I've put it on a mp3-player, and I listen to it while training for my Camino He has quite a particular way of teaching a language. I really like it because there is no memorizing (memorizing is forbidden!), he really lets you "play" with the language making it fun, and insists you have to be relaxed while listening to it -since you cannot learn if you're not relaxed.

I'll be heading to St. Jean Pied de Port on Oct. 2 (my 56th birthday!) to begin my first attempt at the Camino. Trying to learn enough Spanish to get by. Have enjoyed this thread immensely! I have been trying Michel Thomas' course and do find it fun and great for pronunciation. My son used Thomas' French course to great success, but this method just doesn't stick with me. I'm now using Duolingo. It combines various methods of learning (spoken, written, pictures), more likely to hit whatever your learning style is, where Thomas uses only the spoken language. Seems to work great for some - I need to see rather than just hear.
I've enjoyed the discussion of how English speakers are so reticent about learning another language. Being Canadian, I couldn't agree more - since English is so widely used, we've been able to be lazy! And we've been deluding ourselves that English is such a hard language to learn! Our nouns are not masculine or feminine - and clearly there are just as many irregular verbs in other languages. Spanish is fun tho, I think I'm getting it! Thanks for all the help here!
My favourite phrase is going to be "Por favour, puede ayudar-me, estoy perdido! (hope I got that right!)
Buen Camino!

 

[pilgrim b]

There is an app called "say hi "you speak in your native tongue and it repeats when you prompt it into Spanish not only that but it gives you a written copy of both languages on your iPod /iPad / iPhone screen.
I think it is brilliant to learn and to communicate with. All for less than two British pounds from apple App Store.

 

[vvg]

HELP!
Always be polite, e.g. start off with Buenos dias/Buenas tardes and don’t forget the please and thank you. Then the most important phrase to learn is “Please, do you speak English?” - Por favour,habla ingles?
If the answer is “Yes”, then problem solved! However the reply might be “No. Lo siento, no habla ingles” - No, sorry I do not speak English.
A tip. Younger people are more likely to speak/understand some English than older a people. Also if you ask a group (two or more) you increase the chance of one of them speaking English.
Spanish is spoken quickly with words joined together, making it difficult to understand, so next you need to slow them down. “Mas despacio por favour” – more slowly please!
So your next must know phrase is “I understand a little Spanish if you speak very slowly please” – Yo comprendo un poco español si usted habla muy despacio por favor.
Some other useful phrases:
Can you (are you able to) help me please? – Puede ayudar-me por favor?
Please, can you tell me where(is) the pilgrims hostel? – Por favor,puede decir-me donde está el aubergue des peregrinos?
Where is the nearest (most near) pharmacy? – Donde está la pharmacia mas cercana?
I have a blister, do you have an ointment (antiseptic cream) for the foot please?
Tengo una ampolia, tiene una pomada (una crema antiséptico) para el pie, por favor.
Hope these suggestions gets some more from you experienced pilgrims.

 

[Al the optimist]

I have the free Jibbigo app on my Android if I need it. Works offline (essential function). You can type in either language. It will type the translation. You can get it to speak either text. If you speak it will convert that to text, translate it and display both and you can get it to speak the texts. Sufficient for the Camino needs of anyone who knows no Spanish. You can create a library of common sentences which you can display or get it to speak.

 

[CaminoMatto]

I must admit, languages, grammer, vocabulary and the like have always been my achilles heel. In highschool (being ignorant) I always made it a point to pay an extra special lack of attention in language classes, kicking my feet up and laughing "I'll never use this!!"
In preparation for my January camino I have been tackling the Duolingo Spanish course with gutso and reading every spanish language book I can get my hands on.
When I was a kid I spent lots of time in Mexico with my family, usually several months out of each year and I do remember taking spanish lessons with a tutor, but over the last twenty years much of what I learned has vanished, hopefully there is some distant knowledge lingering that can be saved!
Once again this forum has been invaluable, if not for this thread I would have had no clue about the various translation apps, programs etc.

 

[Tokku]

Glad i can get a little Spanish in before my Camino starts in Spring 2015. This has been a very helpful thread.
Buen Camino

 

[bystander]

Stuck in a room in hospital on my own I am taking advantage of the opportunity to work my way through the wonderful Duolingo.
On my iPhone and iPad I have Jibbigo plus Translate and lastly the Collins Spanish-English dictionary.
At school I studied Spanish in a desultory fashion until the age of 15.
In my 30s I spent some months in Chile and picked up some idiosyncratic and colloquial Spanish there.
More recently I did the full Michel Thomas course.
But as I have said before, the language that has helped me most in learning Spanish has been my schooldays Latin.

 

[Spreckel]

HELP!
Always be polite, e.g. start off with Buenos dias/Buenas tardes and don’t forget the please and thank you. Then the most important phrase to learn is “Please, do you speak English?” - Por favour,habla ingles?
If the answer is “Yes”, then problem solved! However the reply might be “No. Lo siento, no habla ingles” - No, sorry I do not speak English.
A tip. Younger people are more likely to speak/understand some English than older a people. Also if you ask a group (two or more) you increase the chance of one of them speaking English.
Spanish is spoken quickly with words joined together, making it difficult to understand, so next you need to slow them down. “Mas despacio por favour” – more slowly please!
So your next must know phrase is “I understand a little Spanish if you speak very slowly please” – Yo comprendo un poco español si usted habla muy despacio por favor.
Some other useful phrases:
Can you (are you able to) help me please? – Puede ayudar-me por favor?
Please, can you tell me where(is) the pilgrims hostel? – Por favor,puede decir-me donde está el aubergue des peregrinos?
Where is the nearest (most near) pharmacy? – Donde está la pharmacia mas cercana?
I have a blister, do you have an ointment (antiseptic cream) for the foot please?
Tengo una ampolia, tiene una pomada (una crema antiséptico) para el pie, por favor.
Hope these suggestions gets some more from you experienced pilgrims.

We are first-time pilgrims walking the Camino Frances in March. I'm trying to decide on the most useful traveling Spanish phrase book. Do you have a suggestion? This post is very helpful - thank you!

 

[pilgrim b]

Hi Spreckel try this app it costs less than a phrase book and I find it very helpful why not try it it worth a try:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sayhi-translate/id437818260?mt=8

happy planning and Beun Camino pilgrim

 

[Spreckel]

Hi Spreckel try this app it costs less than a phrase book and I find it very helpful why not try it it worth a try:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sayhi-translate/id437818260?mt=8

happy planning and Beun Camino pilgrim

THANK YOU - I will give this a try!!

 

[Robo]

Why are Brits so poor at speaking foreign languages? Are we too shy or embarrassed to try, or too lazy to learn, or perhaps too dim?
.

Being a Brit originally I don't think we are actually that bad at languages. We all learn (or used to) a bit of French at School. Over the years I have picked up a bit of 'tourist' German and Thai. I think it's more a question of attitude. And living on the 'edge' of Europe there is so much opportunity to practice.

If you think the Brits are bad at languages, you obviously haven't met many Australians! Sorry fellow Aussies, but you know it's true....

I guess it comes from living half a World away from anywhere else

Of course we have Aussies who are highly proficient at foreign languages, but then most native English speakers don't understand them anyway

 

[Pelegrin]

Being a Brit originally I don't think we are actually that bad at languages. We all learn (or used to) a bit of French at School. Over the years I have picked up a bit of 'tourist' German and Thai. I think it's more a question of attitude. And living on the 'edge' of Europe there is so much opportunity to practice.

If you think the Brits are bad at languages, you obviously haven't met many Australians! Sorry fellow Aussies, but you know it's true....

I guess it comes from living half a World away from anywhere else

Of course we have Aussies who are highly proficient at foreign languages, but then most native English speakers don't understand them anyway

Spaniards (like me) think about themselves that are very bad in foreign languages too, but I think that is not a matter of origin . If you want to have a good command in other language you have to study a lot and devote a mínimum of hours to that language.

 

[newfydog]

Here's an excellent video for some comic relief. Rich and bigoted women, learning Spanish to speak to their nannies. Caution, adult content, with some obscenities which might or might not be good to know.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Here's an excellent video for some comic relief. Rich and bigoted women, learning Spanish to speak to their nannies. Caution, adult content, with some obscenities which might or might not be good to know.

Ah newfy - I haven't laughed so much in 5 years. The teacher was fan(bloody)tastic. Cheers

 

[newfydog]

Thanks St.M. I was worried about posting something so far below the level of taste and respectability Ivar maintains in this fine forum, but hoped with a disclaimer some would find a laugh.

 

[Johan]

Hi Luke90! See if you can get hold of Sylvia Nilsen's new book on Camino Spanish. Also try to develop a friendly swagger for when you enter any kind of establishment to demonstrate not only your language skills, but that you have 'cojones'. Buen Camino!

I got this book from her. It helped me alot!

HI even met her on the Camino and had the book signed by her.
Johan

 

[Georgina77]

I am going the end of June and have been doing Duolingo You just need to google it and it is a very good way to learn

 

[Peregrinopaul]

Sorry Annie - I was using Castellano. And your English is excellent...when we had dinner you only became incoherent after the second bottle of brandy.

JohnnieWalker, you're on a roll! I guess if I want to meet you in Santiago, I'll just follow the laughter.

 

[Ann O]

There is no doubt that it is very useful, if not essential, to speak at least a bit of Spanish when undertaking the Camino. However it does take time to learn a foreign language and most of us are short of time. However it is not too difficult, or time consuming, to learn just enough to get by.
I have a friend who over 50 years has cycled in many countries of the world and has done that, learned just enough of various languages to get by. These include Spanish, French, German, Polish and even Japanese!
From experience he has learned that you can get by with about 150 phrases. He starts with a phrase book which includes phonetic pronounciations. He recommends the combined phrase book/dictionary by Berlitz, but there are others. From this he writes up the 150 most useful phrases onto flash cards, and then starts to learn and practise them. This way you only have to learn a minimum of words/phrases, those which are most likely to be of use during your trip.
There are some phrases which will not appear in your phrase book, for example:
Please can you stamp my credencial - Por favor, puede usted sellar mi credencial.
And instead of asking if there are rooms free, at a hostal you will be asking for a vacant bunk bed.
But you get the idea, it just needs a bit of thought and adaption!
So perhaps it would be useful to set up a pilgrims crash course of 150 useful phrases. So to start the ball rolling, any suggestions for inclusion is what should go into the top 20 most useful phrases? Are there any phrases that you want to know, or wish that you had known?

I think that would be a great idea. Would you or anyone reading this know of a good free phrase / dictionary app English to Spanish, one that can be down loaded and used off line. Am I looking for something that dosen't exist??

I will think of phrases though and get back on here with them for your help. I don't speak Spanish or Galician. I'm doing Santiago Finisterre Muxia and I'm wondering if the Galician people are ok with tourists not trying to speak their language and trying to speak Spanish very badly . Now an off line phrase app would be magic

 

[Biff]

"Dos cervezas y un paquete de patatas fritas por favor"
"Podría pasar la salsa marrón, por favor"

is about my limit. The latter would probably get me deported, but any true Englishman would know what Brown Sauce is

Biff

 

[Ann O]

On to it, thanks so much, or should I say Muchas gracias

 

[Ann O]

"Dos cervezas y un paquete de patatas fritas por favor"
"Podría pasar la salsa marrón, por favor"

is about my limit. The latter would probably get me deported, but any true Englishman would know what Brown Sauce is

Biff

latAs I don't have a word of Spanish yet...I know I'm leaving it very late. Anyway I had to google your phrases and the second one translated "It could go brown sauce, please" Is the beer that bad ;-)

 

[Pelegrin]

I think that would be a great idea. Would you or anyone reading this know of a good free phrase / dictionary app English to Spanish, one that can be down loaded and used off line. Am I looking for something that dosen't exist??

I will think of phrases though and get back on here with them for your help. I don't speak Spanish or Galician. I'm doing Santiago Finisterre Muxia and I'm wondering if the Galician people are ok with tourists not trying to speak their language and trying to speak Spanish very badly . Now an off line phrase app would be magic

In Fisterra and Muxia where most people speak Galician if you say "Muchas Gracias" it would be nice for them but if you say "Moitas Gracias" (Galician) then it good be much nicer .

 

[Biff]

latAs I don't have a word of Spanish yet...I know I'm leaving it very late. Anyway I had to google your phrases and the second one translated "It could go brown sauce, please" Is the beer that bad ;-)

Mmmmmm - never thought of drinking Brown Sauce. The beer in Galicia is quite good - always a pleasure at the end of a days walk. Just avoid 'San Miguel'.
The phrase is supposed to translate as "Could you pass the Brown Sauce, please". Probably needs a bit of work .....


... not that I ever saw any in Spain. Heathens!!

Biff

 

[movinmaggie]

There is no doubt that it is very useful, if not essential, to speak at least a bit of Spanish when undertaking the Camino. However it does take time to learn a foreign language and most of us are short of time. However it is not too difficult, or time consuming, to learn just enough to get by.
I have a friend who over 50 years has cycled in many countries of the world and has done that, learned just enough of various languages to get by. These include Spanish, French, German, Polish and even Japanese!
From experience he has learned that you can get by with about 150 phrases. He starts with a phrase book which includes phonetic pronounciations. He recommends the combined phrase book/dictionary by Berlitz, but there are others. From this he writes up the 150 most useful phrases onto flash cards, and then starts to learn and practise them. This way you only have to learn a minimum of words/phrases, those which are most likely to be of use during your trip.
There are some phrases which will not appear in your phrase book, for example:
Please can you stamp my credencial - Por favor, puede usted sellar mi credencial.
And instead of asking if there are rooms free, at a hostal you will be asking for a vacant bunk bed.
But you get the idea, it just needs a bit of thought and adaption!
So perhaps it would be useful to set up a pilgrims crash course of 150 useful phrases. So to start the ball rolling, any suggestions for inclusion is what should go into the top 20 most useful phrases? Are there any phrases that you want to know, or wish that you had known?

When I am a guest in someone's country, I definitely make an effort to at least get the basics, and then some. You can also try Duo Lingo on line. I've been using it since May….

 

[SafariGirl]

I'm busy compiling my own list of common words and phrases and trying to memorise them before I set off - a bit 'last minute' I know, but better than nothing in my book. At least it will show willing on my part

 

[movinmaggie]

I'm busy compiling my own list of common words and phrases and trying to memorise them before I set off - a bit 'last minute' I know, but better than nothing in my book. At least it will show willing on my part

Hi Safari girl…good on you. Even thought I've recorded over 500 words, putting them together is the true test:>) We will both be at Beilari I think on the 24th? Hope to get together.

 

[SafariGirl]

Hi Safari girl…good on you. Even thought I've recorded over 500 words, putting them together is the true test:>) We will both be at Beilari I think on the 24th? Hope to get together.

Hi Maggie, I think I sent you a message in response to your post about Beilari (but can't be sure...I've not really mastered the forum as yet!).
Really looking forward to meeting up with you in person.
All the best
Michele

 

[Nanumea]

This is really useful for those who speak English as their native language: Complete Spanish, Language Transfer, The Thinking Method (A free audio language course that focuses on learning Spanish based on the similarities between English and Spanish. At least in the beginning. You can start listening to it even if you don't speak a single word of Spanish and by the end of the course you can have basic conversations in Spanish. It's very practical.)

I have found Duolingo a nice way to practise my Spanish. I have been studying Spanish pretty much every day for two years now. I know the grammar, but my problem is that the natives speak super fast and with accents that I don't understand. So I try to watch videos in Spanish and just try to listen spoken Spanish as much as possible. I like especially the Camino documentaries and packing list videos ("Que llevar en la mochila para el Camino de Santiago"). They (especially the youtube-packing list videos) teach you useful Camino vocabulary.

 

[JennyH94]

This is really useful for those who speak English as their native language: Complete Spanish, Language Transfer, The Thinking Method (A free audio language course that focuses on learning Spanish based on the similarities between English and Spanish. At least in the beginning. You can start listening to it even if you don't speak a single word of Spanish and by the end of the course you can have basic conversations in Spanish. It's very practical.)

I have found Duolingo a nice way to practise my Spanish. I have been studying Spanish pretty much every day for two years now. I know the grammar, but my problem is that the natives speak super fast and with accents that I don't understand. So I try to watch videos in Spanish and just try to listen spoken Spanish as much as possible. I like especially the Camino documentaries and packing list videos ("Que llevar en la mochila para el Camino de Santiago"). They (especially the youtube-packing list videos) teach you useful Camino vocabulary.

Hi Nanumea - Thanks for sharing the Complete Spanish tuition videos. I've just listened to the first session - Tape 2 - and it's great. I really like the conversational style.
I like Duolingo too - very useful.
Cheers - Jenny

 

[Lachance]

Yes, it's one thing learning to repeat the slowly and carefully enunciated examples in Spanish lessons. That helps in making yourself understood to a Spanish speaker. It's no help at all in understanding what's said back in rapid colloquial español. IMO, most important Spanish line to get off pat is 'puede repetir/hablar más despacio por favor'.

 

[SYates]

Yes, it's one thing learning to repeat the slowly and carefully enunciated examples in Spanish lessons. That helps in making yourself understood to a Spanish speaker. It's no help at all in understanding what's said back in rapid colloquial español. IMO, most important Spanish line to get off pat is 'puede repetir/hablar más despacio por favor'.

Which reminds me of a story Sor Ana Maria, the Benedictine hospitalera-nun in Leon told me ones. She said that when she visits her family at home they all complain that she speaks too slowly ;-) She said working since decades with foreign pilgrims and hospitaler@s does that to a Spanish person ;-) Buen Camino, SY

 

[Nanumea]

Yes, it's one thing learning to repeat the slowly and carefully enunciated examples in Spanish lessons. That helps in making yourself understood to a Spanish speaker. It's no help at all in understanding what's said back in rapid colloquial español. IMO, most important Spanish line to get off pat is 'puede repetir/hablar más despacio por favor'.

This is so true! That's why I recommend listening as much Spanish as possible, not just the schoolbook-type but the type of the language that native speakers normally speak. I've found telenovelas and youtube-vlogs very useful. Even if you don't know all of the vocabulary, you still get used to the rhythm of the language (and that is quick).

 

[Lmsundaze]

Speaking of telenovelas, just watched La Reina del Sur, loved it and good Spanish listening practice.

 

[Rob the Slob]

I've recently been brushihg up my Spanish using Duolingo, and although it's going quite well I'm getting rather frustrated about the lack of relevant vocabulary. By the time I get to Spain my diet will be limited to bread, milk and water, and if I want to discuss the local wildlife I'd better hope there are elephants and penguins along the route.

I think that we've come a long way in language tuition since the 80s when I was at school, but when I'm faced with learning "newspaper" and "letter" in the first few lessons, not to mention "elephant" and "penguin", I wonder whether the people who put these courses together think about what the students are hoping to achieve.

(When I was learning German at school, the very first word in the very first vocabulary lesson was "der Tischtennisverein" -- the table tennis club. As a friend of mine said, if you never lear another word of German, obviously that's the one they want you to know.)

 

[Lmsundaze]

I have been using an online site babble.com to review Spanish. It isn't free but you can try it for free. I especially like it because I studied Spanish in Mexico and the Spanish accent sounds a lot different and it is very good for hearing what spoken language sounds like in Spain. Quite a bit of vocabulary, some good explanations of some grammar things. (In Mexico the second person plural is not used, glad to understand the "vosotros.") Fun to practice spanish while waiting for the camino -- 45 days to go!

 

[Walli Walker]

I agree, Rob the Slob, do we really need to be able to say "The elephants have eaten all the strawberries"???

 

[Pelegrin]

I have been using an online site babble.com to review Spanish. It isn't free but you can try it for free. I especially like it because I studied Spanish in Mexico and the Spanish accent sounds a lot different and it is very good for hearing what spoken language sounds like in Spain. Quite a bit of vocabulary, some good explanations of some grammar things. (In Mexico the second person plural is not used, glad to understand the "vosotros.") Fun to practice spanish while waiting for the camino -- 45 days to go!

In Spain there are several accents.

The most important are:

Castilian (which is the normative)
Catalan
Basque
Aragones
Andalucian
Galician
Asturian
Canary Islands.

They are quite different from each other.

 

[Rob the Slob]

Yesterday's lesson in Duolingo was about professions. Apparently Duolingo users need to know "colonel", "poet" and "secretary to the king". After a while there were some more practical jobs, like "baker" and "waiter", but nothing along the lines of "data processor", "helpdesk support" or even (given the previous emphasis on elephants, penguins and lions) "zoo keeper".

 

[Lachance]

Yesterday's lesson in Duolingo was about professions. Apparently Duolingo users need to know "colonel", "poet" and "secretary to the king". After a while there were some more practical jobs, like "baker" and "waiter", but nothing along the lines of "data processor", "helpdesk support" or even (given the previous emphasis on elephants, penguins and lions) "zoo keeper".

Especially surprising to see it in a new-fangled language 'app'. Sounds like they're borrowing from old, i.e. out of copyright, sources. You gets what you pays for.

There are a few courses that purport to specialise in 'cool' modern Spanish, but age inappropriate. I'm too old to be 'cool' even in English.

 

[Rob the Slob]

Especially surprising to see it in a new-fangled language 'app'. Sounds like they're borrowing from old, i.e. out of copyright, sources.

You're probably right. Still, it makes you wonder just how out of touch language trainers are, and have always been. Actually, a few years ago I did a proper Spanish course, with classes and homework and everything, and it was much more useful in terms of dialogue and terminology. I don't think the word "penguin" came up once.

(By the way, I just use the online version of Duolingo. I was going to install the app, but a message popped up saying that it would access (among other things) my photos. Maybe that's where the program gets the various pictures where you have to select "the king" or "the sandwich" from one of three options.)

 

[Alison Chandler]

There is no doubt that it is very useful, if not essential, to speak at least a bit of Spanish when undertaking the Camino. However it does take time to learn a foreign language and most of us are short of time. However it is not too difficult, or time consuming, to learn just enough to get by.
I have a friend who over 50 years has cycled in many countries of the world and has done that, learned just enough of various languages to get by. These include Spanish, French, German, Polish and even Japanese!
From experience he has learned that you can get by with about 150 phrases. He starts with a phrase book which includes phonetic pronounciations. He recommends the combined phrase book/dictionary by Berlitz, but there are others. From this he writes up the 150 most useful phrases onto flash cards, and then starts to learn and practise them. This way you only have to learn a minimum of words/phrases, those which are most likely to be of use during your trip.
There are some phrases which will not appear in your phrase book, for example:
Please can you stamp my credencial - Por favor, puede usted sellar mi credencial.
And instead of asking if there are rooms free, at a hostal you will be asking for a vacant bunk bed.
But you get the idea, it just needs a bit of thought and adaption!
So perhaps it would be useful to set up a pilgrims crash course of 150 useful phrases. So to start the ball rolling, any suggestions for inclusion is what should go into the top 20 most useful phrases? Are there any phrases that you want to know, or wish that you had known?

I have a little bugbear you have prompted me to share. Glad to see you mention pronunciation. There is absolutely no point for travelling purposes anyway in learning vocabulary and phrases from a book and not bothering to learn how to say them correctly or how they will sound to your ear when others reply. And with Spanish there really is no excuse. Unlike English and French it is consistent and without silent letters (though as in every language people can get sloppy in every day speak and regional accents have their impact too_. So my plea is that we learn not just the phrases but the pronunciation. To kick off:
puede = po-EH-theh - d's between vowels are soft. most words without written accents have the stress on the second last syllable. e's are somewhere between a short e as in the English end and ay as in way.
usted = oo-stEHTH = d's at the end of words are soft. words ending in d have the stress at the end syllable.
sellar=seh-lyAR - ll is a separate letter pronounced by making an l then moving into a y. words ending in r have the stress at the end syllable.
credencial = kre-den-thee-AL. c before an i or e is soft. words ending in l have the stresss in the end syllable.

 

[Lachance]

Umm, h is silent

 

[Alison Chandler]

Umm, h is silent

basically yes

 

[Lachance]

basically yes

'Basically'?

 

[Lmsundaze]

Exceptions: The words where the h is pronounced? Apparently the only such word that is recognized by the Royal Spanish Academy as fully Spanish is hámster, a cognate of the English word for "hamster," although it came to Spanish by way of German. It is pronounced much as it is in German or English, as if it were spelled jámster.

Other imported words, listed by the Academy as foreign or not listed at all, in which native speakers often pronounce the h include hockey (not to be confused with jockey), hobby (plural usually hobbys), Hong Kong (and some other place names), hacker and hit (baseball term or a major success).

Also, jalar and halar (to pull) are often used synonymously, and in some regions it is common to pronounce jalar even while writing halar.

Not imagining to encounter many hámsters

 

[Walli Walker]

Spanish hamsters??? Brings to mind 'Fawlty Towers'!!!

 

[domigee]

Yes of course prononciation is important but if you're a new learner, I'd say don't overfret about it, just say it and see what happens
What matters is to be understood by a 'sympathetic' native speaker. You learn by practising/using the language, over and over again. Just worrying about 'am I pronouncing correctly' and ending up saying nothing 'in case it's wrong' isn't the answer Just go for it !
Chances are the people you're talking to will correct you (by just repeating) and THAT is more likely to stick. (Imo anyway!)

PS: you can learn to pronounce say...'pescado' absolutely perfectly (soft d etc) and find the locals say what seems a different word altogether ie : peca'o
And your perfect 'buenas tardes' is cheerfully answered by : 'buena'!