When learning Spanish there are some peculiarities that generate confusion and difficulty for foreign learners.
Spanish is a broad language with many regional dialects that can be confusing for many learners. They may encounter difficulties when interpreting messages with double meanings or different idiomatic expressions that are used in specific regions. Below is a list of some of the more difficult things you’ll need to grasp when learning Spanish as a second language:
First, there are the verbs ser and estar in Spanish which both mean “to be”. It becomes confusing when learning when to use each one: For example, if you wanted to “I am here”, you would use the verb estar and you would say estoy aquí. If you used ser it would become soy aqui which would sound like you are saying “I am the here” literally meaning that whatever or wherever “here” is, that is what you are. Both verbs have different uses and express different actions, while in English there is only one verb to communicate all the actions of “to be”.
The pronunciation of some of the letters in the alphabet can cause difficulties for students, because many of the sounds typical of Spanish are not present in other languages. For example, the letters r (like in ratón), j (in jugar) and g (in gato) are emphasized in Spanish, while in other languages like English, they are not as emphasized or they have many different pronunciations depending on the surrounding letters.
The letter ñ (like in niño), present in Spanish is considered difficult because its is alphabetically independent. Also, the letters H and Ll sound different in Spanish; While H makes a sound in English, it is completely silent in Spanish. Ll in English is just a longer L sound but in Spanish it makes an emphasized English J sound
The subjunctive mood is a problem that foreigners encounter, especially since in English it is formed by mixing different verb constructions, while Spanish has its own subjunctive mood starting with the particular conjugation of verbs. However, this isn’t as difficult once its used and the correct verb conjugations are identified.
As for writing, Spanish is can be very difficult, since it tends to be more formal and people often use various syntactic resources to imply that they have more advanced knowledge of the language. Some foreigners may have difficulties with writing, but will be able to speak fluently, as well as fully comprehend what is being said when they’re listening to the language.
No matter what challenges lie ahead of learning the language, progress when learning Spanish will always depend on the motivation and drive of the student, as will the way in which they work with their teacher. This makes Mr. Fox Spanish school one of the best options for learning Spanish. At Mr. Fox Spanish school, all lessons are completely personalized, taking into account the interests and goals of every student.
About Mr. Fox
Mr. Fox Spanish School is a space created and developed by native Spanish language professors directly from the heart of the Colombian coffee region: the city of Pereira. All of our teachers are university graduates who are qualified and experienced in teaching the Spanish language and are ready to help you to achieve your language learning goals and learning objectives.
