Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish

I loved reading this book! Wish Keenan had more titles to choose from, as he is a very engaging author!

Well, I think a lot of people have said it, so I will keep it brief. I wish there was an index. There is a lot of English explaining and no exercises or memorization drills, so the information is just thrown out there. There is a LOT of information and good tips on when and how to use things, and it's very readable. Maybe some day they will add an index???

After entering a rather discouraging stage in my attempt to learn Spanish, I picked up my copy of BREAKING OUT OF BEGINNER'S SPANISH, once again. It is still, as it was when I first read it years ago, amazing! The author has a knack for talking to us, almost individually, and I get the sense that he actually understands my personal struggles with learning Spanish. As such, the book has taken me out of my phase, and I am reinvigorated. I have bought lots of books on learning Spanish, but this is most certainly my most valued. I won't even lend it to anyone, for fear that it will be lost.

One favorite part, on this re-read, is from the introduction, pages 5-6: Joseph Keenan writes:

"It took me 10 years to reach a level that I am still reluctant to call 'fluency'--though friends, family...are easily wowed by my prowess. Even kind-hearted native-speakers will tell me that I have 'no accent'.... But deep down I know better. I still make little mistakes, even frequently when tired or in a hurry....I'm fluent enough for most purposes, but I know there's a next level, and I'm striving to get there."

I, too, live in Mexico, and am surprised that so many of my fellow ex-pats do not understand this "next level" idea.

Thanks so much, Mr. Keenan.

Alinde OMalley

This is the bridge from classroom spanish to Real World spanish. Spanish teachers should take a cue from Mr. Keenan and add this to their intermediate spanish curriculum.

This is James from James Spanish (the learning Spanish blog). Most students get disheartened at some stage of their learning. For many, they reach a plateau just after the basics when they struggle to move to the next level. After the initial introductory phrases, words and verbs have been learned it can be tough to push yourself to keep learning.

This book does a wonderful job of highlighting the most common stumbling blocks encountered by new Spanish students, and then provides help in getting over them.

Written in a friendly and information tone, the book is accessible to everyone, never sounding condescending and always offering encouragement to the learner. The text is lively and fun to read, revealing some of the `secrets' of the Spanish language, such as why everything seems reversed, and the difference between some common words.

You will even learn some Spanish `filler' words to use in place of the typical English `um' or `er' while you are searching for the right word.

This is just one of the lessons that are included in the book which can help you to feel more confident in speaking every day Spanish in real life situations. The book allows you to take your studies and use them in a practical and meaningful way.

Each lesson is delivered in short, manageable chunks so that you don't feel overwhelmed. This format is also great for students with short attention spans or who have difficulty concentrating on challenging topics.

As well as useful grammar and vocabulary topics, the book also deals with some fun subjects such as culture which all add to the enjoyment of the text. Reading it feels less like learning or studying and more like discovering extra ways to enjoy learning Spanish.

And if you are still frustrated, then the chapter on how to swear and curse in Spanish might come in handy! If nothing else it is a light hearted look at how, despite the differences in language we are all alike, with the same need to express ourselves.

There is an emphasis on moving you outside of the classroom, and taking your knowledge into a practical environment. After all, do you want to be able to read Spanish newspapers or be able to chat to the man selling them? This book helps to bridge the gap between academic studies of grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure and verbs and the desire to put that knowledge to use by communicating with Spanish speakers.

The book also offers tips on learning as well as suggesting the best vocabulary and verbs to study to help you feel more confident in your Spanish.

In closing my review of this product, I'd like to share with you the three Amazon products that I have found most helpful in my pursuit to learn Spanish. If you are truly serious about achieving fluency, I'd recommend getting all 3 of them if you can afford it.

1. Lights, Camera, Spanish (Book + DVD): Learn Conversational Spanish by Watching a Romantic Adventure This is actually a 90 minute movie for Spanish-language learners. It gives the option to watch the movie with subtitles but I'd recommend not using them to improve your Spanish. This "movie" also includes a workbook so that you can reinforce the Spanish vocabulary words and phrases from the film. The workbook also has lots of exercises to keep you engaged in the film. But be prepared to hear Chilean accents. Although pleasent to the ear, the accents from Chile are very different from most Latin American accents.

2. Verbarrator Version 1.1 (Windows Version) This software replaces the traditional verb conjugation books and makes learning how to conjugate Spanish verbs an interactive and fun activity. This should be a required resource for anyone who wants to improve their ability to conjugate Spanish verbs. Especially anyone who is challenged by the drudgery of learning how to conjugate Spanish verbs and who is looking for a new way to make learning how to conjugate Spanish verbs an easy and fun activity

3. Diccionario esencial de la lengua espanola de la Real Academia Espanola (Spanish Edition) If you are really serious about speaking the language fluently, then at some point you will need to replace your Spanish-English dictionary and get a pure Spanish dictionary with both the vocabulary words and the definitions entirely in Spanish. I use this one only because it was highly-recommended by a friend from Spain who teaches Spanish.