Speaking Spanish Helpful?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Do you find that speaking Spanish is helpful in your job? I am considering starting to learn it on my own (have been for quite awhile) and was wondering if all of you here think it would be useful or just a waste of time?

Thanks....if all else fails, I always have DH! LOL! And at some point, I know I am going to have to learn Spanish for the medical profession, specifically.

this is exactly why i am spending 2 months in mexico this summer before starting nursing school.

There are a variety of "exchange" and "live in country" programs.

I would choose to go through one through a college or a university rather than one that is a profit-making venture. If you want to spend a few months in beautiful Monterey California, it is boasting itself as the "language learning capital of the world."--so there may be some intensive courses you can take there.

heart

Specializes in OB, lactation.

Another tip for starting Spanish:

Sounds obvious, but learn the alphabet and the sound that each letter makes first thing, and don't forget it. That is one of the easy things about Spanish- each letter really only has one sound so once you have the alphabet down you can sound out anything even from the very beginning if you do it this way!!!

You can't argue the benefits of knowing spanish in the US today, but it doesn't seem fair to be forced into learning someone elses native language when they are the ones immigrating over here. I learned a foreign language in high school, but while my whole family wanted me to take spanish because of how 'useful' it would be, I never wanted to learn it. Its an ugly language to me, I have no want to learn it...and when you don't want to learn something you usually don't. I picked french, not quite as useful, but it was fun for me. If someone wants to look down on me in the future for not speaking spanish that's fine, I'll just continually wonder why they won't learn english.

I am very offended for the way you speak about the spanish language. I think that no language is ugly. That has been one of the most ignorant things I have ever heard.

Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
ooooh guys, I'm just getting tingly thinking about dh and I being able to speak spanish to each other and not have the kids know what we are talking about! LOL! Fun...guess I'd better get learning! Anyone know of any good starter websites?

Reminds me of when I was a teenager and my mother used to read my diaries to find out what I was up to........I started writing in Spanish to throw her off, because she didn't speak the language despite having grown up in California and Texas. One day I came home from school and caught her, my diary in one hand and a Spanish-English dictionary in the other......we had a looooooong talk about trust after THAT incident. :stone

I've always loved the language myself, it's romantic and mellifluous, almost musical, IMO. I even used to go to the Spanish Mass at our church when we lived in California.....the words of the responses, as well as the songs, are even more spiritually uplifting to me when done in Spanish. I don't speak it anywhere near as well as I read and write it, but the language has always been part of me, la lengua de mi corazon.

I am very offended for the way you speak about the spanish language. I think that no language is ugly. That has been one of the most ignorant things I have ever heard.

Well thats your opinion, I just find it ugly. I don't think thats ignorant, its just a matter of opinion. Was that not politically correct enough for you? I have nothing against hispanics, I just don't like the spanish language and I never wanted to learn it. I find other languages ugly too...I think gaelic is ugly and I'm irish.

Well thats your opinion, I just find it ugly. I don't think thats ignorant, its just a matter of opinion. Was that not politically correct enough for you? I have nothing against hispanics, I just don't like the spanish language and I never wanted to learn it. I find other languages ugly too...I think gaelic is ugly and I'm irish.

Ok. That is your opinion, you are right. I am just giving you my opinion of the situation. I love languages and I just can see how someone can not find it beutiful. Language is a part of our culture. I have friends who speak different languages and they have the prettiest accents. As a matter of fact the US is not the only country that have people who speak diffenrent languages, it is all over the world. Do you think that people in the caribbean do not have to learn how to speak english as well as we need to learn different languages. This goverment made it so that this is a land were many come from different countries. This country becomes there home just like it became your ancestors' home. That is one thing that I love about this country it is a "melting pot." One more thing I believe that the spanish language is going to be more demanding then any language in this country. And you know what where ever you go be prepare to see more of us "HISPANICS" because this is our home. So lets just all get along because "ME CASA ES SU CASA" in english "MY HOME IS YOUR HOME."

I admit, I think some languages sound icky. I don't like the "ch" sound in German. I think it sounds gross, it's much prettier when people pronounce is "sh". It doesn't mean I don't like German speakers, it just means I don't like CH. It's just like taste in music, we all have our own likes and dislikes.

Do you find that speaking Spanish is helpful in your job? I am considering starting to learn it on my own (have been for quite awhile) and was wondering if all of you here think it would be useful or just a waste of time?

I am in agreement with you, I find it very necessary and helpful to be able to speak spanish. I don't know how, but have been in many situations where it was needed. I want to learn also. How do one begin to start to learn?

Ruby! :o

I think, learning spanish is great. I :roll am trying to learn myself. Aside from the fact that its the common language in the south, it's culturally enhacing to learn spanish

Do you find that speaking Spanish is helpful in your job? I am considering starting to learn it on my own (have been for quite awhile) and was wondering if all of you here think it would be useful or just a waste of time?

Depends what state you in if your in a area where their is spanish speaking people then you should learn spanish it wont hurt you to learn another language besides knowing alot languages is cool.

And after THAT, Italien !!! Love Italien.. quite similar to Spanish, only prettier, I think. :)

jnette:

It's ITALIAN, honey.

+ Add a Comment