Advice concerning learning Spanish

on eagles wings, ASN, RN · Jun 13, 2014

Hi! First of all, I wanted to say I really appreciate you for wanting to learn another language. I think it's great when people make this decision as it opens up their world so much!

I am a native spanish speaker although I was born in south Florida. Here either you learn spanish at home or you learn it later. Naturally those who learn spanish here when they get older have an advantage because they can go up to anyone and start practicing, no schooling required.

I have tried picking up other languages, including arabic and Hebrew, and one thing I have found to be helpful is having pen pals. Yes. Very effective. I went on various language exchange sites and became skype buddies. I had a good Turkish pen pal for a very long while and learned quite a bit.

The nice thing it's like talking to a friend here. I suggest you have picked up a little spanish at school, even if it's just greetings like hey how are you etc. that way if your pen pal doesn't speak very good English they can at least chat a bit :)

I had quite a few pen pals. I did this because sometimes one would not write for a while and in the mean time I could chat with another. It depends on you. Maybe you will find a really good one.

Another suggestion is find out if there is a Hispanic association or something in your college. Maybe some of them are native spanish speakers and wouldn't mind giving you a hand.

I also very much suggest using YouTube, Netflix, or prime to watch spanish programs. I do this all the time in Hebrew and Arabic and it helps me immensely. Whenever I get my Arab or Hebrew speaking patients they are so surprised by some of the things I learned to say this is also how my aunt is reinforcing her English, just watching American TV.

Also I suggest pimsleaur audio. Holy cow it's silly how affective that system is. It uses repetition to learn a language.

Well I hope this helps, if you need any kind of help I wouldn't mind, just PM me! Good luck :)

SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS · Jun 13, 2014

Good advice from the above poster- I never thought of Skype.

We have a Spanish language radio station that I have found really helpful, as I can listen to with lots of different voices and natural speech including slang etc. I have also had e-mail pen pals and listened to language recordings on my mp3 player.

claritasd · Jun 13, 2014

I want to second the suggestion of YouTube, radio, and similar stuff in Spanish. I speak 6 languages other than my native (English), and while I've been lucky enough to work on 4 of those 6 in countries where they're spoken, the other two I haven't. Watching videos has been my main way of learning them; and while I don't have anyone to practice with to make sure I'm learning properly, it's certainly better than nothing. You probably won't understand everything in the video even if you've been learning for a while, but that exposure is still really helpful.

Another thing is a program called MemRise. It's available online, and for iPhones (I don't know about other smartphones, never checked). There are TONS of Spanish programs, and MemRise will remind you when it's time to study the material you've covered. It uses repetition (and memory images as needed) to help you remember what you've learned, and you repeat it regularly before and while learning new info. I use it for keeping up on my Portuguese and Russian, since I'm really forgetting them (lack of practice!), and it's been a good program for me.

Nurseeverywhere, CNA, LVN · Jun 13, 2014

I am going to take ASL and I was also wondering how I would be able to keep it once I got it. I didn't even think of YouTube, glad I read this post.

RunBabyRN · Jun 14, 2014

I think it's great you want to study another language! Are there any Spanish-language TV or radio stations? That can be a good way to gain exposure if you can't necessarily converse with others. You can also pick up Spanish books at the library. I pick up children's books (probably a good place to start, really), and I read them aloud to my son (age 5). It's good practice for me!

When I first studied Spanish, I was "fortunate" enough to live in the ghetto in San Diego, and I was taking the bus everywhere, so it was kind of like immersion! :)

la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2014

I have been using Duolingo (it's an app-based learning system but if you don't have an iPad or iPhone they still have a fantastic website you can use -- it's actually more rigorous than the apps) to help me with that -- I can use it anywhere. I also take time to myself when I am alone to think in Spanish and think of ways to say things that are medical-related with what I already know. It's hard for me to talk to people where I live, too, as no one is really fluent anymore around me. So, I use the app as much as I have time for and that has really helped with the repetition. :) Buena suerte!

pmabraham, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2014

Good day everyone:

Thank you so much for your time, help, and input!

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Jun 15, 2014

Where you live it might be more beneficial to learn German!! Just kidding. I lived in Harrisburg for a while and I loved it!! My favorite place to live. My grandparents lived in York and I often traveled to Lancaster to shop. Love that area of the state. I grew up in Altoona. I think learning Spanish would be great. I took 3 years of it in high school and now remember very little because I never used it.

pmabraham, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2014

Hi Heathermaizey:

You are encouraging to those no matter where you live; people are blessed to have you in their lives. The Pennsylvania dutch.. Amish... yes German might make sense. The Amish in our area tend to go the naturopathic route avoiding doctors and nurses more often than not. I was thinking Spanish because Berks County (nearby) has a growing Spanish population, and Lancaster County isn't too far behind.

I'm just trying to figure out now how to fit it in where I could take consecutive classes. I've applied to clinicals at the community college I'm attending; if I get in, that starts full time in January. So I would be able to take a class in the fall, but then not sure if I could take the second one in the spring. So right now I'm thinking logistics, though no solid answers yet.

Thank you.

Valerie99 · Aug 22, 2014

A dedicated student! Good for you - those who make the effort to actually apply what they learn outside of the classroom seem to be more and more rare these days.

When I was studying Spanish I got my reinforcement via private Skype lessons online. I enrolled with Language Bird Spanish Lessons and met my teacher 3 days per week. This was SOOOO helpful. The teacher really made me SPEAK a lot! Are you just looking for general Spanish or for Spanish specifically for nursing? I chose them because they do general Spanish but also were able to help me specifically with my medically related Spanish.

I also used to carry my notes with me all over the place. Even reviewing them briefly while walking from one wing of the hospital to another really helped me.

Sounds like you're on the right track! Stay focused!

Natasha A., CNA, LVN · Sep 27, 2015

I would like to learn Spanish too! The school I go to is predominately Hispanic and Asian/mandarin and most of my patients in clinical are Spanish speaking. just the other day I had a patient in Spanish teach me the vital signs and she knew body language really well. I would point to her stomach and she would translate what I trying to ask in Spanish. It was so fun that now Im inspired to learn Spanish atleast medical Spanish. :)

Now I am printing out assessment questions and depending on what unit I will be on assessment in Spanish. wow I wished I thought about this sooner in my nursing program. Also too, the Asians in my rotation speak fluent Spanish and they said they learned from just working at a predominant Spanish speaking hospital. Super cool!