If you’re a fan of the Twilight movie franchise, you’re in luck because there’s a scene in which Robert Pattinson’s character, Edward Cullen, teaches a few phrases in Spanish to the young woman he meets. While watching the movie recently with a Spanish-speaking audience, I noticed that some of the audience members laughed at the few phrases that Edward said. That got me thinking: why don’t more people know how to speak Spanish? Is it because Spanish is considered an “exotic” language? Let’s take a look…
Why Is Spanish Considered “Exotic”?”Exótic” has several definitions, but generally it means “different from common usage” or “not widely known.” To people who say that Spanish is “exotic,” I would assume that they mean that it does not have as many common words as other languages. That’s true, but for the most part, Spanish does have some words that are used in everyday languages, just not in the same way. For example, the word “tampon” is a medical word (and for some reason, “tampon” is also used in Spanish to describe a condom) but it can also mean “wedding ring.”
Why Should You Learn Spanish?There are several reasons why you should learn Spanish. First of all, Spanish is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. So, if you’re living in a country that is officially bilingual (or even trilingual), you’re going to be benefitting from daily Spanish conversations. Moreover, knowing how to speak Spanish will make it easier for you to travel to other countries and make new friends. Lastly, Spanish is the second most widely spoken language worldwide after English. So, you’re going to have plenty of opportunities to practice your Spanish. With that being said, let’s get started.
Get A Spanish Speaking CompanionOne of the best ways to learn a new language is by speaking it with somebody. Fortunately, there are plenty of people who speak Spanish, and many of them live in or close to San Francisco. So, if you’re looking for somebody to practice speaking Spanish with, I would suggest that you connect with a Spanish-speaking native or consider an online tutor who can help you achieve your goal.
Start A ConversationIn my last blog post, I mentioned that if you want to learn Spanish, it would be best to do so conversationally. This is because there is a lot of variability in Spanish, which means that it can be tricky to practice without a conversation partner. Luckily, with the technology that we have today, it’s very easy to connect with a Spanish speaker. If you live in San Francisco, you can reach out to a local tutor or school to see if they offer Spanish-taught courses. If they do, take advantage of it! It’s never easy to find somebody to talk to who knows the language, and having someone available to practice with every day may be just what you need to propel your learning forward.
Start A ConversationIn my last blog post, I mentioned that if you want to learn Spanish, it would be best to do so conversationally. This is because there is a lot of variability in Spanish, which means that it can be tricky to practice without a conversation partner. Luckily, with the technology that we have today, it’s very easy to connect with a Spanish speaker. If you live in San Francisco, you can reach out to a local tutor or school to see if they offer Spanish-taught courses. If they do, take advantage of it! It’s never easy to find somebody to talk to who knows the language, and having someone available to practice with every day may be just what you need to propel your learning forward.
Hopefully, this article gave you some ideas about why you should learn Spanish. Moreover, if you want to find out how to watch Twilight in Spanish, here’s a scene that you can use as a guide.
Find A Different LocationIndulge yourself and find a different location. In the scene that I mentioned above, Edward walks his friends to their cars after school. While on the way, he stops and greets a young woman by name. After a few minutes of small talk, he asks her if she’s ever been to New York City. The woman replies that she has not, even though she’s from Puerto Rico. Edward then proceeds to tell her about several tourist spots in New York and its surrounding areas. To this day, I still remember the look on the woman’s face when she heard that she would not be able to go to the places that Edward described because they are all within the New York City limits. It was as if she forgot that she was talking to a vampire.
This scene actually took place in New York City and not in San Francisco. If you’ve never been to New York City and are not familiar with its geography, do not be discouraged. There are plenty of places that you can visit that are not located within the city limits. Moreover, if you are ever in San Francisco and want to practice your Spanish, this is the perfect opportunity. The city is full of people who speak the universal language, which makes it a great place to live for foreigners who want to practice their English. In other words, if you want to learn English, you’ve found the perfect place!