| 1. The best thing about Spanish is that it is | | | | |
| a 100% phonetic language. What you see is | | | | 6. Make simple flash cards. Keep them in your |
| what you speak. | | | | purse, briefcase, or backpack, and review |
| | | | them while waiting for the bus, in a |
| 2. The worst thing about learning Spanish is | | | | restaurant, wherever. |
| the verb conjugations; they are complex, so | | | | |
| you need memory triggers and/or lots of | | | | 7. Look at yourself in the mirror, and carry |
| practice to remember them. Yes, you can write | | | | on a conversation with yourself in Spanish. |
| out verb conjugations, but you need a way to | | | | "How are you today? My, you're looking |
| remember the verb in the first place. Check | | | | particularly good today." |
| out Comic Mnemonics, which is designed for | | | | |
| kids but works well with adults, too. | | | | 8. Buy a couple of Spanish-language music |
| | | | CDs. |
| 3. At the beginning, go around your house or | | | | |
| apartment and put yellow stickies on | | | | 9. Buy a Spanish-language magazine or two, |
| everything, with the Spanish word printed on | | | | and leave them in places you relax. |
| it. You will soon remember all those items, | | | | |
| because your brain will read the Spanish | | | | 10. You can read about swimming, but you will |
| words unconsciously. | | | | never actually know how to swim until you |
| | | | jump in the water. Visit Spanish or |
| 4. Do the same with the food in your | | | | Latin-American stores and restaurants in your |
| refrigerator, and items in your bathroom | | | | area, and use your Spanish whenever possible. |
| cabinet. | | | | Nobody will laugh at you, and everyone will |
| | | | be pleased that you are making the effort. |
| 5. Watch TV programs in Spanish, if they are | | | | |
| available in your area. Although you won't | | | | Your brain needs to develop the patterns of |
| understand everything, you will hear the flow | | | | Spanish, and the only way to do this is to |
| of conversation, the rhythm and musical | | | | speak frequently. The more you speak Spanish |
| patterns of the language. | | | | words, the easier it gets. |