Views #835 | Low-Intermediate 4

Study in Mexico

Kara talks with Lupe about studying Spanish in Mexico.

Script
Vocab
Quiz



Lupe	Kara

Kara: So, Lupe, I've been taking Spanish classes for a long time, and I'm actually planning on taking a trip to Mexico this summer to help further my Spanish speaking skills. What's some advice you can give me on me learning Spanish?

Lupe: Well, are you traveling by yourself to Mexico?

Kara: Yes, I am.

Lupe: OK. I think to start off that is great idea because I know when we took our trip to Mexico, it's a little bit different when you have someone else with you who speaks your primary language. It's so easy to just ask for help or ask that person to just say something for you, so I think you going and being there by yourself and not being around people that speak your primary language which is English is really going to help you with practicing your Spanish because I do believe that practice does make perfect, and it doesn't matter how many classes you take or how many books you read, you really have to practice, so for you to be around other people who speak Spanish is really going to get you involved and really going to get you to speak the language.

Kara: And that's probably my biggest problem. I've taken a lot of Spanish classes and I learned in class but I've never liked to practice because I've always wanted to speak my Spanish perfectly. I've always wanted to be able to just start speaking and not have to worry about making a mistake.

Lupe: Yeah, and you can't worry about things like that because you can't expect yourself, you know, to learn it quickly and learn it perfectly. Pronunciation is always hard but you have to understand that even when you don't pronounce everything perfectly, people are still gonna understand what you're trying to say, and the more you speak it, the better it's gonna get so you will perfect it with time so don't expect yourself to pronounce everything right the first time. That's really how you learn -- from your mistakes.

Learn vocabulary from the lesson!

further my skills

Further my speaking skills.

Here, the word 'further' has the same meaning as 'improve'. Notice the following:

Watching movies in English helps to further my listening skills.
He plans to further his education by going back to university.

your primary language

Speak your primary language.

Your 'primary language' is most often your native language. We sometimes say 'first language'. Notice the following:

They speak French in Canada, but the primary language is English.
There really isn't a primary language in Switzerland.

practice makes perfect

I believe practice make perfect.

'Practice makes perfect' is an old idiom that means many hours of hard work is the best way to improve your skills. Notice the following:

Actually, practice doesn't always make perfect.
Mom always says, "practice makes perfect."

the better it's gonna' get

Lupe believes the more you speak it, the better it's gonna get.

The phrase 'the more you [do something], the better it's gonna get,' simply means the more you practice, the more you will improve. Notice the following: