Would you like to memorize all the grammar rules of Spanish and their numerous exceptions in order be able to speak Spanish? You don't need to study grammar to learn Spanish! Here's the best way to learn Spanish like a native.
During the greater part of their formal education, people study foreign languages, and they do it by using textbooks, complicated grammatical structures, endless lists of vocabulary and difficult exams. However, in the majority of cases, they confuse grammatical structures, forget the vocabulary in short order and in the end, are incapable of communicating.
Does this sound familiar to you? Has it happened to you? Do you know why it happens? In this article, we will tell you why you don't have to study Spanish grammar to speak like a native.
“Do I have to study Spanish grammar?”
When we focus on grammar, we analyze the language, and we think about the verb tenses and the correct way to place the elements that are used in speech.
This works if one is trying to write a letter, for example. But when our goal is to speak a language, which is what most people are interested in, there is no time to think about grammar constructions or prepositions, much less when someone asks us a question and we need to give a quick response.
When we learn a language through grammar, most probably with the intent of speaking, we begin to stammer, sweat and utter strange phrases while the other person looks at us with a surprised look on his or her face without understanding us.
Does this mean that grammar is not useful? Not at all. The study of the grammar of a language can have educational advantages, such as college prep and college itself, in which grammar is somewhat important in order to get good grades.
However, the traditional systems are based upon learning grammatical rules and give little attention to oral expression of the language. Many studies have shown that the best way to learn a language is not by doing more and more exercises, as in mathematics.
How to learn Spanish grammar easily
Grammar should be learned the way a native speaker of any language learns it; that is, by listening again and again and copying the words that he or she hears, just as babies do. Thus, when a child is five or six years old, he or she can already use the grammatical structures correctly, even without being able to read.
This infographic shows the best way to learn Spanish grammar easily:
In other articles we will offer more information about the natural way to learn a language.
What are the most frequent problems you have when studying Spanish grammar? With regard to Spanish grammar, what is the hardest subject for you?
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