Why It Took Me 13 Years To Get Fluent & Confident In Spanish (& how you can improve much faster!)

Porque me tomó 13 años alcanzar fluides en español y como tu puedes mejorar mucho mas rapido

Hey guys what's up Stefanie the English coach here from EnglishFullTime.com

Hola Chicos que tal, soy Stefanie la profesora de EnglishFullTime.com

in this video I am going to show you guys how I speak Spanish but I'm also

en este video les voy a mostrar como i hablo Espanol, pero tambien

going to tell you about some of the biggest mistakes I made mistakes you

voy a hablar sobre algunas de las más grandes equivocaciones que yo cometí y que

should avoid so you can improve your English a lot faster it took me a long

ustedes deberían prevenir de modo que ustedes puedan mejorar mucho más rápido su Ingles, a mí me tomó mucho

time to get fluent in Spanish and again it's because of these mistakes I kept

tiempo ser fluida en Español , y, de nuevo fue por esas equivocaciones yo seguí

making so here's the deal I'm going to tell you about these mistakes that I made

cometiendo, así que esto es lo que vamos a hacer, yo voy a decirles esos errores que cometí

in Spanish so you guys can hear how I speak so if you don't understand this

en Español para que ustedes puedan escuchar como yo hablo, si ustedes no entienden lo que voy a decir en este

language please turn on the subtitles so you can follow along because you're

lenguaje por favor activen los subtítulos y sigan mi conversación porque van a querer

going to want to see this information after that I'm gonna share a clip with

leer esta informacion , despues de eso voy a compartir un clip con

you guys from a presentation that I gave back in 2012 when I was 21 years old in

ustedes de una presentación que di en 2012 cuando tenia 21 años de edad

one of my college Spanish classes so you will be able to see the evolution of my

en una de mis clases de español, ustedes van a poder ver la evolución de mis

language skills basically how I spoke Spanish back then when I was just

habilidades linguisticas, basicamente como yo hablaba espanol en ese momento cuando yo apenas estaba

studying Spanish in the United States and you know studying it in high school and

estudiando espanol en los Estados Unidos y ustedes saben, estudiando lo en bachiller y

college versus how my Spanish was after living for over five years in a

a universidad versus como mi espanol era despues de vivir cerca de 5 anos en un

spanish-speaking country with that said though I want to tell you guys that in

pais hispano hablante. Con esto dicho, quiero decirles qe que para

order to achieve what I achieved in English you don't necessarily have to

poder alcanzar lo que alcance, en el idioma Ingles ustedes no necesariamente tienen que

live in an english-speaking country and this is gonna be related to one of the

vivir en un pais de habla inglesa, esto se relaciona con uno de los

mistakes that I made I basically thought that in order to learn Spanish I had to

errores que cometi, yo basicamente pense que para aprender Espanol tenia que

live in a spanish-speaking country and there were just so many misconceptions

vivir en un pais hispano hablante y hbian demaciadas malinterpretaciones

so many things that I thought were true that really weren't ok so turn on the

demaciadas cosas que yo pense eran ciertas pero que en realidad no estaban bien, asi que prende los

subtitles in English if you don't speak Spanish and let's get started OK

subtitulos en Ingles i tu no hablas Espanol, y vamos a comenzar OK

first I want to say that my family is from Argentina my parents were born there

Primero quiero decir que mi familia es Argentina, mis padres nacieron alla

but they immigrated to the USA before I was born

pero ellos emmigraron a los Estados Unidos antes de que yo naciera

and since they knew many languages... German, English, Spanish, French...

y como ellos sabian muchos lenguajes, Gleman, Ingles, Espanol, Frances

they only taught us English because it was the easiest thing to do. And when I was 14 years old

solo nos ensenaron Ingles por que era lo mas facil para ellos, y cuando yo tenia 14

I realized that I didn't speak the langauge of my family. So I "buckled down" and thought

me di cuenta yo no hablaba el idioma de mi familia, asi que me "ajuste el cinturon" y pense a mi misma

no! I have to learn this language I want to be able to communicate with my family

no! tengo que aprender este idioma, quiero ser capaz de comunicarmecon mi familia

I want to visit them one day in Argentina so

quiero visitarles uno de estos dias en Argentina

I started studying Spanish in a program that was for Spanish speakers, so for me

asi que comence a estudiar Espanol en un programa que era para hablantes hispanos, de modo que para mi

it was like an immersion program. I did 3 years in

era como un programa de inmersion. Hice 3 anos en

that class. Later I went to college to continue studying Spanish. I thought that

esa clase. Despues fui a la universidad para continuar estudiando Espanol. Yo pense que

the only way to learn the language and reach fluency was

la unica manera de aprender el idioma y ser fluida era

to study it in traditional programs. So I basically didn't do anything on my own

estudiarlo en programas tradicionales, asi que basicamente no hice nada por mi misma

to study. I didn't listen to music. I didn't watch movies. I didn't watch videos on

para estudiar, no vi peliculas, no vi videos en

YouTube I didn't read books

YouTube, no lei libros

I just relied on my classes and what the teachers

yo solo confie en mis clases y lo que los profesores

taught me. The second thing I did wrong was I never spoke Spanish.

me ensenaron. La segunda cosa que hice erronea fue que nunca hable espanol

In high school and in college, I had a ton of friends who spoke

en Bachillerato y la universidad, tenia un monton de amigos que hablaban

Spanish, but I was too embarrassed to speak. So I didn't take advantage of any

Espanol, pero yo tenia mucha verguenza de hablar, de modo que nunca tome la

opportunity to speak with them or practice. I was too concerned with

oportunidad de hablar con ellos o practicar, estaba muy preocupada

being embarrassed and messing up.... but you have to speak you have to

de ser avergonzada y estar perdida en lo que decia, pero tu tienes que hablar, tienes que

make mistakes because that's you you learn. And basically, during all

cometer errores, por que asi es como aprendes. Y basicamente, durante todo

the years I was in high school and college -7 years total- I almost

los anos que yo estabaen bachiller y la universidad, 7 anos en total, yo casi

didn't take advantage of any moment to speak with other people. And since I never spoke

no tome ventaja de ningun momento para hablar con otra gente, de como nunca hable

it was always really hard to express myself. The third "biggest mistake"

era siempre muy dificil de expresar me. El tercer gran error

is that I wasn't confident at all! I mean, I was learning something new

es que no tenia confianza para nada!, quiero decir, estaba aprendiendo algo nuevo

but it was like I expected myself to speak perfectly from day one or something. But that's dumb

pero era como que yo esperaba a mi misma que perfectamente desde el dia uno o algo asi, pero eso es tonto

because when someone is learning, they're not an expert! You don't know everything yet, you're going to mess up.

porque cuando alguien esta aprendiendo, el no es un experto, tu no sabes todo todavia, te vas a equivocar

But I didn't have the patience with myself to go through that process. Honestly

Pero yo no tenia paciencia conmigo misma para ir por el proceso

it's really sad. Because I could have learned a lot faster. I could have

Es verdaderamente triste, por que pude haver aprendido mucho mas rapido, pude haver

had better experiences. But I was so worried about messing up

tenido mejores experiencias, pero estaba muy preocupada de equivocarme

or saying something wrong that I was barely able to enjoy the process

o decir algo erroneo, escasamente disfrute el proceso de aprendizaje

and after living 5 years in Argentina I realized that in this day and age it's not

y despues de vivir 5 anos en Argentina, me di cuenta que en este dia y edad

necessary --seriously it's NOT necessary-- to go to another country to learn their language

no es necesario,seriamente, NO ES NECESARIO ir a otro pais par aaprender su ese lenguaje

I didn't have to do everything I did to get to the level I have today. I did

no tuviera que hacer todo lo que hice ara llegar al nivel que tengo hoy, hice

everything people think you have to do, traditional classes, studying Spanish

todo lo que la gente piensa que tienes que hacer, clases tradicionales, estudiar Espanol

in college, going to a Spanish-speaking country. And now I realize that none of that was

en la universidad, ir a un pais hispano hablante, y ahora me doy cuenta que nada de eso era

necessary because there are a bunch of people who, for example,

necesario por que hay mucha gente que, por ejemplo

learn English, get really fluent, and have a really good accent without ever going to

aprenden Ingles, adquieren buenisima fluidez y tienen un muy buen acento sin nunca ir

an English-speaking country! So my 3 pieces of advice for you guys are... 1.

a un pais de habla hispana!, asi que mis 3 consejos para ustedes son 1.

You have to consume lots of information in English. You have to watch

Tienes que consumir demaciada informacion en Ingles, Tienes que ver

videos in English. You have to listen to music in English. You have to do EVERYTHING in English.

videa en Ingles , escuchar musica en Ingles, tienes que hacer TODO en Ingles

Everything that you can do in English, do it. Follow meme pages on

Todo lo que puedas hacer en Ingles, hazlo, persigue paginas de Memes en

Instagram, for example, read books in English you have to do as much as possible

Instagram, por ejemplo, lee libros en Ingles, tienes que hace lo mas posible

in English. The second piece of advice, you have to speak! You have to speak the language and not

en Ingles. El segundo consejo es; tu tienes que HABLAR! tienes que hablar el idiomay no

worry about your mistakes. Because you're going to mess up, that's for sure. So forget about

preocuparte de tus errores, por que la vas a embarrar, eso es seguro, asi que olvidate

speaking perfectly and give yourself the time you need to improve and to get to a

de hablar perfectamente y date el tiempo que nesecitas para mejorar y llegar a

good level. It takes time! I'm 27 years old. I started studying Spanish when I was

un buen nivel, toma tiempo!, yo tengo 27 anos y comence a estudiar Espanol cuando tenia

14. 13 years later I got to where I am today. And the third piece of advice, don't

14, 13 anos, mas tarde llegue a donde estoy ahora. Y el tercer consejo, no

worry about your mistakes. I worried so much about my mistakes for so many years that

te preocupes sobre tus errores, yo me preocupe demaciado sobre ellos por muchos anos que

I didn't start speaking confidently till last

no comence a hablar con confianza hasta el

year. And you know how I made that change? I got tired --SO TIRED-- of worrying about

ano pasado, y sabes como hice ese cambio? me canse DEMASIADO de preocuparme sobre

everything... about, "oh, no! how do you say this? Am I going to say it well? I'm probably going to

todo...sobre, " oh no! como dices esto? lo voy a decir bien? voy probablemente

mess up. They're not going to understand me" Can you guys believe that I worried about all of that with a

a equivocarme, "no me van a entender", puden creer que estaba preocupada de todo eso con

very high level of fluency. Your level has nothing to do with your confidence. They are

un nivel muy alto de fluidez?, tu nivel no tiene nada que ver con tu confianza, son

two completely different things. Think about it, when I had a really high level of fluency, with a

dos cosas completamente diferentes. piensalo, cuando yo tenia un nivel avanzado de fluidez

really good accent and lots of vocabulary, I still

muy ben acento y mucho vocabulario, yo todavia

lacked confidence. And I could barely talk with people I didn't know, or sometimes

tenia falta de confianza, y escasamente pude hablar con gente que no conocia, o algunas veces

even with people I DID know. Confidence is something completely different. It has to do with

incluso con gente que yo CONOCIA! La confianza es algo diferente, tiene que ver con

your mind and how you perceive yourself and what you think about your abilities.

tu mente y como te persives a ti mismo,y lo que piensas sobre tu habilidades

So, knowing that, you're not going to have more confidence by getting more fluent. You have to start

asi que saber que no vas a tener mas confianza mientras te vuelves mas fluido, tu tienes que empezar

being confident now with the level you have. Because you already learned a lot and you're

a tener confianza ahora con el nivel que tienes, pues tu has aprendido mucho y vas

going to keep learning and you have to put your confidence in that, that you will continue

a mantener aprendiendo, tienes que poner tu confianza en eso, que continuaras

to improve. Anyhow, I could keep sharing a lot more, but now I'm going to switch back

para mejorar. De alguna manera yo podria continuar compartiendo mas cosas, pero voy a cambiar

to English to show you guys the presentation I did 6 years ago

a Ingles para mostrarles la presentacion que hice 6 anos atras

guys so hopefully you enjoyed those tips that I shared and you know everything I

Chicos, espero que hallan disfrutado esos consejos que comparti y ustedes saben, todo lo

shared about the mistakes that I made I don't want you to make these mistakes

que comparti sobre los errores que cometi, no quiero que ustedes los cometan

because I want you to be confident I want you to achieve fluency faster than

pues quiero que tengan confianza, quiero que alcancen fluidez mas rapido que

I did like I said it took me a long time to get to the level that I have today

yo, y como dije, esto me tomo mucho tiempo llegar al nivel que estoy hoy

but it's because I didn't surround myself with enough Spanish I didn't

pero es por que no me rodie con suficientes hispanos, no

speak Spanish even though I had a bunch of opportunities to practice and I just

hablaba espanol con ellos a pesar de que tube un monton de oportunidades para practicar, me

lacked confidence okay and remember you can just choose to be confident where

faltaba confianza, okay y recuerden, ustedes pueden escojer tener confianza desde

you're at today and realize that you're going to get better now let's watch a

donde ustedes estan hoy y darse cuenta que van a ser mejores ahora, vamos a ver un

couple minutes of the presentation that I gave six years ago and you guys will

un poco de la presentacion que hice 6 anos atras and ustedes

see that my Spanish was nothing like what it is today okay and after you see

veran que mi espanol no era como es hoy, okay, y despues veran

that presentation then I'm going to explain some things that changed in my

la presentacion y explicare algunas cosas que cambie en mi

Spanish and we're going to do a little analysis of that so let's watch part of

espanol, y vamos a hacer un pequeno analisis de eso , asi que vamos a verlo

that presentation

Esa presentacion

Um... last year I went to Mexico with sister and my nephew Giovanni

who was 3 years old and he's my sister's son

and we went to visit my brother in law's family and my brother in law

because her husband was living in Mexico during that time

and when I was in Mexico I learned a lot about Mexican culture

and about the people who lived in the village where I was staying

um and the village was called San Pedro

And it's near um Morelia, an hour from Morelia in Michoacan, Mexico.

This is just a picture of the landscape. Uh it reminded me a lot of California

because it had a lot of... it has mountains and it has a lot of the same trees.

Here is another one. And this is the "milpa"

And the "milpa" is where the corn plants grow

In that village they had a lot of "milpa"

la "milpa" again

Ok, I put this photo in the presentation because when uhhh I entered Mexico

One of the first things I noticed was that the advertisements

weren't on billboards like we have here in the USA

the advertisements are painted on brick walls

and they are full of color and very eye-catching

and I thought it is interesting because if someone wants to change the advertisement

they have to paint it again and it would be a lot of work

okay guys I hope you enjoyed that clip as far as the little analysis I said we

Okay, espero que hallan disfrutado ese clip por ahora tambien como el pequeno analisis yo dije

would do on this video the number one thing that I see myself doing here is

hariamos en este video, lo primero es que lo que me veo a mi misma haciendo aqui

I'm using lots of fillers that are fillers we use in English like I'll say

es, estoy usando mucho rellenos que son usados en Ingles como, yo diria

a few words in Spanish and then I'll go uhhhh or ummm okay those are all fillers that I use

unas pocas palabras en Espanol y despues voy asi, uhhhh o ummm, okay, esos rellenos que uso

in English but those are not fillers that native Spanish speakers use a

en Ingles pero esos no son rellenos que un hispano nativo haria

native Spanish speaker might say ehhh or ahhh or something like that okay so the fillers

Hispanos nativos dirian ehhh o ahhh o algo asi, ok los rellenos

in languages are different and if you want to sound more like a native speaker

en otros idiomas son diferentes y tu quieres sonar mas como un nativo en Ingles

use the fillers that we use in English the next thing I notice in this video is

usa los rellenos que usamos en ingles. La siguiente cosa que noto en este video es

my lack of fluency I just pretty much had a basic vocabulary

mi falta de fluidez, mas que todo yo tenos vocabulario basico

to make complex sentences I mean sometimes these sentences aren't even

para hacer oraciones complejas, quiero decir, algunas veces estas oracionas no son siquiera

complex but because I learned Spanish through traditional classes and because

complejas, pero como yo aprendi Espanol en clases tradicionales y como

I was only able to speak with whatever grammar they taught me if I wasn't at a

yo era solo capaz de hablar con la gramatica que se me habia ensenado

certain level yet then I didn't know how to say something right and so in the

y si yo no estaba a cierto nivel no sabria como decir algo bien, de modo que en el

video I'm constantly searching for words I'm constantly searching for terms I

video estoy constantemente buscando palabras para terminos

struggle to make complete sentences without really thinking about what I'm

lucho por hacer oraciones completas sin pensar realmente lo que yo

gonna say I'm translating in my head I even have a piece of paper in front of

voy a decir, estoy traduciendo en mi cabeza, incluso tengo un pedazo de papel de frente mio

me with vocabulary in case I forget it and at one point in the video I even

con vocabulario en caso de que lo olvide y en un punto del video, yo incluso

have to look at it to remember a word that I was gonna say and be able to use

tengo que verlo para recordar una palabra que hiba a decir h poder usarla

it because I had not internalized the Spanish language yet and internalizing a

como no habia internalizado el idioma Espanol todavia, e internalizar un idioma

language happens after years of absorbing that language and using that

ocurre despues de anos de absorber ese idioma y usar ese

language okay which I as you know from this whole video I didn't really do any

idioma bien, como ustedes ya saben yo no hice realmente ninguna

of those very much okay so the last thing I want to talk about regarding how

de esas cosas mucho, okay, la ultima cosa sobre la que quiero hablar

my Spanish has changed from what it used to be in this video clip that you guys

aparte de como mi Espanol cambio, desde lo que era antes en el video que

just saw to what it is now it really has a lot to do with my intonation the way

acabaron de ver y lo que es ahora, tiene mucho que ver con mi entonacion, la forma

that I speak the quality of the sounds that I make okay and the vocabulary

en la que hablo, la qualidad de los sonidos que hago, okay y el vocabulario

after being surrounded with one type of Spanish Argentine Spanish for so long I

despues de estar rodeada con un tipo de espanol, Argentino, por mucho tiempo

really adopted the Argentine way of expressing ideas and speaking so now for

yo adopte la forma Argentina de expresasr ideas, y hablar, ahora

example if I want to say the word bus I used to say "autobus" because

por ejemplo, si yo quiero decir la palabra bus, yo solia decir "autobus" por que

that's what I was taught from the textbook but nobody in argentina says

eso fue lo que se me enseno en los libros, y nadieen argentina lo dice asi

that in argentina they say "colectivo" or if they're gonna say bus you know using

En Argentina ellos le dicen 'colectivo" o si ellos van a decir bus, tu sabes, usando

the slang term they'll say "bondi" I didn't learn any of those in a textbook

el termino callejero le dirian, 'bondi', no aprendi nada de eso en los libros

ever so that is one way that my Spanish has changed my vocabulary my

de modo que esa es la forma que mi Espanol ha cambiado mi vocabulario mi

intonation patterns everything is very Argentine but that's because I focused

patrones de entonacion, todo es muy Argentino, pero eso paso porque me enfoque

on learning that Spanish now here's the thing a lot of you might think oh well

en aprenderlo en Espanol, ahora, aca esta la cosa, muchos de ustedes podrian pensar, 'bien

you lived in Argentina for five years so of course you were able to get good at

tu viviste en Argentina por 5 anos, por supuesto que te volviste tan buena en

Spanish of course you were able to improve your accent of course you were

espanol, por supuesto que pudiste mejorar tu acento , obviamnente fuiste

able to learn the vocabulary but that's not the reason why I achieved all of

capaz de aprender el vocabulario' pero eso no es cierto, la razon por la cual yo alcance todo

this I achieved it because I made it a point to work on my

esto que alcance es por que hice un compromiso de trabajar en mi

accent I paid attention to the vocabulary that they were using I

acento, puse atencion al vocabulario que ellos estaba usando,

incorporated it I remember the first few weeks I was in Argentina and I would

lo incorpore, me acuerdo las primeras pocas semanas que estaba en Argentina yo

hear words and I would go oh my gosh you know that's not what I was taught that

oia las palabras y pensaba, oh Dios mio, tu sabes que eso no fue lo que se me enseno que

my teacher taught me something else and then I was confronted with a decision am

mi profesor me enseno algo diferentey ahora estaba confrontada con una decision, voy

I gonna keep using the Spanish that my teacher taught me or am I going to adopt

a seguir usando el Espanol que me enseno el profesor o voy a adoptar

the way that they say you know this word in this country and so I decided to let

la forma que ellos dice esta palabra in este pais, y bien, decidi dejar

go of everything that I was taught in my classes and to simply absorb the

ir todo lo que se me fue ensenado en mis clases y simplemente absorber el

language the way that it's spoken by the people that are from there now lots of

lenguaje de la forma que hablado por la gente que es de alla, ahora mucha

people live in foreign countries and they never acquire the accent they never

gente vive en paises extranjerosy ellos nunca adquieren el acento, ellos nunca

change the vocabulary they use they keep using the textbook vocabulary that

cambian el vocabulario que ellos usan, ellos mantienen usando el vocabulario de los libros de texto que

they learned even though they hear that other people don't speak like that

del cual ellos aprendieron, incluso ellos oyen que los demasno hablan asi,

okay so there's a bunch of people that live in the United States and have lived

Hay un monton de gente que vive en Los Estados Unodos y han vivido

here for 20 years 50 years and they still don't speak English or they don't

aca por 20 anos, 50 anos y todavia no hablan Ingles o ellos no

speak it fluently or they have a heavy accent what you achieve really is up to

hablan con fluidez o tienen un acento pesado, lo que tu alcanzas realmente depende de ti

you it's what are your goals what are you trying to achieve

es lo que tus metas son lo tu tratas de alcanzar

and how much do you work at it when I first got to Argentina and I didn't have

y cuanto tu trabajas en eso, Cuando llegue a Argentina la primera vez y no tenoa

the accent that I have today I worked for this you know I really listened and

el acento que tengo hoy, trabaje por esto, tu sabes, i verdaderamente escuche y

I would practice and it was so frustrating but I did not give up and

practique y fue muy frustrante, pero no me rendi

that's why I got to where I am today most people when it comes to

es por eso que estoy donde estoy hoy, la mayoria de las personas cuando se trata de

pronunciation they just give up okay one because it pushes you out of your

pronunciacion ellos se rinden, okay, uno por quete empuja fuera de tu

comfort zone and two because it's hard and you have to make sounds with your

zona de comfort y dos por que is dificil, y tu tienes que hacer los sonidos con tu

mouth and with your tongue and your lips that you've never made in your entire

boca con tu lengua y labios, sonidos que tu ninca has hecho en tu vida

life it's hard okay so if you give up or if you just don't care about it you're

entera, es dificil,okay, si tu te rindes o si no te importa esto, tu no

not going to get to that really high level that's just the truth okay so this

vas a llegar a ese verdadero nivel alto, esa es la verdad. Okay

video is already long enough that's all I have time to share with you guys today

este video es ya bastante largo, eso es todo lo que tuve tiempo de compartir con ustedes hoy

but if you want a guide on practicing your English with native speakers

pero si ustedes quieren una guis para practicar tu ingles con hablantes nativos

because this is you guys like the one thing that's really really going to help

por que esto es lo que les va a verdaderamente a ayudar

you practice your pronunciation pick up vocabulary from native English speakers

ustedes practican su pronunciacion, aprenden vocabulario de hablantes nativos

build your confidence if you want a guide on how to do this I have one on my

contruyen confianza, si quieren una guia en como hacer esto, yo tengo una en mi

website and I'm gonna link it below okay in the description so check it out it

pagina de inernet y voy dejar el link abajo ,okay, en la descripcion asi que chequealo

is the most popular guide on my entire website it's absolutely free for you to

es la guia mas popular en todo mi my website,, y es totalmente gratis para que todos ustedes

download and it's going to give you lots of tips on how to meet native English

la descarguen y va a darles muchos tips en como conocer nativos Ingleses

speakers using the Internet okay ways that I recommend ways that I don't

hablantes usando la internet, okay, formas que yo recomiendo, formas que no

recommend how to get people to actually talk with you because people will talk

recomiendo, como hacer que gente te hablen por que la gente hablara

with you but you just you know you have to be strategic you can't just say hey

contigo , solo sepan que tienen que ser estrategicos, no digan solo, hola

will you practice your English with me okay there are better ways to do this so

ustedes practicaran su ingles conmigo, okay, hay mejores maneras de hacer esto

there's a whole guide on my website about how to do this if you want it it's

asi que hay una entera guia en mi website sobre como hacer esto si lo quieres

in the description and that's it you guys I'll see you in another video

en la descripcion y eso es todo, nos vemos en el siguiente video

thanks for watching bye

gracias por verme, adios