How do you say "bored out of my mind" in Spanish?

May 5, 2009 3:22 PM

LanguageFilter: Best way to learn Spanish (and other languages) online, for free?

So, the economy has slowed down work to a snail's pace. It's like being in high school Detention Hall all over again. So, I figured I'd do something I never did in Detention Hall: study! There's a lot of options out there for Spanish: podcasts, websites, etc. I found this, wondering if anyone can point out the winners on it or elsewhere? I was a linguist in grad school and taught university Latin for a few years, just never did Spanish. I figure I can jump in with both feet, but I want to work with a quality resource. Oh, and did I mention FREE? Free. Danke.

posted by TigerMoth to education (18 comments total)

Most libraries have foreign language CDs available for loan. Your library probably will lend you a MP3 of the series via their website (some do mp3, some do wma with some drm to disable after the loan period is up).

I can't offer a comparison (though I have borrowed a few language courses this way), but if you want free this can't be beaten.
posted by devbrain at 3:30 PM on May 5

The Annenberg Foundation has their Destinos video programs online. (I believe there's stuff for French and German on that site too.)
posted by XMLicious at 3:38 PM on May 5

If you're interested primarily in speaking Spanish, the Foreign Service Institute courses provide a good introduction. The FSI courses were developed by the State Department to teach languages to foreign service officers, and although they're a little old, they're also solid and well regarded.

I can't speak specifically to the FSI Spanish course, but I've used some of the other courses very successfully, and they're available for free these days.
posted by cimton at 3:41 PM on May 5

Try the Spanish version of wikipedia. It seems they have spoken word articles.

Also, don't be afraid to plunge right into real Spanish. My German really improved when I started to listen to the news for half an hour every day.
posted by I_pity_the_fool at 3:57 PM on May 5

In response to your title, "Que Rollazo" is Spanish (Spain) slang for "How fucking boring."
posted by saxamo at 4:19 PM on May 5 [1 favorite has favorites]

I think most English speakers need to spend 3 months living in a Spanish speaking country taking 15-20 hours per week of Spanish classes, but I gather you're a "language person" so buying Spanish novels & downloading Spanish TV might suffice. Still, if your out of work & planning on eventually moving back in with parental units, you might consider ditching your flat early and using the extra money for a language acquisition vacation in spain, mexico, etc.
posted by jeffburdges at 4:59 PM on May 5

I was directed to this recently- looks like a reasonable link to other areas you could try.
posted by malusmoriendumest at 5:10 PM on May 5

You could try Coffee Break Spanish. I've been doing the same at work with the French version.
posted by WayOutWest at 5:21 PM on May 5 [1 favorite has favorites]

I second Coffee Break Spanish, based on my experience with Coffee Break French.
posted by schrodycat at 5:58 PM on May 5

My local library has an abbreviated version of Rosetta Stone available online, for free, to members. You might check to see what is available at yours.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 6:19 PM on May 5

One thing to be aware of with Coffee Break Spanish is that it's teaching Spanish Spanish, not Latin American Spanish, which may or may not be what you're looking for. I listened to an episode or two and decided that since I'm in California, although I'm going to have an accent in Spanish no matter what, I'd rather have a California-Anglo accent than a California-Anglo-speaking-European-Spanish-as-taught-by-a-Scot accent.

Instead we got the Pimsleur Latin American Spanish Short Course CDs from the public library and *cough* iTunes is set to automatically rip inserted CDs as MP3s *cough* oops, how'd that happen?

Now all I need to do is to actually listen to and do more than the first lesson.
posted by Lexica at 7:15 PM on May 5

Some libraries are affiliated with a site called NetLibrary which offers the Pimsleur language audiobooks, including Spanish. They are really great programs. Check with your library and if they are affiliated, they will provide you with a password and you can download as needed.
posted by bristolcat at 7:20 PM on May 5

As far as reading comprehension goes, I have helped my Portuguese by subscribing to the Brazilian Google News feed. Newspapers are written in a simple style, and it turns out that the same journalistic cliches are common.

I am contemplating starting a Portuguese language blog (a la Alan Cox' old Welsh blog) and posting a paragraph a day in order that passing speakers can mock my grammar and syntax.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 10:52 PM on May 5

Coffee Break Spanish is pretty good, and even better if you pay for the transcript, I think. But there are loads of options. Check out the list here under SPANISH
posted by mateuslee at 1:38 AM on May 6

Wordsgalore has a wonderful free program for learning Spanish that contains 1000 most common Spanish words with pronunciation.
posted by leigh1 at 2:17 AM on May 6

Livemocha is a free language learning site along the lines of Rosetta Stone.
posted by Caravantea at 6:54 AM on May 6

I think most English speakers need to spend 3 months living in a Spanish speaking country

1. The United States is a Spanish speaking country.
2. This goes double for Texas.

I agree that exposure to native speakers will be helpful, and depending on where you live in Texas this may be very easy to arrange. You might contact a local adult education or ESL center and see if you can find individuals interested in conversation exchange -- you speak with them in Spanish for an hour, then they speak with you in English. This can be a fun thing to do if you have time on your hands anyways.
posted by Deathalicious at 9:41 AM on May 7

As usual, the 'Beeb has got you covered.
posted by nudar at 9:09 PM on May 7