Spanish as a second language

Spanish is my fourth language (after Dutch, English, German).
The best way to get fluent is immersion.

My English got pretty good when I worked for an American company  in Holland where English was compulsory. My German improved a lot when I lived in Germany and I had to speak, read and write it. It didn't speak any Spanish when I moved here but today I get along pretty good.

If you don't live in a place where the language is spoken I'd try to find (or start) a group where you commit yourselves to only speak Spanish during gatherings. Including one or more native speakers will help.

Yes, I've figured out that I won't be able to really speak and understand Spanish unless I do immersion. I'm thinking about doing a month in a program in Antigua, Guatemala. A comment about starting a local group to only speak Spanish. As Gary said, including a native speaker is really important. It is possibly the only way to learn correct pronunciation, idioms, and cultural factors.  I am currently taking a course with a native speaker and she is a stickler about pronunciation and idioms. I now know why native speakers may not understand me at times.

Good idea and thanks! I definitely want to immerse my kids in the culture, but I want to have a job first which is why I want to be fluent. For now I've bought them  Spanish books and I teach them what I know. My 2 year won't be even say "water" anymore, he says "agua" lol!

Try Duolingo online. Also some of the immersion schools in Antigua will do Skype.

I'd say it took me at least 8 years (and of course, you never stop learning). I had the advantage of living in Panama for the first three of those years. When I arrived in Panama, I knew only two words in Spanish: "Agua", which I learned from Sesame Street, and "cerveza", which a buddy of mine in the Army taught me when I was stationed in the States.

Of all the Spanish-speaking countries I've been, I think PR has the best idioms. It's a garden of clever idioms.

I first learned Spanish in Peru from children's. They speak simple and will repeat the words over and over. I have heard that cartoons help too. News is good once you get proficient.

Mrkpytn: Definitely agree about learning from children.  It's a lot of fun talking with them, and usually we can talk in both English and Spanish.  I figure that if I can attain the vocabulary of a five or six year old, I can get through most everyday situations.  There's a pharmacy in OSJ that sells workbooks for kids for less than one dollar, and they have been extremely helpful.

A person can also get by in present tense then work with future and past. The irregular verbs can be challenging. When native Spanish speakers drop endings or pronounce differently it can be even more challenging. I think it best to make any attempt rather than ask if they speak English. Usually most will automatically switch to English. Some prefer that I speak Spanish and they speak English

I am not fluent, but learning. I speak as much Spanish as possible and usually the persons with whom I am speaking wants to learn English. So, conversations are mixed and we  help each other. They key is to just speak Spanish as much as possible and do not be afraid to make mistakes.

I agree about duolingo, particularly, if you've had a little training (like high school or college), then you can pick it up more easily.  I like the comments about talking with children   They are more patient!!

I will move there in the summer and my children do not yet speak Spanish, so we will do what one of the commenters suggested, which is get a book, flash cards, and work together

I have used Duolingo for a year or so.  While it has helped me a lot, the emphasis is more toward translation (their main income source and the reason that is free).  I felt like I hit a wall with it recently and decided to try Fluencia from spanishdict.com  While Fluencia isn't free ($7-15/mo) I feel like I am getting a lot more out of it.  The lessons offer grammar help, reasons for using certain words or phrases, and cultural information that Duo doesn't offer.  I am able to communicate our basic needs because of these programs, but I agree, that being immersed in the culture is the fastest way to learn.

Thank you CurlyGirlPR...good to know about Fluencia!