Step 1: Determine What You Want
Are you trying to master the Spanish language and gain complete native fluency or do you just need basic proficiency to get by for a few weeks on vacation/work? How long do you have to gain the proficiency that you need, a few days, weeks, or years? I'm assuming that you're just looking for basic proficiency and that you only have a few days or weeks to get there, so that's what this article will be addressing.
Step 2: Choose an Appropriate Home Study Course
This is the one and only thing that you're just going to have to spend some money on, although it doesn't have to be much. If you're serious about doing this, especially if you're in a rush, there's just no getting out of the fact that you're going to have to spend some money on your own education here. I personally recommend Synergy Spanish (see bottom), as it's specifically designed to get people to a basic level of proficiency inside of a week or two (68 10 minute lessons, and they only use 138 of the most commonly spoken words that they teach you how to combine properly, that's the key).
There's lots of other great programs out there, like Pimsleur and Platiquemos (basically FSI Spanish), but those will both take you several months to get through and see any results from, although your Spanish will be better at the end of 6 months with those than after 2 weeks with anything else, so it just depends on your needs.
Step 3: Watch Those Telenovelas (Spanish-language soap operas)!
If you have satellite or cable you almost certainly have a Spanish/Latino channel that shows these ALL day long--they're GREAT because it's native speakers speaking everyday colloquial Spanish at a normal rate of speed, AND you can turn on English subtitles. The key here is to remember to repeat after the actors! You know what they're saying because you've got the subtitles on, and what's the basic technique used by all Spanish learning courses? They have you listen to and repeat after a native speaker, which is what you're doing here except it's everyday spoken Spanish at a normal rate of speed, so you're teaching yourself to sound just like a native in the process.
BONUS Tip
Find a subject that you're personally very interested in (hobby, sport, country, a book, religion, politics, etc.) and then find resources about that specific subject that are in Spanish--it will actually be ENJOYABLE to you to learn Spanish this way because you're learning about something that interests you in the process. It won't feel forced, and it won't feel like work or study--it'll be fun and you'll learn an enormous amount of Spanish in the process.
Also, obviously if you've got any friends who are native Spanish speakers, then any practice that you can get from them is wonderful, because what do you think would be the best way to prepare to speak with native Spanish speakers? How about practicing speaking Spanish WITH native speakers--see what I mean? Nothing beats having a native speaker to practice with and have help you, especially as far as getting the accent and pronunciation right.
What do you call someone who speaks 3 languages? Trilingual. What do you call someone who speaks 2 languages? Bilingual. What do you call someone who speaks 1 language? ... American. Don't be an ignorant 'gringo': http://wickedhowtos.com/index.php/2008/04/14/learn-spanish-fast-online-3-quick-steps
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