Bilingual people that weren't born that way....

[gibbo88]

....how did you practice to get to a competent stage? I've been learning Spanish for a while now, but I really need to expand my vocabulary, so I was wondering how people went about doing it if they weren't born into a family that spoke two languages?

[golentan]

The best way is to immerse yourself.

If you can go immersive after gaining what I call "Slow Speech Competence," for a couple weeks, you'll pick up all sorts of stuff.

"Slow Speech Competence" is where you can understand slow conversational speech, if not return it. Learn a couple of phrases. Do some basic studying to achieve it, then go immersive. Sounds like you're learning spanish specifically. Switch all your DVD settings to spanish language (no subtitles), take a vacation to a spanish speaking nation but stay away from tourist spots, whatever it is.

[Kara Kuro]

I was born into a bilingual family, but I had a similar experience with french (my third language). I was rather attrocious at it (I could read and write well-enough by the actual manner of speaking/understanding on the spot was something else entirely).

That changed when I went to France. After a few days feeling for all my years of class room learning very much an ignorant American, something just clicked. And the transition was almost automatic, granted there were still plenty of words and phrases I didn't know... But I was able to understand and use the vocab I did know in such a way that was no longer a conscious thought-process.

[Rettu Skcollob]

....how did you practice to get to a competent stage? I've been learning Spanish for a while now, but I really need to expand my vocabulary, so I was wondering how people went about doing it if they weren't born into a family that spoke two languages?

Someone named Gibbo... In Perth... I don't suppose you know someone called 'Curtis', do you?

[madtinker]

I lived there. For two years. And spoke every chance I got. I was a missionary, and there were plenty of other guys there who spoke alright, but to really speak well, you have to speak.

Translate your thoughts to yourself. Always be thinking "How would I say that?" Look up words you don't know. Get a pocket dictionary, carry it, and get this -- use it. Write down phrases you aren't familiar with.

If you aren't around native speakers though, I seriously haven't got a clue.

[gibbo88]

Someone named Gibbo... In Perth... I don't suppose you know someone called 'Curtis', do you?

No, can't say that I do.

So basically I should listen to it as much as I can, then save up the moola to go back to a country that speaks it (I was in Costa Rica when I started learning it, and I can see that that would help).

[Rettu Skcollob]

No, can't say that I do.

So basically I should listen to it as much as I can, then save up the moola to go back to a country that speaks it (I was in Costa Rica when I started learning it, and I can see that that would help).

Damn. My mate curtis is always talking about his escapades with someone called Gibbo, who I've never met. It'd be awesome if he turned out to be a table-top gamer.

[gibbo88]

Think its a pretty common nickname anyway unfortunately.

[Eldariel]

What I usually do to achieve some level of conversationality in a language, and to expand my vocabulary, is to read a book in that language. It's good if the book was originally written in that language, but many translations nowadays are of rather high quality. Bonus points if you've already read the book in another language; this means you pretty much know what's going on already and can focus on picking up words and phrases, and on understanding and assuming the mindset behind the language. In my case, for example, I read Lord of the Rings in English at the age of 14 or so. It quite frankly multiplied my English vocabulary. And allowed me to enjoy the masterpiece in the source language.

At the point where you can dream in that language, you can be certain you're getting somewhere. I've only reached the level where I dream in a non-native language in two languages; English and Swedish. Sufficient to say, I have a very passable command of both.

Of course, absolute best is to just spend a month or half a year or a year or so in a place where that's the only language people speak and you're forced to use it on day-to-day activities. That guarantees you'll speak it fluently once you're done, but is of course quite the commitment requiring moving/exchange student program/something similar.

[HotAndCold]

Something I like to do with sign language sometimes is "sing" along with whatever music I happen to have playing. I'm under the impression that word order is more or less consistent between English and Spanish, so that could possibly work for you, too.

[Lissou]

Here is the way I did it (outside of school, that is).

First, I listened to music in English and watched movies in English with French subtitles.
Then, the next step was to read the lyrics and their French translation and to watch the movies in English with English subtitles.
Next step was to read the lyrics in English only and try to translate them myself
Then, listen to the music and try to understand it right away, without anything being written. Same with the movies, watching them without any subtitles.

Movies and music are good because you can pause them and go back, and listen/watch again.

That should help the spoken understanding. For the written skills, reading books, then going to forums and chatrooms in that language and try to communicate.

To go further, do something that you can't stop. Listen to a radio program. Watch something live. Call a random citizen of the country with skype.

The latest step would be to actually go to the country and live there for a while. But it can be harder to achieve. That next step allows you to learn expression that you might not have encountered elsewhere. You can also ask people directly when you have questions, and should be able to communicate well enough for that at this point.

(Also, people aren't born bilingual, although they might be raised that way).

[EmeraldPhoenix]

Ok, I see that the same things have been repeated over and over, so I'm going to throw in something different:

PM a playgrounder who speaks Spanish.

There are lots of them and I'm sure they'd be more than willing to help you out, if not by PM, by email or Windows Live Messanger (It helps if you have the video chat function on it) or AIM or any of a million other ways. Get to know them. They grew up with this language, what is important to know if you go there? Ask questions. Have them look over fake letters written (by you) in Spanish. Or, if you can't find a willing playgrounder, just find someone some other way. In RL. Online. In some other forum. Through a pen pal program. Just talk to somebody who knows the language and you'll hear it the way it was meant to be spoken, and really start to pick it up. You don't have to go to the country that speaks it, just make a friend who does.

Thanks, y'all.
EP

[Mercenary Pen]

I've learned German to a reasonable level of fluency (though I have lapsed a bit since I stopped studying), and I would recommend the following:

1- Don't study on your own if you can help it. A good language class should, when it becomes appropriate, start you speaking in the language as part of the lessons, correcting pronunciation and grammar as you go.

2- Get yourself the chance to go to that country if at all possible. Ideally a host family arrangement would be best, to reinforce your command of their language, though on occasion, you may need to stop them using you as an excuse to practice their skill at your language.

3- Find books, films and/or music in the language. Start with genres that you enjoy and then work up to the complex stuff. Tricks such as watching your DVD in english but with other language subtitles (or the equivalent if your native language is not english) are strictly encouraged here, because they help with the transition to competence in that language.

[Mauve Shirt]

What's really helped me in German is amassing a huge collection of German music. I also lived there for a bit, but I didn't start studying the language until I got back.

[Johel]

A good high school basic formation.
Lot's of reading (the Star Wars post-trilogy novels, especially)
Then a 6-months trip in London.
Then a lot of Internet.

Didn't make me bilingual but I can get by.
I have no problem to discuss in English with non-native speakers, as they'll keep the speed down and use simpler vocabulary. Pronunciation isn't a issue either : they tend to articulate a lot more than natives because they know you won't understand them otherwise.

[DraPrime]

I feel the need that no one is "born" bilingual. When you're born, you can't speak any languages. Bilingualism is always something that's learned.

Alright, I'm done nitpicking.

[d13]

The BEST way is to chat with people who have the language you're trying to practice, as a native language.

Just remember to tell them to talk slowly, that you're practicing xD

[Altair_the_Vexed]

Go live in a country / region where the language you want to learn is spoken regularly, but your native language is not.

My dad went overseas to teach English - he's remained fluent in French (he taught in France) ever since. Similarly, my mate who taught English in Ecuador: his Spanish is fluent (though he has a marked English accent, which his Ecuadoran wife says is cute). Another friend who speaks Japanese learned a very small amount in college before going and living in Osaka for a year or so - and now he's fluent.

[xPANCAKEx]

get a TEFL qualification
go and live abroad
get paid to live abroad

no need for:
????
profit

its all there for you