How can I learn to speak Spanish faster?

I don't mean babble away at greater speed, but I do mean 'speak' as in vocalise and say 'stuff'.

First out, I don't think there are any quick fixes to speaking a language well. The two (un)original ideas below, are more aimed at helping you start out, than become some spanish speaking guru.

It is possible to learn more or less efficiently (especially at the start), but for me language learning has always been a slow business. That said, there are effective and less effective ways to spend your time. Equally, there are some things that it will be worth your while learning, and some not.

I am assuming that you are not shy, and don't have a problem opening your mouth and letting rip in Spanish. If you are shy and have never spoken any Spanish you could try this and see where it takes you.

So here we are, just you and me, and you are not shy, or timid, have no problem opening your mouth but don't know where to start.

These are two suggestions to improve your spoken spanish as a beginner.

Learn sentences

The place to start is the Spanish sentences here on Surface Languages. They are free as in chips and beer? That doesn't sound right. Anyway, they are free. I also used to recommend various Spanish language courses, but even then would recommend starting with the sentences on this site.

You might wonder why I want to lose money by recommending my own (free) product (and not acting as an affiliate),but basically and in a nutshell, it is because I strongly believe these sentences are the best place to start when you want to speak Spanish but don't know where to begin. They use around five hundred words spread over five hundred sentences, and they are the type of sentences that you might well use when you start a language exchange.

Many language course books DO NOT contain the kind of things that you tend to say in language exchanges. They have their uses (a structured outline to grammar and so on), but are best used in conjunction with other resources.

I stopped recommending courses for learning Spanish, not because they are not good, but because there is, for Spanish in particular so much free content available.

Back to my sentences, I say my because I feel a sense of ownership. You will be relieved to discover that they were all professionally translated and recorded.

In case you skimmed over what I wrote, the sentences are a great place to start because they only use common words and are the type of sentences you are likely use in a language exchange.

Either learn all the sentences, and so pick up the associated vocabulary, or pick those that seem relevant to you.

Learn the 500 most common words

There are also flashcards with the five hundred most commonly used words in spoken Spanish. Note the emphasis on spoken. The most commonly used words in Spanish, English or any other language, vary depending on the circs. What you say in a pub or to your boss are different. Or should be.

Just to re-iterate (to hyphenate or not to hyphenate that is the Q.), getting good at Spanish takes time.

Besos,

Moonface