Help from the locals and spanish speakers for learning spanish

[bizzokiki]

I'm trying to learn spanish better, taking an online class right now. I'm hoping by starting this thread I can get help from local spanish speakers when I'm having trouble with the correct word to use in Mexico. Maybe it will help others in my same situation. For starters, the class I'm taking right now uses 'alcoba' for 'bedroom'. I do not remember learning it this way back in high school and when I look it up in the dictionary there are a few other choices, what do you say in Mexico?

[Solomon]

Recamara -- Bedroom.
Good luck with your studies.

[Susie Q Roo]

I'm not 100% sure but I think "recámara" is used here most often. Or maybe dormitorio. Hopefully, Luis or another native speaker will have some more help for you. I like THIS website for an Eng/Spanish dictionary, though it's not always right either.

[bizzokiki]

I knew that alcoba was not commonly used in Mexico. I should have started this thread when I first started my 1st class, I know there are others I had questions about. I am reviewing the first class now before moving on so I know I'll have more questions.
Muchas gracias.

[Michele]

According to our housekeeper, recamara is most commonly used here. Cuarto, meaning "room", is sometimes used but can also mean a very small living space/studio.

[Mamacita]

Kim - this should be a good thread to keep up with for me as I am also trying to refresh my high school spanish.

Any more good websites that folks have found would be much appreciated. I don't want to take an official course, but I have found some podcasts and the like to help me practice.

[u2girlie]

Kim - Would definitely like to see this thread continue. I am minoring in Spanish and always need help with my Spanish when I am writing my papers. I'm only two semesters in and next semester (in sept) will be the hardest to date. Good luck with you studies and have fun!

[bizzokiki]

Originally Posted by Mamacita

Kim - this should be a good thread to keep up with for me as I am also trying to refresh my high school spanish.Any more good websites that folks have found would be much appreciated. I don't want to take an official course, but I have found some podcasts and the like to help me practice.

I have some sites saved on my computer at home that I got from my online class that I can post later for you to check out. The online dictionary I use is spanishdict.com but I have also now saved the one Susie suggested and will reference that one too.

Originally Posted by u2girlie

Kim - Would definitely like to see this thread continue. I am minoring in Spanish and always need help with my Spanish when I am writing my papers. I'm only two semesters in and next semester (in sept) will be the hardest to date. Good luck with you studies and have fun!

Great I'm glad others can benefit from this thread, we can all help each other!

[u2girlie]

Here's a good website to help with verb conjugation...

Spanish

[bizzokiki]

Pregunta...
Do you use tomar or bebir for 'to drink'. I know most menus had 'bebidas' for a list of drinks, but using it as a verb which is more common? The class I'm taking is teaching tomar, but I remember learning bebir back in high school.
Also, 'to play' is jugar, I also remember learning it as tocar, is that only when using is as playing an intrument?

[Phil in Ottawa]

Good for you bizzokiki

When we first started vacationing in Mexico I decided I wanted to converse with the locals in their own language so I've been taking Spanish classes on and off for about ten years now.

I'm currently not enrolled in a class, so to keep up with the Spanish I purchased the following book:

"The Ultimate Spanish Review and Pratice, Mastering Spanish Grammar for Confident Communication" published by Passport Books. You can find it here.

I'm finding it's an excellent book. It's filled with great grammar explanations, examples, exercises, etc.

The other thing I do is read Spanish on a regular basis. I purchase the Spanish edition of the Selections from Reader's Digest and read that.

Anyway, good luck with the Spanish. It's a marvelous language.

[Susie Q Roo]

Originally Posted by bizzokiki

Pregunta...
Do you use tomar or bebir for 'to drink'. I know most menus had 'bebidas' for a list of drinks, but using it as a verb which is more common? The class I'm taking is teaching tomar, but I remember learning bebir back in high school.

Down here, whenever you order in a restaurant, they will ask you, "Algo a tomar?" o "Que quieres tomar?" I think the act of drinking is referred to as beber, but "having something to drink" is tomar.

Originally Posted by bizzokiki

Also, 'to play' is jugar, I also remember learning it as tocar, is that only when using is as playing an intrument?

Tocar is only for an instrument and it's incorrect to use jugar to refer to an instrument. Jugar refers to games or betting.

[bizzokiki]

Thank you everyone.
Here's a few more: would I use piso or suelo for 'floor' and is there a difference when saying 'the floor' or '2nd floor'?
How do you say 'tub' (as in tub of something) and 'bathtub'.
How do you say 'garbage or trash can', my teacher has bote, which I don't think is used in Mexico, its actually not even in the online dictionary I looked at.

[Susie Q Roo]

Piso is floor and also refers to floor tiles. It is also correct to use it for the number of "stories" of a building. (FYI, in an elevator, you will see "PB" then 1, 2, etc, on the buttons. PB = Piso Bajo or ground floor and the 1st floor is actually what is called the second floor in the US.)

Tina is bathtub and cubo would be like a bucket, if that's the kind of tub you mean.

I believe I've seen bote for trashcan, but usually it's just referred to as basura, which also means the articles of trash themselves.

[Alexep]

Originally Posted by bizzokiki

How do you say 'garbage or trash can', my teacher has bote, .....

Hi bizzokiki,

Susie Q Roo got the correct answer for "piso" and "suelo".

Garbage is "basura" and trash can is "bote de basura".

Saludos.