Non-native, fluent speaker, teacher/tutor.
I just dove in, armed with a decent dictionary, a good grammar book that always found a prominent place in the car, local Radio stations with terrible content, and TV (especially TeleNovelas - Soap Operas) with exactly what one should not do in life ! What a wealth of vocabulary and conversational treasure trove ! It was great ! I’m glad that is over, and I now Teach and Tutor.
I speak more of a “Pan American” goes “everywhere” Spanish that adapts easily to anywhere in Latin America and Spain (Iberic), from Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Venezuela… everything in between with bunches of modismos, expressions / regionalisms from everywhere, which you should use judiciously, or nobody will understand. Slip in the occasional Nahuatl word when in MX, but not elsewhere. Guajolote and Tecolote are OK in MX, say “Búho” or “Pavo” elsewhere, you’ll be fine during ThanksGiving or Camping.
As others have said, listen a lot before speaking. In the car, just repeat a sentence fragment, even when other people on the highway look at you funny, speaking to your imaginary friend.
I have to say, I was fearless… but with a method.
Do not try to understand everything in long sentences rattled off… just pick a chunk, and ask questions… why ?
Today is for Subject clauses… that it ! Just proper names, pronouns, some improper nouns.
Tomorrow is Verb day… not conjugation, just the verb identification. That’s it !
Next is Direct Object clause day… no more !
Next is Mood day: Indicative, Imperative (positive / negative), Subjunctive (present, past)… Ooohhh !
Next… Conjugation day ! Regular vs. Irregular verbs.
Next… Indirect Object clauses, Prepositions
Next… Adjectives, Adverbs, more nouns
Rinse, repeat !
On weekends, listen to a Soccer game… you can watch too… but I mean both the background language and the game description, rapid fire, follow it. This is not your American Football, Baseball stuff with Stats and endless irrelevant tangents… “el puro juego” !
Embrace the cultures, hang out at the restaurants… not the Mex/Latin places for Gringos. Go get real Burritos or Tamales on weekends, Latino/Mex grocery stores. You always pick up something.
Immersion is very easy around here. Make friends. Make sure your friendship is sincere, not just to learn the language.
Reading helps… current events is always a good source of conversation, but mostly to strengthen your grammar and contemporary vocabulary.
Oh Latin music, especially the “oldies”. I find them to be a wealth of poetic expressions, look for delightful double meanings. Much more creative than the stuff we have in the US, for example… I’m generalizing, I know. The modern stuff has double meanings that require much caution. On Sat/Sund mornings, around huevos con Nopales, you’ll hear Celia Cruz, Eydie Gormé, los Panchos, Los Tecolines, etc… family music… everybody knows the lyrics by heart… great source of vocabulary / grammar.
Well, that was my “jump in with both feet” moment about 40 years ago. If you already speak another language (or more), you will be surprised how quickly everything just falls in place.
I envy you, but I have repeated this exercise for several other languages… it is a blur at first, then settles down nicely.
Can everyone learn this way. Yes ! Do they think they can ? Never.
¡ Que le vaya bién, con todo empeño, humildad, sinceridad y sabor !
