The Official 'Ask Dave' Section ----

Question

I agree with the importance of pronunciation as I can see how hard it is to understand Spanish speakers when they speak English if their pronunciation is very bad. Sin embargo, he estado estudiando español para dos años y yo trato pronunciar las palabras correctamente pero no puedo “roll my rrr’s.” ¿Qué ud. me recomienda? [English from "Sin embargo": Nevertheless, I have been studying Spanish for two years and I try to pronounce the words correctly but I can't "roll my rrr's." What do you recommend for me?

Gracias,

Scott

Answer

Hola Scott,

There are even native speakers who can’t actually roll the “rr’s” – hard to believe eh? Usually what I recommend to people is to use the pronunciation CD-ROM that came with your course and practice, practice, practice.

If you still can’t pronounce them, there is an “rr” substitute that is mentioned on the pronunciation CD-ROM that came with your complete Visual Link Spanish™ course. It is how the native speakers do it who can’t pronounce their “rr’s”.


Hopefully this answers your question.

Gracias,

Dave

Words of the Week -----
Taken from our complete CD-ROM course. (Click for a discount)

Weekly Spanish Lesson ----

This week's lesson comes from the complete Visual Link Spanish™ course. Click below for a being lessons on sentence building.

To check it out, click here:www.learnspanishtoday.com/learn/sentence_building.htm

P.S. - If you don't have the Complete Visual Link Spanish™ Course, click below and get free shipping through the newsletter!


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Culture ----- Health!, Money! and Love!

Every culture in the world, that I know of, values "Health", "Money", and "Love" If any of you subscribers out there know of a culture that doesn't value one of these items, I'd love to hear about it.

These three words used together form a very small part of Latin American culture, but in a way you might not have guessed. They are said when someone sneezes! If you sneeze once, Latin people say "Health!" If you sneeze a second time, they say "Money!" and a third sneeze in a row brings "love!"

I have allergies and when I sneeze, I usually sneeze about 6 to 7 times in a row! I usually catch Latin people off-guard because after "Health!", "Money!" and "Love!", they run out of things to say.

Sometimes the Latin people will just say "Health!" and forget the rest. However, many are eager to wish you all three: "Health!", "Money!" and "Love!" when you sneeze.

You might think it sounds a little strange to say "Health!" when someone sneezes, but if you think about it, it makes a lot more sense than what we say in English -- "Bless you!" The word "bless" in the dictionary, means "to consecrate by religious rite or word." It's almost as though we're trying to bless someone religiously when they sneeze. The Spanish version makes a lot more sense to me; you are wishing someone good "Health" so they can get better and avoid more germ-filled sneezes. So, why do they add "Money" and "Love"? I'm not quite sure, but if you wish someone "Health", you might as well add "Money" and "Love" and offer them a complete package!

Just remember, one sneeze = Health - "Salud" [saw-lood]. Two sneezes = Money - "Dinero" [dee-neh-row]. And, a third sneeze = Love - "Amor" [Ah-more].

Now for the interesting part for me, I would love to know what people around the world say when someone else sneezes. Please e-mail and let me know.

Moral of the Story: This week's topic is a fun little cultural phrase that people say. Be daring and try it out the next time you hear a Latin person sneeze!

Sneak peek at next week: "Don't Waste Your Food - All Parts of the Cow!!?"

¡Hasta luego! ("Until later!")

David S. Clark -- President / Director
Visual Link Spanish™
Fun, Interactive Spanish Courses
http://www.learnspanishtoday.com
dave@learnspanishtoday.com

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Responses to Past Newsletters:



Note: Formatting on responses may have been changed to fit your screen.
Response #1

An easier way to get the accent marks over the spanish letters in a Word Document is to use the "insert" feature on the tool bar. Click on "insert" then click "symbol". A box appears. Use the drop down menu to bring up the type of font you need and Volila!! There are all the accents. Just click on the one you need when you need it and click "insert". You don't have to remember all the numbers.

However, I am glad to know about the numbers because I don't know how to get to the insert feature when NOT in a Word Document. I guess you could type your email message in Word and then copy and paste to the email document???

Wanda

Response #2

Dear Dave:

I purchased the complete Visual Spanish Link program about 7 months ago. I have immersed myself in the program and have learned so much. Soy de Republica Dominicana pero no hablo espanol. Vivo en Los Estados Unidos para 25 anos. I lost my language skills porque mi familia sent mi hermana y mi al la Americana escuela en Los Estadoe Unidos. So I began to learn….again. I recently took a trip to Cancun Mexico con mi esposa and was puedo "stay in spanish" the entire trip. Not one time did I break off into English. If I didn't understand algo I used the repitir technique and said Como se dice _______ en espanol about a hundred times. But I was impressed with myself and how much I retained. (and how much I picked up while there!) I can't thank you enough for making this muy facil. I took dos anos of espanol in high school, and flunked!! Muy de verguenza!! Considering that I was born in a spanish speaking country. I just purchased the add on Level two module and will continuir estudiar. When the other modules become available for purchase I will comprar them as well. For the first time since I was a little child I am able to have a conversation with mi abuelita.

Gracias.

Que la vaya bien.

Tami Moltasante

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