10 Reasons You (or Your Kid) Still Can't Speak Spanish

Have you tried to learn Spanish but still can't actually speak it well?  Bummer.  Here's 10 possible reasons you (or you kid) still can't speak Spanish.

1) You still can't conjugate verbs.

A native Spanish speaker turned to a Canadian friend of mine who was learning Spanish and mockingly asked him: "¿Tú hablar español?"  Honestly I thought it was rude, but native Spanish speakers making this kind of joke in reference to "gringos" trying to speak Spanish who still can't conjugate verbs is very common; because "gringos" trying to speak Spanish who still can't conjugate verbs is very common.  It's because many learners prefer the easier just "jump in, listen, pick it up and speak it" approach, saying "I don't learn by memorizing things."  But the verb conjugations in all the necessary tenses are both fairly complicated in Spanish and essential to actually forming one's own sentences.  Therefore, for the lack of a better word, they must be "memorized" by any means possible, regardless of what one's personal learning preference is.  Either you do it or you don't.

2) You still don't understand the subjunctive tense.

This is the number one thing that separates someone who really speaks Spanish well from someone who just thinks they do.  The subjunctive tense is perhaps half of all the Spanish language.  It is so important to the language AND to the culture that in reality it is a mood that spans multiple tenses.  The problem is that it is complicated to do and most teachers do a poor job at explaining it even in the realm of simply.  And a lot of learners just pretend it doesn't exist, but be that as it may, it certainly shows almost each time they speak.  

3) You still don't understand object pronouns.

Do you know the difference between "you" as a subject in English and "you" as an object in English?  Do you understand what a pronoun is in comparison to a noun?  In Spanish, consider the sentence, "Le digo que lo amo", which means, "I tell him that I love him".  Why is one him "le" and the other him "lo"?  It has to do with the difference between direct and indirect objects.  But do you know that difference well in English?  Are you sure? 

English author Geoffrey Willans is often quoted as saying:

"You can never understand one language until you understand at least two".

Do you know by experience how true that is?

4) You still don't really understand the difference between the preterite and the imperfect.

There are two main kinds of past tense in Spanish, and it is a pain to actually get good at knowing when to use each one.  The common way this is taught is just not true, and the actual explanation is hard to grasp.  Interestingly, you have to come to a much deeper understanding of what the present tense truly is in order to be able to grasp the reason for the existence of the imperfect past tense in Spanish.  Cool, huh? Even most Spanish teachers will have to do a double take on that one.

5) Your teacher isn't good.

Most teachers and programs throw you into the fire trying to force you to just speak Spanish by hearing it, learning vocabulary and repeating rehearsed conversations.  But you never actually learn to correctly be able to form your own sentences using your own style of speaking and topics that you normally talk about.

In regards to grammar, the explanations that are often given for the more difficult aspects, such as the ones already mentioned in this article, are often unnecessarily complicated involving a bunch of "laws" the student supposedly needs to mindlessly memorize instead of a few "principles" that in reality would help the student to understand how to "think" the way the grammar requires.

6) You insist on learning Spanish the way you like.

Obviously there is truth to the idea that each person knows the way they normally best learn, and even more obviously, they have the right to decide which method or style of teaching they are going to use.

That being said, if you know how to learn to actually speak Spanish very well and fluently, then do it.  Teach yourself.

Personally, I can count on my hand the number of people who I have seen that have done this.

The fact of the matter is that most people don't really know a way of learning or teaching Spanish that truly works, and this shows by the fact that most teachers' students don't end up actually fluent, being able to hold long, normal conversations with close to no errors.

But if you are the exception, power to ya.  Go get fluent. 

7) You can't/won't pay enough and/or practice enough.

Understandably, many are limited by how much they can pay to learn Spanish.  But in a world where we tend to spend more money on the things that are important to us and in a world where most methods of learning and teaching Spanish simply aren't working, you may need to ask yourself if you can actually afford to start the endeavor of learning Spanish.  Many choose a cheaper teacher or method and end up quitting after a few months, wasting all of the money they spent.  With a better, more expensive teacher, you may spend more money upfront but end up needing lessons for less time in total.  And most importantly, you may end up fluent, not having wasted the money spent.

Others have the money and start the lessons, but then they realize they don't have enough time in their schedule (and/or the desire to use that time), neither to be consistent with the lessons nor practice on their own as directed.  Many of these also end up quitting later, also essentially wasting their money.  Regarding this possible danger, you may need to ask yourself, 'Even if I have the money to learn Spanish, do I have the time?'.

8) You let your kid make the decisions.

Reasonably, it is expected that many parents feel overwhelmed with all the work it takes to be on top of their child's life progress.  They may feel it a real achievement just to have gotten their child to agree to Spanish lessons.  But sometimes they then let the child's wishes and opinions be the main factor in determining who is going to be the child's teacher.  But if most adults are struggling to find a way of learning and teaching Spanish that actually ends up working, how much less likely does a child know what really is best for him?  Children often focus on superficial things like who is the most fun or who is the least strict, and while these things can be really important factors as well in determining a good teacher, ultimately a well-informed parent can raise a child to respect the parent's decision in regards to what is best for the child.

9) You gave up too soon.

Learning another language is really hard.  Anyone who told you differently was selling you something or maybe just a bit ignorant.  Nevertheless, most people who end up quitting do understand and accept this to some degree.  The real problem is that many end up quitting on themselves.

Many are surprised to hear this.

But yes, plenty of learners eventually get so disappointed with themselves for making the same mistakes over and over again or for not getting something as quickly as would be ideal that they start to almost always feel bad during lessons. Finally, they decided to put an end to their own misery and quit.  

They fail to understand that in reality it is both a monumental task and life-changing achievement to learn another language, and thus there is no reason to feel so bad about going through the same mistake-filled process everybody goes through.  Nor is it advantageous to lose sight of the incalculable value of the reward at the end of the road.    

10) You want to learn Spanish for the wrong reasons.

Since the task is indeed so monumental, often an equally monumental desire and motivation is needed to make you equal to the task.  Wanting to impress others, a good grade on a test or feeling pressured by someone else usually don't cut the cheese as sufficiently-powerful motivating factors.  On the other hand, I have witnessed many success stories where the learner originally had a stubborn desire to meaningfully connect with real individuals of a different culture.

But we are all different, and more importantly, you are your own unique person.  Whatever your reason is for learning Spanish, if it's mighty enough, if it's healthy enough, surely you'll reach your goal, that is ...

... if you avoid the 10 reasons you (or your kid) still can't speak Spanish, of course 😉.