looking for encouragement!

Hi
I am currently studying preterite  verbs in the past tense and am feeling a little discouraged. Can anyone tell me if it gets any easier? Approximately how long does it take to begin talking Spanish fluently?
Thanks

Hola Julie,

If you stick with it, things will  come together. There will be snags and there will be things that come more easily. Things that seem difficult now will become  second nature to you. We all learn at a different pace and I couldn't say how long it takes to achieve fluency. Don't give up and keep it enjoyable! You got through the present tense right? ¡Buena suerte!

Saludos,
Ricardo

Thanks very much!
 

Hi Julie,

I see that you only joined on 14 Jan, so you are doing incredibly well to be at the stage you are at.  I go over lessons/exercises again and again to (try) and keep them in mind, but still not yet at your level.

So, give yourself a massive congratulations for your excellent progress so far and, as Ricardo says, if the odd lesson catches you out, don't worry too much - perhaps just keep going over the lesson, or keep going back to it.  I'm sure it will begin to make sense as you progress.

Saludos
Sheffield Lass

Thanks so much for your encouragement!

Despite what the big language learning programs would have you believe, learning a new language is NOT easy. Otherwise the world would be full of polyglots. It is hard work, requires consistency, dedication, and most importantly I think, perseverance. 

Five years ago I naively thought that I would be fluent in Spanish in one year. Today I can hold a conversation with a Spanish speaker, but I still do not consider myself to be fluent, which in my definition means to converse effortlessly.

I completely agree Dan.  I used to work with a lawyer who spoke English, Arabic, French & German with consummate ease and when we were chatting about it one day, he admitted that when speaking each language, he thought in that language too.  I am under no illusions that I will ever be truly fluent, but aim to converse in Spanish to the extent that I can understand and be understood.  I believe that hard work and time with Rocket Spanish will allow me to achieve that aim.

¡Nunca te rindas!