Learning Spanish for 2 YEARS ✨ Timelapse / Progress Videos ✨ Year 2 Update

[@fixer1140]

As a native Spanish speaker I can tell you that you speak fantastically. You don't need to move to a Spanish speaking country in order to learn the language. Now we have the great advantage of the internet and you can practice with someone who lives miles away from you. In my case, I learned English watching lots of tv and movies , listening music, etc. However, what helped me the most was interacting with english speakers, americans and canadians mostly. If you have friends who speak the language, ask them to talk to you in spanish only, that way you will have to force yourself to speak it. Once you have mastered it, you can move on to the other romance languages, Italian, Portuguese, French, etc. The structure is the same and we share plenty of words.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Yes, watching TV, movies, etc. and speaking and interacting with native speakers is definitely the best way to improve 😊 Thanks so much for your comment

[@falgunpatil2372]

Estoy de acuerdo. Obviamente lo mejor es tener a alguien que practique el idioma pero aún puedes aprender online. Empecé a aprender hace nueve meses y siento que puedo entender la mayor parte de la conversión. Tengo 54 años. Yo soy de India. El inglés es mi segundo idioma y ahora el español es el tercero. 😄

[@quicktempa]

I’ve given up on defining fluency lol all that matters is learning and improving. There are conversations I barley understand in English so I try not to be hard on myself when I can’t understand some in Spanish

[@MeredithSpielman]

This comment actually really helped me. Because it's so true, I have moments even in my native language where I don't understand everything! So it doesn't necessarily reflect on my Spanish level if I still have those moments in Spanish. Thinking about it that way was pretty eye-opening!! Thanks for your comment :)

[@quicktempa]

@@MeredithSpielman Glad to hear it 😁 keep up the good work

[@bpdgyal]

for me fluency is being able to have conversations and communicate in said language about various different topics etc. no one knows every single word to any language even in your native language, you’ll always keep learning more words everyday

[@filipino437]

@@bpdgyal yes just like me, i learn new words everyday in my target language

[@quicktempa]

@@bpdgyal truth

[@Serchi_]

As a native Spanish speaker I can say that your Spanish is really good, even some things that you correct in the subtitles as mistakes don't actually sound like mistakes to me, but I understand that you correct yourself according to the "standard" or "formal" grammar, in order to learn you can't account for every dialect in existence, so I see why you perceive as mistakes some things that sound natrual to me. Your way of speaking Spanish is quite charming, you give it a lot of personality and express yourself in a clear and descriptive manner. It's really cool to see people learning Spanish, specially English speaking people, since in the Spanish-speaking wolrd we consume a lot of entertainment and information in your language so it's really exciting to see when some of you take interest in our language. Anyaway, you are really charismatic and fun, I hope we can see more videos from you in the future.

[@MeredithSpielman]

What a nice comment! I’ve always found it so strange how few Americans ever care to put in the effort to learn a second language. But I’m a language nerd, so I know I’m not normal in that regard 🤓 so of course it’s appealing to me. But seriously, learning Spanish has been SO enriching to my life that it’s crazy. I’m glad to maybe be an example that it’s achievable to do! I’m glad you enjoy my videos. I just recorded the progress videos for me, but then decided why not publish on KZbin. I just try to be myself. I just published another new video, and I’m hoping to keep it up and publish more stuff this year! Thanks so much for your comment :)

[@misledyouth7613]

I think you've made great progress for just 2 years!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thank you so much! ☺ I appreciate your comment!

[@paulbradford6475]

@@MeredithSpielman Have you heard of Mike Ben? He's from Atlanta and he's been on a similar path to yours. I think he's a teacher by trade and a very quick study. When watching his first video, I was inspired to learn that he and I used the same resources in the beginning of our studies and he's one of the reasons I continue to hit the books, etc.

[@besapeposhi3864]

@@MeredithSpielman yes, but 2 years it's a lot time.

[@MeredithSpielman]

@@besapeposhi3864 Many things that are worth pursuing in life that a lot of time and dedication 😉

[@besapeposhi3864]

@@MeredithSpielman I wouldn't expand what i said, 2 years it's a lot, but you look a good and smart girl. 😉

[@tommiedshow9211]

I’m learning the language some days I do great and some days I’m terrible hearing you say this let’s me know I’m not alone.I’m a black American and the look on the faces of native speakers when I converse in Spanish is so funny to me or the double takes when someone over hears my conversation.Que sorpresa 🤣🤣🤣

[@MeredithSpielman]

Hahaha I get that! Especially in Mexico, they sort of don't expect people of other races to speak Spanish so that kind of thing can happen a lot. Thanks for sharing, good to know others know how it feels

[@tonywashington1009]

I know the feeling.

[@rinarina9424]

I always wonder abt this bcs im black and learning Spanish and I always wonder if people would be shocked, because afro latinos do exist so like- why are you shocked??

[@NEbeliever]

Well I mean it’s quite a shock because it’s very easy to find who is a foreigner (clothes, souvenirs, race, etc) and when you speak their native language, they might have formulated an idea that you don’t know the language and they are shocked when you do. Good luck on learning Spanish by the way.

[@danieldebelen1995]

@@rinarina9424 Yep, exactly my thought, Latin america is multiethnic so you've got white, afro, and native americans, but the vast mayority of latino migrants in the usa come from central american countries which are mainly inhabited by native americans which is also why US citizens tend to think we're all brown, just like Tommie apparently

[@heatherconnell9124]

Amazing! It was hard for me to hear it so quickly, but I definitely understood most of the Spanish the subtitles without needing to read the English subtitles.🙂 You are goals!!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thank you Heather

[@kelvinelielmarte1601]

You sound like a native speaker, I'm Dominican and I am learning. I've been learning English for one year and 6 months, and I started to learn French today so good luck for me

[@MeredithSpielman]

Wow, such a nice comment! I appreciate it :) Good luck with French!

[@aarcm.9290]

I'm only a few months into learning Spanish and your videos are motivating in showing us what can be achieved if one puts their mind to it and stays dedicated, thank you for this update!

[@MeredithSpielman]

You're so welcome! I'm so glad that my videos could help motivate you 😊 Keep it up and good luck on your language learning journey!

[@davidlongstreet7305]

Wow!- thank you for sharing these videos. I enjoyed both your videos (year one and year two). I am 200 days into learning Spanish and your videos gave me some additional optimism I can learn Spanish. I am looking forward to watching your year three Spanish progress video.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Wow, what a lovely comment! It’s so great to know that other people can watch these videos and it can help them stay inspired in their language learning journeys! I’m glad you enjoyed. I’m hoping to publish a new video soon talking about Mexican expressions with my roommate; stay tuned! :)

[@westcoastenglish1397]

You are definitely fluent--no doubt about it.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thank you so much 🥺 Honestly I think you could say that, but I suppose at the end of the day it depends who you ask. I think I'll feel 100% comfortable calling myself fluent when I can speak without thinking nearly 100% of the time. I can already speak without thinking, but not 100% of the time.

[@westcoastenglish1397]

Totally hear you--another way to judge your fluency is how natives speak with you. If they speak at their normal pace, that’s a good sign of fluency as well! Felicidades!

[@msmendes214]

I just watched your 1yr update which was great for me to see because I'm a year into studying Spanish & we seem to be at the same level a year out. But this video was even better because I can see where I *can* possibly get to & there is definitely a noticeable difference! Thanks for this!

[@MeredithSpielman]

This kind of comment is the best ❤️ Because that's so nice to know that I can possibly give someone a sort of benchmark to understand what is realistically achievable. Another year feels like a long time but the time passes anyways, you just keep improving and improving without even realizing until you look back and say "Wow, look how far I've come"

[@aligrace1669]

Oh my goodness I know exactly what you mean about having off days where you just can't. I'll have days every once in a while my bran really just resist Spanish so much and it makes it so hard to speak or comprehend the language. I'm at a pretty intermediate level but yeah these day's are rough to stay motivated but it's okay, we got this!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Sorry for the delay in replying, but totally!! I think it happens to all of us but it can be so frustrating - especially when it happens in front of native speakers 😱 It's like "nooo I promise I actually speak Spanish well!" hahah Thanks for your comment! Check out my latest video if you're interested, it gives tips about making the jump from the intermediate level to advanced! kzbin.info/www/bejne/jnWlaIGJhqaeaM0

[@johnhillescobar]

I watched your other video and what I do love about this one is how you have incorporated slangs into your vocabulary. I did like when you said "echarle ganas" and "bla, bla, bla". English is my second language, so I connect a lot whit what you said about feeling that your level of fluency is fluid (some days you are good and other not so good in Spanish). I've been living in an English country for 10 years and it still happens to me. A few years ago, I had a traffic accident and I remember that my command of English regressed to the point that I couldn't answer complex questions during that moment, so I think that stress and your state of mind has a lot to do with how fluid we are. Finally, I loved what you said about speaking broken Spanish or trying to work around things to convey what you want to say. I feel you completely. It happens to me, specially on topics that either don't know or have read but never kept a conversation about. You made me feel great with your video. I've been always ultra self aware of my command, which makes me feel awful about my language skills, but your definition of fluency made me realize that I was already fluent: I manage to complete my graduate school here in America, work in corporations, and deliver presentations on corporate and non-corporate settings. Thank you so much!

[@MeredithSpielman]

I loved reading your comment. You’re totally right; if you’re able to achieve so much in English, then *of course* you’re already fluent! I guess I’m a bit of a perfectionist, and that I also worry a lot about what others think about me (maybe I shouldn’t be on youtube then, probably lol), and I think that influences my level of comfort with my own language skills. But at the end of the day, I immigrated to another country and settled into a life here, all in Spanish. Honestly I already feel pretty confident about my Spanish, but I think it’ll only get better with time now that I live in Mexico.

[@johnhillescobar]

@@MeredithSpielman Please, don't stop sharing your achievements with us. You did a lot by referring to the elephant in the room to all of whom have to deal with living as a bilingual. I had never thought in depth about the scope of "fluency", and yes, I had a perfectionist perspective about it. You made me realize that I may have been wrong all the time. As we both know, this does not mean that we are going to slack off in our learning path, but you bring a new perspective by inviting us to realize how much we have advanced. I'm happy that you feel confident about your command of Spanish and I hope we could have a bilingual conversation in the future. I'm sure that you Spanish will only get better!

[@MeredithSpielman]

@@johnhillescobar I hope to keep sharing! It's a little difficult for a few reasons, but I definitely aim to post more on KZbin. I'm glad something I said could resonate with you! You're so right that it's hard to know until you're living it what it's like to live bilingually, with your mind switching between two languages, especially when you tend to be self critical, like us. Thanks again for your comment :)

[@Spanish55]

Wow! Congratulations, Meredith. You will inspire many language learners with your story, keep up the great work :)

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thank you so much! Hopefully so, that's the idea of these videos. Well, originally I did them just for me, to see my own progress, but then I decided Why not share? so I could possibly inspire others

[@Spanish55]

@@MeredithSpielman Well, from just reading a few comments on this video, we can tell you you've suceeded!

[@marcia5227]

I think you’ve done a great job

[@shannyd9]

So inspirational to see your progress. I’m only a few months in but feel like I’ve had a “lazy” period of time. Thanks for being real and being you as well as offering the tips! I look forward to seeing more videos from you :) Mucho gracias de Canada!

[@MeredithSpielman]

The reality is that your dedication ebbs and flows, and that’s okay as long as you never stop completely! I’m glad you can perceive that i’m trying to “be real” in my videos. I’m not here to impress anyone, only to tell my story how it really is and was, and hopefully inspire others! I think I *did* change my life in order to learn Spanish (what I mean by that is that it basically became my one and only hobby for a long time to get this far, and it was something I integrated into every day of my life, not just 1-2 times a week); BUT at the same time, I wasn’t too rigid about it. I studied and put effort into it, but in a casual pace that made sense for me, my lifestyle, and my energy level. And this is the outcome of that, and I’m pretty satisfied with it! Saludos a ti, muchas gracias por tu comentario!!

[@countryballspredicciones5184]

You speak Spanish really well! Congratulations! Your progress in 2 years with this language is incredible. Greetings from a Peruvian brother.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks so much for your comment! I’m pretty happy with my progress and I’ve enjoyed the process along the way!

[@Ghost_Samurai21]

Hey Meredith! Well, let me start off by saying that your Spanish sounds great for only having studied for 2 years! You’ve really come a long way and it’s definitely inspiring for other people learning whatever other language. I personally would consider you fluent and I say that because I’m Mexican and I noticed that you marked some of the words as “wrong” in the video and look they probable were but my point is, sometimes not even natives speak perfectly but I understand that your goal is to speak with zero mistakes and probably sound proper and that is when the immersion comes in. When I was learning English, well my first method would be learn off of books or music or shows but you know that the English spoken on that media is completely different to the way people actually speak. So keep meeting new people and making new friends! I’m sure that’ll really help even more! Y una pregunta extra! En qué idioma piensas? Has tratado de pensar en Español? Eso puede ayudar bastante y poco a poco te irás evitando el tener que lidiar con hacer la tradición en tu cabeza y como resultado empezarás a hablar más fluidamente! Me encantó tu video Meredith! Espero ver más videos pronto, quizá vlogs o hablando de cualquier tema. Saludos, te mando un abrazo!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Que amable tu comentario! Respondiendo a tu pregunta al final, de hecho siiii, siempre trato de pensar en español y es una gran herramienta para aprender, o más bien formar el hábito de siempre tenerlo en mente. Y gracias por decir que crees que ya hablo fluido 🥺 Un amigo me dijo recientemente qué ser fluido (en su opinión) es poder hablar casi siempre sin tener que pensar en lo que quieres decir. Puedo hacer eso muchas veces, pero no estoy en ese punto todavía. Pero creo que pronto. Muchas gracias por comentar!

[@javierfernandoagudelogomez1794]

@@MeredithSpielman Acorde a los conceptos de varios poliglotas conocidos como Steve Kauffman y Luca Lampariello la definición de "fluidez" si lo encasillamos en el marco común europeo, sería un B2, fluidez no significa ser avanzado como un C1 o un C2. En mi humilde opinión como hispanohablante y sin ser un experto en idiomas, tu ya eres un B2 en el Castellano, ya tienes fluidez, igual sigue mejorando que uno nunca deja de aprender, hasta un hablante nativo siempre puede aprender un poco más de su lengua madre. Felicitaciones por ese gran progreso y muchos éxitos con tus metas

[@troyc333]

Meredith, I watched your first video when you started on this journey. Your progress is amazing and I'm glad you decided to share this with everyone. I hope you continue to post more progress videos as your time permits. It's very exciting and inspirational!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks so much for your comment! I appreciate you taking the time to come back and watch my update video. I'm going to try to keep uploading, I'm glad you get something from my videos!

[@hulkhoganwwf]

I watched your first video earlier for the first time and just now watched this. Very inspirational yet frustrating for me. I started 2 weeks ago and i cant wrap my mond around ser and estar. I cant believe there's a dozen ways to say "the and to be". Makes me wanna flip the table! If im already frustrated with grammar how frustrating will it be to form sentences. Sheesh.

[@Ballykeith]

It's easy to become frustrated over grammatical differences in foreign languages. We perhaps don't realise that our own mother tongue has its own complications for foreign learners. I've found that the best approach is not to obsess over these difficulties in the early stages - just note your confusion and put it to one side to revisit as and when. What I do is focus on reading and listening at a level that is not too far beyond my reach so that I learn a little with each session by going over what is new to me. I focus on understanding and will only consult the grammar as a part of that - enabling it to build incrementally over time.

[@hulkhoganwwf]

@@Ballykeith thank you for the advice!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Hi, thanks for commenting. I totally agree with what Alan says here, that in the beginning stages (and even in intermediate, when you encounter even more difficult grammatical topics), it’s best to set these “confusing” concepts aside. Keep practicing and advancing; take lessons and do conversation practice in which the other person will correct you. When they correct you about ser/estar for example, try not to question it too much; just accept it and implement the correction. Once you’re at a more advanced level, you’ll start noticing patterns that you wouldn’t be able to see as a beginner, and there’s many more “A-ha” moments when things just click, but that only comes after a LOT of exposure to the language, like a year or more of study. My number one advice will always be to relax and enjoy the process!

[@EachDayForever]

You sound great, and wow, I’m inspired as hell by how comfortable you got in expressing yourself in Spanish. I’m not even at where you were after 1 year, even though I’ve been learning for almost 2 years, but you’ve inspired me! I just want to say that I think there are some pretty straightforward things that you can apply in terms of pronunciation. The “v” in Spanish is never pronounced with the teeth against the lips like we do in English (except for very very few people who pronounce the “v” like that in certain dialects). A “b” or “v” might sound very close to an English “v” in certain positions in words, but that’s because of how the lips are moving, and it doesn’t involve teeth. Check out the videos on this topic and other ones by “Ten Minute Spanish”- I learned SOOO much of this stuff from him! Anyways, I hope you see this and that it is of assistance! Thanks for the amazing video!

[@MeredithSpielman]

I’ll have to check out the video you recommended. But lately I also worked with a teacher on Italki specifically on accent correction, and we worked with the “b” and “v” sounds, and it was really helpful for me. Thanks for your comment!

[@EachDayForever]

@@MeredithSpielman of course! And thank you for your reply! That sounds great,, and your Spanish is sounding awesome, and from what I heard, your b and v sounds sounded great in your latest video!! Thank you, and I hope you enjoy that video EDIT: added some stuff

[@oscarjavierguerrerocontrer8562]

Es excelente... Pasaste de aprender el español simple a gustarte profundamente la gramática. Tu español es más fluido, más natural; un acento bien neutral y agradable. Felicidades.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Muchas gracias por el comentario!

[@KristenLB]

Your Spanish is so pretty, totally love your accent. These progress videos are so inspirational especially when you want to give up. Thanks for sharing

[@MeredithSpielman]

Wow, thanks so much! It makes me so happy to read your comment, that I could help you stay motivated even when you feel like giving up. It's natural, because it's like... every step you take forward in learning Spanish, you see just how long the path before you still is. But then you have moments where you have a conversation and say "Wow, I can talk about something that complicated?" and you think about how you wouldn't have been able to express yourself like that just a few months ago! Good luck in your journey and thanks for watching and commenting :)

[@KristenLB]

@@MeredithSpielman Thanks for taking the time to reply so kindly!! highly appreciate it

[@sonofmaroons]

to think that it’s only been 2 years is so inspiring 💕

[@MeredithSpielman]

Aww thanks so much!

[@CarlosMiau]

Im also an italki tutor and I can totally relate with what you mentioned, my students definitely motivate me to keep learning foreign languages as well ^^ Felicitaciones en tu progreso, sigue adelante! Saludos dese Cataluña!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Yes exactly! It's cool to have a job like that 😊 Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@Comprehensible_German]

I just watched your first video and just couldn't believe that you only uploaded these two! Please keep making these updates and maybe even consider making some videos inbetween! I really enjoy listening to your experiences with learning Spanish.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Awww thank you!! Now that I see people are interested in what I have to say, I'm definitely thinking about making some other videos. Thanks for the encouragement!

[@Heyheyhey-bd9ox]

That was a great progress You're like a monument in my mind of learning language Currently i've been studying English. Hopefully one day i could master it like you did

[@MeredithSpielman]

Omg, this comment is soooo flattering! I’m sure you can master it. Motivation sometimes ebbs and flows, but as long as you never stop and keep trying to improve every day, you’ll make a lot of progress.

[@spanishthroughimmersion6694]

Great Videos, your pronunciation and accent are really good. I´ve been studying for a little over 2 years as well. And relate heavily with everything you said in this video. And I was trying to explain to my brothers why I'm so down on myself when it comes to my level in Spanish. They never learned a language so they didn´t really get me when I said it's because the inconsistency of my ability from day to day, conversation to conversation and accent to accent is so up and down its hard to feel really confident all the time. It's something you gotta experience to get ya know. One thing is for sure I need to practice my speaking a whole lot more.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Ufff exactlyyyy!!! Like when I make mistakes in Spanish, I can hear the mistakes even at the same moment they come out of my mouth but somehow still can't exactly avoid them, which makes it even more frustrating. It's like, I KNOW how to speak perfect Spanish, but then I open my mouth and out comes... well, Spanish, but not perfect 😂

[@JamieTresor]

Thanks for the video! loved the update! I want to move to a spanish country for awhile and your video has helped me to realize that the video movies and podcasts are going to be what helps me go from “studying’ to “using” the language. I was stuck with constant study and flash cards and not good at putting them together. Keep us updated! Hope to see you around someday!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Hi Jamie! I’m glad that’s what you took away from the video, about to switch from “studying” the language to actually “using” it. It’s very key to improving. You should also watch my video about getting from Intermediate to Advanced Spanish, I talk about more ways to use the language. Thanks so much for your comment! I’m glad to see people are enjoying my videos and hope to keep making more. Good luck in your language journey! And yes, hopefully so!

[@RuNZiT1]

So you popped into my recommended (once again) and your Spanish is pretty well. It’s funny cause for me I’m not necessarily chasing anything but more so enjoying the process of everything. That being said glad to see your Spanish is doing good!

[@MeredithSpielman]

I think that’s actually the perfect mentally to have. My goal is to have perfect Spanish, but it’s a loose, not-too-serious goal. I don’t have a set amount of time I study every day, I don’t have a goal to be fluent within a certain number of months or years. I guess you could say my goal is to never stop improving, and that way my Spanish will get as perfect as possible within my ability :) And if that takes 5 years, 10 years, it doesn’t matter to me! Because I’m just enjoying every part of the process.

[@thebigNT]

I just saw your previous video this week, which has really inspired me. Very cool to see this one pop up now!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Aw I’m so glad the videos were inspiring for you!

[@adamclune1572]

Congrats on the progress! Have run into your videos in the process of doing some last minute cramming of Spanish lessons before I head to Barcelona on a one way flight solo this week (from Australia). I'm incredibly nervous, and while I think that I am a just a touch behind where you are, the perspective i've gained from your videos, as well as the learnings from the great format you've got going with your videos w/ subtitles has been super helpful. Keep up the good work, cheers!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Wow, what an inspiring comment! I’m so glad you were able to get something useful from my videos. Great luck in Spain, I know you’ll enjoy it a lot and your Spanish will improve a ton by being surrounded by it!!

[@contagious_noob3651]

Seeing how much you've improved really has me looking forward to the future I started studying a little over a year ago but I had to stop due to me going to bootcamp and I've just recently started to really pick it up again but I am really starting to love the language now. I also just saw the hand talking note and whenever I try speaking in spanish I talk with my hands alot too lol

[@MeredithSpielman]

Hahahaha I talk with my hands way too much in any language 😂 I'm so glad that my video could impire you!! That's the idea. "Sin prisa pero sin pausa." As long as you keep going, that's progress. Good luck to you

[@paulbradford6475]

Just curious: you mentioned boot camp - It reminded me of an Olly Richards video about the DLI or Defense Language Institute. It's supposed to be very intense.

[@contagious_noob3651]

@@paulbradford6475 thats what I have heard but I haven't done it so I can only speak for what other people have told me

[@SammyGameplaysSpanish]

good video! It's interesting how you progressed in Spanish, you speak it very well!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thank you! :)

[@renataguidali]

Congrats on your progress! But I got to say I love seeing your arm tattoos growing as well 😁

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks! hahaha and yes, thank you! I didn’t think of it that way but yes, my sleeve was completed over the course of these videos

[@paulbradford6475]

Old guy here. I started studying Spanish from at least two years ago. I'm not fluent at all. You are indeed fluent, and to a degree that I hope to obtain eventually. My progress so far is such that just now, as I listened to you speaking Spanish, I was following along, comprehending pretty well exactly what you were saying without, I might add, having to look at the English translation below. So maybe I am progressing. Still, in the nicest way possible, please consider me very envious of your progress and good luck with your continued studies.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Awww thanks so much for the nice comment. It’s nice to hear it when other people think I have a good level! Despite the envy, I hope you’re enjoying the along-the-way process of learning Spanish. I think that’s the key that has kept me going all this time.

[@paulbradford6475]

@@MeredithSpielman You're welcome. Consistency is the key for me to get better at Spanish.

[@LikeLikez]

Keep up the great videos!!! Love seeing your progression 😄

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks friend!!

[@tdot415]

I love your videos Meredith. It has a very sincere and open tone. I can tell you put a lot of thought into this journey and have a genuine love for this. I’m glad you invested a lot of time into one language(which happens to be the one I’m learning). I feel like all I see on KZbin are polyglots now who are learning 245378854 languages at once. You’re bringing a very human perspective and how hard and beautiful it can be to learn a language in adulthood. Speaking a language is not just speaking it and trying to squeeze a whole ‘nother culture into your head takes more than a year, it’s about integrating it into who you are. I hope you continue your journey, I have been learning spanish for 2 years but I’ve been slacking recently, thank you for the newfound motivation! :)

[@MeredithSpielman]

Your comment hits the nail on the head about SO many things!!! I definitely try to be sincere in my videos, my love for the language and culture is very real, and I totally believe in focusing on ONE language and integrating it into your life (like, really making it part of your life) if your goal is legitimate fluency. If your goal is to be basically conversational in several languages, sure, maybe you can try it like the polyglots. But my goal with Spanish is a level of fluency as nearly native as possible. So there’s not room for another language at this point in my language journey. Would I love to be trilingual, or a polyglot? Absolutely, I’d die to be able to speak several language! But for me, being as good as possible in Spanish is more important than being half-assed in several languages, so I’ll keep on working only on my Spanish for several more years, I’m sure. Thanks for the comment, I’m glad that my videos could give you some motivation!!

[@tdot415]

@@MeredithSpielman yea, I agree. To me, merely being subpar at a couple languages is not nearly as impressive as speaking a language to a near native level fluency. Because getting to an intermediate level in a language takes a lot less time and you give yourself much more leniency when it comes to making mistakes. The usual excuse is you can just say you haven’t practiced it in awhile, which is fair but lazy. Addressing that point of being a polyglot, I don’t think it does justice to the word. Just take your time with Spanish, then you’ll eventually develop a love for another language. Let it be organic is what I mean to say.How do you feel Spanish has changed the way you think? For me, it’s taught me how malleable language can be in general.

[@Ballykeith]

I've loved your updates! IF you were to learn a second foreign language, what would it be? Would you want to get better still at Spanish before doing so?

[@MeredithSpielman]

Hey thanks for commenting! Check out my newest video that just came out :) So, in the past I tried learning more than one language at a time, and inevitably I would end up mixing up words in speech. I think it really prevented me from getting past a beginner level in any language. Because of that, I feel kind of afraid to start learning another language. I think my Spanish is pretty great (I even got a C1 on the SIELE exam), but it’s not as good as I want it to be yet, so I would like to keep working on Spanish probably for another few years before starting on a third language. But to answer your question, the third language I learn would probably very likely be Portuguese or Italian :)

[@Ballykeith]

@@MeredithSpielman Congratulations on your C1! I've been a serial switcher of languages in the past, but now I'm concentrating on French, my original second language. I admire your focus on getting really good with Spanish, as it's always tempting to skip the hard work of the intermediate stage in pursuit of rapid gains in a new language. You're young so you've years ahead to learn Portuguese or Italian and you would surely make rapid progress in those two, thanks to the foundation you've laid with Spanish. Subbed 👍🏼

[@VictimOfTheParanoid]

Great work, your video is really motivating for new learners like myself. Thank you so much

[@MeredithSpielman]

It truly warms my heart that my videos could possibly inspire others enough to make a difference, like keep them motivated to keep going. Thanks for commenting

[@emiliokarlen7363]

Eee hablás re bien!!! Seguí así, te mando un saludo!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Aww muchas gracias Emilio! Saludos!! Aprecio tu comentario, que amable 😊

[@changethoughtschangeworld]

Me aparecieron tus vídeos en recomendados y me parecieron súper copados, tranquilos y entretenidos. Por lo que veo tu canal es nuevo y tiene poco videos así que espero ver más de vos y que puedas hablar de mas cosas, ver videovlogs y etc. Saludos desde 🇦🇷

[@MeredithSpielman]

Qué lindo comentario! Como dices, así es, mi canal es nuevo y llevo muy poco en el mundo de KZbin, pero la idea es publicar más contenido! Acabo de publicar un video nuevo hace poco. A ver como me va en seguir creando cosas nuevas, jaja. Muchas gracias por comentar, Federico. Sueño con visitar tu país algún día!

[@changethoughtschangeworld]

@@MeredithSpielman que bueno!! Espero lo hagas y subas muchos videos. Gracias😄

[@maxduewel54]

Great progress !

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thank you for your comment!

[@moumenwalid5297]

Wow tu tambien empezaste a aprender el español cuando ha empezado la primera cuarentena del covid como yo jajaj Animo amiga mucha suerte con tu aventura del aprendisaje

[@yohanpark7957]

Lol the dedication you put on making just 2 videos are alot, its very insightful and motivating. And your spanish is as difficult to understand as the natives to me haha you are really good at it

[@MeredithSpielman]

HAHAHA your comment made me laugh because it's true 😬 I originally just recorded the videos for myself but then decided why not put them on KZbin. And then I thought, Well, if I'm going to make a KZbin video, might as well make it nice, right? Haha. Thanks for your comment, glad you found the video insightful and motivating! That's the idea 😊

[@FLMando]

Thanks for the great videos, great insight, and great inspiration!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks James! I appreciate your comment

[@JoelMatee]

Well done!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks for your comment!

[@paulwelch565]

Excelent congratulations 👌

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks Paul!

[@kevinspanish7478]

Can you still actually use Italki for language exchange partners? I thought they cancelled that functionality. Looking back: do you think you actually needed to use Anki in the first year or would taking mental notes have been enough as well?

[@MeredithSpielman]

You’re right. I was SOOO disappointed when Italki got rid of that feature, because I think it was the best way to find language exchange partners. I guess there are some alternatives, like HelloTalk or some others like that, but it’s a bummer you can’t do it on Italki anymore. About Anki, I still think that studying and memorizing that list of 2000 most common Spanish words was really fundamental in getting a kick start on the language. I don’t think I would have progressed so quickly without it. In the first year the language was still “foreign” to me, so my ability to memorize a word just by hearing it a couple times wasn’t as well-developed, so I think Anki was pretty important. I still use it nowadays, but much less.

[@kevinspanish7478]

@@MeredithSpielman Tnx for the answer! And happy to see there is a new video on your channel!

[@richgallego9762]

Vas súper bien !!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Muchas gracias Rich!

[@atletiaficionado2054]

Fluency is such a spectrum and like you said the definition is pretty subjective.. It's a huge mountain to climb to get to true "native-esq" fluency, but it seems like you are well on the path. I'm a gringo so who am I to judge, but you accent is really nice and you clearly have un chingo of knowledge built up. Of course some days you're spanish brain isn't going to be turned on all the way or you will encounter an accent or some slang that throws you off, but no pasa nada. Tal vez "te falta barrio" un poquito.. pero bueno.. you're clearly pretty damn "fluent". As someone who's around or just under your fluency level, this video was super inspiring! Enjoy CDMX!!

[@atletiaficionado2054]

Also give yourself some credit porfa. You're not being una huevona just because your nose isn't in a grammar book. You're method of learning has just changed as you have advanced. Proud of you! Crazy there aren't more gringos like us learning this beautiful language. You'd think there would be way more..

[@MeredithSpielman]

Haha I also refer to it as my brain being in “Spanish mode” or “English mode.” Some days it’s just not as easy to switch as others! But I’m sure it will only continue to improve just by living my live here in CDMX. And I totally agree with you. I can’t believe how uncommon it is for Americans to learn a second language. I don’t know any other Americans that have learned or are learning a second language, other than those I’ve met online through something connected to language learning. It’s a shame, because the friendships and connections I’m able to make because of this language are so amazing, it is very rewarding.

[@MiLeyendas]

Felicidades!!!

[@MiLeyendas]

Vas super bien!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Gracias Luis!

[@josephmessina4832]

your accent is AMAZING

[@MeredithSpielman]

Wow, thanks so much!

[@Alejo.o.]

Hola Meredith, no necesitás vivir en un país hispanohablante, solo tenés que tener amistades by text y hablarlo de esa manera así aprendí tu idioma, pero tú español está muy bien felicitaciones, saludos de Colombia!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Sí, tienes toda la razón. Gracias por tu comentario!

[@abelmartins3024]

Hola! te acabas de ganar un nuevo suscritor. Te felicito, sigue así (Y) :D

[@MeredithSpielman]

aww muchas gracias! Prometo subir nuevos videos pronto!

[@faithvelez2502]

Looking at moving to Chile after graduation, in 2 years! Your definitely an inspiration of mine. Thank you for the resources you posted in the first video, and sharing your progress :)!

[@duhvn]

Well done

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks! I appreciate your comment.

[@geraldbelman759]

Buen trabajo y saludos de otra persona tratando de llegar a ser fluida en la lengua. Tu has hecho mucho progresso. - and I only had to look up "progresso" because although it came to me naturally, I was worried I just got it from the soup brand.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Awe thanks so much for your comment! I think I’ve made a lot of progress too, and it’ll only continue to improve! Good luck in your language learning journey

[@pinkman17_]

Im spanish speaker and the most of the erros that you corrijes no son even an error at all, pot ejemplo cuando dijiste "por algunos restaurantes" tu lo corrijiste en la caption diciendo "en algunos restaurantes" i personally would say the same as you said, anyways keet it up youre doing great!!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thank you, I appreciate your comment :)

[@bpdgyal]

do you have any tips on how to learn grammar ? or should i not focus too much on that? cause i’m struggling with grammar, i can’t speak in past tense at all 😩

[@MeredithSpielman]

I recommend that you learn each grammar topic as it comes up for you. What do I mean by that? If you're having lessons or conversation practice and realize "Wow, I can't speak in the past," then go to one of the websites I mentioned in my first video, like SpanishDict.com or StudySpanish.com and read about the past tense and practice it. Then practice it in real conversations. And then the next time you come across a grammar topic you can't use, do the same, and little by little you'll work through all the tenses. I also HIGHLY recommend LanguageTransfer.org

[@bpdgyal]

@@MeredithSpielman thank you so much!!

[@MeredithSpielman]

@@bpdgyal You're welcome!

[@jackm1758]

This just inspired me to increase the pace I am going at. Shamefully I am about as good as you were in your first month and I have been trying to learn since April 2021! I know I dont do enough... especially when it comes to the speaking part... so just wanna say thankyou for your 2 uploads they were awesome and I will use your sources. How many hours did you study a day if you could average it?

[@MeredithSpielman]

Don't feel bad! When I was in the beginning I heard the phrase "sin prisa pero sin pausa" and that kept me motivated to keep going, but not to pressure myself. I think with learning Spanish, I never really pressured myself to do more than I felt the desire to do, if that makes sense. I think that's how I kept it up so long, I never burned myself out because I never pressured myself. But I'm glad that my video could inspire you to push yourself!! (push yourself, not pressure 😊) About the hours a day, honestly I have no idea. I'm not the kind of person to have a very strict, unchanging routine. I study as much as I feel like I can on a given day and that's it lol

[@MeredithSpielman]

Hi Jack! Since I got this question a lot of times, I decided to make a video addressing how many hours I studied on average: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmrIqGajf51rqtU

[@carlmarc3877]

Dude your Spanish is awesome. Can we exchange conversations in a few months? I’m fairly new on my Spanish learning journey. Been doin a lot of Pimsleur, vocab, listening to spanish hip-hop and writing down sentences I need to def work on my output in 6months (hopefully) Anyway you just earned a subscriber

[@MeredithSpielman]

Hi Carl Marc! Thanks so much for your comment! As long as you stay consistent I think you’ll see quick progress, those are some pretty useful resources you’re using currently. Thanks for subscribing! I have a new video out if you want to check it out. And yes, if you want to do some conversation exchange, send me an email! I’m working on starting some English practice sessions soon, but maybe in the future I can offer some Spanish as well, like maybe I could put you in contact with Spanish speakers too :) [e-mail]

[@WanderingTuckers]

Awesome, make more how-to Spanish videos!

[@jqnjqnjqn]

Me encanta!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Eyyy gracias amigo 😊😊

[@eliasrm96]

what tools did you use for to learn another lenguaje?

[@MeredithSpielman]

All of the tools that I mention in this video as well as my first video. First video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKXLi2t6hpuDapI

[@rec-valdivia9112]

I recommend the wild project, its a very interesting podcast, it will help you learn spanish.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks, I'll check it out!

[@darkknight6325]

First off, thank God the food poisoning didn't result to the worst case scenario. It's inspiring to see your progress. I've been learning for about 4 years now but not half as good as you are haha. Mostly cuz I don't spend more than 10 mins per day and also cuz I don't use a lot of different resources. Anyways, hoping to see your update next year. buena suerte

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks for your comment! Yeah, the food poisoning was a bit traumatic lol but I survived and learned. I think 10 minutes a day is okay, as long as you don't give up and stay consistent! But a mix of different resources is pretty essential, I think :) If you're interested, I just posted a new video with my tips to keep up your progress in language learning! kzbin.info/www/bejne/jnWlaIGJhqaeaM0

[@darkknight6325]

@@MeredithSpielman Thanks for the advice and the new video, will definitely check it out in a while.

[@alvinotafoya9198]

pues yo diría que si hablas con fluidez. Has mejorado mucho, dos años no son muchos años para adquirir un idioma. Enhorabuena, que sigue adelante con tu español.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Muchas gracias por tu comentario!

[@alvinotafoya9198]

@@MeredithSpielman you're welcome, you actually made a lot of progress in such a short time. I'm also working on my Spanish, i grew up in a Mexican-American family that spoke mostly English with 25% Spanish. You managed to reach a level that took me twice the time. From this point where you are, you will probably feel like you're stuck or no longer progressing but it's not true, the progression becomes more and more discreet.

[@alvinotafoya9198]

But the progression will be there.

[@mattyhickman3995]

Basically immersion and input. It works people.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Definitely! They are key

[@twocents4912]

I think Spanish is a great starter language and latin. They will break down many other languages.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Definitely! For example, now that I have a pretty high level of Spanish, I can sometimes read texts in Portuguese and guess fairly accurately what it means! It's very cool. Thanks for commenting

[@danielgarita6462]

Well that is definitely a high level taking into account that Spanish is overall difficult. I mean not impossible but it has its things. I see that you’re getting some Mexican accent and it sounds interesting. I encourage you to look for different Latin American accents. I don’t want to exaggerate but in some cases we even find difficult understanding our neighbors 😅. I’m from Costa Rica by the way. Greetings and “éxitos” with your learning journey.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Wow, thanks so much for your comment! I also feel like I made some pretty decent progress in only two years. And yes, sometimes I say things and I can hear the "mexicanness" of my own accent 😂 Pretty entertaining. Saludos y gracias!

[@Norvasc100]

Could I ask you, if you were to look at your Italki account, how many Spanish hours of lessons have you taken to reach this level of fluency. Thanks

[@MeredithSpielman]

I've only taken roughly ~40 hours of lessons on Italki. The number is low because I managed to find really good conversation exchange partners, and we spent countless hours doing Spanish conversation practice, so it adds up to way more than 40 hours of speaking practice, but unfortunately I can't tell you how many hours I spent exactly.

[@MeredithSpielman]

I actually just made a video addressing exactly how many hours I spent. Check it out! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmrIqGajf51rqtU

[@matildawolfram4687]

Thanks to the author for a great video! The most important thing in life is knowledge of foreign languages! Thanks to foreign languages you can realize all your dreams and realize your grandiose ambitions! I would like to recommend all the practices of Yuriy Ivantsiv ''Polyglot Notes. Practical tips for learning foreign language". This book will be an indispensable helper, a handbook for every person who studies a foreign language! This book contains invaluable tips, questions and answers, and solutions to problems faced by anyone who studies a foreign language! Knowledge is power! And knowledge of foreign languages is your power multiplied by many times! Success to all in self-development!

[@santiagosancho2317]

I think is not a super huge progress but you are almost fluent! Some mistakes are actually mistakes some native speakers may do "casi me muero" -> "casi me moría" I definetly can see a native doing a mistake like that

[@samuelmarin3324]

I think the same, if she hadn't highlighted the mistakes, I wouldn't have noticed!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks so much, Santiago! When I made this video I was feeling pretty unsure about whether or not I can call myself fluent, but now that some time has passed I actually feel more confident than I did. You're right, I hear native speakers make mistakes all the time, too! Thanks for your comment :)

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks Samuel, that's nice of you 😊

[@mr.azoz999]

Nice video see you next year 😂

[@MeredithSpielman]

Haha thanks! I’m hoping to publish more videos in between my yearly updates. I just posted a new one, too!

[@hi-s]

I'm gonna start my journey in spanish

[@MeredithSpielman]

That's awesome! Good luck in your journey :)

[@ylanapolaya2095]

you spanish is good

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thank you

[@aaronortega1083]

I’m a native speaker and grew up in nyc. Listen there’s things I still cant elaborate on in perfect detail In Spanish how I would in English. Psychology, engineering, physics, chemistry, politics etc, so don’t feel bad at all 🤣🤣

[@MeredithSpielman]

Aww thanks for your comment! I think I can express pretty complex stuff in Spanish, but sometimes even in English it’s hard to organize my thoughts into words! You’re right, I should be so hard on myself. Thank you! :)

[@werox2045]

Just a slight correction: in 5:03 "ósea" is a VERY common misconception when writting it, as it is more part of a spoken slang, it actually is written "o sea" meaning "or be it..." instead of "[made out of] bone". It is nothing to be ashamed of beacause even natives think is just that one word.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks for the correction! You're right, many of my Mexican friends spell it "ósea" in texts, so that's why I just ran with the assumption 😅 But ever since I saw your comment, I corrected it!

[@joselugo4536]

Tienes un agradable timbre de voz hablando en español.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Muchas gracias por tu comentario Jose 😊

[@joselugo4536]

Además de simpática.

[@krowhenkvothe6010]

El "casi me morí" que corregiste por un "casi me muero" estaba bien (por lo menos en argentina)

[@MeredithSpielman]

Gracias por tu comentario! Supongo que depende de la persona y la región, probablemente!

[@JamieTresor]

Successfully signed up for italki-thanks to you! I hope the $30 i paid will help you! Gracias!!

[@MeredithSpielman]

That's great! Thank you! And I'm sure you'll get a lot out of the classes :)

[@LisandroLorea]

4:16 if you meant "work for" you can translate it as "trabajar para". "Trabajar en" would be the equivalent of "work at"

[@MeredithSpielman]

Haha yeah, looks like there’s multiple ways to express the idea. For the corrections of the subtitles I just went with what my friend (native Spanish speaker) told me, I understand they won’t always be perfect just for that reason, because there’s sometimes multiple correction options!

[@kindersurprise5164]

I can't wait for the next year jajaj

[@MeredithSpielman]

Aww thanks! Stick around, I’m hoping to publish more videos in between.

[@juanmjimenez1884]

No mames! Tengo la mayor parte de mi vida viviendo aquí en Colorado, y aún no no tengo la mitad de tu nivel 😭😭😭😭😭 Donde vivías en Colorado?

[@MeredithSpielman]

En serio? Qué padre! Yo vivía en Granby. Amé vivir en Colorado tanto que casi, _casi_ pensé quedarme ahí en lugar de mudarme a México. Según tus comentarios parece que tienes buen nivel!

[@MeredithSpielman]

Dónde vives tú? Si quieres, escríbeme por instagram! @meredithgardenia

[@juanmjimenez1884]

Jajaja yo me refiero al idioma en inglés. Soy originario de la cdmx, antes llamado Distrito Federal. Pareces contenta por ahora en cdmx. Muchas personas cambian por situaciones diversas los lugares donde viven, especialmente la gente de Estados Unidos, porque es parte de su cultura. Espero que estes disfrutando tu etapa de vida en Mexico.

[@tomassolorzano7303]

Bonita historia buenas experiencias ami noe importa aprender hablar español por qué lo hablo casi a la perfección pues soy de Perú pero estoy 100% interesado en aprender el inglés y dominarlo si se puede ala perfección pero siento que es algo muy díficil aprender un segundo idioma así que me identifico con tus anécdotas y también me gusta el acentos del inglés que tú hablas parece inglés americano ? .....y nada buen video sigue haciendo más vídeos te salen bien

[@MeredithSpielman]

Gracias! Sí, mi acento en inglés es de EEUU, soy de Georgia :) Mucha suerte en tu meta de aprender inglés. Sin duda es difícil aprender un idioma pero no es imposible!

[@cansino1636]

Keep doing x2

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks! I just published a new video :)

[@es4666]

Don’t forget that living in another language country probably uses the same energy as ‘studying’ anyway. So you’ve been passively learning.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Yeah I think you’re right. When you’re at a more advanced level, the progress feels slower, so I guess I’m hard on myself to study more to overcome some of the hurdles that are still in my path. But I’ll get there eventually just by living and speaking the language daily!

[@anajaelolvera1747]

Se puede notar como tu español se ha estado moldeando al de un nativo de México, con palabras como obvio, obviamente, "me enfermé pero mal" y el alargamiento que haces en las ultimas silabas, aparte sobreviviste a tu primera intoxicación alimentaria, hermana tú ya eres mexicana jajaja, muchas felicidades por tu progreso! espero que estes disfrutando mucho vivir aqui.

[@MeredithSpielman]

Jajajaj me parece genial que se note la mexicanidad de mi español 😂 De hecho en este video, solo llevaba 2-3 meses aquí en México. Acabo de publicar un video nuevo que grabé hace menos de una semana, así que puedes escuchar mi español actual, lo cual creo que es aún más mexicano. Saludos y gracias por comentar!!

[@sarahthevirgo2777]

unrelated to the video..the audio is a bit soft. thought i'd share :) cool video though. new subscriber here

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks for subscribing! I'll try to keep it in mind for the next video :)

[@goziennaanamelechi3108]

Love your tats

[@MeredithSpielman]

Thanks!

[@krowhenkvothe6010]

Y el español se habla con las manos(?

[@MeredithSpielman]

Jajaja como yo lo hablo, parece que sí, verdad?

[@griff424]

Her gestures tho

[@MeredithSpielman]

Haha yeah 😅

[@JustNel]

Your use of ME when speaking isn't wrong per se... It's a trait or habit of those that speak English.. English is very possessive if that makes any sense.. whereas Spanish is more open or general and doesn't rely on you having to say ME

[@MeredithSpielman]

True, I've noticed more and more how Spanish speakers use most nouns with their definite (el/la) and don't really assign possession to it, even if it is theirs.

[@JustNel]

@@MeredithSpielman for example i say EL CALOR but if you ask some people i know that are from the country (in Dominican republic) they say LA CALOR which to me is wrong 🥴and they cannot really explain why they say it that way.. You are doing a great job learning and speaking the language

[@MeredithSpielman]

@@JustNel oooh, I know what you mean! I've noticed some things like that. Like, some people say "el sartén" and some people say "la sartén"! Thanks, I appreciate the encouragement 😊

[@joshuanelsen8602]

Since you talk with your hands a lot, maybe Italian can be your third language~

[@MeredithSpielman]

Hahaha yessss 🤌🤌🤌

[@lifeisshortbro]

タトゥーカッコよすぎ。

[@MeredithSpielman]

Gracias :)