Why is listening so hard? (And what you can do about it)

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A Real Fast Spanish student recently asked me listening comprehension is hard?
In this video, you'll learn:
- Why listening comprehension is so hard
- What we can do about
- How you can improve your listening comprehension

[@realfastspanish]

Do you find listening hard? Are there any techniques that you have tried that have helped? (Please share below!)

[@alfaizxkhan]

Hi I can change your video language in hindi language and upload in India when any profit your 70% and my 30%

[@Spenglish]

There is something about the speed. If someone ask a question real quick I don’t have time to process it but if they speak more I get time to process and understand. It’s so frustrating cause most conversations will have a quick question to start or to continue the conversation. This is also while being immersed in the culture.

[@pelletrouge3032]

Agreed

[@lololoignasio2497]

SOY UN HABLANTE NATIVO DEL IDIOMA ESPAÑOL Y ME GUSTAN TUS VIDEOS, ESTOY GRITANDO EN ESCRITO PARA ASI PODER SER LEIDO POR TI, OJALÁ QUE PUEDAS LEERME, QUIERO QUE HAGAS UN VIDEO QUE SE TRATE SI EL ESPAÑOL ES DIFICIL O FACIL PARA LOS EXTRANJEROS QUE QUIEREN APRENDERLO

[@rantsfromthesofa4653]

What you say is so true. When I know the context listening is easier and even when I don’t certain words, those I use frequently are clear within the garble of the rest of the conversation. It really isn’t the speed of the conversation although that can be an issue. It’s the unfamiliarity with the sounds as 2, 3, 4 or more words became 1 word. Pause just slightly between words and li can follow the conversation. I know esta mal but not when I hear talmal. As a side note a friend from the DR that is learning English said he can understand non-native English speakers better than native English speakers. Same for me with Spanish. I think it has to do with the non-native speakers trying to speak clearly, properly and pronounce each word. Anyway thanks for a great video.

[@jordansimmons6530]

I need more listening tips I always feel like I know more Spanish then I think but then I listen to people speak and feel like a beginner again

[@crazyconan28]

Keep moving forward! You're doing well! I'm no where near a fluent level, but I know I'm more advanced than I was a year ago with all the practice I've done over time. You'll achieve your goal one day as you continue to practice with each failure and success.

[@ohitzwavy7173]

repeating, a lot of people have the habit to listen to a lot of content or listen to a TV show on Netflix that's 50 mins long thinking it'll help. While it sort of does you'll forget most of what you heard. Rather take a scene thats like 5 mins long, take a dialogue, get the script if you can and just repeat it over and over. Listen for intonation, listen for which words are being emphasized vs the words that are being quickly said(for example words like lo que or pronouns are typically said fast because it is not important to the whole sentence a native speaker's brain will fill in the gaps. Listen for dialect quirks, are s's and d's being omitted(words ending in ado would sound like ow and words like nada could be na' depending on the dialect), also this is the big one for english speakers, pay attention to chaining, english chains words together but not to the level of spanish. Va a hacer will sound like va acer or para allá sounds like pa'llá because in spanish if two words end and start with the same letter they'll chain together vowels do this as well so that's why words sound like one word

[@JohnOnChans]

I no longer learn Spanish (Russian) but I like how you still try your best to help others. Hope you get 100k subs!

[@dgoins6]

I watch commercials in Spanish with subjects I'm already familiar with. Like McDonald's or Home Depot. Short and I can listen over and over. Helps with my accent also.

[@DaisyDrew]

Please keep posting! I love your videos they are amazing

[@mraemartinez]

This is my challenge…I am improving but need to try harder. I first did a year of just listening to Spanish…that was so helpful…then I used subtitles en Espanol…even better…I am stuck in my 3rd mode…using English subtitles & I am stuck cuz I get lazy & like cheating 🤭. The slower the Spanish people talk the better…when they fly like 90 going north…I get lost. I gotta stop cheating 😉 & start looking up words I don’t know again…Soy perezoso. ☺️😊 (There is a Spanish prayer channel here on YT & the woman talks so slow…I get almost all she says…if Espanol was at that speed…I’d be in clover! 😌)

[@jamesfreese4700]

Very insightful comments which are so verdad-another good lesson!!!!

[@realfastspanish]

Thanks James, I appreciate the feedback!

[@jeremyhawkins5278]

Something that had tripped me up for months while listening was "hay" because I knew to not expect an "h" sound, but still was asking myself "why are they saying "I" here?

[@cwtckness]

Thank you

[@philipkurian3114]

Good analogy!

[@kinsleyperkins9314]

Great video!

[@realfastspanish]

Thanks! 🙏

[@lahirusamarasinghe545]

Hello sir, I am from Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 I started learning Spanish 3 months ago and I watch videos in your channel and they are really important. Can you put a video about 'past tense' pls. Muchas gracias 🙏

[@cpol4391]

That would be a long video due to regular/irregular vowels, part participles, imperative tense, reflexive verbs etc.

[@tobyo99]

I have found that I can understand some Spanish speakers and not others. Those that enunciate are typically the speakers I can understand. Like Carles Mesa on RNE (I started listening to him on "gente despierta", an RNE radio program that broadcast in the middle of the night in Spain, hence the name) or Juan from Español con Juan here on KZbin. Some day maybe I'll be able to understand others better. Hay que escuchar más 👍

[@dizzydaisy909]

what about watching in spanish with spanish subtitles? i'm doing that with dragon ball z rn and it's helping quite a bit

[@realfastspanish]

Nice, I'm glad it's helping!! 😊

[@yorkhunt1251]

Are you in Geneva?

[@JuanMoreno-wo5yb]

The joke is fine!! It kinda hits me in a funny way, maybe a funny bone only I have. When I hear you or someone from England or Australia let’s say, and their pronunciation is not like mine with many words, it is like the joke falls flat. I just take it as though your so called English will never be my English when it comes to pronunciation. I can listen to it, but never would I recommend learning it unless the student (person) is planning to live where you do. ❤

[@burnieboo9857]

I see what you mean, but some Spanish dialects will rarely be found in Spanish lessons…So how on Earth am I ever going to fully understand Murcian people speak in full flow? 😂

[@brisbanebill]

I have checked, of the major languages, Spanish is the second fastest after Japanese. So, Spanish speakers do speak fast...

[@alfaizxkhan]

Hi I can change your video in hindi language and upload in india

[@cpol4391]

I believe in watching fast speaking Spanish but with subtitles and using them when necessary. I usually watch the telenovelas but the beautiful women distract me

[@INFJSpanishcoach-gv6jb]

No it's not hard

[@versajay44]

I’ve been studying with duo lingo for almost a year. I feel like I’m still considered a high beginner or maybe a low intermediate. I live in houston where there are plenty of Spanish speakers. It’s a little discouraging because I’ve been at this every day without missing a beat 🫠. Listening is soooo hard to me.