I live in Los Angeles and want to learn Spanish...what is the best

[driver8]

way to go about doing that? I know that the more you practice the better you get, but I am starting from square one.

[AngryAmish]

1. Get a Spanish speaking girlfriend

[JuniorPlankton]

2. Pimsleur's course is the best

You can get it at your local library to get started.

[SCDem]

3. I say spend your weekends south of the Border

That may not be a choice... but I took Spanish three years in HS and 3 years in college but living in Honduras for a year was the best way for me to learn the language.

Or if you have a friend that speaks the language ask for them only to speak Spanish with you.

[Sandpiper]

4. Total immersion is the best way to learn a new language

Find a class that uses this approach to teaching.

[DS1]

5. Lock your wallet up in the San Diego train station

Take the trolley down to Tijuana. Cross the border. Begin crash course in espanol :D

[CottonBear]

8. LOL!

:rofl:

[wtmusic]

6. Great course at LACC

taught by Mark Cramer. No English spoken in class from day one.

One of the best teachers I ever had.

[Cha]

7. When I first went to San Diego..

to live in the '70's I knew nada. But after taking a Lazonov crash course in Espanol in the 80's and having friends that couldn't speak English I got pretty good.

Lozanov's method I took was that playing classical music while you learned helped you to associate it with something beautiful and remember it better.
http://www.gu.edu.au/school/lal/japanesemain/private.kaz.suggestopedia.html

Buenos Suerte! It's interesting to be at least bi-lingual!

[driver8]

9. Thank you everyone for your suggestions...I cannot get the girlfriend

who speaks Spanish, however, as I am married. My wife and I want our children to be bi-lingual, as well.

When I was a kid I lived in Panama and we had a house keeper who only spoke Spanish to us. My mom said she came home from work one day and my sister and I were speaking Spanish with the house keeper...she said she was blown away.

Thanks again, everyone.

[SCDem]

10. If you have children and have the money

It is good to hire a spanish speaking nanny or babysitter... if you have the money for a nanny then she/he is there all day to help you learn the language. If you don't have the money for the nanny can get a Spanish speaking college student as babysitter will help your kids learn the language and in turn help you to learn the language.

[Spinzonner]

11. There are a number of interactive software packages