If you are a student of Spanish and you find it hard to put your newly acquired skills into practice, or on several occasions you have been left without knowing what to say to continue a conversation, read on.
In this post we want to share some tips or basic principles that you can use to train and improve your communication in Spanish or another language. Just like any physical activity such as swimming, dancing or playing a sport like soccer or basketball, the ability to communicate with others efficiently follows a set of basic principles or rules. By following them we ensure that we are well prepared when the opportunity to speak with a native speaker comes along and we don’t freeze in place.
Before we begin we want to make it clear that these principles do not necessarily follow a specific order, you can apply them according to your case but we do recommend to be clear about each point before moving on to the next one.
Dare to start a conversation
Now, if one of your goals is to reach a conversational level in Spanish, the first step or principle is to dare to ask to start a conversation. If you find yourself in a place with native speakers of the language try to socialize with one of them and ask if it is possible to have a conversation in Spanish. It may be intimidating at first but you will see that you can achieve effective communication if you stop thinking so much about the vocabulary or grammar you know and just jump right in and have a conversation.
It would be best if you are in a conversation with one other person rather than a large group because if many people are talking at the same time you are likely to miss most of the conversation. Remember to always be polite and friendly when asking questions and respect if the other person is not interested. Likewise, you will find it easier and easier to reach out to others and improve your skills.
Eye contact and body language
The second principle is composed of two very important aspects: eye contact and body language as these are fundamental pillars of interpersonal communication. In addition, when speaking in a second language that you have not mastered yet, there are more opportunities to better communicate what you want to say with your gaze and gestures when your confidence level or skills are low.
While we understand that the last thing you probably want to do is to show off proudly with your head and shoulders held high, doing this can help you project your interest to the other person. You can keep the conversation going even when some words, verbs or phrases are not pronounced correctly or don’t sound anything like the original language. You might find that your confidence is increasing and the other person will appreciate your effort.
Focus on the other person
The third principle is based entirely on focusing on the other person. As human beings, we all have the need to communicate our point of view about things and this case is no exception. Instead of making the conversation about you, make it about the person you are talking to. Ask questions about their life, their work, their place of origin, among other things.
Listen carefully to what they have to say and try to learn as much as you can about this new culture as well as exercise your ear to new accents and words you may not have heard before. By doing this you may also form a friendship with the person and ensure future conversations with them.
As a special tip, you can prepare a list of questions in Spanish ahead of time so that you are fully prepared when the time comes to talk to someone and you can make use of it.
Show a genuine interest
In line with the previous principle, the fourth principle is about showing a genuine interest when talking to someone and asking questions about their life. It is possible that some stories or aspects of their life may not be of interest to you, so try to steer the conversation toward topics that really interest you if possible.
It would be terribly rude and disrespectful to yawn or show no interest in what the person is saying, so be sure to ask the right questions. Remember that genuine interest is as obvious as showing a false interest. Therefore, try to practice principles 3 and 4 simultaneously to avoid bad experiences and looking like a bad person.
Keep an open mind
Finally, the fifth principle is about having an open mind to whatever direction the conversation takes. When we practice social skills our main mission is to grow the conversation and let it flow. There are instances when someone might say something inappropriate that prevents the other person from continuing the conversation. This is mainly what we should avoid.
It is necessary to put aside any kind of criticism, listen and ask more questions or try to change the subject in a subtle way. Also, it is necessary to answer the questions addressed to us with enough information to allow the other person to ask questions. This way we allow the conversation to continue since the opposite case would be the uncomfortable pauses or silences that we all hate and avoid at all costs.
And there they are! Just like vocabulary and grammar, these 5 basic communication principles can be practiced and improved over time. The important thing is to have the courage and willingness to step out of your comfort zone and take action. As a bonus tip you can practice these principles in your own language to see how they work and become more comfortable with them before practicing them in Spanish.
Copyright © Diglosia 2024. All rights reserved.