The importance of local language in Dominican Republic

Spanish is the official language here in everything!

Other languages are spoken predominantly in tourist areas.

Language is critical here if you work, do business here or truly want a Dominican experience!

I run multiple businesses here both in Spanish and English.  Understanding contracts, the law and even many employees you need Spanish.

If you live in tourist zones you can get away with limited Spanish.  I don't recommend it though.

To me, it's a sign of respect to at least try!  There are no govt services or help to learn but there are many options.

I learned by immediately immersing myself and living in Dominican communities. I also started work almost immediately! It worked for me.

I often say if you don't know Spanish get a boyfriend who doesn't speak English! 

Note: please clear that with your husband first!

As Planner said, it really helps to make an effort! We rely on the Google Translate app quite a bit.

The effort goes a long way. Its the "entitled" few who insist that this culture cater to them, and locals will mess with them over it.

I studied on line using Duolingo, printed off sheets of common sayings and practiced. Although I've got start allover again, when I was there, I attempted to speak what I knew. In Moca, Santiago and even Santo Domingo while shopping with my wife or out alone, I was always helped after trying. In all areas, in some stores, there seemed to always be someone, an employee ot another customer, would step forward & translate. I've met manynew great folks like this. In some places I have used translation app on the phone if it is connecting. Always have been helped but have someone ready to start teaching me when I return in a few months....

Good morning friends,

Tip for everyone that only speaks/know one language!

From personal experience, Learning a language is like learnig a new job, we need to spen time and dedication to be able to learn to speak, write and speak as well as understand other language. Most of us are retired here I assume, so no excuses to spend time on the matter.

I've learned to speak English out of  need as a teenager growing up im Chi town. Learned Italian which has faded out for lack of use, arabic amd now french on my own on you tube. apps on the phone. not proficient obviously but i can speak a good % so if i ever go back to france I can defend myself.

I learn via free classes on youtube, basic verbs, conjugation etc.

spend as much time on it and have fun with it, write the verbs etc as you listen and watch lessons, sing along with spanish songs with subtitles, this re-enforces your audio and verbal skills. as you see new words research them and memorize them amd forget them as translation on our brains trick our proccess internally and waste time. do what i did for my wife whem she first move to USA, post objects thru the house, once the visual aspect is conquered you discard posts.

watch movies in spanish with sub -titles, I still keep the same format at home to no spanish for her sake and she does not watch spanish movies or listens to spanish music, that is how we learn other language if we want to!

have s wonderful wet week lol

be safe friends!

try this site on youtube, if you are new, forget all the bad habits!

you tube I

nstructor  dr. danny evans modules.

go back to the foundation of any language, start at zero  , it is a pleasent experience once you start to pronounce words accordingly.

let make a forum if you like and we can get to practice the verbal phase of it.

I just took an intro to french via zoom free just to get my feet wet with other learners. it is fun to interact.

zoom meet we can form one.

@planner Oh, you mean a "walking dictionary" ?

I'm putting in the required time and energy to learn Spanish.  I'm using a service where I watch tv shows/movies in Spanish and attend online courses.

I have to admit that language learning has always been a challenge for me, but I plan to build a nice villa or two by the water & cannot continue to rely on my uncle who lives in Santo Domingo to always be there to translate for me or using an app.

It's a necessity to speak Spanish in my case, so I have to put in the work to get it done. Plenty of resources out there for anyone who's serious to learn it. Just pick whatever works for you.

@Cheryl

I recomend you preply

And some Dominican tutor

Or just find me there; )

I will help you as a Spanish tutor for foreigners

I am about to start with babble unless someone here makes a compelling case to do a differ app or offer up a different service.