Beginner: Hablar v Decir

Spanish
#1

I am wondering if anyone else has this problem: I (think) I know the difference between hablar and decir but when I do the challenges I constantly mix up hablar and decir. Mostly I seem to say decir when it should be hablar rather than visa versa). Any hints or will this straighten itself out eventually?

On a side note. (I am on level 1 challenge 8) I am very pleased that I can understand most of the challenge 5 listening exercise. I have listened to it maybe 10 times and sometimes I do much better than others but I need to deeply concentrate on it to “get it”. I am afraid of the listening exercise after challenge 10 because I think the first one is plenty fast enough!

Thank you Aran (and others) for this wonderful program.

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#2

I think that mixing up hablar and decir is quite understandable - both have to do with speech. “Hablar” means “to speak”, as in ¿Hablas español? (Do you speak spanish?), while “decir” means “to say”: No sé que quisiero decir. (I don’t know what I want to say.)
I’m sure that you’ll get used to the difference with more exposure.

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#3

Thank you so much for your kind words - and well done for being off to such a great start!

Don’t worry, it’s so common as to be almost inevitable that you mix up some words - usually connected in some way, as they are here - but over time, they’ll map themselves out for you… :slight_smile:

Sounds as though you’re doing brilliantly with the listening exercise - and if you make it a regular once a day, then it’ll start just to become automatic for you… :slight_smile:

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#4

Pairs like that are always frustrating.
It’s like oir and escuchar, ver and mirar.
I think every language has them, the passive and active way of using your senses I suppose. I tended to have simple sentences that I’d repeat to myself and think of the English equivalent to try and fix the correct association in my mind.

Takes a while though. For instance, I can’t believe how long it took me to say mira when I wanted someone to look at something and not just point. Poco a poco as they say.

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