338 – Analizando mi español después de 16 años – Analyzing My Spanish After 16 Years
Download MP3 for offline listening
What does 16 years of learning Spanish really look like? In this episode, May and I take you through my personalized Spanish evaluation, from the strengths I’ve developed over the years to the grammar mistakes I still need to work on. We talk about tricky areas like ser vs. estar, articles, prepositions, “se” constructions, and fixed expressions, and why these small details can be difficult to catch in everyday conversations. We also reflect on how living in Mexico, using Spanish every day, and consuming authentic content have helped me become more natural and confident. If you’ve been studying Spanish for years but still make the same mistakes, this episode will show you why identifying those mistakes—and deliberately practicing them—can help you keep moving forward.
Key Takeaways:
- Making mistakes doesn’t mean we’re failing at Spanish. Even after 16 years, I still make errors, but recognizing those recurring mistakes gives me a clear path for continued improvement.
- Focused practice can help us improve more effectively than simply studying Spanish broadly. My evaluation revealed specific areas I need to work on, including ser vs. estar, articles, prepositions, and “se” constructions.
- Becoming fluent is about more than studying grammar. Years of using Spanish in real-life situations, living in Mexico, and consuming content made for native speakers have helped me communicate more naturally and confidently.
Relevant Links And Additional Resources:
- 233 – Aprende de los Errores de Jaime Parte 2 | Learn From Jim’s Mistakes Part 2
- 230 – Aprende de los Errores de Jaime | Learn From Jim’s Mistakes
- 095 – El Secreto para Salir del Estancamiento | The Secret for Overcoming the Plateau
- 041 – 5 Secretos para la Fluidez | 5 Secrets to Fluency
- Keep learning with La Escala
Turn each episode into Spanish practice with La Escala, our online learning community.- Follow along with interactive transcripts, explore breakdown audios in English, and test your understanding with quizzes.
- Stay consistent with weekly challenges and connect with other Spanish learners.
- For live conversation clubs and guided grammar practice, explore our Frequent Flyer and First Class plans.
D6ear Jim and May,
I cannot download the podcast episodes (pdf files) any more, neither 337 nor 338.
The layout has changed (youtube?!?), but the option for downloading has disappeared.
I would need the pdf files because I listen to the podcast offline (with my mp3 player).
Please check the download possibility, and please add it, if possible.
Thank you very much in advance for your help!
Greetings from Austria,
Brigitte
Hi Brigitte,
We’re very sorry that the changes to the episode pages made it difficult to find the audio download, and that we took so long to reply. Thank you for explaining that you listen offline on an MP3 player—we understand how important the download is.
The newer episode pages now include both the video and the Buzzsprout audio player. We’ve also added a clearly labeled MP3 download link beneath the audio player. Here’s how to save the episode:
If the file starts playing in your browser instead of saving, return to the episode page, right-click the download link, and choose “Save link as…” or “Download Linked File,” depending on your browser.
You’ll also find the same download link on episode 336 and episode 337.
These downloads are free; you don’t need a community membership. Could you please try the link and let us know whether it works? If you still have trouble, send us a message through our contact form with your device, browser, and what happens when you click it. We’d be happy to help.
Thank you for your patience and support!
Jim and May
Dear May and Jim,
since episode 336 (incl.) I cannot download the mp3 file anymore.
Therefore I cannot listen to your podcast from now on. I regret that very much. Your podcast accompanied me during the pandemia … I appreciated your podcast very much.
All the best to you, and Santi :-),
bye, Brigitte (from Austria)
Hi Brigitte,
We’re deeply sorry for the inconvenience and for the delay in responding. Thank you for listening all these years—it means a lot to us that the podcast has accompanied you since the pandemic. We would love for you to be able to keep listening, and thank you for your kind wishes for Santi!
The newer episode pages now include both the video and the Buzzsprout audio player. We’ve also added a clearly labeled MP3 download link beneath the audio player. Here’s how to save the episode:
If the file starts playing in your browser instead of saving, return to the episode page, right-click the download link, and choose “Save link as…” or “Download Linked File,” depending on your browser.
You’ll also find the same download link on episode 336 and episode 337.
These downloads are free; you don’t need a community membership. Could you please try the link and let us know whether it works? If you still have trouble, send us a message through our contact form with your device, browser, and what happens when you click it. We’d be happy to help.
Thank you for your patience and support!
Jim and May