u/Key_Brilliant_9100

Hola a todos. Soy de México y hace unos meses me mudé a Estados Unidos en busca de una oportunidad laboral. En general me manejo bien con el inglés con mis clientes de manicuría. 
Lo que todavía me cuesta bastante es entender el slang y las expresiones informales que usa la gente todos los días. Entre compañeros de trabajo, vecinos o cuando salgo, escucho frases que no siempre entiendo del todo o que no sé cuándo usar. A veces siento que entiendo el inglés "formal", pero no tanto el inglés real de la calle.

ALGÚN CONSEJO??

I've been learning English for a while now, and reading is fine, but understanding spoken English? That's the real struggle. People talk so fast, use slang, and i get lost.

I've been looking into apps to improve my listening, and here's what i've found based on reviews and feedback from others:

1. SingIt- it helps with real life English by using music, which makes it less boring. You get to hear how people really speak in daily life, not just textbook sentences and it's also free.
2. Duolingo-  great for beginners, quick lessons, and it's free. The listening exercises are decent, and it's easy to fit into a busy schedule.
3. Babbel- known for teaching conversational English, which is great for listening. The lessons are interactive, and you learn phrases that actually help in real conversations.
4. Learna AI- uses AI to personalize lessons, which is great for focusing on areas where you need improvement.

Has anyone used these or found other tools that work for improving listening?

Durante el último año me obsesioné con el trading. Empezó como algo “inteligente” para hacer crecer mis ahorros, pero terminó en revisar gráficos todo el día, hacer revenge trading después de perder, arriesgar cada vez más para recuperar y convencerme de que la próxima operación iba a arreglar todo.

Ahora perdí casi todos mis ahorros. Dinero que me llevó años juntar. Fondo de emergencia, tranquilidad mental, confianza… todo destruido.

No soy una persona con plata, no tengo respaldo familiar, y reconstruir esto me va a llevar mucho tiempo. Lo que más duele es saber que no fue mala suerte: fueron mis propias decisiones, la codicia, la falta de disciplina y no haber frenado cuando debía.

Necesito consejos honestos de gente que haya pasado por algo parecido!

So i've been putting a lot of effort into improving my English and focusing on learning new vocabulary. I'll use apps, watch videos, and even try to memorize words, but the problem is, as soon as i feel like ive learned a new word, it just slips away from my memory the moment i try to use it. Like, i'll know the word when i study it, but when it comes time to speak or write, it's gone. It's honestly so frustrating because i'm doing the work, but the words don't stick unless i keep seeing or hearing them over and over again

I've tried writing them down, repeating them in sentences, and even using flashcards, but nothing seems to make them stick for good. Do you guys know any strategies or tips on how to make vocabulary stick and actually remember words when i need them?

Hola a todos. He visto que el petróleo se está moviendo bastante últimamente y me dio curiosidad probar trading, pero soy totalmente nuevo en esto. Veo que siempre mencionan Brent y WTI, y no tengo claro en qué se diferencian. Entiendo que uno viene del Mar del Norte y el otro de Estados Unidos, pero no sé si eso realmente cambia algo al operar.

La idea sería empezar con poco para aprender, así que cualquier consejo o experiencia se agradece.

I've been working on my English for a while, but i can't figure out how to improve my accent. I can speak fine, but when i listen to natives, they sound so smooth, and i feel like i'm not quite there yet.

There's no clear way to practice sounding more like them, and i don't want to just repeat after random videos. I want something that helps me work on the real sounds and intonations that natives use day to day.

Does anyone have any tips or methods that worked for you to get closer to a native accent?

I’m from Colombia and moved to the US last year, and i feel like I've been cat-fished by my own education💀

In school back home, I was the "English star." I had the grammar down, I knew my irregular verbs, and I could pass any test. I thought I was ready. Then I landed here and realized I basically learned a completely different language.

I understand maybe 70% of what's happening, but when it’s my turn to speak? My brain just goes 404 Error. I’m so busy trying to conjugate a verb perfectly in my head that the conversation has already moved on to a completely different topic. I don't want to sound like a textbook from 1995, but I also don't want to sound like a glitching robot.

Also, can we talk about learning apps? Why are they still so boring? I don't need to know that "the apple is on the table" for the 500th time. I need to know how to order a coffee without the barista looking at me like I'm reciting Shakespeare😭

Does anyone have tips for learning how people actually talk? I just want to survive a 5 minute casual convo without my brain overheating.

Vivo en USA desde hace un tiempo y todavía me pasa que me da vergüenza hablar inglés con otras personas. Trabajo atendiendo clientes y a veces necesito preguntar cosas o responder, pero me trabo porque siento que mi pronunciación no es buena.

También me pasa en la escuela de mis hijos, cuando quiero hablar con los maestros o hacer preguntas, me pongo nerviosa y termino diciendo lo mínimo posible.

Sé que practicando se mejora, pero a veces una se siente juzgada por el acento o por equivocarse.

¿A alguien más le pasa? ¿Cómo practican inglés sin sentir tanta pena o presión?

I've been experimenting this year to improve my English, trying different platforms just to see what I’d actually stick with. Here's a quick breakdown:

1.Duolingo

Pros: Fun at first, gamified exercises.

Cons: Streak pressure got annoying, I lost interest after a while.

2.Singit

Pros: Learning feels like listening to music, easy to remember phrases.

Cons: Might be less structured if you want traditional grammar lessons.

3.Memrise

Pros: Great for vocab, easy to practice in short bursts.

Cons: Didn’t keep me consistent, felt repetitive sometimes.

Has anyone else tried switching between apps this year? Which ones actually stuck for you?