Learning A Language

[Johnnyshaker]

Hola! I started my second attempt at learning Spanish this week, which is going well so far. I work with a lot of multi-lingual people and I'm always a bit embarrassed at only speaking English so I'm determined to do it this time. Anyone on here speak another language? Got any tips for learning?

I've got the Michel Thomas stuff which I've found pretty good, using that plus Coffee Break Spanish podcasts and a bit of a play on Duolingo every day.

[joe545]

Speaking. You have to think so fast to understand what was said and to how to formulate your response, that you improve rapidly.

[TartanJon]

Anyone on here speak another language? .

I can say hello in French and I once ordered pizza in an Italian restaurant

[Hertsscot]

I can say a lot of very basic phrases in a few languages but there's just such a massive gap between a few 'please's' and 'thank you's', 'hellos' and 'I would like a beer' to being fluent and having an actual conversation. My son's in his final year at Uni doing a joint language degree (French and Italian). He never studied Italian at school until he was 16 but was invited on holiday by an Anglo-Italian classmate, got thrown in at the deep end as the wider family didn't speak much English, if any, and he hasn't looked back since. I think you've really got to be in that type of situation and immersed in another language to really get fluent. I do think its easier to learn a language now though compared to when I was growing up because new technologies like videos, media files allow you to hear a language spoken and tha's key to gaining the confidence to speak it.

[Potted Heid]

Go immerse yourself somewhere like Latin America or Spain where you speak the language every day. Sign up for a course that teaches Spanish in Spanish. Get in to Cumbia or Ranchero music where the words are sung slowly and clearly. Watch great movies by Almodovar or Gutierrez Alea and turn the subtitles off. If you can't live there go on holiday to Madrid or Northern Spain but avoid the costas or the islands where everyone will speak English. Mas que nada, hay que disfrutar la cultura. Que tengas suerte.

[Barney Rubble]

^^^

This in spades.

No easy way round it, you have to learn to speak by making mistakes. Same way we all learnt English when we were kids.

Immersion is the ideal way, but it's not always easy if you are working in the English language when you are in a new country (as I am in Montenegro right now).

Anyway, good luck, make the effort to speak Spanish whenever you can and slowly you'll improve an gain confidence in your skills.

[DonnyTJS]

Yup, can't beat immersion. Failing that, swap your brain for that of two-year old and/or have a few drinks whenever you attempt conversation.

[thorbotnic]

Splash out on 1:1 lessons. Memorise vocab in your spare time. Think about things you'd like to be able to say and write them down in English to discuss with your tutor. Get a male tutor if at all possible to get the stresses right. If you're ever in the country youre learning the language of, refuse point blank to speak English.

[yourname]

Yeah I speak French and dutch.

Firstly, to learn a language you need to want to learn it and be really stubborn. As the guy above said, it is a good idea to speak English when you are speaking to someone from that country. Also I think you have to treat it like a game, where it is fun to learn new words and where you aren't scared of making mistakes. The best thing is to go and live in that country, but if that isn't possible, some things that have worked for me:

1) put your phone/facebook into the language you want to learn.

2) whatever you like doing (watching films, series, reading), do it in the other language as much as possible. Even watching a film in English with foreign subtitles can help. Whatever you are interested in, you can find a website about it with foreign language stuff. I read l'équipe for ages here because i was already interested in sports. It is much easier to learn when it is something that you enjoy.

3) What worked for me when I was a beginner was to study the grammar and work through a textbook or 2. That gives you the basics, to which you can add all the lovely vocab you have learnt.

[weekevie04]

Lots of good stuff in here.

Everyone is different, but a good entry into the language is by forgetting about the grammar. Learn the basic pronouns then past/present form, but don't stress about genitive cases or whatnot, and If you have the confidence, just let it flow and the grammar will come later. The key is to speak and not worry about mistakes. Try learning at least 3 new words in your language a day. This does not take long at all and it might get boring repeating over and over the same lines, but you'll memorise it and most likely it's gender.

Take a wee notebook with you so if you can't find the word you were looking for, or you think of something you want to say or in a new social setting and you don't have the language - write it down so you can find out how to say it later that day.

There's lots of good material on the net. Forums, apps, and websites. Duolingo is good for keeping your basics up and there's lots of repetition and it's free too.

It'll depend on the country too. Lots of people speak English and the likes of Benelux, Scandinavia many instantly switch to English even if you are speaking a very good form of their language.

Just speak though, and it'll come through time.

[phart]

Yeah my friend who is really smart, spent 5 years at school then 3 years at uni learning French as a secondary subject, then did a 1 term exchange to Grenoble and her knowledge just blew up.

Immersion seems to be the only way. I guess like swimming, you can read and practice all you want, you don't become competent till you spend some time in the water and your feet cant touch the ground.

[scoobydoo]

I do german classes once a week and have done for a few years. Doesn't come close to spending a week in germany and asking 10 people a day where the post office is then chatting away with them. Getting them to answer in english, next slow german and eventually normal german.

pub chat also is good.

[wanderer]

When me and the Mrs started dating I went to Russian evening classes at Strathclyde Uni (teacher was a absolute fruit loop.... 1st class and she walks in speaking only Russian.... Everyone looks around thinking the same thing "this is the first class isn't it?").

One thing learning it, another thing putting into practice.... When I went out to Ukraine with basic knowledge I have it was next to impossible to follow a conversation, and when we got married and then wife moved here almost all I learnt went out the window.

Thankfully like most Slavik languages bits and bobs if it come in useful all over the place (be it Czech Republic, Poland, Serbia, Macedonia etc....) so has its uses.

Problem I found was when I went to Ukraine, while I was wanting to improve my local language, everyone wanted to speak to me in English because they wanted to improve their English as well.

[GogsinBerkshire`]

if you're not able to to move to Spain (or another Spanish speaking country) best advice I can give is to use a site called iTalki:

https://www.italki.com/

Basically you sign up, buy some credits then look for a teacher of the language you want to learn - there are different types of teacher, informal tutors and qualified teachers (they're priced accordingly). You can look at their profile/reviews & most if not all of them do trial lessons.

It's all done over Skype - which might seem a bit weird, but it really works well.

I can speak a bit of German but wanted to improve my grammar (I sounded like Yoda, getting the words round the wrong way!) so I signed up & have done quite a few lessons with a couple of different teachers - speaking German the whole lesson, which really helps you progress - best thing is that it's up to you how you want the lesson to be, either chatty conversation or a set structure where you look at texts & answer questions.

IMO it's the best way to learn a language short of moving to the country - doesn't cost the earth either, a lot of the Spanish teachers live in countries that are not so well off, so are very reasonably priced.

One other thing is for vocabulary learning/practice, use a site/app called Memrise - it's excellent.

Good luck!

[scoobydoo]

Horizontal is also a good way to learn.

[yourname]

When I said that learning the grammar works for me, it is all about balance. Obviously I wouldn't go into the detail of the french past subjunctive straight away. You can get very very far with the pronouns and one past, present and future tense.

[Toepoke]

Duolingo certainly seems to work. My brother out in Germany started using it every day on his commute to work and I couldn't believe the difference in his German after a few months. And he was crap at languages at school.

[McExpat]

Immersion seems to be the only way. I guess like swimming, you can read and practice all you want, you don't become competent till you spend some time in the water and your feet cant touch the ground.

This example is way off the mark. Anyone considering learning a new language shouldn't take any notice of it and any doubts it may lead to.

Nowadays It's easy to both learn and make use of a new language from home, due to technology.

The learning curve can be accelerated by moving to a country where a different language is spoken but only if you focus on learning.

Buenas Noches

[scoobydoo]

The difference between repeating words from a book or app and actually speaking to a native speaker is night and day.

[Kirk]

Immersion is the best way without a doubt.

I was good at French in school but just not interested, managed a bit when we went to Paris in 07 but basically useless nowadays. Wish I'd stuck in with it.

[thewelk]

I've said this before on here but language learning is like a sport. You'll get out what you put in and the level you reach and how fast depends on your natural ability.

I got a 4 in standard grade French, never taken a proper French class and now I can give presentations at work in French. 4 years of immersion and a steep learning curve.

[Pool Q]

When I was learning French about 15 years back I took classes at the French Institute in Edinburgh (plus various CD course things). It was very helpful, no doubt about it, but what really helped was going on long walking holidays in SW France, intentionally finding the sort of small towns and villages where hardly anyone spoke much English. It is amazing how much you can improve in a short time if a bed for the night and a meal depends on you being able to communicate in French. When you get back you feel you have made progress, and it encouraged me to study harder. Maybe it is just me, but the first thing I have to get over whenever I go to France is the self-consciousness of speaking French, a fear of making a fool of myself. One thing I quickly adopted was a practice of not trying to understand every word. If I did I found myself still trying to decipher the first sentence when the speaker is onto his or her third of fourth sentence, you get totally lost. Pick out a few key words and you'll get the gist of what is being said most of the time. Mistakes and misunderstandings happen, make a joke of it, people appreciate the effort and will help. Certainly in my experience. As you get on more and more makes sense. Equally, learn a few simple, stock phases that you can rely on.

[deecie]

Splash out on 1:1 lessons. Memorise vocab in your spare time. Think about things you'd like to be able to say and write them down in English to discuss with your tutor. Get a male tutor if at all possible to get the stresses right. If you're ever in the country youre learning the language of, refuse point blank to speak English.

Find somebody on Skype that wants to learn english and then you can teach eachother for free.

[OLAS]

This example is way off the mark.

You've just sent phart into a language rabbit hole.

He'll be back in a few days after watching thousands of tutorials on YouTube to tell you and me to phuk off in all 510 Nigerian languages.

Rosetta Stone is a decent tool, too. Expensive, right enough.

[deecie]

Rosetta Stone is a decent tool, too. Expensive, right enough.

I've got a torrent version of it with about 30 different languages up to level 5. It's decent, not decent enough to pay for, but decent nonetheless.