Hello everyone! Sorry for the lack of updates. I have been re-thinking the structure of the site for some time and I think I will be headed toward a ‘weekly word’ post containing translations for every language on the site. I think that would be quite a bit less tedious.
Also, I am working on advanced tutorials for each of the languages for when we progress beyond first year study. Stay tuned!
Tags: Status Updates
You may have noticed that in addition to French, Spanish, and German lessons, I have also posted English lessons. English lessons are important for those learning English, but even more important (arguably) for the English student in pursuit of another language. While many foreign languages have advanced grammar structures that English lacks, others share quite a few things in common with it. Understanding your native language will help you to bridge gaps between languages and that will always lead to fluency.
While studying another language, you may come across words such as articles, tenses, moods, or aspects; these parts of language are not unique to English and they tend to work similarly in the romance languages. For example, English articles such as the and an work almost identically in French and Spanish, and being able to coherently communicate about the different parts of language allows you to converse clearly with other students of language. I find that as my knowledge of English grows, so too does my ability with other languages.
In short, it is important to understand your own language so that you can put clear names to concepts and separate them in your mind. When you begin to bridge concepts, such as definite articles in Spanish and English, you form connections that help your brain to realize that these are not truly different words, but different ways to convey the same concept. This realization helps to drive home fluency of another language and solidify it.
das Fenster, die Fenster
Today’s Learn German: Word Of The Day is:
Note: die Fenster is the plural form.
Follow along with this audio file:
Learn German - Word Of The Day - das Fenster, die Fenster
Credits:
Tags: Learn German, word of the day
le lapin
Today’s Learn French: Word Of The Day is:
Follow along with this audio file:
Learn French - Word Of The Day - le lapin
Credits:
Tags: Learn French, word of the day
french.about.com
One of my favorite resources for the French language is french.about.com. Complete with tutorials, audio, and useful tips, this site is great for any student of French. Though the layout is somewhat clumsy and it can be hard to navigate, there is a wealth of useful information to be found here. For a complete French education, it would be wise to check in now and then and make test your abilities against the mountains of vocabulary and on-site tests they provide. A must-have resource for any French student.
Tags: French Resources, Learn French, links
el río
Today’s Learn Spanish: Word Of The Day is:
Follow along with this audio file:
Learn Spanish - Word Of The Day - el río
Credits:
Tags: Learn Spanish, word of the day
One of the most important things to learn about foreign language is the skill of listening for context clues. As a non-native speaker it will be quite difficult to comprehend full sentences when conversing with a native speaker.
A couple years ago, when I was visiting Paris with my mother and father, my mother and I wandered into one of the larger cemeteries in Paris (unfortunately, I cannot remember which) because she wanted to visit the grave of an author she remembered from her childhood. While I was proficient in the French language, I was not near fluent; when I asked for directions from a kind gentleman, I found that he spoke so quickly that I could not understand him! Luckily, I had learned to listen for context clues.
As the gentleman spoke I listened for words like, “right” and “left”, and I kept a good watch on his body language and hand gestures. Without these context clues, I would never have been able to navigate the cemetery (though, we still didn’t manage to locate the grave).
Most teachers of foreign language start out by teaching how to ask for directions, or perhaps asking questions about items in a store or things around the house. Though this is surely good practice, it is not preparation for actually being able to use the language in order to get around and actually converse with the native speakers.
One important thing to learn is that listening is important. Watch movies, listen to audio books, or even talk to fellow students in the language you’re learning; it is very important to actually listen. Teachers can teach you to speak well, but there is no sense in speaking if you cannot listen and understand the people you are speaking to.
As you browse the site, make sure to listen to audio I have provided; while I may not be a native speaker, I can give you an idea of what something should sound like. If you listen enough, then maybe you will be prepared when conversing with someone in another country.
Tags: Learn Language, tips
der Berg
Today’s Learn German: Word Of The Day is:
Follow along with this audio file:
Learn German - Word Of The Day - der Berg
Credits:
Tags: Learn German