[Closed] Learning a new language - Help

I found having a Spanish girlfriend helped enormously when it came to learning the language, there's something about being horizontal and relaxed that really stimulates learning 🙂

More realistically: only 3 classes and you're worried you're not learning? If you're concerned about the course structure ask the teacher for the course aims, if he can't provide them then complain to the school?

I find it takes a while for the sounds, forms and patterns of a language to sink into your brain. Not so much the actual vocab and grammar, just the 'feel' of it all.

You could have a crap teacher mind - that's another possibility.

I've been trying to learn Italian for 2 years now and it's not easy. I used Pimsleur audio cd's levels 1-3 and rossetta stone levels 1-5 and I highly recommend both. These will get you to the point where you can ask for just about anything and have a vague clue what people are saying to you, but that's about it. You'll get to a point where you'll need to be around italians to keep learning. If you can, stream an italian radio station (RTL 102.5 is a good one) at work or in the house so you get used to hearing the language as it's really spoken, which is quite different from how you will learn it. Another thing I do is read and translate an italian news article each day which has seemed to help loads. The hardest part is not giving up. After a while it all starts to come together. Good luck!

jonny, thanks for the advice.

I have logged onto the Gazzette Dello Sport a couple of times and my aim is to be able to read and understand it.

I know I maybe worried a little too early really.

Ill keep at it 🙂

Be aware of what you're learning from. What level of language does Gazzette Dello Sport have? Would it be like learning English from the sports pages of The Sun?

I'm currently learning Swedish. Things I am doing are:

* Weekly class
* Recording all the words I learn and listen back to them later
* Listening to the equivalent of Radio 4 - it doesn't matter I don't know what they're on about, but they speak slowly and clearly and gets my ear in.
* I've got a dictionary and a childern's book (Pippi Longstocking) - I think a newspaper article is probably too much - you'll be seeing words you won't use for a long time yet.
* I also use [b]Before You Know It[/b] iPhone app - this also helps get your "ear in". I really rate this.

I live in Sweden so try to use my language at every opportunity.

Hopefully this helps Martin. The bottom line is that you'll need to [b]want[/b] to learn the language and put the effort and time in. I'd say commit yourself to one solid hour twice a week alongside the class.

Best of luck!

I had a go at learning spanish a couple of years ago, after 3 lesson no one knows anything, after 3 months you can say a bit , and after a year you start to get it a bit, well i can read and write a certain amount and muddle my way through newspapers with a fair jist of whats going on and have a decent understanding of the rules, but imo unless you immerse yourself in your chosen language it's going to be an uphill battle, think the trick is to go and live somewhere native as speaking it constantly will speed things up considerably.. I haven't done that so my level is limited to say the least(mainly imo because i didn't speak it outside of class). Basically, lessons and CD's alone will only get you so far. So either live in a different country or get yourself an italian burd.

Thanks for that teacake, some good pointers there.

Translating texts - simple kids books or websites is handy I find.

Also if you put stuff in Google Translate (which is not ideal for overall translation of course) you can mouse over the parts of the translated sentence and it highlights the original - this is rather useful for seeing how stuff works I find.. but don't just mimic it 🙂 I can't imagine the results if someone learned a language entirely from Google Translate 🙂

It seems that modern language courses tend to be unstructured and more based on introducing tourists to a few key phrases, which doesn't suit me at all.
If your serious about learning a language, I would suggest being very careful about where you learn, and not just assume that the local college evening class is the answer. Personally I would recommend the OU language courses, there you can learn a language and gain a worthwhile qualification out of it.

I've tried on and off for about 20 years to learn Italian. The two goes at night school were good. I've also got the "In Car Italian" CD's that were given away by the Daily Express (I think) you can find them on ebay going cheap.

The best advice I can give is stick at it and go over there for a holiday, you will be amazed at how much you can understand after just a year at college.

I used to go to the local cafe and practice my Italian on the staff. The local students were itching to try their English out so we did a tit for tat.

By the end of the fortnight the locals in the bread shop were standing back to let me have a go at ordering.

Gutted i'm not going out there this year.

I can't imagine the results if someone learned a language entirely from Google Translate

Pretty much how much of the world speak English, it has been said that the much of the world can speak better with each other in English than they ever could to an native Englsih speaker.

I really struggled with the teach yourself German book I have, because I couldn't understand how the sentences were assembled, and it didn't feel like telling me. I got the corresponding grammar book which really helped. It's quite readable and interesting, not at all as frightful as it sounds 🙂

Also, you get what you put into it, my brother and I went to the same course for a year, i studied he didn't. you wouldn't think he went to the course at all. Basically imo you can't be taught anything unless you are willing to put in the effort yourself beyond lessons, too many people in my class where the same, expecting to turn up for 2 hours a week do nothing else and be fluent. Atleast i can identify my failings and took something from the class, some people think they can be spoon fed it.

Get the Michel Thomas course and listen to it when you can.

I did the Spanish one and it helped me get around Central America.

Except I got good enough so when I asked a question, they answered in Spanish. And they all seemed to be training for the Mexican Speed-Speaking Championships which wasn't so good.

Then I learned to ask questions in a way that would get a yes or no answer.