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advice and experience in learning langauges

de prz_rulez, 2009-majo-31

Mesaĝoj: 10

Lingvo: English

prz_rulez (Montri la profilon) 2009-majo-31 18:01:13

i would like to ask you about your experience and maybe advice in learning languages.

recently i've started learning Dutch, Esperanto and Croatian at the same time. and the most problematic thing in this is that i'm forgetting most of the words very fast and learning the same things for the n-time is really frustrating! also, with the languages which i know at least satisfactory (English and German) i have huge problems with learning the advanced grammar of them,it looks impossible for me to remember it!

and how it is with you? and how did you get over with your problems in learning languages?

Miland (Montri la profilon) 2009-majo-31 19:13:37

From my own experience, I would say that foundations are everything. If the foundations are not strong enough, a building will collapse, and it seems to me that you are already experiencing bricks falling on your head!

So patience in learning the basics thoroughly is the key. Do not be tempted to rush in the hope of acquiring fluency quickly.

The classified vocabulary lists on this page may be able to help you, if they are bilingual in both Esperanto and the other languages you wish to learn.

Good luck, and I repeat: don't rush!

JoenSo (Montri la profilon) 2009-junio-01 06:54:25

I'm learning spanish and have the same problem with the vocabulary. For me, the best way to learn new words is to read a book in spanish and then write down and check all the words I don't know with a dictionary. Some words will stick better than others when a author uses them a lot.

Another method someone talked about here on lernu (forgot who and where) is to write something in the language you're learning. At first you can't write a single sentence without the help of a dictionary (at least I couldn't), but it'll losen up after a while.

prz_rulez (Montri la profilon) 2009-junio-01 10:28:32

Yeah, you've seen me through. I'm very inpatient person and, on the other hand, very ambitious and believe me, it's not a very good mix.
@JoenSo - Your methods are IMO very good with the languages like Esperanto or Dutch, but doesn't work that good with the languages with advanced declension and conjugation like Croatian. you have to learn some basics of grammar first.

Rogir (Montri la profilon) 2009-junio-01 23:17:20

Also, join online games, go to forums, read and write comments, just do anything in the language you want to learn, preferably in an environment where bad language is acceptable.

qwertz (Montri la profilon) 2009-junio-02 15:27:58

I like this on the fly mouse over translation of the eo.lernu.net forum section. It's quite handy and it's motivating me quite a lot. May be you wanna translate an favourite eo song from eo or into your native language. And if you don't know what to do in your spare time: just create a karakeo versiono for it and bring it to the public at the next IJK etc. meeting okulumo.gif

eobo blogo

Erik

JoenSo (Montri la profilon) 2009-junio-06 16:24:10

prz_rulez:@JoenSo - Your methods are IMO very good with the languages like Esperanto or Dutch, but doesn't work that good with the languages with advanced declension and conjugation like Croatian. you have to learn some basics of grammar first.
Well, of course you need to know the basics of grammar of the language you're reading in to understand anything at all. Though, when I read books in spanish, it's usually books that I've read before in english or swedish, which simplify things...

As for the vocabulary, I remember that a guy I knew, who tried to learn swedish, put little paper notes on stuff in his apartment. So there was a note with the swedish word for "bed" on his bed and so on. I don't know how well it worked, but it might be worth a try...

Senlando (Montri la profilon) 2009-junio-07 21:07:24

if your not opposed to reading the Bible, i would encourage you to buy a bilingual bible.

I don't know about other languages, but it seems easy to get an English+(other language) bible. And if already have a bit of bible-knowledge it makes it much easier to read, since you often remember what the English equivalent means, and if not, you can just look over to the right (or left) of the page for the English. I would do this with any books, but it seems like bilingual bibles are the easier to find.

The Bible is so long, I figure if I ever get to the end in my target language, I'll probably end up fluent (at least in reading).

or if you can find any other books that you've read before, and enjoyed. It's too bad they don't make more books are bilingual!

Senlando (Montri la profilon) 2009-junio-07 21:12:20

oh yes, of course. you need some basic grammar, and vocabulary.

I've found reading as a good way to enforce what you already learned in class. And if your like me, love languages, but are a little bit lazy, and like to procrastinate, self-studying, doesn't tend to work every well, best join a class, where you can be more motivated, or have a tutor, who expects a lot out of you.

ceigered (Montri la profilon) 2009-junio-17 09:11:23

I tend to just get a whole lot of books about a language

(for example I have:
teach yourself Swedish
Say it in Swedish
Essential Swedish Grammar
and a Danish dictionary which I use for things which I know are similar between the two languages)

and then with that random array of books I'll just look up whenever I have a question about the language whatever I'm curious about and apply it in some sentences. Just easy, quick and non-commited things like that. Works well actually because you learn at your own paced relaxed and not thinking about it.

Or maybe a couple of books like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Berlitz-Essential-German-Inc...
(if the link becomes orphaned, just search on amazon.com for "Berlitz Essential German (German Edition) (Paperback)")

I was looking at that the other day in borders and it looks pretty beaut.

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