Benny Lewis's Blog, page 16

August 29, 2022

6 Steps to Pick the Right Tour Company for You in Europe [+ Recommendations!]

I love traveling around Europe. Historic cities, incredible and diverse cuisine, stunning landscapes, crazy nightlife – I just can’t get enough of it.

As one of the most popular regions in the world to visit, there’s an obvious plethora of tours available to travelers. From barebones walking tours and food tours to biking outings and ultra-luxe multiweek excursions, Europe has a tour to cater to every traveler type.

If you’re thinking of taking one in Europe, how do you make sure you choose a reputable company that’s going to provide not only a lot of value but a deeper, more authentic visit?

I take a lot of day tours and sailing outings when I’m in Europe, and have run multiday tours through the continent as well. In short, I know a lot about European tour companies.

In this post, I’ll break down the things I’ve learned you need to consider before you book your trip, so you can save time, save money, and find the best tour companies in Europe for your next visit!

Table of contents6 Steps to Finding the Right Tour Company for You 1. Make Sure You’re the Intended Audience 2. Review the Itinerary and Pace 3. Find Out What’s Included 4. What’s the Group Size?5. Make Sure It’s a Sustainable and Responsible Company 6. Read Reviews Book Your Trip!Suggested Tour Companies to Have the Best Time in Europe Make the Most of Your Trip With Tour Companies6 Steps to Finding the Right Tour Company for You1. Make Sure You’re the Intended Audience

There are all kinds of companies that lead incredible trips around Europe — many of which cater to a specific audience. If you find a tour that is going to the places you want to go, make sure it also caters to your demographic and interests.

If you’re a young partying traveler in search of a two-week trip around Western Europe, you probably don’t want to get stuck on a bus with retirees (and vice versa). And if you’re an upscale luxury traveler, you likely don’t want to spend a week hostel-hopping with budget backpackers.

Most such companies have a niche, so if you’re not sure whether or not a tour is for you, email them to ask what their typical age range is and what the trip is like. That way, you can better decide if it’s the kind you want to go on.

2. Review the Itinerary and Pace

While most travelers want to see a lot during their trip (you want to get your money’s worth, after all), you don’t want to be too busy. Far too many tours I’ve been on have rushed travelers from site to site, day after day after day. By the end, you’ve seen a lot…but it all becomes a blur.

When it comes to travel, my motto is quality over quantity. That means traveling slower and deeper, and not rushing from highlight to highlight. If you want to ensure you have a memorable trip that isn’t rushed, make sure the tour companies you’re reviewing have reasonably paced itineraries.

For multi-day excursions, pick a tour that does 1-2 big activities per day. That wayl you’re not rushed and still have time to do your own thing. I’d also want at least a couple of days in each city — especially if the distance between them is long.

Additionally, make sure the company can accommodate any special needs you have, such as a specific diet or mobility issues. If you have trouble being on your feet all day, an active tour full of walking and hiking might not be for you, for example.

3. Find Out What’s Included

For full-day and multiday tours, find out what’s included. Is pickup from your hotel or the airport included? Are all meals included or just some? What about drinks?

If there are optional activities, do those cost extra?

Read over the information provided to see exactly what is covered and what isn’t, so you can budget accordingly. Most reputable companies will spell this out.

4. What’s the Group Size?

As a solo traveler, I’m used to traveling by myself (or occasionally with friends).

That means that when I book a tour, I don’t want there to be a million other people around. Small-group tours, while sometimes more expensive, allow you better access to your guide, so you can ask questions and have a more hands-on experience.

I have a story for those who really only enjoy solo adventures. Sometimes, traveling is better in a group, and here’s an example why.

In Madagascar, traveling 250km (150 miles) can take up to eight hours as the roads are in bad shape.

While I was there on a tour, a bridge on the only north-south road collapsed because a truck was too heavy for it (weight station bribes are frequent). We had to wade across a river so another bus could pick us up on the other side!

This was easier to face in a group than it would have been alone.

You don’t have to look for big groups! For full-day excursions and multi-day trips, aim for tours that have 15 people or fewer. That keeps the group small and personal while also making sure there are enough people that you’ll likely be able to hit it off with someone and make a new travel friend.

5. Make Sure It’s a Sustainable and Responsible Company

Many destinations in Europe, like many places around the world, have been struggling with overtourism in recent years. From popular cities like Venice and Barcelona to entire countries, such as Iceland, overtourism has not only made visiting less enjoyable but had a negative impact on the people who live there.

When looking for a tour company, be sure to spend time researching how they give back. Ask yourself these questions:

Do they hire local guides?Do they avoid overtouristed places and unethical activities (like getting up close or interacting with wild animals)?How do they support and give back to the community?

While we all want to have an enjoyable experience when we travel, we should also make sure that the places we visit actually benefit from us.

6. Read Reviews

Once you’ve found a tour company (or several) that meet your needs, check out online reviews. While you always want to take reviews with a grain of salt (people are much more likely to complain than write positive reviews), it’s important to browse them just to make sure the company delivers on what it promises.

While I don’t love TripAdvisor, it’s a decent place to start, just to get your bearings. From there, ask around in any travel groups you’re a part of, as well as online communities like The Nomadic Network.

Lastly, you can read some blogs to see if there are any in-depth reviews. But be warned: many bloggers get free trips in exchange for writing about an experience, so just know that what you’re reading may be biased if the blogger got a free trip (or compensation) for the tour.

Book Your Trip!

With all your research done, it’s time to book your tour! Whether you’ve found the perfect day trip or are planning a multiweek trek around the continent, it’s time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Pro tip: Before you book your tour, ask yourself:

Is there a deposit, and is it refundable?What is the policy should you need to cancel? Are full or partial refunds available?What is the COVID policy?

Read over the tour company’s FAQ, and if you have unanswered questions, send an email or call. That way you can get specific, up-to-date answers before you book.

Suggested Tour Companies to Have the Best Time in Europe

From walking tours to food tours to day trips and more, I’ve tried and tested dozens and dozens of companies. Here are a few of my favorites to help you make the most of your trip:

New Europe – If you’re on a budget and just want a quick introduction to a city, New Europe runs daily walking tours in a handful around Europe. While they are free, a tip is expected at the end. Take Walks – As a history buff, I love walking tours that go beyond the surface. Whenever I want a behind-the-scenes tour or in-depth walking tour or day trip, I go with Take Walks, which uses expert local guides, so I always learn a ton! Devour – My go-to company for food tours. I love eating my way around a new destination, and Devour ensures you get to sample some amazing food while also learning about the history and culture behind the dishes. Get Your Guide – A marketplace with all kinds of day trips, tours, and multiday excursions. If you’re looking for ideas and inspiration, check it out! Contiki – A party tour company with multiday trips all around Europe for travelers 18-35. Intrepid – My go-to multiday tour company. Its tours are fun and educational and focus on sustainable and responsible travel.

For an in-depth breakdown of each, check out my list of the best tour companies in Europe.

Make the Most of Your Trip With Tour Companies

While I love solo travel, there are times when a tour is called for. They often give you access to places you might not otherwise have and involve experts who can elaborate on the history of a place.

By following the steps above, you’ll be able to find the perfect tour company for your next trip to Europe, ensuring that you have a much deeper and more authentic experience.

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Published on August 29, 2022 04:00

August 26, 2022

The 42 Best Anime Shows and Movies to Learn Japanese (Yes, It’s Actually Possible!)

Can you really become fluent with Japanese anime? The short answer is yes… kind of.

Here’s the longer answer: any Japanese native resource can be a powerful learning tool. But it depends on how you use it and what you pair it with.

In this guide, I will explain how you can use anime to become fluent in Japanese and the benefits you’ll get from it.

Table of contentsTop 10 Japanese Anime to Watch to Learn Japanese 22 Extra Japanese Anime Recommendations Top 10 Japanese Anime Movies of All Time Can You Really Learn Japanese from Anime?The Benefits of Learning Japanese from Anime How to Learn Japanese from Anime: 6 Steps to Success Step #1: Pick a Category You’re Interested In Step #2: Do Some Prep Work Step #3: Strategically Use (and Don’t Use) Subtitles Step #4: Utilize Subtitles in Japanese Step #5: Add New Words to a Flashcard App Step #6: Put It To Practice!Bonus: 12 Must-Know Japanese Phrases from Anime Other Helpful Japanese Pop Culture Ways to Learn Japanese The Best Japanese Resources to Supplement Your Learning Frequently Asked Anime Questions:Is Anime Japanese?Do Japanese People Watch Anime? What is Japan’s Most Popular Anime?Is Japanese in Anime Realistic? How Do I Know?Learn Japanese with Anime: Unlocked

But first, a few recommendations if you want to start watching anime.

Top 10 Japanese Anime to Watch to Learn Japanese

What are the top 10 Japanese anime to learn Japanese? There are a lot of good ones, but some are easier to learn with than others.

Often, Japanese kids’ shows are easier to learn with. Here are my top 10 suggestions:

DoraemonPokemonShirokuma CafeK-On!AnpanmanCardcaptor SakuraSazae-sanDetective ConanCrayon Shin-chanYokai Watch22 Extra Japanese Anime Recommendations

If you’re looking for something super addicting, a bit harder, or you’re just dipping your toes into the anime scene… Then let me make some recommendations, old and new:

My Hero AcademiaHunter x HunterAttack on TitanDeath NoteDragon BallSailor Moon CrystalOne PieceFairy TailCowboy BebopSpy x FamilyDemon SlayerOuran HighSchool Host ClubSword Art OnlineNarutoNeon Genesis EvangelionBleachFruits BasketInuyashaFullmetal AlchemistThe Rising of Shield HeroMobile Suit GundamLove Live!

Also, as a huge Star Wars fan, I have to tell you to check out Star Wars Visions on Disney+. It’s INCREDIBLE, both from a Star Wars perspective and an anime one.

Any of these shows would be great options, but if you’re really wanting to learn, you may have an easier time with the shows aimed at younger audiences.

Top 10 Japanese Anime Movies of All Time

If you’re wanting a movie, you may be wondering, “What are the top 10 best anime movies to watch?”

So, here are 10 incredible anime movies to try:

Howl’s Moving Castle (my personal favorite)Penguin HighwayYour NamePuella Magi Madoka Magica: The MovieIn This Corner of the WorldLupin III: The Castle of CagliostroGhost in the Shell (The Japanese anime version, not the Scarlett Johansson version 😉)Weathering With YouMy Neighbor TotoroAkira

Can You Really Learn Japanese from Anime?

Because many people learn Japanese for the sole purpose of watching anime in its native language, it’s totally a valid resource! If you want to learn to understand anime, you should watch anime to learn.

But when it comes to applying what you learn in anime to speaking in real life… Well, that’s where it gets a bit tricky.

See, anime characters don’t usually use realistic speech. They use casual language, dramatic words and tone of voice. It’s totally different from standard, polite Japanese society.

This doesn’t mean it can’t be a great resource, though. As long as you know Japanese anime is dramatic and you’ll need to supplement real-life speech examples, it’s okay to learn with anime. Especially if your goal is to enjoy anime in Japanese without subtitles.

But first, before we dive in, let me break one common 外国人 (gaikokujin, “foreigner”) speech pattern I see: How to say “anime” in Japanese, the right way.

It’s not an-knee-meh. It’s ah-knee-meh.

In Japanese, “anime” is short for “animation.” And it’s pronounced the Japanese way: the letter “a” is always pronounced “ah.” The same goes for “manga!” It’s mahn-gah, not mayn-gah.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s learn Japanese with anime!

The Benefits of Learning Japanese from Anime

Watching Japanese animation does have its benefits, and it can help you learn Japanese.

But you won’t be able to rely on anime alone to learn, and you’ll have to put in some hard work.

You can’t turn on a show, watch with subtitles, and expect to become fluent. Relying on subtitles keeps our brain in our native language, and we tune out most of the Japanese we hear.

If you’ve ever studied a language for any bit of time, you may have noticed that there’s this thing that happens in your brain called code-switching. This is where our brain has to stop processing in one language and picks up the other.

When the second language we’re learning isn’t very strong, our brain will lag a bit in the code-switching process. The stronger we get in our new language, the easier and faster it is to code-switch between the two.

So when we’re trying to learn a brand new language, having subtitles in our native language and Japanese audio playing is going to cause our native language to dominate.

The best way to get past this is to learn more Japanese, learn Japanese phrases instead of words piecemeal, and lots of practice.

That said, there are some benefits to learning with anime:

Even when watching passively, you’re exposing yourself to the cadence and culture of the language. This can help you get used to what sounds right, the tones, and flow.It helps reinforce what you’ve learned.It can help you learn new vocabulary through repetitive use.You are enjoying engaging with the language, so it keeps your motivation high.

So here are some tips for learning Japanese with anime.

How to Learn Japanese from Anime: 6 Steps to Success

Here are the best strategies for actually learning Japanese with anime. But first, if you need to know where you can find anime in Japanese, here are some suggestions:

NetflixCrunchyrollHuluAmazon Prime9animeYouTubeDisney+ (Plus, many shows have a Japanese language dub)HBOMax (Studio Ghibli fans, stream here!)Funimation

While some of these have way more options than others, chances are you already have one of these services. (And some of them are free!) So you should be able to find some great options to get started with.

Step #1: Pick a Category You’re Interested In

The easiest way to learn with anime is to have similar dialogue repeated often. The best way to do that is to pick one type of anime to watch starting out.

For example, sports anime to learn more about how to talk about sports. Or slice of life anime, to learn more everyday vocab.

Japanese has a lot of set phrases, and when you watch similar stories, you’ll hear them often.

Step #2: Do Some Prep Work

Jumping in when you know zero Japanese is going to be tough. So let’s do some prep work first.

First, it’s a good idea to have a solid foundation of the basics. Things like common Japanese phrases, the essential core 100 Japanese vocab, and how to read Japanese kana and N5 level kanji.

We’ve got articles and videos to help you with all those things!

Already got that down? Cool. Now, learn related vocab and grammar to the show.

For instance, if you’re watching a sports anime, learn how some words related to the sport, the location, and some verbs and verb conjugation, like te-form they might use.

Step #3: Strategically Use (and Don’t Use) Subtitles

If you’re an absolute beginner and it’s a show you’ve never seen before, watch an episode with subtitles first. Then, watch without subtitles and write down any words or phrases you pick out.

If you’re more experienced with Japanese (upper beginner to upper intermediate), start by turning subtitles off. Watch it through (or in short clips), and write down any words or phrases you pick out.

The key here is to REALLY tune your ear into the Japanese and try to understand as much as you can. This helps make watching anime an active listening activity.

Step #4: Utilize Subtitles in Japanese

Next, we’re going to watch the show with Japanese subtitles on. This is where learning to read Japanese really helps.

There are many apps and extensions you can use to help you do this if the streaming site doesn’t have Japanese subtitles. For example, Language Reacter extension for Netflix and YouTube.

Now, we’re going to watch the show (or in short clips) while reading the Japanese subtitles with what we hear. You can also practice reading them aloud, or reading along and shadowing the speaker, to get a better feel for it.

How much can you understand now? Take note of new phrases or words, and write them down.

Step #5: Add New Words to a Flashcard App

As you pick out new words to learn, add them to a flashcard app like Anki so you keep reviewing them.

Over time, your vocab will continue to grow and it’ll become easier to watch and understand.

I also suggest looking out for common phrases and word pairings so you can learn natural Japanese.

Step #6: Put It To Practice!

Now, take what you’ve learned and apply it to practical Japanese!

If you’re not sure how to use a word or phrase, here are some resources to help you:

Tangorin Kanshudo Jisho

Each of these will allow you to look up words in romaji (English romanization), Japanese kana, or kanji. And they’ll provide example sentences to show you how to use it!

Once you know how to use the word or phrase, try creating your own sentences out loud and on paper. Even better, meet with a language exchange partner to practice and get feedback!

Do all these steps together and you’ll see your Japanese language skills skyrocket!

Bonus: 12 Must-Know Japanese Phrases from Anime

You probably already know words like baka (“idiot”), sugoi (“wow” or “amazing”), and kawaii (“cute”). So here are some other common Japanese phrases you’ll hear in anime:

何？！, nani?!: “What?!”面倒くさい, mendokusai: “It’s too much of a bother”, “bothersome”負けないよ！, makenaiyo: “I won’t lose!”許せない, yurusenai: “I won’t forgive you”あらあら, ara ara: “Oh dear” or “oh my” but used in a cutesy/sexy/creepy way止めて, yamete: “Stop”うるさい / うるせんだよ, urusai / urusenda yo: “Noisy” or “annoying”頑張ろう, gambarou: “Good luck” or “do your best”やった！, yatta!: “Yay!”おいおいおい, oi oi oi: “Hey, hey, hey”大丈夫?, daijoubu?: “Are you okay?”行くぞ, ikuzo: “Let’s go”Other Helpful Japanese Pop Culture Ways to Learn Japanese

Besides learning Japanese with anime, there are other pop culture ways you could learn.

For example, you could play Animal Crossing: New Horizons in Japanese (called あつまれ　どうぶつの森, atsumare dobutsu no mori). It’ll teach you all kinds of new words, as well as colloquial Japanese and different regional accents. Plus, Animal Crossing has furigana readings next to the kanji, so as long as you can read kana, you’re good!

There’s also other great Japanese video games like Legend of Zelda and Pokemon. Select Japanese as your preferred language at the game’s start or download the language pack.

If you love video games, this is a great option. But note that the type of video will present different challenges, just like anime.

If you play Fire Emblem, for example, you’ll deal with some very difficult kanji and older language than you would with Pokemon.

Another great option is using Japanese music and songs. Love the theme song to your favorite anime? Look up the artist!

Singing along with Japanese is an excellent way to work on your pronunciation and listening skills. Plus, you can try translating the lyrics into English and test your understanding with something that’s pretty short.

Japanese manga and books are amazing for improving your reading, comprehension, grammar and kanji. Regular books will be harder than manga, but start with what interests you most.

Lastly, why not check out other Japanese TV shows or cool Japanese movies? Balancing anime with regular shows will help you improve your real-life Japanese dialogue.

The Best Japanese Resources to Supplement Your Learning

If your goal is to study with anime, you’ll need some other resources to help you get going. Here are the options I recommend:

Genki I and Genki II for beginners. It’s the best Japanese textbook!Anki flashcard app to add your own words you learn from anime. Plus, add this kanji pack to work on your reading skills.Check out the app Language Drops. It’s got a vast amount of vocab (mostly nouns) in tons of categories to help you expand your knowledge. Since the app’s new company took over, there have been more noticeable translation errors (or awkward translations). But it’s still worthwhile – just use your best judgment sometimes.Download Bunpo for Android or Apple. This one teaches you all the grammar you need to know to pass the JLPT test by level. It has simple, short and excellent explanations plus different types of practice questions to help you master it. One of the best grammar apps I’ve ever used, and perfect for learning anime and pairing with Genki for review.

You’ll pretty well cover your learning bases with these resources, and then be putting in your “fun” language time with anime.

Frequently Asked Anime Questions:

Last up, I just wanted to address a few common questions people have about anime and learning with it.

Is Anime Japanese?

Yes. Anime, アニメ, is short for “animation” in Japanese.

In Japan, anime refers to any and all animation. But when talking about anime in English, it normally means specifically Japanese animation (or Japanese-inspired animation, like Avatar: The Last Airbender).

Sometimes people wonder if anime is Japanese or Chinese, and what Korean or Chinese cartoons are called.

Anime as an art style originated in Japan. But other countries like China, Korea, and America all adapted the style. In Japan, they’re all still called anime, or Chinese-inspired anime, etc.

Do Japanese People Watch Anime? What is Japan’s Most Popular Anime?

Yes! Japanese people of all ages watch anime. While it’s more popular with certain demographics than others, it’s like any other country.

For example, many people of all ages watch Disney cartoons.

But just like there’s a certain type of nerd culture associated with things like Star Wars or comics, anime is seen similarly. And people too obsessed with it are often called オタク (otaku), which can be seen negatively.

It’s hard to say definitely what the most popular anime ever in Japan has been. But many would say Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, One Piece, Attack on Titan, and Sailor Moon are some of the biggest in Japan and globally.

But that doesn’t include anime movies, like Studio Ghibli films. And certain shows, like Astroboy, Doraemon, and Sazae-san have had lasting impacts on anime and are household favorites.

Is Japanese in Anime Realistic? How Do I Know?

No, the Japanese in anime is not normally realistic. But that doesn’t mean you should discount it!

There’s still tons to learn from anime. But be aware that the speech patterns, especially, can be very dramatic.

The best way to know is to find a balance between watching anime and listening to real Japanese. You’ll quickly catch the difference!

Learn Japanese with Anime: Unlocked

It’s difficult to learn with anime alone, but with these resources and tips, you can do it!

Here are some more articles to keep you going:

63 Must-Know Japanese Slang Words 33 Things to Know About Japanese Culture Japanese Onomatopoeia: Use Sounds to Express Yourself in Japanese How to Read Japanese Manga [+ 10 Easy Manga Series for Beginners Learning Japanese]Japanese Learning Hub

The post The 42 Best Anime Shows and Movies to Learn Japanese (Yes, It’s Actually Possible!) appeared first on Fluent in 3 Months.

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Published on August 26, 2022 04:00

August 22, 2022

101 Common Spanish Phrases to Start Speaking Spanish Right Now

Do you want to start speaking Spanish right now? Then you need these 101 Spanish phrases.

I’ve found that the best way to learn Spanish is to speak it from day one. And the best way to start speaking is to learn Spanish phrases that you’ll use in real conversations.

Take it from me: I honestly believe it was never my destiny to speak Spanish, but I did it anyway. I started from scratch, all thanks to a complaint about a toothbrush!

But I’m getting sidetracked. Let’s get back to Spanish phrases so you too can learn to speak Spanish faster.

function runSplitTest(){var randomNumber = Math.floor(Math.random() * 2) + 1console.log(randomNumber)var copy = "";if (randomNumber == 3){ copy = 'A note from the Fluent in 3 Months team before we get started: You can chat away in Spanish for at least 15 minutes with the "Fluent in 3 Months" method. All it takes is 90 days. <a href="https://fluentin3months.com/challenge... this link to find out more.</a>'} else { copy = 'Before we get started, if you’re looking for an online Spanish course, here’s the course I recommend: <a href="https://www.fluentin3months.com/olly-... Uncovered - Learn Spanish Through the Power of Story</a>, a course with a fascinating new method by my friend Olly. You can try it for free for 7 days!'}console.log(copy)var copyToChange = document.querySelector("p.copyText").innerHTML = copy;}runSplitTest();Table of contents15 Must-Know Basic Spanish Phrases Important Spanish Phrases to Know: The Basics Spanish Phrases for Greetings and Starting Conversations Saying Goodbye in Spanish Polite Phrases in Spanish Common Spanish Phrases for Everyday Life Phrases About Interests, Jobs, and Hobbies in Spanish Common Questions in Spanish Exclamations, Celebrations, and Well Wishes Filler Words and Phrases Helpful Phrases in Spanish Funny Spanish Phrases and Sayings ¡Felicitaciones! You’re Off to a Good Start15 Must-Know Basic Spanish Phrases

If you’re only going to take 15 Spanish phrases away from this article, these are the must-knows!

Hola – “Hello”Me llamo… – “My name is…”¿Y tú? – “And you?”Mucho gusto – “Nice to meet you”¿Qué tal? – “How are you?”Nos vemos – “See you”Por favor – “Please”Gracias – “Thank you”De nada – “You’re welcome”Disculpa (informal “you”) / disculpe (formal “you”) – “Excuse me”Me gusta / No me gusta… – “I like / I don’t like…”¿Cuánto cuesta? – “How much is this?”¿Dónde está el baño? – “Where’s the bathroom?”¿Qué hora es? – “What time is it?”Me puede ayudar, por favor – “Can you help me, please?” (formal “you”)

Related learning: Do you know there are different types of “you” in Spanish? Spanish-speaking people mark the difference when the “you” is formal, informal, and plural. You can read more about this in this article.

Important Spanish Phrases to Know: The Basics

If you’re just starting out, you need to know basic Spanish greetings and introductions.

Here are a few to get started if you’re totally new to the language. Most of these are casual, so they’re best for informal situations.

Spanish Phrases for Greetings and Starting ConversationsHola – “Hello”¿Qué tal? – “How are you?”¿Qué pasa? – “What’s up?”¿Cómo te va? – “How’re you doing?”Bien – “Good”Muy bien – “Very good”No tan bien – “Not so good”¿Y tú? – “And you?”Me llamo… – “My name is…”¿Cómo te llamas? – “What’s your name?”Mucho gusto – “Nice to meet you”Un placer – “A pleasure”Encantado/Encantada – “Charmed”, “Likewise”

Saying Goodbye in SpanishAdiós – “Goodbye”Nos vemos – “See you”Nos vemos mañana – “See you tomorrow”Hasta luego – “See you later”Hasta pronto – “See you soon”

Tip: In many Spanish-speaking countries, notably in South America, it’s common to use foreign goodbyes! For example, in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, locals often say chau, from the Italian ciao.

In Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, it’s common to say “bye”. This is because the USA has a strong impact on the local language and culture.

Polite Phrases in SpanishPor favor – “Please”Gracias – “Thank you”De nada – “You’re welcome”No hay de qué – “No problem”Disculpa – “Excuse me” (informal “you”)Disculpe – “Excuse me” (formal “you”)Lo siento – “I’m sorry”

If you want to expand more on the basics, check out these really useful Spanish phrases for conversation and travel, and all the essential beginning phrases you should know.

Common Spanish Phrases for Everyday Life

The sooner you can talk about your everyday life in Spanish, the easier you’ll find it to have real Spanish conversations.

Pro tip: Everyday life is different for everyone, so pay attention to the things you do throughout the day. What did you say? What did you do? Then, make your own list of words that are relevant for you so you can learn Spanish faster.

Use these phrases as starters to get you going.

Phrases About Interests, Jobs, and Hobbies in Spanish

Getting to know others and talking about your interests are the bread and butter of learning a language. So you have to know how to express your hobbies!

¿Qué te gusta hacer? – “What do you like to do?”Mi pasatiempo favorito es… – “My favourite pastime is…”¿Cuáles son tus pasatiempos? – “What are your hobbies?”¿Qué haces en tu tiempo libre? – “What do you do in your free time?”Me gusta / No me gusta… – “I like / I don’t like…”Me encanta… – “I love…”¿Qué te gusta leer? – “Do you like to read?”¿Qué música te gusta? – “What music do you like?”Mi favorito es… – “My favourite is…”Me gusta ir… – “I like going to…”¿En qué trabajas? – “What’s your job?”¿Te gusta tu trabajo? – “Do you like your job?”Trabajo en… – “I work at…”

With these phrases, you can say things like:

Me encanta el café. ¿Quieres ir a tomar una taza? (“I love coffee. Wanna go grab a cup?”)Trabajo en una escuela. Soy profesor. (“I work at a school. I’m a teacher.”)Common Questions in Spanish

Once you know your basic Spanish question words, like qué and dónde, you can ask a whole number of things.

These are some common questions you’ll hear or need:

¿Cuánto cuesta? – “How much is this?”¿Dónde está el baño? – “Where’s the bathroom?”¿Qué hora es? – “What time is it?”¿Pasa algo? – “Is something wrong?”¿Sabes qué pasa? – “Do you know what’s going on?”¿Es esto correcto? – “Is this right?”¿Me he equivocado? – “Was I wrong?”¿Me puede ayudar con esto? – “Can you help me with this?”¿Puedes traerme … por favor? – “Can you bring me … please?”¿Puedo entrar? – “Can I come in?”¿Quieres tomar una copa? – “Want to grab a drink?¿A dónde deberíamos ir a comer? – “Where should we go to eat?”¿Estás listo/a? – “Are you ready?”

Exclamations, Celebrations, and Well Wishes

It’s always good to know how to wish someone well, tell them “happy birthday”, or what to say when toasting at happy hour. These are simple, single-use phrases you can learn quickly.

¡Cuánto tiempo sin verlo(a)! – “Long time no see!”¡Feliz cumpleaños! – “Happy birthday!”¡Buena suerte! – “Good luck!”¡Alto! – “Stop!”¡Detente (informal “you”) / ¡Deténgase! (formal “you”) – “Stop!”¡Salud! – “Cheers!”Que te mejores (informal “you”) / Que se mejore (formal “you”) – “Get well soon”Buen provecho – “Bon appetit”Cuídate (informal “you”) / Cuídese (formal “you”) – “Take care”Felicitaciones – “Congratulations”¡Bien hecho! – “Well done!”¡Genio! – “Genius!”Estupendo – “Stupendous” or “Amazing”Genial – “Great” or “Awesome”¡Increíble! – “Incredible!” or “Impressive!”Filler Words and Phrases

Smooth out your speech with conversational connectors, sentence stretchers and filler words in Spanish.

These words and phrases give you a moment to prepare what you’re going to say next. They’ll help you sound more natural and fluid, like how you speak in your native language. We use these types of sayings all the time!

A ver… – “Let’s see…”Pues… – “Well…”Bueno… – “Well then…”¿Sabes? – “You know?”Por supuesto – “Of course”Por otra parte… – “On another note…”Pero… – “But…”De verdad? – “Really?”Dios mío – “Oh my god”Entonces… – “So…”Así que… – “So…”

Helpful Phrases in Spanish

These are your essential phrases to fall back on when you need to express your intent, your needs, or you don’t understand.

Necesito ayuda – “I need help”Llámame cuando llegues – “Call me when you arrive”Me voy a casa – “I’m going home”Necesito ir a… – “I need to go to…”¿Como llego hasta ahí? – “How do I get there?”No lo sé – “I don´t know”No tengo idea – “I have no idea”¿Lo entiendes? – “Do you understand?”No entiendo – “I don’t understand.”Quiero… – “I want…”¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor? – “Can you speak slowly, please?”Funny Spanish Phrases and Sayings

Add a little colour to your conversation with funny Spanish phrases and idioms! When you can use a well-known phrase like one of these, you sound much more natural in your everyday speech.

Ponte las pilas – “Put in your batteries”. It’s like telling someone to “look alive”, “snap out of it”, or “wake up”. You say it to a person who’s daydreaming.Papando moscas – “Catching flies”. Speaking of daydreaming, that’s called catching flies in Spanish. Which is quite a visual: Your friend sitting there, so completely lost in thought, the flies have started to land on him or her. But he or she doesn’t even notice!Comiendo moscas – “Eating flies”. Flies are popular in Spanish idioms for some reason. You use this phrase when the person talking to you is quite long-winded. It can be said about anyone who goes on tangents, or someone who can’t stay on point.Buena onda – “Good wave”. This means good vibes. You can also use it to describe someone who has a positive outlook and attitude.Me pica el bagre – “The catfish is biting me”. The catfish being your stomach, and the biting being the painful ache of hunger. In other words, “I’m starved!”Hablando del rey de Roma – “Speaking of the king of Rome”. It has the same meaning as “speak of the devil” in English. You say this whenever someone appears right after you were talking about them.Meter la pata – “To put a paw in it.” It means “to screw up”, and it’s used like how we say in English, “to put your foot in your mouth”.Creerse la última coca-cola del desierto – “To think of yourself as the last Coca-Cola in the desert”. This is an interesting one to me. It means you think you’re better than everyone else, or you think you’re hot stuff.Tener la cola sucia – “To have a dirty tail.” It comes from the idea of being sneaky like a fox. Doing something you know is wrong, but doing it anyway and trying to get away with it.Se puso hasta las chanclas – “Puts on his flip-flops”. It’s like the saying “He/She put on his/her beer goggles.” He or she got hammered, too drunk, trashed.Échale ganas – “Insert desire”. It means to try your best. “How bad do you want it?”Mandar a alguien por un tubo – “Send someone through a tube”. You use this to tell someone to “shove it”.Mala leche – “Bad milk”. You can say this about someone who has bad intentions.Tirar la casa por la ventana – “Throw the house out the window”. Or as you would hear Donna from Parks & Rec say, “Treat yo’ self”. It means to splurge, spend a lot of money, or otherwise go all out for a special occasion.

If this is your kind of thing, you can also check out these classic Spanish puns and Spanish jokes that are so bad they’re amazing.

¡Felicitaciones! You’re Off to a Good Start

Well done! That was a lot to go through, but you made it. I hope you learned some helpful phrases to start speaking with others in Spanish. Keep practising, and ¡buena suerte!

Share your progress with me on Instagram (@irishpolyglot), TikTok (@irishpolyglot), and Twitter (@irishpolyglot). If you have any questions, ask away, or just let me know what new phrases you discover.

In the meantime, have a look at these other Fi3M articles about learning Spanish:

Spanish Uncovered Review — An Honest, Detailed Review on Learning Spanish with Story How to Say “Good Morning” in Spanish (and 88 other Useful Spanish Words and Phrases)60+ Really Useful Spanish Phrases for Conversation and Travel Best Podcast to Learn Spanish? SpanishPod101 In-depth Review With Pros and Cons Summer Spanish! 97 Spanish Words and Phrases to Talk About the Beach in Spanish

The post 101 Common Spanish Phrases to Start Speaking Spanish Right Now appeared first on Fluent in 3 Months.

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Published on August 22, 2022 04:00

August 19, 2022

The Bengali Alphabet: Your In-Depth Guide

If you are interested in learning Bengali, then you’ll certainly want to learn the alphabet.

It might seem difficult at first, but don’t worry!

Bengali is a phonetic alphabet and maybe easier than you think. The best part? If you can read Bengali letters, you can read almost anything.

Table of contentsWhat Is the Bengali Alphabet?Bengali Consonants Guttural Consonants Palatal Consonants Retroflex Consonants Dental Consonants Labial Consonants Miscellaneous Consonants Bengali Vowels How to Write in the Bengali Alphabet How to Read Consonants without Vowel Marks The Changing য়Other Marks in the Bengali Alphabet Consonant Clusters in the Bengali Alphabet Adding ব or ম ‍‍্র Sometimes Also Doubles Consonants When স, শ, and ষ Are S ক্ষ and জ্ঞ Look and Sound Special Most Common Consonant Clusters in Bengali How to Type in the Bengali Alphabet With Practice, Reading and Writing in Bengali Is Easy!What Is the Bengali Alphabet?

The Bengali alphabet, also known as the Bangla alphabet and the Bengali-Assamese alphabet, is used to write Bengali, Assamese, and sometimes Sanskrit.

Like Thai and Hindi, it is a Brahmic script. It is similar to Devanagari, the script used in Hindi and Nepali, because a horizontal line called a matra (মাত্রা) connects letters together into one word.

You might think those two alphabets are the same, but there are many differences, like those between the Latin and Cyrillic alphabets.

The trick is to look beneath the matra: Devanagari is often blockier, while Bengali is wavier. For example, the letter m in Devanagari is written as म, but in Bengali it is ম.

In addition, many letters don’t look similar at all. For example, chh is छ in Devanagari, but ছ in Bengali.

Bengali Consonants

There are 32 consonants in Bengali. They are divided into five main types:

Gutteral (made in the back of your throat)Palatal (made with your tongue touching the roof of your mouth)Retroflex (made with your tongue curled back)Dental (made with the tongue touching the back of your top teeth)Labial (made with your lips)

Also, some consonants

Aspirated, which means they are pronounced with a puff of air.Unaspirated, pronounced without a puff of air.

In the romanization, consonants without an “h” are usually unaspirated.

If a vowel is not attached to a consonant, the consonant may be pronounced with an inherent “ɔ” sound (similar as to the “o” in English “on”).

Here is an overview of the Bengali consonants:

Guttural Consonantsক (k) – Similar to the English “k” as in “bake.”খ (kh) – This is an aspirated ক.গ (g) – Similar to the English “g” as in “go.”ঘ (gh) – This is an aspirated গ.ঙ (ng) – This is like the “ng” in “sing” in English.হ (h) – Similar to the English “h” as in “hot.”Palatal Consonantsচ (ch) – This one is unaspirated, like the “ch” in “beach.”ছ (chh) – This is an aspirated চ, like the “ch” in “chair.”জ (j) – Similar to the English “j” as in “joy.” Some Bengali dialects will pronounce this as a “z” instead.ঝ (jh) – This is an aspirated জ.য (j) – This is pronounced the same as জ.ঞ (ñ) – This is often pronounced similar to a nasally “ny” sound (like in “canyon”) in English.Retroflex Consonantsট (ʈ) – This is a retroflex “t” sound. This sound does not have an English equivalent, but try pronouncing a “t” sound with your tongue curled back.ঠ (ʈh) – This is an aspirated ট, not the English “th” sound.ড (ɖ) – This is a retroflex “d” sound. Try pronouncing a “d” sound with your tongue curled back.ঢ (ɖh) – This is an aspirated ড.ণ (n or ɳ) – This is historically a retroflex “n” sound, but it is almost always pronounced the same as the dental ন (n) below.র ® – This is pronounced similar to a Spanish “r,” in between an English “r” and “l.”ড় (ɽ) – This is pronounced with the tongue further back than র.ঢ় (ɽh) – This is an aspirated ড়.Dental Consonantsত (t) – This is a dental “t” sound. Pronounce an English “t” sound with your tongue touching behind your upper teeth.থ (th) – This is an aspirated ত, not the English “th” sound.দ (d) – Similar to the English “d” as in “dog,” but make sure your tongue touches behind your upper teeth.ধ (dh) – This is an aspirated দ.ন (n) – Similar to the English “n” as in “nose.”ল (l) – Similar to the English “l” as in “long.”Labial Consonantsপ § – Similar to the English “p” as in “potato.”ফ (ph or f) – This is an aspirated প, but is sometimes pronounced as an “f” sound instead.ব (b) – Similar to the English “b” as in “boy.”ভ (bh) – This is an aspirated ব.ম (m) – Similar to the English “m” as in “mom.”Miscellaneous Consonantsশ (sh) – Similar to the “sh” sound in “shop.”ষ (sh) – See note below.স (sh) – Note: Historically, শ, ষ, and স all represented distinct sounds. However, in modern Bengali, there is usually no difference.য় (y) – This letter can either be the semiconsonant “y” (as in “year”) or silent.Bengali Vowels

There are 11 vowels in the Bengali alphabet:

অ (ɔ or o) – Ɔ is like “on,” and o is like “own.”আ (a) – Like the “a” in “art.”ই (i) – Like the “ee” in “cheese.”ঈ (i) – Same as above.উ (u) – Like the “oo” as in “hoop.”ঊ (u) – Same as above.ঋ (ri) – Pronounced like র + ই.এ (e or æ) – E is like “e” in “egg,” and æ is like the “a” in “ape.”ঐ (oi) – Blend ও and ই.ও (o) – Like the “o” in “own.”ঔ (ou) – Blend ও and উ.

Historically, ই and ঈ, as well as উ and ঊ, were different sounds. In modern Bengali, they are the same.

Fun fact: Although ঋ would be considered a consonant and a vowel together in English, it is considered a vowel in Bengali.

How to Write in the Bengali Alphabet

Bengali is written from left to right, like in English. If a vowel comes at the beginning of a word, you can write it with the letter above.

Similar to other Brahmic scripts (and even Korean!), vowels are added to “decorate” consonants. If a vowel is pronounced after a consonant, it changes form and connects with the consonant.

This is how they change:

আ → াই → িঈ → ীউ → ুঊ → ূঋ → ৃএ → েঐ → ৈও → োঔ → ৌ

The open circle marks where the consonant goes. Remember that because অ is inherent in the consonants, it does not have a vowel mark form.

Therefore, taking the first consonant ক (k), we can create consonant-vowel combinations like this:

ক (kɔ, ko, or k)কা (ka)কি (ki)কী (ki)কু (ku)কূ (ku)কৃ (kri)কে (ke or kæ)কৈ (koi)কো (ko)কৌ (kou)

Occasionally, a consonant-vowel combination will change form:

গু = গ + ুশু = শ + ুরু = র + ুহু = হ + ুরূ = র + ূHow to Read Consonants without Vowel Marks

Let’s look at ক again. You surely noticed there are three possible ways to read it.

How do you know if you need to pronounce the consonant without a vowel or with an ɔ or an o sound?

There are a few general spelling rules to follow when you’re faced with a consonant that doesn’t have a vowel mark attached:

At the beginning of a word, it’s often ɔ. However, if the next vowel is an i or u, it’s pronounced o.
Ex. করা (kɔra, “to do”), পরে (pɔre, “after”), কঠিন (koʈhin, difficult)The Changing য়

The other consonant to watch out for it য় (y). When it is attached to a vowel in the middle of a word, only the vowel is pronounced. Ex. পেয়ালা (peala, “cup).

If য় appears in the middle of a word without a vowel mark, it is usually pronounced like an e. However, it is pronounced o if it directly follows an i or e sound. Ex. পয়সা (poesha, money), তৃতীয় (tritio, “third”).

Finally, ওয়া is pronounced as wa instead of oa. Ex. খাওয়া (khawa, “to eat”).

Other Marks in the Bengali Alphabet

There are a few other marks to introduce in the Bengali alphabet:

ং (ng): This is the same as ঙ and likewise appears in the middle or at the end of words. Ex. বাংলা (bangla, “Bengali”).ঃ: Most commonly, this adds a breathy “h” sound if it appears at the end of a word. Ex. এঃ (eh, “eh!”). If it appears in the middle, it usually doubles the consonant that follows. Ex. দুঃখ (dukkho, “sad”).‍ঁ: This makes the vowel nasal. For example, the only difference between এর (er, regular third-person possessive) and এঁর (ẽr, honorific third-person possessive) is the nasalized vowel. Nasalization is much more common in dialects around Kolkata than in Bangladesh.‍্: A consonant with this beneath it is pronounced without a vowel. For example, ক‍্ can only be pronounced as k.ৎ (t): This is the unaspirated dental “t” (ত). It sometimes appears in the middle or end of words. Ex. শরৎ (shɔrɔt, fall/autumn).র্ক: This dash above ক is র connected before another consonant. It can follow any consonant, but cannot be typed independently on all computers. This example makes a rk sound. Another example would be বর্ষা (borsha, “rain”). It is also written as র্.‍‍্র ®: This is র after another consonant. Ex. প্রথম (prothom, “first”).‍্য: This is য connected to a consonant, but it doesn’t have a j sound. When it is in the middle or end of a word, it doubles the consonant before it. Ex. ধন্যবাদ (dhonnobad, “thank you), সাহিত্য (shahitto, “literature”). At the beginning of a word, it usually creates an æ sound, unless the next vowel is an i or u sound… Ex. ব্যথা (bætha, “pain”).Consonant Clusters in the Bengali Alphabet

As you got a taste of above, sometimes consonants can connect to other consonants and change forms. Some are easy to understand. Here are a few basic examples:

ল (l) + প § = ল্প (lp). This is used in গল্প (golpo, “story”).চ (ch) + চ (ch) = চ্চ (cch–pronounced like a harder, double consonant). This is used in বাচ্চা (baccha, child).

However, sometimes the form changes and they are difficult to understand without memorizing the combination. Here are a few common examples:

ঙ (ng) + গ (g) = ঙ্গ (ng). There is no difference in sound. This is used in সঙ্গে (shɔnge, “together”).দ (d) + ধ (dh) = দ্ধ (ddh). This is used in যুদ্ধ (juddho, “war”).

Sometimes, the pronunciation also changes, as described below.

Adding ব or ম

Sometimes the b and m sounds are not pronounced if they are clustered after another consonant. Ex. দ্বার (dar, “door), formed with দ + ব to make দ্ব.

In addition, if either is clustered behind a consonant in the middle or end of a word, it doubles the preceding consonant. Ex. গ্রীষ্ম (grissho, “summer”).

These special uses are remnants of Bengali as used for Sanskrit and need to just be memorized.

‍‍্র Sometimes Also Doubles Consonants

Adding ‍‍্র to a consonant in the middle or end of a word doubles the preceding consonant. It still also produces the r sound. Ex. সমুদ্র (shomuddro, “ocean”).

When স, শ, and ষ Are S

When স, শ, or ষ is clustered behind a ত, থ, খ, ন, র, ল, it becomes an s sound rather than a sh sound. This happens most commonly with স. Ex. ব্যস্ত (baesto, “busy”), made from স + ত to form স্ত.

ক্ষ and জ্ঞ Look and Sound Special

These two are common clusters that both look and sound differently from what you would expect.

ক্ষ is made from ক + ষ, but is pronounced kkh when it comes in the middle or end of a word. Ex. শিক্ষক (shikkhok, “teacher”). At the beginning, it’s pronounced kh, the same as খ. Ex. ক্ষমা (khoma, forgiveness).

জ্ঞ is made from জ + ঞ, but is pronounced g at the beginning of words, and gg at the middle and end. It can also make an া turn into an æ sound. Ex. জ্ঞান (gæn, “knowledge”), অভিজ্ঞতা (ɔbhiggota, “experience”).

Most Common Consonant Clusters in Bengali

Below is a list of some of the most common consonant clusters in Bengali. Clusters of two consonants are the most common, but it is possible to also have three.

Don’t worry about memorizing them all at once–many of them are obvious or follow common patterns, and the rest you can learn with practice.

They are presented in Bengali alphabetical order.

ক + ট = ক্ট
ক + ত = ক্ত
ক + র = ক্র
ক + ল = ক্ল
ক + ষ = ক্ষ
ক + স = ক্স

গ + ধ = গ্ধ
গ + ন = গ্ন
গ + ল = গ্ল

ঙ + ক = ঙ্ক
ঙ + গ = ঙ্গ

চ + চ = চ্চ
চ + ছ = চ্ছ

জ + জ = জ্জ
জ + ঞ = জ্ঞ
জ + ব = জ্ব

ঞ + চ = ঞ্চ
ঞ + ছ = ঞ্ছ
ঞ + জ = ঞ্জ
ঞ + ঝ = ঞ্ঝ

ট + ট = ট্ট

ড + ড = ড্ড

ণ + ট = ণ্ট
ণ + ঠ = ণ্ঠ
ণ + ড = ণ্ড

ত + ত = ত্ত
ত + থ = ত্থ
ত + ব = ত্ব
ত + ম = ত্ম
ত + র = ত্র

দ + দ = দ্দ
দ + ধ = দ্ধ
দ + ব = দ্ব
দ + ম = দ্ম

ধ + ব = ধ্ব

ন + ত = ন্ত
ন + থ = ন্থ
ন + দ = ন্দ
ন + ধ = ন্ধ
ন + ন = ন্ন
ন + ম = ন্ম

প + ত = প্ত
প + প = প্প
প + ল = প্ল

ফ + ল = ফ্ল

ব + জ = ব্জ
ব + দ = ব্দ
ব + ধ = ব্ধ
ব + ব = ব্ব
ব + ল = ব্ল

ভ + র = ভ্র

ম + প = ম্প
ম + ব = ম্ব
ম + ভ = ম্ভ
ম + ম = ম্ম
ম + ল = ম্ল

ল + ক = ল্ক
ল + প = ল্প
ল + ল = ল্ল

শ + চ = শ্চ
শ + ব = শ্ব

ষ + ক = ষ্ক
ষ + ট = ষ্ট
ষ + ঠ = ষ্ঠ
ষ + প = ষ্প

স + ক = স্ক
স + ট = স্ট
স + ত = স্ত
স + থ = স্থ
স + ন = স্ন
স + প = স্প
স + ব = স্ব

হ + ণ = হ্ণ
হ + ম = হ্ম

জ + জ + ব = জ্জ্ব
ত + ত + ব = ত্ত্ব
ন + ত + ব = ন্ত্ব
স + থ + য = স্থ্য
ন + ত + র = ন্ত্র
ন + দ + র = ন্দ্র
স + ত + র = স্ত্র

Here’s an infographic you can save and/or print to use during your study sessions:

How to Type in the Bengali Alphabet

Many computers today come with the Bengali alphabet already as an option to type in your language settings.

For example, I use a Macbook Pro, and this is what my keyboard viewer looks like on the Bengali setting:

By pressing shift, I get more typing options. To create consonant clusters, I type the first consonant and then the ‍্ highlighted in orange. For example, to type ক্ক, I would type ক + ‍্ + ক.

However, many people prefer using Google Translate to type in the Bengali alphabet.

As long as you have the input method set to the first option (look for the বা symbol below), you can type Bengali in the Latin alphabet. Google will convert your letters and words into Bengali. That’s similar to typing in Chinese or Japanese.

In casual spaces, such as on social media, many Bengalis also forgo typing in the Bengali alphabet. Instead, they write Bengali using the Latin alphabet.

However, Bengali romanization is not standardized, and not every sound is easily expressed with the basic Latin alphabet. This can cause some problems.

Sometimes, the words can be confused with others so much that they make a hilariously distorted meaning. This is called Murad Takla (মুরাদ টাকলা) in Bengali.

I myself have had an interesting experience with Murad Takla. While on a long-distance bus in Bangladesh, I saw a local bus with “Mama Vagina” printed on it in large, bright Latin letters. I was shocked since sex is a taboo subject in Bangladesh, so I couldn’t imagine why it would be so boldly printed on the side of a bus. My Bangladeshi friend explained to me that the bus owner probably meant মামা ভাগিনা (mama bhagina, “uncle and nephew”) instead.

With Practice, Reading and Writing in Bengali Is Easy!

Bengali may look difficult at first, but once you remember the basic rules and combinations, it’s easier than you think. Once I started building my vocabulary, I quickly caught on. You can too!

The Beginner’s Guide to the Bengali Language [With Basic Words and Phrases!]Nissa on learning Bengali in 3 Months How to Learn a Language in 2022 – Ultimate Guide with 35+ Language Hacks What Language Should I Learn? The Bulletproof Guide Mondly Review: My Experience Using Mondly to Learn 5 Languages [In-Depth Review]

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Published on August 19, 2022 04:00

August 15, 2022

20 German Memes for a Good Laugh in German

Do you like funny memes? Do you have a treasured meme collection? Do your friends come to you when they need a dank meme to lift their spirits?

Whether you’re a meme expert or a meme novice, this German memes article is for you.

Memes, believe it or not, are a great language learning tool. They are small pieces of authentic language that reference culture and current events in a funny, accessible way.

So let’s take a look at some funny German memes and get to learning, shall we?

function runSplitTest(){var randomNumber = Math.floor(Math.random() * 2) + 1console.log(randomNumber)var copy = "";//csakamasodikif (randomNumber == 3){ copy = 'A note from the Fluent in 3 Months team before we get started: You can chat away in German for at least 15 minutes with the "Fluent in 3 Months" method. All it takes is 90 days. <a href="https://fluentin3months.com/challenge... this link to find out more.</a>'} else { copy = 'Before we get started, if you’re looking for an online German course, here’s the course I recommend: <a href="https://www.fluentin3months.com/olly-... Uncovered - Learn German Through the Power of Story</a>, a course with a fascinating new method by my friend Olly. You can try it for free for 7 days!'}console.log(copy)var copyToChange = document.querySelector("p.copyText").innerHTML = copy;}runSplitTest();Table of contents1. Deutsche Bahn: Caught Off Guard?2. The Clown from It and Its German Debut 3. Dora: What’s She Staring At?4. The Joys and Struggles of Online Learning 5. German Memes: Trash?6. Chili Pepper, A Nighttime Snack 7. A Bad Grade at School 8. When Your Stomach is Not Happy 9. Left Hand, No Photos, Please 10. Lifehacks 11. I Don’t Want a Hangover 11. The German Articles: Agents of Chaos 12. Die oder Das Nutella?13. Deutsche Ordnung 14. Internet Speed 15. Christian Lindner: Fan of the Free Market 16. DIY Firecrackers 17. Teachers with Illegible Handwriting 18. Can You Take Criticism?19. Scary, Scarier – and Scariest 20. I Hereby Declare This Discussion as Over Share These German Memes to Get Others Laughing1. Deutsche Bahn: Caught Off Guard?

Translation:

“Winter: brings regular cold weather with frost, snow, and wind each year

The Deutsche Bahn each year:”

This meme is making fun of the Deutsche Bahn, the company that operates long-distance trains within Germany. Especially in recent years, the Deutsche Bahn has experienced issues with delays and cancellations due to heavy snow and wind.

If you want to learn more about the Deutsche Bahn auf Deutsch, you can take a look at this Der Spiegel article in German. It talks about why bad weather impacts the trains.

You could also read this hilarious article from Germany’s version of The Onion, Der Postillon. It satirically claims that the Deutsche Bahn should become a casino since the arrival of a train is “purely based on chance.”

Or, of course, you can keep reading this article to enjoy some more funny German memes.

2. The Clown from It and Its German Debut

If you’ve spent time on YouTube looking for German content, you may already be familiar with Galileo. Galileo is a TV program that releases short documentary features. Some topics include what flight attendants do in a day or how budget supermarkets have such low prices.

Here, this meme pokes fun at Galileo’s filming techniques through a comparison to the film IT. (As a Stephen King fan, this meme is coming right for me.)

In a grammatical sense, one thing that stands out is the use of man. This man is different from Mann, the word for “man” in German. Man with one “n” is used as a general subject.

In English, this usage might translate as “you actually can’t film down here” or “one cannot film down here.”

3. Dora: What’s She Staring At?

Translation: “How Dora stares when she’s asked where the mountain that she’s one meter away from is”

One interesting thing about this meme is the capitalization of “sie.”

“Sie” in German can mean either “you (formal),” “she,” or “they.” When it is used as “you (formal),” it is always capitalized, no matter where it appears within the sentence.

The “sie” in this meme, however, is “she,” which you can tell from the verb conjugation (hat, not haben). For this reason, its capitalization is technically incorrect. This is a good reminder that even native speakers make “mistakes” sometimes when they write, which is good news for language learners!

I also would like to point out my love for Tyler the Creator (the person pictured) and how much I love that he’s in the meme. (chef’s kiss)

4. The Joys and Struggles of Online Learning

Translation:

“Students don’t have to go to school anymore because of corona

They still have to do assignments though”

This meme, interestingly enough, features US President Joe Biden.

“Arbeitsaufträge machen“ means something like “Aufgaben machen,“ or to do school tasks. This meme is saying that, although kids don’t have to go to school, they still have to do schoolwork. (What a bummer!)

One thing to point out grammatically is the use of the accusative case after “in.” “In” is a bit tricky because it’s one of several so-called two-way prepositions. Two-way prepositions sometimes take the accusative case, and sometimes take the dative case.

So here, where “in die Schule” is referring to going to school, the accusative is used. The cool thing about this is that, since the accusative indicates motion, the verb “gehen” (to go) is not necessary to include in the sentence!

To learn more about German prepositions and cases, including these tricky two-way prepositions, check here.

5. German Memes: Trash?

Translation:

“Random person: German memes are trash
Me: Meme is meme”

If you’ve been paying attention to this article, clearly German memes are not trash, or inferior to English memes.

A meme is a meme, after all.

6. Chili Pepper, A Nighttime Snack

Translation: “When you get hungry at night but you grab the chili pepper instead of the carrot by accident”

Here you can see the German equivalent of “accidentally” or “by accident,” aus Versehen.

I don’t know how much I relate to this meme, but it is funny in its own way.

7. A Bad Grade at School

Translation: “When your parents have to sign a bad grade of yours”

A Spongebob meme? You’ve already caught my attention.

8. When Your Stomach is Not Happy

Translation:

“me the whole day having eaten nothing

My stomach:”

Here you can see that the German word for “nothing,” nichts, is written as nix. This is a popular abbreviation that you may see in other memes or even in a text conversation!

9. Left Hand, No Photos, Please

Translation: “No, left hand! Stop photographing me!”

This poor young woman was just trying to pretend that someone else was taking her picture, but her angle wasn’t quite right.

If only she had moved the camera a little to the other side…

10. Lifehacks

Translation: “when you change the date of the homework so the teacher doesn’t notice that you did it so late.”

This is a classic trick. I mean, who can’t relate? This is how memes unite people across countries and languages.

Here the German meme prefers the general subject man, but in English, “you” sounds better.

One can also see German’s tendency to put the verb at the end of the clause: because wenn comes at the beginning, the verb ändert comes after Hausaufgaben.

11. I Don’t Want a Hangover

As you can see in this German meme, this popular Kermit meme format from a couple years ago also comes in German.

Good Kermit, who “doesn’t want a hangover”, struggles with Evil Kermit, who insists on “just ‘one’ beer.” We all know how that night ends!

Because Kater, literally “cat” but also used for “hangover”, is a masculine noun and in the accusative case, we add -en to kein.

11. The German Articles: Agents of Chaos

Do you find German articles tricky? Well, you’re not alone – the people who make German memes think so too!

The three articles, der, die, and das, are represented in the picture by fluffy birds. They respond to “ich,” who says that German is easy.

They say lass es uns vermasseln, or basically, “let’s mess things up.”

If German articles are giving you a headache, check out this page to get things straight!

12. Die oder Das Nutella?

Oh, this one is super juicy, speaking of articles…

This meme presents das Nutella and die Nutella in a staring match.

If you thought articles couldn’t be more complicated, think again – sometimes, German speakers themselves don’t know what the right article for a noun is!

According to the Duden website, the gender of many brand or product names is not fixed.

Some people choose the feminine form, because Nutella ends in ella, a feminine ending in the original Italian. Others choose the neuter, since it is often used for foreign words.

What a mess!

So, if you choose to speak of Nutella in German, do so at your own risk. You may encounter some strong opinions!

13. Deutsche Ordnung

Translation:

“Pool: opens at 9

Germans at 5:30: Come Brigitte, the choice of seats is not very big”

Germans often get a reputation for loving Ordnung, or order. People say they always come on time and have a gift for detail. This meme pokes a bit of fun at that, showing someone leaving at 5:30 am to get to a pool that opens at 9.

14. Internet Speed

Translation:

“Slow internet:

The same internet when an ad comes:”

Internet in German is a neuter noun. Because it comes in the nominative case in both of these two examples, an -es is added to both langsam (slow) and selb (same).

15. Christian Lindner: Fan of the Free Market

Translation: “I came, I saw and I did not govern, because the market already had done it and I saw that it was good.”

The first part of this meme plays on the German equivalent of veni vidi vici. In English, we say “I came, I saw, I conquered,” while in German it’s “ich kam, ich sah, ich siegte.”

The man in this picture is Christian Lindner, the Chairman of the Free Democratic Party (Freie Demokratische Partei, or FDP). He is known for his opposition to tax increases and government spending. The meme here satirizes his free-market views.

16. DIY Firecrackers

Translation: “Germans making their own firecrackers today”

For the New Year, or Silvester in German, local governments in Germany may limit the number of fireworks a person can buy. For this reason, people may make their own, as shown in this picture.

17. Teachers with Illegible Handwriting

Translation:

“Teacher: just write it down from the board

My teacher’s handwriting:”

Have you ever had a teacher whose handwriting was totally illegible? This person certainly has.

The person whose name is in the picture, Olaf Scholz, is the current Prime Minister of Germany. He took over from Angela Merkel in December 2021.

18. Can You Take Criticism?

Translation:

“Me: Criticism is super, keep it coming!

Also me when someone criticizes me:”

A lot of us can probably relate to the fact that it’s easier to say we take criticism well than to actually take criticism well.

19. Scary, Scarier – and Scariest

Translation: “Serial killers, horror movie monster, people who have a picture of themselves as their background”

Personally, I find this meme hilarious. What does it mean to have a picture of yourself as your background? I guess that’s what self-love is.

20. I Hereby Declare This Discussion as Over

The person in this photo is Ronald Pofalla, a German politician from the center-right Christian Democratic Union party.

In 2003, he was criticized for his connections to the US National Security Agency, which had been spying on German citizens. During the investigation, he “declared the discussion as over,” which the meme here is parodying.

Share These German Memes to Get Others Laughing

I hope you enjoyed learning about German memes!

If this article has changed your life and you desperately need more German memes, be sure to check out these pages:

On Instagram, you can follow @alman_memes2.0 or @galerie.arschgeweih.

Online, you can check out kekememes or just search deutsche memes on Google.

Viel Spaß!

German Greetings: 10 Ways to Say “Hello” in German Is German Hard to Learn? Why German Is Easier Than You Think 30 Ways to Start a German Conversation German Uncovered Review — Honest, In-Depth Review on “StoryLearning” German [With Video]GermanPod101 Review – 25 Hours with GermanPod101

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Published on August 15, 2022 04:00

August 12, 2022

The Pomodoro Technique: How to Boost Your Productivity [Full Guide + Examples]

I’ve talked about the Pomodoro Technique many times over the years for a reason: it works!

I have ADHD, and getting tasks done in time can be very challenging for me. However, this method has helped me achieve things like writing a book series and learning 10 languages, even despite my predisposition to get distracted easily.

If it helps me, it can help you, too!

I’ve asked my followers to let me know if they have trouble focusing, and here’s what they’ve replied:

Sounds like many do! Whether you have issues focusing, or simply want a sure-fire way to complete tasks, the Pomodoro Technique is what you need.

In this guide, I’ll tell you all about how the technique works, help you customize it to fit your own needs, and offer the best language hacking tips I got from my experience.

Table of contentsWhat Is the Pomodoro Technique?How Does the Pomodoro Technique Work?Step 1: Decide on the Specific Task That You Want to Complete Step 2: Get Rid of All Distractions Around You Step 3: Set the Timer on for a 25-Minute Session Step 4: Take Short Breaks Step 5: Take a Longer Break Step 6: Rinse and Repeat Is the Pomodoro Technique Really Effective?Do I Need a Tomato Kitchen Timer for the Pomodoro Technique?Using the Pomodoro Technique For Your Language Studies Alternatives to the Pomodoro Technique How Else Can I Help You Get Fluent Faster? Let Me Know!What Is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is a productivity-enhancing method that makes you work for intense 25-minute blocks of time separated by 5- to 30-minute breaks.

Fun fact: The technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 80’s. Francesco was a university student at the time, and he needed a technique to help himself improve his focus. (What student doesn’t?)

He came up with the name “Pomodoro” Technique thanks to his kitchen timer shaped like a pomodoro (“tomato” in Italian).

I’ve used this technique for learning languages, but also for work and in other aspects of my life. It’s also popular among students to complete long assignments.

The technique is easy to set up and doesn’t require much material, which makes it perfect for nomads like me!

How Does the Pomodoro Technique Work?

The Pomodoro Technique is very easy to put into action. All you need is:

a task (or a list of tasks) to completea timera notebook, piece of paper, or note app to record your progress

And here’s exactly what you need to do:

Step 1: Decide on the Specific Task That You Want to Complete

I would recommend choosing only one thing at a time, as this is not about splitting your attention.

For language learners, this could be writing a conversation script, using the transcription method, or organizing and studying Anki card decks.

Step 2: Get Rid of All Distractions Around You

Get ready to work in a space that will help you focus only on your task. Do things like putting your phone on silent, removing books or other objects you won’t need from your desk, etc.

If you’re going to use your computer, there are apps and extensions that help you block access to certain websites. (You can then disable this when you have completed your task.)

Here are some apps to help you with that:

StayFocusd – FreeBlockSite – FreeLeechBlock – FreeForest – Free on Chrome and AndroidFreedom – PaidStep 3: Set the Timer on for a 25-Minute Session

Once you’ve got a task, a clean workspace, and a ready timer, you’re good to go.

Set a timer for 25 minutes and get working!

Language hacker’s tip: It doesn’t have to be 25-minutes.

Language hacking is all about doing what’s most suited to your needs and abilities. If 25 seems like too much or not enough, change it to 20 or 30! What matters is that you get the productivity flowing.

The standard 25 minutes work really well for me. It’s just enough time for me to get an intensive amount of focus on one task, but not too long that I’m going to eventually lose that focus.

Step 4: Take Short Breaks

Once the timer rings, it’s time to take a short break. Again, the length depends on your own preferences and needs, but the ideal length for short breaks tends to be between 5 and 10 minutes.

During breaks, I indulge in all my distraction temptations. I look at social media, I open up the news, or I simply stand up and look out the window at the birds. I do whatever it is that I feel I
need to get out of the intensive focus mode and relax.

Make sure you note down the duration of each study session and break. This helps visually stimulate your motivation!

Step 5: Take a Longer Break

You will repeat the combination of intensive work blocks and short breaks three to four times, but then it’s time for a longer break.

Let’s say your activity log looks like this:

25 minutes of work5 minutes break25 minutes of work5 minutes break25 minutes of work5 minutes break25 minutes of work

That’s nearly two hours of work, spent almost entirely focusing. To avoid burnout, you are now entitled to a longer break. These can go from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on your preferences.

You can maybe take a short walk or watch a YouTube video. What matters is that you completely forget about your work.

Step 6: Rinse and Repeat

You’ve completed a Pomodoro cycle after you’ve taken the longest break. Once you get to that point, it’s time to start from the beginning!

That’s, obviously, if you still have work left to do.

Is the Pomodoro Technique Really Effective?

So many people have implemented this method with success. It’s a technique that we recommend to the Fluent in 3 Months Challenger participants to help with their longer study sessions.

I’ve found the Pomodoro Technique especially useful because I have to deal with ADHD attention issues. I get easily distracted and I have trouble focusing on tasks for very long stretches of time, so I’ve used this system myself many times over the years.

And you know what? Knowing that I have to focus on a task for 25 minutes makes it easier to resist getting distracted.

That’s the difference between me just doing some general work and actually deciding I am focusing during a Pomodoro 25-minute session. Having a limited amount of time to work helps me make sure that I avoid giving in to temptations like checking social media or sending a text.

The promise of a guilt-free, genuine break after the study session also helps a lot, both with the motivation to work and my ability to relax after it.

When taking breaks as part of the Pomodoro Technique, you give yourself permission to do anything you feel like doing. If you don’t structure your study schedule to give yourself that permission, then you will very likely give in to temptation after maybe five minutes into working. That’s when you lose momentum.

Do I Need a Tomato Kitchen Timer for the Pomodoro Technique?

You don’t have to do what Cirillo originally did: have an actual kitchen timer that looks like a tomato.

You could find one here, just in case, but you could also use anything else to time yourself. Here are some ideas:

the countdown timer on your phonea little clockan electronic watchyour oven clock

I personally like to use an app called Pomodairo. I’ve also seen some use Pomofocus. What’s great with these apps is that you can customize the timer to suit your needs, keep statistics, plan your tasks, and more!

What matters is that it’s something handy, and can fulfill the purpose of a timer. It’s important that it can make some sort of noise at the end of the set time, otherwise you would find yourself checking every two minutes!

Using the Pomodoro Technique For Your Language Studies

When I asked my followers what techniques they use to reduce distractions, many also mentioned timeboxing.

The Pomodoro Technique is similar to the concept of timeboxing, and you can in fact combine them to get even more productive results.

Timeboxing works by planning your day in blocks of tasks.

To come up with this schedule, you first have to write down a to-do list. Once you have that, estimate how long each task will take you to complete.

So let’s say that I estimate my first task is going to take me one and a half hours. I’m going
to dedicate three Pomodoros (three bursts of 25 minutes) to complete the task.

It’s so satisfying to take tasks off your to-do list with these techniques! And it’s a much more intentional way of going about your day.

Language hacker tip: Using time boxing with the Pomodoro Technique is especially good if you’re not that great at gauging how long things might take. I, for example, am very bad at this. However, I always give myself extra cushions of time, say 20 to 30 minutes extra per task from what I first estimated.

Alternatives to the Pomodoro Technique

As you can see from the screenshot above, there are also popular alternative methods to avoid getting distracted when studying.

My goal is to help you find what works for you, so here are some techniques you might want to try if the Pomodoro technique isn’t for you:

Browser plugins and apps to stop popups and block websites (like the ones I mentioned above)Noise canceling headphonesListening to musicEffort-rewardScheduled to-do listsWhite noiseStudying in places that you associate with productivity (e.g. the library, and not your room)

You can also combine several of these! As I mentioned above, the pomodoro technique and timeboxing work well together, but you can also include white noise or noise-canceling headphones in the mix.

How Else Can I Help You Get Fluent Faster? Let Me Know!

The Pomodoro Technique is an amazing language hacking tool, but it’s also only one of many.

I want to write more guides like this one to help you learn more language learning techniques and become fluent faster. It’s also the focus of my podcast, the Language Hacking Podcast.

In fact, this post is based[ on an episode]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLKG3pgvCTc&list=RDCMUCMNicKA0uKz0BNsJVK5NoCw&index=17) of my Ask Benny series, where I reply to questions you ask me about language learning.

If you have questions about any other topics, I’d be more than happy to answer them. Find me on Instagram (@irishpolyglot), TikTok (@irishpolyglot), and Twitter (@irishpolyglot), and ask away!

In the meantime, have a look at these other Fi3M articles related to language learning:

How to Learn a Language in 2022 – Ultimate Guide with 35+ Language Hacks How to Relearn a Language from High School You Think You Forgot The Best Way to Learn a Language [Scientifically Proven, Polyglot Tested]The 4 Essential Language Skills – and How to Improve Them What Language Should I Learn? The Bulletproof Guide

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Published on August 12, 2022 04:00

August 8, 2022

“Pretty” in Japanese: How to Give a Compliment in Japanese

Wondering how to give a compliment and tell someone they look “pretty” in Japanese? I’ll teach you how in this article, and explain how to give a compliment based on gender, too.

Besides telling you how to say “pretty” in Japanese, I’ll explain how to give and receive compliments. I’ll also link to several of our other Japanese articles to help with any cultural or language insights related to the topic. So make sure to check them out, too!

Table of contentsHow to Say “Pretty” in Japanese “Beautiful” in Japanese “Handsome” in Japanese “Cute” in Japanese “Lovely” in Japanese “Attractive” in Japanese “Elegant” in Japanese Giving Compliments in Japanese So How to Give Compliments in Japanese?How to Take a Compliment in Japanese Go Compliment Someone in Japanese!How to Say “Pretty” in Japanese

“Pretty” in Japanese is きれいな (kirei na).

It’s a “na” adjective, meaning that the “na” is often dropped and it’s used with です (desu, “to be”).

So if you want to know how to say “you are pretty” in Japanese, you could simply say きれいです (kirei desu).

You could, of course, be more formal and add the proper pronoun or name like 君は / (name)-さんはきれいです。(*kimi wa / (name)-san wa kirei desu). But normally, it’s not needed.

In casual situations, it’s also fine to say only きれい！

As for how to say “pretty girl” in Japanese, you could say きれい女性 (kirei josei) for a woman. But it’s more natural to say 可愛い女の子 (kawaii onna no ko) for young girls, which uses the word for “cute” – more on that in a moment.

きれい also means “clean.” So it can also sometimes be used for men (to say something like they look “clean-cut”). And it’s used to describe a clean room or fresh space.

“Beautiful” in Japanese

If you want to tell someone they’re “beautiful” in Japanese, the most common word would still be きれい (kirei).

But there are two other words we could use: 美しい (utsukushii) and 素敵な (suteki na).

美しい (ustukushii) is used mainly to describe something beautiful in nature, like a beautiful cherry blossom tree or ocean view.

It can be used to describe a woman too, but it’s a very heavy word. It’s often saved for special occasions, like a wedding day.

In contrast, 素敵な (suteki na) can have several meanings, such as “nice”, “great”, “splendid”, “lovely”, “beautiful”, “cool”, “dreamy”… You get the idea.

素敵な (suteki na) is usually used in reaction to seeing or hearing something lovely. So when you see a friend who is wearing a beautiful new dress, you can say, “素敵！” (Just like きれい, you can drop the “na” in casual situations.)

For this reason, 素敵 (suteki) is more common than 美しい (utsukushii) when describing someone’s appearance. But one note: this word is more feminine.

That said, you could tell someone they have a beautiful smile (美しい笑顔, utsukushii egao) or beautiful face (美しい顔, utsukushii kao). Still, don’t overuse it.

And if you’re wondering, “beauty” in Japanese is 美しさ (utsukushisa).

Sometimes, you’ll hear 美少女 (bishoujo) which means “beautiful girl” and 美少年 (bishounen) for “beautiful boy”. But these are mainly used to describe anime characters. For real-life use, you’d use 美人 (bijin, “beautiful woman” or “person”).

“Handsome” in Japanese

In Japanese, if you want to compliment a guy, you’ll usually say he’s かっこいい (kakkoii). This means he’s “cool”, but also means he’s good-looking or handsome.

You can also use the loan word ハンサム (hansamu), or イケメン (ikemen) which is a slang term meaning “good looking.” It’s a Japanese portmanteau of イケてる (iketeru, “cool”) and メンズ (menzu, “men”).

Most people don’t use either of these directly to a person, but when talking about a person – especially idols.

You might say to a friend, 松本潤はイケメンね (Mastumoto Jun wa ikemen ne), “Jun Mastumoto is good-looking, right??”

But you wouldn’t really tell someone they’re イケメン to their face.

Another way to compliment a man (or a woman for that matter), is to use 似合ってる (niatteru).

You could tell someone, 似合ってるだよ (niatteru da yo) which means “that suits you” or “it suits you.” It’s a nice way to tell someone their new outfit or accessory looks nice.

“Cute” in Japanese

To tell someone they’re cute in Japanese, you’d say 可愛い (kawaii).

In other countries, “cute” can sometimes be a bit condescending or negative when used to adult women. But in Japanese, kawaii culture is a big deal. And being “cute” is a very positive thing for any age.

In fact, “cute” has a whole ideal aesthetic that is very common and desirable in Japan! It’s also used to describe someone’s personality, saying they’re “charming.”

Boys can be 可愛い (kawaii) as well, but it’s more common for girls.

“Lovely” in Japanese

If you want to say something or someone is “lovely” in Japanese, use 素晴らしい (subarashii).

素晴らしい has several meanings and uses, such as “splendid”, “wonderful”, “amazing” and “magnificent.” But it can also mean that something is pleasant and lovely.

“Attractive” in Japanese

This word isn’t as common as some of the others. But to describe someone as attractive (or talk about what you find attractive), you’d use 魅力的 (miryokuteki).

魅力 (miryo) means “charm”, “glamour” and “appeal.” When you add 的 (teki), it means someone who has that trait.

For example:
彼女の笑顔は魅力的だと思う。
kanojo no egao wa miryokuteki da to omou
“I find her smile attractive.”

“Elegant” in Japanese

There are a few ways you can say “elegant” in Japanese – and it’s a great compliment. Besides cuteness, Japanese culture values elegant looks, behaviors, and items.

優美さ or 優雅 (yuuga) means both “grace” and “elegant”, while 上品な (jouhin na) means both “elegant” and “refined.”

Giving Compliments in Japanese

Japanese has many ways to tell someone they look pretty, but some Japanese words have heavier meanings than others.

In Japanese, some words like “beautiful” and “love” can be too serious for certain situations. In fact, saying “I love you” in Japanese is much more nuanced than in English.

So when it comes to giving a compliment, you want to make sure you do it the right way.

Don’t forget, too: Japanese is an honorific language. That means you need to have a basic understanding of Japanese conjugation for casual, polite, and formal speech to master giving a compliment. Some situations require more politeness than others.

And in general, most Japanese people will be shy or humble about it and reply with “いやいやいや” (iyaiyaiya, “no no no”) or something to that effect. It doesn’t mean they aren’t happy to have been complimented though!

As a general rule of thumb, Japanese people take compliments best when it’s less direct and specific. For example, instead of saying, “You look so beautiful/handsome!”, you could say “Your makeup/hairstyle looks so good today!”

So How to Give Compliments in Japanese?

Let’s talk a bit more about how to do it the right way.

Japanese culture is quite reserved. They value being humble and modest, so compliments can be tricky.

Compliments (especially among women) can be quite common, but usually simple and sometimes just small-talk flattery. Compliments aren’t as common among or from men.

So if you’re a guy, it might come off a bit weird to give a compliment to another guy outside of something like お疲れ (otsukare, “you must be tired (from all the work you did)” which basically means “good job today”). And if you’re a girl complimenting a guy, it might be taken as romantic interest.

That’s why it’s best if compliments are indirect and mild. This is why some language sounds too “heavy” for some situations, and if overused, comes off as too serious or insincere.

For example, instead of complimenting someone’s dress, you could compliment their taste in fashion. Or, if you do compliment the dress, you could say something like:

ワンピースがいいねー
wan pi-su ga ii ne-
“Your dress is nice.”

いいね (ii ne) is a common, nice, and simple compliment for almost any situation.

Other examples of compliments that can almost always work:

ありがとう、優しい, arigatou, yasashii: “Thank you, you’re so kind”上手だね, jouzu da ne: “You’re good at this” or “You’re talented/skilled”すごい, sugoi: “Wow!” or “Amazing!” It’s multifunctional, but a bit generic and overusedお疲れ様でした, otsukarasama deshita: “You worked hard” or “thank you for your hard work”美味しい, oishii or うまい, umai: Meaning “delicious” and “good” respectively, ALWAYS compliment the food!似合う, niau: “to suit” or “looks good.” Always a great and simple way to compliment someone

Sometimes comments on appearance are too straightforward. So going this route of complimenting skills, personalities, or saying something suits them is a better way to go.

How to Take a Compliment in Japanese

Now, what about when it comes to receiving a compliment yourself? How do Japanese people respond to compliments?

While there are some tides of change here, in general, saying “thank you” for a compliment is actually considered a bit rude.

No, really!

It’s seen as saying, “thanks (for noticing how amazing/beautiful/cool I am)” instead of just saying “thanks (for being kind)”.

It’s seen as not being humble if you’re quick to accept the compliment, like you know it’s true.

In general, you’ll be met with one of these common reactions:

そんなことありません, sonna koto arimasen: “That’s not the case”全然そんなことないよ, zenzen sonna koto nai yo: “That’s not the case at all” (more casual, stronger denial than the last one)いいえ / ううん, iie / uun: “No”いやいやいや, iyaiyaiya: “No, no, no”

Don’t forget to wave your hand in front of your face when denying your compliment!

If you’d rather though, you could use a phrase that’s a better balance of being humble and thanking for the kind words.

SoraNews24 shared a few examples from a Japanese Twitter thread, such as:

恐れ入ります, osoreirimasu: “Excuse me (for the trouble)” and an expression of gratitude in one全然そんなことないけど嬉しいです, zenzen koto nai kedo ureshii desu: “Not at all, but I’m happy (you think so/told me/said that).”

But if it’s between close friends, it’s okay to keep it more casual or even joke around.

Go Compliment Someone in Japanese!

Whether you tell someone they’re きれい (kirei) – “pretty” – in Japanese or use the ol’ standby いいね (ii ne), It’s always a good time to spread cheer and kindness, so put a smile on someone’s face!

Now that you’ve learned how to give someone a compliment, here are some Japanese lessons you might enjoy next:

How to use Te-form in Japanese The Ultimate Guide to Food in Japanese 47 Japanese Proverbs about Life, Love and Wisdom How to Read Japanese Manga [+ 10 Easy Manga Series for Beginners Learning Japanese]150+ Japanese Words and Phrases You Need to Start Speaking Now

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Published on August 08, 2022 04:00

August 5, 2022

German Numbers: Learn To Count From 0 to 1,000 in German

Do you want to learn how to count from 0-100 in German, and find out more about German numbers?

In this article, I want to share with you how to learn, remember, and use German numbers with you.

Table of contentsGerman Numbers from 1-100 Learn the German Numbers 1-10 Learn the German Numbers 11-20 Learn the German Multiples of 10 German For “One”: Ein, Eins, Eine, Einen, Eines, Einer or Einem?How To Count From 100 to 1,000 In German How To Count From 1,000 to 10,000 in German German Numbers: 10,000 And Beyond Remember the German Numbers with This Language Hack The Etymology of German Numbers German Numbers You Can Count On…German Numbers from 1-100

Let’s start with the basics. Below is a table of the German numbers from zero to 100. Take a few minutes read through it, then I’ll give you some tips to help you remember it all:

0 Null 1 Eins 2 Zwei 3 Drei 4 Vier 5 Fünf 6 Sechs 7 Sieben 8 Acht 9 Neun 10 Zehn 11 Elf 12 Zwölf 13 Dreizehn 14 Vierzehn 15 Fünfzehn 16 Sechszehn 17 Siebzehn 18 Achtzehn 19 Neunzehn 20 Zwanzig 21 Einundzwanzig 22 Zweiundzwanzig 23 Dreiundzwanzig 24 Vierundzwanzig 25 Fünfundzwanzig 26 Sechsundzwanzig 27 Siebenundzwanzig 28 Achtundzwanzig 29 Neunundzwanzig 30 Dreiβig 31 Einunddreiβig 32 Zweiunddreiβig 33 Dreiunddreiβig 34 Vierunddreiβig 35 Fünfunddreiβig 36 Sechsunddreiβig 37 Siebenunddreiβig 38 Achtunddreiβig 39 Neununddreiβig 40 Vierzig 41 Einundvierzig 42 Zweiundvierzig 43 Dreiundvierzig 44 Vierundvierzig 45 Fünfundvierzig 46 Sechsundvierzig 47 Siebenundvierzig 48 Achtundvierzig 49 Neunundvierzig 50 Fünfzig 51 Einundfünfzig 52 Zweiundfünfzig 53 Dreiundfünfzig 54 Vierundfünfzig 55 Fünfundfünfzig 56 Sechsundfünfzig 57 Siebenundfünfzig 58 Achtundfünfzig 59 Neunundfünfzig 60 Sechzig 61 Einundsechzig 62 Zweiundsechzig 63 Dreiundsechzig 64 Vierundsechzig 65 Fünfundsechzig 66 Sechsundsechzig 67 Siebenundsechzig 68 Achtundsechzig 69 Neunundsechzig 70 Siebzig 71 Einundsiebzig 72 Zweiundsiebzig 73 Dreiundsiebzig 74 Vierundsiebzig 75 Fünfundsiebzig 76 Sechsundsiebzig 77 Siebenundsiebzig 78 Achtundsiebzig 79 Neunundsiebzig 80 Achtzig 81 Einundachtzig 82 Zweiundachtzig 83 Dreiundachtzig 84 Vierundachtzig 85 Fünfundachtzig 86 Sechsundachtzig 87 Siebenundachtzig 88 Achtundachtzig 89 Neunundachtzig 90 Neunzig 91 Einundneunzig 92 Zweiundneunzig 93 Dreiundneunzig 94 Vierundneunzig 95 Fünfundneunzig 96 Sechsundneunzig 97 Siebenundneunzig 98 Achtundneunzig 99 Neunundneunzig 100 Einhundret

Seeing it all in one big block can be a little overwhelming, right? Well, don’t worry. Using the simple tips and language hacks below, you’ll be able to remember all of this information with little effort.

Learn the German Numbers 1-10

The German numbers 1-10 are:

Ein – “One”Zwei – “Two”Drei – “Three”Vier – “Four”Fünf – “Five”Sechs – “Six”Sieben – “Seven”Acht – “Eight”Neun – “Nine”Zehn – “Ten”

There are no rules for these numbers – though I’ll share a simple trick for memorising them later in the article. And it is important to remember these numbers, as they occur, in one form or another, in every number you’ll use when counting.

For example, just as “eight” is in “eighteen”, “twenty-eight”, “eighty” and “eighthundred”, the same can be said for acht (“eight”) in German. “Achtzehn”, “achtundzwanzig”,”achtzig” and “achthundert”.

Learn the German Numbers 11-20

Elf (“eleven”) and zwölf (“twelve”) also don’t follow a pattern. You’ll just have to learn these by heart.

For the other German numbers between 13 and 19 you take the first four letters of the number between three and nine (like the rule above) and add the word zehn or ten at the end: dreizehn (“thirteen”), vierzehn (“fourteen”), fünfzehn (“fifteen”), and so on.

Learn the German Multiples of 10

Between forty and ninety, all of these numbers are regular. They take the first four letters of the number between one and ten and add the word “zig” to the end of it.

Vier_zig_ (“forty”), fünfzig (“fifty”), sechzig (“sixty”), siebzig (“seventy”), achtzig (“eighty”), neunzig (“ninety”).

Twenty and thirty are exceptions. Twenty takes the form zwanzig, and thirty is dreiiβig.

Once you’ve learned all of these you can begin to fill in the numbers with a simple formula.

All of the numbers larger than twenty follow the same pattern. The second number is said at the start. Let me explain that a bit more:

In English you would say “thirty-four”. The biggest number is said first, followed by the smallest number. As if you’re reading the number left to right. In German it’s the other way around.In German you would say, “four and thirty” or vierunddreiβig. The four comes first, followed by the thirty.Although I can’t tell you why this happens, I can tell you that it’s regular and all of these numbers in German follow this pattern.

This swapping around can take some getting used to so take some time to practice them. When it comes to writing these, many German children are taught to write the second number first, the same way as when it’s spoken, then place the first number before it.

Practicing this may help you understand it too.

Also don’t forget that:

Zero = Null (As in null and void)100 = Einhundert (This is an easy one to remember!)

By using these tips and language hacks you should have no trouble mastering the German numbers 1 to 100.

German For “One”: Ein, Eins, Eine, Einen, Eines, Einer or Einem?

The number one in German is the only number that needs to be modified.

In English, we have three words for “one”. We have the number one itself, or we use “a” or “an” to express we only have one of something.

“I have one brother.”“I have a sister.”“I have an apple.”

In German these three words are expressed using variations of ein and eins.

When you’re counting the quantity of something – like how many people are in a group – you’ll always use the “eins” form of the word, which is the number one itself, as you can see in the table at the start of this article.

However when you’re referring to anything else you’ll use the “ein” form of the word and its case-based variations. Such as:

Nominative:

Masculine: ein Bruder (“a Brother”)Neutral: ein Auto (“a Car”)Feminine: eine Schwester (“a Sister”)

Accusative:

Masculine: einen BruderNeutral: ein AutoFeminine: eine Schwester

Dative:

Masculine: einem BruderNeutral: einem AutoFeminine: einer Schwester

Genitive:

Masculine: eines BrudersNeutral: eines AutosFeminine: einer Schwester

Explaining each of these in-depth is a little beyond the scope of this article. But remember that when you’re counting, you use numbers. When you’re talking to someone, you’ll use ein and its variations.

Other numbers like “two” in German or “three” in German don’t need to be modified and stay the same throughout.

How To Count From 100 to 1,000 In German

The rule for counting in the hundreds is exactly the same as in English. You take the number from one to nine and add the word hundert (“hundred”) to the end of it.

Here’s a table to show you what I mean:

100 Einhundret 200 Zweihundret 300 Dreihundret 400 Vierhundret 500 Fünfhundret 600 Sechshundret 700 Siebenhundret 800 Achthundret 900 Neunhundret 1000 Eintausend

Filling in the gaps between these numbers is relatively simple too. There are just a few things to remember:

You always say the hundred number first.Between 100 and 119 you say it the same way you would in English. So 101 (“one-hundred and one”) becomes einhundertundeins.Once you get higher than 20 the number-swapping rule comes into effect, but only for the two digit numbers. That means 176 (“one-hundred and seventy six”) becomes einhundertsechsundsiebzig.

These rules apply throughout all the hundreds.

How To Count From 1,000 to 10,000 in German

You’ve already learned the hardest parts of counting in German. From here on out it’s so similar to English you don’t need to remember much.

The word for thousand in German is tausend, which is said like you’re saying the English word “thousands” in a German accent.

Then the thousands themselves follow work the same as you just saw in the 100’s, but with the word tausend added to the end:

1000 Eintausend 2000 Zweitausend 3000 Dreitausend 4000 Viertausend 5000 Fünftausend 6000 Sechstausend 7000 Siebentausend 8000 Achttausend 9000 Neuntausend 10000 Zehntausend

When you start adding hundreds into the mix, the rules of the 100’s you just read still apply. You only change the two-digit number – like 43 – around, the rest go in order.

German Numbers: 10,000 And Beyond

For the numbers in the 10,000’s you’re going to follow the two-digit number rules. In succession, these numbers follow on in multiples of ten: zehntausend, zwanzigtausend, dreiβigtausend and so on.

When the numbers change to have a second digit, like 87, this would then become siebenundachtzigtausend (“seven and eighty-thousand”). This can become quite a mouthful when the number is 87,787 which would be siebenundachtzigtausendsiebenhundertsiebenundachtzig.

When you reach the 100,000’s you can then apply the rules for this, but with 100’s numbers. So 100,000 would be hunderttausend, 200,000 would be zweihunderttausend, 300,000 would be dreihunderttausend, and so on.

Here are the terminologies for numbers when you count higher than that:

Million: MillionBillion: MilliardeTrillion: BillionRemember the German Numbers with This Language Hack

You may be looking at all of these numbers right now and thinking, “How in the world am I ever going to remember all of this?”. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

There are a few number words in German that you can simply remember as the English form and translate. For example:

“Hundred” -> Hundert“Thousand” -> Tausend“Hundred Thousand” -> Hunderttausend“Million” -> Million

But how do you remember the trickier, German-sounding words?

Well, one of my favourite ways to remember numbers is mnemonics. These are attachments you make to a word to help you recall it. It can be a funny sentence, a visualistion, a play on the word or anything that helps you remember.

Well here are a few of my favourites from my time learning German:

Drei -> Three bottles of dry white wine.Vier -> Three is fearful of this number.Elf -> Eleven little Christmas elves.Zwanzig -> Twenty swans drawing a zig-zag in a lake.

The more ridiculous, the better! Don’t censor yourself when trying to do this, these are to help you remember, not somebody else.

For more language hacks, check out the Language Hacking Podcast, where hosts Benny, Shannon, and Elizabeth discuss language learning and language hacks with guests from all over the world.

The Etymology of German Numbers

Where do German numbers come from? They’re part of a branch of the language family tree called Germanic. This branch sprouts off into languages like English, Dutch and Swedish.

In fact, if you look at the major European Germanic languages side by side, you can see a lot of similarities in their spellings and pronunciations (pay close attention to the number six):

German Dutch English Norweigan Danish Swedish Eins Een One En En Ett Zwei Twee Two To To Två Drei Drie Three Tre Tre Tre Vier Vier Four Fire Fire Fyra Funf Vijf Five Fem Fem Fem Sechs Zes Six Seks Seks Sex Sieben Zeven Seven Sju Syv Sju Acht Acht Eight Åtte Otte Åtta Neun Negen Nine Ni Ni Nio Zehn Tien Ten Ti Ti Tio

If you look back to old high German which was spoken between the years 700 and 1050, you can see how some of their similarities have carried on through time too:

Ein – “One”Zwene – “Two”Dri – “Three”Fior / Feor – “Four”Fimf – “Five”Sehs – “Six”Sibun – “Seven”Ahto – “Eight”Niun – “Nine”Zehan – “Ten”German Numbers You Can Count On…

There are lots of similarities between English numbers and German numbers, and once you get used to swapping two-digit numbers around, it becomes really simple.

Once you learn your German numbers from 1-10, the rest starts to fall into place.

Original article by James Johnson, updated by the Fluent in 3 Months team.

Is German Hard to Learn? Why German Is Easier Than You Think German Uncovered Review — Honest, In-Depth Review on “StoryLearning” German [With Video]GermanPod101 Review – 25 Hours with GermanPod101 The German Alphabet – a Complete Guide 30 Ways to Start a German Conversation

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Published on August 05, 2022 04:00

August 1, 2022

Learning French for Beginners: Proofs that Learning French Isn’t That Hard

Why is learning French so frightening for beginners? If only you knew it isn’t that hard!

When I started learning French, the most common response I receive upon telling someone that I’m learning French—from English and French speakers alike—was something along the lines of, “French is so hard! I can’t believe you can speak like this after only three months!”

This exclamation was typically followed by exasperated hand wringing over the difficulty of the pronunciation, the seemingly endless list of exceptions to every grammar rule, the conjugations, and so on.

French is considered by some to be among the world’s “hardest languages“.

After having officially eclipsed the three-month milestone in my French language studies, I’d like to dispel, once-and-for-all, the (surprisingly) pervasive notion that French is somehow impossibly difficult to learn.

Spoiler alert: it’s not.

Table of contentsYour Vocabulary Knowledge in Your Native Tongue Will Help You a Lot Language Hacker Tip: Cheat Your Way to French Vocabulary French Pronunciation Isn’t Too Different From What You Already Know Learning French Conjugation Is a Question of Perspective The Key to Stop Fearing French Conjugation Groups Here’s How to Face French Tenses Like a Winner Le Passé Composé L’Imparfait Le Futur Proche Le Futur Simple Le Conditionnel Is the Dreaded Subjunctive So Important to Learn?Just Go SPEAK FRENCH

Your Vocabulary Knowledge in Your Native Tongue Will Help You a Lot

toujoursjesuishustling

Any discussion of why French is not difficult for English speakers ought to begin with the date September 28, 1066. That’s the date the Norman conquest of England began.

During the four hundred years that followed, a dialect of French known as Anglo-Norman became the language of the crown, the educated elite, the ruling administration and the justice.

Even today, the Queen’s assent, which must be given to legislation passed by parliament in order to become law, is still issued in French.

How cool is that!

Nerdy historical tangents aside, what does any of this have to do with learning French nowadays?

Linguists estimate that about a third of English words are derived from French. This means that as an English speaker, even before you crack open a phrasebook for the very first time, you have a ready-made vocabulary that you can start using from day one.

Do you have six hours to spare? Great—have a crack at this Wikipedia list of shared vocabulary.

Second spoiler alert: it’s long.

Language Hacker Tip: Cheat Your Way to French Vocabulary

Language hacker tip: From a practical standpoint, I’ve found that anytime I’m at a loss for the right French word, coating an English word in a heavy French accent is a surprisingly effective strategy.

I remember during my first week in French class, I was trying to say that a certain French word exists in English but has a different meaning.

I didn’t know the word for “meaning” in French, so I said the English word “connotation” with a thick French accent. I paused and studied my teacher coyly, waiting for her to correct me. She looked at me expectantly as if to say, “Well, duh! Connotation! Everyone knows connotation!”

You’ll notice that many other “_–_tion” words appear in French almost exactly as they do in English. That’s true especially in British English, which never replaced the “s” in words like réalisation with a “z” as we’ve done in American English.

The circumflex you find in many words usually signifies that an “s” used to be present but has since fallen out of use. Thus, words like hôpital and forêt translate to “hospital” and “forest” in English.

There are many more tricks like this, and though they can’t always be perfectly applied, these examples should give you a sense of just how much linguistic history the two languages have in common.

French Pronunciation Isn’t Too Different From What You Already Know

Okay, so perhaps you’re thinking that, yes, you realize that English and French have many words in common… But there’s no way you’re ever going to be able to master that perfect accent your fantasy French husband/girlfriend/whatever has.

Ah, but not so fast!

Along with many of the French words that migrated into English came vestiges of their former pronunciations. Consider words and expressions like montage, déjà vu, bourgeois, comprise, brochure, filet mignon, chauffeur, lingerie, and encore.

Without knowing it, you actually use many of the sounds found in French regularly.

Still, others can give you clues as to what you shouldn’t pronounce, including faux pas, buffet, coup, and laissez-faire.

Even the dreaded liaison rears its ugly head in the words vis-à-vis (pronounced “vee-zah-vee”) and bon appétit (pronounced “baw na-pey-tee”).

I’ll admit that the French “r” and nasal sounds will probably take some practice and getting used to. However, the best advice I received—from my Lonely Planet phrasebook, nonetheless—was just to go for the most stereotypical French accent I possibly could.

Try it. It actually works!

Learning French Conjugation Is a Question of Perspective

onestcommeunepetitefamille

One of the most common complaints among French learners is the seemingly incomprehensibility of verb conjugations. Consider the forms of the verb manger (meaning “to eat”) below:

First Person Singular: Je mange (“I eat”)Second Person Singular: Tu manges (“You eat”)Third Person Singular: Il/Elle/On mange (“He/She/One eats”)First Person Plural: Nous mangeons (“We eat”)Second Person Plural: Vous mangez (“You (pl.) eat”)Third Person Plural: Ils/Elles mangent (“They eat”)

Did you survive that with your sanity intact? Great! It may look like a lot to wrap your head around, but it’s actually not, especially in spoken French.

In fact, the difference between written and spoken French is so vast that the first person singular, second person singular, third person singular, and third person plural forms of the verb manger are pronounced exactly the same despite having written forms that appear to vary substantially.

Add to that the fact that the third person singular On form is usually used in place of the first person plural, and you don’t even have to think about changing the pronunciation for the majority of verb forms in the present indicative.

The Key to Stop Fearing French Conjugation Groups

The group of verbs that manger belongs to, the –er verbs, is one of three, the other two being –ir and –re verbs. The –er verbs are completely regular, the –ir verbs are mostly regular, and the –re verbs are mostly irregular.

Don’t let the third “irregular” group scare you, though. Not only does it comprise the smallest of the three groups, it’s also considered to be a “closed-class.” This means that all new verbs introduced into the French language are of the first two “regular” classes.

Thus, new words like googliser, textoter, and téléviser take the regular forms.

Even among the irregular verbs, you’ll be able to pick up on patterns that make their conjugations fairly predictable.

Also remember that, as was the case with the –er verbs, the verb forms of the irregular verbs are pronounced mostly the same (though there are some exceptions).

Here’s How to Face French Tenses Like a Winner

As for the other tenses, anyone who’s learned Spanish will be relieved to find out that there are fewer tenses in French than in Spanish.

Le Passé Composé

In modern French, for example, the most frequently used past-tense construction is the passé composé. This is a compound tense composed of the verb avoir (meaning “to have”) or être (meaning “to be”) followed by the past participle of the conjugated verb.

In the passé composé, the first person singular form of manger is J’ai mangé, which literally translates to “I have eaten,” but it is also used to say “I ate.”

Unlike English or Spanish, French uses the same tense to express both concepts. There is a passé simple, but it’s an antiquated literary tense that is seldom used in contemporary spoken French.

L’Imparfait

French also uses an imperfect tense: the imparfait.

L’imparfait has only one set of endings (unlike Spanish), contains only one exception (être, meaning “to be”), and is used in exactly the same way as the Spanish imperfect.

In order to form the imparfait, take the present indicative Nous form of a verb, slice off the conjugated ending, add the imparfait ending, and voilà! You’re in business.

Le Futur Proche

There’s the futur proche, which will be extremely familiar to speakers of English and Spanish. It simply combines the conjugated form of the verb aller, meaning “to go,” with an infinitive.

It’s equivalent to saying in English, “I am going to [BLANK].”

Le Futur Simple

There’s also a futur simple that, like the imparfait, uses only one set of endings that are added to the “future stem,” which is usually just the infinitive or, for the irregular verbs, the infinitive with the final “e” chopped off.

There are about two-dozen irregular future stems, but these irregular stems also double as the stems for the conditional.

Le Conditionnel

The conditional is formed by adding the imparfait endings you already know to the future stem.

This might all sound confusing, but the main point is that these verb forms and moods are constructed using things you already know. The more you learn, the more your knowledge builds on itself.

Is the Dreaded Subjunctive So Important to Learn?

Though the subjunctive mood that’s the scourge of Spanish students everywhere exists in French, it’s used in both fewer instances and in fewer tenses than it is in Spanish.

It almost exclusively follows que or qui, which is less often the case in Spanish. Take, for instance, the following phrases in English, Spanish, and French:

English: “If I were you, I would be happy.”

Español: Si yo fuera tú, sería feliz.

Français: Si j’étais toi, je serais heureux.

Take a look at the two verbs in bold for a moment.

While the Spanish version uses the imperfect subjunctive, the French phrase uses the imperfect indicative (standard past tense use of the word, like English) to express the exact same idea.

In French, the imperfect subjunctive is a stodgy literary tense that nobody even uses anymore!

Just Go SPEAK FRENCH Toutestpossible

There are, of course, plenty of quirks and exceptions in the French language, as there are in any language, but the key, as always, is just to go out and SPEAK IT! Like Benny Lewis says, French is easy! Both speaking and understanding are within your grasp.

As a language nerd, I’m a big fan of Benny, whose “Speak from Day One” approach should be, I think, language-learning gospel. He’s written several posts about why learning Czech, Turkish, German, Mandarin Chinese, Hungarian, and other languages is not as hard as you think.

His point is that with the right attitude and approach, learning a new language—despite what detractors might claim—is never as difficult a task as it’s often made out to be.

Native speakers won’t be shy about correcting you, and the more you speak and make adjustments, the more natural it will become.

There are some great French online courses that will get you speaking quickly, and don’t worry if your pronunciation is a little off, or if you forget how to conjugate such and such verb, or if you forget which preposition to use.

Just remember: everyone starts off speaking any language they learn like a baby.

Original article by Zack Simon, updated by the Fluent in 3 Months team.

French Uncovered Review — Does “Story Learning” Really Work for French?111 Core French Words — The Most Commonly Used Words in French 30+ Free Online French Classes and Resources (Only the Best!)French Learning Hub FrenchPod101 Review: 30 Days with FrenchPod101

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Published on August 01, 2022 04:00

July 29, 2022

Japanese History: The Beginner’s Guide

Japanese history is one of the most unique in the world. From samurai, ninja, and shoguns – there’s no shortage of things to learn.

Learning about Japanese history will give you a much deeper understanding of the culture and language. Stick around until the end of the post and I will reveal to you a couple of surprising ways in which history has shaped the Japanese culture you know!

function runSplitTest(){var randomNumber = Math.floor(Math.random() * 2) + 1console.log(randomNumber)var copy = "";if (randomNumber == 3){ copy = 'A note from the Fluent in 3 Months team before we get started: You can chat away in Japanese for at least 15 minutes with the "Fluent in 3 Months" method. All it takes is 90 days. <a href="https://fluentin3months.com/challenge... this link to find out more.</a>'} else { copy = 'Before we get started, if you’re looking for an online Japanese course, here’s the course I recommend: <a href="https://www.fluentin3months.com/olly-... Uncovered - Learn Japanese Through the Power of Story</a>, a course with a fascinating new method by my friend Olly. You can try it for free for 7 days!'}console.log(copy)var copyToChange = document.querySelector("p.copyText").innerHTML = copy;}runSplitTest();Table of contentsHow to Say “History” in Japanese: 歴史, rekishi Japanese History: An Overview Japanese History Timeline Ancient Japan Asuka, Nara, and Heian Periods Feudal Japan: The Shogunate and Daimyou Era Modernization of Japan: Edo and Meiji Periods Modern Day Japan: Shouwa and Heisei Eras Present Day: Reiwa Period Japanese American History Japanese Brazilian History Japanese Language History Japanese History for Kids: Resources Japanese History Books to Learn More Bonus: Two Fun Facts About Japanese History in Japanese Modern Culture Japanese History Buff!How to Say “History” in Japanese: 歴史, rekishi

First, let’s learn how to talk about the subject at hand in Japanese!

“History” in Japanese is 歴史, rekishi. This means all history but is often used to talk about history as a school subject or major.

If you want to be specific and talk about Japanese history, you can say 日本史, nipponshi.

Why nippon instead of nihon?

Nippon is the more honorific way to talk about Japan. This actually comes from Japanese empirical history! The Empire of Japan was called Dai Nippon Teikoku, so the name does have some mixed feelings.

The Imperial days of Japan aren’t looked upon fondly. So while nippon is often used to show patriotism and respect to the country, nihon has become increasingly used. But, as it stands right now, both are often used interchangeably.

Nihon is often used for adjectives or combined words, like 日本語, nihongo (nihon, “Japan” + go, “language” for “Japanese”). Nippon is often used for the country name itself or respectful/traditional situations, as with nipponshi.

Japanese History: An Overview

How far back does Japanese history go? Japan was settled about 35,000 years ago, in what is called the Paleolithic period.

So there are a lot of years to cover! I’m going to cover the highlights here so you can get an idea of what the history of Japan was like.

Japanese History Timeline

What is the history of Japan? What major events happened in Japan?

Well, Japan’s history is often broken down into various eras, periods of time where Japan was ruled by one emperor, shogun, or family. But there are also larger periods, such as ancient Japan, feudal Japan, and modern Japan.

Below you’ll find the periods broken down and eras grouped together by their larger time periods, with summaries of major events.

You may be wondering though: What was Japan called before? Japan has actually had many names!

Japan was originally called 倭 (wa) or 倭国 (wakoku), but the kanji 倭 meant “submissive.” So Japan changed the kanji to a different “wa,” 和, which means “peace.” It was then combined with 大, dai (“big”, “great”), to become 大和 which was read, Yamato.

So if you’ve ever heard Japanese food referred to as 和食, washoku – this is why it’s “wa” instead of nihonshoku!

Around the 7th century, Japan changed its name to 日本, nippon, meaning “Origin of the Sun.” That’s where “The Land of the Rising Sun” comes from.

Later, during the Meiji era, Japan became known as 大日本帝国 (dai nippon teikoku), the “Great Japan Empire.” It was known as this up until the end of World War II. Then it was known as Nippon, Nihon, or sometimes 大日本 (dainippon, “Great Japan”) or 日本国 (nipponkoku, “Country of Japan”).

The latter names are mostly used in governmental situations, though.

Ancient Japan

It was during this period that hunters and gatherers from mainlandf Asia crossed over to Japan.

The Joumon period, from 13,000 BCE to 1,000 BCE, was when those native to Japan began to settle down and begin to develop culturally. In fact, the pottery from this era is the oldest in the world and is quite complex. This is also when the ancestors of the Ainu people settled in the Hokkaido region of Japan.

Then during the Yayoi period, many common agricultural practices were brought to Japan from the Yayoi people in Asia. Rice farming began, and iron tools, silk, weaving, glassmaking, and more came to be.

It was during the Yayoi period, around 660 BCE, that Japan had its first Emperor, named Emperor Jimmu. But it wasn’t until around 250 CE that Japan became unified under leaders related to the Emperor’s bloodline.

During this time, Japan aimed for formal recognition from China, and there were likely clan wars to establish rule.

Asuka, Nara, and Heian Periods

The Asuka period (around 530 CE) was pivotal for much of what we see in Japanese culture today. At this time, Buddhism came to Japan from Korea. Confucianism ideology also became widespread in Japan due to its implementation by the ruling clans at the time.

It was during the Nara period we got the first two books in Japanese history: Nihon Shoki and Kojiki. They both tell of Japanese myths and traditions and have been crucial for historians to document ancient Japan.

Smallpox became an epidemic in Japan starting in 735 CE and killed a large portion of the Japanese population.

This started a chain reaction: Emperor Shoumu thought it was a curse because he wasn’t holy enough. This led to an increase in Buddhism, which led to a Buddhist monk named Doukyou trying to overthrow the Emperor with the help of Empress Shoutoku.

Then, the Heian period. The Emperor and his court declined in power, mostly due to self-centeredness and in-family fighting. Art and culture, including writing, began to flourish. The Japanese writing system, kana, was established as a popular writing system (although it had been used by women, who weren’t allowed to study kanji).

It was around this time that Zen Buddhist monks began practicing ritual tea ceremonies. They set the stage for Japanese tea ceremony history to continue and become popularized in the 16th century.

And so, powerful families started to emerge and create shouen, or manors. They began hiring samurai to protect their lands and families, eventually building large armies.

Two large clans – Taira and Minamoto – became so powerful, and it lead to rebellion and the de facto rule of the Minamoto clan.

Feudal Japan: The Shogunate and Daimyou Era

When the Minamoto clan won its rebellion, it chose to rule alongside the Imperial court. So the emperor established Minamoto no Yoritomo as the first shougun.

The shougun’s government was called the bakufu, or “tent government,” and was the military might. So even though the Emperor still ruled, the real Japanese ruler was the Shougun.

In 1221, the Joukyuu War started when the Imperial court tried to retake power from the Shogunate but lost.

Then, the Shogunate, led by Kamakura, fought off the Mongol Empire. The Mongols lost when their fleet was destroyed by typhoons (which were called kamikaze, “divine wind”).

But the war with the Mongol Empire weakened the Shogunate and caused the samurai to turn on them. In 1333, Emperor Go-Daigo overthrew the Kamakura Shogunate with the help of samurai. But the Emperor was overthrown again by the same leaders who helped him.

During all this back-and-forth, daimyous, or feudal lords, grew in power and began to rebel. They became regional rulers and began to fight for control of Japan.

This is when ninjas became popular because they were the daimyous’ preferred assassins. Very little is actually known about ninjas because they were so secretive. But they became legends and are pervasive in pop culture to this day.

Modernization of Japan: Edo and Meiji Periods

The Edo and Meiji periods are what most people think of when they think of Japanese history. The Edo period, under Ieyasu Tokugawa as shougun, was a pretty peaceful era in which art flourished and Japan’s economy grew.

But Tokugawa’s power came from his strict rule on how society should function. Japan’s isolationist mentality began during this time as a result. After Portuguese missionaries began to grow Christianity in Japan, it was seen as a threat to the Shogunate.

The Christians often tried to rebel against Tokugawa’s rule. The Shogun squashed rebellions and cut off most trade to Europe. Only the Dutch, Chinese, and Koreans were allowed to trade after that.

This is when education and literacy flourished, and some of the most iconic Japanese art was created.

Ukiyo-e (“floating world art”) took off, and the famous The Great Wave off Kanagawa was created by Hokusai. Most of your Japanese art history knowledge is probably from this era!

Geisha (female singers and dancers), kabuki (theater), poetry, flower arranging, gardening, and bunraku (puppet plays) were popular during the Edo period. Kimono fashion also grew in popularity.

In 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry from America came to Japan. He aimed to end the isolation and trade restrictions and demanded American ships be allowed to port. They set up treaties that basically allowed them to come and go as they pleased, without oversight or taxes.

This made many of the samurai angry. Samurai were already struggling with poor pay and famine. They overthrew Yoshinobu Tokugawa (the 15th and last Tokugawa shougun) and reestablished the Emperor as ruler.

The Meiji era, under Emperor Meiji and the former samurai who helped him come to power, established Japan’s prefectures (like states). They did away with feudal practices and the daimyou class, and began to Westernize the nation to grow in power.

Shinto became a state religion, and Japanese nationalism grew. Japan began imperial military expeditions and wars, leading to the takeover of Taiwan, the Sino-Japanese wars against the Qing dynasty in Korea (including the Nanking massacre), and the Russo-Japanese war. Japan won these wars and became the leading Asian military power.

Modern Day Japan: Shouwa and Heisei Eras

It was during Emperor Hirohito’s nationalistic rule that World War II took place and shook up the world powers again.

On December 7th, 1941, Japan surprised the US with a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. They invaded many colonies in South East Asia, including the Phillippines, Hong Kong, and Indonesia (which was the Dutch East Indies at the time). They were infamous for their brutality and war crimes: live human experiments, sex slavery, civilian genocide, chemical weapons, and kamikaze pilots.

The US began to capture parts of Japan through bombings and battles, eventually dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945. Three days later, on August 9th, the US dropped the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. In total, around 110,000 people died.

On August 14th, 1945, Japan surrendered and Japan was then occupied by the US and Allies.

A new constitution was instated, and the Emperor became a figurehead. The National Diet, Japan’s legislature, was established. By 1955, Japan’s economy was booming and by the 60s, it became one of the largest economies in the world.

The Heisei period began when Emperor Akihito took on the role in 1989, which saw Japan’s economy stagnate. But its soft power (or cultural power) grew immensely through anime, manga, and video games growing in popularity across the world.

Japan’s population also began to decrease during this period and has not recovered since. It’s actually a modern-day crisis for Japan now.

On March 11, 2011, one of the biggest earthquakes in Japanese history hit off the coast of Fukushima. It ended in a nuclear meltdown and radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown became one of the biggest natural disasters and struggles for Japan. The government was heavily criticized for its slow response to lessen fear, cost, and reputation.

Present Day: Reiwa Period

Emperor Akihito abdicated the throne in 2019 due to health issues, and his son Emperor Naruhito now reigns. This began the Reiwa period, which means “beautiful harmony.”

The Reiwa period has already been hit with hard times. Like the delay of the Tokyo Summer Olympics, the COVID-19 pandemic, and 3 Prime Ministers in only 3 years.

Shinzou Abe stepped down as Prime Minister in 2020 due to health concerns and Yoshihide Suga succeeded him. Suga was widely unpopular, and so he didn’t run for reelection in 2021. The new prime minister as of October 2021, is Fumio Kishida.

Japanese American History

Japanese people started immigrating to America in larger numbers around 1890. But especially in the early 1900s due to poor conditions in Japan during the Russo-Japanese War.

But in 1924, the US passed the Immigration Act of 1924 which put a halt to almost all immigration from Asia (this lasted until it was reversed in 1965).

First-generation Japanese Americans were called the Issei, and they primarily worked in agriculture and manual labor like railroad work.

But during World War II, Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps after President Franklin Roosevelt signed an executive order. Anyone who was more than 1/16th Japanese had to go to the camps until the end of the war.

They were only allowed two suitcases of their belongings and one small room per family.

President Jimmy Carter launched an investigation into the justification of the internment and found that racism played the largest factor in the decision. (80,000 or so of the 110,000 Japanese in the camps were Nissei, or second-generation, and fully American citizens.) The government eventually paid reparations in 1992 to those who had been interned.

Japanese Brazilian History

Many Japanese people chose to move to Brazil in the early 1900s due to the immigration ban on non-white persons in the US and Australia. Japanese Brazilians, called 日系ブラジル人 (nikkei burajiru-jin), now make up the largest Japanese population outside of Japan.

Many Japanese went to Brazil with their families to work on coffee plantations. But they weren’t treated well. They dealt with low pay, violence, long work hours, and debt owed to landowners.

Before the war, the Japanese government had been funding schools and education for the Japanese community in Brazil. But during World War II, Brazil severed ties with Japan. The Japanese Brazilians faced extreme hostility, not even allowed to speak their native language.

Around the 1970s, Japanese Brazilians grew in wealth and overcame a lot of the prejudices and aggressions they faced during the wars. Many of the 3rd and 4th generations speak Portuguese.

Japanese Language History

Japanese is a language isolate, meaning it’s not part of a language family. It’s spoken by more than 120 million around the world, most of which are in Japan.

What’s interesting is, Japanese is the only major language that we don’t know where it comes from. It’s thought that it came from Korean initially, from the Yayoi population during the Joumon era, which then mixed with the native existing languages.

Japanese first used China’s writing system, kanji, with Japanese grammar and readings. But later, kana became popularized and the two integrated together.

Modern Japanese began during the Edo era, when Edo (now Tokyo) became the standard dialect. And since World War II, Japan has incorporated an increasing number of loan words from many languages.

Japanese History for Kids: Resources

While Japan’s history is complex, it’s never too early to introduce your kids to other cultures and history!

Some great resources for getting your kids interested in Japan (and learning some Japanese!):

National Geographic Kids on Japan Kids Britannica: Japan Learn basic Japanese words with Ryan’s World Little Pim Japanese for Kids Meow Meow Japanese History, Neko Neko Nipponshi, anime for kids – starring cats!Droplets: Language app for kids Our article on Japanese resources for kids!Japanese History Books to Learn More

We skimmed the surface of a lot of Japanese history so far, but maybe you want to explore more about a certain period. I’ve got you!

Here are some great Japanese history books to check out. I’ve included some especially great ones about Japanese culture, as they tie together:

A Modern History of Japan: From Tokugawa Times to the Present by Andrew GordenThe Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto MusashiThe Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II by Iris ChangThe Japanese: A History in Twenty Lives by Christopher HardingPure Invention by Matt AltThe Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa by Yukichi FukuzawaThe Book of Yokai by Michael Dylan FosterHiroshima in History and Memory by Michael J. Hogan (editor)

I’d also recommend checking out these Japanese books and novels for more great reads and insights into history and culture!

Bonus: Two Fun Facts About Japanese History in Japanese Modern Culture

If you’re learning Japanese – or even just a casual anime or manga fan – you’ll find that history in Japanese culture shows up again and again.

Shows like Ruroni Kenshin take place during the Meiji era, inspired by Kawakami Gensai, a real-life samurai of the Edo period.

Japanese movies like この世界の片隅に (Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni), or “In This Corner of the World”, are about the years leading up to the atomic bomb in Hiroshima.

In fact, WWII and the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki have played a huge role in shaping pop culture. It prompted a heavy focus on apocalyptic themes and destruction in the media, as a way of working through the experience.

Japanese History Buff!

I hope you found this an interesting tip of the iceberg when it comes to Japanese history! What era in Japan’s history interests you the most?

Now that we’ve covered Japanese history, why not dive into other Japanese culture topics or Japanese learning resources:

“Cute” in Japanese: Understanding Kawaii Culture in Japan The Ultimate Guide to Japanese Cuisine Japanese Honorifics: How to Show Respect in Japanese Japanese Uncovered Review: Is the Force Strong with This One?Innovative Language Review – Complete Pod101 Language Course Review (with Screenshots and Video Results)

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Published on July 29, 2022 04:00