Benny Lewis's Blog, page 32

How to Write in Japanese — A Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Writing

Does the Japanese writing system intimidate you?

For most people, this seems like the hardest part of learning Japanese. How to write in Japanese is a bit more complex than some other languages. But there are ways to make it easier so you can master it!

Here at Fluent in 3 Months, we encourage actually speaking over intensive studying, reading, and listening. But writing is an active form of learning too, and crucial for Japanese. Japanese culture is deeply ingrained in its writing systems. If you can’t read or write it, you’ll struggle as you go along in your studies.

Some of the best Japanese textbooks expect you to master these writing systems… fast. For instance, the popular college textbook Genki, published by the Japan Times, expects you to master the basics in as little as a week. After that, they start to phase out the romanized versions of the word.

It’s also easy to mispronounce words when they’re romanized into English instead of the original writing system. If you have any experience learning how to write in Korean, then you know that romanization can vary and the way it reads isn’t often how it’s spoken.

Despite having three writing systems, there are benefits to it. Kanji, the “most difficult,” actually makes memorizing vocabulary easier!

So, learning to write in Japanese will go a long way in your language studies and help you to speak Japanese fast.

Why Does Japanese Have Three Writing Systems? A Brief Explainer

Japanese has three writing systems: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. The first two are collectively called kana and are the basics of writing in Japanese.

Writing Kana

If you think about English, we have two writing systems -- print and cursive. Both print and cursive write out the same letters, but they look “sharp” and “curvy.” The same is true for kana. Hiragana is “curvy” and katakana is “sharp,” but they both represent the same Japanese alphabet (which is actually called a syllabary). They both represent sounds, or syllables, rather than single letters (except for vowels and “n”, hiragana ん or katakana ン). Hiragana and katakana serve two different purposes.

Hiragana is the most common, and the first taught to Japanese children. If this is all you learn, you would be understood (although you’d come across child-like). Hiragana is used for grammar functions, like changing conjugation or marking the subject of a sentence. Because of this, hiragana helps break up a sentence when combined with kanji. It makes it easier to tell where a word begins and ends, especially since Japanese doesn’t use spaces. It’s also used for furigana, which are small hiragana written next to kanji to help with the reading. You see furigana often in manga, Japanese comics, for younger audiences who haven’t yet learned to read all the kanji. (Or learners like us!)

Katakana serves to mark foreign words. When words from other languages are imported into Japanese, they’re often written in Japanese as close as possible to the original word. (Like how you can romanize Japanese into English, called romaji). For example, パン (pan) comes from Spanish, and means “bread.” Or from English, “smartphone” is スマートフォン (suma-tofon) or shortened, slang form スマホ (sumaho). Katakana can also be used to stylistically write a Japanese name, to write your own foreign name in Japanese, or to add emphasis to a word when writing.

Writing Kanji

Then there’s kanji. Kanji was imported from Chinese, and each character means a word, instead of a syllable or letter. 犬, read inu, means “dog.” And 食, read ta or shoku, means "food" or "to eat." They combine with hiragana or other kanji to complete their meaning and define how you pronounce them.

So if you wanted to say “I’m eating,” you would say 食べます (tabemasu), where -bemasu completes the verb and puts it in grammatical tense using hiragana. If you wanted to say “Japanese food,” it would be 日本食 (nipponshoku), where it’s connected to other kanji.

If you didn’t have these three forms, it would make reading Japanese very difficult. The sentences would run together and it would be confusing. Like in this famous Japanese tongue twister: にわにはにわにわとりがいる, or romanized niwa ni wa niwa niwatori ga iru. But in kanji, it looks like 庭には二羽鶏がいる. The meaning? “There are chickens in the garden.” Thanks to the different writing systems, we know that the first niwa means garden, the second ni wa are the grammatical particles, the third niwa is to say there are at least two, and niwatori is “chickens.”

Japanese Pronunciation

Japanese has fewer sounds than English, and except for “r,” most of them are in the English language. So you should find most of the sounds easy to pick up!

Japanese has the same 5 vowels, but only 16 consonants. For the most part, all syllables consist of only a vowel, or a consonant plus a vowel. But there is the single “n,” and “sh,” “ts,” and “ch” sounds, as well as consonant + -ya/-yu/-yo sounds. I’ll explain this more in a minute.

Although Japanese has the same 5 vowel sounds, they only have one sound. Unlike English, there is no “long A” and “short A” sound. This makes it easy when reading kana because the sound never changes. So, once you learn how to write kana, you will always know how to pronounce it.

Here’s how the 5 vowels sound in Japanese:

あ / ア: “ah” as in “latte”い / イ: “ee” as in “bee”う / ウ: “oo” as in “tooth”え / エ: “eh” as in “echo”お / オ: “oh” as in “open”

Even when combined with consonants, the sound of the vowel stays the same. Look at these examples:

か / カ: “kah” as in “copy”ち / チ: “chi” as in “cheap”む / ム: “mu” as in “move”せ / セ: “se” as in “set”の / ノ: “no” as in “note”

Take a look at the entire syllabary chart:

kstnhmyrwaあ (a)か (ka)さ (sa)た (ta)な (na)は (ha)ま (ma)や (ya)ら (ra)わ (wa)ん (n)iい (i)き (ki)し (shi)ち (chi)に (ni)ひ (hi)み (mi)り (ri)uう (u)く (ku)す (su)つ (tsu)ぬ (nu)ふ (fu)む (mu)ゆ (yu)る (ru)eえ (e)け (ke)せ (se)て (te)ね (ne)へ (he)め (me)れ (re)oお (o)こ (ko)そ (so)と (to)の (no)ほ (ho)も (mo)よ (yo)ろ (ro)を (wo)kstnhmyrwaア (a)カ (ka)サ (sa)タ (ta)ナ (na)ハ (ha)マ (ma)ヤ (ya)ラ (ra)ワ (wa)ン (n)iイ (i)キ (ki)シ (shi)チ (chi)ニ (ni)ヒ (hi)ミ (mi)リ (ri)uウ (u)ク (ku)ス (su)ツ (tsu)ヌ (nu)フ (fu)ム (mu)ユ (yu)ル (ru)eエ (e)ケ (ke)セ (se)テ (te)ネ (ne)ヘ (he)メ (me)レ (re)oオ (o)コ (ko)ソ (so)ト (to)ノ (no)ホ (ho)モ (mo)ヨ (yo)ロ (ro)ヲ (wo)

Based on learning how to pronounce the vowels, can you pronounce the rest of the syllables? The hardest ones will be the R-row of sounds, “tsu,” “fu,” and “n.”

For “r” it sounds between an “r” and an “l” sound in English. Almost like the Spanish, actually. First, try saying “la, la, la.” Your tongue should push off of the back of your teeth to make this sound. Now say “rah, rah, rah.” Notice how your tongue pulls back to touch your back teeth. Now, say “dah, dah, dah.” That placement of your tongue to make the “d” sound is actually where you make the Japanese “r” sound. You gently push off of this spot on the roof of your mouth as you pull back your tongue like an English “r.”

“Tsu” blends together “t” and “s” in a way we don’t quite have in English. You push off the “t” sound, and should almost sound like the “s” is drawn out. The sound “fu” is so soft, and like a breath of air coming out. Think like a sigh, “phew.” It doesn’t sound like “who,” but a soft “f.” As for our lone consonant, “n” can sound like “n” or “m,” depending on the word.

Special Japanese Character Readings and How to Write Them

There are a few Japanese characters that combine with others to create more sounds. You’ll often see dakuten, which are double accent marks above the character on the right side ( ﾞ), and handakuten, which is a small circle on the right side ( ﾟ).

Here’s how dakuten affect the characters:

K → GS → ZShi → JiT → DTsu → ZuH → B

And handakuten are only used with the H-row characters, changing it from “h” to “p.” So か (ka) becomes が (ga), and ひ (hi) becomes either び (bi) or ぴ (pi).

A sokuon adds a small っ between two characters to double the consonant that follows it and make a “stop” in the word. In the saying いらっしゃいませ (irasshaimase, “Welcome!”), the “rahs-shai” has a slight glottal pause where the “tsu” emphasizes the double “s.”

One of the special readings that tend to be mispronounced are the yoon characters. These characters add a small “y” row character to the other rows to blend the sounds together. These look like ちゃ (cha), きょ (kyo), and しゅ (shu). They’re added to the “i” column of kana characters.

An example of a common mispronunciation is “Tokyo.” It’s often said “Toh-key-yo,” but it’s actually only two syllables: “Toh-kyo.” The k and y are blended; there is no “ee” sound in the middle.

How to Read, Write, and Pronounce Kanji Characters

Here’s where things get tricky. Kanji, since it represents a whole word or idea, and combines with hiragana… It almost always has more than one way to read and pronounce it. And when it comes to writing them, they have a lot more to them.

Let’s start by breaking down the kanji a bit, shall we?

Most kanji consist of radicals, the basic elements or building blocks. For instance, 日 (“sun” or “day”) is a radical. So is 言 ("words" or "to say") and 心 (“heart”). So when we see the kanji 曜, we see that “day” has been squished in this complex kanji. This kanji means “day of the week.” It’s in every weekday’s name: 月曜日 (getsuyoubi, “Monday”), 火曜日 (kayoubi, “Tuesday”), 水曜日 (suiyoubi, “Wednesday”), etc.

When the kanji for “words” is mixed into another kanji, it usually has something to do with conversation or language. 日本語 (nihongo) is the word for “Japanese” and the final kanji 語 includes 言. And as for 心, it’s often in kanji related to expressing emotions and feelings, like 怒る (okoru, “angry”) and 思う (omou, “to think”).

In this way, some kanji make a lot of sense when we break them down like this. A good example is 妹 (imouto), the kanji for “little sister.” It’s made up of two radicals: 女, “woman,” and 未, “not yet.” She’s “not yet a woman,” because she’s your kid sister.

So why learn radicals? Because radicals make it easier to memorize, read, and write the kanji. By learning radicals, you can break the kanji down using mnemonics (like “not yet a woman” to remember imouto). If you know each “part,” you’ll remember how to write it. 妹 has 7 strokes to it, but only 2 radicals. So instead of memorizing tons of tiny lines, memorize the parts.

As for pronouncing them, this is largely a memorization game. But here’s a pro-tip. Each kanji has “common” readings -- often only one or two. Memorize how to read the kanji with common words that use them, and you’ll know how to read that kanji more often than not.

Japanese Writing: Stroke Order

So, I mentioned stroke order with kanji. But what is that? Stroke order is the proper sequence you use to write Japanese characters.

The rule of stroke order is you go from top to bottom, left to right.

This can still be confusing with some complex kanji, but again, radicals play a part here. You would break down each radical top left-most stroke to bottom right stroke, then move on to the next radical. A helpful resource is Jisho.org, which shows you how to properly write all the characters. Check out how to write the kanji for “kanji” as a perfect example of breaking down radicals.

When it comes to kana, stroke order still matters. Even though they’re simpler, proper stroke order makes your characters easier to read. And some characters rely on stroke order to tell them apart. Take シ and ツ:

[Shi and Tsu example]

If you didn’t use proper stroke order, these two katakana characters would look the same!

How to Memorize Japanese Kanji and Kana

When it comes to Japanese writing, practice makes perfect. Practice writing your sentences down in Japanese, every day. Practice filling in the kana syllabary chart for hiragana and katakana, until there are no blank boxes and you’ve got them all right.

Create mnemonics for both kanji and kana. Heisig’s method is one of the best ways to memorize how to write kanji with mnemonics. Using spaced repetition helps too, like Anki. Then you’re regularly seeing each character, and you can input your mnemonics into the note of the card so you have it as a reminder.

Another great way to practice is to write out words you already know. If you know mizu means “water,” then learn the kanji 水 and write it with the kanji every time from here on out. If you know the phrase おはようございます means “good morning,” practice writing in in kana every morning. That phrase alone gives you practice with 9 characters and two with dakuten! And try looking up loan words to practice katakana.

Tools to Help You with Japanese Writing

There are some fantastic resources out there to help you practice writing in Japanese. Here are a few to help you learn it fast:

JapanesePod101: Yes, JapanesePod101 is a podcast. But they often feature YouTube videos and have helpful PDFs that teach you kanji and kana! Plus, you’ll pick up all kinds of helpful cultural insights and grammar tips.LingQ: LingQ is chock full of reading material in Japanese, giving you plenty of exposure to kana, new kanji, and words. It uses spaced repetition to help you review.Skritter: Skritter is one of the best apps for Japanese writing. You can practice writing kanji on the app, and review them periodically so you don’t forget. It’s an incredible resource to keep up with your Japanese writing practice on the go.Scripts: From the creator of Drops, this app was designed specifically for learning languages with a different script from your own.How to Type in Japanese

It’s actually quite simple to type in Japanese! On a PC, you can go to “Language Settings” and click “Add a preferred language.” Download Japanese -- 日本語 -- and make sure to move it below English. (Otherwise, it will change your laptop’s language to Japanese… Which can be an effective study tool, though!)

To start typing in Japanese, you would press the Windows key + space. Your keyboard will now be set to Japanese! You can type the romanized script, and it will show you the suggestions for kanji and kana. To easily change back and forth between Japanese and English, use the alt key + “~” key.

For Mac, you can go to “System Preferences”, then “Keyboard” and then click the “+” button to add and set Japanese. To toggle between languages, use the command key and space bar.

For mobile devices, it’s very similar. You’ll go to your settings, then language and input settings. Add the Japanese keyboard, and then you’ll be able to toggle back and forth when your typing from the keyboard!

Japanese Writing Isn’t Scary!

Japanese writing isn’t that bad. It does take practice, but it’s fun to write! It’s a beautiful script. So, don’t believe the old ideology that “three different writing systems will take thousands of hours to learn!” A different writing system shouldn’t scare you off. Each writing system has a purpose and makes sense once you start learning. They build on each other, so learning it gets easier as you go. Realistically, you could read a Japanese newspaper after only about two months of consistent studying and practice with kanji!

The post How to Write in Japanese — A Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Writing appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

15 Hilarious Spanish Puns That Are So Bad They’re Amazing

Today, we’re going to learn about Spanish puns that make no sense in English.

Yes, you read that right. This article is full of funny Spanish jokes that not only make little sense in English, but are just downright bad. So bad… they’re hilarious.

Humour is often hard to translate. This is especially true when the humour comes from wordplay; puns rarely work in more than one language.

Why bother? Well, the fact that Spanish puns are hard to understand is precisely what makes them so useful to learn!

If you don't get the punchline, the solution is to expand your vocabulary until you can spot the double meaning. That's why learning some Spanish puns can improve your Spanish as well as make you laugh.

Well, maybe they won't make you laugh that hard. Most puns are more cringeworthy than laugh-inducing. The Spanish "jokes" below are no exception.

Consider yourself warned!

How to Say “Tell Me a Joke” in Spanish, Spanish Puns, and Jokes

Before we get to the actual jokes, here’s a few handy phrases for getting the ball rolling with jokes:

“Tell me a joke” in Spanish - Cuéntame un chiste“I know a good joke” - Conozco un buen chiste“A joke” or “a prank” - una broma“A joke” or “a funny story” - un chiste“A pun” or “a play on words” - un juego de palabras

And here’s an infographic with all the puns:

1. The Lazy Fish

¿Qué hace el pez perezoso? ¡Nada!

Translation:

What does the lazy fish do? Nothing! or He swims!

Nada, in this context, has two meanings: it could mean "nothing", i.e. the fish does nothing, because he's lazy. However, nada is also the third-person present singular form of the verb nadar, "to swim".

So a lazy fish does nada! Get it?

2. The Laughing Orange

¿Cuál es la fruta que más se ríe? La naranja, ja, ja, ja, ja…

Translation:

Which fruit laughs the most? The orange, ha ha ha ha…

In Spanish, laughter is normally written as "ja ja ja ja". It's like "ha ha ha ha" in English; the Spanish "j" sounds roughly similar to the English "h".

The word for "orange" is naranja, which ends with a "ja". So oranges must laugh a lot, because they have a ja ("ha") in their name.

3. The Ruined Ruana

¿Cómo se llama una ruana estropeada? ¡Una ruina!

Translation:

What do you call a ruined/damaged/broken ruana? A ruin!

A ruana is a type of poncho that's worn in some parts of South America. Its name sounds like the word ruina, which means a ruin or a wreck.

So when a ruana is badly damaged, it becomes a ruina. Obviously.

4. The Nightmare Hotel

¿Cómo se llama un hotel muy desagradable? ¡Una posadilla!

Translation:

What do you call a very bad hotel? A "posadilla"

Posadilla can't be directly translated because it's not a real word. It's a combination of posada, meaning a hotel or inn and pesadilla, which means "nightmare".

So a nightmarish posada is a posadilla. Hilarious.

5. The Angry Bear

¿Cómo se llama un oso enfadado? ¡Furioso!

Translation:

What do you call an angry bear? Furious!

I like this one. A bear is an oso (a cognate of the uncommon English word ursine, which means "relating to or resembling bears"), and furious is translated to furioso.

Geddit? A furi-oso!

6. A Pessimistic Fish

¿Cómo se llama el pez más negativo? ¡Pesimista!

Translation:

What do you call the most negative fish? A pessimist!

Disclaimer: This pun only works in Latin American accents.

This pun comes from the fact that the word pez, "fish", sounds the same as the first syllable of pesimista, a pessimist.

Because the pez is so negative, he's a pez-imista.

7. The Lonely Roof

¿Qué le dijo un techo a otro techo? Techo de menos.

Translation:

The first line means "what did one roof say to the other roof?"

The second line has a double meaning. "Te echo de menos" makes no sense if you translate it word-for-word, but it's a common way of saying "I miss you" in Spanish.

The punchline here is that te echo, when said fast, sounds like techo, i.e. "roof". So it's only natural that a techo would say techo (te echo) de menos!

8. Talkative Bread

¿Cómo haces para que un pan hable? Lo pones en agua toda la noche y al día siguiente ya está blando.

Translation:

How do you get bread to talk? Put it in water all night, and on the next day it will be soft. or Put it in water all night, and on the next day it will be talking.

The pun here is on está blando, which means "it's soft", but which sounds like está hablando, i.e. "it's talking."

So if you soak some bread in water, it will become blando - but it may also be hablando.

9. A Mathematical Pun

¿Que dijo el número 1 al número 10 ? Para ser como yo debes ser sincero.

Translation:

What did the 1 say to the 10? To be like me you have to be sincere.

Sincero, "sincere", sounds just like sin cero, "without zero". A one is just a ten without the zero, so if ten becomes a bit more sincero then maybe it will turn into a one.

Here's a similar joke, which plays on the similarity between "vente" (come) and "veinte" (twenty):

¿Que dijo el número 18 al número dos? Vente conmigo!

Translation:

What did the 18 say to the 2? Come with me!

"Come with me!" sounds like "Twenty with me!" in Spanish. And of course eighteen plus two equals twenty.

10. The Last Animal on Noah's ark

¿Cuál fue el último animal en entrar al arca de Noé? El del-fín.

Translation:

What was the last animal to enter Noah's ark? The dolphin.

"Dolphin" in Spanish is delfín, which sounds just like del fín, meaning "from/of/at the end".

Because delfines are del fin, they'd obviously be the last animal to get on board.

Although there's an obvious problem with this joke: dolphins can swim, so it's not clear why they'd need to get on Noah's ark in the first place...

11. Arachno-cat

¿Cuál es el animal que es dos animales? El gato, porque es gato y araña

Translation:

What animal is two animals? The cat, because it's a cat and a spider. or The cat, because it's a cat and it scratches.

Araña means spider, but it's also the third-person singular of the verb arañar, which means "to scratch".

The double meaning is obvious: es gato y araña could mean "it's a cat and it scratches", but it could also mean "it's a cat and a spider".

Spanish cats have nine lives, but do they also have eight legs?

12. Help!

El policía buscaba el ladrón de las gallinas. Cuando le veí él llama con su radio y dijo "¡Apoyo, apoyo!".

Translation:

The police officer was searching for the chicken thief. When he saw him, he got on his radio and said "help, help!"

This is a pun because the thief has been stealing chickens, and apoyo, "help", sounds like pollo, "chicken".

Is the policeman asking for help, or is he describing what he sees?

13. Where Did the Wine Come From?

¿Vino de la casa, señor? ¿Y a usted por qué le importa de dónde vengo?

Translation:

House wine, sir? Why does it matter to you where I'm from?

Oops - the waiter has asked an innocuous question, but it sounds like he's offended the guest.

This is because vino means "wine", but it's also a form of the verb venir, "to come". Vino de la casa means "house wine", but it can also mean "did you come from the house?" - hence the misunderstanding.

14. What Brand of Clock?

La semana pasada me compré un reloj. ¿Qué marca? ¡La hora!

Translation:

Last week I bought myself a watch. What brand? The time!

Another misunderstanding. ¿Qué marca? could mean "what brand?" - a Rolex, maybe? - or it could mean "what does it show/tell/indicate?", from the verb marcar.

What does the watch tell? The time, duh! What a stupid question.

15. Smelling Salts

Cual es la sal que más mal huele? La sal pargatas.

Translation:

What type of salt smells the worst? The "pargatas" salt.

"Pargatas" isn't a real word, but la sal pargatas sounds like las alpargatas.

An alpargata is a type of sandal, and I suppose it might get sweaty and stinky after being worn all day. So sal pargatas must be a foul-smelling type of salt.

Did You Enjoy These Funny Spanish Puns?

Like I said, these "jokes" aren't likely to make you fall out of your chair laughing, but I hope they've taught you a thing or two about how to speak Spanish and spice up your Spanish speech.

Were there any Spanish puns that you understood without my explanation? And do you know any other good Spanish puns or hispanic jokes - preferably ones that are funnier than the ones I've given? Let me know in the comments.

The post 15 Hilarious Spanish Puns That Are So Bad They’re Amazing appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

You Can Reach Proficiency in a New Language in Just 24-Weeks with Classroom Learning

Stop me if this sounds familiar -- “I took X language in high school and/or college but I didn’t really learn anything.”

If you feel like this, trust me you are not alone. There are thousands, if not millions, of people like you who took a language in high school or college but graduated feeling like they hadn’t really learned anything at all. Most people chalk this up to bad teaching or poor curriculum, and this is sometimes the case. However, the truth is that sometimes it was also due to the student.

Why Language Classes Can Mean Great Grades, but Poor Communication Ability

As someone who started teaching English fairly recently, I have learned some hard truths. The first is that teaching is hard. What is the best way to get what I know into the head of somebody else without overloading or boring them? This becomes even harder when you factor in the 15 other students in the classroom.

Most high schools and even some colleges are very limited in what they can do. They get the students for 45-90 minutes per day, sometimes even less. They also have to compete with all the other subjects and extracurriculars on their plate.

Even more difficult is the fact that foreign languages are not like history or math. Simply memorizing verb charts or prepositions will not take you to where you want to go. Sure, you may pass the class with an A+ but then you are back to the first sentence of this article. Great grades, poor communication ability.

But never fear! There are many ways you can use your language classes to help boost you into fluency even faster than if you studied on your own. Here are some reasons you aren’t learning in school and how to fix them.

To Speak a Language in Real Conversations, You Have to Put in the Work

First, if you think that this article contains some kind of magic formula where you can learn without putting in more work, you should look somewhere else. Unfortunately, this does not exist.

Your motivation for learning this language is very important. If you really don’t care about learning and only are interested in the benefits you may receive (a certain job, a travel opportunity, etc.) then you will have a hard time achieving a high level. And if you do, you are probably disciplined and motivated enough that you do not need this article. However, most of us are not that kind of person.

Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation is a highly studied phenomenon. Fluent in 3 Months founder Benny talks in this article about being a lifelong learner. In short, people tend to put in more work when they are intrinsically motivated. If your end goal really is to learn this language for your future job, a simple change in mindset can make all the difference. Instead of thinking “I need to learn X language so I can have X job”, try “I want to learn X language as best I can so that I can be the best possible employee at X job”. Now the language is not simply a means to an end but an integral part in becoming a better person and employee.

Also, simply graduating with a degree in a language can look good on a resume, but what happens when you have to speak with Spanish-speaking clients when you only ever cared about getting an A?

45-Minutes Per Week is Not Enough

One of the biggest problems that I see in people trying to learn a language in a classroom (and I was guilty of this myself) is that they think those 45, 60, or 90 minutes is enough to get them to fluency. It’s almost definitely not.

Whether it’s a high school class, college lecture or private language school, learning in a classroom has its limitations. Most likely you will focus on grammar, reading, and writing. And this makes sense, as these are the things a teacher can grade easily. However, they are not the only aspects of language and something like 2-3 hours a week is not sufficient. If you really want to learn, you must do more.

This is not to say that classroom education is bad. In fact, it can be an incredibly powerful tool. One of the most difficult parts of studying a language independently is forcing yourself to do the boring parts. At school, you must do the readings, the writing, the grammar exercises, because if you don’t you will get a bad grade. The trick is augmenting what you do in class.

How to Do It

Instead of faking your way through the homework and daydreaming in class, take on mastering each new topic as a personal challenge. Take time, even if it’s only 15 minutes, out of your day to do extra studying. And no, this doesn’t mean opening up your notebook and staring at what you already wrote. I want you to use the internet, a native friend, or another resource to really broaden your knowledge of the topic.

Let’s say you just learned about preterite vs imperfect past tenses in Spanish. You can use tools like Learning Languages with Netflix and make a note every time you hear someone use the preterite or the imperfect. Pay special attention to where they use it. If it doesn’t make sense to you, consult your textbook or the internet. Look to truly understand what is happening.

If you did this with every grammar topic, how much better would your grammar be? Would you make the same silly, basic mistakes as your classmates? Even more, with a solid base in grammar, how many fewer mistakes would you make in your writing or speaking? To top it all off, I guarantee your grades will improve!

How to Complete Homework Assignments so They’re Actually Useful

This is connected to the previous section, but is important enough to merit its own. Look, most classes require homework. You have to do it anyway. So what I am suggesting is taking it seriously. And not the, “I need to focus on this so I can get it done as quickly as possible” kind of serious. I mean, “I need to focus on this so I can learn and understand the idea as best I can”.

However, there are many students who take their homework seriously and still do not learn as well as they could. If you are someone who already cares deeply about your homework, you are halfway there. The next, equally important step is reviewing your teacher’s feedback with the same level of attention.

Mistakes are the single most important part of learning a new language. They are the best teachers and the fastest way of integrating a language into our minds. Imagine you are in a maze and you run down every corridor until you find the way out. This is much faster than spending hours deliberating on the right path. Mistakes also show us the problems with our way of thinking and open us to new possibilities.

So, treat your homework like it's a roadmap to fluency, but treat your mistakes like directions.

You Dislike your Teacher and/or Their Methods

Picture this: you just started a new semester and you are really excited about your Spanish class. You walk into the classroom and realize you got the worst teacher in the whole school. Great.

Unfortunately, most students experience this problem at some point in their academic careers. Whether it’s the way they run the class, their teaching style or simply their personality, they simply rub you the wrong way. Many times there’s nothing you can do, but the absolute worst possibility is letting the teacher get in the way of learning. Here are a couple ideas to improve your situation:

There are teachers who are simply bad at teaching. If you have one of these, you may have to get creative. Luckily, the internet is an incredible resource. There are so many websites, online lectures, informational videos and blogs like this one that can help you out. What’s more, you don’t have to build your own curriculum. Just follow what the class is doing!This person chose to teach a language because they love that language and enjoy teaching it. If you express serious interest, they are generally more than willing to help you along and their attitude about you will most likely change. Trust me, as a teacher it is awesome to see students with real drive.Something students are hesitant to do is talk to their teachers. If there is something you don’t like about the class, please let the instructor know! As a teacher, I want my students to feel comfortable and enjoy my class. However, if nobody tells me about an issue they have, how can I solve it? This will work more often than you think.If you are really in a bad situation, try and change classes. If you make this request early enough in the semester and the scheduling fits, many colleges are more than happy to oblige. Doing this in high school can be a bit trickier but if you are persistent you can make it work.If all else fails, please realize that this is one semester. Do your best to learn what you can on your own and look forward to when you no longer have to deal with this person. Language learning takes a long time. When you are fluent, you will look back and laugh.One Final Tip

The most important thing to keep in mind as a high school/college language learner is perspective.

Especially for those in high school, time is on your side. If you start learning Spanish in your freshman year of high school and continue on in college, that is potentially eight years of language instruction. Eight years. Imagine if you took 15 extra minutes out of your day (beyond doing required schoolwork) and focused on practicing. Taking out weekends and two months in the summer, that amounts to 400 hours over the course of eight years. 400 extra hours, in addition to the countless hours spent in the classroom, doing homework, and studying for tests.

To get some perspective, the US government gives an estimate about how many classroom hours it takes to achieve proficiency in a language. You can find that list here. Using Spanish as an example, the US Foreign Service estimates it will take around 24 weeks of classroom instruction to achieve proficiency. That is roughly one semester.

Using the techniques and advice in this article, you will be able to learn a language at that rate or even faster. Focus, don’t give up, and I know you can do it!

The post You Can Reach Proficiency in a New Language in Just 24-Weeks with Classroom Learning appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

17 Ways to Say “Yes” in French

“Yes” in French is oui.

And if you’re learning French and want to sound like a native speaker, there are so many more ways to say “yes” in French.

Think about how often you say “yes” in English, and how often you replace it with other words like “yep”, “yeah”, “okay”, “sure thing”, “of course” and “certainly”.

Here is a quick list of ways to say “yes” in French:

“yes” in French: oui“yeah” in French: ouais“OK” in French: d’accord or OK (pronounced oké)“of course” in French: bien sûr“absolutely” in French: absolument

And “no” in French is non.

Read on to find out more about how to say “yes” in French, including:

What oui means in French?What’s the meaning of si in French?How do you say “sure” in French?

I’ll even tell you about a famous French cartoon called Oui-Oui so you can improve your knowledge of French culture. I speak French as a native language, so you’re in safe hands here.

Are you ready? Oui?

Then let’s go!

How to Say “Yes” in French: Oui

You probably already know this… French people will answer your questions with oui, meaning “yes”!

But did you also know that the double oui is quite popular too?

French will say oui, oui to emphasize their affirmative answer. Think of it as how you would use “I do” in English when it’s not necessary: Oui, oui, j’aime ça! (“Yes, I do like it!”)

The Meaning of Mais Oui

Mais oui literally translates to “but yes”. This literal translation doesn’t make sense in English.

In most cases, mais oui is an interjection to say “that’s right” or to make the oui stronger. The mais (“but”) doesn’t translate in English when it’s part of this phrase.

Examples:

Mais oui, c’est correct ! - “Yes, that’s right!”Mais oui, j’arrive - “Yes, I’m coming.”

Mais oui on its own can also mean “but of course.”

“Yes” in French - What Does Oui Mean?

Language lovers might have another question besides How do you say “yes” in French?

If you’re familiar with romance languages such as Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, this question might be: Why don’t the French use: “si” like many other romance languages?

This is a very good question, with an even better answer.

“Yes” in Italian is sì. In Spanish it is sí. In Portuguese, sim. But in French, it’s oui.

So how come, if all these languages are derived from Latin, they don’t use the same word for “yes”?

Here’s why: there was no word for “yes” in Latin to start with. In fact, if you want to say “yes” in Latin, you’d need to use an affirmative phrase: sic est (“it is thus”), est (“it is”), hoc illic (“this is it”).

So when romance languages found themselves in need of a “yes”, they spun the Latin phrases or resorted to other languages. Sic est became si for Italian and Spanish, and sim for Portuguese. And French turned hoc illic into oc, oc ill, oïl, and finally oui.

The French language also adopted si, though only for specific situations. Let me tell you more about it.

What Does Si Mean in French?

We French like to be eccentric. This is why we have a “yes” to use in specific situations.

Si is the French “yes” to answer a question that was asked negatively.

You’d think that doesn’t happen often, but it surprisingly does. You would ask a French: Tu n’as pas faim ? (“You’re not hungry?”) and they’d answer si, meaning “yes”!

Examples:

Ça ne va pas ? (“Are you not okay?”) → Si, ça va. (“I’m fine.”)Ne vient-il pas ? (“Is he not coming?”) → Si, il est en route. (“Yes, he’s on his way.”)How to Say “Yeah” in French: Ouais

Why would you want to learn how to say “yeah” in French? It’s not “proper” language.

Well, think about how many times you use “yes” in English. Then think about how many times you use “yeah” daily.

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Whether your go-to lazy yes is “yeah” or “yep”, you probably use it more often than “yes”. You would do the same in French with ouais.

You will also hear French saying mouais. It’s ouais but with a disinterested or doubtful tone.

How to Say “OK” in French: D’Accord

If you look for the French translation of “okay” on the Internet, the answer you will get is d’accord.

D’accord literally translates to “in agreement”, or more loosely to “alright” or “fine”. It belongs to the “proper” side of the French language.

If you’re looking for the more familiar “okay”, don’t look further. No, I mean it, don’t look further than “okay”. Simply using ok has become very popular among the French population. We pronounce it oké.

Abbreviations of d’accord are also common, the first one being d’acc. D’acc-o-dacc is less often used and serves more as an extra comical affirmation.

How to Say “Of Course” in French: Bien Sûr

Bien sûr in English would literally be “well sure” as bien is “good” or “well” and sûr is “sure”.

But bien sûr is the French equivalent of “of course”!

Note: Don’t forget the circumflex accent on top of the u! Sur without the circumflex accent is “on”, and the phrase wouldn't make much sense like this. As it’s just an accent, it’s common for French people to avoid it in texts and messages. So you’ll wonder: “then why should I make sure I remember it?” If French is not your native language, people will just assume you can’t write the word properly and correct you.

How to Say “Sure” in French: Pour Sûr

Pour sûr is literally “for sure” in English. It’s another way to say bien sûr.

You might not have heard much about pour sûr, and maybe you’re asking yourself whether you have to use it in a colloquial or formal setting. Let me tell you, it’s hard to know.

While pour sûr is a bit too uptight to be everyday language, it’s not an expression you’d use in a formal conversation either. It kind of hovers in between and that’s probably why it’s not commonly used.

If you want to say “sure” as in the more familiar way, use ouais or OK.

How to Say “Absolutely” in French: Absolument

After learning to say “for sure” in French, you have to learn how to say “absolutely”. You never know how affirmative you need to be in future situations.

In French, “absolutely” is absolument. Isn’t it similar to the English word? You’re lucky, it makes it even easier to remember!

If you like French grammar (or at the very least are familiar with it), you’ll recognize the construction of the adverb: adjective (absolu, “absolute”) and the suffix -ment.

Words that are the same in English and French are called cognates. There are hundreds of French words that you can learn this way. It’s a quick way to build your French vocabulary.

How to Say “It's Okay” in French: Ça Va or C’est Bon

How you say “it’s okay” in French depends on the situation and context.

Some ways to say “it’s okay” in French include ça va or c’est bon.

Ça va literally translates to “it goes” in English. It’s the short version of ça va bien (“it’s going well”). C’est bon means “it’s good”.

As I mentioned earlier, French people do say ok. You might hear them saying c’est ok as well.

How to Say “To Nod” in French: Acquiescer

Sometimes, you don’t even need words to say “yes”. You just have to nod!

In French, “to nod” is acquiescer.

Acquiescer belongs to the first group of French verbs, those that end in -er. As verbs of the first group are always regular, the conjugation of acquiescer is simple (for French conjugation).

However, watch out for the ç cedilla. It appears in front of the vowels a, o, u but not e, i because they already make the c soft. This is why there is no ç in the infinitive of acquiescer.

Passé Simple Imparfait Passé Composé Présent Futur je - I j'acquiesçai j'acquiesçais j'ai acquiescé j'acquiesce j'acquiescerai tu - you (singular and informal) tu acquiesças tu acquiesçais tu as acquiescé tu acquiesces tu acquiesceras il - he / elle - she / on - we (informal) il/elle/on acquiesça il/elle/on acquiesçait il/elle/on a acquiescé il/elle/on acquiesce il/elle/on acquiescera nous - we (formal) nous acquiesçâmes nous acquiescions nous avons acquiescé nous acquiesçons nous acquiescerons vous - you (plural or formal) vous acquiesçâtes vous acquiesciez vous avez acquiescé vous acquiescez vous acquiescerez ils - they (masculine or general) / elles (feminine) ils/elles acquiescèrent ils/elles acquiesçaient ils/elles ont acquiescé ils/elles acquiescent ils/elles acquiesceront

You can also use the phrase hocher la tête to say “to nod”. Hocher la tête also sometimes means “to shake one’s head”.

How to Say “Thumbs-Up” in French:

A lot of our communication as humans depends on body language, so it only makes sense that we have more than one gesture to show that we’re saying “yes”.

If nodding isn’t your thing, chances are you prefer using the “thumb-up” to say yes. In French, a “thumb-up” is un pouce levé.

Funnily enough, the pouce levé is also called the le pouce anglais (“English thumb”). It’s contrary, the pouce * (“thumb-down”) is also known as *le pouce allemand (“German thumb”).

Some French people also call it the pouce levé a pouce en haut or pouce vers le haut.

Other Ways to Say “Yes” in French

Here are a few more ways to say yes without actually saying “yes” in French:

Affirmatif - “affirmative”Compte sur moi - “count on me”Comptez sur moi - formal or plural “count on me”Ça roule - “okay” or “smooth”, literally “it rolls” (familiar expression)Ça marche - “okay” or “smooth”, literally “it walks” (familiar expression)Oui-Oui - France’s Noddy Detective

This section isn’t much more than an excuse for me to talk about a popular cartoon in France.

Have you heard of Oui-Oui? Or maybe you know him as Noddy?

Still not ringing a bell? Maybe you’ll recognize him then:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl5JyT...

Oui-oui was created in 1949 by British author Enid Blyton and illustrated by a Dutch artist named Harmsen van der Beek. France saw him for the first time in 1962 as a part of a book. He has since become one of the core cartoons for young French children.

Noddy is a toy detective from the town of Miniville (“Toyland”) and his signature characteristic is his head that nods easily. That’s why his name in French is “Yes-Yes”!

Now You Know How to Say “Yes” in French, It’s Time to Part Ways”

Now you know how to say “yes” in French just like a native speaker. No one will catch you off guard anymore.

Are you happy? Oui!

Do you feel confident with your knowledge of French words for “yes”? Bien sûr!

Are you ready for more French learning? Absolument!

That’s what I wanted to hear!

Benny Lewis has put together a post for learners like you who never want to stop discovering and improving. It’s a list of the best resources there are on the Internet to learn French. Check it out, I’m sure it has what you need to take your French to the next level.

The post 17 Ways to Say “Yes” in French appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

30 Essential Russian Phrases for Travelers and Russian Learners

I want to share the most important Russian phrases for you to learn.

For beginner Russian learners, you’ll find this whole article helpful, so you’ll want to take note of all the Russian phrases I share below. With that on mind, I’ve written the first part of this article just for you, covering some essential greetings, introductions and survival phrases to help you make progress at the start of your linguistic path.

For those a little further along on their Russian learning journey, head to the second part of this article for 10 essential conversational Russian phrases for improved communication. If you’re already a bit of an advanced Russian master, we haven’t forgotten about you – check the final part of this article for 10 very useful informal words and expressions. Choose your level and let’s go!

Table of contentsPart 1: Essential Russian Phrases for Beginners Starting Out, with Numerous Examples and Usage Tips:Introductions in Russian1. Как жизнь? (Kak zhizn’?) - ‘How’s life?’ in Russian2. Что нового? (Shto novovo?) - ‘What’s new?’ in Russian3. Сколько лет, сколько зим! (Skol’ko let, skol’ko zim!) - ‘Long time no see’ in Russian4. Здорово (Zdorovo) - ‘Hey’ in Russian5. Чем занимаешься? (Chem zanimaeshsya?) (informal)/Чем занимаетесь? (Chem zanimaetes?) (formal) - ‘What have you been up to?’ in Russian5 Useful Russian Phrases in a Shop or Cafe1. Дайте счет пожалуйста? (Dayte shot pozhaluista?) - ‘Could I have the bill, please?’2. Можно мне... (Mozhno mne...) - ‘May I have…’3. Это ваш (кофе/стол/друг?) (Eto vash kofe/stol/drug)? – ‘Is this your coffee/table/friend?’4. Не за что! (Ne za shto!) – ‘You’re welcome!’5. Сколько стоит? (Skol’ko stoit?) - ‘How much is it?’Part 2: Useful Russian Phrases for Beginner and Intermediate Learners Looking to Broaden Their Speaking Skills10 Useful Conversation Starters, Fillers and Ways to Express Yourself to Keep Conversation Going1. Как вам/как тебе... (Моцарт)? (Kak vam/kak tebe [Motsart]?) - ‘What do you think about (Mozart)?’2. Как насчёт…? (Kak naschyot…?) - ‘How about…?”3. Ты должен(а)... (Ty dolzhen/ty dolzhna...)/ Вы должны... (Vy dolzhny...) - ‘You should…’4. Я тебе/вам советую... (Ya tebe/vam sovetuyu) - ‘I recommend that you…’5. По моему мнению (po-moemu mneniyu) - ‘In my opinion’6. По моему опыту (po moemu opytu) - ‘In my experience’7. Давай (davay) - ‘Let’s go’8. Расскажи подробнее (Rasskazhi podrobnee) - ‘Tell me more’9. Насколько мне известно (Naskol’ko mne izvestno) - ‘As far as I know’10. С моей точки зрения (S moey tochki zreniya) - ‘From my point of view’Part 3: Informal Russian Phrases for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Learners10 Common Informal Words and Phrases with Examples and Usage Tips1. Ничего себе! (Nichevo syebye) - ‘You don’t say!’2. Офигеть! (Ofiget’!) - ‘No way!’3. Да ладно (Da ladno)/Да ладно тебе (Da ladno tebe) - ‘Don’t worry, yeah right’4. Не парься (Ne par’sya) - ‘Don’t worry’5. Бабки (Babki) - ‘Money’6. Хавать (Khavat’) - ‘To eat’7. Ерунда (Erunda) - ‘rubbish, nonsense’8. Свалить (Svalit’) - ‘To leave’9. Штука (Shtuka) - ‘a thing’10. Бесить (Besit’) - ‘to annoy’Russian Phrases - Summing UpPart 1: Essential Russian Phrases for Beginners Starting Out, with Numerous Examples and Usage Tips:Introductions in Russian

When you’re learning a new language and are beginning to find your feet, the hardest part when interacting with others can sometimes be initiating conversation. Here are 5 surefire introductions to break the ice:

1. Как жизнь? (Kak zhizn’?) - ‘How’s life?’ in Russian

Quite literally ‘how’s life’, this is a great phrase to find out how your interlocutor is doing. Short replies you can expect to this question include: нормально (normal’no, ‘okay’), хорошо (khorosho, ‘good’) and плохо (plokho, ‘bad’).

2. Что нового? (Shto novovo?) - ‘What’s new?’ in Russian

This means ‘what’s new’ and is sure to get your conversation partner talking. Unless they reply with ‘ничего’(nichevo) ‘nothing’, but at least you asked!

3. Сколько лет, сколько зим! (Skol’ko let, skol’ko zim!) - ‘Long time no see’ in Russian

This phrase is for greeting someone you haven’t seen for a while, meaning ‘how many summers, how many winters have passed’!

4. Здорово (Zdorovo) - ‘Hey’ in Russian

Let’s face it, it can be tough repeating the same greetings of привет (privet) for informal situations and ‘здраствуйте’ (zdrastvuite) for more formal ones. So here’s another alternative, Здорово (zdorovo), close to ‘hey’ in English. Remember to keep the stress on the second ‘o’ for correct pronunciation to avoid similarity with the word for ‘great’.

5. Чем занимаешься? (Chem zanimaeshsya?) (informal)/Чем занимаетесь? (Chem zanimaetes?) (formal) - ‘What have you been up to?’ in Russian

Literally ‘what takes up your time’, this can be interpreted as what a person does as a profession or what they do in their free time, so is a universal elixir for conversation.

Those five phrases should serve you well, but if you’re looking for even more introductions at a beginner level, 15 Ways to Say Hello in Russian is an excellent place to start.

5 Useful Russian Phrases in a Shop or Cafe

Nobody wants to be tongue-tied at the cafe table, so kiss cafe-related anxieties goodbye with these instantly usable phrases.

1. Дайте счет пожалуйста? (Dayte shot pozhaluista?) - ‘Could I have the bill, please?’2. Можно мне... (Mozhno mne...) - ‘May I have…’

Need a pen? Можно мне ручку? (Mozhno mne ruchku?) Can I take a look? Можно мне посмотреть? (Mozhno mne posmotret’?) You could even combine this with our previous phrase to give Можно мне счет пожалуйста (Mozhno mne shot pozhaluista) – now you’ve got two ways to ask for the bill!

3. Это ваш (кофе/стол/друг?) (Eto vash kofe/stol/drug)? – ‘Is this your coffee/table/friend?’

Let’s face it, cafes and restaurants are ripe territory for seating mishaps and lost property, so this phrase will serve you well.

4. Не за что! (Ne za shto!) – ‘You’re welcome!’

This is a nice alternative to пожалуйста, and it’s easier to spell as well.

5. Сколько стоит? (Skol’ko stoit?) - ‘How much is it?’

As in ‘сколько стоит торт?’ (Skol’ko stoit tort?, ‘how much does this cake cost?’).

Part 2: Useful Russian Phrases for Beginner and Intermediate Learners Looking to Broaden Their Speaking Skills10 Useful Conversation Starters, Fillers and Ways to Express Yourself to Keep Conversation Going

When your Russian level begins to break into intermediate territory, you may well find that your listening is developing well but speaking remains a roadblock, especially with all of those troublesome case endings to think about! Here are 10 useful phrases you can use in almost any conversation to add to your speaking arsenal and help you to wave goodbye to those awkward silences.

1. Как вам/как тебе... (Моцарт)? (Kak vam/kak tebe [Motsart]?) - ‘What do you think about (Mozart)?’2. Как насчёт…? (Kak naschyot…?) - ‘How about…?”

This is the ultimate phrase for suggestions, as in Как насчёт завтра? (kak naschyot zavtra, ‘how about tomorrow’) when making arrangements.

3. Ты должен(а)... (Ty dolzhen/ty dolzhna...)/ Вы должны... (Vy dolzhny...) - ‘You should…’

Always a useful way to use to give advice, as in ‘ты должнен спать больше’ (ty dolzhen spat’ bol’she, ‘you should sleep more’). This construction can also be used in the past - ты должен был уйти (ty dolzhen byl uiti), meaning ‘you should have left’.

4. Я тебе/вам советую... (Ya tebe/vam sovetuyu) - ‘I recommend that you…’

Another great phrase for advice, as in я тебе советую слетать в этот город (ya tebe sovetuyu sletat’ v etot gorod, ‘I recommend that you fly to this city’).

5. По моему мнению (po-moemu mneniyu) - ‘In my opinion’

To give your opinion, you can use: по моему мнению (po-moemu mneniyu) which just means ‘in my opinion’.

6. По моему опыту (po moemu opytu) - ‘In my experience’

You can also try по моему опыту (po moemu opytu, ‘in my experience’) and по-моему пониманию (po moemu ponimaniyu, ‘in my understanding’).

7. Давай (davay) - ‘Let’s go’

This is possibly the gold standard of versatile Russian phrases. This is one you’ll get to use all the time. It can mean ‘goodbye’, ‘go on’ (when cheering on your favourite football team) or even ‘let’s go’/let’s do it’. Давай встретимся завтра в 1400? – Давай. (Davai vstretimsya zavtra v 1400? - Davai., ‘Shall we meet tomorrow at 1400? Let’s do it.’).

8. Расскажи подробнее (Rasskazhi podrobnee) - ‘Tell me more’

Quite simply, this means ‘tell me more’. Avoid awkward silences in a conversations from here on out, even with those who are economical with words!

9. Насколько мне известно (Naskol’ko mne izvestno) - ‘As far as I know’

As in, насколько мне известно, она там тоже работала (naskol’ko mne izvestno, ona tam tozhe rabotala, ‘as far as I know, she worked there, too’).

10. С моей точки зрения (S moey tochki zreniya) - ‘From my point of view’

Посмотрите на это с моей точки зрения (posmitrite na eto s moey tochki zreniya, ‘take a look at this from my point of view’).

Part 3: Informal Russian Phrases for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Learners

For the advanced learner, informal expressions often remain as an elusive final frontier, with resources hard to come by. To help out, here are 10 informal phrases to aid you in your language learning journey.

10 Common Informal Words and Phrases with Examples and Usage Tips1. Ничего себе! (Nichevo syebye) - ‘You don’t say!’

This is an extremely versatile way to express surprise. Ты купил новую тачку? Ничего себе! (ty kupil novuyu tachku? Nichevo syebye!) You bought a new car? Awesome! Ну ничего себе какой тяжёлый день! (Nu nichevo sebe kakoy tyazholy den’!) Wow, what a rough day!

2. Офигеть! (Ofiget’!) - ‘No way!’

Офигеть! (Ofiget’!) is a general way to show that you’re surprised, with a meaning close to ‘no way!’ in English. Or it’s used to state annoyance with another person - они офигели (oni ofigeli, ‘they’re taking the mickey’).

3. Да ладно (Da ladno)/Да ладно тебе (Da ladno tebe) - ‘Don’t worry, yeah right’

This phrase usually means ‘don’t worry’, as in ‘экзамен сдашь, да ладно’(ekzamen sdash, da ladno, ‘you’ll pass the exam, don’t worry about it’). But it can sometimes also mean ‘yeah right’ as in: Ты знаешь Илона Маска? Да ладно тебе!’ (Ty znaesh Ilona Muska? Da ladno tebe, You know Elon Musk? Yeah, right!’).

4. Не парься (Ne par’sya) - ‘Don’t worry’

Все будет хорошо, не парься (Vsyo budet khorosho, ne par’sya, ‘Everything will be fine, don’t worry!’). A great phrase for calming those around you when things get a bit stressful.

5. Бабки (Babki) - ‘Money’

Money is one of those areas in a language that always attracts a few common slang terms. And the one you are most likely to hear is ‘бабки’ (babki) simply meaning ‘dosh’. Another one that might come in use is косарь (kosar’), a thousand-rouble note.

6. Хавать (Khavat’) - ‘To eat’

This is an informal alternative to есть (yest’, ‘to eat’). Я пошел хавать (Ya poshyol khavat’) – ‘I’m off to munch on something’. You might also come across ‘хавчик’ as a less formal alternative to ‘food’.

7. Ерунда (Erunda) - ‘rubbish, nonsense’

A general term for ‘nonsense’ or ‘rubbish’. Oн в такую ерунду никогда не верил (On v takuyu erundu nikogda ne veril, ‘He didn’t believe in that kind of rubbish’).

8. Свалить (Svalit’) - ‘To leave’

This is a handy, informal form of ‘to leave’.For example, короче, я сваливаю (koroche, ya svalivayu, ‘right, I’m off’), or свалю отсюда (svalyu otsyuda, ‘I’m out of here’).

9. Штука (Shtuka) - ‘a thing’

This means ‘a thing’ as in чертовски интересная штука - любовь (chertovskiy interesnaya shtuka – lyubov’, ‘love is a damn interesting thing’). It’s also really useful when you don’t know the word for something.

10. Бесить (Besit’) - ‘to annoy’

Feeling irritated and need to express it? Бесить (besit’) is just the verb for you, as in меня бесят грамматические ошибки (menya besyat grammaticheskie oshibki, ‘grammatical errors really irritate me’).

Russian Phrases - Summing Up

Hopefully these Russian phrases will help you improve your level of Russian communication and impress your conversation partners. So enjoy putting them into practice! But don’t stop there for today, another excellent place to continue on is 47 Russian Lessons for Learners on a Budget.

The post 30 Essential Russian Phrases for Travelers and Russian Learners appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

6 easy ways to roll your ‘R’

The rolled r comes up in so many languages. I've heard it in various forms in Czech, Thai, Hungarian, Tagalog and of course in Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. And yet learning how to roll your r’s can seem near impossible to native English speakers.

Some people give up and use the excuse of "you can't teach an old dog new tricks". Others will rely on the English 'r' as being good enough, which in my opinion is the worst thing you can do.

I have worked hard on my Spanish accents. But what strikes me immediately when I start any language (even in my first attempt to utter a phrase) is how natives are so amazed at how I've got almost "no English accent"!

While there are many factors at play here, I know that the biggest one by far is that I have worked to master the rolling ‘r’ to improve my Spanish accent unlike some of my anglophone friends.

The English R is really different, so it gives you away immediately when you use it.

So I want to put a stop to this nonsense of English speakers not trying or even saying they can't. The good news is that it is way easier than you think!

Here’s what we’ll be covering:

What is a rolled ‘r’ anyway? Is it a learned skill?The difference between ‘r’ in different languagesLearn how to roll ‘r’s with 5 strategies for getting used to how to roll your tongueWhat is a Rolled ‘R’? Is It Possible to Learn This Skill?

A rolled ‘r’ Is actually called an "Alveolar tap" or “Alveolar trill”, and it's actually used in almost half of all spoken languages in some form.

A rolled ‘r’ is made by causing the tongue to vibrate on the roof of the mouth as air is forced between the tiny gap between the roof and your tongue.

It is not tapping the roof of your mouth as fast as you can!

There’s no real equivalent in English to the rolled ‘r’. That’s what makes it so notoriously hard for native English speakers who are used to the very hard R sound.

Despite this, it is possible to learn this skill. Being able to roll your ‘r’s isn’t a genetic trait like, say, being able to roll your tongue.

No, it just takes practice.

It may help to change how you think about it. The name “rolled ‘r’” is a bit misleading. You aren’t rolling or tapping your tongue at all -- it’s more like the tongue is vibrating and relaxed like a leaf flapping in the wind.

The Spanish ‘R’, the French ‘R’, the Russian ‘R’... What’s the Difference?

In this article, we’re going to be talking about how to do an alveolar trill, as in the Spanish words with “rr” like "ca rr o" and the “tapped” ‘r’ as in caro, not the Russian ‘r’ or the French guttural r. They are different!

Spanish actually has two ways to say ‘r’: a tap and a trill.

The alveolar tap is the easier one to learn. And if you learn the tap, you can learn the trill.

But in other languages, like the Russian ‘r’, it’s almost a post-alveolar trill. (Meaning your tongue taps behind the ridge behind your teeth rather than on the ridge).

Meanwhile, the French and German ‘r’ are both pronounced in the throat, making them a completely different sound.

You’ll notice this across languages that use some form of an ‘r’, so it’s something to be aware of.

Now, onto the strategies to learn how to roll your ‘r’!

How to Roll Your R’s Strategy #1: Use Some “Butter”

You may be surprised to hear that you can already produce a rolled 'r' sound!

When you say the word "butter" quickly, the 'tt' sound is made by flapping your tongue against the roof of your mouth, rather than a normal 't' sound (like tree). USE THIS.

It may not be the exact same as a rolled 'r' (depending on the language and dialect you are aiming for), as it’s more of the “tap” I mentioned in Spanish.

But it’s mountains more convincing than the English 'r' at the end of the same word is.

Try changing one letter at a time from 'butter' until you have your target word (e.g. caro). Use this sound and your work is pretty much done!

How to Roll Your R’s Strategy #2: Make Your “L” Sharper

If you want to sound less like an English speaker, the closest sound that you might have to the rolled 'r' is actually the letter ‘L’.

I'd recommend you start with this sound and morph it into a rolled ‘r’. In fact, the ‘L’ sound involves placing the top part of your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth. The rolled ‘r’ sound involves flapping the tip of your tongue there.

The sound difference is obvious, but the transition is easier if you start from one and move to the other, making your ‘L’ sharper.

Until then, actually using 'L' might be a good way of practising deprogramming yourself from the English ‘r’. "Es muy calo" is better than the English "Es muy caRo".

It's obviously not a good permanent solution, but a useful stepping stone.

How to Roll Your R’s Strategy #3: Relax Into It!

Think of what is physically happening for the rolled 'r' as I've tried to explain above. This can be explained in a physiological way, if you look into the positions of the tongue in your mouth. Visualise where it has to be and what you have to be doing with it.

When it comes to the trilled ‘r’ as in carro, you’ll want your tongue to be positioned right on the edge of the ridge of the roof of your mouth, behind your teeth. Try practicing by saying “duh” -- that’s right where your tongue should be.

Next, your tongue needs to be relaxed to do a trill. The tip of your tongue needs to have a tiny gap between the ridge and your tongue, so air can pass through.

Push the air like your shushing someone: “shhhhhhhhh.”

Once you’ve done that, you should feel a bit of the vibration in your tongue which creates the rolled ‘r’ sound. It takes some playing around with: the airflow, relaxing your tongue, making sure your placement is right.

But a good exercise to prepare is actually lip trills. Such as when you blow air out and your lips make a “motor” sound, or what they call “blowing raspberries”.

Once you do your lip trills, you should also feel some of the vibration in your tongue. That’s what you’re looking for with your trill as well as the air passes over the tip of your tongue.

Remember that your tongue should be like a leaf blowing in the wind and relaxed, not super ridge and trying to tap quickly.

How to Roll Your R’s Strategy #4: Youtube / Google That ‘R’

There are many useful resources online that help explain this sound to you in simple terms.

This wikihow article tries to explain step by step what to physically do with your mouth and recommends transitioning from a ‘d’ rather than an ‘L’ as I've suggested.

The same article also outlines several completely different methods to learn to roll (and trill) your R. Try each of these methods and you are bound to find one that works for you!

You may also find doing a Youtube search for "rolling R" or variants to yield some useful results. Having it explained visually as well as audibly can help a lot.

How to Roll Your R’s Strategy #5: Observe Others Doing It

Even if you haven’t mastered your rolled ‘r’ yet, don’t worry too much. Please make mistakes NOW and try to say something - you have plenty of time to tidy it up towards something better, and these mistakes will not be burnt into you forever if you are truly willing to learn.

However, by watching videos and listening to natives produce those sounds you will get a better appreciation for that ‘r’ sound.

Pay attention to how it sounds and then try to emulate it.

The truth is, the more you listen to the sound being made, the easier it will become to try and mimic it.

Another option would be to simply get help from another human being.

The best thing you can do by far is to meet up with a native (or at least over Skype) and ask them for help with this.

Live feedback from language exchanges or a tutor that is relevant to you and particular problems you are having can do so much more than generic explanations ever can. And it leaves no room for you guessing that maybe you've got it.

Roll With Your Rolled ‘R’!

Even before I got serious about speaking Spanish, one of the first things I did when I had moved to Spain was to have a patient Spanish speaking friend sit down with me and explain to me how to roll my ‘r’s.

It was frustrating at first, then I went away to practise, and came back for more adjustments. But that was it! It really helped me on my road to fluency in Spanish.

Thanks to this friend, I eliminated the strong English accent from my Spanish immediately.

There are of course other aspects of your English accent. But working on them one at a time and especially getting help, will always yield the best results.

So, give it a try and stick with it! Let me know if you were successful, or what approach worked best for you to roll your ‘r’ in the comments below.

The post 6 easy ways to roll your ‘R’ appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

What’s the Deal with Ser vs Estar in Spanish?

Ser vs. estar... If you’re learning Spanish, you’ve probably gotten one or ten migraines from this topic already. What a killjoy.

You’re not alone: all Spanish learners struggle with ser vs. estar. I know I did.

In this post, you will learn:

when to use ser vs. estara pair of ser vs. estar acronyms that will help you memorize the previous pointser vs. estar conjugationhow to efficiently practice ser vs. estar

And I also know what you’re thinking: Spanish conjugation is already tricky enough. Why did it have to have two verbs for “to be”?

Long story.

But don’t worry, I’m here to help. I’ve prepared a simple, go-to guide for you. After reading this post, getting rid of the ser vs. estar confusion will only be a question of practice.

To make sure you’re truly on good terms with ser and estar, I’ll even tell you why there are two verbs for to be in Spanish.

Ready to dive in?

Great! Buckle,up get ready, and welcome to the Fluent in 3 Months Spanish rollercoaster. The ride’s on the house 😉

When to Use Ser vs. Estar:

We’re just beginning on this roller coaster ride, and have the task of making it up the first hill… And that would be learning when to use ser vs. estar in Spanish.

So hold my cotton candy while I explain.

The Rules With Ser and Estar

The ser vs. estar rules are vague and will try to scare you off, but don’t let them. It’s all a question of practice.

Most of the time, ser is used to describe a permanent state and estar a temporary one. Think of it as ser describing when something is and estar when something is being.

(Keep in mind that this is not necessarily how you would translate them in sentences.)

Examples:

Soy feliz (“I am a happy person / I have a happy disposition”) vs. Estoy feliz (“I am happy at this moment”).El invierno es frío (“Winter is cold”) vs. El día está frío (“This day is cold right now”).El agua es clara (“Water is clear”) vs. Está claro que entiendes (“It’s clear that you’re understanding”).

Ser is the “identity” or “nature” verb: Soy Benny (“I am Benny”), Soy un hombre (“I am a man”), Los parques de aventura son geniales (“Adventure parks are amazing.”)

Estar is the “in process” or “at this moment”: Estoy feliz de estar ayudando (“I am happy to be helping.”)

Remember that I said this applies most of the time, though. Sometimes, estar is used to describe permanent things, such as something’s location: Mi casa está del otro lado del río, (“My house is on the other side of the river.”)

Alright, pull on the brakes for a second. We’re on top of a high hill now and you probably feel like we’re coming to a standstill.

But us rollercoaster fans know this is when the ride really begins.

Ser vs. Estar: Acronym Trick

Fun loop time! Did you really think I would leave you perched on that hill with a big question mark hovering over your head?

Like I said, ser vs. estar rules are vague, but Spanish learners have come together and found a way to make them easier. And that’s with… Acronyms!

Acronyms are words made out of other words’s initials. In our case, we will use the acronyms D.O.C.T.O.R. and P.L.A.C.E.

When to Use Ser: If Ser Is Giving You a Headache, Think of Your Doctor

The acronym that will help you remember when to use ser in Spanish is D.O.C.T.O.R.

Here’s how this acronym stands for:

Description → Describe something or someone’s quality (usually in appearance) that is unlikely to change anytime soon.

Example: Mi pelo es castaño - “My hair is short.*

Occupation → Describe what a person does for work or as a hobby.

Example: Soy un viajero - “I am a traveler.”

Characteristics → Describe a person’s character and personality.

Example: Mi amigo es divertido - “My friend is funny.”

Time → Tell what time it is: hours, special date, etc.

Examples: Son las dos (“It’s two o’clock”) and Hoy es mi cumpleaños (“Today is my birthday”).

Origin → Where a person or thing comes from.

Example: Soy de Irlanda - “I am from Ireland.”

Relationship → Describe a person’s ties and relationships.

Example: Matt es mi amigo - “Matt is my friend.”

When to Use Estar: If You’re Lost with Estar, Think of Your Favorite Place

The acronym that will help you to remember when you have to use estar, P.L.A.C.E., and it stands for:

Position → Say where or in what position something or someone is.

Example: Estamos sentados en el vagón - “We are seated in the wagon.”

Location → Describe where a thing or person is on a map or according to your surroundings.

Example: El parque está en el medio de la ciudad - “The park is in the middle of the city.”

Action → Make use of the present progressive or any other progressive tense. We’ll talk about this more in depth later.

Example: Nos estamos divirtiendo - “We are having fun.”

Condition → Describe a temporary mood.

Example: Mi amiga está cansada - “My friend is tired.”

Emotion → Describe present feelings.

Example: Estoy feliz de estar aquí - “I am happy to be here.”

When Ser and Estar Are Auxiliary Verbs

There is another situation in which you need to choose between ser and estar: when you need an auxiliary verb.

Auxiliary verbs, also known as helping verbs, help forming compound tenses.

The English auxiliary verbs are:

to be: “I am being.”to have: “I have done.”to do: “I did go.”

Spanish has three auxiliary verbs as well, except two of them translate to “to be” in English:

haber (“to have”)serestar

This is a significant moment of our rollercoaster ride through ser and estar. Luckily for you, it’s quite easy to go through.

Estar: Spanish’s Favorite “To Be” Auxiliary Verb

Most of the time, compound tenses that require a “to be” auxiliary verb in Spanish will use estar. This is because one of the most common compound tenses in Spanish are the progressive tenses.

I told you we would talk about it more in depth, so here we are.

These are all the progressive tenses in Spanish that use the auxiliary verb estar:

Present progressive: Estoy haciendo (“I am doing”)Imperfect progressive: Estaba haciendo (“I was doing”)Preterit progressive: Estuve haciendo (“I have been doing”)Perfect progressive: Había estado haciendo (“I had been doing”)Future progressive: Estaré haciendo (“I will be doing”)Conditional progressive: Estaría haciendo (“I would be doing”)Subjunctive progressive tenses: Esté haciendo (“I am/would be doing”)

As you can see, the various progressive tenses follow the following pattern:

appropriately conjugated estar + verb gerund

Wait! Don’t jump from the wagon yet. These big words might sound complicated, but the tenses are actually quite easy to build.

First step is knowing your estar conjugations, and I’ve got you covered. I’ll talk about them in detail later.

Gerunds are also simple to make: take the root of the verb and add a standard suffix:

-ando if the verb belongs to the first group, i.e. ends in -ar-iendo if it belongs to the second or third group, i.e. ends in -er or -ir

Examples: Estoy caminando (“I am walking”) and Estaremos comiendo (“We will be eating”).

Jump to this article if you want to learn more about Spanish verb groups!

Extra knowledge: In some Hispanic regions, you might hear phrases such as voy caminando hacia tu casa (“I am walking towards your house”) or fui preparando la cena (“I was preparing dinner”). This is another way to form progressive tenses, but not one you would find in grammar books. As always, I will advise you to listen-and-learn: observe how the locals do it.

Ser: Spanish’s Passive Voice Auxiliary Verb

In Spanish, ser is mostly used to form the passive voice as an auxiliary verb.

The passive voice happens when the subject of the sentence is ‘suffering’ the action rather than doing it: The apple is being eaten.

In Spanish, the passive voice is formed according to this format:

appropriate ser tense + past participle

Examples:

Las casas fueron destruidas - “The houses were destroyed.”El hombre es acompañado por su esposa - “The man is accompanied by his wife.”La comida será calentada por mi abuela - “The food will be heated by my grandmother.”

Just as I told you with estar and the progressive tenses, the passive voice is very easy to form.

In the next section, I will teach you how to conjugate ser.

But for now, here is how you form most of the past participles in Spanish: verb infinitive + appropriate suffix:

-ado if the verb belongs to the first group, i.e. ends in -ar-ido if it belongs to the second or third group, i.e. ends in -er or -ir

¡Ojo! This is the base of the passive voice. However, remember that gender and number are important in Spanish. That applies to passive voice.

If the subject of the sentence is:

masculine singular, the suffix ends in -o.feminine singular, the suffix ends in -a.masculine or mixed plural, the suffix ends in -os.feminine plural, the suffix ends is -as.Ser vs. Estar: Conjugation Tables

If you really want to know all about the ser vs. estar topic, you have to become familiar with the verbs’s conjugation.

I wasn’t going to let you fend for yourself on this one, so I put together two conjugation tables, one for each verb. You can learn the principal tenses of ser and estar right here.

Before the fun, though, refresh your memory by looking over the Spanish subject pronouns.

yo I tú you, informal singular vos you, informal singular in som Latin American countries él / ella / usted he / she / you, formal singular nosotros / nosotras we, masculine / we, feminine vosotros / vosotras you, informal plural only in Spain, masculine / you, feminine ellos / ellas / ustedes they, masculine / they, feminine / you, plural

Now you’re ready to dive into the conjugation.

Indicative Present Indicative Preterite Indicative Imperfect Indicative Future Indicative Conditional Subjunctive Present Subjunctive Imperfect yo soy fui era seré sería sea fuera tú eres fuiste eras serás serías seas fueras vos sos fuiste eras serás serías seas fueras él / ella / usted es fue era será sería sea fuera nosotros / nosotras somos fuimos éramos seremos seríamos seamos fuéramos vosotros / vosotras sois fuisteis erais seréis seríais seáis fuerais ellos / ellas / ustedes son fueron eramos serán serían sean fueran Indicative Present Indicative Preterite Indicative Imperfect Indicative Future Indicative Conditional Subjunctive Present Subjunctive Imperfect yo estoy estuve estaba estaré estaría esté estuviera tú/vos estás estuviste estabas estarás estarías estés estuvieras él / ella / usted está estuvo estaba estará estaría esté estuviera nosotros / nosotras estamos estuvimos estábamos estaremos estaríamos estemos estuviéramos vosotros / vosotras estáis estuvisteis estabais estaréis estaríais estéis estuvierais ellos / ellas / ustedes están estuvieron estaban estarán estarían estén estuvieran Ser vs. Estar: Spanish Wanted to Confuse You… Or Did It?

I will briefly answer the question you asked at the beginning of the post: Why does Spanish have to have two verbs for “to be”?

Hold on to your hat, because we’ve got one last big loop on this ride.

Have you ever heard of the ‘romance copula’? It’s a grammatical term used, among other things, to describe the existence of two verbs “to be” in romance languages.

Yes, you’ve read it right! Other language learners have the same issue as you do, including Portuguese and Italian students.

Let’s take a step back for a second and talk about copula verbs. The word copula comes from Latin and it means “link”. A copular verb is a verb that connects the subject of the sentence to a compliment.

We have those in English too, with “to be” being the main one.

Some romance languages have however developed extra copula verbs. These are derived from Latin verbs that didn’t necessarily start their life as “to be” verbs: sedere (“to sit”), stare (“to stay”), and esse (supletive “to be”).

Because esse was highly irregular and sedere shared some of its conjugations, they eventually merged into essere, which became the verb for "to be" for a permanent or essential concept.

Stare instead took the meaning of “to be” in a temporary or incidentally way.

In Spanish, essere became ser and stare became estar.

Ser vs. Estar: Practice

We’re coming to the end of our ride, but I can’t let you go before saying this: The only way you will be 100% at ease with ser vs. estar is if you practice.

Hispanics don’t learn the rules for ser and estar. They simply learn which sounds more right to them, it becomes instinctive. Ultimately, this is what you need to do as well.

Remember that making mistakes is the ONLY way to learn a language. I share more about this in this post.

Es Momento de Despedirnos - “It’s Time to Say Goodbye”

Did you enjoy the Fluent in 3 Months Ser vs. Estar rollercoaster? As you could see for yourself, it’s one of our most topsy-turvy rides. It wasn’t simple, but we ended up bouncing back on track after each weird turn.

Is the topic crystal clear to you now? Which ser vs. estar chart did you like the most? Let me know in the comments!

If you’re ready to start another adventure, let me give you some advice.

Learning alone isn’t fun. Having to face a whole new language on your own isn’t easy.

If you’re serious about learning Spanish, you may want to find an appropriate support for your progression. Check out my list of the best resources for Spanish learning: it’s full of materials that will help you go faster and farther.

And you can always join our Fluent in 3 Months Challenge! We have a tight-knit and supportive community that will help you speak Spanish in real conversations.

Ok, well… Time to go! I have another ride to prepare 😜

¡Hasta luego!

The post What’s the Deal with Ser vs Estar in Spanish? appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

150+ Conversation Starters So You Can Confidently Talk to Anyone, in Any Language

Are you shy and want to confidently start conversations? Or perhaps you're trying to overcome being an introvert and would like ideas for how to get speaking practice. These conversation starters will help.

I know it can be scary to start a conversation with someone or to join a group conversation - especially when you’re speaking your second language (I wrote this article for language learners, but I’m sure you’ll find it valuable even if you only speak English).

You might be wondering "what do I say?" or "what if I say the wrong thing?"

Speaking conversationally is usually just about knowing the right thing to say in any given situation. That's rarely taught in classrooms.

With that in mind, this article answers the questions "How to start a conversation in another language?" and “What’s the best conversation starters to have things to talk about, without the awkwardness?”

You'll learn questions, phrases, and expressions that you can use to confidently start conversations with anyone, in any language.

In this article, I cover two types of situations:

Speaking one-on-oneSpeaking in a group

I've also included specific phrases and expressions based on the context of where you're speaking.

Context: Location - Seeing someone in a restaurant, cafe, airport, or at school can have an impact on the sorts of things you can say.Context: Event - Are you at a party? Attending a wedding? At a concert? We'll share some phrases that will help you based on what is going on around you.

Lastly, these phrases will be in English, but use them as ideas for what phrases to look up and translate so you can start conversations in any language.

Using these phrases will improve your conversation skills, so practice them and soon you'll be starting conversations in English!

How to Get Over the Fear of Starting a Conversation in English

Before we get into the thick of things, I'll let you in on the mindset you need to have when starting up a conversation.

The fear of speaking to strangers really comes from the fear of seeming "weird" or looking foolish.

You're essentially afraid of the other person's reactions, like a strange look that says "I don't want to talk to you", or even someone laughing at you. (Of course, this very rarely happens in real life!)

To be honest, I still experience moments of fear when I start conversations in a language I'm learning. It sometimes takes me a few minutes to get into the flow.

Just know that this feeling is totally normal. Try to accept it as normal, and not to worry about it too much.

Here are some tips for getting conversations started:

Conversation Tip #1: Be Friendly!

The first key to feeling relaxed and getting over your fear is to have a good time and be friendly.

Smile and enjoy the experience of meeting someone new. If you can relax and enjoy getting to know someone, then that will be felt by the other person and it will put them at ease.

Talking with someone who is super serious and has a grave expression is rarely enjoyable, so why put someone else through that? Relax your face and turn that frown upside down!

Talk to people as you would talk to a friend, and they may just become one.

Conversation Tip #2: Take the Pressure Off

A lot of fear around starting conversations comes from putting pressure on yourself to have a certain result from the conversation.

So, stop having specific expectations about what will happen! Whatever happens, happens.

Don't expect anything from yourself or the other person other than getting to know them a little better.

Also, don't force a topic or be aggressive in what you're trying to say. That type of energy is a turn-off to someone you've just met. Let the conversation flow naturally.

Finally, realize that you don't need to become best friends with your conversation partner. There are millions of native speakers out there, so becoming friends with this one person won't determine your success. If the conversation doesn't go well, that's okay.

The next opportunity is just around the corner.

Conversation Tip #3: Remember, the World Doesn't Revolve Around You

Don't make the conversation only about yourself. Try to ask questions about the other person's life. Only interject things about yourself when they are actually relevant to the topic.

What if they ask you a question about yourself? Answer it. But then ask them the same question.

Often people ask questions they secretly want to be asked themselves, so turn the question around and see what your conversation partner has to say.

The most important thing is to not be forceful or seem desperate. Bring things up naturally and casually. People should never feel pressured to talk with you, so help them feel comfortable.

Conversation Tip #4: Be Honest

When asking questions or talking about something, don't make something up just because you memorised a particular phrase.

For example, don't say "I love cats too!" if you actually hate cats. Or avoid saying "My uncle works in a factory" when you don't even have an uncle, let alone one that works in a factory.

Make sure you say things that are true, even if it means searching for the words you need.

Otherwise, you could end up in a really awkward situation.

Conversation Tip #5: Avoid Closed-Loop Questions

Questions that can only be answered with "yes" or "no" are called closed-loop questions, because they close down the conversation.

Open loop questions work much better when your aim is to keep a conversation going.

Let's look at the difference between these through a couple of examples.

Instead of asking the closed question "Do you like apple juice?", ask the open question "What is your favourite type of juice?"

Or, instead of asking "Do you like spaghetti?", you can ask "How often do you eat Italian food?"

Open-loop questions invite further discussion, whereas a "yes" or "no" question usually only invites an end to the conversation.

Now that you have the right mindset, let's get into tips for having topics to talk about!

Conversation Starters for Speaking One-on-One

A conversation has specific phases that it goes through. These include starting the conversation, elaborating on a topic, inviting a longer conversation, changing the topic, and closing the conversation.

When talking to someone one-on-one, you'll find it helpful to look at each phase and figure out your approach for the phase to figure out what to talk about.

Here's a specific structure you can follow:

Phase 1: Begin with Good Conversation Starters

The best way to start up a conversation with someone you don't know is to ask a question that's not too personal.

Here are some examples of polite questions you can ask to get things going:

"Excuse me, do you have the time?" or "Do you know what time it is?""Hi. Is this seat taken?" if the answer is "no", then you can follow up with "Do you mind if I sit here?""Pardon me. Do you know what time this place closes?" (assuming you are in a place of business, where "place" can be replaced with "restaurant" or "cafe" or "store").

Even better, start a conversation by noticing something about the other person and commenting on it in a nice way. Here are some examples:

Note: whatever you see in [brackets] can be substituted for something specific to your conversation.

"That is a really nice [hat]. Can I ask where you got it?""I really like your [shoes]. Did you get them near here?""That's a cool looking [phone]. Is it easy to use?"Phase 2: Elaborating on the Conversation Topics

Now that you've started talking, you will need to elaborate on the established topic and continue talking.

If they answered your question, you can ask one or two follow up questions to get more details, such as:

"Is that store near here?""Was it good value?" (Try to avoid asking for specific monetary amounts of items like "How much did it cost?" as that can be considered rude.)"Do they have other colours available?"

Next, provide some context as to why you asked them the question in the first place. Here are some examples:

"The reason I asked is because I've been thinking about replacing my phone.""I've been looking for a hat like that to give to my friend.""Yeah, the shoes I have are getting worn out. It's time to get a new pair."

And, as always, if someone is being helpful, don't forget to thank them!

"Thanks for the suggestion.""I appreciate the information.""Thank you. That was really helpful."Phase 3: Extending the Conversation with More Questions to Ask People

You can usually tell when a person is losing interest in a conversation. If you reach that point, then excuse yourself and be on your way.

However, if you feel like the person may be receptive to a longer conversation, then why not talk a bit more and get to know them better?

Here are some more general questions you can ask to keep the conversation going.

"Are you from this area?""So, what do you do for a living?""What brings you here today?""Do you come here a lot?"

Each of these questions can be used to extend the conversation and learn more about the other person.

The idea here is to find common points of interest. When they mention something that relates to you and your life, this gives you an opportunity to explore that topic more fully.

Phase 4: Exploring a Topic Further - What to Talk About Next

When your conversation arrives at a topic that you're comfortable speaking about in your target language, then this is your chance to discuss it in more depth.

As an example, let's say that you discovered your conversation partner has a cat. You have a cat, too. Time to show some photos of your cat on your smartphone!

Or, if the person mentions they are a vegetarian and you happen to be vegetarian, now you have something in common. Why not ask about their favourite vegetarian recipes?

Here are some sentences and phrases that may come in handy to dive in deeper with a topic:

"Really? I'm a [vegetarian] too! What made you decide to [stop eating meat]?""I love [cats]! In fact I [have two]. What type of [cats] do you have?""[Football] is my favourite sport! What team do you support?""You're kidding! I [drive a motorcycle] as well. What type of [bike] do you have?"

The idea here is to let them know you share a common interest, then ask them to share more details.

Remember to talk about the other person more than yourself.

For example, instead of going off on a long tangent about your favourite recipes, ask them for theirs. It shows that you are truly interested in getting to know them and they’ll be more open to continuing the conversation.

Phase 5: Asking for Opinions and Interesting Questions to Ask

Everyone has an opinion on something, and many people like to share them with others. So coming up with interesting questions to ask doesn’t have to be hard.

Just ask for their thoughts and opinions!

Here are some questions you can ask to get the other person's view on a situation or topic:

"I don't know. What do you think?""Has that been your experience too?""Has that ever happened to you?""Why do you think that is (the case)?""Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Once people start sharing their opinions, you open up the door for a whole new area of conversation.

Phase 6: Changing the Topic with Conversational Connectors

Sometimes a conversation can start to fade and you find things are winding down.

If you sense your conversation partner is losing interest in talking about your impressive collection of snowglobes, it's probably time to change the topic! Use conversational connectors to do just that.

Here are some ways you can switch to other topics:

"That reminds me...""Oh hey. Did you hear that...""Speaking of [horses], I found out that..."

Or, if you want to make a more abrupt change, you can just say it directly with:

"Okay, I'm totally changing the topic now, but I was wondering...""Not to go off-topic, but I recently heard that..."Phase 7: Inviting Your Conversation Partner to Talk Longer

After about 10 or 15 minutes, it's worth checking that your conversation partner wants to continue talking. Get a confirmation that they want to be in the conversation so you can be sure they aren't just being polite.

Here are some questions you can ask to see if it's possible to maintain a longer talk.

"I'm not keeping you from something, am I?""Sorry for taking up so much of your time. Do you need to take off?""I just realised you're probably in the middle of something. Do you have time to chat?""Let me know if you need to get going. I don't want to take up all your time."

These sorts of expressions show that you are being considerate of your conversation partner's needs.

Phase 8: Closing the Conversation

Part of being a good conversationalist is knowing when to stop talking.

When the conversation ends, find a way for them to get in touch with you in the future. If you feel like they might want to chat again, you can give them an opportunity with some of these phrases:

"Well, if you ever want to chat again, I'm usually here [every Monday afternoon].""Let me give you my email address. If you're ever in the area again it'd be great to meet up.""Feel free to call me if you want to hang out. Here, I'll give you my number."

And remember to make them feel appreciated too!

"I really enjoyed our chat. Thanks so much.""It was really nice meeting you.""I had a great time talking with you. Hope to see you again soon."Joining and Talking in a Group Conversation

Not all your conversations are going to be a one-on-one encounter. Sometimes you will be joining a group where others are talking.

The most important skill in group situations is listening. Pay attention to the conversation and interject only when it is relevant.

Many of the phrases you've learned so far in this article can work in group situations. You can also add to a group conversation with other types of phrases, such as sharing your experiences or thoughts, asking questions to the group, or making connections between two people.

Here are some phrases you can use:

Conversation Starters for Sharing Experiences or Ideas

If you have something to add to the conversation, here are a few examples of how you can do it:

"Actually, that happened to me once. It was really [annoying].""I totally agree. The same thing happened to me too.""That's pretty common. I heard that a lot of people had the same experience."

You don't need to share too much, but let the group know that you have more information to add. If they want to know more, they can ask for details.

Asking Questions to the Group

If you notice that some people in a group aren't participating as much in a conversation, you can ask questions for the whole group.

Here are some questions to stimulate more dialogue:

"Has anyone ever ... ?""How many of you think that ...?""Do a lot of you ... ?""Which one of you ... ?"

Or, you can direct it to an individual. Just be sure not to single them out in an uncomfortable way. Here are some examples:

"What do you think [Diana]? Has that ever happened to you?""Hey [Carlos]. Didn't you also ... ?"Making Connections Between Two People

You may realise that two of the people in the group have something in common. You can make people feel included and connected by sharing these observations with the group.

Here are some ways to do it:

"Actually, [Navvab], didn't you go there last year too?""You should ask [Samson] about that. He had the same thing happen to him.""[Makoto] has the same [phone]! Where'd you get yours, [Makoto]?"

This can help people feel like a part of the group. Of course, don't let out anyone's secrets!

Closing the Conversation or Leaving the Group

If you have to get going and want to excuse yourself from the group, here are some quick and easy ways to do so:

"Hey, I better get going. I have a long day tomorrow.""Hey guys. Sorry, but I have to run. It was great chatting with you all.""Oh man, it's getting late. I better head out.""Alright guys. Time for me to go. Have a good one."Conversation Starters in Context: On Location

Often what you say directly relates to where you are.

Whether you're in a restaurant, the airport or on the job, you should have some phrases handy to start up a conversation that relates to your location.

Topics to Talk About In a Restaurant or Cafe

Here are phrases and expressions you can use to start and maintain a conversation in a restaurant or cafe:

"Do you have a recommendation on any good dishes?""What would you recommend for someone who hasn't eaten here before?""What is the best drink here?""Do you know if the [chow mein] is any good?""Have you ever had the [asparagus]?""If you had to eat just one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?""What is your favourite dessert?""What is your favourite spicy dish?" (They don't like spicy? Great! Ask them why, and keep the conversation going.)

Finally, here are some phrases you can use at the end of your conversation:

"Enjoy your pasta!""Have a good meal!"Conversation Starters When You’re At Someone's Home

If you're visiting someone's home you're in luck! There are an endless supply of possible things to talk about. Just look around the house and you'll see many things to bring up and discuss.

"How long have you lived here?"“Do you like the area?”"Where did you get this [bookshelf]?" (or television, chair, porcelain fountain, etc.)"What is your favourite thing about this house?""How many people live here?""Is this house close to [your work]?" (or school, or the park, or the airport, etc.)"How far away is the [supermarket]?"

And here are a few home-specific statements that you can say when leaving someone's home:

"Thank you for having me over!""Thanks for inviting me to your home.""I had a wonderful time."Things to Talk about When Exploring the Streets

Sometimes you bump into someone when you are out and about. They might be sitting on a park bench, or waiting in line at the bus stop.

Here are some questions and statements you can use to start and keep up a conversation:

"Do you know where a [bakery] is around here?""What street is this?""Do you know what time [bus 37] comes by?""Where can I buy a [bottle of water]?""What is your favourite thing about [this park]?""How crowded are the buses when they get to this stop?""Can you recommend a good restaurant around here?" This can be followed by "What is your favourite dish there?"Questions to Ask People At the Airport

From personal experience I know that airports are often a place where you have to "hurry up to wait".

You rush through customs or security only to sit at the gate waiting for your plane for several hours (or longer if it is delayed).

This is a great chance to chat to someone in English. Here are some phrases that can get things started:

"Have they announced the boarding time for this flight?""Is there a place to charge a phone nearby?""So, where are you headed today?""Do you know what time we arrive at the destination?""Is this your preferred airline?" followed by "why is that?""Are you flying home or are you flying away from home?""Where is the favourite place you've ever visited?""Have you ever had the chance to fly in first or business class?" then "what was it like?""Can you recommend any good restaurants or sights in [Buenos Aires]?"

Because you're flying somewhere, odds are you will never see your conversation partner again. That means you don't have to worry about making a fool out of yourself because your connection with them will be short lived and temporary.

Plus, there is a good chance someone you talk to may have some great suggestions about places to see or things to do in your destination city.

Conversation Topics On the Job

If you're working among natives, then this is a perfect chance to strike up a conversation. After all, you already have something in common!

Here are some phrases you can use to start up a conversation with a work colleague:

"How did you come to work here?""What is your favourite place to eat lunch near the office?""What do you enjoy most about your job?""What is your eventual career plan?""What do you think is the most important thing to succeed in this company?"What to Talk About At School

You may be a student and find yourself studying abroad. Why not get to know the other students better? Here are some questions you can use:

"How long have you been a student here?""What are you studying?""What do you recommend to eat on campus?""Do you know a good, quiet place to study?""What do you plan to do when you finish your studies?"

As you can see, you really can make friends anywhere, and you should never be at a loss for a way to start up a conversation.

Conversation Starters: Events

You've been invited to a special event and want to be able to start up a conversation with the people there. The wonderful thing about events is that you automatically have a point of common interest.

Just explore that common thread further to weave a full tapestry of interesting conversations.

Topics to Talk About at a Birthday Party

A birthday party is a fun place to get to know someone and it's really easy to start speaking with a total stranger. Here are some phrases to help you get going:

"How do you know [the birthday person]?""What do you think of the [birthday cake]?""What is the best birthday party you've ever been to?""If you could re-live any year of your life, which one would it be?""When is your birthday?"Small Talk for When You’re at a Wedding

The joining together of two people in marriage is a joyous event, and while you're there throwing confetti and dancing the Conga, be sure to sit down and have a chat with someone new!

Try out these phrases to help break the ice:

"Are you a friend of the bride or the groom?""What’s the best wedding you've ever been to?""If you were going to plan the perfect wedding for your best friend, what would it be like?""Do you like dressing up in formal attire?""Do you know where they are going on their honeymoon?"Conversation Starters at a Sporting Event

A match or game can be a perfect opportunity to make some fast friends. Connecting with others who share a passion for sport seems to automatically create a bond between people.

Here are some questions you can ask at the next big game:

"Who do you think will win?""Have you been following all the matches this season?""Who is your favourite player?""Do you play the sport yourself?""What do you think the score will be?"Questions to Ask People at a Concert or Performance

Music fans love seeing their favourite performers on stage. If you have tickets to an event or are just sitting in a cafe watching someone strum a guitar, be sure to strike up a conversation with other music enthusiasts near you.

"What's your favourite song of theirs?""Do you play music yourself?" or "Do you play an instrument?" or "Do you sing?""How often do you go to a show?""What do you like about this performer?"Random Conversation Starters

If you’re looking for interesting questions to ask outside the norm, these are a good place to start. After all, sometimes a random question helps build interest in the conversation.

“What’s your favorite thing in the whole world?”“If you could spend your time doing anything, what would you do?”“What’s your dream [job, vacation, etc.]?”“What’s your favorite number and why?”“Do you have pets?”“Are you a dog or cat person?”“If you were the star of a TV show, what would be your theme song?”“Who is your favorite actor or actress?”“Where’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever been?”“What’s your favorite place in the world?”“Where’s your favorite place to chill?”“Are you a morning person or a night owl?”“What’s your favorite season and why?”“What’s your biggest pet peeve?”“What was your favorite childhood TV show?”Conversation Starters for Texting

It can be hard getting a conversation going on text, since it’s not face-to-face and hard to read the other person’s feelings.

But these conversation starters will help get the ball rolling:

“Do you have plans this weekend?”“Working on anything exciting right now?”“Do you watch [The Mandalorian]?”“What are you up to today?”“How was your day?”“How did your [meeting/work presentation/project/whatever they mentioned last] go?”Conversation Starters on Zoom or Conference Call

Zoom has quickly become a huge part of everyone’s lives, with so many people working from hom now or talking long distance.

If that’s you, here’s some ideas for breaking the ice:

“How’s everyone feeling right now? Holding up okay?”“What’s everyone been watching on Netflix?”“What new books are you reading?”“Who’d like to do a virtual [hang out/game night/movie night]?”“Has anyone tried any new recipes lately?”“How’s everyone’s self care going right now?”“Have you discovered any new podcasts lately that you’re loving?”

Zoom can be a bit awkward, but depending on the situation, most of the other general phrases on this list would work, too! Just ask about life at home or work -- and things will surely go from there.

Be Friendly, Considerate, and Open Your Mouth!

There you have it. 150+ different ways to strike up a conversation and keep it going strong.

Sure, it can be intimidating when you consider talking to a total stranger. Especially if they speak a different language than you.

But getting over your fears is the first step, not only in language learning, but in being able to meet fascinating people and make long-lasting friendships.

Just remember these main points:

Be friendly! -- Even if the other person doesn't have time to talk, at least they'll appreciate your pleasant demeanour.Take the pressure off -- When you come in with expectations you may become easily disappointed. Just have fun and let whatever happens, happen!Talk about them -- They don't want to hear your life story (At least not yet). Ask them questions that show you want to get to know them better, and they'll probably reciprocate with the same.Be honest -- No need to make up an impressive story to get someone's attention. Just be yourself and tell the truth.Ask open loop questions -- A "yes" or "no" can be a conversational dead end. Ask questions that spur on further discussion.

We've covered a lot of potential situations and questions or phrases you can use in each one.

But whether you use these approaches or just throw on some random accessories, the goal is to speak at every opportunity.

You'll notice I didn't say the goal is to talk for 15 minutes. And I didn't say the goal is to bring up a specific topic. The only goal is to open your mouth and start talking in your target language.

Getting a conversation started is the biggest hurdle. It is the one action that will have the most significant impact on your language learning (and friend making) success. Be open to whatever happens from that point forward and you will multiply your chances of improving your skills

The post 150+ Conversation Starters So You Can Confidently Talk to Anyone, in Any Language appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

Spanish for Toddlers: How to Raise a Bilingual Child When You’re Fluent in Only One Language

If, like me, you want to teach your toddler Spanish, you’ve probably wondered “What are the best Spanish lessons for young kids?”

In this article, I’m going to show you. You’ll learn how to teach Spanish to your child (or children), even if, like me, you’re monolingual. I’ll be sharing my story and what I’ve learned along the way. I’ll also share some of my favorite “Spanish for toddlers and kids” resources, as well as showing you how to evaluate the resources that you find.

As well as being a mom, I’m a former teacher, so I’ve got a good understanding of what works when it comes to imparting knowledge.

By the time you’ve finished reading, you’ll know exactly how to get started, and you’ll have plenty of ‘Spanish for toddlers’ options to try with your kids.

Let’s get started!

I Want My Daughter to Be a Citizen of the World

When I became a parent about two and half years ago, I knew I wanted to set my daughter up for success when it came to being a “citizen of the world”. Learning a second language would be the first step.

As someone who has studied abroad, traveled to about a dozen other countries, and backpacked my way from Norway to Italy, I have long understood the power of language, the opportunities knowing multiple languages creates, and its ability to connect us to amazing people and places.

Roughly 60% of the world speaks a second and multiple languages, yet only 15-20% of Americans do.

But… I’m only Fluent in English

Teaching my toddler Spanish didn’t seem like an easy path. I wasn’t sure how to teach my daughter Spanish as I myself speak the language at only a basic level.

I have studied Spanish and Italian throughout my life, I still exchange beve for bebe when brushing up and would consider myself a conversational survivalist in the two languages.

So how am I planning on raising a bilingual child? It’s been research, trial and error, a lot of handing over the reins, and being willing and vulnerable enough to learn like a child and make mistakes.

When Should You Start Spanish Lessons with Your Toddler?

Children are the greatest learners. They are curious about everything in their worlds and they are completely unafraid of failure.

Have you ever watched a baby try to learn to stand? They will pull and fall then reach up again and again without hesitating. That type of determination is exactly what is needed when learning a language.

When I considered when to begin working on a second language with my daughter, as an educator, I knew earlier was better.

We Started Teaching Our Daughter a Second Language at 7 Months

Her first experience with a second language has actually become a quite common first exposure to a second language among parents these days, it was American Sign Language (ASL) beginning at about 7 months old.

For our family we simply did not stop at “milk”, “all done”, and “more”. We continued on to making associations with the spoken word that made her feel empowered as she could quickly communicate her needs and interests.

My husband's paternal grandparents were both deaf so he has been able to brush up and expand his vocabulary with our daughter -- it’s a win-win for the entire family!

While we had a background in ASL, we didn’t stop there. When she began speaking quite clearly at 18 months we began Spanish immersion courses (before the pandemic occurred). The simple exposure once a week had her curious about a language she had not heard and gave her dedicated time to practice.

Now at 2.5 years old she is stringing together sentences in ASL and is interested in learning new words daily. She can count to 10 in Spanish and says “corto corto corto” as she’s working on her scissor skills. Everything is “how do you say it in Spanish”, shortly followed by “now how do you say it in Sign Language”.

I know quite a lot of vocabulary revolving around dinosaurios that I did not learn in my high school Spanish days. When it comes to choosing when to begin, begin as soon as possible and be involved in the process. Be willing to say “I don’t know that word, let me look it up” and learn right along with your child.

Knowing Her Learning Style Has Helped Us, Too

As a former teacher, making learning fun is at the heart of everything I do.

I did not want my daughter’s first taste of Spanish to be “drill and skill” and rote memorization that led to disinterest as she got older and more aware of her surroundings.

When it comes to resources, I’d suggest first thinking about the type of little learner you have at home. In other words, what’s your child’s learning style?

As a teacher, I always began my students’ year with a learning assessment so that I knew how to present material in a way that would connect with them. Young children are no different. They have likes and dislikes and show preference in how they learned best.

For our daughter, we soon realized the best approach would be aural, kinesthetic, and musical focused resources. You can complete the following quiz or other quick online assessments to discover what type of learner your child is to help evaluate resources.

How to Evaluate Spanish Resources for Children

When it comes to pinpointing resources, I try to implement best educational practices. But I’m also a mother and teaching one-on-one, so we are less formal. We do have some guiding principles and questions I inherently ask myself before hitting the buy or print buttons.

Here’s what I ask myself:

Does this resource match my daughter’s learning style?Is the resource age-appropriate? There were many resources I loved early on, but my child was not quite ready to take on alone.Is this from a credible professional or source?Most importantly, is my child enjoying it?

I recommend you keep a running list of resources you find, even if you don’t use them right away.

Children like routines and predictability for a secure learning environment, but when it comes to resources they also enjoy variety in order to not become bored.

If you’re unsure about a particular resource, go to the experts and research. Seek out reviews, especially from other parents with young kids. Look at the results and consider the backstory of the development of the product.

With my daughter being such a young age, I hold the pedagogical belief that it is all about positive exposure. Learning should not be a chore, it should be fun. If at any time your plan of implementing resources feels like a chore, remind yourself that is not the goal.

A positive relationship with a lifelong love of learning begins when learning is fun, laughs are shared, and positive praise is evident.

Spanish for Toddlers Resources We’re Loving

After some research, trial and error, we found some great resources to begin with that our child has loved.

Hola Amigo Subscription Box for Toddlers

Our daughter looks forward to the fun themed light blue box coming in the mail each month. In it, you’ll receive a book in Spanish, hands on activities, and tactile toys. The most recent dinosaurio themed box was a big hit! It was also a great reminder as parents that children don’t want to start with “important basics” like names of foods, daily routines, etc. Just as with their native language, they want to speak about the things that they love. Like dinosaurs!

Find out more about the Hola Amiga Subscription Box here.

Immersive Online Spanish Classes for Kids with Cucu’s Playhouse

Singing, dancing, puppets, props, and teachers who love what they do! We found Cucu’s Playhouse through Outschool.com, but realized the school offers streaming memberships! We were all signed up for live classes but the pandemic hit and this was a great alternative that connected me to teachers across the country with great enthusiasm.

Spanish Cartoons on Netflix

Netflix having the option to translate cartoons into different languages has been a wonderful way to make screen time feel guilt-free for the whole family. I rest easy knowing her daily minutes are enjoyable for her, yet giving her exposure to a second language. The standout favorite has been Word Party or Fabuloso Vocabulario!

Dora the Explorer has also aged quite well, toddler approved by the responsiveness to questions. I love that she’s not just a passive participant in the journey and is asked to practice words.

Muzzy

We also purchased a subscription with Muzzy, the wonderful animated monster I recall seeing commercials from since 1990, has found his way into the heart of the next generation.

Spanish Books for Toddlers

I recommend investing in some of your child's favorite titles in the language you are attempting to teach them. They know the story already, and may even be able to repeat them verbatim.

Challenge your toddler by offering the same title in another language. Point to pictures as you say the name of an item or character and use the same inflection as you do when reading in your native language! Some books are even written with English and Spanish words together on each page.

Some good choices include:

Classic Favorites such as Dr. SeussParent Favorites, like Usborne Books “That’s Not My” series… such as Este No Es Mi DinosaurioModern Child Picks... such as Dragones y Tacos

We began exploring books in Spanish by simply going to the library and letting our toddler explore the Spanish titles for children. That’s a great place to start and be able to keep your home reads refreshed and exciting throughout the language learning journey!

Toddlers Are Excellent Learners

So where do you plan to start? The truth is, just start somewhere!

Children learn in a more raw and authentic way compared to how adults learn languages - they don't have their guard up like we do. They're not afraid to attempt to speak and get it wrong. All they see is a familiar character, a new fun activity with Mom, or a fast-moving class with singing puppets.

After you choose some resources, reinforce what your child learns in the day-to-day. Name foods they’re eating, give them kisses and say “Besos!”. Make it as authentic as learning their native language was by simple exposure. Be confident speaking from Day 1 yourself!

Soon you’ll have a spunky toddler constantly enthusiastically asking “and how do you say it in Spanish?!”

Music to my ears!

The post Spanish for Toddlers: How to Raise a Bilingual Child When You’re Fluent in Only One Language appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

How to Read Chinese and Make Mandarin Characters Less Confusing [In-depth Guide]

If you’re only just starting to learn Mandarin Chinese characters, you might feel a bit lost. It’s absolutely okay if the Chinese writing seems confusing at first, but once you learn the basics, it will become much easier.First, know that modern Chinese texts are read left to right, top to bottom, just like English. But note that the ancient Chinese texts were written in columns, right to left.To answer the question “How to read Chinese?”, you might also find it useful to first head to this article about simplified Chinese characters. You’ll learn the basics, such as the six main types of Chinese characters and how to visualize some of them based on their meanings.Today, I’ll dig a little into that, but I’ll also explain how to read more easily with pinyin and how to use online tools and other resources to help you learn to read Chinese.How Do You Read Chinese Writing?Start With PinyinA simple answer to the question “How to read Mandarin?” is: start by learning pinyin and then continue with the simplest characters. Afterward, you’ll learn more advanced characters and it will all become much easier.First things first: what’s pinyin? Pinyin is going to be your biggest helper when you learn to read Chinese characters. It’s a transcription of the Chinese characters into the Latin alphabet -- the alphabet that I’m using to write this article.The Chinese language doesn’t have an alphabet per se, so if you try to search for “Chinese alphabet”, most likely you’ll just find something about the characters. The same goes for Chinese letters. There’s no such thing, but pinyin is as close as it gets to it.So back to pinyin. As a transcription from the Chinese characters to Latin alphabet, it’s a great help for a new learner. Pinyin also includes all the tones, for example, 汉字, “Chinese character” is transcribed as hànzì.How to Read Chinese CharactersNow that you know what pinyin is, it’ll be easier for you to jump into learning how to understand Chinese writing. Let’s learn how to read Chinese “letters” and words -- the characters.Break Down the CharactersRemember that every Chinese character represents a syllable. It’s never just a letter, and sometimes it’s a whole word.The most important component of every Chinese character is its radical. Character radicals often indicate the meaning of the character and sometimes the way it’s pronounced. Recognizing radicals will help you more easily find the Chinese character translation, as many Chinese dictionaries list characters based on their radicals.You should be familiar with radicals, but don’t focus all your attention on them. Not every character is determined by its radical. Some radicals have different variations based on a character and the process of simplification of Chinese characters has made it even more difficult to recognize them.There are 214 simplified Chinese characters and here are a couple of examples: 火 (huǒ) - “fire” looks like this when it acts as a radical: 灬 , such as in the character 黑 (hēi, “black”) 水 (shuǐ) - “water” changes to 氵, for example: 河 (hé, “river”) 心 (xīn) - “heart” can either stay as it is at the bottom of a character: 想 (xiǎng, “want, think”) or can change to 忄when located on the left of a character: 快 (kuài, “fast”)A great example that combines both the semantic (meaning) and phonetic (sound) components is the character 洋 (yáng, “ocean”), where 氵is the sign of water and 羊 (yáng, “sheep”) indicates how to pronounce it.Another way to break up the characters and make it easier to read written Chinese is to visualize. As mentioned before, the simplification of characters has made it a bit more difficult to do that, but some characters still have a symbol that’s close to their meanings.Have a look at these and try to guess what they mean: 口 (kǒu) - “mouth” 门 (mén) - “door” 三 (sān) - “three” 女 (nǚ) - “woman”Break Down the Words and SentencesIn the same way some English words are formed, Chinese words often make sense when broken down.For example, the English word “ex-boyfriend” is formed by three parts: “ex”, “boy” and “friend”.The same word in Chinese, 前男友 or 前男朋友 (qián nányǒu or qián nánpéngyǒu, “ex-boyfriend”) is formed the exact same way. 前 (qián) in Chinese means “ex” or “before”, 男 (nán) is “male” and 朋友 (péngyǒu) means “friend”.Let’s take a look at more examples of how you can guess the meaning of Chinese words: If you already know the character 四 (sì, “four”) and the character 月 (yuè, “month”), then you can guess that 四月 (sìyuè) means “four/fourth month”, therefore meaning “April” 女孩儿 (nǚháiér, “daughter”) is formed of 女 (nǚ, “female”) and 孩儿 (hái’ér, “child/baby”) 星期日 (xīngqírì, “Sunday”) is a combination of 星期 (xīngqí, “week”) and 日 (rì, “sun”)Types of Chinese CharactersThe reason why the types of Chinese characters are not in the very beginning of this article is simple: you don’t need to learn about them to be able to read Chinese writing.But it’s definitely important to know how Chinese characters are classified And at the end of the day, the knowledge might come in handy when reading and analyzing the Chinese texts.Let’s have a look at the 6 types of Chinese characters: Pictograms – for example 人 (rén, “person, people”) Ideograms – 上 (shàng, “up, on”) Phonetic compounds – 历 (lì, “calendar”) Combined ideographs – 家 (jiā, “home, family”) Loan characters – 泗 (sì, “sniffles, nasal mucus”) from 四 (sì, “four”) Transfer characters - 考 (kǎo, “test”) and 老 (lǎo, “old”)Some of these types can be really useful for you to know as you learn to read written Chinese. For example, pictograms, as their name suggests, are pictures of the words. As you can see above, simplified pictograms don’t look like their meaning a lot of times, but there are certain exceptions.The same goes for phonetic characters and ideograms, where the pronunciation (in the case of the phonetic ones) and meaning (ideograms) can be guessed by the way they look or by their radical/component.Don’t rely on this every time, but you can sometimes guess the pronunciation of a character from the loan and transfer characters. This applies mostly with simpler characters with less components. Most of the time, you can be sure that the way you read a character is determined by the predominant component.Software, Dictionaries and Other Tools to Help You Read Chinese WritingLuckily, there are many tools, books and other helpful resources that can make reading Chinese texts easier.Wenlin文林免费版 (wénlín miǎnfèibǎn, “Wenlin Free Edition”) and 文林完整版 (wénlín wánzhěngbǎn, “Wenlin Deluxe Edition”) are two versions of this software application you can get for your computer.Once you download Wenlin, you can also use it offline. Wenlin has different functions, such as flashcards, stroke order and handwriting, but for your reading learning, you will find its copy and paste function especially useful.Whatever text you want to read, you can copy or upload to Wenlin. The software will then show you the pinyin and translation of each character, word and sentence.MDBG Chinese DictionaryThis online dictionary (or offline for Apple Mac OS X) is a simple help when you need to quickly translate your characters. Its handwriting feature is also a great advantage, especially when you’re not as familiar with the Chinese written language.It’s also possible to copy and paste your text and translate it into English. Its translations are accurate, and pinyin is also included.PlecoPleco is a downloadable dictionary for your phone. The first thing you see on their website is a claim that they make the best Chinese dictionaries. So what is so good about Pleco?What makes them great is the number of functions they have: handwriting function, OCR (lookup of characters with your phone camera), document reader, screen reader, audio and more. The app is also neatly and clearly designed while keeping its functions and transitions fast.When you’re learning how to read Chinese texts, you’ll especially appreciate the document reader, as well as audio.Loqu8’s Written Chinese ReaderPrices for this helpful Chinese reading tool start from $8/month and offer up to 250,000 translations per month. This is the only tool in this list that doesn’t offer a free option, but you might find it worth the investment.You can download Written Chinese Reader as a browser extension and read any text on the internet. The Reader will not only read your chosen characters for you but also transcribe them into pinyin, translate them and show their related meanings.Another useful feature is a character lookup, as well as making your own list of characters based on your web history.NLP Reading ToolSimilar to Loqu8’s Written Chinese Reader, NLP offers a built-in web browser with a Chinese dictionary. It also works offline.NLP is a free tool, but you can donate to the developers any amount you wish.This Chinese reading tool helps with understanding any Mandarin text in a number of ways: it shows an English translation, pinyin and an accurate segmentation of sentences into words.A very helpful feature is the ability to look up a list of example sentences.Not only can you hear a native speaker reading your selected text for you, but you can also choose the type of dialect you wish to hear, such as Beijing, Taipei or even the Cantonese native speakers’ dialects.FlashcardsThere are many resources for flashcards online, but, of course, you can just simply make your own.If you’re looking for flashcards you can download, or for the ones you can use online, here are a couple of websites where you can find them: Anki - you can also learn more about Anki as a language learning tool here Study Stack Mandarin ManiaBooksLearning a language with the help of literature is always a great idea. Not only do you have different options, but you can also find many resources for your specific learning level and also have fun while studying.If you’re a beginner learner, look for children’s books and parallel texts. It’s also a good idea to search for books that are written specifically for Chinese learners, so they have translations and explanations included.Here are some recommendations for books you can practice your Chinese reading with: Contemporary Chinese Short-Short Stories: A Parallel Text by Aili Mu and Mike Smith 12 Lucky Animals by Vickie Lee Little Monkey's Journey: Retold in English and Chinese: Retold in English and Chinese (Stories of the Chinese Zodiac) by Li Jian Mandarin Chinese for Beginners: Mastering Conversational Chinese by Yi Ren and Xiayuan Liang Mandarin Companion by various authorsTry each tool to see which one helps you learn the most. It’s okay to use dictionaries and translation software a lot when you first start to learn Chinese, but be sure to practice without them as well. Only then you can be the true master of Mandarin Chinese.Now that you’re familiar with written Chinese, broaden your vocabulary with this list of essential Chinese vocabulary for beginners and practice Chinese tones so you can sound like a native when you put your vocabulary into practice.What’s your secret tip for reading Chinese texts easily? Let us know in the comments below!

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