Benny Lewis's Blog, page 33

Present Progressive in Spanish Made Easy [With Examples & Charts]

Are you struggling in your fight with present progressive in Spanish? If your answer is “yes”, this article will be the superhero that rescues you.

Conjugation isn’t the easiest thing about Spanish. In fact, it can be quite intimidating if you try to tackle this villain the wrong way. It seems so different from what we know in English!

But don’t worry, I can help you power through it.

In this post, I’ll give you an in-depth explanation of the present progressive tense in Spanish.

Want to hear the best part? I’ll keep it simple. And I’ll include many examples and charts to make sure you master it all.

So what do you say? Let’s be allies?

Great! Grab your cape and your mask, my friend, because we’re about to kick some Spanish conjugation!

What Is “Present Progressive” in Spanish?

To understand what “present progressive” means in Spanish, let’s first refresh your memory on what it is in English.

Progressive verb tenses, also called “continuous tenses”, describe actions that are in process or unfinished.

Examples:

I was going to come.I am eating breakfast.I will be sleeping.

As you can see, progressive tenses are formed with a conjugated verb “to be” and the “-ing” form of another verb.

Our enemy number one at the moment is the second example, the “present progressive” tense: “I am eating.”

Now let’s talk about el presente progresivo, the “present progressive” in Spanish.

How to Form El Presente Progresivo, the Present Progressive Tense in Spanish

Before we get started, there’s something I have to tell you.

In the introduction, I mentioned how it seems like Spanish conjugation is very different from English conjugation. That’s what it might feel like… But we experienced language superheroes know better.

In fact, the two share some similarities when it comes to structure.

The presente progresivo, also called presente continuo (“continuous present”), follows this layout:

simple present tense of the verb estar (“to be”) + gerundio (“gerund” or the -ing form of a verb)

Examples:

Estoy comiendo. - “I am eating.”Estás hablando. - “You are talking.”

¡Ojo! (“Watch out!”): There are two verbs that translate to “to be” in Spanish: ser and estar.

Estar in Spanish means “to be” in a temporary moment. It makes sense that it’s the verb used for the present progressive, the time that describes an unfinished or in-process action.

Estar - The Simple Present Conjugation of “To Be”

As we’ve seen above, you need two words to form an invincible present progressive phrase in Spanish. Let’s learn about the first one: the simple present tense of estar.

Here is a conjugation chart:

Estar ("to be") yo estoy I am tu, vos estás you are (singular informal) él, ella, usted está he, she is / you are (formal singular) nosotros, nosotras estamos we are vosotros, vosotras estáis you are (plural informal in Spain) ellos, ellas, ustedes están they are / you are (plural formal in Spain, standard plural in Latin America) Los Gerundios - “The Gerunds”

The second part of the power combo is the “gerund”. You might recognize it more easily if I disclose its secret identity: it’s the “-ing” form of a verb. You know, like “running” or “fighting”.

You take the root of the verb and add “-ing” at the end.

In Spanish, it is a bit more tricky to make up a gerund.

The main rule still is to use the root of the verb, but the ending is treated differently. A verb’s gerund depends on what group the verb belongs to: first or second and third.

Think of the verb groups as superhero teams that unite verbs with the same traits:

all verbs ending in -ar belong to the first group. Examples include hablar (“to speak”) and llamar (“to call”).all verbs ending in -er belong to the second group. Verbs such as comer (“to eat”) and saber (“to know”).all verbs ending in -ir belong to the third group. Think of dormir (“to sleep”) and reír (to laugh”).

To form the gerund, remove -ar, -er, and -ir from the verb and replace it with the appropriate ending.

The gerund’s ending for a verb that belongs to the first group is:

-ando → hablando (“eating”), cocinando (“cooking”)

The gerund’s ending for the verbs that belong to the second and third group are:

-iendo → comiendo (“eating”), riendo (“laughing”)

¡Ojo! There are some exceptions to the rule. I’ll talk more about them later in the post.

Now… Onto the Spanish Present Progressive Examples!

I told you at the beginning of the post that I would add to our journey with charts and examples to make the topic easier to understand.

Well… The time has come.

Spanish Present Progressive - First Group Estar hablando ("to be talking") yo estoy hablando I am talking tu, vos estás hablando you are talking él, ella, usted está hablando he, she is talking / you are talking nosotros, nosotras estamos hablando we are talking vosotros, vosotras estáis hablando you are talking ellos, ellas, ustedes están hablando they, you are talking

Note: Verbs such as dar (“to give”), cocinar (“to cook”), trabajar (“to work”), llegar “(to arrive”), pasar (“to pass”), dejar (“to leave”), and llamar (“to call”) follow this pattern.

Spanish Present Progressive - Second Group Estar comiendo ("to be eating") yo estoy comiendo I am eating tu, vos estás comiendo you are eating él, ella, usted está comiendo he, she is eating / you are eating nosotros, nosotras estamos comiendo we are eating vosotros, vosotras estáis comiendo you are eating ellos, ellas, ustedes están comiendo they, you are eating

Note: Ser (“to be”), tener (“to have”), hacer (“to do”), ver (“to see”), saber (“to know”), querer (“to like” or “to want”), and parecer (“to look like”) are a few examples of second-group verbs that conjugate like comer for this tense.

Spanish Present Progressive - Third Group Estar viviendo ("to be living") yo estoy viviendo I am living tu, vos estás viviendo you are living él, ella, usted está viviendo he, she is living / you are living nosotros, nosotras estamos viviendo we are living vosotros, vosotras estáis viviendo you are living ellos, ellas, ustedes están viviendo they, you are living

Note: A lot of the third-group verbs are irregular and do not follow the same pattern as vivir. However, there still are a few, like salir (“to exit” or “to go out”), escribir (“to write”), and recibir (“to receive”).

Irregular Present Progressive - The Rebel Verbs

There are two types of “irregular” verbs when it comes to gerunds:

Those who don’t keep their root for the gerund. I don’t know if they’re trying to be creative or just want to have a cooler spelling. The point is, watch out for the verbs whose root changes when they shift into gerund format.Those whose spelling makes it necessary to change the suffix -iendo into -yendo.

Keep in mind that only verbs of the second and third group can be irregular. All the verbs of the first group follow the standard gerund rules.

Let me give you a few examples here with -ir verbs

Estar yendo ("to be going") yo estoy yendo I am going tu, vos estás yendo you are going él, ella, usted está yendo he, she is going / you are going nosotros, nosotras estamos yendo we are going vosotros, vosotras estáis yendo you are going ellos, ellas, ustedes están yendo they, you are going

Leer

Estar leyendo ("to be reading") yo estoy leyendo I am reading tu, vos estás leyendo you are reading él, ella, usted está leyendo he, she is reading / you are reading nosotros, nosotras estamos leyendo we are reading vosotros, vosotras estáis leyendo you are reading ellos, ellas, ustedes están leyendo they, you are reading

Dormir

Estar durmiendo ("to be sleeping") yo estoy durmiendo I am sleeping tu, vos estás durmiendo you are sleeping él, ella, usted está durmiendo he, she is sleeping / you are sleeping nosotros, nosotras estamos durmiendo we are sleeping vosotros, vosotras estáis durmiendo you are sleeping ellos, ellas, ustedes están durmiendo they, you are sleeping

Caer(se)

Estar cayendo(se) ("to be falling") yo (me) estoy cayendo I am falling tu, vos (te) estás cayendo you are falling él, ella, usted (se) está cayendo he, she is falling  / you are falling nosotros, nosotras (nos) estamos cayendo we are falling vosotros, vosotras (os) estáis cayendo you are falling ellos, ellas, ustedes (se) están cayendo they, you are falling

Note: Caerse is a reflexive verb that means “to fall”. If you are interested in reflexive verbs, I advise you to take a look at this post where I wrote about them. I hope you like space travelling for that mission.

Estamos Llegando al Final de La Misión - “We Are Reaching the End of the Mission”

Here we are: the end of the feat. Congratulations, you’ve conquered the present progressive tense in Spanish!

I guess you could say you’re the master of presente progresivo now. And I am honoured to have been by your side along the way.

Have you enjoyed my superhero talk through the post? Honestly, I think it’s a lot more fun to learn something tough through fun explanations. And you know what else is fun? Talking about superheroes in Spanish!

I didn’t do it here because you already had a lot to keep an eye on. But if you’d like to learn how to say “superhero” or “champion” in Spanish, you should check my post on the subject. (There’s also plenty of vocab for my fellow Marvel, DC, and Star Wars nerds!)

Now, it looks like it’s time for us to say goodbye… for the time being. But I wouldn’t put it past Spanish to come up with a new obstacle to throw in your way. If that ever happens, remember: I’m always up for being your Spanish language-learning sidekick.

You know where to find me if you need a hand.

See you soon for more adventures!

The post Present Progressive in Spanish Made Easy [With Examples & Charts] appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

Is Babbel Any Good for Language Learners? I Speak 4 Languages Fluently, Here’s What I Think [Babbel Review]

What did I think of Babbel, as someone who speaks four languages fluently? It helped me improve my pronunciation and understanding of grammar. While it has some flaws, the good outweighs the bad. I recommend it as a good use of time for the language learners it targets.Are you ready for a Babbel review? This is what I have in store for you today: an honest, extensive review of one of the most popular language learning resources out there.Before we continue, I think it’s only fair of me to give an honest disclaimer. I am fluent in French, Italian, Spanish, and English and have not learned one of these four languages with a language course. Or by taking language classes.Erm, Alice, you’ll say, What does this have to do with this Babbel review?Good question.The thing is… When I try out a language course, I compare it to the top language learning methods.I wrote a post on what I consider to be the best language learning method and I stand by my point: full immersion is the only way to fluency. So I base my evaluation of courses on how close they come to full immersion.This is the second time that I’m reviewing a course for Fluent in 3 Months. The first time was when I got the chance to experience Olly Richard’s storytelling method (spoiler: I loved it!).I had a lot of fun writing the Italian Uncovered  review and I wondered how a more popular program such as a Babbel would compare.With a one-month trial period, and as part of my current mission to learn a fifth language, I explored Babbel’s Portuguese courses.Let me walk you through the experience with shiny screenshots and an inside perspective.To make sure you get everything you need, I’ve included answers to questions that language learners often ask about Babbel.Babbel Review: IndexIn this Babbel review, I will tell you: What Babbel is What Babbel does well The restrictions of learning with Babbel Which languages Babbel teaches How Babbel does compared to Rosetta Stone Babbel’s costs and value How to make the most of itWithout further ado, here’s why I think Babbel is a four-star language learning resource. It has some flaws, but as I mentioned earlier, the good outweighs the bad. I recommend it as a good use of time for the language learners it targets.Let’s Start at the Beginning: What Is Babbel?Babbel is both a language e-learning platform and a language learning app. It offers courses at newcomer, beginner I, beginner II, pre-intermediate, and intermediate levels. It doesn’t currently go to advanced levels.Babbel is constantly reviewed and updated by a team of more than 150 language experts who work to ensure that each course remains effective and accurate.All of its audio learning content is produced by native speakers to guarantee that students have contact with the real language.It uses a blended approach to learning. While using Babbel’s Portuguese course, I have practiced: With flashcards By repeating words out loud By typing dictated words or phrases By reconstructing words or phrases I’d previously learnt with the flashcards By filling in the blanks in dialogues By listening to dialogues By reading short grammatical or conjugation lessons By reviewing learnt words or expressions until I was confident using themBabbel Languages: How Many Languages Does Babbel Teach?I used Babbel to learn Portuguese from English, but you could use it to learn any of the following languages: Danish Dutch English (from French, Italian, German, Swedish, Spanish, Polish, or Portuguese) French German Indonesian Italian Norwegian Polish Portuguese (Brazil) Russian Spanish (Latin America) Spanish (Spain) Swedish TurkishThat’s a total of 14 languages, or 15 if you count the two types of Spanish separately.What Babbel Does WellThis is the part where I justify the four stars.Babbel Allows You to Choose Your Learning LevelSome people compare Babbel to Duolingo.While they are similar in their teaching techniques (flashcards, fill in the blanks), Duolingo makes you climb levels. Babbel gives you the opportunity to jump from level to level without having to “unlock” them.Once you have a subscription, you can choose to do any course at any time.Babbel Teaches You to Speak Like a Native SpeakerAs I told you before, Babbel makes sure that all its audio content is recorded by native speakers in the target language. This makes for a flawless accent and a clear pronunciation which students can get used to as soon as the first class.It’s true that the words and speech are slowed down and well-articulated, which might not be the case in a foreign country. However, this gives learners the chance to have an easy start and get used to the accent. There’s always time for speeding the pace up later.Babbel Encourages You to Regularly ReviewRepetition, repetition, repetition. All successful people recognize the importance of this quote.An effective language learning journey has two crucial characteristics: constant practice and a tolerance for mistakes.Benny wrote a post on how important mistakes are on your way to fluency, and I think you should check it out.But mistakes don’t happen on their own. They happen when you practice. And the more you practice, the fewer mistakes you will make.Babbel’s programme pushes you to review at least ten words or phrases every day. To make sure that your review is as effective as possible, Babbel lets you choose the review technique you prefer.You can choose between flashcard review, “type in” review, speaking review, and identifying review.Babbel Teaches You Colloquial Language First, and Gets a Big Yes From MeThis particular point is really important because it ties to full immersion.Often, Babbel makes you learn the colloquial version of a phrase first. It makes sure to also give you the correct and less familiar alternative, but the emphasis is on the phrase as you would hear it in the streets.This might seem strange to anyone who’s learnt languages with the usual school method. Wouldn’t learning the colloquial language confuse you? And then you wouldn’t be able to speak correctly?As someone who learnt two languages out of need rather than just passion, let me tell you why teaching colloquial language first is great.When you travel to a foreign country, your goal is not to get an academic book published in that language. You want to be able to understand what the natives say. And you can’t do that unless you know the colloquial expressions.So thank you Babbel for taking care of that.The Part of Babbel that Didn’t Convince MeThis is the part where I justify the missing star.Babbel Lacks Its Own ‘Stand-Out’ FeatureUnlike my much loved Uncovered courses, Babbel doesn’t have a particular feature that makes it stand out.It isn’t based on storytelling like The Staircase Method nor does it go big on podcasts like the Pod101 courses.Add its similarity to Duolingo and Drops and it makes it forgettable as a programme.You Need to Catch Up on Conversation SessionsWhile Babbel’s audio content is great and its dialogues are a clever way to put you in a realistic conversational situation, you don’t get much of a chance to speak.In fact, besides the occasional repetition of words or phrases, you don’t get any out-loud practice. That’s frustrating, as this is one of, if not the most important parts of language learning.Advice: Check out iTalki to find native tutors in your goal language.No Easy Takeaway LessonsBabbel gives you short lessons, disguised as tips, in between interactive activities. While this may seem nice during the practice, it is actually a problem afterward.The thing is that you won’t depend on Babbel at any time during your language learning, you’ll sometimes want to study lessons without practicing. But Babbel doesn’t give you a PDF of its lessons you can print. It doesn’t have a section in its menu for you to look up all the written lessons.You would have to create that yourself, but you could as well do so by grabbing info on language blogs on the internet.The Babbel Language App: A Quick Babbel App ReviewI am a full-time university student and work two part-time jobs. You can imagine how much of my day I can dedicate to language learning. But the Babbel app made it easier.Fitting language learning into a busy schedule is a real tour de force. This is why courses that have an app immediately stand out. They allow you to squeeze in ten minutes of practice in between tasks or during holes in your schedule.The Babbel app is easy to use and very similar to its desktop version. I will mention Duolingo again because both apps are very similar. However, Babbel has a more professional design and system. Its content is certified by professional linguists and has more structured content than Duolingo.Watch out! Even if this is a minor inconvenience, it’s worth mentioning: I checked another language on my laptop and closed the browser. I then couldn’t find a way on the app to go back to Portuguese. I had to close the app, change the language on the website, and then open the app again.Babbel vs. Rosetta Stone: A Fluent in 3 Months Comparison MustAs Fluent in 3 Months is quite famous for Benny Lewis’s Rosetta Stone review, I wanted to draw a quick comparison of Babbel vs. Rosetta Stone. It’s based on Benny’s experience with Rosetta Stone and mine with Babbel.Learning ApproachRosetta Stone and Babbel have two completely different learning approaches. While Babbel provides short lessons in English, all of Rosetta Stone’s content is in your target language.I am all for full immersion, but studying rules is a very important step of learning a language. It is important for learners to learn the rules, and so having short lessons in a language you can understand is very useful.Audio ContentAccording to Benny, one of Rosetta Stone’s strong points is audio. I would say the same for Babbel. Benny mentions that Rosetta Stone’s audio lessons get tedious, though. As Babbel’s are delivered as part of interactive activities, they’re actually quite fun.Price DifferenceThere is a price difference between the two courses that might not be evident when you look at the three-month subscription plan. It gets important when you compare the yearly subscription, though: Babbel asks for $83.40 while Rosetta Stone wants $119.88.Is Babbel Free?Babbel isn’t free, but it offers you a free seven-day trial. After you register for an account, you have a week to explore the courses, software, and method for free. This allows you to make sure they are suited to your needs.If, by the end of the trial, you are satisfied and wish to continue, the trial is converted into a subscription.Otherwise, you can cancel it.How Much Does Babbel Cost?Regardless of the app or course, this is a question we all ask ourselves before investing in language learning. After all, I wouldn’t want to spend money on an unsatisfying course when I have a future trip to Portugal to fund.So how much is Babbel?Babbel functions on a subscription basis: you don’t buy the course but rather temporary access to it.You can choose from three types of subscriptions: A three-month subscription for $29.85 ($9.95 per month) A six-month deal for $50.70 ($8.45 per month) A twelve-month option for $83.40 ($6.95 per month)Note: If you choose to learn several languages at a time, you will have to subscribe to Babbel once for each language. You have the possibility to try one course per language for free before you subscribe, though.Babbel Cost: Do I Get my Money’s Worth?As a quadrilingual and believer in full-immersion, I’ve come to terms with the fact that finding a perfect language teaching course is rare, if not impossible.However, full-immersion isn’t always an option. Take me as an example: I am learning Portuguese but can’t afford to move to Portugal or Brazil just yet.This is why I’ve come to like using language apps and language courses for support.I think that language teaching programs such as Babbel are like university courses: they point you in the right direction, give you the base. But if you really want to get the most out of them, you need to do some extra study on your own.Following that logic, you have to enhance your learning with extra resources. Benny wrote an extensive list of the best language learning resources that I strongly advise you to check out.I hear you asking: If I will need extra resources, is it worth subscribing to Babbel?I’ll say yes, for two reasons.First, Babbel stands out as a good sidekick for language learning. If you’re serious about learning a new language, you need structure for your studies. Babbel’s courses will help you keep order in your learning program.Secondly, Babbel is a good economic choice. Its monthly cost doesn’t even equal the price of a single language class with a tutor. This gives you the chance to invest the rest of your budget in practice sessions with native speakers or motivational communities like the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.So to answer the question Do I get my money’s worth? I’ll say: If you use Babbel smartly, you do.In Conclusion: Does Babbel Work?After my Babbel trial and studying the bare minimum every day, I can say my Portuguese has definitely improved. I am more confident with conjugation tenses and have started pronouncing words the right way.I am still shy when it comes to speaking, though, and Babbel hasn’t really helped with that.However, because I took what I needed from it, Babbel turned out to be a valuable resource.It deserves four stars and a chance.Tell Me What You ThinkHave you used Babbel to learn a language? Is there something else I should have mentioned in this review? Do you have questions?Let me know in the comments!Até jà, amigos! (“See you soon, friends!”)

The post Is Babbel Any Good for Language Learners? I Speak 4 Languages Fluently, Here’s What I Think [Babbel Review] appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

19 Amazing Korean Movies on Netflix

Are you a Korean movie buff, or learning to speak Korean? Then these Korean movies on Netflix are a must-watch!

Below are some of the best Korean movies on Netflix for language learners -- and just the general movie lover.

South Korea has a thriving movie industry (often called Hallyuwood, for the “Korean wave”) which has produced top Korean movies like Train to Busan, Oldboy, and Parasite. Speaking of Parasite, it was the first non-English language movie to win an Academy Award for Best Picture!

Listed below are the best Korean movies on Netflix for any genre: action, romance, comedy, horror, thrillers, dramas. There are even a couple Korean kids’ movies!

Let’s jump into the Hallyu, the “Korean wave” of popular entertainment from South Korea!

Korean Action Movies on Netflix

Steel Rain

Hangul: 강철비
Released: 2017
Director: Woo-suk Yang
Genre: Action, Drama
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

In the near future, Eom Chul-Woo, a former North Korean Special Forces agent, discovers a plot for a military coup. He’s forced to defect to South Korea with the Supreme Leader.

To prevent an all-out nuclear war on the Korean peninsula, Eom Chul-Woo teams up with South Korean official Kwak Chul-Woo to stop the coup from happening.

Psychokinesis

Hangul: 염력
Released: 2018
Director: Sang-ho Yeon
Genre: Action, Fantasy
IMDb Rating: 5.9/10

From the director that brought you Train to Busan comes this superhero fantasy movie. A bank security guard named Suk-hun drinks the water from a mountain spring, and suddenly discovers he has telekinetic superpowers.

He then uses his newfound powers to save his estranged daughter, Roo-Mi, from an evil construction company run by the mafia.

Revenger

Hangul: 리벤져
Released: 2018
Director: Seung-won Lee
Genre: Action, Crime
IMDb Rating: 5.7/10

In the not-too-far future, a remote island has become a prison for violent criminals on death row.

But one man, set on avenging his family’s murder, purposefully gets himself sent to the island to take revenge.

Pandora

Hangul: 판도라
Released: 2016
Director: Jong-woo Park
Genre: Action, Thriller
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10

A run-down nuclear plant explodes after an earthquake strikes a small town in South Korea.

The nuclear meltdown is devastating to the town, and only the plant workers can stop it. They must return to the plant in order to save everyone.

Illang: The Wolf Brigade

Hangul: 인랑
Released: 2018
Director: Jee-woon Kim
Genre: Action, Sci-fi
IMDb Rating: 6.0/10

In 2029, North and South Korea have finally agreed to reunification. The preparations have been 7 years in the making, but it’s threatened by a political uprising on both sides.

South Korea creates a special forces unit, the “Wolf Brigade”, to stop the terrorist attacks on the reunification.

This movie is a live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade.

The Witch: Part 1 - The Subversion

Hangul: 마녀
Released: 2018
Director: Hoon-jung Park
Genre: Action, Mystery
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

A young girl escapes from a mysterious lab after an incident leaves many dead. After 10 years of living a normal life without any memories of what happened to her, she tries to uncover the truth.

Her search leads her face-to-face with more troubles from her past as she discovers an inner darkness she had hidden away.

Korean Horror Movies and Thrillers on NetflixRampant

Hangul: 창궐
Released: 2018
Director: Sung-hoon Kim
Genre: Action, horror
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10

Exiled Prince Lee Chung and Minister of War Kim Ja-joon go head-to-head in a fight for power… all against a backdrop of zombie infections thanks to a European ship.

If you love zombie movies, especially “K-Zombie” movies, you’ll enjoy this film. And an even bigger plus if you’re a Crash Landing on You or Memories of the Alhambra fan -- Prince Lee Chung is played by Hyun Bin! (My personal favorite Korean actor!)

Lucid Dream

Hangul: 루시드 드림
Released: 2017
Director: Joon-Sung Kim
Genre: Sci-fi, thriller
IMDb Rating: 6.1/10

An investigative journalist named Dae-ho is trying to track down his son who was abducted -- three years ago.

Losing hope of finding his son, he tries a new form of therapy using lucid dream techniques. This therapy allows Dae-ho to retrace what happened on the day his son was kidnapped.

Finding a new evidence trail, he teams up with Detective Song to try and find the truth about his son’s whereabouts.

Call

Hangul: 콜
Released: 2020
Director: Chung-Hyun Lee
Genre: Horror, Thriller
IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

In two different times - 20 years apart - one phone call connects two women. As the women end up changing the past (and thus the present), they unleash a pandora’s box of death.

This movie stars megastar Park Shin-hye!

#Alive

Hangul: #살아있다
Released: 2020
Director: Il Cho
Genre: Horror, Action
IMDb Rating: 6.2/10

Another horror movie starring Park Shin-hye, #Alive immediately hit the Netflix Top 10 charts in the US.

The story centers around video gamer live streamer, Joon-woo, who’s forced to stay isolated in his apartment while trying to survive the zombie apocalypse. He connects with a fellow survivor, Yoo-bin, and together they try to stay alive until rescue comes… if it can.

The Chase

Hangul: 반드시 잡는다
Released: 2017
Director: Hong-seon Kim
Genre: Drama, Action, Thriller
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10

Sim Deok-soo, a grumpy landlord of an apartment complex, discovers his tenants are disappearing.

When a retired detective comes knocking, they team up to track down a serial murderer who seems to have returned after 30 years.

Korean Romantic Movies and Comedies on NetflixTune in For Love

Hangul: 유열의 음악앨범 (Literally: Yu-yeol’s Music Album)
Released: 2019
Director: Ji-woo Jung
Genre: Romance, drama
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

During the Asian financial crisis (IMF crisis) of 1997, two teens meet at a bakery during Christmas break. As they fall in love, they continue to try to meet over the years, but it never seems to be good timing.

The movie follows the two over 10 years, filled with longing, secrets, and love. But the biggest highlight of this movie is the incredible, beautiful soundtrack!

The Bros

Hangul: 부라더
Released: 2017
Director: You-jeong Jang
Genre: Comedy, fantasy
IMDb Rating: 6.1/10

Two estranged brothers who haven’t seen each other since their mother’s funeral -- where they caused chaos and drama -- come together again at their father’s funeral. On the way, they hit a mysterious woman with their car, who then gets amnesia.

Despite starting out selfishly, the brothers discover family secrets and work to come together.

Best Korean Drama Movies on Netflix

Below you’ll find some of the best Netflix Korean drama movies, which are critically acclaimed or super popular among K-Movie lovers.

And by the way, if Korean dramas are your thing, don’t forget Netflix boasts tons of amazing Korean Dramas that are totally binge-worthy. So you’ll have plenty more to watch after this list!

High Society

Hangul: 상류사회
Released: 2018
Director: Hyuk Byun
Genre: Drama
IMDb Rating: 5.4/10

How far would you go to become part of the upper elite? One married, upper-middle-class couple will do anything.

Oh Su-yeon, the wife, is a curator of a chaebol-funded art gallery who aims to become the director. (By the way, chaebol are huge family-owned conglomerates in South Korea. They play a big role in politics as well.)

Her husband, Jang Tae-ju, is an economics professor at Seoul National University. He’s running for the National Assembly, South Korea’s legislature.

Together, they try to work their way up the social ladder and become accepted in high society.

Seoul Searching

Released: 2015
Director: Benson Lee
Genre: Drama, Comedy
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10

Based on real-life events, Seoul Searching isn’t actually in Korean -- but if you want to dive more into Korean culture and heritage, this is an interesting piece to watch. The film first premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2015.

In 1986, South Korea created government-sponsored programs to help foreign-born Koreans learn about their cultural heritage through summer camps.

The film follows these teens of Korean descent as they learn about their culture and explore identity and race issues. (Some of the teens are biracial, which is a big deal in Korean culture where “racial purity” is valued).

Burning

Hangul: 버닝
Released: 2018
Director: Chang-dong Lee
Genre: Drama, mystery
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10

Based on renowned Japanese author Haruki Murakami’s short story, Barn Burning, comes this mystery thriller.

Jong-su meets a woman who used to live in his neighborhood, Hae-mi, who asks him to watch her cat while she goes to Africa. (Strange, I know.)

But it gets weirder -- she comes back with a strange guy named Ben, who tells Jong-su he likes burning abandoned greenhouses.

Next thing you know, Hae-mi has disappeared, and Jong-soo begins to investigate.

Okja

Released: 2017
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Genre: Adventure, Drama
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10

From critically acclaimed director of Parasite and cult-classic Snowpiercer, comes another must-see film. Although this one is also mostly in English -- like Snowpiercer -- it’s still an interesting film to watch and features an international all-star cast.

A powerful, international company called the Mirando Corporation has been breeding “super pigs”. They’ve been sending them around the world to farmers so they can raise them. One such super pig, Okja, has been raised for years by a young girl named Mija.

When Okja is titled the best super pig, Mija finds out she’s going to lose her friend because the corporation wants to bring him to New York to be studied. So, she begins her adventure to save her friend -- while also learning of extreme corruption.

Korean Movies for Kids and the Whole Family

If you’re looking for something you can enjoy with your kids -- and introduce them to the Korean language as well -- these are of couple hits they’ll be sure to enjoy.

Plus, watching Korean kids’ shows can be a great way to ease yourself into the language. Often, kids’ shows use simple language that’s perfect for beginners.

Tayo - Mission: Ace

Even if your kids aren’t learning Korean, chances are, they’ve stumbled across Tayo the Little Bus on Netflix.

Well, Tayo also has a movie on Netflix called Mission: Ace, which can be watched in its original Korean language or English voiceover.

The movie follows Duri, who’s searching for his favorite race car and ends up in a magical land filled with toys that have been lost or thrown away.

Miniforce: New Heroes Rise

Miniforce is South Korea’s Power Rangers, and they also have a series for kids on Netflix. In this movie though, they take on the Lizard Army and try to save the planet.

It’s the prequel to the TV series, so it’s a good place to begin if you want to introduce the show to your kids.

Go Ahead -- Enjoy Some Guilt-Free Binge-Watching with Korean movies!

Which Korean movies on this list will you start with? Don’t forget, as you scroll through this list, you can add them to your watch list on Netflix so you can save them for later!

Now, watching Korean movies on Netflix isn’t enough to master Korean alone. So why not learn some practical Korean phrases for your first Korean conversation? Or try learning the 101 core Korean words you need to learn first.

What other Korean movies have you watched and enjoyed? Leave them in the comments below!

The post 19 Amazing Korean Movies on Netflix appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

Korean Culture: 47 Facts for Those Curious About the Korean People and Life in Korea

Are you obsessed with Korean culture? In love with K-Pop and K-Dramas and want to know even more about South Korea?

That’s fantastic! Because if you’re learning Korean, then you know that South Korean culture is deeply tied to the language.

It’s near impossible to become fluent in the language without understanding the culture!

Even if you’re just now experiencing hallyu -- the “Korean wave” of pop culture around the globe -- don’t worry. This guide is the perfect place to start.

We’ll cover everything from life in Korea, to Korean customs and traditions, food, and relationships.

Let’s dive in!

A (Very) Brief Intro to Korean Culture

Many people are introduced to Korean culture through Korean art, pop culture, and entertainment.

Like Japan, there’s a lot of traditional Korean art, calligraphy, and ceramics. Plus, performing arts such as tea ceremonies, theatre, and dance. Many of these traditional arts morphed into the love of K-Pop dance moves, contemporary art, and even cartoons.

Plus, Korea has one of the highest literacy rates in the world. Hangul, the Korean alphabet was invented to standardize the writing systems and make learning to read and write Korean easy.

Because of that, Korean literature has boomed with popular novels all over the world, like Please Look After Mom and The Vegetarian.

But if you’ve enjoyed Korean entertainment, modern and traditional art forms, then you’ve probably noticed one of the biggest differences between Korea and the Western word:

Confucianism

Korea has been heavily influenced by Confucianism, which means much of the culture is based on social status, family ties, and the concept of “face.”

When it comes to social status, it affects what grammar and words you use when speaking, and even how you’re expected to act. As you read on, you’ll see this pointed out over and over again.

A lot comes down to age, especially. The oldest person in the room will set the tone.

When you’re meeting someone for the first time, you may not know their age, though. So it’s always best to be cautious by speaking and acting as if the other person is older until you know for sure.

So, make sure to use formal (or at least polite standard speech) when meeting someone for the first time! That means using the -imnida verb endings.

Speaking of age…

How to Work Out Your Korean Age

Korean age is different then what you may be used to. In Korea, the 40 weeks you spend in your mom’s womb is the start of your age.

Plus, Koreans add a year to their age every year on New Year’s Day.

Yes, that’s right -- everyone gets a year older on that day.

So, chances are, by the time you’re born, you’re already 1!

Let me give an example. My birthday is in November. I would celebrate my birthday still in November, but my age changes on January 1st.

What this means is in Korea, you’ll be at least one year older. And as I mentioned, it’s important to understand this because age dictates social etiquette.

So, if you’re currently 30 years old, go ahead and add on one year for while you were a sprout in the womb. You’re now 31 in Korea.

Then, if you haven’t celebrated your birthday yet this year, add 1 more year because you would’ve already added a year on January 1st. You’re 32 now. (And you won’t add a year once your birthday comes around.)

That’s your Korean age!

Saving “Face” in Korea

기분 (gibun) means “face”, but it’s more like your outward mask or “saving face.”

Since social status and harmony are so crucial to Korean society, your “face” represents your part in society.

Someone who is “saving face” is working to keep a positive reputation and staying in-line with societal standards. And this is true at work, in your personal life, relationships, everything.

It’s also important to save face for your family as well. A son or daughter who has a poor reputation reflects poorly on the family.

In fact, many moms compare their daughters to their friend’s daughters, to “one-up” each other’s “face.”

Contextual Conversations and Using Honorifics

You’ll notice when you first start having conversations with Koreans that they won’t often tell you “no” or refuse a request.

That’s because saying “no” outright is too harsh and direct.

So instead, they may tell you in a roundabout way, or even say “maybe.”

That’s why it’s important to learn to read contextual clues in Korean.

Likewise, make sure you aren’t being too harsh and direct as well. Avoid refusing things outright, especially if it’s requested or given by someone older than you. For instance, don’t refuse another cup of soju (Korean alcohol) from your elder at the table.

If you don’t want another cup, don’t finish the cup you have. Then it won’t be refilled.

Another way to show respect is to add honorific titles to people’s names. The most common one is -씨 (-ssi).

You simply add it to the person’s family name (or whatever name they’ve told you to call them). If your friend’s name is Yoon Se-ri (yes, I swiped that from the popular K-Drama Crash Landing On You), then you would say Yoon-ssi.

If you’re friends with someone, though, you can add -아 (a) or -야 (ya) to the end of their name. If their name ends in a consonant, like Yoon, it would be Yoon-a. But if it ends in a vowel, like Ri Jeong Hyeok, where Ri is his family name, then you use -ya: Ri-ya.

But also, don’t assume that a wife’s name will be the same as her husband’s.

If the husband goes by Kim-ssi, the wife most likely will not. In Korea, it’s not common for a woman to take her husband’s family name.

But the kids will have the father’s family name. And they may even have the first part of his first name in their first name, too.

For example, if the dad’s name is Lee Soo-Ho, then his kids’ names may be Lee Soo-Jin or Lee Soo-Hyun.

Be Mindful That Koreans May View Things Differently Than You’ve Been Taught

It’s best to stay away from touchy topics in Korea. But you may not even realize what some of them are if you’ve been taught differently.

For instance, growing up in the USA and having learned Japanese first, I was taught the sea between Korea and Japan is the “Sea of Japan.”

But Korean’s call it the East Sea and don’t recognize it as Japanese waters. If you called it the Sea of Japan, you may spark some tension.

After all, Koreans are proud of their country and have a lot of nationalist pride. And the history between Korea and Japan is quite tense, even still, with contested geography and history.

You’ll see this especially any time Korea plays Japan in sports -- everyone will be fired up and cheering with pride to win the game against Japan!

Besides topics of Japan, be mindful of relations with North Korea as well. The Demilitarized Zone (the DMZ) is still a tense area on the 38th parallel line that separates the North and South. Not everyone views these topics the same way, and keeping harmony and unity is key.

So, just be mindful that your worldview may not be theirs.

Korean Customs

There are lots of unique Korean customs that are quite different from Western countries. Here are some of the most important Korean customs to know:

Take your shoes off at the door always. It’s unacceptable to track dirt into someone’s home. You’ll leave your shoes by the front door, in a space called 현관 (hyeongwan, “entranceway”).When greeting someone (or saying goodbye), it’s polite to bow, especially if the other person is older than you.Use two hands for handshakes, or rest one hand across your stomach. You can also bow slightly while you shake hands. This is more respectful.It’s not common to hold the door open for others in Korea. (Going back to Crash Landing on You, Captain Ri does this and goes viral for it because it was unusual.)Like other Asian countries, you won’t say “God bless you” when someone sneezes. You’ll mostly ignore it.You may be bumped into often while walking on the street. It’s very crowded, and people don’t think much of it in South Korea.If you’re offered something from someone who is older than you, take it with both hands to show respect and gratitude.Trash cans are hard to find! And Koreans are strict about how trash is sorted and disposed of.Bathrooms in Korea, even in Korean homes, are quite different. Showers are not in stalls, and toilets are often “squatting toilets” -- or holes in the floor.Because the toilets are different and the plumbing not the same as in some Western countries, you may not find toilet paper in restrooms. If there is toilet paper, you’ll need to throw it way in a bin.Korean Traditions

Besides the use of a lot of Confucian traditions and ideology, Korea has a rich history of traditions.

One you may be most familiar with is the hanbok, which is the traditional Korean attire similar to the Japanese kimono.

It’s worn for weddings, festivals, special events, and ceremonies, or even match-making meetings (which, yes, still happen).

Another Korean tradition is the doljanchi, or first birthday party.

When a child turns one, they’ll be dressed in hanbok and a traditional hat, and placed in front of objects that represent different paths in life.

It may be money to symbolize wealth, thread to symbolize a long life, a calligraphy brush or pen for intelligence, etc.

Whatever the child picks is thought to foretell their future.

Koreans have many holidays they celebrate, but there are two big ones: Chuseok, which is Korean Thanksgiving and Seollal, Korean Lunar New Year.

Korean Thanksgiving is celebrated in September (its date changes, but it’s always the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar). On this day, Koreans celebrate their ancestors and heritage, tidy family graves, and celebrate together with food.

Korean Lunar New Year is on the second new moon after the winter solstice, so it’s usually in January or February. Everyone dresses in hanbok, and like Chuseok, will celebrate their family’s heritage with an at-home ceremony and visit family. After that, they’ll eat traditional foods, play games, and children receive money as gifts.

Like Japan, Korea also celebrates Valentine’s Day and White Day. On Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14th), girls give boys they like chocolates (but also friends and co-workers, which are called “obligation chocolates”). And on White Day on March 14th, men return the favor with gifts.

There’s also Black Day on April 14th, which is a day dedicated to people who are single. And it’s mostly to mourn over their lack of love… by dressing all in black and eating black foods, like jjajang myeon, noodles covered in black bean paste.

Relationships Matter to Korean People

South Korean people put a lot of emphasis on relationships.

When you’re working in Korea, you’ll find that it’s expected that you go out drinking with your coworkers (at least on occasion!). Because South Korea has such a strict hierarchy, drinking allows for a more relaxed environment and friendship building.

And often, you’ll be introduced to new relationships through other people you know. When you’re at work, a coworker will be the one to introduce you to a new acquaintance -- you won’t introduce yourself.

When you’re introduced, it’s common to exchange business cards. Business cards in Korea are an extension of that person and their title, so you have to be mindful and respectful with how you handle the cards.

Never stick the cards in your pocket or throw it in your bag. The best practice is to take the business card with both hands. Take a few seconds to read it over and comment on something on the card, like the person’s title or company.

Then, put the card on the table in front of you, or in a business card holder if you have one. If neither of those is an option, hold it carefully until you’re done.

Love and Life in Korea

Like in the office, the most common way to meet a potential romantic interest is through a friend or coworker’s introduction.

It’s not typical for someone to approach you out of nowhere like it can be in Western countries. Instead, it’s thought that it’s best if a person who knows you both and thinks you’d click introduces you.

Couples in Korea aren’t big always big fans of PDA and they don’t say “I love you” in Korean very often. Although, this is changing with the younger generations.

But that doesn’t mean you won’t notice couples -- everywhere.

Young couples make it super obvious by wearing matching clothes, holding hands, and other shows of affection. And they tend to celebrate a lot more mini-milestones than other cultures might, like dating for a month, two months, 100 days, etc.

Another clear giveaway is the use of aegyo, or “cute talk”, the women use around their boyfriends. It can sound a bit whiny, flirtatious, or babyish with drawn-out syllables and slightly different word endings.

Korean Food and Table Manners

Korea has incredible food!

Of course, I’m sure you know kimchi is a staple dish. Made with fermented cabbage and red chili sauce, Koreans (South and North alike!) eat this with most meals.

And like other Asian countries, rice is also a side with most meals. But unlike other countries (especially Japan), they tend to eat their rice with a spoon and bowls are never lifted off the table.

It’s better to hunch over your bowl than to lift it to your mouth.

A Korean favorite is bibimbap, kind of like a buddha bowl. It combines all the major staples: rice, meat, veggies, spices, and sesame oil, and is usually topped with a fried egg.

Haemul pajeon is nicknamed “Korean pizza” because it looks like pizza, but the texture is more like a pancake. But don’t be fooled -- it’s not your typical pizza or pancake.

Instead, it’s filled with seafood and veggies and is fried until it’s crispy.

Japchae is a sweet-potato noodle stir fry, mixed with tons of veggies and sometimes meat.

But of course, there’s also a lot of foods on the wilder side, like intestines, pigs feet, and yes… sometimes dog meat (although there’s been a lot of pushback on this more recently due to international influence).

Soju and Drinking Culture

Soju is the Korean alcoholic beverage of choice, and you’ll find it’s paired with most meals. It’s a bit like vodka or sake, and you’ll toast your drinks with a 건배! (geonbae)

It’s common to go out to norae bang, or karaoke rooms, with friends and have some drinks.

When you’re out drinking, never pour your own drink. In Korea, you pour for others, and they’ll pour for you.

Always make sure to pour with two hands, and as I mentioned earlier, it’s not polite to refuse a drink. If you don’t drink at all, it’s best to make an excuse and refuse in a roundabout way.

Korean Etiquette and Table Manners

When you’re out at restaurants, you’ll often be given hand wipes for you to cleanse your hands before and after you eat. So make sure to use them first!

Most Korean restaurants only offer large plates meant to be shared among a whole table. So expect that if you’re out to eat with friends, you’ll order what you want, but everyone will share.

When all the dishes arrive, it’s polite to wait for the oldest person at the table to start eating. And, in fact, you’ll pace your eating around them. It’s polite to eat and stop eating around when they do but just do your best.

When you go to serve yourself, make sure to use a clean spoon to scoop food from the communal plates onto your own smaller plate.

What’s Your Favorite Part of Korean Culture?

Over to you -- now let me know what your favorite part of Korean culture is!

Did you learn something new here that fascinated you? Leave me a comment below and let me know.

And if you’re ready to learn more Korean, why not master the 101 most common Korean words or learn the colors of the rainbow in Korean?

The post Korean Culture: 47 Facts for Those Curious About the Korean People and Life in Korea appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

15 Chinese Cartoons That Will Help You Learn Mandarin (Not Only for Children)

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This may surprise you, but… You can learn a lot about the Chinese language just by watching Chinese cartoons!

If you learn languages by self-study like I do, you are probably always on a lookout for new ways to make your language learning journey more interesting.

A very effective way to practice a new language is to watch movies and videos.

For example, have you ever used Youtube as a language learning tool? And if you’re already watching movies to practice your new skills, do you know how to watch a movie to learn a language?

Learning a new language can be a difficult mission sometimes, and Mandarin Chinese might be quite a challenge.

So if you’re a new learner, don’t jump straight into the sea of the Chinese movies, but start off slowly by dipping your toes in a shallow pool - of Chinese cartoons.

In this article, I’ll introduce you to the most popular Chinese cartoons that will help you learn this language - even as an adult.

[image error]1. “The Monkey King” - 孙悟空 (sūnwùkōng)

One of the most well known classic Chinese story figures has become one of the most popular Chinese cartoon characters - several times.

Sun Wukong, or the Monkey King, possesses magical powers, such as extreme strength and speed, but he’s also an incredible fighter.

In his “Journey to the West”, the Monkey King travels from China to India and faces many mystical and interesting challenges.

You can watch different versions of The Monkey King on YouTube with English subtitles

2. “The Stories of Avanti” - 阿凡提的故事 (āfántí de gùshì)

Avanti, or Effendi, is a Chinese cartoon from the 1970s and 1980s.

The story is about a man named Nasreddin whose purpose was to help the poor and punish the rich and greedy.

Avanti is a polite way of calling someone “sir” in Turkish, which is explained by the fact that Uyghurs believe he comes from Turkistan.

Even though the story was filmed a relatively long time ago, it became, and still is, one of the most loved and best Chinese cartoon series.

Watch The Stories of Avanti here.

3. “Big Ear TuTu” - 大耳朵图图 (dà ěrduǒ tútú)

A kids show about a curious boy with a specific characteristic - large ears. Hu Tutu, a little boy, is very energetic and always full of questions.

The fact that this show is mainly for Chinese preschoolers guarantees that it’s ideal for a beginner Mandarin learner.

You can start watching Big Ear TuTu here.

4. “Ni Hao Kai-lan” - 你好, 凯兰 (nǐ hǎo, kǎi lán)

If you’re looking for something that would be closer to Western culture, then Ni Hao Kai-lan might be the perfect fit for you.

One of the newer Chinese kids shows (aired in 2008) is actually American-Canadian made. The creator is a Chinese-American artist who based the cartoon on her childhood memories.

Kai-lan is a little Chinese-American girl who, with her animal friends, goes on different adventures in each episode.

She and her friends never forget to incorporate Mandarin Chinese words and bits about Chinese culture in their stories. No matter what happens in an episode, Kai-lan and her friends always end up working together, usually with a moral lesson.

These series also have an interactive component where each learner can repeat or practice what they’ve learned. It’s similar in this way to Dora the Explorer, and it’s a great show if you’re trying to introduce your children to the Chinese language as well.

You can find Ni Hao Kai-lan on Amazon Prime.

5. “Pororo the Little Penguin” - 小企鹅宝露露 (xiǎo qì'é bǎo lùlù)

Originally from Korea, Pororo the Little Penguin is a popular children Chinese anime. It’s available in both Korean and Mandarin Chinese with subtitles.

Pororo is a cute little computer-animated penguin who faces different challenges in each episode. He and his animal friends always end up learning a moral lesson.

The show has almost 300 episodes and since it’s aimed at children, the language used is perfect for beginner learners.

Pororo is available on Netflix, and you can switch to Mandarin audio in the Audio and Subtitles settings.

6. “Nine Songs of the Moving Heavens” - 天行九歌 (tiān xíng jiǔ gē)

Also translated as “Nine Songs of the Sky”, this Chinese anime is a story about the Ninth Prince of Han State, Han Fei.

Han Fei decides to form his own group of warriors, Quicksand, who help him fight against his enemies and form a new, stronger Han State.

Episodes of this anime series are available on YouTube.

7. “The Adventures of Little Carp” - 小鲤鱼历险记 (xiǎo lǐyú lìxiǎn jì)

Another Chinese cartoon adaptation of a classic Chinese tale.

In this folktale, the Dragon’s Gate, at the top of a mystical mountain, is the goal of many carps. If a carp manages to reach the Dragon’s Gate, it’ll turn into a dragon. Only a few, however, are able to reach the gate when swimming upstream.

The Adventures of Little Carp tells stories about Bubbles, a carp that lives with his grandmother until Evil Snake turns her into a bubble. Bubbles is searching for a dragon that can turn her back and he experiences many adventures with his animal friends.

Watch Bubble’s tales here.

8. “Big Head Son & Small Head Dad” - 大头儿子和小头爸爸 (dà tóu érzi hé xiǎo tóu bàba)

Another one of Chinese cartoon shows that points out a physical feature. But in this case, it actually has a meaning.

“Big head” in China symbolizes that a person is smart, and the father from this show is also very selfless and kind. These traits show children what’s really important and how one should be.

These two and the boy’s mom are from Shanghai and their lives are the main subject of this cartoon.

Many episodes are available on YouTube.

9. “GG Bond” - 猪猪侠 (zhū zhū xiá)

This is a story about an enthusiastic pig who always wants to help others. He and his 3D computer-animated friends teach the audience how important values are - not only the traditional Chinese ones but also universal moral values.

GG Bond appreciates his elders, friendship and courage, but the series also touches issues like homelessness, environmental damage and pollution.

The interesting thing about this cartoon is that it’s aimed at both children and adults, as occasionally there are references that only adults would understand.

Like many other Chinese kids shows from this list, GG Bond can be found on YouTube.

10. “The Legend of Huainanzi” - 淮南子传奇 (huáinánzi chuánqí)

This is a young adult Chinese anime that can be classified as historical fantasy.

The series is based on Huainanzi - classical Chinese philosophical essays. The main character, a 12-year old hero, is looking for pieces of a book that could save the world. These pieces were transformed into different objects and he now has to rediscover them.

As he goes through this adventure, he forms strong friendships, but also a strong relationship with nature and his ancestors.

The language in The Legend of Huainanzi can be a bit more advanced at times compared to other cartoons in this list, because it’s not aimed at small children. If you’ve been learning Chinese for a while and the theme sounds interesting to you, give this animated story a try.

Practice your Chinese listening skills by watching The Legend of Huainanzi here.

11. “Our Friend Remy Bear” - 我的朋友熊小米 (wǒ de péng yǒu xióng xiǎo mǐ)

Remy Bear, a little panda, and its many animal friends all share happy little stories together.

They always encourage and appreciate each other, support each other’s actions and never lack kindness.

This cartoon is aimed at Chinese children, but I’d say the level is intermediate, so a beginner learner can have trouble understanding at times.

But don’t worry, if you’ll find the stories of Remy Bear and its friends interesting, you’ll get used to the language and will understand very quickly.

Watch Remy Bear on the Chinese TV station CCTV.

12. “Super Wings!” - 超级飞侠 (chāo jí fēi xiá)

Super Wings! is one of the most popular cartoons in China, and it’s also well-known in South Korea and the USA, as it’s a co-production that crosses these three countries.

These animated series follow Jett and other Super Wings at the World Airport. They work with deliveries from different locations, so they need to first learn something about the language and facts about each country. With this in mind, every problem they face gets easily solved.

The main premise is to teach children kindness and tolerance when it comes to diversity.

You can find plenty of episodes of Super Wings on YouTube.

13. “Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf” - 喜羊羊与灰太狼 (xǐ yáng yáng yǔ huī tài láng)

A Chinese anime-influenced series aimed at children, but thanks to multiple hidden grown-up jokes, it’s interesting enough for adults too.

The plot of this cartoon surrounds a pasture where sheep and goats live in harmony until a wolf and his wife decide to move in.

Stories of these animals can be classified as a comedy that’s suitable for both children and adults.

Keep in mind that you might need to know a little more than the basics of the Chinese language to be able to understand the story.

Watch these comedy cartoon stories here.

14. “Nezha” - 哪吒 (nǎzhā)

Nezha was born inside a ball of flesh after his mother was pregnant with him for three years. He was born as a boy who knew how to walk and speak immediately. His magical story continues with the acceptance as a student by the immortal Taiyi Zhenren who trained him into a warrior.

Nezha also became a deity and is known in the Chinese folk religion.

The cartoon is aimed at children, but the language might be more advanced at times. You’ll enjoy learning Mandarin with the help of the tales of Nezha if you are a fan of Chinese folk tales.

You can watch Nezha here.

15. “Lotus Lantern” - 宝莲灯 (bǎo lián dēng)

A cartoon based on a traditional fairytale with a popular Chinese character - a boy named Chenxiang.

He was born as a son of a goddess and a mortal. His father was killed before he was born and his mother was imprisoned. Chenxiang grew up not knowing where he came from, but thanks to a magical lotus lantern from his mother and his courage, he saves his mother at the end.

This movie was released in China in 1999 and quickly became one of the most popular Chinese cartoons.

Both adults and children love to watch it, because the story and the execution of this animated movie are exceptional.

Lotus Lantern is available on YouTube or here in the form of a series.

[image error]Which Chinese Cartoons Will You Watch?

Whether you’re only starting to learn Mandarin or you have a couple of lessons under your belt, I’m sure watching cartoons from this list will be a fun way to continue your learning journey.

Many of these animated movies and series have a plot that’d be interesting enough even for someone who has no intentions of learning Mandarin. So if you find a version of a cartoon with English subtitles and you want to watch a movie with your friends and family, it’s killing two birds with one stone.

My advice for your learning with Chinese cartoons is: Turn on your subtitles, wake up your inner child and have fun learning!

If you’re ready for more Chinese learning, why not learn some Chinese wisdom and proverbs? Or to prepare for watching these cartoons, try mastering the 108 essential Chinese words.

The post 15 Chinese Cartoons That Will Help You Learn Mandarin (Not Only for Children) appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

44 Spanish Fruits and Spanish Fruit Names – A Yummy Guide!

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Is it me or are you also craving fruits in Spanish? Yes, in Spanish specifically. Spanish seems to make everything tastier.

Let me prove it to you. Here are some Spanish fruit names:

“passion fruit” in Spanish: la chinola“dragon fruit” in Spanish: la fruta del dragón“dates” in Spanish: los dátiles“berries” in Spanish: las bayas“nectarine” in Spanish: la nectarina“peach” in Spanish: la pesca“pineapple” in Spanish: la piña“apple” in Spanish: la manzana

Does this yummy list not convince you? Let me give you another reason to learn Spanish fruit names, then.

When I learn a new language, I always make sure to pick up food vocabulary first. The last thing I would want when travelling in a new country is to lose exploration time because I can’t explain that I’m hungry and what I want.

And also… Discovering good food is one of the best reasons to be a traveller.

I wrote a post some time ago on Spanish food and traditional Spanish dishes. You should check it out if Spain is your next destination.

Since I have a bit of a sweet tooth, fruit names are some of my favourite words to learn. If you’re like me, you are going to love this post! I’ve even included a delicious bonus, so make sure to stick around until the end.

You wouldn’t want to miss out on three amazing (and easy) Hispanic fruit-based recipes!

Now, forks out, friends! We’re diving into a tasty lesson.

¡Vamos! (“Let’s go!”)

The Word “Fruit” in Spanish: Fruta

The word for “fruit” in Spanish is fruta. It’s a feminine word, so you will use it with la, las and una, unas: la fruta, una fruta. There’s an exception for referring to dried fruit, but we’ll talk about this later.

Before I start to amaze you with Spanish fruit names, I want to make sure you know an important fact.

When you read this post, keep in mind that Spanish is the official language in 21 countries around the world and that many other countries know it as a secondary language. So in the same way that not all Hispanic regions use the same Spanish dialect and accent, they don’t necessarily use the same words to describe the same fruits either.

Don’t worry! I will give you several alternatives for those special fruits. Knowing which ones are used in the dialect you’ll need is just a question of listening and practising!

Spanish Fruit Names - Fruits That You’ll Find in Spanish Markets

We’ve agreed on the fact that different Hispanic regions may have different names for the same fruit. You also need to remember that the type of fruits you can find depends on the area where you find yourself. (Even if globalization has helped change this a little.)

Here is a list of fruits you might find easily on a Spanish market. Learn how to say:

“peach” in Spanish: el melocotón or el durazno“apricot” in Spanish: el albaricoque or el damasco“nectarine” in Spanish: la nectarina“watermelon” in Spanish: la sandía“apple” in Spanish: la manzana“pear” in Spanish: la pera“plum” in Spanish: la ciruela“cherry” in Spanish: la cereza“banana” in Spanish: el plátano, el guineo, or el kambur“orange” in Spanish: la naranja“lemon” in Spanish: el limón“lime” in Spanish: la lima“grapes” in Spanish: las uvasYour Go-To List of Fruits in Spanish, But Make It Exotic

If you’re travelling to Latin America or Equatorial Guinea, there is a chance that the local people will use more tropical fruits than those I mentioned above.

Here’s a list that might come in handy in that case:

“passion fruit” in Spanish: la chinola“dragon fruit” in Spanish: la fruta del dragón or la pitaya“jackfruit” in Spanish: la yaca or la jaca“mango” in Spanish: el mango“avocado” in Spanish: el aguacate“pineapple” in Spanish: la piña“cantaloupe” in Spanish: el melón cantaloupe“papaya” in Spanish: la papaya or la lechosa“coconut” in Spanish: el coco“starfruit” in Spanish: la carambola“soursop* in Spanish: la guanabanaLearn to Talk About Berries in Spanish

Here’s another must-know category of fruits to learn to talk about in Spanish – berries. Who wouldn’t want to know how to order a bowl of them?

Here’s how you say:

“berries” in Spanish: las bayas“strawberry” in Spanish: la fresa or la frutilla“raspberry” in Spanish: la frambuesa“blueberries” in Spanish: el arándano“blackberries” in Spanish: las moras or las zarzamorasHow to Talk About Dried Fruits, Candied Fruits, and Nuts in Spanish

I couldn’t write a post on fruit and not include dried and candied fruit! I know they’re not everyone’s favourites, but some of them are too common not to be mentioned.

Now you’ll know how to say:

“dried fruit” in Spanish: las frutas secas or las frutas deshidratadas (literally “dehydrated fruit”)“raisins” in Spanish: las pasas“dates” in Spanish: los dátiles“prunes” in Spanish: las ciruelas pasas“fig” in Spanish: el higo“candied fruit” in Spanish: las frutas confitadas“candied (fruit)* in Spanish: just add confitado or confitada after the fruit’s name

And now, a short list of nuts. After all, they’re considered fruits:

“nuts” in Spanish: los frutos secos or la fruta seca“nut” in Spanish: la nuez“almond” in Spanish: la almendra“hazelnut” in Spanish: la avellana“pistachio” in Spanish: el pistacho“pine nut” in Spanish: el piñón“chestnut” in Spanish: la castaña“cashew” in Spanish: anacardo, cajú, or cajuilLet’s Make a Fruit Salad in Spanish -- Vocabulary Related to Fruits in Spanish

In Spanish, “fruit salad” is ensalada de frutas.

You’d never think about it at first, but there’s some useful vocabulary besides Spanish fruit names that you should learn.

By learning related vocabulary, you can make sure you’re as prepared as possible for conversations on the topic.

Three Verbs Related to Fruit in Spanish

The first of the verbs has to be comer (“to eat”). Here it is in the present tense:

Comer ("to eat") yo como I eat tu comes, vos comés you eat él, ella, usted come he, she eats / you eat nosotros, nosotras comemos we eat vosotros, vosotras coméis you eat ellos, ellas, ustedes comen they, you eat

The next two verbs are cortar (“to cut”) and pelar (“to peel”). They both conjugate in the same way:

Cortar ("to cut") yo corto I cut tu cortas, vos cortás you cut él, ella, usted corta he, she cuts / you cut nosotros, nosotras cortamos we cut vosotros, vosotras cortáis you cut ellos, ellas, ustedes cortan they, you cut Five Nouns Related to Fruits in Spanish

There are many nouns related to fruit, but I’ve gathered five of the main ones for you:

trozo - “piece”semilla - “seed”piel (de fruta) - “(fruit) skin”jugo or zumo - “juice”postre - “dessert”

Let me know in the comments if you need any other ones!

Nine Adjectives to Describe Fruits in Spanish

Here are some adjectives you might want to use to describe fruit in Spanish:

verde or inmaduro/a - “unripe”maduro/a - “ripe”agrio/a - “sour”dulce - “sweet”amargo/a - “bitter”delicioso/a - “delicious”bueno/a - “good”grande - “big”mediano/a - “medium”pequeño/a - “small”Learn Some Fruit Idioms and Sayings in Spanish

Apart from learning food vocabulary, one of my favourite parts of language learning is to explore sayings. They’re often quite funny!

Here are five Spanish idioms and sayings based on fruits!

1. De Uvas a Peras — “Once in a Blue Moon”

The expression de uvas a peras literally translates to “from grapes to pears” in English. It refers to something that happens very rarely.

The reason behind the saying is simple and brilliant. Grapes are harvested in late September or early October, and pears towards the end of summer. Around eleven months pass between the two harvests, which led to the idiom.

2. Media Naranja — “Other Half (Soulmate)”

Media naranja, literally “a half-orange” in English, is what Hispanics call their significant other.

A media naranja is a person who perfectly matches your taste and character, someone you would consider to be your other half. When reunited with this person, you would be as whole as an entire orange.

Fun fact: Media in Spanish also means “sock” and naranja is the “orange” Spanish colour, which leads to occasional jokes and memes. My favourite consists of gifting an orange sock to your significant other.

3. Ponerse Como un Tomate — “Turn Beetroot Red”

Ponerse como un tomate can be vaguely translated in English to “to end up looking like a tomato”.

Tomatoes are usually represented in their red form, so you guess where this goes. Ponerse como un tomate basically means “to blush”.

4. Comerse el Coco — “To Be Overthinking”

Comerse el coco is Spanish for “to eat one’s coconut”... Which, I agree with you, doesn’t make much sense. In a less literal sense, it means “to be overthinking.”

There isn’t a good explanation of the phrase’s meaning, but I’ll tell you about one way it’s interpreted.

In the expression, coconuts represent one’s head because they are shaped quite like one. And you need to put a lot of effort into scrubbing a coconut to eat it.

In a way, the phrase resembles the French idiom se creuser la tête (“to dig one’s head”). It means something like “to rack one’s brains”.

Don’t confuse comerse el coco with comer el coco! Same expression, but different: notice how the verb isn’t reflexive. Comer el coco means trying to convince someone of something or of doing something.

5. Ser del Año de la Pera — “To Be Really Old”

If someone looks your outfit up and down today and tells you es del año de la pera (literally “it’s from the age of the pear”)... They’re not saying that it looks summer-y or colourful.

I hate to break it to you, but they’re actually saying how old fashioned it is. And not in a vintage way, more like a “downright outdated” way.

Funnily enough, even if the expression contains the word pera, it has nothing to do with the fruit. There are several explanations behind its meaning, and I’ll tell you about the two most popular ones.

The first one claims that ser del año de la pera somehow evolved from ser del año de la polca (“to be from the age of the polka”). The polka is a dance that was introduced in Spain in the 1800s by the Bohemian culture. Nowadays, referring to something coming from those times clearly means that we think it’s old.

Another explanation goes way back in the past. It claims that the expression refers to the Catalan bandolero (“bandit”) Perot Rocaguinarda. This outlaw went by the nickname La Pera simply because his name sounded similar. He lived in the 16th-17th century, so “being from the age of the pear” ties back to those times.

Sorry for your outfit.

Bonus: Three Hispanic Fruit-Based Recipes

Here’s the bonus I promised you! Three delicious Hispanic recipes are waiting for you down here.

Grab your fruits and cook away!

1. Tostones: Latin America’s Fried Unripe Plantains

Tostones are the Latin American replacement for fries.

For this recipe, you’ll need:

1 unripe plantain3 cups of vegetable oil1 teaspoon of salt

First step: Peel the plantain and slice it up into 1-inch tall pieces.

Second step: Pour the oil in a frying pan and heat it up to 375 ° F. Place the slices in the oil and turn them over after 45 seconds - 1 minute. Repeat several times until slightly golden.

Third step: Get the slices out of the oil and place them on paper towels. Press each of them with the bottom of a glass to approximately 1/8 inch thickness.

Fourth step: Return the pressed plantains to the hot oil and cook them until they are golden brown and crisp.

Fifth step: Place them on paper towels to absorb the extra oil. Evenly sprinkle them with salt.

2. Merengón Colombiano: The Huge Colombian Meringue

The Merengón Colombiano is very popular in Colombia, especially around Bogota.

For this recipe, you’ll need:

5 egg whitesSome lemon juice drops1 cup of heavy cream1 pinch of salt½ cup of granulated sugar¼ cup of powdered sugar½ teaspoon of vanilla essence1 pound of strawberries, sliced (can be substituted with other fruits)

First step: Take the eggs out the fridge for an hour before the beginning of preparation.

Second step: Preheat the oven to 375 ° F.

Third step: Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Mix the former with the salt in a bowl. Whisk vigorously.

Fourth step: Add the lemon juice to the mixture and keep whisking.

Fifth step: Add the granulated sugar without stopping the whisking until the mix looks shiny and properly snowy.

Sixth step: Form disks of the mix on a tray covered in baking paper. Put in the oven for one hour.

Eighth step:While the meringues are cooking, mix the vanilla with the powdered sugar and cream. Let sit in the fridge.

Ninth step: Once the meringues are out of the oven and have cooled down, set up the dessert. Take a layer of meringue, spread the cream and sugar mix on it, add the fresh fruits, and cover up with another meringue.

Tenth step: Keep them in the fridge until you serve them.

La Carlota Mexicana: Mexico’s Peach Dessert

La Carlota Mexicana is one of the sweetest desserts out there.

For this recipe, you’ll need:

4 packages of dry, plain biscuits3 packages of "pure chocolate" biscuits (with chocolate filling)½ can of Nestle Cream1 can of syruped peach1 can of condensed milk

First step: Blend the milk, the cream, the chocolate filling of the cookies, the milk or condensed milk until they form a sweet, homogeneous sauce.

Second step: Dunk the nature-flavoured in the sauce and place them in rows and columns in a dish for the oven.

Third step: Add the other biscuits on top of these, dunking them in the sauce first.

Fourth step: Repeat the process until you run out of biscuits.

Fifth step: Place the peach slices on top.

Sixth step: Keep in the refrigerator until ready to be served. Possibly over 6 hours.

Talk About Fruits in Spanish

It’s time for us to say goodbye! At least, it’s a sweet one…

I hope you liked reading this post about fruit as much as I liked writing it. 😜

Is there a Spanish fruit name you’ve particularly liked? Are you going to try any of these recipes? Let me know in the comments!

The post 44 Spanish Fruits and Spanish Fruit Names – A Yummy Guide! appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

Learn How to Say “Thank You” in Korean (Master Your Manners)

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How do you say “thank you” in Korean? It’s 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida). Simple, right?

Well, not totally. “Thank you” in the Korean language actually depends on a thing called formality, due to the hierarchical nature of Korean culture.

So how to say “thank you” in Korean depends on who you’re talking to.

감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) is the most standard, safest bet in most situations as a beginner learning Korean.

There are also certain polite gestures that go with it.

So if you want to sound like a native and express gratitude in the best way possible, then keep reading.

Here’s what we’ll be learning:

“Thank you” in Korean in formal, polite, and informal speechHow to show your gratitude with body languageExample sentences to express your thanksHow to say “you’re welcome” in KoreanHow to politely decline or say “no, thank you” in KoreanHow to express your gratitude for foodKorean slang and text shorthand for “thank you”

Now, let’s jump right in!

Thank You in Korean - 감사합니다

We already talked about 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) means “thank you”, but let’s learn a bit more about it.

The Korean word for “thank you” comes from the verb 감사하다 (gamsahada), which combines gamsa (“thank” and “gratitude”) and hada (“to do”). So it means, “to thank” or “to do gratitude”.

It sounds a bit awkward like that, but it just means you show your appreciation.

You can use this phrase with anyone older than you, at a higher social status (like a boss), or strangers.

But you would not use this phrase with people you’re close to.

A note about the romanization of 감사합니다: Korean Hangul can be romanized a few ways, due to how some characters sound like two English letters.

Here, it could be gamsahamnida or kamsahamnida -- because the first consonant, ㄱ, isn’t a harsh g or k. It often sounds in between the two.

The same is true for the end part of the phrase: 합니다. Even though ㅂ is typically romanized “b” or “p”, here it sounds like “m”, so it’s romanized that way.

Why? Because of the way the characters flow together, the “b” ends up not really being pronounced, and the “ha” and “ni” get smooshed together to sound like “hamni”.

I point this out because you’ll also see it romanized as gamsahabmnida.

That’s why it’s important to learn how to read Hangul, so you can master pronunciation!

Example: 시간 내 주셔서 감사합니다. Sigan nae jusyeoseo gamsahamnida. “Thank you for your time.”

While there are polite and informal ways to say this phrase, they’re not really used. Instead, you’ll use different variations of the next phrase:

Another Way to Say “Thank You” in Korean - 고맙습니다

You can also use 고맙습니다 (gomapseumnida) as “thank you” in Korean, and it’s almost interchangeable with 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida).

This version comes from the verb 고맙다 (gomapda), “to be grateful.”

It’s still quite polite, but this phrase is more acceptable to use with friends and family, as well as coworkers on the same level as you.

But there are other, less formal ways, you can show your thanks to people you’re familiar with and we’ll get to that next.

It doesn’t matter too much which one you use, to be honest. And most Koreans use them interchangeably. In the end, it comes down to personal preference which you use.

But you’ll hear both, so it’s good to know them!

Here are some sample sentences: 도와 주셔서 고맙습니다. Dowa jusyeoseo gomapseumnida. “Thank you for your help.”

양해 해 주셔서 고맙습니다. Yanghae hae jusyeoseo gomapseumnida. “Thank you for your patience/understanding.”

Yet Another Way How to Say “Thank You” in Korean - 고마워요

고마워요 (gomawoyo) is the Korean standard version of gomapseumnida. But, even though it’s less formal, it’s still polite… So it’s too formal for friends but too informal for strangers.

The phrase, then, gets used most often with people you know who are on the same level as you, but who you are not friends with, and need to still show some respect.

Think of coworkers here. Most of your coworkers on your team at work are of the same “level” as you (in roughly the same position and standing in the company). And you’re familiar, even a bit chatty sometimes.

You may go out for drinks after work together as a group, but you don’t really chat with any of them one-on-one outside of work.

That’s when you’d use 고마워요 (gomawoyo).

Example: 프로젝트를 도와 주셔서 고마워요. Peulojekteuleul dowa jusyeoseo gomawoyo “Thank you for helping with the project.”

By the way, you may notice most of the sentences I’ve used also use the phrase “dowa jusyeoseo” or “ jusyeoseo”.

That’s because 도와 (dowa) means “help” and 주셔서 (jusyeoseo) means “for”, as in to do something “for” someone else. So you’ll often see it used with “thank you.”

How to Say Thanks in Korean - 고마워

“Thanks” in Korean is 고마워 (gomawo). You may notice it’s very similar to the last phrase we learned - 고마워요 (gomawoyo). And that’s because it’s still a conjugation of 고맙다 (gomapda).

This phrase is informal, so you’ll want to use it with those you’re close to or anyone younger than you, but only if you know them. Even if they’re younger than you, or a child, but you don’t know them? Using informal speech will come off as rude.

So make sure you only use this phrase with friends and family -- and even then, the situation may sometimes still call for 고마워요 (gomawoyo).

Example phrases: 네, 커피 가져와 주셔서 고마워! Ne, keopi gajyeowa jusyeoseo gomawo! “Thanks for bringing me coffee!”

청소를 도와 주셔서 고마워. Cheongsoleul dowa jusyeoseo gomawo. “Thanks for helping me clean.”

Say Thank You in Korean with Body Language!

It’s custom when saying thank you in Korea to bow. This is actually true with most greetings and polite phrases -- you’d also bow when saying “hello” in Korean!

You’ll want to bow in relation to your social status and how grateful you are. Everything comes back to social status!

For example, thanking a friend needs only a slight bow of the head. But when it’s someone super important, like a Prime Minister or Queen, you would bow to almost a complete 90-degrees to say “thank you” in Korean formally.

If you do ever bow more formally, make sure to hinge from your hips so your back stays straight. Your hands stay by your side or rest on the front of your thighs.

Formal Way to Say “Thank You” in Korean

We already learned two ways to say “thank you” in Korean formal speech - 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) and 고맙습니다 (gomapseumnida). But we can make it even more formal and express deeper gratitude if we need to.

대단히 감사합니다 (daedanhi gamsahamnida) means “thank you so much” and it’s saved for when you’re extremely grateful.

대단히 means “very” or “greatly”. It’s only used with 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida).

This is a humbling phrase and used when someone’s done you a big favor or sometimes with clients to say thanks for their patronage. But this isn’t a common phrase to hear.

So what is “thank you” in Korean formal speech that you would hear?

Usually, you’ll hear 정말 고맙습니다 (jeongmal gomapseumnida) instead. 정말 (jeongmal) means “really” or “truly.” So this means, “I’m truly grateful.”

How to Say Thanks in Korean - Informal Version

As I mentioned, 고마워 (gomawo) is the phrase you use with anyone who you’re on good terms with, of the same social status, or younger in age.

You can also change up these phrases with words like 정말 (jeongmal, “really”), 진짜 (jinjja, “really” as well), and 너무 (neomu, “too much, exceedingly”).

Examples: 정말고마워! Jeongmal gomawo! “Thanks so much!”

저녁을 요리 해주셔서 진짜고마워! Jeonyeokeul yoli haejusyeoseo jinjja gomawo! “Thanks so much for cooking dinner!”

칭찬 해주셔서 너무고마워. Chingchan haejusyeoseo neomu gomawo. “Thanks so much for the compliment.”

You’re Welcome in Korean - 아니에요

There are three main ways to say “you’re welcome” in Korean. Let’s start with the most common one, which is 아니에요 (anieyo).

아니에요 (anieyo) actually translates as “no” or “not at all,” but it’s used to mean something like “don’t mention it.”

It’s common to be humble and not expect praise or thanks in Korean culture, so this is the most common response. It’s formal version, though, is 아닙니다 (animnida) and informal is 아니야 (aniya).

The second polite way to say “you’re welcome” is 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo) which means “it’s okay.” (There are a lot of uses for this phrase though!) Informally, it’s 괜찮아 (gwaenchana).

You’ll often hear these two phrases said together, especially in Korean dramas. “아니야, 괜찮아.” (Aniyo, gwaenchana) “No, it’s okay, it was nothing.”

There are two formal ways to say “you’re welcome” in Korean, but neither are said often in spoken language. You’ll mostly see these in writing.

They are:

천만에요 (cheonmaneyo)별말씀을요 (byeolmalsseumeulyo)

The first is usually what you’ll find for the direct translation of “you’re welcome” from a Korean dictionary. And the second means “don’t mention it”... but in a very formal way.

Politely Refusing in Korean - “No, thank you”

“No thank you” in Korean is actually the same as “you’re welcome!” You can use 아니에요 (anieyo, “no”) or 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo, “it’s okay”), or say them together.

It’s not very polite to outright refuse by only saying “no”, so it’s best to say “that’s okay” instead.

“Thank You For the Food” in Korean

There are quite a few phrases related to food and expressing care, concern, and gratitude.

For instance, you can greet someone with 밥 먹었어요? (bab meogeosseoyo) which means “Did you eat?” It’s an affectionate way to ask “how are you?” and make sure they’re taking care of themselves.

Let’s say your mom has you over for dinner. She’ll ask you 밥 먹었어요? (bab meogeosseoyo), to which you’ll reply, 아니야 (aniyo), because obviously, you want that good home cooked food.

So your mom makes dinner, and she’ll present it and say something like 자 들어요 (ja deuleoyo) which is informally something like “let’s eat.”

Although in formal situations (like if she was serving guests) she’d say 많이 드세요 (manhideuseyo), which means “bon appetit” or “eat a lot”.

Likewise, before you eat, you’ll say 잘 먹겠습니다 (jal meokgetseumnida) which means something like “I will eat well (thanks to you)”.

And after you’re done eating, you’ll say 잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeotseumnida) which means “thanks for this meal,” although it’s literal meaning is “I’ve had enough / I ate well.”

In Korea, you should wait for the oldest person (or highest status) to eat before you begin eating.

But note that this is a bit formal and many Koreans don’t stick to these rules (or even formal phrases) anymore.

They’re still good to know though, especially to be polite in formal situations or where you’re a guest in someone else’s home.

Korean Slang and Text Shorthand for “Thank You” in Korean

Sometimes, Korean will say the English “thank you” in Korean -- it’s 땡큐 (ttaengkyu).

You can also say 감사 (gamsa), the shortened form of gamsahamnida) to say “thank you” in Korean.

In text, you’ll see this shortened even more. Like in English where we send the first letter of each word - “ty” - Koreans do the same thing.

So, when you receive a text that says ㄱ ㅅ, it’s short for gamsahamnida.

Gomawoyo for Your Time! Let’s Wrap It Up.

Whew! We learned a lot today, especially about formalities when it comes to saying “thank you.” Not as simple as you first thought, huh?

Here’s a recap:

“Thank you” (formal) - 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida)“Thank you” (formal, but slightly less so) - 고맙습니다 (gomapseumnida)“Thank you” (polite) - 고마워요 (gomawoyo)“Thank you” (informal) - 고마워 (gomawo)“Thank you very much” (formal) - 대단히 감사합니다 (daedanhi gamsahamnida)“Thank you very much” (polite) - 정말 고맙습니다 (jeongmal gomapseumnida)“Thank you very much” (informal) - 정말고마워! (jeongmal gomawo!)“You’re welcome” (formal) - 천만에요 (cheonmaneyo)“Not at all” / “Don’t mention it” (informal) - “아니야, 괜찮아.” (aniyo, gwaenchana)“No, thank you” (polite) - 아니에요, 괜찮아요 (anieyo, gwaenchanayo)“I will eat well (thanks to you)” - 잘 먹겠습니다 (jal meokgetseumnida)“Thank you for this food” - 잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeotseumnida)“Thanks” (slang) - 감사 (gamsa)“Ty” (text shorthand) - ㄱ ㅅ (g s)

You’ve mastered your manners in Korean! Now take your next steps by learning Korean numbers, or how to talk about colors in Korean.

파이팅! (paiting!, Cheers!)

The post Learn How to Say “Thank You” in Korean (Master Your Manners) appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

150+ Japanese Words and Phrases You Need to Start Speaking Now

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Are you ready to start speaking Japanese, right now?

Even if you just thought about learning Japanese today, you can start speaking from Day 1!

Whether you are learning Japanese to prepare for travel to Japan, or for a language exchange, it’s a good idea to learn Japanese essential words and phrases to get the ball rolling. I’ve got your back with this list to help you get started!

Japanese Words for Beginners: An Essential ListJapanese Greetings:Yes: はい (hai)No: いいえ (iie)Hello: こんにちは (konnichiwa)Goodbye: じゃね (ja ne)Thank you: ありがとう (arigatou)I’m Sorry: ごめんなさい (gomen nasai)Excuse me: すみません (sumimasen)

Learn more: Japanese Greetings: 17 Ways to Say “Hello” in Japanese

Japanese Pronouns:I: 私 (watashi)You: あなた (anata)This: これ (kore)That: それ (sore)He: 彼 (kare)She: 彼女 (kanojo)They: 彼ら (karera)

Learn more: Japanese Honorifics: How to Show Respect in Japanese

Japanese Numbers:One: いち (ichi)Two: に (ni)Three: さん (san)Four: し (shi) or よん (yon)Five: ご (go)Six: ろく (roku)Seven: なな (nana) or しち (shichi)Eight: はち (hachi)Nine: く (ku) or きゅう (kyuu)Ten: じゅう (juu)

Learn more: Japanese Numbers: Counting in Japanese from 1 - 100+

Time in Japanese:Today: 今日 (kyou)Tomorrow: 明日 (ashita)Yesterday: 昨日 (kinou)Now: 今 (ima)Before: 前に (mae ni)Later: 後で (ato de)

Learn more: The Ultimate Guide to Japanese Particles (with Examples)

Japanese Nouns:Home: 家 (ie or uchi)Shop: 店 (mise)Movie: 映画 (eiga)School: 学校 (gakkou)Car: 車 (kuruma)Town: 町 (machi)Music: 音楽 (ongaku)Family: 家族 (kazoku)Hometown: 出身 (shusshin)Bathroom: トイレ (toire)

*Learn more: 101 Core Japanese Words: The Most Commonly Used Words in Japanese

Japanese Verbs:To do: する (suru)To be: です (desu)To become: なる (naru)There is (inanimate): ある (aru)There is (living): いる (iru)To go: 行く (iku)To say: 言う (iu)To see: 見る (miru)To come: 来る (kuru)To eat: 食べる (taberu)

*Learn more: Japanese Grammar Made Easy: A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting Started Speaking Japanese

Even though I speak often now with Japanese language exchange partners, it wasn’t always that way. I found it hard to speak Japanese at first, too.

It can be a bit intimidating to know where to begin. Any time you learn a new language, especially one where the writing system is very different, it can become difficult to make the connections between grammar, memorized words, and creating sentences.

Don’t get too stressed about it, though. These basic Japanese words and phrases helped me start to get to know others in Japanese.

And that’s the whole point, isn’t it?

Learning some stock phrases and words to fall back on to keep the conversation going or ask questions is the key to relaxing a bit when speaking.

So, of course you must know your essential 挨拶 (aisatsu: “greetings”) and basic Japanese words.

By the way, if you’re wondering “How do you say ‘words’ in Japanese,” it’s 単語 (tango) or 言葉 (kotoba). The only difference is kotoba is used to express the plural form “words” and can also mean “phrases.” Tango is used mainly for the singular form, “word.”

Below, I’ll also go over questions, cool Japanese words, and cute Japanese words and expressions to go far in your speaking.

Once you've learned these Japanese words, you’ll sound めっちゃかっこい (meccha kakkoi: “very cool”).

Editor's note: before we get started, if you’re looking for an online Japanese course, here’s the course I actually recommend: Japanese Uncovered – Learn Japanese Through the Power of Story, a course with a fascinating new method.

Japanese Words and Phrases for Beginners:

Want to hear how these words and phrases sound, plus some bonus tips? Watch this video:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-uNsJU6Nl0

Japanese Greetings for Everyday[image error]

おはようございます！ (Ohayou gozaimasu: “Good morning!”)

A formal way to greet someone in the morning, you’ll use this with co-workers, strangers, or superiors. With friends and family, you can shorten it by saying おはよう！(Ohayou, “‘Morning!”)

こんにちは (Konnichiwa: “Hello” or “Good afternoon”)

This is a formal greeting, and not usually how you greet friends and family. It’s used for strangers or formal situations. But it’s the most standard greeting for hello.

あー、＿＿＿さん。(Ahh, _-san: “Ah, Mr./Mrs. _”)

Although it may sound strange to speakers in English, greeting someone with “Ah!” like you’re surprised to see someone is most common.

You greet them with this exclamation and their name, followed by the appropriate suffix (“-san” is standard and good to use for most people). You follow it with a question, like asking about the weather.

Speaking of which…

いい天気ですね！(Ii tenki desu ne: “Good weather, huh!”)

いい (ii) means “good” and 天気 (tenki) means weather. So you can change いい to whatever word fits the day, but this is the common greeting.

元気ですか (Genki desu ka: “How are you?”)

Although it’s instinct to always greet everyone with “How are you?” in English, it’s not the case in Japanese.

Greeting your friends and family with this phrase every time you see them is a bit strange. And it’s awkward when said to strangers (often strangers barely nod and say nothing, anyway).

This phrase is actually only used when it’s been quite some time since you’ve seen the person.

久しぶり！(Hisashiburi: “Long time, no see!”)

If you haven’t seen someone for about 3 weeks or longer, then you’ll often be greeted with 久しぶり (hisashiburi)! This is when it’s good to follow up with, 元気ですか (genki desu ka).

こんばんは (Konbanwa: “Good evening”)

This is said in the evening around dinner time. It’s a formal greeting.

おやすみなさい (Oyasumi nasai: “Goodnight”)

When you say goodnight to someone you’re close to, you can shorten it by saying おやすみ (oyasumi: “‘night!”)

じゃまた (Ja Mata: “See you later” or “Goodbye”)

Although you probably know さようなら (sayounara) is “goodbye,” it has a very strong sense of finality, almost like you may not see that person again.

So it’s often better to say じゃまた (ja mata).

Other variations are じゃね (ja ne: “see you”), バイバイ (baibai: “bye-bye”), and お元気で (o-genki de: “take care”).

Other Aisatsu (Greetings) in Daily Lifeただいまー (Tadaima-: “I’m home”)

When someone comes home, or you arrive home, you announce it with this phrase. Then, whoever is home replies…

おかえりなさい (Okaeri nasai: “Welcome home” or “Welcome back”)

You can also use these two phrases to greet a coworker if they’ve returned back to work from somewhere else, like a business meeting or trip.

失礼します (Shitsurei shimasu: “Please excuse me (for leaving)”)

When you leave ahead of someone else, you say this as an apology for leaving before them.

Especially at work, you always want to say this before leaving because you’re leaving them to finish the work for the day.

お疲れ様でした (Otsukaresama deshita: “Thanks for your hard work”)

You say this in reply to 失礼します (“please excuse me for leaving”) as a thank you for their hard work that day, but it can be used in many other situations.

Any time anyone works hard, you can say this to acknowledge their hard work — like a child who did well and finished their homework. You can also use it as a greeting when someone returns from a hard task.

行ってきます (Ittekimasu: “I’m going”)

Say this to family at home, friends, or co-workers to announce you’re heading out.

行ってらっしゃい (Itterasshai: “Go and come back”)

In reply to 行ってきます (ittekimasu, “I’m going”), you say this — it's kind of like saying, “Be careful!” or “Okay, take care” and lets them know you’ll see them when they get back.

Basic Japanese Words and Phrases for All Situationsありがとうございます (arigatou gozaimasu): “Thank you”ごめんなさい (gomen nasai): “I’m sorry”はい or うん (Hhai or un): “Yes” (formal and informal)いいえ or ううん (iie or uun): “No” (formal and informal)名前は_ (namae wa _): “My name is _”_ です。(desu): “I am” (*See note below)いいですよ。(ii desu yo): “It’s good.”だめです。(dame desu): “It’s bad.”もう一度お願いします。(mou ichido onegai shimasu): “Again, please.”ゆっくりお願いします (yukkuri onegai shimasu): “More slowly, please”わかりません (wakarimasen): “I don’t understand”良かった (yokatta): “Great!” or “I’m glad!”すみません (sumimasen): “Excuse me”どういたしまして (Dou itashimashite): “You’re welcome”少し日本語を話します (Sukoshi nihongo wo hanashimasu): “I speak a little Japanese”また会いましょう (Mata aimashou): “Let’s meet again!”Please in Japanese: どうぞ、お願いします、ください (Douzo, Onegai Shimasu, Kudasai)

The word for “please” changes with intent.

どうぞ (douzo) is the most straight forward. You use this word when you are offering something to someone else. Like, “お先にどうぞ” (osaki ni douzo: “Please, you first” or “Please, after you”).

お願いします (onegai shimasu) and ください (kudasai) are almost interchangeable but have different formality.

お願いします is used to ask a request of someone with higher status than you, or for a service (because those offering services are usually considered to have higher status). So if you make a request of your boss, or take a taxi ride, you would use お願いします.

ください is used when you ask a request of someone close to you, like a friend, or when what you ask for is expected, like when ordering at a restaurant.

You also use ください whenever the verb it follows is in て-form, like ちょっと待ってください (chotto matte kudasai: “please wait”), no matter the formality.

About Desu in Japanese

If you’ve listened to Japanese at all, you probably have wondered “what means desu?” Because you hear the word “desu” ALL the time.

That’s because です (desu) means “is, to be.” It’s often used at the end of sentences, and can complete a sentence by adding a noun.

You can add anything to describe yourself before です.

You could say 二十七歳です (ni juu nana sai desu: “I am 27 years old”), アメリカ人です (amerikajin desu: “I am American”), or 作家です (sakka desu: “I am a writer”).

You could also use it to describe other things, like いいほんです (ii hon desu: “A good book”).

Japanese Questions to Boost Your Conversation

With any question word, you can use a raised inflection at the last syllable to express that it’s a question. But, more formally, you can add the Japanese equivalent of a question mark: ですか (desu ka).

Let’s start with the basics:

誰 (dare): “Who?”何 (nani or nan): “What?”いつ (itsu): “When?”どこ (doko): “Where?”どうして (doushite): “Why?”どう (dou): “How?”どちら? (dochira): “Which?”

Learn more: Japanese Question Words: “What”, “Where”, “When”, “Who”, “How” and “Why” in Japanese

And more helpful Japanese questions:

お名前は何ですか (o-namae wa nan desu ka): “What’s your name?”いくらですか (ikura desu ka): “How much Is It?”わかりますか (wakarimasu ka): “Do you understand?”はどこですか (__ wa doko desu ka): “Where is the _?”これは何ですか (kore wa nan desu ka): “What’s this?”これは何意味ですか (kore wa nan imi desu ka): “What does this mean?”日本語で_は何ですか (nihongo de _ wa nan desu ka): “What is _ in Japanese?”英語を話せますか (eigo wo hanasemasu ka): “Can you speak English?”何って言ったの (nani tte itta no): “What did you say?”_ がありますか (_ ga arimasu ka): “Do you have __?”大丈夫ですか (daijoubu desu ka): “Are you okay?”どうしたんだ (doushitanda): “What happened?”E-メール／電話番号を教えてもらえますか (e-meru/denwa bango wo oshiete moraemasu ka): “Could I have your email address/phone number?”_ を利用しますか (* wo riyou shimasu ka*): “Do you use _?”いつは会えますか (Itsu wa aemasu ka): “When can we meet?”Bonus: Some Cute and Cool Japanese Words to Level Up Your Speech

What are some cool Japanese words? I’m glad you asked! Use these Japanese slang words to sound cool in Japanese.

かわいい (Kawaii: “Cute”)

You probably know this one, as it’s become a staple of otaku in America, but it’s very common in Japan too. Everything is “kawaii.”

かっこいい (Kakkoii: “Cool”)

Also, “handsome.” It’s mostly used to describe dreamy guys or cool objects.

すごい！(Sugoi: “Wow!” or “Amazing!”)

I promise you, if you reply すごい (sugoi) to most everything that has a positive tone and body language, you'll sound like a native.

This is hands down the most overused word in Japanese, and it’s a reply to everything. In fact, you’ll probably hear “すごい!” in reply to your attempt to speak Japanese!

ヤバい (Yabai: “Uncool”)

The opposite of すごい, this means something is uncool or terrible.

ちょ、めっちゃ、とっても (Cho, Meccha, Tottemo: “Very,” “Super”)

Depending on the dialect, you’ll hear one of these three words to say something is “very __.” とっても (tottemo) is most standard, and the small つ (tsu) means it has extra emphasis.

マジで (Maji de: “Seriously,” “Really”)

Like ちょ (cho), マジ (maji) is used as an intensifier, but this one is more masculine.

うそ! (Uso!: “No way!”)

It actually means “a lie,” but it’s used as “no way!” in casual conversation when you hear something unbelievable.

ばか！ (Baka!: “Idiot!”)

Is “baka” a bad word? Well... It certainly isn’t nice. ばか (baka) in Japanese means “idiot”, but it’s pretty strong.

Japanese don’t use cuss words as freely as other countries, so calling someone this to their face is a big insult.

Similarly, if you’re wondering how do you say “asshole” in Japanese? Well, you can say あほ (aho, “stupid”) which is an even stronger form of ばか and has a nuance of meaning a “dumbass” or “asshole.”

But there’s also 下衆野郎 (gesu yarou) which means exactly that: “asshole.”

So, in case you felt like offending someone in Japanese today, now you’re prepared. (But please don’t!)

よし (Yoshi: “OK!”)

A common question is: “What is OK in Japanese?” Because there are a few versions, and it’s a bit confusing!

First, there’s よし (yoshi), pronounced more like “yosh” than “Yoshi” the video game character.

It’s used as an exclamation, like “Okay, let’s do this!”

Then there’s オーケー (o-ke-). It’s used to respond to someone, just like in English. You’ll often hear “オーケーです” (o-ke- desu), which means “OK / Got it / It’s okay.”

Last, there’s まあまあ (maamaa). This means “okay” but in the sense that you’re “so-so.”

Learn more: 63 Must-Know Japanese Slang Words (to Sound like a Local)

Japanese Words and Phrases to Speak NOW!

How will you use these phrases to start speaking Japanese now? If you’re looking for a Japanese language exchange partner, learn how you can find one in your area or check out italki. ​ And finally... One of the best ways to learn a new language is with podcasts. Read more about how to use podcasts to learn a language.

The post 150+ Japanese Words and Phrases You Need to Start Speaking Now appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

60+ Essential French Phrases for Beginners to Start Speaking Now

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What are some French sayings? What are the most common phrases in French? And can learning a few powerful French phrases really help you start speaking right away?

Absolutely!

Even if you'll only be spending a short time in the country, learning a few basic French phrases can be very rewarding and make a big difference to your trip.

Let’s start by mastering some of the most common French phrases you need to know as a beginner:

Bonjour
Hello


S'il vous plaît
Please


Comment vous appelez-vous?
What’s your name?


Oui
“Yes”


Non
No


Comment allez-vous?
How are you?


Je voudrais parler français
I would like to speak French


Excusez-moi
Excuse me


Pardon
Sorry


Je ne comprends pas
I don’t understand


Que veut dire ça?
What does that mean?


Plus lentement
More slowly


Comment dit-on __ en français?
How do you say __ in French?


Comment ça s'écrit?
How do you spell that?


Où est…?
Where is…?


Où se trouve la station de métro la plus proche?
Where is the closest metro station?


Je voudrais acheter un billet
I would like to buy a ticket


C'est combien?
How much is it?


Où sont les toilettes?
Where are the toilets?


À quelle heure est-ce qu’il faut régler la note?
What time is check out?


La carte/le menu, s’il vous plaît.
The menu, please.


Je ne peux pas manger…
I can’t eat…


Nous voudrions commander maintenant.
We would like to place an order now.


L’addition, s’il vous plaît.
The bill, please


Merci beaucoup
Thanks a lot


Je t'aime
I love you

I've long advocated that set phrases are the best thing for beginners to learn when starting out.

After all, isn't the goal of language learning to communicate?

How do you expect to communicate with anybody if the only thing you've learned so far is a verb table?

So whether you're planning to travel to Paris for a week or move to Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! for the rest of your life, here are the most important and useful French phrases that you should learn A.S.A.P.

Listen to the French Phrases:

Here's a quick “French phrases” video I made that will help you with pronunciation for most of the phrases in this article:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjYk3IuQQEs

Before we get started, if you’re looking for an online French course, here’s the course I recommend: French Uncovered – Learn French Through the Power of Story, a course with a fascinating new method by my friend Olly.

French Greetings and Polite Phrases



Bonjour – “Hello”

There are many ways in French to say “hello”, but bonjour is undoubtedly the most well-known. It's universally polite and friendly, whether the situation is formal or informal.

Bonjour is a combination of the words bon (“good”) and jour (“day”).

In the evening, you could also say bonsoir (“good evening”). A more casual way to greet people is salut, which can mean either “hi!” or “bye!”.

S'il vous plaît / s'il te plaît – “Please”

As a tourist, the last thing you want to be is rude. So when in France, remember what your mother taught you, and say s'il vous plaît (“please”) when making a request.

You can also say s'il te plaît. What's the difference? It's all about “you”:

In French there are two ways of saying “you”.

Tu is what you'd use when addressing a friend. Vous is a more polite and formal version, best used when talking to a stranger or older person.

(Vous is also what you should use when addressing a group of people in any situation, similar to saying “you guys” or “you all” in English).

So s'il vous plaît and s'il te plaît both mean “please” (literally, “if it pleases you”), but s'il vous plait is the more polite version. If in doubt, use s'il vous plaît.

(Why is it s'il te plait and not s'il tu plait? It's a grammatical thing that you don't need to worry about as a beginner. Just learn the phrase as a whole for now, and things will become clear later.)

In fact, when asking for something in French – e.g. asking a stranger for directions or asking to see a menu in a restaurant, you should start with “Bonjour. S'il vous plaît…” It literally means “Hello, please…”, which would sound a bit strange in English, but it's the normal way to start a polite request in French.

Comment vous appelez-vous? / Comment t'appelles-tu? – “What’s your name?”

When meeting anyone, one of the first things you'll want to know is their name.

In French, you can find it out by asking “Comment vous appelez-vous?” (formal) or “Comment t'appelles-tu?” (informal).

Literally, these questions mean “what do you call yourself?”. You could also ask “c'est quoi ton nom?” – which is a more literal translation of “what's your name?”

If you're on the receiving end of this question, answer with “Je m'appelle…” (“my name is”, literally “I call myself”) or a simple “Je suis…” (“I am…”).

Oui/Non/Si – “Yes/No”

Two essential words to learn in any language are “yes” and “no”. In French, “yes” is oui and “no” is non.

Informally, it's also common to say ouais or ouaip instead of oui – like saying “yeah” or “yep” in English.

Then you have si. This is a handy little word that has no direct equivalent in English. Use it to say “yes” when someone asks you a negatively phrased question.

To illustrate what I mean, imagine that someone asks you, in English, “haven't you been to Paris?”

If you reply “yes”, it's not exactly clear what you're saying. Do you mean “yes, I have been to Paris – contrary to your assertion” or “yes, you're correct: I haven't been to Paris”?

French avoids this confusion with the word si. It means “yes”, but more specifically it contradicts the assertion in the question. In the above example, if you say si, it clearly conveys that you have, in fact, been to Paris.

Si is one of many linguistic features that I sorely miss when I speak English.

Comment allez-vous? – “How are you?”

This is the polite way of saying “how are you?” in French. Note the use of the polite vous rather than the informal tu.

Another, more informal way to say “how are you?” is ça va? This phrase is extremely common – when in France you'll likely hear it several times per day.

If someone asks you “ça va?”, you can respond with a simple “ça va bien” – “it's going well”.

Excusez-moi – “Excuse me”

To get someone's attention, whether they're a waiter in a restaurant or a stranger on the street, say “excusez-moi”, “excuse me”.

This is also the polite way to ask someone to get out of your way. For example, if you're trying to exit a crowded train, a soft “excusez-moi” should (hopefully) be enough to make people step aside.

Pardon – “Sorry”

Picture getting off a crowded train, being careful you don't bump into anyone as you walk through the crowded metro station. But if a collision does occur, it's fine. Just say pardon, “sorry”, and all will be forgiven.

“Pardon?” is also how you'd ask someone to repeat themselves if you didn't hear or understand what they said. In this case, you should say it with a rising tone to indicate that it's a question.

Another way to say this is “pourriez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît?” – “Could you repeat, please?”

Merci beaucoup – “Thanks a lot”

And of course, don't forget to say thank you!

The French word for “thank you” is merci. Or you can make it stronger by saying merci beaucoup – “thanks very much”.

Use merci in all the same situations you'd say “thank you” in English.

Other Must-Know French Greetings and Polite Phrases:



Nice to meet you - EnchantéHow’s it going? - Comment ça va?And you? - Et toi?Are you well? - Vous allez bien?What’s new? / What’s up? - Quoi de neuf?Good, thanks! - Bien, merci!So-so / It’s okay - Comme ci, comme ça (Literally: “like this, like that”)Same as always - Comme d’habIt could be worse - Ça pourrait être pireYou’re welcome - Je t'en prieDon’t mention it / You’re welcome - De rienGoodbye - Au revoirSee you soon - À bientôt!



French Phrases for Maintaining a Conversation



Je voudrais parler français – “I would like to speak French”

The French are famously protective of their language. Sometimes they can be a bit impatient with us anglophones, and reply in English to your imperfect French questions.

It's frustrating when this happens, but if you ever want to make progress in a foreign language, you absolutely must stop speaking English!

Be polite but firm when someone tries to speak English with you – tell them “Je voudrais parler français” – “I'd like to speak French.”

Note that, unlike in English, names of languages are not written with a capital letter in French.

Je ne comprends pas – “I don’t understand”

Sometimes pardon doesn't quite cut it. If you really can't figure out what the other person is saying, try telling them “je ne comprends pas” – “I don't understand.”

There's no shame in being a beginner! Just remember not to fall back to English when the going gets tough. If you don't understand something, persevere in French anyway – it's the only way you'll learn.

Que veut dire ça? – “What does that mean?”

Maybe the reason you didn't understand is because there was a specific word you didn't recognise. If that's the case, say “que veut dire X?” – “What does X mean?”

You can also phrase this as “ça veut dire quoi?” – “What does that mean?”

Plus lentement – “More slowly”

Sometimes, vocabulary isn’t the problem. You’d know the words if you could make them out, but you can't because the other person is talking too fast!

In this case, try saying plus lentement – “more slowly”.

Better yet, say a full sentence: “Pourriez-vous parler plus lentement, s’il vous plaît?” – “Can you speak more slowly, please?”

Comment dit-on __ en français? – “How do you say __ in French?”

What if you need to say something in French, but the exact word escapes you?

Just fill in the blank in the above sentence: “Comment dit-on X en français?” means “How do you say X in French”?

A side note: the pronoun on, seen above, is an interesting one. It’s a colloquial alternative to nous (“we”). However, on is also used to refer to an unspecified person or people in general, like the word “one” is sometimes used in formal English. (If you speak German, note that on in this sense is like the German word man.)

One doesn't use the word “one” very much in modern English – one finds it rather old-timey and stuffy. These days you normally use “you” when you're talking about people in general.

Comment ça s'écrit? – “How do you spell that?”

If you learn a new French word using the phrase above, you might want to write it down before you forget it.

Unfortunately, French spelling isn't the easiest.

The relationship between spelling and French pronunciation can be complicated. Generally, it's easier to figure out a word's pronunciation from its spelling than it is to know its spelling from its pronunciation. I wrote a guide to help you with French pronunciation here.

So if you're not sure, ask someone “comment ça s'ecrit?” – “How do you spell that?” Literally: “How does that write itself?”

Or if you don't trust your own transcription abilities, try asking them to write it for you: say “Est-ce que vous pouvez l'écrire?” – “Can you write it (down)?”

Other Helpful Phrases for Maintaining a French Conversation:



Can you speak more slowly please? - Pouvez-vous parler plus lentement s'il vous plaît?Can you say it one more time? - Pouvez-vous le dire une fois de plus?Do you speak French? - Parlez-vous français?Do you understand? - Comprenez vous?What do you do for a living? - Qu’est-ce que tu fais dans la vie?How old are you? - Quel âge as-tu?I’m _ years old - J’ai _ ansWhere are you from? - D'où êtes-vous?I’m from… - Je viens...Are you married? - Es-tu marié?Are you single? - Es-tu célibataire?When can we meet? - Quand pouvons-nous nous rencontrer?What’s your phone number? - Quel est ton numéro de téléphone?



French Phrases for Getting Around



Où est…? – “Where is…?”

Struggling to find your way around? Not to worry. Just get a stranger's attention (remember what phrase would you use to do this?) and ask “où est X” – “Where is X?”

“X” could be many things: la Tour Eiffel, le Louvre, Notre Dame… or perhaps something less exotic, like le metro or un restaurant.

Où se trouve la station de métro la plus proche? – “Where is the closest metro station?”

Another way of saying “where is it?” is où se trouve, literally “where is (it) found”.

Here's an example of où se trouve combined with another handy phrase to know: la station de métro la plus proche means “the closest metro station”.

One more piece of useful vocabulary: once you're in the metro station, you might want to ask someone “où est le guichet?” - “Where is the ticket window?”

Je voudrais acheter un billet – “I would like to buy a ticket”

Now that you've found the guichet, you probably want to buy a billet – a ticket. But what type of ticket do you want?

un billet aller simple – a one-way ticketun billet aller retour – a round-trip ticket

Make your decision, and tell the assistant “je voudrais un billet aller simple/retour pour X” – “I would like to buy a one-way/round-trip ticket to X”, where X is your destination.

C'est combien? – “How much is it?”

France isn't the cheapest of countries – so whether you're at the guichet or elsewhere, it doesn't hurt to be price-conscious.

To ask how much something costs, say “c'est combien?” – “how much is it?” You can also say “Combien ça coûte?” – literally, “how much does it cost?”

Où sont les toilettes? – “Where are the toilets?”

It's worth learning this phrase, because you might need it in a hurry! Où sont les toilettes means “where are the toilets?”

Although if you want to use a public toilet, you could be searching for a long time.

They aren't very common in France – and if you do find one, you'll probably have to pay to use it. You're probably better off buying something in a café and using their toilets instead.

(Why is it “où sont“, when previously we used “où est“? Easy: sont means “are” while est means “is”. Since toilettes is plural, you must use sont, not est – “where are the toilets?”, rather than “where is the toilets”, which wouldn’t make sense.)

À quelle heure est-ce qu’il faut régler la note? – “What time is check out?”

If you're checking into a hotel in a French-speaking country, one useful thing to know the checkout time.

One way to find this out is to ask “à quelle heure est-ce qu’il faut régler la note?” – “What time must we check out?”

Another similar expression is: “quelle est l'heure limite d'occupation?” (Lit: “What is the occupancy cut-off time?”

La carte/le menu, s’il vous plaît. – “The menu, please.”

France is famous for its food, so while you're there, you'll probably want to dine in a restaurant or two!

When dining out in any language, there are usually a few subtleties around how to order. Here I'll explain one of the more important things to know in French: the words for “menu”.

I say “words” because there are two main ways to say “menu” in French.

The general word is carte, which you may recognise from the expression à la carte.

A carte is what you typically think of when you hear the word “menu”. It's a list of individually-priced options; you pick and choose what you want, then add up the prices to get your total bill.

But you can also ask for a menu, which is usually called a “fixed-price menu” in English. When ordering from a menu, you pick an option for each course (starter, main course, etc.) and pay the same, fixed price no matter what you selected.

Whichever option you choose, inform the serveur/serveuse (“waiter/waitress”) by saying “la carte/le menu, s’il vous plaît” – “the menu/fixed-price menu, please.”

Je ne peux pas manger… – “I can’t eat…”

This doesn't apply to everybody, but for those to whom it does apply, it's very important: informing the waiter about your dietary restrictions.

The simplest way to do this is to say “je ne peux pas manger de X” – “I can't eat X”. Here are some of the more common ways to fill in the blank:

cacahuètes – peanutsnoix – nutsgluten – glutenfruits de mer – shell fishœufs – eggspoisson – fishproduits laitiers – dairy productssoja – soyviande – meat

If you're vegetarian, say so with “je suis végétarien” (for men) or “végétarienne” (for women.)

A vegan is a “végétalien(ne)“, although végan/végane is sometimes used too.

You could also explain “je ne consomme pas de produits animaux.” – “I don't consume animal products”

Nous voudrions commander maintenant. – “We would like to place an order now.”

To “order” in French is commander, when you're talking about ordering something in a restaurant.

Don't confuse this with ordonner, which is used in the sense of “to order a person to do something”, such as in the military.

After receiving the carte or the menu, and perhaps informing the waiter of your dietary restrictions, you may be given some time to make a decision. When you're ready, say “nous voudrions commander maintenant” – “we'd like to order now.”

It’s also acceptable in nearly any restaurant to use on instead of nous for we, as I mentioned earlier: On voudrait commander maintenant.

Or if you're by yourself, say je voudrais (I'd like) instead of nous voudrions (we'd like). Bon appétit!

L’addition, s’il vous plaît. – “The bill, please”

One final bit of restaurant-related vocabulary – the bill (or “check” if you're American) is l'addition.

So when you're ready to leave, say l’addition, s’il vous plaît – “the bill, please”.

You’ll often hear la facture used in Quebec instead of l’addition – however both are perfectly understandable to waitstaff.

Other French Phrases for Out and About in France:



Can you help me please? - Pouvez-vous m'aider s'il vous plaît?I would like… - Je voudrais...I’d like one of those please - J'en voudrais un s'il vous plaitOne: UnTwo: DeuxThree: TroisFour: QuatreFive: *Cinq

Learn more: French Numbers: Counting in French from 1 - 100+

Romantic French Phrases



Je t'aime – “I love you”

Finally, let’s talk about love.

They say that French is a romantic language, so maybe in your travels you'll find love on the road? Or maybe after you get home, you'll want to use your newfound French skills to woo that special someone.

So how do you say “I love you” in French?

The French word for “to love” is adorer – but you generally only use this word when talking about things rather than people, for example to say that you love a place, book, or song.

When talking to a person, say je t'aime. Aimer usually means “like”, but in this context it means “love” in the most romantic of senses. Use it wisely!

Here are some other romantic French phrases:

My heart - Mon cœurMy love - Mon amourYou’re beautiful - Tu es belle (to a woman); Tu es beau (to a man)You’re too cute - Tu es trop mignonI like you (Lit: “You please me”) - Tu me plais



Bonus: French Slang

Wondering what a famous French saying is that you could use in everyday life? Or how do you say “cool” in French slang?

Here are some bonus French sayings and slang to level up your French:

Cool - Cool (yes, really! Just say it with a French accent

How to Speak Korean – It’s Easier than You Think

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Want to learn Korean? Good call! Learning how to speak Korean is a great choice, because Korean is hot property right now.

Although Korean might be ranked as one of the more difficult languages to learn by the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), it is by no means impossible. So don’t worry about the “hours” it takes to learn Korean.

You can learn Korean fast -- and you may even already know more Korean than you think!

Here’s what we’ll cover to teach you how to speak Korean:

Table of contentsWhy Learn Korean -- And What You Can Enjoy When You Do!Is it Difficult to Learn Korean?Learn the Korean Alphabet (Hangul) With EaseKorean Hangul is PhoneticWord Families: How Korean Words Are BuiltUsing Logic to Learn Korean from Words You Already KnowHow to Pronounce Korean Words: No TonesKonglish: You Already Know Thousands of Korean WordsKorean Grammar Is Really EasyDeal With the “Difficult” Parts of Korean Down the RoadBreaking Apart Korean WordsWhy It’s Easy to Find Resources to Learn KoreanLearn Korean: How to Speak Korean TODAY



Why Learn Korean -- And What You Can Enjoy When You Do!

Interest from people who want to speak the Korean language has soared over the past few years:

[image error]Google searches for "Korean", 2014-2018

“Gangnam Style” by Korean pop icon Psy was the first YouTube video to reach one billion views (and the first to hit two billion views):

[image error] Korean pop star Psy performs "Gangnam Style".

And I’m sure you’ve heard of a little band called BTS:

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They hold the biggest Spotify debut for their song, “Dynamite”, even toppling Taylor Swift. They’re international superstars, with BTS fans (known as their A.R.M.Y) all over the world.

K-Dramas – Korean television dramas – are a rising trend that’s set to take the world by storm. Just take a look at the success of Netflix’s Crash Landing on You, which ranked in the top 10 internationally

And Korean novels such as Please Look After Mom are starting to enter the international bestsellers list too.

[image error]Bestselling Korean novel, "Please Look After Mom".

What’s more, South Korea is a young, tech-savvy country that’s home to popular tech brands including Samsung and LG.

Why not learn Korean as your next language?

Is it Difficult to Learn Korean?

It's actually a lot easier than you think to learn Korean.

That's one of the reasons I created 90 Day Korean and the 90 Minute Korean Challenge.

I wanted to show just how simple Korean can be if you take the right approach. Even the Fluent in 3 Months team members have learned Korean and mastered Hangul using 90 Day Korean.

Compared to Japanese and Chinese, Korean has some huge advantages that make it easy to learn. Let’s find out more about these.

Learn the Korean Alphabet (Hangul) With Ease

The first step to learn the Korean language is becoming familiar with the Korean alphabet.

When first seeing the Korean alphabet, many people assume that it is just a bunch of squiggles and that it’s as impenetrable as learning the thousands of Chinese characters that students of Mandarin face.

Believe it or not, this causes some learners to give up on the Korean language before they even start!

While there are ways of learning Chinese and Japanese characters quickly, the Korean alphabet is nothing like Chinese characters.

It is far easier to learn than even the Japanese ‘script’ alphabets of Katakana or Hiragana, and maybe even Cyrillic.

The reason for this goes back centuries.

Unlike other alphabets that grew organically, Hangul, the Korean alphabet, was invented.

Not only was it invented, but Hangul was made with the specific purpose of being easy to learn and use. Basically, it’s almost impossible to design a simpler writing system than Hangul that would still work with the Korean language.

The truth is that using modern learning techniques, anybody can learn Hangul in just ninety minutes.

Think about that for a second – the Korean language was constructed with language learners in mind!

Hangul exists not to confuse and intimidate learners, but rather to give them the quickest access to Korean culture possible.

Korean Hangul is Phonetic

With only twenty-four letters in the Korean alphabet, it doesn’t take long to learn. While some writing systems look impossible to scribe, Korean is easy. One of the letters is a circle, one is a square, and two are straight lines!

Hangul has another huge advantage over Chinese characters in that it’s phonetic.

Even if many Chinese characters may have phonetic elements to them, Korean is entirely phonetic. There aren’t hidden sounds or pronunciations that new learners are expected to know right off the bat.

In fact, it has this advantage over the Latin alphabet too.

For example, if you’re an American travelling to the U.K. and you come across a sign saying ‘Leicester’. You may well assume that this is read ‘Lie-kest-er’ when it is in fact pronounced ‘Lester’.

If you can read Hangul, then it is very rare that you will have similar problems with pronunciation.

When pronouncing a Korean place or name, there are only a handful of situations where the pronunciation isn’t exactly the same as how the word is written.

Luckily, you can easily learn these exceptions in no time!

That’s why it’s easy to connect written and spoken Korean. For example, if you hear somebody talking about going to an ‘an-gwa’ then you might remember that word when you are walking down the street and see a sign saying ‘안과’ above a shop selling spectacles.

The link between the sound and the written word makes it easier to remember these new words. After you become familiar with the characters in the language, acquiring new Korean words will happen in no time!

Hangul is so easy to learn, that an online comic can teach it to you in 15 minutes!

Word Families: How Korean Words Are Built

You might be thinking “if the Korean alphabet is so logical, then why are all the letters jumbled up instead of just being in a straight line?”
Well, this is the genius part of the Korean alphabet that makes learning new words and ideas very simple!

However, it’s different from the letter orders in the alphabets you are most familiar with using.

In Korean:

‘ㅅ‘ sounds like ‘s’;‘ㅏ’ sounds like ‘a’;‘ㄴ’ sounds like ‘n’.

When put together they look like ‘산’ , which is pronounced as ‘san’.

Rather than being three letters in a line, it makes a nice self-contained block!

Korean is essentially made up of three types of words:

Words that are “pure” Korean;
Words that are based on English (we will come to these later);
Words that are based on Chinese characters.

When we see 山 in Chinese we know this means mountain.

In the Korean words that are based on Chinese, each block in Korean has the same meaning as a Chinese character. 산, in this context usually means “mountain”.

This means that any time we see 산 at the end of a word, we can guess that it probably has something to do with a mountain. Easy enough, right?

In English, the spelling of the words ‘volcano’ and ‘iceberg’ are totally different from ‘mountain’.

In Korean, they are 화산 (hwasan, “fire-mountain”) and 빙산 (bingsan, “ice-mountain”).

This can help you learn words very quickly and guess new words without ever seeing them before. When you learn one word, you will have access to other words and phrases that build upon that first word.

For example, from our earlier word 안과 (angwa), if we are walking around the streets and see words like 내과 (naegwa), 치과 (chigwa), 피부과 (pibugwa), etc., then we can guess that they have something to do with medical care.

And if somebody asks if you wear 안경 (angyeong) then we can guess that they are talking about glasses.

Using Logic to Learn Korean from Words You Already Know

Look at the following list to see how quick it can be to learn new words using a bit of logic:

1 (and sun) = il2 = ee3 = sam4 = sa5 = oMoon = wolJanuary = il-wolFebruary = ee-wol1st March = sam-wol il-il2nd April = sa-wol ee-il3rd May = o-wol sam-ilCountry = gukKorea = hanMiddle = jungPerson = inLanguage / fish = eoKorea = Han-gukChina = Jung-gukKorean language = han-guk-eoChinese person = Jung-guk-inMermaid = in-eo

See? Easy!

How to Pronounce Korean Words: No Tones

When you start to learn Korean, you’ll start with learning how to read words in the Korean alphabet, then move on to learning how to pronounce those words.

While learning Korean pronunciation can be intimidating at first, it’s easier with Korean than many other languages.

Each Korean word, or letter-block, has several different meanings. But, they are all pronounced the same way. This is great news as you don’t have to worry about tones,.

Tones are an extral element to language that can make the learning process much more complicated.

Of course, the fact that one word can have many different meanings can be confusing. For example, 어 (pronounced like the ‘o’ in the word ‘song’) often means either ‘fish’ or ‘language’.

But realistically, how many times are you going to be having a conversation that involves both fish and language?

Context clues are everywhere in Korean and will greatly speed up the learning process for beginners.

Konglish: You Already Know Thousands of Korean Words

Every day new words are added to languages. The good news? In Korean, these new words are often based on English.

That means that every day you are getting better at Korean without even studying (unless you are North Korean!

Some Korean words such as computer, taxi, and ice cream are almost exactly the same as English words in both their meaning and pronunciation.

Other words are based on English, but have slight differences to standard English. But because they are based on English words, they are easy to remember.

As a speaker of English beginning to learn Korean, you will find that you are already pretty familiar with some Korean language words and concepts – it’s almost like the work was done for you!

The parallel between Korean and English words isn’t the only easy part about learning Korean — Korean tenses and grammar are also much more straightforward than languages like French and Spanish.

Korean Grammar Is Really Easy

If your average French class at school consisted of hour upon hour of “I am”, “he is”, “they are” etc., then try not to jump for joy when I tell you that you don’t need to do this to learn how to speak Korean.

In fact, when you start out learning Korean, it’s best not to bother with pronouns at all.

In Korean, you can speed right through conjugation pretty fast. Korean verbs change based on several factors, such as tense and politeness level. But even when they do change, then they change in a predictable way based on the final consonant (or vowel) of the verb.

Even better, the verbs stay the same when the pronouns in the sentence change. For example “to do” (하다, hada) will always be 해요 (haeyo, “do”) regardless of whether”‘I do”, “he does”, or “they do”.

Pronouns are rarely used in Korean, so you can often just say the verb.

The other person can guess from context who you are referring to. As a result, here is a verb conjugation list for the verb 먹다 (meogda, to eat) in the present tense:

I eat – 먹어요you eat – 먹어요he eats- 먹어요she eats – 먹어요they eat – 먹어요we eat – 먹어요

(In case you didn’t notice, they are all the same, and all read meogeoyo.)

I have more good news: this applies to adjectives too!

If you want to tell somebody that the gimbap, a popular Korean street food, was delicious, then you can just say “delicious”.

Likewise if you want to ask somebody else if that food was delicious then you just ask,”delicious?”.

Tenses in Korean are also regular, so you don’t need to learn extra words like you do in English (teach-taught, is-was, etc.).

There aren’t any special past participles, either. Instead you just stick an extra word onto the end of the sentence to change it from ‘ate’ to ‘have eaten’. Easy enough, right?

Deal With the “Difficult” Parts of Korean Down the Road

When learning Korean, you can put off the difficult parts of the language for later.

One difficult aspect of Korean is that it’s a hierarchical language. This means you use different words depending on who you speak to.

While this sounds daunting, if you use the regular form of the word (verbs that end with “yo”) then nobody will be offended. Stick to the “yo”, and you’ll be good to go!

As you get better at Korean, you can start using the different levels of language. But you don’t have to get worked up about it early on in your language study.

If you are wondering how honorifics and hierarchy work in Korean, basically there is a way of speaking for people who are close to you, and a way for speaking to people more distant.

The more distant version (ending in “imnida” or “sumnida”) often comes up in textbooks early on.

But you will only ever use it if you are doing a job interview, giving a presentation, or speaking on the news (things that are unlikely for beginner students to be doing).

So you should focus on the “yo” system, which you will be using much more often.

If you are speaking to somebody who is younger than you and close to you, then you can drop the “yo”. This will be handy when you begin making Korean friends and acquaintances.

These different levels of Korean often scare people, but English and other languages also have these levels. For example, “to die” vs. “to pass away”.

Once you’ve learned the more approachable parts of Korean, you’ll feel comfortable using Korean conversationally.

It’s through conversation and exposure that you’ll become more comfortable with the more complex parts of the language.

Breaking Apart Korean Words

Using Korean words is very simple.

If you want to use them as a verb, then you can stick the verb ‘to do’ (하다, hada) at the end of the word. Once you learn how to change this verb into different tenses, then you can suddenly say a ridiculously large amount with very little effort.

Remember, you rarely need to use pronouns and you don’t need to conjugate based on pronouns. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you will learn how to communicate basic concepts in Korean with relative ease!

Another thing that makes it a breeze to learn Korean words and concepts is how accessible Korean-learning resources are.

After you begin your journey to learn Korean and start looking around for help, you’ll be surprised about the abundance of resources available through books and the Internet.

Why It’s Easy to Find Resources to Learn Korean

When learning how to speak Korean, you won’t have to learn using the Korean version of Shakespeare or anything equally antiquated.

The rest of the world started caring about Korean culture much more at the start of this millennium so most of the cultural resources for learning Korean are new and easy to access.

In fact, there’s a term for how popular Korean culture has become: 한류 (hallyu), the “Korean wave”.

There are many great online resources for studying Korean.

When studying the Korean language, the last thing you will be doing is looking through a dusty old textbook. Korean resources are current and relevant, making the learning process that much more fun!

Along with modern cultural resources, you’ll also have the opportunity to learn by speaking Korean to native speakers as soon as you’re even a little bit conversationally fluent.

Learn Korean: How to Speak Korean TODAY

Most Koreans are very proud of their country and language, and would love it if more people could speak Korean.

As a result, there are plenty of people who are willing to teach you Korean. Especially in Seoul, it’s quite easy to find free Korean classes.

Also, Koreans rarely expect foreigners to speak Korean perfectly so they won’t judge you as harshly as people from some other countries if you mispronounce a word. Learn the basics of Korean with some help, and then get out there and experiment with all the doors that you’ve opened by beginning the Korean learning process!

Those Korean dramas aren’t going to watch themselves.

Original article by Joseph Gerocs, updated by the Fluent in 3 Months team.

The post How to Speak Korean – It’s Easier than You Think appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.