Benny Lewis's Blog, page 72
May 19, 2017
Learning a Third Language: An In-Depth Guide
Why is this? Well, some people are perfectly happy stopping at one foreign language. That was their goal, and they reached it. That’s all good.
On the other hand, too many people would like to start learning a third language, but feel held back. I think there’s one main reason for this:
It’s a hit to your ego.
That’s right. You managed to cross all the painful hurdles and endure the mistakes involved in learning a second language. You’ve forced yourself through the discomfort of learning to speak with real people. You left that “looking stupid” phase behind a long time ago. And now you’ll have to start all over at square one.
Why would anyone do that?
Here’s another way of thinking about it. You know you’re capable of learning a new language. You’ve already done it once. That means you can do it again.
Speaking as someone who’s spent thousands of hours “looking stupid” in at least seventeen languages, I know what it takes. You do have to make mistakes. But the more you do it, the easier it gets.
Don’t let your fear hold you back!
My Experience Learning a Third Language
Spanish was the first new language I learned to speak fluently. After that, I set my sights on Italian.
I worked in a youth hostel in Rome, and spoke Italian with locals while speaking lots of Spanish with guests.
For the first few weeks, I was concerned about how I’d cope. I didn’t know whether using both languages at the same time would help or hinder me in learning Italian.
As it turned out, continuing to use Spanish while learning Italian was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my 13 years of language learning.
Italian is a Romance language with lots of similarities to Spanish. Did that mean that half the work was already done for me before I even started studying Italian? Well, yes and no.
I could often “get by” in Italian by guessing at vocabulary using Spanish as a reference. For example, I would take a Spanish word such as precio (“price”) and take a guess at the correct Italian pronunciation -- in this case, prezzo. I wasn’t always correct, but I could often get my point across, and could get the gist of what the other person was saying as well.
I needed to be cautious when doing this, though. Otherwise I might have ended up unwittingly chatting with a very confused Italian about how fun it would be to take a ride on some butter. “Burro” means butter in Italian, but donkey in Spanish.
False cognates - words that you guess should be the same across two languages, but actually have different meanings - are one problem when learning two similar languages. Another is the risk of mixing up both languages.
That’s where my Spanish practice at the hostel came to the rescue. As I’ll explain in a moment, it’s actually better to continue to use both of your languages while learning a new one. You’re less likely to mix up your languages if you force yourself early on to switch back and forth between your fluent language and your new target language.
I’ve learned many more languages since Italian. My experience in Rome taught me early on what to do (and what not to do) when it comes to learning a new foreign language.
Here’s what I learned.
When is the Right Time to Start Learning a Third Language?
Starting a third language before you’ve reached conversational fluency (this means at least upper-intermediate) in your first can have a negative impact on both of your foreign languages.
No matter which language you choose after you’ve already learned one new language, you risk the following problems:
Mixing up both languages
Forgetting one language while learning the other
Speaking your first foreign language at the same time as you learn your second is a good way to keep from mixing up both languages. But this only holds if you already speak your first foreign language fluently. This holds true no matter how different your second foreign language is from your first. Even if your first new language was Spanish and your second is Khmer, mixing up the two languages can be a problem. If you don’t have a solid foundation in Spanish, then you’ll still be in “learning mode” with this language, rather than “maintenance mode”, when you start Khmer. Then you’ll find unwanted Spanish words unconsciously creeping into your Khmer conversations, and vice versa. This will seriously hinder your progress in both languages. With two similar languages, such as Spanish and Portuguese, the problem is even more pronounced.
You could avoid this problem by taking a break from Spanish while you learned Khmer. But then, chances are, when you go back to Spanish in a couple months, you’ll realise you’ve forgotten most of it. Sure, you’ll be able to regain your skills more quickly the second time, but that requires an unnecessary amount of effort. You can easily avoid that extra effort if you take the time to learn the language fluently in the first place.
Although I speak many languages, I’ve never successfully learned two languages from scratch by studying them at the same time. Instead, I focus on one language until I reach conversational fluency, which is around an upper-intermediate level. Only then do I start learning another language.
I avoid the problem of mixing up languages by continuing to maintain my existing languages while learning the new one. This sounds counterintuitive. After all, if I speak two similar languages in the same day (or the same conversation, as has been the case sometimes), won’t I mix up my existing languages with the new one all the time? Isn’t it better to keep them as separate as possible?
Surprisingly, no. I’ve found that the more I switch back and forth between my languages, including the new one I’m learning, the more I learn to partition them in my brain. Just to say it again: this only works if I’ve reached conversational fluency in a language before I start a new one. This partitioning is the key to learning to speak multiple languages without any of your languages suffering in the process.
How to Choose Your Next Language
How should you choose your next language? Simple: it’s up to you!
The most important thing to consider is your interests and passion. Which languages light your fire? As the folklorist Joseph Campbell once said, “follow your bliss”.
You can go for a language that’s similar to the one you already speak, or completely different.
Even if your second foreign language has absolutely nothing in common with your first, you’ll still have certain advantages that you didn’t have when you learned your first foreign language.
For one, the act of learning a language is itself a skill. You’ve already learned one new language, so you’ve done most of the heavy lifting in developing this skill.
For another, you’re less likely to mix up your languages. If you’re already fluent in French and have decided to learn Mandarin, the odds that you’ll accidentally come out with “我是 étudiant” are pretty low.
On the flip side, if the next language you’re interested in learning is in the same family as your first, don’t let this hold you back. Some people consider it “cheating” to learn two similar languages, since you can use the similarities to your advantage. Well, I can tell you, having learned four languages from the same family, that it’s definitely not cheating. Learning each one of these languages was a huge effort despite the similarities.
If you have a passion for Romance languages or are crazy about the Bantu language family, don’t hesitate to learn another language from the same family. You’ll still face an exciting challenge. Why? Even with languages that are similar, the cultures behind the languages are different. If you doubt me, try heading out for supper around 7 p.m. in France versus Spain, and see the difference in how easy it is to find an open restaurant ;-) .
How Can You be More Efficient in Your Learning This Time Around?
Language learning gets easier with each new language.
You can make it even easier by reflecting on how you’ve done with learning a new language so far. Look at what went well, and what you could have done better, the first time around. Then make a concrete plan that plays to your strengths while avoiding the mistakes you made last time.
As with many first-time language learners - myself included! - your biggest mistake with your first foreign language was probably simply not speaking enough.
Speaking from day one is the way to go. Make it a bigger priority this time around. The emphasis on speaking, combined with the other advantages you get from already knowing one foreign language, will mean you’ll learn more quickly this time around.
Bonus Tips for Learning a Third Language
Focus On Your Weak Points
What aspect of your first new language did you find most difficult? Pronunciation? Listening? The writing system? For your next language, place more emphasis on this hurdle early on.
This will be frustrating. Usually, people want to avoid the most difficult part of an activity, not pay more attention to it! But doing so will help you progress more quickly. You’ll have to cross it eventually to reach fluency, so the sooner the better.
What if your biggest weakness was motivation? Then...
Make Your Language “Mission” Public
I’ve gotten a lot of praise over the years for creating this website and blogging all about my language missions. But it’s actually a really easy thing to do. Anyone can create a public blog (for free) and write about their progress in learning languages.
It’s a really good way of keeping yourself accountable.
Does having your own blog seem like too big a step? Then scale it down. Announce your intention on Facebook, or to your immediate circle of friends and family.
It’s human nature to not want to give up on a task when you know someone’s watching. That’s why accountability works so well.
Be Extra Creative With Mnemonics
Suppose Japanese was your first language mission, and now you’re learning Portuguese. The Portuguese word for “thank you” - obrigado - doesn’t have any immediately apparent connection to English.
Rather than trying to come up with an obscure mnemonic based on English to help you remember obrigado, look to your knowledge of Japanese instead. The Japanese word for “thank you” sounds like “arigato”. This is surprisingly similar to the Portuguese “obrigado”. Coming up with a memorable mnemonic is suddenly a lot easier when you have two languages to draw from.
Don’t Let the Difficulty of Your First New Language Scare You Away From Starting a Second
I can’t help but laugh to myself when I hear people talk about how easy it is to learn Spanish compared to other languages. For me, it was the hardest!
The first foreign language you ever learn is always the most difficult. If you’ve conquered that language, then you’ve already gotten the worst out of the way. Unfortunately, though, it’s not going to be all downhill after that. Learning subsequent languages is still going to be hard. But the hill gets smaller each time. This is because learning how to learn languages is a skill that you improve over time.
The kind of person who has achieved fluency in one foreign language is the kind of person who embraces a challenge. If you reached your goal in one language and are starting to look at the prospect of polyglotism, then ignore your fears of “starting over”, “hard work” and “looking stupid”. Don’t overthink it. Just go for it!
Have you successfully learned a third language after achieving fluency in one? How did you accomplish it? Let me know in the comments!
The post Learning a Third Language: An In-Depth Guide appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.
May 15, 2017
Assimil Review: An Honest Look at the Assimil Language Learning System
Assimil has a range of courses available in a variety of languages, but is geared primarily towards French speakers. Dubbed "The Magic Books” by NPR, Assimil is quickly approaching both 100 years of language teaching, and 100 languages in their catalog of courses.
What is Assimil?
Assimil, a French company, was created by Alphonse Chérel in 1929. It publishes several different series, their most popular being Sans Peine or With Ease.
The Assimil Sans Peine courses are a combination of dialogue-based texts and audio where you learn by working through passive and active stages. In the passive stage you complete the lessons by reading and listening. While in the active stage you not only listen to and read the lessons, but attempt to translate the dialogues on your own.
Compared to the apps and podcasts that many learners use these days, Assimil arguably offers an “old fashioned" approach. The method hasn’t changed much since its original release in the 1920's. So is it still a relevant learning tool?
In the past, I have used Assimil to study languages I already had a foundation in - Chinese and Croatian. So for this review I decided to take on the challenge of studying a language in which I was a beginner: Korean.
[caption id="attachment_20749" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
My Assimil "Korean With Ease" course[/caption]Assimil’s Korean courses are only available in French, so I choose to work through Assimil Coréen Sans Peine to see how I would do.
Before I started using Coréen Sans Peine, I’d categorise myself as a “false beginner”. I had dabbled in the language, but my Korean reading was precarious at best, my vocabulary extremely limited and my understanding of grammar non-existent.
Having completed the course, here are my thoughts.
Assimil Korean with Ease: Getting Started
Each course in Assimil’s Sans Peine series includes both a book and four audio CDs (and/or an MP3 disc). The courses are available in 148 language combinations, although only 16 of these are for English speakers while 49 are for French speakers.
I really like that both the audio and book are available as a complete package, especially because the audio is directly related to the text. What’s more, I like that the audio is to the point. There aren’t any fancy introductions or extra banter from the speakers that you have to endure to get to the real “meat” of the program.
Assimil’s Sans Peine courses are created with beginners in mind, and it’s very easy to get started. Each book includes a thorough introduction to the language with tips on pronunciation, the writing system if there is one, and general features of the language. Following the introduction, the course dives right in.
For languages with different writing systems, such as Chinese, Japanese or Korean, transliterations are included in Assimil’s courses. While I could have slowly worked my way through Korean texts, I really appreciated having the transliteration printed below the dialogues so that I could focus on speaking and listening comprehension, rather than my reading skills. Plus, the accompanying audio offers you the chance to hear how the words sound so you don’t feel like you’re guessing.
[caption id="attachment_20750" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
A look inside the Assimil course.[/caption]Each chapter includes a brief dialogue (although these grow longer as you progress) and notes on content. There are also exercises that give you the opportunity to use the material you’ve learned. Together with the translation that conveys the meaning of the text, a literal translation is included so that you get a feel for word order and vocabulary without needing vocabulary lists or grammar exercises.
The lessons intentionally avoid going into great depth on grammar, instead offering a collection of simple dialogues with detailed footnotes on rules as they appear as well as notes on the culture tied to the language.
How I Used Assimil
I personally work through the lessons, reading the dialogues out loud before shadowing them once more along with the audio. The way that I use the course, the active stage starts when I repeat the lessons with the audio alone to see how much I’ve really mastered. I can then go back and review what I need with the text. I also like to try out what I’m learning as a part of language exchanges.
This approach works well for my learning style, but I could understand why other learners might not be a fan of the series. For me, the process ensures that the material I’m learning really sticks, but others might find it tedious.
The strengths of the Assimil method definitely lie in the way it offers context for what it teaches rather than word lists or grammar exercises isolated from how the language functions in day-to-day life.
Most lessons can be completed in around an hour, so they are a manageable length.
Assimil with Ease Review: What Did I Learn?
Assimil Korean includes practical and relevant phrases and vocabulary for real world situations.
Through the course, I learned words and phrases that were incredibly useful and applicable to daily conversations. These included:
I almost forgot!
What genre of books do you read most?
What time do you get off work?
There was nothing to eat in the fridge, so I went out to the restaurant across the way.
What kind of food do you like?
I really like that Assimil jumps right in and skips the laborious introductions that span several chapters in other courses. My only criticism is that you are not equipped with everything you need to give a full introduction to someone you’ve just met. While I don’t need to know how to describe my entire extended family, it would be nice to get a bit more content for introducing myself, my hobbies, and my preferences.
One thing that’s really great about the series is that the dialogues vary from language to language so that they’re more culturally and geographically relevant to the language that the book teaches. But this also means that depending on the learner and depending on the language, the usefulness of the material in the books really varies. Compared to other With Ease books, the Korean course did seem much more travel/business orientated, but there was enough additional content (karaoke, seasons, food, jokes) that this didn’t deter me much.
Overall, the language in the texts is relatively formal. Personally, I prefer this. I would rather be overly formal than rudely informal. Especially with a language like Korean where honorifics are important.
What Level Can You Reach With Assimil?
Assimil claim that their Sans Peine series will take learners to the B2 level according to the CEFR scale and that their Perfectionnement series will get you to the C1 level. I’m not entirely sure how accurate this is because while you may work with material that ranges from the A1 to B2 or C1 level, there are gaps that would need to be filled with the help of other resources. In terms of vocabulary, it was not as thorough as I would like from a course that works through so many levels.
For most learners, this is fine because relying on just one course or learning tool to teach you a language is never a good strategy, but it could be deceiving for those expecting an all-in-one language resource.
I will say this: Because the Sans Peine course gets to B2 level in about 71 lessons, they quickly grow challenging. The course also covers quite a bit of grammar, but it’s done in a way that isn’t overwhelming. You’re introduced to different grammar concepts on an as-needed basis.
For the same reason, the course isn’t for someone who hasn’t had any prior exposure to the language. It’s a bit difficult to pick up without any experience in your target language. But it’s fantastic for those with a basic vocabulary.
What Could be Better about Assimil?
I did have some issues with the Assimil approach.
The introductions and basic pleasantries were not as in-depth as I would have expected for a course aimed at beginners. There are some phrases that fall into this category, but the course quickly shifts into situational and culture-related dialogues. While these are useful later down the line, I thought that just two short chapters on introductions weren’t quite enough. At the same time, however, this is something you can easily find in any other resource, so it’s not a huge strike against Assimil.
The one thing that I would really love to see added to the series would be additional relevant phrases at the end of each chapter. These could be phrases that might fit into the example dialogue and they would serve two beneficial purposes. One, you could role play and swap out some of the phrases so you really get to maximise the dialogues in the book. And two, you get additional vocabulary and phrases suitable to the theme of each chapter without having to figure out the grammar to piece them together yourself.
My biggest complaint is about the audio. Most computers no longer have a disc drive built in, so I had limited listening options. It would be far more convenient if the book included an access code to download the files online or you were given a USB drive with the audio instead.
In addition, I wasn’t a huge fan of the transliterations for the language in the book, but only because it was different from what I’m used to. There really isn’t a standard for Korean, so it’s hard to penalize them for this. Plus, since I wasn’t that great at reading Korean, it was helpful to have this available to me.
Finally, the selection of Assimil courses available to English speakers is relatively small in comparison to their overall catalogue. If you don’t speak French, your options with Assimil are limited. This also makes accessibility outside of Europe somewhat difficult (or more expensive). If you do speak French (or another continental European language), however, Assimil is an excellent resource to work on laddering.
Assimil Review: Did I Actually Remember What I Learned?
Because it’s a traditional coursebook, Assimil really doesn’t have a way to keep you accountable. It’s up to you as the learner to monitor your progress - there are no leaderboards, progress bars, or points awarded for working through the material.
That said, the lessons are short and easily digestible, so there’s not anything to keep you from continuing through the lessons on a regular basis. The only critique I had is that you do have to find the time to sit down and concentrate on the lessons, which is different from some of the other resources available that are more portable.
If you don’t have the time to really sit down and study, you can always just work with the audio to see how your listening comprehension fares.
I really enjoy Assimil’s approach. It was just challenging enough to hold my attention and the time it takes to complete the lessons is just right. I also like the extra cultural tidbits and language facts they add in the endnotes. It gives me a nice break from actual language learning but still keeps me in the right mindset.
I was honest with myself as I completed the various exercises, working to find the answers on my own before double-checking the result against those provided. Because the lessons were so succinct, I found I ended up with just the right balance of right and wrong answers to keep me motivated (not so many that I grew frustrated but not so few that I became bored).
If you really want a way to track your progress, you can do so with the exercises at the end of each chapter. You can also check how you’re doing through the review sections, by how many lessons you’ve completed and by how much of the audio you understand without the help of the text.
The book contains review sections every six chapters. I was pleased with the frequency of these - neither too much nor too little. The course structure offers you the opportunity to work through the information in a variety of ways, so even though I didn’t retain everything I learned using the course, I was able to take away the things I was most likely to use in the future.
Assimil: The Verdict
The verdict: I would definitely use Assimil again in the future, but with the caveat of doing it my own way.
Assimil brought me from having an entirely shaky understanding of Korean to being able to confidently have short and direct exchanges in the language. I am definitely not at a B2 (or even B1) level, but I would say that I am somewhere in the vicinity of A2 and that I might hit B1 with another pass at the book and by more intensively working on the translations, or active phase of the book.
The Assimil method runs contrary to the Speak from Day 1 approach. It suggests that the learner take a passive learning approach for the first several chapters, then step into an active approach in the later chapters.
This means that you work through the beginning of the book by reading, listening, and completing the exercises. You’re then advised to go back during the active stage and work on translating the lessons. If you ignore these directions, however, and reading the dialogues from the first lesson, you can Speak from Day 1 with Assimil.
The great thing about a self-guided course is that it’s, well, self-guided. You can use it however you see fit and take as much time as you need with each section.
I will use Assimil again in the future - in fact, I’m already using it for Russian. While the content of every dialogue may not be useful for every learner, I like the context that it gives the language and I find this approach much more effective than that of some of the other available course books.
You can find Assimil Coréen Sans Peine on Amazon.
Other Assimil courses available for English speakers:
New French With Ease
Spanish With Ease
German With Ease
Italian With Ease
Brazilian Portuguese
Arabic With Ease
Japanese With Ease
The post Assimil Review: An Honest Look at the Assimil Language Learning System appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.
May 12, 2017
Nerves, Tears and a Breakthrough: 2 Weeks Without Speaking English [Mission Update]
If you’ve read my last update you’ll know that I gave up speaking English for 30 days to focus on only speaking German. My goal was to reach the B2 level by the time the Cologne Carnival came around.
As I write this, I’m in the midst of that challenge. The first two weeks have flown by and there are another two just waiting for me to tackle them.
But I’ll be brutally honest with you…
It’s been an emotional roller coaster.
There have been ups and downs. Snags and successes. And it’s been an incredible learning process.
Here at the halfway point, I want to share with you how the project is going so far and what I’ve learned from the process.
The More You Speak The Easier It Gets
I always found speaking German a chore. Not because I didn’t like the language but because, well...I had to think about everything I said.
That feeling can be quite off-putting when you’re first starting out. It can feel as though you’re going to have to put in a lot of effort for just a handful of words and phrases. And who wants to do so much work for so little, right?
Well after just a few days, the everyday words - the ones that really tie sentences together - just started to come naturally. The amount of actual thinking involved diminished almost to zero!
For example, on my first day I had to think about every word in this sentence:
Wir konnen spater einen kleinen Spaziergang machen, wenn du willst? “We could go for a little walk later if you want?”
But after a few days of using the keywords in the sentence, I didn’t need to think about how to say words like “we can” or “you want” and instead I only needed to really pay attention to the subject of the sentence.
Wir konnen spater einen kleinen Spaziergang machen, wenn du willst? “We could go for a little walk later if you want?”
That means you eventually spend less energy overall thinking about sentences and what words to use. They just fall into your head!
You can see that in this video that I recorded on day seven. The words that tie the sentences together didn’t take much effort anymore, but the cases and the subjects sometimes took a little time to think about:
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlwYKHgrGmM
And with time (I hope) that’ll become the natural progression where I don’t need to think about anything.
How to Get People to Speak to You In Your Target Language
When you’re an English speaker it can feel like a real battle to get people to speak to you in your target language.
It’s almost as though when they hear your accent they think, “Free English lesson!” and proceed to only speak to you in English.
In fact many of my first interactions were:
”Can we speak in German please?”
”Of course.”
”Danke.”
”Ich habe ein...new car, would you like to see it?”
Now instead of getting frustrated in these situations, throwing a tantrum and screaming to the god about how hard speaking is, you need to focus on what you have control over.
You have no control over what people say to you. But you have control over what you say back to them.
So what I’ve started to do to people now is just continue to speak to German regardless. And, if they’ve not returned to speaking German after five replies, then I say one of the following:
”I’m really sorry but I need to practise my German, I live here now and it’s important for me to learn.”
”I’m afraid if you can’t speak German with me I’ll have to speak to you another time. I need to make sure I’m only speaking German right now.”
”Deutsch, bitte.” (German, please.)
And they eventually cave in, or I walk away and continue speaking German elsewhere.
It’s important here to flip your thinking on what you consider rude, too.
You may feel it’s rude to ask people to switch to their language because, after all, they’re trying to help you by speaking English. But, in fact, they’re the one being rude by ignoring your attempts to speak their language.
For example at the Rugby Club in Cologne I went to order a beer. And I must have ordered with a thick English accent because she instantly asked me, “Which kind of beer do you want?” in English. This was despite the fact I’d gone up to a German bar, in a German rugby club and ordered a beer in German. Who was being rude in that situation?
The Day I Cried About Speaking German
On the tenth day of the project I broke down in the kitchen and started crying.
I was midway through a conversation about something trivial. But, no matter how hard I tried, my brain just couldn’t do German anymore. Every word was just like white noise. And I just started to weep.
I think my brain had reached the point of burn-out. For the last 10 days I’d been translating everything in my head and it just became a little too much. So I took the evening to be alone, play my guitar and do no speaking whatsoever.
What was amazing about this though, was the next morning I stopped translating words in my head. All of a sudden the words I heard that I knew in German I just, well...knew. It was almost as though I’d reached the tipping point.
Spit It Out! How I Worked Through Being Nervous...
One of the most peculiar feelings so far is the constant nervousness before a new interaction.
When I’m talking with my German-speaking girlfriend at home I’m fine. I don’t even think about the fact I have to speak German. But when it comes to going outside, meeting new people and using my German, I’m overcome by nervousness.
I couldn’t tell you exactly what it is. It’s some kind of cocktail of embarrassment, failure and the other person wondering why this 24 year old talks like he’s a seven-year-old kid.
It’s a silly feeling, really. I’ve never had a conversation with someone where they’ve not complimented me on my German, or exclaimed about how much I’ve learned in just a five month period. Heck, one guy even told me my German now is better than his English of 20 years.
But still the feeling lingers in the back of my mind.
The key to defeating this has been just blurting out the first sentence that comes to mind. Seriously. It doesn’t matter how wildly off topic or grammatically incorrect it is. Just say it and get the wheels of conversation turning.
When you start speaking you begin to stop worrying about what you’re saying. You become involved in the topic and switch off when it comes to using proper cases or the correct preposition. Much like you would when you speak in your mother tongue.
I’m hoping over the next two weeks this nervousness starts to die away. But, for now, it’s still taking a bit of getting used to.
See you in a couple of weeks for the final report on my One Month Without English mission.
The post Nerves, Tears and a Breakthrough: 2 Weeks Without Speaking English [Mission Update] appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.
May 8, 2017
Sentence Stretchers: An Easy Way to Sound More Fluent in Your Target Language
And it’s true that learning a wide variety of vocabulary is essential to having conversations about a lot of different subjects.
But there’s a group of words and phrases that never seem to make their way into most beginner students’ flash cards or vocab lists. I call this group of words “sentence stretchers”.
What is a Sentence Stretcher?
Sentence stretchers give you everything you need to expand short, basic phrases into far more expressive, natural-sounding sentences. With sentence stretchers, you’ll sound more like a native speaker, and have much more interesting conversations.
In grammar speak, sentence stretchers may be adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions or determiners. The point is that they help you create longer, more complex sentences, and take your language skills to the next level.
With sentence stretchers, you’ll sound more like a native speaker even if you still don’t know a whole lot of vocab or verb tenses. They also make it much easier to say what you want without performing complicated mental gymnastics as you build your sentences. This in turn will boost your confidence.
Think about it this way. How hard would it be to have even a short conversation in English without using words like “without”, “anyway”, “maybe”, “so”, “as much as”, “until”, or “almost”?
Yet few language learners put any special effort early on into learning these seemingly minor words. The longer you put off learning sentence stretchers, the more time you’ll spend having stunted, overly-simple conversations.
How Sentence Stretchers Work
Consider the following exchange you’re likely to have when you first start speaking a new language:
Them: “Why do you want to study this language?”
You: “I want to travel to your country someday, so it’s a good idea to learn some of the language before I go, even if I don’t learn it fluently.”
Now imagine trying to answer their question without using “someday”, “so”, “some”, “before” or “even if”. It’s quite a bit harder!
“I want to travel to your country. It’s a good idea to learn the language. If I don’t learn it fluently, it’s OK.”
Doesn’t sound too natural, does it? The rest of the vocab in the sentence - “travel”, “country”, “good”, “idea” “learn”, “language”, “fluently” - are probably words that you’ll learn fairly early in your studies. But you may not learn those “sentence stretchers” until much later, and so you’ll miss out on a chance to improve your speaking skills early on.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s crucial to speak from day 1 and talk with native speakers as much as possible no matter how many mistakes you make.
But if you want to get comfortable speaking your target language as quickly as possible, sentence stretchers will help get you there.
Sentence Stretchers: The Basic List
Here’s a list of the most common sentence stretchers.
For each one, I’ve included a sentence that sounds more natural when the word is included. The earlier you learn these words in your target language, the better.
except: “I study French every day. I do not study French on Friday” could become “I study French every day except Friday.”
only: “I study Spanish two days per week. It is not a lot” could become “I only study Spanish two days per week.”
someday: “I want to travel to your country, but I don’t know when” could become “I want to travel to your country someday.”
even though: “I bought it. It was expensive” could become “I bought it even though it was expensive.”
anyway: “I can’t speak German fluently, but I will speak it” becomes “I can’t speak German fluently, but I will speak it anyway.”
might: “I don’t know, but I think he’s hungry” becomes “He might be hungry.”
sometimes: “Studying Spanish can be easy. But it can feel difficult too” could become “Studying Spanish is easy, but sometimes it feels difficult.”
always: “I order the same meal when I eat here” could become “I always order the same meal when I eat here.”
often: “I wonder a lot if I made the right choice” becomes “I often wonder if I made the right choice.”
so/therefore: “I have more energy in the morning. That’s when I exercise” becomes “I have more energy in the morning, so that’s when I exercise.”
already: “I started studying English three weeks ago. I can say a lot” becomes “I started studying English three weeks ago, and I can already say a lot.”
without: “I want to study the language. But I don’t want to read or write” becomes “I want to study the language without reading or writing.”
both: “Will you and you come to the party tonight?” becomes “Will you both come to the party tonight?”
until: “I want to study Cantonese. I will stop when I’m fluent” becomes “I want to study Cantonese until I’m fluent.”
since: “I’ve wanted to travel to Australia for a long time. I wanted to when I was nine” becomes “I’ve wanted to travel to Australia since I was nine.”
still: “I’m not young, but I enjoy learning new things” becomes “I’m not young, but I still enjoy learning new things.”
enough: “The pan is hot now. You can add the bacon” becomes “The pan is hot enough now to add the bacon.”
instead of: “We were going to eat Italian food. But do you want to eat sushi now?” can become “Do you want to eat sushi instead of Italian food?”
throughout: “There are many festivals here in the year” becomes “There are many festivals here throughout the year.”
including: “All languages can be easy to learn. Tonal languages too” becomes “All languages can be easy to learn, including tonal languages.”
in case: “Take my umbrella. It might rain” becomes “Take my umbrella in case it rains.”
even if: “I want to travel. It’s OK if it’s for a short time” becomes “I want to travel, even if it’s for a short time.”
Your Turn!
What sentence stretchers do you use in your target language? Are there any other hacks you use to build complex sentences in your new language? Let me know in the comments!
The post Sentence Stretchers: An Easy Way to Sound More Fluent in Your Target Language appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.
May 5, 2017
International Greetings: How to Say “Hello” in 29 Languages
“Hello”, of course!
“Hello” is the way you’ll meet new people, make new friends, and start conversations.
Even if you’re not aiming for fluency in a language, just learning this one little word will endear you to any native speakers you meet at home or abroad.
The interesting thing about international greetings is just how different they can be.
In some cultures, people wish one another a good day. In others, they wish each other peace, good health, or blessings. There are certainly a lot more interesting ways around the world to greet others than the simple “hello” used in English!
I’ve researched greetings in different languages around the world to find a variety of ways to say “hello” in other cultures.
I included the literal translations of these international greetings in English. Some are cute, some are inspiring, and some are surprising! They all give clues to what’s (perhaps subconsciously) seen as important in different cultures.
Why not learn how to say hello in these (and other!) languages? You’ll give the next native speaker you meet a pleasant surprise, and you might make a new friend.
If you’ve ever wondered “How to say ‘hello’ in French”, “ How to say ‘hello’ in German” or even “How to say hello in Yiddish”, read on.
“Good Day”
In many languages, especially European languages, the standard way to greet someone formally is to wish them a good day. Here are some languages whose formal version of “Hello” translates as “Good day”:
Romanian: Bună ziua
French: Bonjour
German: Guten tag
Yiddish: אַ גוטן טאָג (a gutn tog)
Dutch: Goede dag
Swedish: God dag
“Peace”
Wishing a person peace is a beautiful way to begin a conversation. Many Arabic-influenced languages (as well as others), use “Peace” or “Peace be with you” for “Hello”:
Arabic: السلام عليكم (al salaam aliykhum)
Korean: 안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo)
Hebrew: שלום (shalom)
Azeri (Azerbaijani): Salam
Chechen: Ассаламу Iалайкум or Салам (assalamu aliykhum or salam)
Hawaiian: Aloha (this is the word for “peace”, “affection”, “compassion”, or “mercy”)
“Good Health”
The historical reasons behind a “good health” greeting are obvious. In ancient times, disease and injury were a constant threat and were often difficult to treat. So it became standard practice in many languages for people to wish good health upon one another each time they met.
Russian: здравствуйте (zdrastvuytye; comes from здрава желаю meaning “I wish you health”)
Maori: Kia ora (“Be healthy”)
Lao: ສະບາຍດີ (sabǎai děe; “you well”, an abbreviation of “Are you well?”)
Fijian: Bula (“Life” or “Alive”)
Mandarin: 你好 (nǐ hǎo; “you well”, an abbreviation of ‘nǐ hǎo má’: “Are you well?”)
Estonian: Tere or Tervist (derived from “terve”, meaning “healthy”)
“Blessings”
Language and religion are often bedfellows. Theravada Buddhist chants are usually conducted in the Pali language. Roman Catholic mass used to be spoken entirely in Latin. Muslims around the world, no matter what their first language, say their prayers in Arabic.
No wonder, then, that this mingling led to religious expressions getting mixed into everyday speech, including, of course, in saying “hello”:
Irish: Dia dhuit (“God be with you”)
Tibetan: བཀྲ་ཤིས་བདེ་ལེགས (tashi delek; often translated as “Blessings and good luck”)
Burmese: မင်္ဂလာပါ။ (mingalaba; “It is a blessing”)
Hindi (and several other Indian and South Asian dialects): नमस्ते (namaste; “I bow to you”)
“Happiness”
Goodness and happiness are most people’s goals in life, so of course, wishing such fortune upon one’s friends became the customary greeting in some languages.
Icelandic: Komdu sæll (“Come happy”)
Thai: สวัสดี (sàwàtdee; from the Sanskrit word “swasti” - which you might recognise as the root of the Sanskrit word “swastika” - meaning “good” or “auspicious”)
“What’s New?”
In some languages, the conventional way to say “hi” is to get right down to business and ask “How are you doing?” or “What’s new?”. These days, however, greetings like this are more correctly interpreted as “hello” and not an actual request for detailed information.
Kiswahili: Habari yako? (“Your news?”)
Ojibwe: Aaniin (this is the word for “what” or “how”, an abbreviation of “How are you?” or “What’s up?”)
French: Ça va? (“It goes?”)
British English: Alright?
Other Greetings
It’s a diverse world! Not all greetings fit into a neat category. Here are a few languages with more unusual ways to say “Hello”:
Sesotho: Lumela (this is the word for “believe” or “agree”)
Georgian: გამარჯობა (gamarjoba; “Victory”)
Zulu: Sawubona (“We see you”)
Yapese: Mogethin (“Say a word”)
Slovak and Czech: Ahoj! (ahoy; from the English phrase, “Ship ahoy!”, which is ironic since both of these countries are landlocked)
English: Hello (Last but not least! “Hello” comes from the French words “ho” and “là”, meaning “oh!” (or “whoa!”) and “there”, respectively)
Did I miss any interesting ways to say “Hello” in other languages? Let me know your favourite international greetings in the comments!
The post International Greetings: How to Say “Hello” in 29 Languages appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.
May 1, 2017
CEFR Levels: What They Are, Why They Matter, and How to Test Yourself
In the language-learning community, we often hear other learners throw around certain terms when they’re talking about their level in a language.
“I speak German at a B1 level” or “I’m an A2 in Russian.”
But what do B1 and A2 mean?
These descriptors are skill levels in the CEFR system and they’re used by language learners to measure their ability in a language.
What are the Different CEFR Levels?
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, often referred to as CEFR or CEFRL, is an international standard for working out your ability within a language. It was established by the Council of Europe and aims to validate language ability.
The six levels within the CEFR are A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2. With these levels, you can easily work out your ability in around 40 different languages.
The levels are often used casually by language learners to explain their ability at speaking, reading, writing and understanding a language. But there are also exams and certificates available to those who want to make their level official.
Let’s first take a look at what the different levels are and what’s possible for you at each level.
The “A” Levels: Basic User
A1 | Beginner
At the A1 CEFR level, a language learner can:
Understand and use very basic expressions to satisfy concrete needs.
Introduce themselves and ask others questions about personal details.
Interact simply as long as the other person speaks slowly and clearly.
A2 | Elementary
At the A2 CEFR level, a language learner can:
Understand frequently used expressions in most intermediate areas such as shopping, family, employment, etc.
Complete tasks that are routine and involve a direct exchange of information.
Describe matters of immediate need in simple terms.
The “B” Levels: Independent User
B1 | Intermediate
At the B1 CEFR level, a language learner can:
Understand points regarding family, work, school or leisure-related topics.
Deal with most travel situations in areas where the language is spoken.
Create simple texts on topics of personal interest.
Describe experiences, events, dreams, and ambitions, as well as opinions or plans in brief.
B2 | Upper Intermediate
At the B2 CEFR level, a language learner can:
Understand the main ideas of a complex text such as a technical piece related to their field.
Spontaneously interact without too much strain for either the learner or the native speaker.
Produce a detailed text on a wide range of subjects.
The “C” Levels: Proficient User
C1 | Advanced
At the C1 CEFR level, a language learner can:
Understand a wide range of longer and more demanding texts or conversations.
Express ideas without too much searching.
Effectively use the language for social, academic or professional situations.
Create well-structured and detailed texts on complex topics.
C2 | Proficiency
At the C2 CEFR level, a language learner can:
Understand almost everything read or heard with ease.
Summarize information from a variety of sources into a coherent presentation.
Express themselves using precise meaning in complex scenarios.
When do the Different CEFR Levels Matter?
The CEFR is often used by employers and in academic settings.
You may need a CEFR certificate for:
School admissions
University course requirements
Employment
A CEFR certificate is very handy for your CV or résumé, and they often don’t expire.
That said, many language learners use CEFR levels for self-assessment so that they can more clearly define what they need to work on, and work out what they would like to achieve in their target language.
Aiming for higher CEFR levels are also a great way to make the transition from an intermediate learner to an advanced learner, and Fluent in 3 Months founder Benny Lewis has used exams in the past to force himself to improve and refine his language skills.
If you’re looking for an extra push or for a way to break through a plateau, a language exam could be an effective way to do it. Motivation in language learning always matters.
When do CEFR Levels not Matter?
Outside of the professional or academic realm, CEFR levels are not as important. They’re really only necessary if you want to define where you’re at with your target language. In a more casual language-learning environment, or when you’re just learning languages because you enjoy them, then CEFR levels are just another tool to help with your language learning.
[caption id="attachment_20741" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
Sitting an exam requires a lot of study.[/caption]Sitting an exam requires a lot of study. If your goal is speaking a language, that time you spend reading, listening and writing to meet the exam requirements will be time you could have used to improve your speaking skills.
In the past I’ve done exams for German, French and Italian as well as the HSK exam for Mandarin Chinese. In preparation for all these exams, I had to study materials that were completely unrelated to my end goals for the languages.
So, if your language-learning goals do not align with the CEFR scale, and you don’t need a professional qualification, then you can safely ignore it.
How do You Work Out Your CEFR Level?
There are a few ways you can work out your CEFR level. Many learners opt for self-assessment, using the descriptions I shared above to gauge where they’re at.
[caption id="attachment_20742" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
A CEFR self-assessment.[/caption]For those looking for something a little more formal, you have the option of taking an official examination or a free online examination.
It’s worth noting that CEFR levels cover a variety of skills. A full CEFR exam typically measures skills in listening, reading abilities, speaking, writing, translating and interpreting. That’s why some learners segment their abilities, for example stating that their listening in a language is at a B2 level but their speaking is only at a B1 level. Others just average out their abilities and say that they’re at a B1 level overall.
CEFR Assessments and Tests Available
Some of your options for official examinations (or for courses with certification) include:
Alliance Française for French.
Goethe Institut for German.
Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge for Irish.
Instituto de Cervantes for Spanish.
CELI for Italian.
European Consortium for the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Languages for Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, English, French, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, and Spanish.
TELC for English, German, Turkish, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, and Arabic.
Πιστοποίηση Ελληνομάθειας for Modern Greek.
Language Testing International for multiple languages.
Lingoda for Spanish, French, German, and English.
ALTE for many other languages.
Online exams include:
Exam English for English.
Deutsche Welle for German.
Cambridge English Language Assessment for English.
Cambridge Institute for English, Spanish, German, and French.
Language Level for English Spanish, French, and German.
Macmillan Practice Online (paid) for English.
European Center for Modern Languages for self-assessment in a variety of languages.
Regardless of the exam you sit, language exams demand intensive study and are a great way to push your ability in a language to that next level.
What About You?
Did you ever sit an official exam whether it was based on the Common European Framework or not? How did you do?
How do you feel about using the CEFR scale to define your level in a language?
We’d love to hear from you in the comments!
The post CEFR Levels: What They Are, Why They Matter, and How to Test Yourself appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.
April 28, 2017
New Mission: One Month Without English!
I did.
It didn’t matter how many German lessons I took. How many Skype calls I made. Or, how many grammar books I read. I just couldn’t get to the next stage.
I kept making the same mistakes and forgetting the same words over, and over, and over again.
It’s in times like this that you need to break the pattern. Make a big change to your language learning and find something new that helps those cogs turn once more.
For some people it’s using podcasts instead of books. For others, it’s taking an intensive course.
Me? Well, I decided to stop speaking English.
For 30 days I took on a Month Without English language mission. I gave up my mother tongue and only spoke German.
In this article I explain my goals for the mission, and how I prepared for it. I’ll also share what you can expect over the next series of blog posts.
A Month Without English - Why?!
One of the mistakes I’ve made learning German (and Spanish in the past) is that I spend a lot of time speaking English around my target language. While I may be speaking and learning German 10 hours a week, that still leaves 102 waking hours a week where I’m living in English. If I’m socialising, relaxing or reading a book there’s a good chance I’m doing it in English.
So I asked myself: “What could I achieve if I wasn’t able to speak English?”
What if I took those extra 102 hours a week that I’m awake and make German my most spoken language? How quickly would my German improve?
Then, I watched a video in Benny’s Premium course where he talked about how he gave up English for a month to focus on his Spanish. And, well...the pieces just fell into place.
Seeing as I was about to move to Germany in just a few days, it made sense to tie the two together and turn them into one big project.
Over the following few weeks there would be lots of times that I’d be forced to use my German. Registering as a resident, meals with friends, rugby training, housewarming and the upcoming carnival to name but a few.
There would really be no escape...
What Is The Goal?
At the end of my month without English is the Cologne Carnival.
It’s a big festival where the whole city comes together, parties, wears fancy dress and has a lot of fun. So my goal was heavily centred around that:
I’d like to reach B2 level in speaking and listening by the first day of Carnival
At day zero, my level was around B1. I could speak enough to get by. Being creative with my vocabulary, and using a lot of gestures, I could get my point across on most major topics. But sometimes I could only pick out the key words and I couldn’t quite get my head around some concepts.
That meant people would often revert to speaking English to me because they’re trying to be nice by speaking the easier language for me. But I wanted to be able to converse confidently and well enough that this would no longer happen.
What Are The Rules for the Month Without English?
For my month without English, I decided to follow a few set rules to make sure I’d stick to my task.
As well as being the Social Media Manager for Fluent in 3 Months (FI3M), I’m a writer and a blogger. Meaning a lot of my work is done in English. So I had to be realistic, because I enjoy eating and hot water and living.
So, taking work out of the equation, here are the rules I needed to stick to:
No English Conversations: If someone is able to speak German I simply cannot speak to them in English. Not even if they try to start a conversation in it.
No English Entertainment: All films, music and books must be consumed in German.
Describe First, Ask Second: If there’s a word I want to know, I need to describe it in German using the vocabulary I have. Only if the person doesn’t understand it can I ask, “How do you say [X] in German?”
No Studying: I’m not allowed to sit down and study grammar or vocabulary; everything I learn needs to come from conversation. If there’s a grammar point I really need explaining, I can find the relevant podcast on GermanPod101 to talk me through it.
I’m also allowed to use dictionaries like LEO or Dict.cc to help me look up words on my phone should I need them.
How to Prepare for a Month Without English
With moving to Germany my time was pretty limited to prepare. I certainly didn’t have hours a day to focus on improving my German skills.
That meant I was heavily reliant on two tools to expand my German and improve my vocabulary as much as possible, in the shortest amount of time.
Whenever I was in the car or walking the dog I made sure I listen in to an episode of GermanPod101. The intermediate lessons are only 10-15 minutes long, so there’s no excuse to not listen to at least one a day.
I also used Benny’s Language Hacking German book. I originally used this before I joined Fi3M to get to A2 level. But there are always grammar points and vocabulary lessons to review.
Otherwise I did little intense preparation that you couldn’t manage at home.
My Feelings Before My Month Without English
Honestly? I felt really freaking nervous.
This would be my first month living in Germany and, I knew I’d be feeling a little detached from home in England. So, not being able to use my native tongue was just going to make me feel all that much further away.
I don’t know what it is about language learning, but the thought of saying something wrong or not being understood really played on my mind a lot. More so than I feel if I play a chord wrong on the guitar or if I overcook an egg when making breakfast.
But there was also a part of me that felt really excited. I’d be connecting with German people on a whole new level.
My biggest worry? Speaking German when my girlfriend wasn’t around to help me.
Before this mission, most of my German conversations happened when she was there. She was almost like a language parent who knows how to break down the concepts into grammar and vocabulary that I know and understand. Which was quite a useful crutch to have.
But there would be situations in my mission - like going to rugby training or shopping in the city - where I would need to be able to hold my own without her there to fall back on.
Want to Follow My Month Without English?
I’ll be sharing more updates on Fluent in 3 Months.
In my next post I’ll discuss how I fared during the first couple of weeks of my month without English. Stay tuned!
The post New Mission: One Month Without English! appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.
April 24, 2017
12 Fun Grammar Games to Help You Learn a Language
True, the average grammar book is more useful as a cure for insomnia than it is as a tool for language learning.
And in school you probably spent more time buried in those books (and trying to stay awake) than you did actually using any of all that fancy grammar for its actual purpose: communication.
So, does grammar really matter?
Why Learn Grammar? Does it Really Matter in a Foreign Language?
My view is that speaking a language is much more important than good grammar, especially for beginners. That’s why I advocate Speaking from Day 1, even if you do sound like Tarzan.
Even so, it's obviously important to learn good grammar - especially once you’ve reached the intermediate and advanced levels of a foreign language.
But getting all those conjugations and declensions into your head doesn't have to be a yawn-inducing activity. Believe it or not, learning grammar can be fun! (No, really.)
When learning is fun, not only are we more likely to attempt it, but we're more likely to remember what what we've learned.
So how can we make grammar fun? The same way we make most things fun: we turn it into a game.
What are Grammar Games?
Say you're learning German, and you want to memorise the present tense conjugations of the verb sein (to be). The most obvious approach is rote memorisation - just repeat ich bin, du bist, es ist, wir sein, ihr seid, sie sein to yourself over and over again until they're burned permanently into your brain.
This is an approach that’s often taught in language classes. It can work, but it's extremely time-consuming and boring, especially when you have another 100 irregular verbs to learn in multiple tenses and moods.
A better but still imperfect approach is the classic learning method "look, cover, write, check". Look at the correct verb forms, cover up the screen or piece and paper, try and write down all the forms from memory, then uncover the correct answers and see how well you did. Rinse, repeat.
In a way, you can think of this technique as a simple form of game: you play by writing down your target words (in this case the different forms of sein), and you win if you can remember them all with no mistakes. There's a reason this "game" is taught in schools everywhere: it works. But it's still rather boring. We can do better!
A "grammar game", then, is essentially any technique for memorising or practising a particular aspect of grammar - be it verb conjugations, sentence structure, spelling and punctuation, or any other intimidating feature of your target language - that's at least slightly more fun than rote memorisation or "look, cover, write, check". The category could include group games that you play in a classroom or with a language partner, grammar review games played online or on your phone, or even grammar practice games that you play in your head in spare moments.
In this article I'll give a brief overview of some easy grammar games that you can try.
Let’s get started… and don’t forget to have fun!
Grammar Games for Kids
When I worked as an English teacher, I always enjoyed getting the class involved in games (and as far as I could tell, the kids enjoyed it too). They were a fun way to keep everyone engaged while still learning something - and just because children enjoy them, that doesn't meant that adults can't also enjoy them.
Some of these games are more childish than others, but you could try adapting them for your own purposes, for example to play with your language exchange partner or italki tutor.
Describing and Drawing a Person
Give everyone a piece of paper, and nominate one person to be the "describer". It's their job to think of someone they know, or a famous person (it's more interesting if they pick someone who's in the room), then to describe that person's appearance.
At lower levels this helps practice simple adjectival phrases like "he is tall" or "she has red hair", and the descriptions can get more advanced according to your ability. For example, more advanced learners could describe what someone is wearing or what their personality and mannerisms are like.
As the nominee gives more detail, everyone draws on their piece of paper what they think the person being described looks like. When they've been given enough detail, they can try and guess who they've drawn. The describer then reveals who they were thinking of, and everyone can show their drawings to the rest of the class to see how well they did. This last step often produces huge laughter, since most of the drawings will be hilarious caricatures of the real person.
Twenty Questions
Just in case you've never played this game before, it works as follows: you pick a celebrity or an object, and the the other players have to figure out who or what you are. To gain information, they ask you yes or no questions (usually a maximum of twenty, hence the name, but you can pick whatever arbitrary limit you like) to try and narrow down the possibilities: "Are you male? Are you American? Are you an actor? A singer?", and so on.
A variant on this game was made famous by the film Inglourious Basterds where it’s played in a bar by Allied spies and an unwitting SS Officer (just watch the movie, it will make sense). In this version, everyone writes a celebrity's name on a piece of paper and passes it to the person on their left, who then sticks the paper to their own forehead so that everyone except them can see what it says. Now instead of the group asking questions to figure out who you are, you ask questions to the group to figure out how you are.
Whichever version you play, it's a good way to practice forming and answering questions. To expand the range of potential grammar practiced, you could permit questions that require a more in-depth answer than a simple "yes" or "no".
You could also insist that the answer replies in full sentences each time - "Are you male?" "Yes, I'm male" - which also helps practice switching between different forms of the same verb.
Mister Wolf and other Classic Children's Games
Telling the time is something that varies slightly from language to language, and always takes some getting used to. For example, to a German "half four" (halb vier) means 3:30 (half before four) while to a British person it means 4:30 (half after four), and to an American it makes no sense at all - two o'clock, maybe?
What’s the time, Mister Wolf? is a classic game for young children that exposes them to the different ways of describing the time. One player is "Mister (or Miss) Wolf", and stands at one end of the playing area with his or her back to the other children, who stand in a line at the far end of the area. The other children walk forward while calling out "What's the time, Mister Wolf?". Mister Wolf then turns around and responds with a time (e.g. "it's 4 o'clock!"). This repeats, with Mister Wolf saying different times as the players get closer and closer, until on one round he replies to their question with "it's dinnertime!" and chases the players back to where they started. If Mister Wolf catches another player before they've reached the starting line, that player becomes Mister Wolf for the next round of the game.
This is just one classic game that children love and that has the side effect of teaching them a bit of grammar.
There are plenty of other children’s games you can use in this way. "Simon Says", for example, is full of imperatives, while "I Spy" teaches you spelling.
Who knows how many other games there are that could be adapted for your target language!
What other games did you play as a child that you didn't realise were also teaching you something useful? Let me know in the comments!
Now we’ve covered grammar games for kids, let’s take a look at some grammar games for adults.
Grammar Games For Adults
Some of the above games might be too childish for your liking, but grammar doesn't have to become boring just because you’re an adult learner.
Here are some grammar games you could play as an adult:
Would You Rather?
This is a classic game that you've probably played before. One person poses an interesting and/or ridiculous choice between two options - would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses or one horse-sized duck? Then each person in the group gives their own answer and a brief explanation of why they made that choice.
As well as prompting some thoughtful (and bizarre) discussion, these types of questions are a good way to practice some less commonly-used verb forms like the conditional, and can be adapted to any language.
If you run out of interesting 'would you rather' questions to ask, you can visit either.io for an effectively infinite list of ideas.
Taboo
Taboo is a classic parlour game where you have to help your teammates correctly guess the word written on your card without saying the word itself or any of the other words on the card.
For example your word might be be "car", but you're not allowed to say "car", "vehicle", "drive", "transport", "road", or "travel".
Taboo is a great way to build vocabulary, not least because it represents exactly what you should do when you need to say something in a foreign language but don't know the word: stick within the target language and try to get your point across in other words, rather than immediately blurting it out in English and asking for a translation.
As well as vocabulary, Taboo will help your grammar, That’s because when the most obvious words aren't available to you, the only alternative is often a winding, roundabout sentence with a complicated structure. "It's the big metal thing you sit in and press the pedals with your feet to go fast from one place to another."
Look at all that grammar!
Role Playing Grammar Games
At the end of the day, the point of learning all this grammar is so that you can use it in real life.
So why not get straight to the point, and play some role-playing games with a language partner that simulate a real-world encounter you're likely (or unlikely) to have?
Some common situations you might want to practice are: checking into a hotel, introducing yourself to new people, asking for directions, and ordering something over the telephone. You can surely think of many more examples based on your hobbies and interests and the daily experiences you're likely to have.
Since our focus here is on grammar, some other role-playing ideas you could use are:
Fortune teller. One person is the fortune teller, and the other has come to get their fortune read. What does the fortune-teller see in their crystal ball? How does the other person feel about it? This is a good way of practicing the future tense.
Alibi. The police suspect you of a crime, and they want to know if you have an alibi. Where were you on Friday night? Who were you with? What were you doing? The suspect won't be able to talk their way out of this situation unless they've got a good grasp on the different types of past tense.
Late for work. One person is the boss, and the other is an employee who's just shown up late. What's their excuse? The boss should question the employee's story, pick holes in it, and try to figure out if they're lying. In the process, the boss practices asking different kinds of questions (why? how? when? who?), while the employee will practise answers and the past tense.
Whatever it is you want to practise, try and think of a "real" situation where it might get used, and see what role-playing ideas you can come up with.
Online Grammar Games
Go to Google or to the Android or Apple app stores, type in the name of your target language, and you'll probably find a zillion free grammar games (and lots of paid ones too).
For obvious reasons, each game tends to be focussed on just one specific language, and a detailed list of available games for every language are beyond the scope of this article, but two digital resources are worth mentioning:
Duolingo
Duolingo is one of the most popular language-learning apps out there today, and at the time of writing it offers free courses in over 20 different languages. There's already a detailed review of Duolingo on this site.
As well as being a fun and easy way to practise a language and build your vocabulary, Duolingo gradually introduces you over time to new grammatical concepts and provides detailed explanations of how to use them. Duolingo is no substitute for real face-to-face speaking practice, but it can make a nice supplement.
Anki
I'm a huge a proponent of using spaced repetition systems - more commonly known as "flashcards" - to learn languages, and the most popular digital SRS tool is undoubtedly Anki (for iOS, for Android, and for everyone else).
Anki lets you create totally customisable flashcards on whatever topic you like (not just languages!), and if you don't feel like creating you own there's an enormous directory of pre-made content on their website where you can download flashcards that other people have created.
The most basic way to use an SRS is to learn vocabulary; create flashcards with English words (or pictures) on one side and your target language's translation of those words on the other side.
But did you know that flashcards are also a fantastic way to learn grammar? Here’s a grammar game you can use on Anki:
Say you want to learn the present-tense conjugations of the Spanish verb "hablar" (to speak). Rather than trying to kill yourself with boredom by repeating hablo, hablas, habla etc. ad nauseam, it's much more interesting to come up with some sample sentences that demonstrate the different forms of the word (e.g. yo hablo español) and turn them into flashcards. On the "answer" side of the card, write the full sample sentence. On the "question" side, write something like yo ______ español - (hablar).
Now, when you review the card, your job is to figure out which form of "hablar" belongs in the blank space. Create a few sample sentences for each verb form (or whatever) that you want to learn, and you'll find that this is a much more efficient and enjoyable way of getting grammar into your head than beating yourself over the head with a verb table.
Go Forth And Play!
This list is by no means exhaustive, but by now I hope I've given you an idea of what grammar games are, how you can use them, and why they're helpful.
Whatever it is you want to practise, there are endless possibilities for how you can accelerate your learning by turning it into a game. Have fun!
The post 12 Fun Grammar Games to Help You Learn a Language appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.
April 21, 2017
German Noun Genders: Hacks to Learn them Faster
All German nouns are one of three genders: masculine, feminine or neutral.
For someone who is just starting out with German, this can be really confusing – especially as the genders don’t necessarily seem logical.
Take cutlery for example. You have der Gabel (the fork), die Löffel (the spoon) and das Messer (the knife). A fork is feminine, a spoon masculine and a knife neutral. All you can do is sit there and scratch your head. How does that make sense? Who made these decisions to begin with?!
Although they don’t always make sense, they are something you have to learn. Just as there’s no rainbow without rain, there’s no German noun without its article. That’s because in German, the gender of a noun is part of its identity. If you say or write a German word without the article that dictates gender, you won’t be using the noun correctly.
Why Does the German Language Have Genders?
When you’re learning German, it’s important to remember that the word, not the thing, has a gender.
English words have genders too – they just tend to be obvious. That’s because in English, gender refers to the actual gender of the noun being referenced. Girl is a feminine word, boy is masculine, and table is neutral. This makes sense. A girl is female, a boy is male, and a table is an inanimate object. How could a table have a gender?
Note: Some objects, such as boats, have a gender in English.
German is different. In German, gender is defined not by the gender of the noun, but by the meaning and the form of the word. Genders in German were originally intended to signify three grammatical categories that words could be grouped into.
The three categories were:
endings that indicated that a word was of neutral origin.
endings that indicated a group of people or things. These became feminine.
nouns that had no ending. These remained masculine.
This is what we’re left with today, in a rather convoluted way! You can see at least, how we can then make the distinction between words being grouped together for their intended gender, rather than the gender of an object itself.
Rather than arguing over whether a table should be masculine, feminine or neutral (for the record, it’s masculine – Der Tisch), we can begin to understand why this is the case. And you can argue the why of it until you’re blue in the face, but the fact is – gender is something you’re going to have to learn.
My best advice is this: don’t worry too much about the whys of gender in German. Instead, focus on the best ways to remember word genders.
With that in mind, let’s see how learning German genders can be made simple.
Shortcuts to Work Out German Noun Genders
Although some words require you to learn the gender by heart, there are many cases where you can look at the ending of a word to work out the gender.
In this section, I refer to definite articles and indefinite articles. Der, die and das are definite articles, and replace the English word “the”, while ein and eine are the indefinite articles for “a”/“an”. These articles are used to identify the gender of the noun they go with.
How to Identify Masculine Nouns in German (der/ein)
Masculine German nouns take the definite article der (the) and indefinite ein (a/an).
To figure out whether a word is masculine, look for the following word endings:
-er, -el, -ling, -ich, -ig, -ner, -ismus, -or, -us, -eich, -ant
Following this rule, you’ll be correct around 80% of the time.
Also, anything to do with calendar dates tends to be masculine – days, months and seasons fall under this category.
Finally, male animals and weather elements are usually masculine.
From this, you can deduce that the following words are masculine:
der Autor (author)
der Vater (father)
der Mittwoch (Wednesday)
der Regen (rain)*
How to Recognise Feminine Nouns in German (die/eine)
Feminine German nouns use the definite article die (the) and indefinite article eine (a/an).
As with masculine nouns, the easiest way to identify a feminine noun is to look at the word ending. Look out for the following word endings:
-e (mostly, as the exception is male persons or animals, such as der Löwe (the lion)), -ie, -heit, -ei, -in, -ik, -keit, - schaft, -ung, -tät, -ur, -tion
Funnily enough, things that would normally be associated with femininity are usually feminine too – like flowers and trees, along with female animals and people.
die Blume (flower)
die Familie (family)
die Mannschaft (team)
How to Identify Neutral Nouns in German (das/ein)
Neutral German nouns take the definite article das (the) and indefinite article ein (a/an).
To spot neutral nouns, look out for the following word endings:
-chen, -o, -lein, -en, -il, -ma, -tel, -ment, -nis, -tum, -um
Most inanimate objects do fall under the category of neutral. Also, most metals, as well as babies (both human and animal) tend to have neutral genders.
Let’s look at some examples.
das Kind (child)
das Fragment (fragment)
das Gold (gold)
What About Plurals in German?
When German nouns become plural, they adopt the feminine definite article of die. So, der/die/das become die/die/die. For example, der Mann becomes die Männer. This is not because they are changing gender - it is because the indefinite article is (technically) dropped.
What are the Exceptions to the Der/Die/Das Rules?
Unfortunately, not all German nouns can be neatly grouped into the categories I outlined above. You’re going to stumble into the odd word that seems to play by its own rules.
Countries fall into this category. For example, the USA is feminine (die USA), but Iran is masculine (der Iran).
How do you get around this?
Your best bet with these words is to focus on memorising the gender, rather than figuring it out on the fly. I recommend creating a deck of flashcards for the words whose genders you must remember. Anki is my favourite tool for this.
Another memory tool you can use here is association - also known as letting your imagination run wild. Let’s say you wanted to learn the gender for strawberry, Die Erdbeeren. You create an association in your mind by imagining your mother giving you some strawberries – they’re feminine and so is she.
What about der Fremdling, the stranger? Imagine encountering a male stranger on the street. Food (das Essen), meanwhile, is neutral, so you could think of a bland meal. You’ll be surprised by how easy it is to remember articles by creating these images in your mind.
Finally, don’t let these unusual cases hold you back. If you find yourself mid-conversation, and you’re unsure of the gender of a noun, just guess. You’ve got a one in three chance of getting it right. Not bad odds. And most Germans will correct you on the spot if you’re wrong, so you can learn as you go.
The Best Way to Learn German Noun Genders
My top tip for language learners is always to speak from day one. Speaking a language from the first day you start learning it helps you get over your fear of being “wrong” - because you will make mistakes, and you’ll learn that making mistakes is okay. Someone who puts themselves out there is ten times more likely to have success in language learning than those who don’t.
After all, what’s the worst that can happen? If you get it wrong, chances are someone will correct you (especially in Germany) and you’ll know how to say it right the next time you need to use that particular word. Native German speakers are notoriously direct and will be more than happy to help you out!
On top of using German genders in real conversations, here are my top tips for making them fun to learn. Be warned – there’s lots of gender stereotyping ahead!
Pick some Post-It notes – maybe pink for feminine words, blue for masculine words and yellow for neutral. Label objects around the house, according to the gender of each noun.
Buy some of those sparkly gel pens and use different colours to group gendered words together. You’ll be surprised by what colour association can do for your memory.
*Stand in front of your mirror and practise saying nouns in different voices. Pitch low for masculine nouns, high for feminine and use your normal voice for practising neutral.
Of course these are just a few suggestions to get you started. You can stick to methods that are a little bit more conventional or go completely crazy with colour coding ALL THE NOUNS. It’s completely up to you!
Is Gender Really Necessary?
If you’re approaching language learning with the goal of becoming a polyglot at some point in the future, then it is really important that you take the time to learn and understand gendered nouns.
Many languages, particularly in Europe, have gendered nouns. As hard as it may be to make sense of them when you’re starting out, I promise you that it will get easier with the next language you learn. And any that you may choose to study after that.
Over to You
Who knows – maybe in time the German language will simplify and gendered nouns will become redundant.
Until then, you’ll have to learn genders. So keep at it!
What are your top tips for learning the genders of German nouns? Let me know in the comments.
The post German Noun Genders: Hacks to Learn them Faster appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.
April 18, 2017
Review: The Michel Thomas Method for Language Learning
Michel Thomas courses are all in audio, and you learn by pausing the audio and translating the teacher’s spoken phrases into the target language.
Over time, you’re encouraged to use the phrases you’ve learned as building blocks to create longer sentences.
There are plenty of good reviews on Amazon (the Spanish course scores an average of 4.3 stars).
But does it work in practice?
I took on the challenge of completing the full Michel Thomas Total Portuguese course to see what happened.
I started as an absolute beginner…and I’ll share exactly how it worked for me.
Here are my thoughts - plus later on I’ll share a video of myself speaking Portuguese after completing the course.
Michel Thomas Review: Getting Started
Michel Thomas courses are designed for absolute beginners. They purposely avoid great depth, and instead focus on helping you have a variety of simple conversations, for example, while on holiday.
I found the course incredibly easy to understand and get started.
In particular, I really enjoyed that the course is 100% audio. No videos, no flashcards. No reading or writing. I could sit there with my eyes closed and not worry about writing stuff down or watching for visual and audio clues at the same time.
In the audio, you join two other students in a virtual “classroom”. You listen in on the students’ lesson, and complete simple language challenges with them. When the other students are asked to translate a phrase, you’re meant to pause the playback, and translate it yourself first.
I liked this method of learning.
Michel Thomas Review: What Did I Learn?
I found that the Michel Thomas course was relevant to the real world. In taking the course, I learned words and phrases that every student should learn early on.
There are no useless sentences like “The business meeting has been moved to the yacht”, which only a certain type of traveler would want to learn.
Instead, you learn phrases like:
“Why don’t you want to go there today?”
“Where did you eat yesterday?”
“I don’t need this, but I want it.”
The Michel Thomas course avoids teaching a lot of specific vocabulary, which saves you from memorising.
How does this work? Rather than teaching a big list of nouns, it teaches “this”, “that” and “it”, so you can at least point to an object and talk about it without knowing its name.
I commend the course creators for trying to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. I can now talk about a variety of topics without needing to know a whole lot of specific vocabulary. I can point to an object and say, “How much does that cost?”, or point to a museum and say, “Let’s go there tomorrow.” Phrases like this would certainly come in handy on a short trip to a Portuguese-speaking country.
However, while I found this an effective way to learn the basics of Portuguese, it’s not all that helpful during video conversations, as you’ll see from my video at the end of this article! When it’s just you and the other speaker, there’s nothing to point at; you need to know the actual words for the items you’re talking about.
In addition, the course manages to cover all of the major verb tenses, which is unusual in a course for absolute beginners (I studied French for five years in school before I learned the future tenses!).
All that said, I did have some issues with the Michel Thomas approach.
I noticed that the course skipped over virtually all pleasantries that you would expect to exchange with any new person you meet in your target language. No “What’s your name?”, “How are you?” or “Where are you from?” I had my first Portuguese lesson online after completing the course, and I couldn’t even say, “My name is Holly”!
I would have really liked to learn some more “greeting”-type vocabulary, so that I can walk up to a vendor, for example, and say “Hi, how are you? Nice day today” instead of launching right into, “How much is that?”
The title of the course is “Total Portuguese”, but I feel like this is a bit of an overstatement. It does teach useful material, but it only teaches the basics. No more, no less.
As an additional aside, the course focuses only on the most formal way to address people in Portuguese until very late in the course. I found this frustrating. When I started using Portuguese on italki, my teachers used the informal “tu” form of verbs, and expected me to do the same. But the Michel Thomas method encourages near-exclusive use of the formal forms “o senhor”/”a senhora” and “você”, meaning I was very inexperienced with the “tu” form, which is conjugated quite differently.
Overall, I’d say I learned a lot of useful phrases - but not enough to be a well-rounded Portuguese speaker, even at beginner level.
Michel Thomas Review: Did I Actually Remember What I Learned?
A big part of learning another language is motivation. Being accountable to another person (or a teacher) and tracking your progress can be a huge help with staying motivated.
How does the Michel Thomas method fare here?
Michel Thomas is a static course, so there’s no teacher to keep you accountable. But because the course is so easy to follow (“No homework! No memorizing!”), there’s really nothing for you to shy away from.
The course is completely in audio - available in CD or audiobook format. I went with the CD option, and it was easy and pleasant enough for me to listen to a CD every day. I never looked for any excuses not to sit down and listen to the course.
I was really pleased with the amount of repetition in the course. The material wasn’t particularly diverse, but the teaching method made darn sure that I wouldn’t forget the words and phrases that I learned. The teacher accomplishes this by incrementally introducing new material, and then instantly quizzing the students (and me, the listener) on that and previous material.
The material was just challenging enough to hold my attention. But it can easily become boring if you don’t use it the way it’s intended. You need to make a genuine attempt at answering the teacher’s questions before moving on, or else the material will just wash over you and you’ll forget it.
I would try to guess the correct answer to all of the teacher’s questions (out loud!) before the students in the studio could. It wasn’t so easy that I always guessed correctly, and I appreciated the challenge of this.
It really helped to listen to two other students learn at the same time as me. They usually asked the same questions that I would have if I had been having a live lesson. This almost made me feel like I was taking an interactive lesson, which helped my motivation even more.
Other than working your way through the classes, there’s no real way to track your progress. That said, I don’t think that the course intends to help you track your progress.
It certainly makes sure you do progress, by quizzing you constantly on both old and new material. But it falls short of actually measuring it. However, after the audio course is complete, the last CD includes a series of tests to check your knowledge. You’re then provided with a score. This is the one place in the course where you can get a concrete measurement of your total progress.
One more thing: All of the repetition and the teacher’s corrections were fabulous for my pronunciation. I surprised my Skype teacher in my first lesson with how good my Portuguese pronunciation was. But she was also surprised at how limited my vocabulary was! The course really does teach absolute basics for getting by; not having a detailed conversation in the language.
Michel Thomas Method: The Verdict
Would I use the Michel Thomas Method again? That is to say - was it worth the time and effort?
Quick answer: I would use it again, but with some caveats.
The Michel Thomas course claims that you’ll “go from absolute beginner to confident speaker” in Portuguese. And technically, I did! The words and phrases that the course teaches (however limited) I learned very well and could use confidently.
When I use Michel Thomas in the future, I’ll definitely use it as a supplement to my other studies in the target language, rather than as a standalone resource. For Portuguese, however, I didn’t want to use any other study methods, or else I wouldn’t have an accurate idea of exactly what the Michel Thomas course can and can’t do for absolute beginners. After using only Michel Thomas as my first exposure to Portuguese, I can conclude that while it’s helpful, it doesn’t go the full distance on its own.
For my next language mission (whatever that might be!), if a Michel Thomas course exists for that language, I would use it. It’s a low-stress way to get over that initial hump, from being able to say nothing in the language to being able to say a variety of phrases.
The course brought me from knowing absolutely zero Portuguese - not even “yes” or “no” - to being able to confidently have quite a few short, very simple exchanges.
You can pick up Michel Thomas Total Portuguese on Amazon.
My Video Speaking Portuguese After Competing Michel Thomas
Once I’d completed Michel Thomas Total Portuguese I made a video of myself chatting with a native speaker. To prepare for this video, I had three lessons on italki after I’d finished the Michel Thomas course.
Here’s the video (which actually became the start of a Portuguese in 3 Months mission):
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxAm-KTlonM
I enjoyed learning Portuguese so much that I decided to take on a Portuguese in 3 Months Mission after finishing the Michel Thomas course. You can read more about my mission here.
The post Review: The Michel Thomas Method for Language Learning appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.
