Learning a new language?

[BenR]

No, I never mix languages (unintentionally), but a funny thing is that back in 1987, when I'd been living in England for about a year (without family, so I only spoke English), I discovered that my dreams and thoughts started to be English language, too.

 

That's when you know you are getting pretty damn good at a language!

[RobRainford]

my dad did learn some italian with the rosetta stone stuff, took some classes, its still on his ipod which h leaves playing in the house and you walk in to hear the stereo talking italian!

 

i woud love to learn a second language, i seem to be able to get the gist of what italian says and i did german at school but the teachers didnt help with the enthusiasm.

 

then again, i struggle with english sometimes

[tomtrees]

unless you live in the area and mix with locals you can scrap any classes.

Watching movies, reading books/newspapers etc and listening to songs/radio may help a lot also forcing yourself to learn new words every day and revising the ones you've learnt on a regular basis will help a lot.

Vocabulary first followed by the grammar.

Personal experience.

Good luck!

 

My experience as well

[djbobbins]

If you've got an Ipod you can download podcasts of language lessons for free, the ones I got for German are from "Deutsche Welle".

 

Deutsche Welle has also got a website which might be worth a look.

 

Along with everyone else, my suggestions would be to find some native speakers who want to learn English, then try to hold conversations where both sides speak in the language which is "foreign" to them.

 

Oh, and do it sooner rather than later - certainly based on my experience of learning German these last six or seven months is that it's a damned sight harder than learning French ten years ago!!

[archie]

If you don't like reading - Watching dvds in a different language helps - most have english subtitles. Worked for me.

[Daniël Bos]

when I'd been living in England for about a year (without family, so I only spoke English), I discovered that my dreams and thoughts started to be English language, too.

 

I found that too, after living in England for maybe 8 months or so?

I'm Dutch and found it quite easy to learn English, we Dutchmen come preloaded with american movies and british sitcoms with subtitles, so get to hear english a lot.The other advantage is that not many English people speak Dutch so not much chance of people talking back at me to practise.

 

My wife of four years is learning Dutch at a slower pace than our children though, purely due to my family being keen to practise their English, and getting fed-up with her stumbling ramblings.

 

Maybe you could agree with your colleagues or friends to try Swedish first, and if you don't understand, laugh at you first, then mock you and only then explain it in english. It's what me and my brother do with my wife, and though there's no proof it'll help at all, it's a bloody good laugh:thumbup:

[David Goss]

I tried to do italian classes before i went to stay in Rome but it didnt help at all because i couldnt concentrate on it. Only thing that worked for me was being immersed in the language and having everyone speak only italian to me (including the wife). Now i am back in Scotland me and the good lady still speak only italian in the house so i dont lose it.