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Language-learners' chat

Cherryfudge
Posts: 12,301 Forumite


A thread for people learning a language or several. Truly MSE as many apps are available free.
Are you using language-teaching apps such as Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, Drops... lots of others are available, these are just apps I use or know of. Are you working from a book, making friends with a native speaker, something else?
What language are you learning? What app are you using? What are you enjoying, what are you struggling with, can others help?
I'll kick off: I did French at school and I'm using Duolingo and Drops to iron out my mistakes, improve my understanding and confidence and keep my brain busy (apparently language learning is very good for the brain). I'm also slowly working on Brazilian Portuguese as I know someone for whom it's a first language but I'm really struggling with pronunciation.
I also did a couple of years of Latin at school and it's a very beautiful language (and more useful than you can know till you've studied a bit) but I can't get on with the Duolingo version, it doesn't seem to explain things as well as their French course does. I've just been recommended Wheelock's course so I need to have a proper look at that one day.
I'd be really interested to hear what others are doing and maybe we can cheer each other on.
Are you using language-teaching apps such as Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, Drops... lots of others are available, these are just apps I use or know of. Are you working from a book, making friends with a native speaker, something else?
What language are you learning? What app are you using? What are you enjoying, what are you struggling with, can others help?
I'll kick off: I did French at school and I'm using Duolingo and Drops to iron out my mistakes, improve my understanding and confidence and keep my brain busy (apparently language learning is very good for the brain). I'm also slowly working on Brazilian Portuguese as I know someone for whom it's a first language but I'm really struggling with pronunciation.
I also did a couple of years of Latin at school and it's a very beautiful language (and more useful than you can know till you've studied a bit) but I can't get on with the Duolingo version, it doesn't seem to explain things as well as their French course does. I've just been recommended Wheelock's course so I need to have a proper look at that one day.
I'd be really interested to hear what others are doing and maybe we can cheer each other on.
I think a bit of sunshine is good for frugal living. (Cranky40)
The sun's been out and I think I’m solar powered (Onebrokelady)
Fashion on the Ration challenge, 2025: Fabric 2, men's socks 3, Duvet set 7.5= 12.5/68
2024: Trainers 5, dress 7, slippers 5, 2 prs socks (gift) 2, 3 prs white socks 3, tee shirts x 2 10, 6 prs socks: mostly gifts 6, duvet set 7.5 = 45.5/68 coupons
20.5 coupons used in 2020. 62.5 used in 2021. 94.5 remaining as of 21/3/22
The sun's been out and I think I’m solar powered (Onebrokelady)
Fashion on the Ration challenge, 2025: Fabric 2, men's socks 3, Duvet set 7.5= 12.5/68
2024: Trainers 5, dress 7, slippers 5, 2 prs socks (gift) 2, 3 prs white socks 3, tee shirts x 2 10, 6 prs socks: mostly gifts 6, duvet set 7.5 = 45.5/68 coupons
20.5 coupons used in 2020. 62.5 used in 2021. 94.5 remaining as of 21/3/22
6
Comments
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Count me "in" @Cherryfudge. I'm doing Duolingo French and I'm on day 579. I've learned considerably more words than I ever did at school.
I did four years of French and German at school. I did two years of French first, then changed schools and got to do German as well. The first 3 years I did of French were a total waste of time - terrible teachers. The fourth year, I was slotted into a remedial class and learned considerably more, but it never came naturally to me (unlike German).
- Pip"Be the type of woman that when you get out of bed in the morning, the devil says 'Oh crap. She's up.' "
It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it - that’s what gets results!
2025 Fashion on the Ration Challenge 66 coupons - 8 spent.
4 - Thermal Socks from L!dl
4 - 1 pair of "combinations" (Merino wool thermal top & leggings)5 -
As a retired teacher of French and Spanish, with German and Latin as well plus a little Italian I am delighted to see such enthusiasm for learning languages. If one "system" doesn't work for you, then try another.
Just keep on going and stay safe.
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I'd like to join. I'm mostly learning French at the moment, via Duolingo, and did start their Italian course but got frustrated with it. It was probably a mistake to do both at once.
At school I only did French up to age 13, but I then did Latin as part of my degree course in my 20s, and I have some conversational and train timetable reading Italian due to visiting family members living in Italy.
Actually despite now knowing more French and not being able to get out there for two years my Italian still feels more fluent - I think because I have physical experiences to embed it in like an actual glass of vino rosso, or an actual stazione where the member of staff had to tell me my platform was underground. The French still feels like strings of words that I have to translate across to English to understand, and until I get to go to France again I think they'll stay that way.
Editing this to add something I've found very useful to keep me practicing: I changed my home page to the Duolingo one. So whenever I log on that's where I land first. Sometimes I open another tab and do that first, or only do enough to keep the streak going, but it seems to be the prompt I need to keep me consistent.Fashion on the Ration 2025 - 49.5 coupons remaining
February Grocery Challenge £75.03/£220 spent
Declutter 7 things (net) in 2024 21 in 16 out (5 left)8 -
I learned French at school and at one point could speak it fairly fluently, occasionally I try and read a French novel just to keep it going. I went on studying it as part of my degree and even spent a month in France. Sadly like most things, if you don’t use it, you lose it. For some reason I could not get on with German though and failed my German O-level.I did start doing Italian in the sixth form, but we never got as far as doing an exam. I went to a comprehensive school where Latin was not taught, and I really wish I had had the chance. I couldn’t get on with the Duolingo course, but I’m going to look for the Wheelock’s book which someone mentioned on another thread. I might try Duolingo for Italian, because people seem to say that it’s better in other languagesLife is mainly froth and bubble: two things stand like stone. Kindness in another’s trouble, courage in your own.6
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Hola!
(Learning already LOL)
I shall be attempting to only lightly butcher the Spanish language via DuoLingo. Off to start Day 1....Wealth is not measured by currency5 -
Salut et bienvenue tout le monde, and that's as far as my French goes today.
I had to look the 'bienvenue' up and I think I got it right (The Difference Between 'Bienvenu' and 'Bienvenue' (thoughtco.com)).
PipneyJane said:Count me "in" @Cherryfudge. I'm doing Duolingo French and I'm on day 579. I've learned considerably more words than I ever did at school.I've learned some new words but mostly it's about speaking, listening and grammar for me. As I'm getting into Unit 3 it's starting to get harder work. Actually I did French for A level and failed it with an 'O', probably because I struggle so much with grammar, and focussing on details.
Is anyone using 'Drops'? It's mostly vocabulary, resented topic by topic.
(ETA: I just spotted my typo but it's too good to take out!)retiredinfrance said:As a retired teacher of French and Spanish, with German and Latin as well plus a little Italian I am delighted to see such enthusiasm for learning languages. If one "system" doesn't work for you, then try another.
Just keep on going and stay safe.
Thanks for the encouragement @retiredinfrance - it's good to know it can be done! Have you been in France long?diminua said:I'd like to join. I'm mostly learning French at the moment, via Duolingo, and did start their Italian course but got frustrated with it. It was probably a mistake to do both at once.
I usually study on my phone so perhaps I need to try via laptop. Getting the regular reminder through seeing the homepage is a good idea. When I tried the computer version I found I had better access to the community and it was helpful to see where others had found the same problems as I did.
PollyWollyDoodle said:I learned French at school and at one point could speak it fairly fluently, occasionally I try and read a French novel just to keep it going. I went on studying it as part of my degree and even spent a month in France. Sadly like most things, if you don’t use it, you lose it. For some reason I could not get on with German though and failed my German O-level.I did start doing Italian in the sixth form, but we never got as far as doing an exam. I went to a comprehensive school where Latin was not taught, and I really wish I had had the chance. I couldn’t get on with the Duolingo course, but I’m going to look for the Wheelock’s book which someone mentioned on another thread. I might try Duolingo for Italian, because people seem to say that it’s better in other languages
Your German got a lot further than mine.CAFCGirl said:Hola!
(Learning already LOL)
I shall be attempting to only lightly butcher the Spanish language via DuoLingo. Off to start Day 1....Let us know how it goes!
I think a bit of sunshine is good for frugal living. (Cranky40)
The sun's been out and I think I’m solar powered (Onebrokelady)
Fashion on the Ration challenge, 2025: Fabric 2, men's socks 3, Duvet set 7.5= 12.5/68
2024: Trainers 5, dress 7, slippers 5, 2 prs socks (gift) 2, 3 prs white socks 3, tee shirts x 2 10, 6 prs socks: mostly gifts 6, duvet set 7.5 = 45.5/68 coupons
20.5 coupons used in 2020. 62.5 used in 2021. 94.5 remaining as of 21/3/225 -
I’m learning Welsh on Duolingo. It’s going okay (I have an aptitude for learning languages, and a degree in Modern Languages from about a million years ago) but I don’t spend as much time on it as I would like. New Year’s resolution will be to address that!7
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Bonsoir, Cherryfudge. We bought a holiday cottage in France 31 years ago and then 7 years ago we moved here permanently. Basically we had been trying to buy a bungalow in the UK for our retirement without success. After repeatedly saying to each other -" Blimey that wreck of a bungalow would only be - strike off a few noughts - in France- it occurred to us to move here. We love it. Keep safe, everyone7
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I'm not too keen on Duolingo as I prefer to learn grammatically (French at school was great for that, Latin even more so). What I have been doing is watching French material on Youtube with subtitles and then progressing without, which forces me to listen carefully. I get the gist although I know I am missing the finer points.No man is worth crawling on this earth.
So much to read, so little time.6 -
I started Welsh on Duolingo in 2020 but petered out after 6 months or so. I'd like to restart this year.
I did French and Latin GCSEs at school and one beginner's module of German at University. I have no grammar now in any of those languages at all! (Nor in Welsh).8
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