Language-learners' chat

Cherryfudge

diminua said:

I've started picking Italian up again - it's been almost entirely French until this point, and I'm on 1025 days streak (although I do keep my streak freeze topped up and the odd day has been missed).

That's a really great streak!

I know more French than Italian and if I try to string together a little Italian sentence I find French words get in. Also it's very confusing that the same words have slightly different meanings (such as lui - 'him' in French and 'he' in Italian).

Keiths_Mum said:

Finally not sure this will be helpful to anyone, but I listen to podcasts in slow Italian, which I can do whilst doing other things like housework for some subliminal learning and I watch TV programmes such as inspector Montalbano with the subtitles on. 

Welcome! Lots of times I only have five or ten minutes to give so I think you should be proud of half an hour! What are the podcasts please? I love the sound of Italian but I'm often unsure where to place an emphasis so some relaxed listening might help me.

Keiths_Mum

Cherryfudge said:

diminua said:

I've started picking Italian up again - it's been almost entirely French until this point, and I'm on 1025 days streak (although I do keep my streak freeze topped up and the odd day has been missed).

That's a really great streak!

I know more French than Italian and if I try to string together a little Italian sentence I find French words get in. Also it's very confusing that the same words have slightly different meanings (such as lui - 'him' in French and 'he' in Italian).

Keiths_Mum said:

Finally not sure this will be helpful to anyone, but I listen to podcasts in slow Italian, which I can do whilst doing other things like housework for some subliminal learning and I watch TV programmes such as inspector Montalbano with the subtitles on. 

Welcome! Lots of times I only have five or ten minutes to give so I think you should be proud of half an hour! What are the podcasts please? I love the sound of Italian but I'm often unsure where to place an emphasis so some relaxed listening might help me.

The ones I am listening to at the moment are called 'Stories in slow Italian', there is a series of them, I like them because they are quite slow and so am I, but there are others. I use a music App (not sure if I can say the name on here).

Someone also told.me to listen to Italian radio stations, had a go but it was a bit fast for me, maybe later.

Cherryfudge

Keiths_Mum said:

The ones I am listening to at the moment are called 'Stories in slow Italian', there is a series of them, I like them because they are quite slow and so am I, but there are others. I use a music App (not sure if I can say the name on here).

Someone also told.me to listen to Italian radio stations, had a go but it was a bit fast for me, maybe later.

Thank you! I'll see what I can find - I'd never have thought of looking on a music app.  

Christmasshopper2

Day 25 of learning Dutch and I have learned a phrase that I can say to almost everyone in Holland:
Je hebt geen neushoorn.
You do not have a rhinoceros. 🤣🤣🤣

Cherryfudge

That's nearly as useful as a recent Italian one: The snake is in my boot!

Keiths_Mum

My new favourite is 

Io ho zero pantaloni
I have zero pants

I think pants translates as trousers as its an American App, but pants is funnier and pantaloni is hilarious!

Cherryfudge

Keiths_Mum said:

My new favourite is 

Io ho zero pantaloni
I have zero pants

I think pants translates as trousers as its an American App, but pants is funnier and pantaloni is hilarious!

I have to do a sort of three-way translation especially from French (not got far enough in Italian yet) - and remind myself whether le football should be translated as soccer despite meaning what we English would call football. I get very confused, but I think there are more anglicisms (or do I mean anglicanisms? ) allowed than there used to be.

As to zero panteloni (!) I wonder if I'm approaching that lesson? In preparation, perhaps, I just had 'Fai come vuoi' ('do as you please') or possibly 'Non ho una riposta' (I do not have an answer).

In a more philosophical vein, yesterday I had 'Perce moriamo?' ('Why do we die?')

diminua

I know more French than Italian and if I try to string together a little Italian sentence I find French words get in. Also it's very confusing that the same words have slightly different meanings (such as lui - 'him' in French and 'he' in Italian).

@Cherryfudge I know more French, but the little Italian I do know comes more easily because I've spent more time in Italy. My French pronunciation is especially stilted and I think will be until I'm forced to try and talk to actual people. 

Keiths_Mum

Cherryfudge said:

Keiths_Mum said:

My new favourite is 

Io ho zero pantaloni
I have zero pants

I think pants translates as trousers as its an American App, but pants is funnier and pantaloni is hilarious!

I have to do a sort of three-way translation especially from French (not got far enough in Italian yet) - and remind myself whether le football should be translated as soccer despite meaning what we English would call football. I get very confused, but I think there are more anglicisms (or do I mean anglicanisms? ) allowed than there used to be.

As to zero panteloni (!) I wonder if I'm approaching that lesson? In preparation, perhaps, I just had 'Fai come vuoi' ('do as you please') or possibly 'Non ho una riposta' (I do not have an answer).

In a more philosophical vein, yesterday I had 'Perce moriamo?' ('Why do we die?')

It was unit 16 - numbers. I am now up to unit 19. I keep coming across the phrase in the practice sessions though, I refuse to pay for the lives so I have to earn them through practice, which i don't mind because it all helps with my comprehension.

Yes I have had 'why do we die' and 'why do they die' but not 'are they dead' yet!

Cherryfudge

Keiths_Mum said:

Yes I have had 'why do we die' and 'why do they die' but not 'are they dead' yet!

LOL - between that and the snake in the boot, should I worry about going to Italy?!

Oh, you are miles ahead of me - I'm on unit 8. I need all the practice I can get so I earn lives through practice too.