Language-learners' chat

CAFCGirl

Cherryfudge said:

CAFCGirl said:

Yo bebo agua

Is the sum of my lesson today LOL

Tenses are confusing me (I think its tenses anyway). Grammar isn't my strong suit anyway. The changing for the masculine and feminine, On day 2! Heaven help me...

I think that would be Eu bebo agua for me (Brazilian Portuguese, Cherryfudge dialect) - but I actually I'm more likely to be drinking coffee.

The word for coffee hasn't appeared for me yet, otherwise that would be top of my list HAHAHA!

Wraithlady

I've decided to move to Babbel rather than Duolingo - it was annoyingly Americano-centric and I really don't appreciate a cartoon character sending me passive-aggressive emails about how 'disappointed' they are in me.

Also found that some of their English translations were incorrect or, in a couple of cases, worse than a flat-pack instruction sheet from Korea (ie laughably ungrammatical). But it was free.

diminua

Wraithlady said:

I've decided to move to Babbel rather than Duolingo - it was annoyingly Americano-centric and I really don't appreciate a cartoon character sending me passive-aggressive emails about how 'disappointed' they are in me.

Also found that some of their English translations were incorrect or, in a couple of cases, worse than a flat-pack instruction sheet from Korea (ie laughably ungrammatical). But it was free.

I found the emails annoying as well and switched some of them off. It's like the fitbit : 'such and such has passed you' - I must have the opposite of a competitive streak because I just don't care. There will always be someone in the world better at French  than me. 

Cherryfudge

I don't read the emails.

Cherryfudge

Wraithlady said:

I've decided to move to Babbel rather than Duolingo - it was annoyingly Americano-centric and I really don't appreciate a cartoon character sending me passive-aggressive emails about how 'disappointed' they are in me.

I definitely have points where I struggle with the American in Duolingo. You'd think there were sufficient similarities between English English and American English to make it negligible, but it's definitely not.

I don't bother reading the emails: I'm on Duolingo several times a day to get the free points for touching base (this says as much about my insecurities over speaking another language as about the game playing aspect - I need all the help I can get if I'm not going to go down a league). For anyone in need of a laugh, though, I recommend a google search for Duolingo memes. Just remember attacks by green owls are very rare and don't have nightmares.

@diminua, I get the notifications on my phone so they're very easy to dismiss. I have a Fitbit too and I know full well one of my colleagues is always going to win the step challenge because she walks such a lot, so I don't take it too seriously. I'm not winning or losing, just keeping going. As you say, there's always going to be someone better at French than I am!

Mistral001

I am one of those people who really struggled when learning languages at school.  I learned Latin for 3 years and French for 5 years.  I rarely passed an exam and hated every minute of the language learning experience.  However, many years ago I worked Germany for two months in the holidays from university and picked up a little German.  Since then I have done a few evening classes in German and I am now very interested in becoming more fluent in the lanuage.  

At the German evening classes I was probably of an average standard in the class so that encouraged me a little since, at school ,I was almost always last in the class.  I have spent some time on Duolingo, Busuu and Memrise up to about B2 standard, but I think these type of sites tend to give you a false sense of knowledge and when you try to speak the language, you can become become unstuck.

Learning some Latin at school helped me with learning grammar in German and I think grammar is important, but I am convinced that you need to learn as much vocabulary as you can if you want to be able to converse in a language.  

It has often been said that the most important thing in learning a language is to have a goal.  I do not really have a goal other than just getting a sense of achievement in being able to speak a little German when I am in Germany.  BTW, it is not true that all Germans can speak English.  In the places where tourists go and in large cities many Germans can speak good English, but generally speaking most cannot speak much, if any, English.  

Learning through context seems to be the best way for me to improve my lanuage skills.  I have read that this can be done by picking a subject that you are interested in and learning to converse in that subject.  I have yet to pick my subject for learning German though.  I follow German football a little so that could be a candidate for a subject.  Can anybody suggest a subject.?  Nothing too high-brow.  I am not wanting to study Goethe or anything like that.

Rosa_Damascena

diminua said:

Wraithlady said:

I've decided to move to Babbel rather than Duolingo - it was annoyingly Americano-centric and I really don't appreciate a cartoon character sending me passive-aggressive emails about how 'disappointed' they are in me.

Also found that some of their English translations were incorrect or, in a couple of cases, worse than a flat-pack instruction sheet from Korea (ie laughably ungrammatical). But it was free.

I found the emails annoying as well and switched some of them off. It's like the fitbit : 'such and such has passed you' - I must have the opposite of a competitive streak because I just don't care. There will always be someone in the world better at French  than me. 

I couldn't agree more! These approaches are designed to appeal to the mentality of a child, not a mature adult.

skogar

Minstral - what are your hobbies / interests or things that you like to do / places that you like to goo to when in Germany. Perhaps they will give you some inspiration for a subject.

I have a rather strange vocabulary in Italian and German as a result of walking in the Alps and my love of food. I'm quite good on words related with mountains, climbing and walking and things to eat. I did a short evening course on Italian once and impressed the tutor with my well researched and extremely extensive knowledge of different flavours of gelato!

skogar

I've just thought of something - re german - there is a magazine I have seen in Germany called Deutsch Perfekt (there are also cds) which are quite interesting and not too difficult to read. Unfortunately it is not cheap but worth looking out for. There are also free audio podcasts on the slow German websites on different topics. I have listened to some of them but should try doing some more really. https://slowgerman.com/

I've found in many areas in German speaking countries many do not speak German - particularly the older generation so a little German can be very helpful in non touristy areas / staying in small B and Bs etc. The thing I find most difficult is "normal conversation". My "survival level" German is OK for basic things like catching a bus, sorting out accommodation, getting directions and ordering food etc. but normal conversations with people I meet are a real struggle - I understand a bit more than I can say but my vocabulary is very limited and I find it very difficult to construct what I want to say.

Mistral001

Thanks Skogar for some good tips and  hanks for the encouragement.   I have forgotton about sites dedicated to content that is spoken slowly.  I have come across the "Authentic German Learning" Youtube channel which does slow-speaking content.  I will look at lowgerman.com.  There is a tendancy for most sites to be aimed at the better students and that usually means speaking at "normal" speaking speed which is very fast for learners like me.  

I have not been able to visit Germany for over three years, but I was able to speak in German with some people who could not speak any English.  It was basic stuff.  One checkout lady at Lidl's even made a joke when I paid too much for something. I was actually able to undertand exactly what she said.  I called that a success! Who says Germans do not have a sense of humour.  Vocabulary definitely is important in conversation as it is easy to ask a phrase-book type question in German, but you often need a wide vocabulary to understand the answer and continue the conservation.  

I think I will try to go down the football topic to give some context to my learning.  I follow Borussia Dortmund a little.  Sometimes their website will automatically switch from German to English, but I can disable that.  Even navigating the site in German improves vocab.  I have a season ticket to see my lower division local team in the UK. I would like to follow a big team as well, so why chose Man Utd or Arsenal (no direspect to those fine teams) when I can follow  Dormund and learn a little Geramn as well.  Dortmund is the team nearest to where I used to work in Germany so that is the natural choice for me. I will let you know how I get on.


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