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Old Sep 30, 2008 | 06:52 PM
  #1  
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Default Learning another language

I have a friend coming over to see me early next year and I need to learn some Spanish, as well as that I also feel quite rude when I'm in Germany and I struggle to speak their language, it certainly would of helped this year thats for sure.

I can read perfectly well but I really struggle to take things in, I have to read things several times before it seems to memorise and I'm quite sure I would get on better with a "how to learn Spanish (or German)" Cd, the benefit is I am on the road every day and I can spend my driving time talking to myself .

Has anyone taken a course in it before or had a similar tape or cd they can recommend to me.
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Old Sep 30, 2008 | 06:56 PM
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I met a Belgian once who taught himself English by watching Rambo/Arnie films. His English was surprisingly good, if a little violent!

Sorry, that doesn't help you much! All I know in German is "wo ist die Jugendherberge"
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Old Sep 30, 2008 | 06:57 PM
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Achtung achtung. ze nordeshleiffe iz now clozed

thats all you need to understand Johnny. Its all we heard in may at the ring
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Old Sep 30, 2008 | 07:00 PM
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i always wondered what lang to learn though! english is the best to know!

welsh is another usefull one ha ha
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Old Sep 30, 2008 | 08:26 PM
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i've got a cd you can borrow/ burn to learn spanish, i got them off RANJ (very kind of him) but havent had chance to start it yet

if you want i can post them too you, so you can burn and send back?
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Old Sep 30, 2008 | 08:29 PM
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fook that the cunts come over here and dont speak ours.lol
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Old Sep 30, 2008 | 08:31 PM
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The ads on top/bottom here now are the best, learn chinese online with Beijing's best teachers

On topic, spend more time in a country that speaks the language youre learning
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Old Sep 30, 2008 | 08:35 PM
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its harder to learn a language as an adult. i learned dutch when i lived their by buying a cd/book course and practising conversing day to day with the dutchys. they found it amusing.its not learning to know the words thats difficult its learning how to use them properly in the right context with the right accent/sounds.
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Old Sep 30, 2008 | 08:47 PM
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Originally Posted by DanW@FastFord
I met a Belgian once who taught himself English by watching Rambo/Arnie films. His English was surprisingly good, if a little violent!

Sorry, that doesn't help you much! All I know in German is "wo ist die Jugendherberge"
Get to the choppppppppppper

Originally Posted by CossieRich
Achtung achtung. ze nordschleife is now clozed

thats all you need to understand Johnny. Its all we heard in may at the ring
Priceless small issue that when "ze nordschleife is now clozed" and your still on there speaking German could help a lot

Originally Posted by GARETH T
i always wondered what lang to learn though! english is the best to know!

welsh is another usefull one ha ha
Does the learn Welsh cd come with a free inflatable sheep ?

Originally Posted by LHD220Turbo
i've got a cd you can borrow/ burn to learn spanish, i got them off RANJ (very kind of him) but havent had chance to start it yet

if you want i can post them too you, so you can burn and send back?
That would be ideal mate, just what I need

Originally Posted by mad dog younge
fook that the cunts come over here and dont speak ours.lol
She does speak English, perfectly well actually but as she is coming to see me then I'll be going to stay with her its only right that I can attempt to hold a convo with her parents when I'm over there
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Old Sep 30, 2008 | 09:03 PM
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PM me your addy
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Old Sep 30, 2008 | 09:31 PM
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Originally Posted by JonnyBravo
it certainly would of helped this year thats for sure.
you should learn to speak english first - it's would have helped

i have some german and spanish audio cd's that i could send you if you pm your address
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Old Sep 30, 2008 | 09:40 PM
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Maybe you should be my tutor Nick

PM's sent
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Old Sep 30, 2008 | 10:29 PM
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We'll need to learn polish soon!
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Old Oct 1, 2008 | 04:25 AM
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I know a bit of portuguese amongst others, had to laugh when(I thought) my friend said "have you F****D her", she actually said have you the vaca, which is KNIFE but pronounced exactly the same as the english word F****R.
tabetha
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Old Oct 1, 2008 | 06:49 AM
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I can teach you German!

I learned english in school but a great way of improving it was joining an online community (simracing in my case, Counterstrike clan will probably do aswell), which uses Teamspeak or any other voice-chat tool.
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Old Oct 1, 2008 | 07:20 AM
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The key for me when learning a foreign language is not trying to translate every word back to english cos you could never hold up a conversation,

I force myself to think that an oeuf is an oeuf nothing else, if you start thinking "oh whats an oeuf now? Oh yeah it's an egg" you'd of missed the other half of your breakfast order!

Does that make sense?
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Old Oct 1, 2008 | 09:00 AM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by alan12112
The key for me when learning a foreign language is not trying to translate every word back to english cos you could never hold up a conversation,

I force myself to think that an oeuf is an oeuf nothing else, if you start thinking "oh whats an oeuf now? Oh yeah it's an egg" you'd of missed the other half of your breakfast order!

Does that make sense?

This is actually a really good way to do it, this is why children find it easier to learn because they think about things differently.

I find the best way for me is to put audio language tapes on an ipod and wear it constantly, even when sleeping.

It's kind of like listening to the same song over and over eventually you know the words but you never set out to learn them. Also whenever you get the chance talk to a native speaker use as many words as you can. (think about a baby babbling away and occasionally throwing in a real word the feed back they get makes them use it more often)
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Old Oct 1, 2008 | 09:55 AM
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What part of Spain ? As the difference in regions is astonishing. Down in the costa del sol area if you go to Madrid, they will have no idea what you are on about etc.
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Old Oct 1, 2008 | 11:57 AM
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aint that the truth, andalucian spanish is 99% slang as well, makes learning it an arse
John you still over here mate?
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Old Jan 28, 2009 | 05:18 AM
  #21  
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Default Learn Spanish

The easiest way is to live in a Spanish speaking country. Seriously. That's how I learned.But you are in Germany.And the other option are to buy boooks or learn online and I would recommend Pimsleur over Rosetta. I have used both to learn Portuguese and find the Pimsleur method to be superior. It concentrates more on actual conversations while Rosetta goes more towards individual sentences or words. However, both methods offer a very comprehensive package to get you started. Along the way you will need some books on grammer as Spanish tenses are much more complicated than in English. Ditto with pronouns. I have listed a site below which offers both courses at a substantially reduced price. That means they are selling you copies they have run off on their computer. Or you can get them for free by looking around the bit torrent sites. Buena suerte.



Take a look at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/
http://spanish.about.com/
http://in.youtube.com/view_play_list...&v=YA8DybfLsOQ
http://learnspanishreview.net/LearnSpanishCD/
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Old Jan 28, 2009 | 09:22 AM
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i think it's called muzzy or soemthing that the bbc do for kids to teach them how to speak different languages

the other problem you will have is that, after you are about 2 or 3, your brains has already started to mould itself into a set way or learning thigns for the vast majority of people, so trying to teach yourself to learn soemthing new that is as complciated as a language is much more difficult

living in the country for several years may help, but if you want to go there on holiday and "migle" with the natives, it's a bit tricky
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Old Jan 28, 2009 | 10:55 AM
  #23  
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Michel Thomas courses are good for if you're in the car a lot
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Old Jan 28, 2009 | 11:16 AM
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I speak Welsh as first language everyday, also English fluently and regularly in work, and Spanish and French quite well because I work there a few times in the year. Quite easy to learn really, the odd book here or there, but helps more when you can interact with others that can speak the language fluently
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Old Jan 28, 2009 | 02:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Ellie
We'll need to learn polish soon!

All you need is "gin-da-bre" Which is Good Morning. Every Pole I've met has spoken 95% PERFECT English. Like Johnny said, going to a foreign country makes me feel ignorant. Especially when you meet the son and daughter (10 and 13ish) of the hotel and they speak perfect English.

I'm told the best CD course to buy is the Rosetta Stone ones, but they are around £300 so not cheap. But they teach you and show you pics so you're brain understands better.

Or you could get a Lonely Planet phrase book from WHSmiths for £5
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