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SemperEadem

Learning another language.

By SemperEadem, in General Chat

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Lovejoy

Lovejoy

Posted
Posted

Glad you've started this topic as I've just started again learning Spanish. I did it up to A-level but haven't bothered in the decade or so since then. I'm hoping it'll all come back and I can make some swift progress.

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Webbo

Webbo

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I did Spanish at night school before the kids were born, so 20 odd years ago. I ended up with a GCSE B grade. I wouldn't say I'm fluent but I can usually make myself understood. Trouble is when I'm in Spain they all speak better English than I do Spanish.

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SemperEadem

SemperEadem

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1 minute ago, Webbo said:

I did Spanish at night school before the kids were born, so 20 odd years ago. I ended up with a GCSE B grade. I wouldn't say I'm fluent but I can usually make myself understood. Trouble is when I'm in Spain they all speak better English than I do Spanish.

Out of interest how long were you doing it for? Did you start from

scratch or have some prior knowledge from school?

 

Yeah my main reason for learning is through the Bochum

- Leicester link. I have made some great friends but felt so inadequate when they are coming out with perfect English and all I can say in German is 'two big beers please'.

Hopefully they will humour me at the Everton game and not just reply to me in English.

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Webbo

Webbo

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4 minutes ago, baker11 said:

Out of interest how long were you doing it for? Did you start from

scratch or have some prior knowledge from school?

 

Yeah my main reason for learning is through the Bochum

- Leicester link. I have made some great friends but felt so inadequate when they are coming out with perfect English and all I can say in German is 'two big beers please'.

Hopefully they will humour me at the Everton game and not just reply to me in English.

I think it was 3 year all together, beginner class, intermediate and then the exam class.

 

We worked from a text book and cassette tapes in those day. I was that keen I was always a few chapters in front of the class. I've got a Spanish language app on my tablet to keep my hand in but I'm not as motivated as I was. I don't bother very often.

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CosbehFox

CosbehFox

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I've attempted German on and off since school. Like yourself Baker I can get away with bits and generally most folk when visiting Germany or Austria seem appreciative of the effort. Reading I am okay with - generally you can work it out, that applies to a lot of languages mind. Less said about the speech. 

 

After Christmas, I am going to take Spanish classes. I intend on visiting Argentina soon and being English, without the language I could be in trouble quite quickly. 

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Sampson

Sampson

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I actually tried doing night classes in German too earlier this year but found it tough going. Would like to go back and do some more eventually.

 

Actually only started doing night classes the past couple of years and have really enjoyed it. It was my 2016 new years resolution to do some adult education courses and I wish I'd done some sooner. Currently doing an astronomy one which I'm really enjoying, I'd love to find a good History one too as I've always loved history. Definitely recommend night classes and adult education classes to anyone.

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Fox92

Fox92

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1 hour ago, baker11 said:

Recently started at a German night class. Week three tonight.

Slow progress but with revision and the help of duolingo I feel like I am making some progress.

 

Anyone else started learning a second language in later life?

Where about's in Sheff you learning it? I'd be interested in coming all or looking into other languages. How many are there doing it?

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Soup

Soup

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1 hour ago, baker11 said:

Recently started at a German night class. Week three tonight.

Slow progress but with revision and the help of duolingo I feel like I am making some progress.

 

Anyone else started learning a second language in later life?

My biggest nightmare in life is trying to learn another language as I'm pretty shit at English lol 

 

Massively tried to learm Italian a few years back, went to night school but packed it in after a month because it did my head in. Much to the annoyance of the misses and £200 down the drain. So I then bought a few books and and CD's which I found better as I could do it at my own pace. I found the Michel Thomas CD's pretty good as he explains why you're saying stuff not just how to say things. His voice does my head in though.

 

Best way I've found is just immersing yourself in it when you're away. Bars, restaurants and market's etc and just jump in with the little you know and see how it goes.You learn way more like this I reckon. 

 

'm learning Spanish now so I thought the little Italian I know would help but it's not. I keep drifting bsck to Italian and it's so frustrating.

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SemperEadem

SemperEadem

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54 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

Where about's in Sheff you learning it? I'd be interested in coming all or looking into other languages. How many are there doing it?

King Edwards, up by the Hallamshire hospital.

Id say around 20 or so in the class.

They do all sorts of languages and levels.

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Captain...

Captain...

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The first thing to understand is that going to a class once a week is no where near enough to make any progress, even if you do the homework you need to add so much more to see any results.

 

Try meetup.com to find groups in your area, there are Skype language exchanges not sure where you find them. Listen podcasts, I listen to "coffee time Spanish" and and "slow news in Spanish". Pick a book you've already read  and read it again in a foreign language, try something with simple language yet interesting. Curious incident of the dog in the nighttime worked well for me, or kids/young adult stuff like the hunger games or Harry Potter. Watch foreign films  with English subtitles (all Spanish learners should watch lots of Almodovar films), or even watch English films and put the foreign subtitles on. Listen to music, for German I only know Rammstein or Fantastichen Vier (German hip hop) who sing in German for Spanish learners my favourite bands are  Vetusta Morla, Love of Lesbian and Lori Meyers (indie/alternative).

 

You can even change the language your phone, TV, PlayStation. 

 

Learning a language isn't difficult just really hard work , but very rewarding, put the time in and stick at it.

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Costock_Fox

Costock_Fox

Posted
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I started learning Spanish as with the other halfs work it looked like we would be transferred over there..... ended up in Italy didn't we lol.

 

Still wish I had continued learning Spanish because I can speak a bit and shocked by how much I remember but it's very tough going at the start.

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