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SpringBreeze

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Everything posted by SpringBreeze

  1. It takes from a few months to many years. It really depends on a lot of variables like if you have a gift for it, where you are living, how much do you study it, how often you watch movies and listen to music in that language, if you are dating someone who speaks the language fluently and who speaks it often to you... It also depends on what level you are referring to. Being fully fluent in a language is what takes the longest, obviously. While being able to order food and communicate in simple sentences can be learned in a month or two when participating in a full immersion program.
  2. I agree with what the first few posters wrote. You are better off reading books from earlier generations (this generation hasn't been the best with vocabulary or grammar) and technical or fictional books dealing with your industry. Apps are great at learning random words. But you usually lose the momentum after a few weeks. And from experience, you sometimes end up looking like an idiot throwing around fancy words in the wrong context. When you see how fancy words are used in a book repeatedly, you get a better idea of how, when, and where to use them. So, look for an author that uses the vocabulary you are interested in learning and buy all of his books.
  3. Here's a word... Enseñar = to teach This verb used in a sentence would look like this: Te voy a enseñar a querer = I'm going to teach you to love. "Te voy a enseñar a querer" is actually the name of a telenovela I'm watching now :grin:
  4. My first boyfriend spoke more Spanish than English. So, I'd say I would definitely date someone who spoke another language. It was a wonderful experience since I got to take a much closer-look at his culture. But at the same time, that relationship taught me it can be difficult if you want to get deep. It was hard to have profound personal, philosophical, technological, and scientific conversations with him. So, that did put a limit on our relationship.
  5. I think it's because we don't or didn't consider it a priority for a long time. But that's changing now. For a long time, English was the language to learn and was the most spoken language in the US. There's also the fact that before WW2, America was an isolated country while most European nations were the opposite. European countries have a long history of interaction and immigration. So, comparing America to that part of the world isn't fair. With all that said, notice that with the rising numbers of spanish-speaking Hispanics, schools are enforcing more and more Spanish classes.
  6. I've studied french, italian, and spanish and i've seen some portuguese. I can say that italian, spanish and portuguese are the most similar out of the those 4. So, if you study one, it'll definitely easy to pick up the other 2.
  7. I agree and disagree. If you want to learn a language properly (meaning grammar, history, vocabulary diversity, and etc) a teacher is definitely the best way to go. But they tend to teach you the book version. That's why many beginner and intermediate students have a hard time understanding natives when they speak. So, if you want to learn a language for informal communication purposes, I think learning from friends, family, and tv shows are great too.
  8. Since you don't know French yet, I would say French. Don't forget many parts of Canada is still francophone. French is the second most spoken language in Canada and the official language in Quebec. So, you'll definitely have less employment and travel issues if you learn french. Also keep in mind that francophone Canadians mostly speak Canadian French.
  9. After some more thinking on this question, I want to take back what I wrote earlier. I now think the best translation you can get is one you paid for from a legit, veteran, well-trained/educated translator. The reason why? This is what they have been trained, for years, to do -- to know both languages inside and out - vocabulary, grammar, idioms, variations...
  10. Online translation jobs that are not scams or that do not under-pay you are definitely rare. A lot of the legit sites have come and gone over the years. It's a really unstable market for beginners, in my opinion. My advice is to sign up to an online cafe or forum made specifically for translators. This way you'll keep current on legit sites and jobs. They are also great for tips and stuff.
  11. I have to agree that google translate does a better job at translating Latin languages. But I have to say, even though it does a better job, it doesn't do a really good job. So, be careful. If you are trying to translate your own text, you'll get the best results by keeping your sentence structures and wording simple. Stay away from slang and idiomatic expressions as much as possible.
  12. All learning is good. But at the same time, not all learning is practical. If you are only going to vacation in a foreign country for a week, it's not practical to learn their language. You probably won't even remember what you studied 3 months after your visit. If you intend to stay longer or continuously visit that country, i think then it is practical. Now, if you are just learning because you really want to learn, then you should because again, all learning is good.
  13. Good question! I'm a native speaker and I've never questioned why that expression is said. It really makes no sense when you think about. Why "chip"? I think a car or horse would be a better object than a chip since they are heavier. And in those cases (car or horse), I'd get it since having to carry something heavy will eventually weigh you down until you get so tired you start fighting back.
  14. I think with time it will come if you practice enough. I have a hard time too. But I do know I'm rolling my r's a lot better now than 10 years ago. I actually find the French "r" harder than the Spanish "r". That back roll (in French) gets me every time. In this case, I haven't seen any improvement over the years. So, with all that said, I totally get you. All you can do is practice. And then practice some more :santa:
  15. Yes, I've also noticed the same thing. But I have to point out, that not knowing the rules to your language can be a country. My mom is always saying how teaching and studying were in her country. She knows her grammatical rules very well. And is always appalled at my lack of knowledge but is happy that I am able to write decently despite my lack I also find it easier to understand Americans when they speak a foreign language than when a native speaks it. Maybe it's because most Americans have learned the same book style as me and so use less idiomatic expressions and slang.
  16. All the languages I've studied I can't speak fluently. I'm not much of a speaker to start off with and I'm even more quiet when I have to interact in a foreign language. So, consequently I'm better in reading and listening -- that same goes for English :grin: Now, I have studied 2 languages (for several months) that I absolutely cannot speak. They are Hindi and Ancient Greek. Ironically, I spent more years studying French in school but speak and understand Spanish better. That's the power of telenovelas and latin music.
  17. I'm going to agree with everyone else here and say... although and even though have the same meaning, but in certain cases one does sound better than the other. Language is weird like that. Anyway, coming from an english native speaker, in this particular sentence "even though" or "though" sounds better that "although".
  18. I agree with what you said. But unfortunately, family and friends are not always available or capable. If I can't go that route and don't want to log on to a language forum, I simplify the sentence I'm having problems with and write it in a search engine. If I see the same grammar / phrasing in the results, I know I'm on the right path.
  19. Yes, hahaha, i've come across several expressions that are weird. One is: "running around like a chicken without a head". Another: "he has balls". I mean why do you need balls to have courage? And what is balls? Is it the balls in the scrotum? If yes, doesn't he have a couple anyway since he's a man?
  20. Sorry to hear this. It must really suck. To answer your question: if you are living in America, it's more important for your child to learn English first. You want him/her to be able to communicate with other speakers. And since the common spoken language is english, english would be the best 1st language to teach. Also, sometimes, teaching babies many languages at once delays there's speaking abilities since it's harder for them to know how to communicate, what language to use. Their brain don't work in the same way as adult brains. But eventually they do figure it out.
  21. In the US, Spanish is definitely the best 2nd language to learn. But really it all comes down to where in the US you live, what industry you work in, and what level in your industry you work at. If you live full-time in southern states like Florida, Georgia, Texas and Arizona - Spanish is definitely the best language to learn. I know in South Florida, it's hard to even go shopping if you don't understand some Spanish since many of the retail workers don't speak English. However, if you live up north and work in a high-level corporate position with the majority business deals being done with Europeans or Asians, French or Chinese may be a better language to learn.
  22. English is my first language. But there are a few words that drive me crazy because I always spell them wrong. Thank goodness for automatic spelling checks. They have made me lazier, but so much more efficient. Some words are: conscientious therefore (i never know if it ends with the "E" or without) rhythm ecstasy
  23. No. Google translate is off so many times. I remember one time handing in an essay that I basically copied and pasted from a free online translation site. I had never gotten so many corrections in my life. Hahaha, lesson learned! The only time you should use it is if you have a basic proficiency in the language and can therefor sense if your sentence looks right or not. Also, if you write very simple sentences -- using simple words, simple sentence structures, and simple tenses, you can get good responses. An example is: I hit a car.
  24. I think that is a fair stereotype. Americans are not known for their multilingualism... Nor are the British (even though they are European). The exceptions are countries the British conquered. In these cases, the previous language of the country (before the invasion) become a second language like Scotland's' Scot language.
  25. I always hoped to be able to do such a job. I looked into it a few years ago but met a lot of dead ends and scams. I guess my other problem is I focused on Western Europe like Spain and Portugal. There seems to be less need there. And their economic decline doesn't help at all. I have heard of jobs in Asia. But to be honest, these positions scare me. Do any of you know of anyone doing this over there with a blog? I'd love to read what it's like and see pictures.
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