Peninha

I think that languages probably is one the few cases that it's probably better to study with someone. At first, the sounds and the speaking is enhanced because you get to speak and listens to other pronouncing the same words and you can correct it faster. The interaction is really needed in language learning and that isn't possible when you're alone.

Good explanation! So with wish it's always were, regardless of the tense, was is always in the past, is this correct?

Hoy llovio gelo como nunca no tenia visto, las calles y las estradas estan blancas como se hubiera nevado y conducir mi coche fue una verdadera aventura!

Donde vas a platicar tu español jtucci21? Si lo vas hacer en Argentina teneres profesores argentinos es algo bueno. Se te vás a otro pais quizas mejor un profesor de eso país?

Some people don't care if they speak right or wrong, as long as they can communicate they are happy with it. Maybe that is the case of your family member, what line of work is he in? Maybe in his line of work it doesn't make a difference?

A mim también me gustaria vivir en Argentina, no sé porque pero me parece un buen pais para vivir. Se pudiera escojer me iria al Mediterraneo, pienso que es un paraiso.

I never had such a software, I use online dictionaries, translators, spell-check programs, everything is available online for free, so there's really no use for those software if they still do exist. Maybe is someone is working on a specific language or has a very specific need and needs a special program, but that's not my case.

I think that those three are definitely in the top. I think no one would question that English is language nº1, everyone speaks English, when going to a foreign country no matter which country it is, we most of the time address the people in English and we are understood. Spanish is huge as well and Mandarin is a bit confined to China, but as China holds 1/7th of the world population, it's pretty big as well, but confined to that geographic area.

I agree with you Denis and I do the same, I don't care if I speak poorly as long as I am understood I even benefit from the opportunity to be corrected. Not everyone is like this though, my wife for example has some issues with speaking her English, she is not comfortable with it and I feel that doesn't help her develop her English skills.

I am not a native, but it seems to me that "I wish I was" it's correct because it's singular, while "I wish I were" it's incorrect because it's plural. Interesting, I just searched the net for confirmation and... OK, it's highly unclear. I am going to have to study this article before I can say lol! http://www.dailywritingtips.com/i-wish-i-were/

I think that artists in general break the existing rules and that is why they are called artists and what they produce is art that is admired for everyone. Surely that a poet is an artist and his/her creations don't have to be confined to grammatical rules, I think these rules apply only to day-to-day communication.

Some people can write with noise, I know a few, but it's not my case. @Denis, the net usually is not distracting to me, I can be writing and when I feel my head is tired or about to burst ( :beaten:) I just switch to some mind waster online for a couple of minutes and I refresh and I'm ready to write some more.

Good question! I think that my feeling before an exam is proportional to what I have studied! :grin: If I have done a good job and studied hard I am feeling totally relaxed, with some anxiety, but relaxed and ready to do it. If I didn't study properly I'll be super nervous and I know I am in trouble...

Sure, we should be able to watch the movie without the subtitles, but when we are in doubt the subtitles are there and they are helpful. It would also depend on the level you're students are in, if they are not that advanced they do need this help.

I don't agree kristinaw, if someone is saying something wrong, why not correct the person, no one minds on learning right? Sure, it will depend on you level of intimacy with the person, I won't jump on a stranger and say, you're saying it wrong, that would be... awkward lol, but if it's someone have intimacy with, why not?

In Portugal English is taught officially from age 6, but many start learning it as an extracurricular activity since they are 3 or 4 years old. I think this is a great measure because the sooner kids start to learn the easier they do learn. Apart from that, I just love hearing my 6 year old with English expressions, he just looks cool!

I love using lol or LOL, I think it works pretty much in a sentence like the salt and pepper in food, it has extra value and it passes emotion to the sentence, I use it quite often.

Interesting article Denis, thanks for sharing. The sixth rule is a little of common sense no, I mean, who is going to write in the middle of a crowd? I do see a lot of people studying in cafes though, what is a mystery to me because I do need my silence to concentrate. Point 1 is great too, I guess it's too late for me!

In my opinion movies with subtitles do help alot. My English has improved a big deal because it's great to listen to the spoken language and at the same time read the words you're familiar with the sound, but that you didn't exactly know what they meant or the correct context. I think it's a great aid.

Sometimes it's just better to clear the head. If I am having issues, I'll try to break with my routine and if in my routine it is studying languages I can for example go and study to a different location, by the beach or in a forest and I manage to get my mind out of my issues and still get the study done.

I've always studied alone, but when it gets to practice no doubt we need to have a partner to do it! When learning a language what works better for you, studying alone or with friends?

lol same here, if I speak English or Spanish for long it's easier for me that English or Spanish words come to my mind than my native tongue ones. I think it's a normal situation, the brain has been more occupied with other languages so when we "think" we do it in another language, it's like it's on cache maybe.

I am not familiar with Hebrew, but I imagine it's a language like the others. If you're living in a country that speaks that language I am sure you will be able to learn how to speak it bypassing the normal teaching way, but this would require that you're living in the country with the actual need of learning it. Studying the language would make it easier for sure.

I think that the only way that you have to pick up your French again is hard work. Sure, if you speak English and Spanish it won't be easy because your mind will try to turn to those languages, you'll just have to put the French of first place. Nothing you can do about the Spanish because it's already there!

Las tapas son muy buenas, existen en España pero en Portugal ya las tenemos importado también y existen varios bares de tapas. Lo que más me gusta es lo pescado frito, que es una delicia, lo recomendo a todos!