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jesolis

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Posts posted by jesolis

  1. On ‎11‎/‎26‎/‎2015‎ ‎7‎:‎25‎:‎09‎, Chiara said:

    Hello, everyone!

    My name's Chiara and I'm a 20 years old Italian girl. I've just found this forum and I already think that's awesome! I studied languages in high school and now I'm studying sociology and criminology at uni. I still want to practice the languages I know (English, French and German) and I'd love to learn Spanish and Swedish (I know only a few words). 

    Greetings :)

    Hello Chiara, my name is Jorge. I am from Mexico and live in the United States. I think it is nice that you are trying to learn Spanish. It is very similar to Italian from a grammatical perspective. I think you should learn it, you would have a ton of fun. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!

  2. Hello everyone, my name is Jorge Solis. Welcome to this forum! I think that anyone who has studied Spanish for ten years definitely deserves respect so please keep learning so you can share with us your experience. I also like learning new languages. I speak Spanish and English fluently so I can definitely appreciate some of the hardships that you had to endure learning Spanish.

  3. Hello everyone, my name is Jorge Solis. I do not think that a language learning app should be a primary source for learning. I think an app could be a wonderful aid in your learning experience, however, I firmly believe that your primary source of learning should be everyday conversations with people who speak the language fluently. If you are not in an area where you can practice your skills, then you can look for conversation videos online.

  4. I think that I would like to perfect my French. After that, I would like to learn German. Though, I think this will quite harder than learning French for me. You see, my maternal language is Spanish, so French came very natural to me. Yet, I do not know if this will be the case with German. I doubt it, but we will see. What about you guys? What language would you like to learn next? Leave your comments down below.

  5. Hello everyone, hope all of you are doing well! That is an excellent question. I think the answer has to do with the fact that when you are writing something, you can take the time to make sure you do not make any grammatical or spelling errors. However, when you are speaking to someone, it is quite likely that you will make a mistake if you are a beginner. This creates anxiety because most people do not enjoy being embarrassed, or wrong!

  6. Hello everyone, hope all of you are doing well! My advice to someone learning a new language would be to do these things at some point in their journey. Watch movies and TV shows in the language you are trying to learn. Also, do not be afraid to express yourself. Yes, you might make grammatical mistakes when speaking. Yet, others will appreciate your effort and will not make fun of you!

  7. Hello everyone, hope all of you are doing well! I have always been hesitant to learn Latin because many people believe that it is not as useful as other languages. I still think Latin is quite awesome. What are your thought on this? Do you think learning Latin is worth the time and effort? Please leave your comments down below!

  8. Hello everyone! My name is Jorge Solis. I think some songs are poetic enough that their meaning cannot be reduced to a simple literal translation. With that in mind, I would ask the people who listen to these songs and have a better understanding of the language they are in. Sometimes song lyrics have a different meaning than the literal translation of their words. So, ask the people who listen to this music.

  9. Hello everyone! My name is Jorge Solis. I would say it is very important! When writing in a language you are learning, your brain is forced to come up with new expressions and sentences that you may not be completely comfortable with. This natural exercise for your brain creates new pathways in your cognitive part of the brain and when you use those same expressions again, they will come out naturally.

  10. Hello everyone! My name is Jorge Solis. I have actually never heard of this! This sounds like a good idea, although I thought English was sort of the "international language." You see, languages not only serve to communicate, they also serve to establish politcal barriers between countries and cultures. For instance, The USA and Canada are very similar. Yet, Mexico, a country that is part of North America, is very alienated from these two other countries simply because of the language barrier.

  11. Hello everyone! My name is Jorge Solis. The best way to handle expression in a language you are still mastering, is by learning these expressions by heart, so that they will come out naturally. One great method to do this is to watch movies in the language you are learning. Common phrases will come out in conversations without you even noticing them, and you will register them subconsciously.

  12. Hello everyone! My name is Jorge Solis. I think that the best way to learn a new language is to submerge yourself in said language. The natural conversations that you engage in everyday are the best way to practice. Also, try reading books that are not too complicated. This will enlarge your vocabulary and you will gain a lot of grammatical knowledge as well.

  13. Hello everyone! My name is Jorge Solis. I usually study from the book and make notes while I am reading on a separate notebook. Then, I go to Youtube and watch videos to supplement my learning with visual aids. I have found this method to be quite effective. Then, I practice what I learn with other students. Teaching what you learn to others is also a great way of reviewing what you already know. You can't teach something if you do not know it!

  14. Hello everyone! My name is Jorge Solis. Yes! I think we all have our own silly ways of learning phrases or even funny words. For instance, I could not remember the word "disrespect" in English. Therefore, I created a way to memorize it: My friend got new SPECS, my friend DISREY got new SPECS: DISRESPECT. I know it is very silly and perhaps childish but it worked for me! I am now fluent in English!

  15. When it comes to learning languages, what do you prefer guys?  Doing it online or offline?  I ask because lately I have been thinking a lot on the topic, I will have to take a very important exam soon, that is why. So I'm getting more and more serious about learning dutch!  The time is so near and now is the time to shine or at least pass the exam :P

     

    So what do you think guys? Online or offline courses?  Going to language classes or studying online? Studying at home with a book?  What do you prefer and what has worked better for you?

    Hello everyone! My name is Jorge Solis. I think this can depend on your own ability to learn a new language. For instance, people who learn at a higher rate when they read alone could benefit from an online course. However, someone who might need the extra explanation from a teacher or a professor might want to stick with a traditional course. Like I said before, this depends greatly on the student's own ability to learn in general.

  16. Ok guys, let's talk about the languages we know and our levels.  For that we are going to use the level definitions used by the Common European Framework, they are as follows:

     

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    A thread I read recently made me thing about this, since there are people on this forum who are learning several languages or that they already speak several languages... I thought it'd be interesting to know what level they considered their languages to be at.   I find that super interesting :D    I was actually think about this today... we rarely talk about levels, but lately this is something that is always on my mind, since i need to have a level of A1 in dutch in order to pass my test. 

    So here it goes:

    • Spanish (mother tongue)
    • English C2  - 3 years to master it.
    • Dutch   A1  - So far only 8 months - I slacked a lot though :( 
    • French A1 - (6 months, but stopped too soon)

     

    Your turn guys!  Please feel free to also add how long you have been studying each language! 

     

    Hello everyone! My name is Jorge Solis. My level for French is actually  B2. I studied in Paris, France at L'Institute de Langue Francaise. It was a very enriched experience for me, though I do think the tuition was very high. I wish I could go back one day to Paris and revisit some of the amazing places I went to. I also speak English fluently, I graduated from The University of Texas- Pan American. My maternal language is Spanish, since I was born in Mexico.

  17. Dreaming in a new language can mark an important landmark in your developmental stages. This is because your brain is now thinking in said language unconsciously. This means that your brain is not actively thinking or switching between your maternal language and the language you are now trying to learn. I remember that when I was starting to speak English, I had a dream in English and this is when I new that I had learned a new language. Any thoughts?

  18. Honestly, I think it is impossible to fully forget your native language. It is possible, however, to lose vocabulary. Yet, I personally do not think it is possible to forget your own maternal language because this is the first language you learned when you brain was developing. The plasticity that your brain developed during your first years can last a lifetime.

  19. Latin is super interesting! I took a few Latin courses in high school but I didn't really learn anything. My sister though has been studying Latin for a long time and she is able to speak fluently. Are there any courses online that you would recommend to learn Latin? I am interested in courses where you learn at your own pace and have your own schedule. Please let me know, thanks!

  20. Hello everyone! Every time I am trying to learn a new language I often find myself in a position where I am afraid to mispronounce certain words and so I do not always engage in conversations as much as I should! What are your thoughts on this? Any advice to overcome this anxiety?

  21. Hello everyone. I think that when learning a new language, reading books is a great way to increase your vocabulary. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think that reading is better than watching movies or listening to music to expand vocabulary? Leave your comments below!

  22. I was about ten years old when I started to become interested in learning new languages. I learned English as my first second language. It took me about a year to fully be able to have conversations in English. I vividly remember that the first time I knew I could speak English fluently was the first time I dreamed in English! What do you guys think? Was it like this for you too? Did you have a different experience?

  23. I will tell you what is so special about my maternal language, Spanish, by sharing with you something my priest once said. French is the language of love, German is the language of war, Italian is the language of art, Chinese is the language of business, English is the language for training, but Spanish is the language we use to talk to God. I hope you had a good chuckle over this, greetings from Texas!

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