SoManyLanguages

I tend to use as perfect grammar and punctuation as possible. On occasion, I'll use a shortcut, but only when I'm really busy or I just don't feel like typing. I used to use shortcuts all of the time, but after a while, I noticed my ability to spell had really started to go down hill. Also, my father encouraged using good grammar and spelling while texting, so I eventually reverted back to my good grammar and punctuation methods. I am known for dropping periods at the end of sentences, though.

For German, it's been grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure. Sometimes, I feel like German sentences have been thrown into a large, very illogical blender, and I have tons of trouble remembering which types of words go where. I have yet to start studying cases, but from what I've seen, it looks complicated. My vocabulary is bad because I just find remembering words to be difficult. For Lithuanian, it's been spelling so far. Also, pronunciation and finding resources to even learn the language. For the spelling, it's a lot different than German and English, so it's really going to present a challenge for me.

For whatever reason, I just really, really like learning languages. When this isn't enough, though, I remember the reason I am learning the language in the first place. I'm learning German because I descend from there, and I really feel tied to that culture. I'm learning Lithuanian for the same reason. This is usually enough to keep me going. Another quick motivational fix for me is to listen to music and singing in my target language. Hearing a language used in such a beautiful way almost immediately motivates me.

I really think an effort should be made to recover some of these languages. So much of my own culture has been lost because other languages have taken over or people just stopped speaking it. If there's nothing to recover, though, there's nothing to recover. I think more effort should be put into preserving already dying out languages.There's a certain point where you have to realize that there's nothing to be done about what's been lost. In short, I believe efforts should be put into recovering old languages, but more effort should be put into preserving our current ones.

Strangely, I've found that when I'm irritated or angry, my ability to remember words and speak them in German actually improves. Like, while I'm in class and some kid makes me angry, I'll just start muttering in German to myself irritably. I've also been known to insult people in German too, mostly to avoid getting in trouble by my teachers. Whenever I have intense emotions, I find it very hard to speak in my first language, but easier to speak in my second language. I don't know, it's just one of those things I guess.

In general, any words with the soft "ch" sound are an automatic favourite. I just love the way that sound feels when I pronounce it. However, to be more specific, I like the word "glücklich." It's meaning is nice, and the way it feels in my mouth when I say it is just so different than anything I say in English. It feels like a very German word to me, if that makes any sense. Also, it's got that nice, soft "ch" sound that just feels so good to say.

Currently, I'm relying on apps such as Memrise, Duolingo, and HelloTalk to help improve my vocabulary. I haven't been very successful, but I have been pretty successful with learning adjective with flashcards. Once I get some more knowledge on German words, I plan to begin learning by reading things in German. I'm still at that stage in learning where I have pronunciation and spelling down, but not vocabulary and grammar. I plan to get my vocabulary up to par with my previously mentioned methods, and then move on to reading to help my grammar.

German attracted me because it seemed easier than some other languages. Also, I descend from Germany, so I wanted to get in touch with my ancestors. My grandma has a ton of German teaching books, so it was also very easy to get resources for it. In the end, though, I don't really know why I wanted to learn a language in the first place. It's just something that I love doing, and I find the German language to be extremely beautiful. Many of the spelling and pronunciation concepts that German has were very easy for me to pick up, and that was really encouraging.

So far, I've been listening to a band called "Die Ärzte" and I'm really enjoying their songs. I especially like their songs titled "Männer Sing Schweine" and "Deine Schuld." I am also expanding my variety to other bands too, like Ich + Ich and Rammstein. Unfortunately, finding German songs in America is proving to be difficult, and YouTube isn't really helping because all of the songs there are of very poor quality.

I've had great success using apps, such as Duolingo and Memrise. I also learned quite a bit of the German grammar and pronunciation through a book, so I suspect I'm mostly a visual learner. Listening to German music has also helped me a bit with pronunciation too. Another thing is speaking to other people in German. I use an app called HelloTalk for that, and it's so helpful having a person there to correct you and tell you how to word sentences. Keeping a notebook for taking notes is also an excellent for memorization. These all help me immensely.

Hey everyone! Currently, I am trying to learn Lithuanian, and since it isn't a very common language, I've been having a tough time finding resources for learning it. If any of y'all know any good resources, I'd be glad to hear about them! Thanks in advance.

I think preserving languages is very important. Not only is it a major part of human history, but it also reflect the past of the human race too. The words are built around concepts that were around hundreds of years ago that aren't around today. Personally, I also take a special interest in preserving languages because I descend from a groups of people called the Balts, and many of their languages have died out. It really affects me that my own history is possibly unrecoverable. I've begun to learn Lithuanian, one of the last two living Baltic languages, in hopes that I can somehow learn a bit about my history. I really hope that the Lithuanian and Latvian languages don't die out.

My biggest problem is how to word sentences, at least in German so far. It's so hard knowing where words go, and I'm still struggling with it. I also don't quite understand the umlaut u. Staying motivated is also a major challenge for me, though I've remedied that by talking to more German folks. Also, listening to German music reminds me how beautiful the language is. Sometimes, I really want to push myself and I make myself feel bad because I'm not learning very fast. I also have a terrible time memorizing vocabulary.

HelloTalk is a pretty cool app to use. I've learned a lot about different countries already, and I really enjoy making friends with this app. My German has already improved quite a bit (though word order in sentences still trips me up) and I really like how they have an in-built translator. Of course, the translator isn't perfect, but it's more convenient than switching every few seconds to google translate. The ability to send voice messages is also good for learning how to pronounce things. Another cool thing is that it tells you what time it is in your chat partner's region, so I don't accidentally wake them up or something. My only gripe with the app is the fact you can only translate words up to twenty times a day, or you can pay for the premium and you'll be able to translate as many times as you want. There's also a few things that I think you have to pay for, but I suppose everyone has to make money somehow. It's useful, so I plan on getting the premium when I can.

I currently use an app called HelloTalk, where I communicate with many native German speakers. Most of them seem very patient with me, and take the time to correct me and explain grammar concepts. On occasion, we do switch to English, mostly when using words I don't know yet. This might not be as useful as information though, as the app is specifically for people who want to help teach languages and for those who want to learn.