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clod

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To live for a while in an english country (or other language, but in my case it's english), then I would come back in my country, do you think is possible "to keep fit" with the english only watching tv series in english with english subtitles? (about speaking and writing)

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TV can help, but isn't enough if you want to keep your language skills sharp. You need to actively use the language often enough, several times a week at least. For that I recommend you to find some language exchange partners.  So you can practice :) 

Just find someone who wants to practice their Italian, you can take turns practicing english as well. But be careful with those people looking for someone to teach them the language, I've encountered a couple of those, not good at all.

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I believe that watching tv in a new language can help keep you fluent in the language. However, the best way to keep that language is to communicate whether verbally or in writing constantly. Reading is also a good way to keep the language alive.

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It definitely helps. I've been back from Australia for 7 years and my English is still pretty fluent. For that, I really have to thank all the American and British TV shows I watch, music I listen to, and the fact that I exclusively go onto English websites for entertainment. I also speak English every day at school for pretty much every subject.

Even with all that, I sometimes feel my vocab and accent slipping away, so you have to be prepared for that to happen.

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Yes! Many people have kept up with language learning watching a variety of different television. I think it is important to keep up your studies, practical application with any you meet, as well as read. But T.V. will give you a variety of different settings that will keep your mind interested in what you are learning. It is much harder once you leave the native country of that language, but not impossible.

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It would certainly help, but I don't think it would be enough. In my opinion, you'd still be best off having some form of interaction so as to practice your oral and communication skills. Your understanding of the language would probably improve, through your listening skills improving. Also, it may help you with pronunciation. But you still need other aspects of the learning experience.

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How long is 'for a while'? In any case, I think watching English-only TV as the SOLE exposure to the language can only help to a certain extent. Language is a dynamic thing. If you don't use much of it, then there is the tendency that you will lose it, especially IF the foreign language you've just acquired has not been TOTALLY IMPRINTED in your mind. Watching TV alone can prove difficult. You'll probably improve your comprehension level on things heard orally, but won't have anything to add with regards to your writing skills. Remember speaking and writing are two different skill sets. I think it's best to supplement your TV watching. For example, you can keep a journal or a blog (doesn't have to be published) to express your thoughts and opinions on the show you just watched. The speaking skill might be difficult, the best you can accomplish here is just mimicking what's on TV. NOT having someone to interact with will be challenging to your 'speaking' skill.

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I sometimes practice Spanish by watching something with Spanish subtitles at the bottom, using the closed captioning on my TV. I will turn the volume down to mute and then read the sentences at the bottom of the screen. Sometimes I can understand what is going on and other times I can't.

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TV will certainly help with your ability to understand English but a lot of actually using a language is the ability to quickly respond back, and (unless you talk to the TV while you watch it!) you can't get that without actually practicing the language with other speakers.

For example, I can still understand some French a few years after I stopped taking classes in it, because I still watch French movies (with subtitles), but I can't speak it or write it at all anymore because I haven't practiced that with other French speakers.

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Watching English shows on TV, and reading English sub-titles is great, but one has to speak the language as well.  Reading those sub-titles out loud will be a good thing to do, to keep the tongue in gear with the brain so-to-speak.  Reading books in English will definitely help, also talking on the phone and in person to English speakers is great.  Anything that engages you and has you speaking the language is a good thing.

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I think that it can help you with learning some words or phrases, since I now know a couple of various words through constant repetition by looking at the subtitles. But for thorough learning, it's not enough. You need to take formal lessons or be immersed enough in the language by being exposed and conversing to the natives.

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I would watch Spanish soap operas and not know what they were saying, but I am starting to get it after watching for a long time. I sometimes watch with Google Translate open and I translate words that I do not get at all. It helps to build up my vocabulary.

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Thank you for the answers, if I have time only to watch tv series or attend on online english speaking classes, would be much better to attend on classes, right?

I guess if you don't have the budget for it currently, then that would be fine. I suggest downloading songs of the artists that sing the language that you are trying to learn, play it repeatedly, and look up the meaning or translation online. That's how I unintentionally learn foreign words, and the constant repetition helps, so choose songs that you like the beat so that you will play it often.

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I guess if you don't have the budget for it currently, then that would be fine. I suggest downloading songs of the artists that sing the language that you are trying to learn, play it repeatedly, and look up the meaning or translation online. That's how I unintentionally learn foreign words, and the constant repetition helps, so choose songs that you like the beat so that you will play it often.

I second this. Our brain really responds well to music, that's why people are often able to sing in completely foreign languages without knowing what the lyrics mean at all. The one thing I'd suggest though, is to listen to a LOT of music, because otherwise you'd just be learning the same vocab day in day out, lol

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