Who here can speak foreign languages fluently?

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ErichZann said:
I've been learning Spanish a while now. Watching Spanish programmes on Netflix helps, I'm watching el ministerio del tiempo at the minute it's really good. One thing I noticed is all the learning books and videos etc don't really teach you 'real' Spanish. Often watching TV shows I don't recognise the words used but according to the subtitles I do know the words if you get what I mean. Also listen to Spanish songs and print off lyrics if you want a list of good songs imo then I can send you them.
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las ruedas del autobús dan vueltas y se vuelven
 


lostinfrance said:
My Italian teacher had a doctorate in English from university in Milan.
She’d never been to England and copped off with some Scouse lad who took her back on easyJet to meet the folks.
She said she may as well have spent the weekend on the moon as she couldn’t understand a word anybody said.
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We definitely need pics. The lasses in Milan are unreal.
Flared Hicks said:
las ruedas del autobús dan vueltas y se vuelven
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Pienso que entiendo.
Not practiced in ages, so could well be way off. Managed to speak a little in spring this year on holiday but everyone went straight to English once they heard my amazing accent. I wish I'd learned it at school instead of French. I like the Spanish culture and food much better.
 
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I did 6 weeks in Latin America during the summer and my Español got a lot better. I was working with a bloke for a while that used to teach English and he kept pulling me up on my overly correct speech and hoying a slang alternative at me, but I couldn't remember them for long and slipped back. He advised not to try to translate in my head, just learn common phrases. Didn't help much. Watching receptions cringe at 'Mi tarjeta de habitacion no funciona - de nuevo. Y tienes una bolsa de lavanderia?' or reply to my questions in English just to speed things up was disheartening.
 
It’s not until one begins to learn a foreign language in adulthood that one recognises that an English State education failed to teach basic grammar and that one’s English teacher was a well meaning but incompetent arsehole.

I can string a reasonable sentence together but how much better and how much opportunity for enjoyment and creativity would I have had if I’d actually been taught?

I only recognised this when I learned a little Spanish and realised I had only a scant understanding of the grammatical rules in my own language.
 
George Kaplan said:
It’s not until one begins to learn a foreign language in adulthood that one recognises that an English State education failed to teach basic grammar and that one’s English teacher was a well meaning but incompetent arsehole.

I can string a reasonable sentence together but how much better and how much opportunity for enjoyment and creativity would I have had if I’d actually been taught?

I only recognised this when I learned a little Spanish and realised I had only a scant understanding of the grammatical rules in my own language.
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I think i understand the rules but not the grammatical terms. I think grammatical terms are overrated. When I started learning English at about 18 months, I didn't worry about subjunctives or using the passive voice. I think this is why most foreign language study gets on my nerves.
 
Nope. I’ve got round France a couple of holidays with basic schoolboy phrases. I was confused when buying tabs cos I kept asking for 20 tabs, when they ask for a packet.
 
humbug said:
i'd love to learn portuguese but don't have the patience. i've picked up a little bit and can get by with simple things. we've asked folk to talk to us in portuguese instead of english but we don't get too far really.
the mrs has been learning it using duo lingo and is much better than me.
we've a place in portugal and plan to spend more and more time there as we get older and it'd feel better to be able to talk with them in their own language.
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I've been using duolingo and YouTube. Its a class language to learn is Portuguese.. My goal is to move out there too. I'm 33, got family tiea right now but figured if I can get a good grip of the language I'll be in a position to enjoy moving there in the future. Plus I'd love to watch football on Brazil. Good luck to you and your mrs with the language and keep going.
 
Emma Chisset said:
Cuanto cuesta is fine, but it means "how much does it cost?". You can say instead "cuanto es?" which is maybe a bit more natural - how much is it? - like my name here...
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Thanks Emma , I was hanging when I wrote the post yesterday but you are right . I tend to translate verbatim and the teacher is easing me gently into a more "relaxed" approach . Missed class yesterday due to said hangover and have been sent this weeks homework , which is conjugating the subjunctive :) Happy days
 
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