Learning another language as an adult

[cyrocksmypants]

Pandemic has sucked, so I just started trying to learn another language to try to motivate myself to get out of a pandemic funk.

Using Duolingo. Anyone else use this? I’m only two days in, so my self frustrations that I’m not nailing it yet are premature, I’m sure, but I keep panicking that it’s not sticking yet.

So far my biggest beef with Duolingo is that it doesn’t teach why, it just tries to teach through repetition.

 

[Rabbuk]

99 day streak on duolingo espanol. Pretty good reader now but no confidence in speaking.

 

[JM4CY]

Pandemic Funk would be a good band name.

 

[BCClone]

Just make your mail order bride learn English.

 

[3TrueFans]

I started using it to learn German just because I was bored, I liked it but eventually stopped. I should try it again.

 

[JM4CY]

Just make your mail order bride learn English.

 

[cyrocksmypants]

99 day streak on duolingo espanol. Pretty good reader now but no confidence in speaking.

That’s what I’m afraid of. It doesn’t really teach you speaking, either, so you have to make sure you’re just saying it out loud, but I’m also not sure I’m saying it correctly out loud?

I’m getting good at picking the words out from multiple choice, though, so I can take that as far as the world will let me.

 

[Rabbuk]

That’s what I’m afraid of. It doesn’t really teach you speaking, either, so you have to make sure you’re just saying it out loud, but I’m also not sure I’m saying it correctly out loud?

I’m getting good at picking the words out from multiple choice, though, so I can take that as far as the world will let me.

I watch a lot of soccer in Spanish which helps with listening honestly. Sports commentary generally uses palatable language.

 

[tigershoops31]

That’s what I’m afraid of. It doesn’t really teach you speaking, either, so you have to make sure you’re just saying it out loud, but I’m also not sure I’m saying it correctly out loud?

I’m getting good at picking the words out from multiple choice, though, so I can take that as far as the world will let me.

Our family did the same thing and have a 113 day streak en Español. It does have 2-3 in each lesson that you speak and get scored on, at least down the road. I'd echo what the other poster said that I'm now pretty solid at interpreting meaning of sentences/phrases, but not so hot at putting them together in Spanish without some incorrect phrasing.

 

[Angie]

I used it before each of the times that I went to Italy, just so I could have a rudimentary understanding when speaking or reading. I hate being an entitled **** in another country!

 

[cyrocksmypants]

Our family did the same thing and have a 113 day streak en Español. It does have 2-3 in each lesson that you speak and get scored on, at least down the road. I'd echo what the other poster said that I'm now pretty solid at interpreting meaning of sentences/phrases, but not so hot at putting them together in Spanish without some incorrect phrasing.

To be fair, 113 days is only like 4 months. So I think I partially blame our society for making us always want to expect immediate results. In the grand scheme of things, 4 months isn’t that long in learning a language, it’s not even 1 full semester at school.

 

[amishclone]

I used Rosetta Stone about 10 years ago. Are they still around? I felt like it was real intuitive in teaching grammar from the ground up and also did well with teaching pronunciation. If only I'd kept it up....

 

[BCClone]

I used Rosetta Stone about 10 years ago. Are they still around? I felt like it was real intuitive in teaching grammar from the ground up and also did well with teaching pronunciation. If only I'd kept it up....

Yeah, the older we get the harder it is to keep it up.

 

[3TrueFans]

How much did it costed you though? @CyBri was wondering.

 

[Rabbuk]

To be fair, 113 days is only like 4 months. So I think I partially blame our society for making us always want to expect immediate results. In the grand scheme of things, 4 months isn’t that long in learning a language, it’s not even 1 full semester at school.

I like that the things I struggle with I can slow down and practice more, I fell behind in high school spanish because the teacher had their own plan and I wasn't a gifted language learner.

 

[cyrocksmypants]

How much did it costed you though? @CyBri was wondering.

Duolingo costed me nothing! It’s free! You can upgrade, but that’s going to costed you because they charge.

 

[cyrocksmypants]

I like that the things I struggle with I can slow down and practice more, I fell behind in high school spanish because the teacher had their own plan and I wasn't a gifted language learner.

I’m stupid and am learning Hawaiian, but I also have Italian in there. Even though I don’t remember much, I did two years of Spanish and two years of French in school, so I bet that I could at least get through the basics of Italian pretty quickly as things started coming back to me from those two similar languages.

 

[SpokaneCY]

Pandemic has sucked, so I just started trying to learn another language to try to motivate myself to get out of a pandemic funk.

Using Duolingo. Anyone else use this? I’m only two days in, so my self frustrations that I’m not nailing it yet are premature, I’m sure, but I keep panicking that it’s not sticking yet.

So far my biggest beef with Duolingo is that it doesn’t teach why, it just tries to teach through repetition.

Your english is actually pretty good. I think it's working.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

I used Rosetta Stone about 10 years ago. Are they still around? I felt like it was real intuitive in teaching grammar from the ground up and also did well with teaching pronunciation. If only I'd kept it up....

Since the whole pandemic started I get 2-3 emails a day trying to sell me Rosetta Stone

 

[SpokaneCY]

To be fair, 113 days is only like 4 months. So I think I partially blame our society for making us always want to expect immediate results. In the grand scheme of things, 4 months isn’t that long in learning a language, it’s not even 1 full semester at school.

For comparison, the USAF taught me Russian (Defense Language Institute) in a class of 5-6 using native soviet defectors for 50 weeks 8 hours a day plus 2 hours a night of homework. I achieved a level of fluency similar to an 8th grader.

Best thing, and hardest thing, is to find a fluent partner to constantly practice conversational skills.