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January 24, 2012
Do you like gaming on a computer? If you do, you may want to integrate your language learning into it. How? By using a version of the game that’s been translated in your target language.
A lot of newer games, especially those sold online by large publishers (e.g. Steam), are often available in numerous language packs. Whether you’re learning Spanish, Italian, Russian or any other language, there’s a good chance you’ll find several games where a pack for that specific target language is being offered.
What should you expect? In these “translated” games, the menus, user messages and other written components will usually be in the target language, allowing you to brush up on reading and comprehension skills. Of course there’s a downside: that is, I’ve seen very few games where voice acting is dubbed in the target language. Oftentimes, it stays in English, although they do add subtitles in the foreign tongue.
While it’s probably not the most active way to learn, using translated games is a nice passive addition to your other language learning activities. This is especially true if you’re going to spend time gaming anyway — might as well help your language learning efforts while you’re at it.
January 22, 2012
There are many strategies people can use to memorize ten or more new words in a target language per day. My suggestion here is just something I do myself. Try it and see if it’s something that works for you.
- Create a 10-item list of new words in the target language. Make them related. For example, you list ten parts of a car, ten names for kitchen appliances or ten evening salutations. The more closely-related your list is, the easier you can make the connections with each other. Hence, if you remember one word, there’s a good chance you can recall the rest.
- Read through them, memorizing each word and their corresponding translations in your language. Make pictures in your head, use mnemonics or whatever technique you use for memorization.
- Once you feel confident, write a new 10-item list with the translation of each word in your language. As you read through each item, recall what the equivalent in the target language is. Don’t stop until you can name each one consistently.
- As a last step, create another list to test your recall. This time, you list both the word in the foreign language and the translation in English on the same line.
January 18, 2012
Studying a new language? Here are five things to always keep in mind if you want to maximize the benefits you get from your efforts.
- Start with a clearly-defined goal. If you don’t have a specific and measurable goal, you’ll be floating around aimlessly. Always start a language program with a concrete statement of what you want to achieve.
- Set a modest plan. Don’t go all out and schedule 2-hour a day language sessions from the onset. Instead, start out conservatively. Gradually build up the time you invest as you find yourself completing smaller targets.
- Expose yourself to the language. If you’re in a locale where the language is widely spoken, then regularly go out and use whatever little you learn. If you’re not, then expose yourself in other ways, like books, music and movies.
- Follow the lessons. Whether you’re enrolled in class or using a language software, stick with the preset lessons if you’re a beginner. While getting creative can help you at an intermediate or advanced level, you’re better off trusting tested structures when you start off.
- Use it. Any time you learn a new vocabulary item, pronunciation or phrase, use it immediately. Even if you have to talk to yourself, it’s better than simply playing everything in your head. Applying what you learn is the other half of the battle and it’s just as important as the knowledge itself.
January 16, 2012
Learning a language is much more than memorizing vocabulary. While having a robust stock of words will help, memorizing the entries in a foreign dictionary isn’t what language learning is about.
Even if you memorize the pronunciation and meaning of 1,000 words, that doesn’t mean you’ll know how to use all of them. Heck, you’ll probably struggle recalling them when you hear the words used by somebody else.
A better idea is to memorize words in context. That way, you don’t just commit individual vocabulary items to memory — you learn them in the exact way that they are used in actual interactions. Coupled with using the vocabulary items in actual sentences, you’re looking at an effective way to build up your second language skills. Chances are, you can carry on a rough, but tolerable, interaction with just 100 words learned in this manner.
Contrast this to memorizing a random list of words that carry no significance. Even if you manage to rattle them off one after another, you’re not likely to find them of much use, unless you’re taking a test where you match a word with its definition. While the amount of items in your vocabulary does matter, more isn’t necessarily better. Getting to know each item intimately and learning how to use them should serve you better.
January 14, 2012
If you’re going to dine out in a Spanish-speaking city, you’ll need to know a few basic phrases to interact. While you can probably get away with nodding your head and cluelessly pointing at menu items, knowing these stock phrases should make it easier.
Getting a Table
When you get to the restaurant, tell whoever’s at the door, “Una mesa, por favor.” If you have company, you can say “Una mesa para dos, por favor.” Substitute the appropriate number in your party for dos (tres, quatro, cinco, seis).
Calling for a Waiter
If it’s a woman, just say “señorita,” regardless of what Spanish-speaking country you’re in. If it’s a man, then it will vary by place: in Mexico, you say “joven”; in Spain, “acamarero”; in Chile, “garzón”; and in Argentina, you exclaim “mozo.”
Ordering
Chances are, you don’t know what’s good. So, ask the waiter: “¿Qué nos recomienda? (Translation: What do you recommend?) Just to make sure you don’t get anything that you could be allergic, too, always ask “¿Qué ingredientes tiene?” (Translation: What are the ingredients?) If it has cheese and you’re allergic to cheese, just tell the waiter “sin queso” (no cheese). Just replace “queso” with whatever it is you don’t want included.
If you want a glass of water, just say “un vaso de agua.” Just replace the “agua” with whatever drink you want a glass of, whether that be “vino” (wine), leche (milk) or jugo (a fruit juice). Instead of a glass, you may want a bottle, so just replace “vaso” with “botella.” You can also order “cerveza” (beer), “refresco” (soda) or “trago” (a generic term for alcoholic spirits) if that’s more to your liking.
January 12, 2012
Regardless of what language you’re studying, there are some basic phrases that you will want to learn if you want to start interacting with people who speak it. There’s no way you’ll survive in a non-English speaking foreign country if you can’t string essential phrases together. This guide is meant to steer you towards those specific phrases that you should be digging up in your language software to memorize right now.
Basic greetings. Learn how to say the equivalent of “Hello,” “Good morning,” “Good evening” and “Good afternoon.” Also, find the most common informal greeting in the language — the equivalent of “Hi” for English.
Basic introductions. Learn how to introduce yourself: “My name is… I am from…” That way, you can meet people and let them know quick personal details.
Basic requests. Most important: “Please help me.” Other requests depend on what you plan to do in the country. For instance, I’ve always memorized “Please take me to my hotel” and “Please talk to them for me.”
Getting around. Learn how to ask questions for getting to and from places. Must-learn questions: Where is the airport? Where is the nearest hospital? Where is the police station? Where is the hotel? Where is the nearest toilet?
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