Learn Languages Rapidly

Yangyang Teaching Mandarin via Video

Rosana — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:03:43 +0000

Here’s a really useful video for learning a bit of Mandarin. The instructor, Yangyang, speaks very clearly and before you know it, you are saying hello and how are you?

I had to laugh at the explanation for ni hou ma, which means “how are you?” as used between good friends. As I’ve written elsewhere on this site, if you don’t get the pronunciation quite right, you are saying instead “You are a good horse!”

If you like this video, click on it to go to YouTube, where she has over 100 Mandarin language videos.

Yangyang Teaching Mandarin via Video is a post from: Learn Languages Rapidly

Choose One Method and Stick with It

Rosana — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:35:24 +0000

When you are learning another language on your own with programs, it is easy to get scattered. You start one program, then you get distracted and decide you will watch someone’s Youtube videos instead. Pretty soon you are doing something else. Sound familiar? If not, likely you have already learned how to focus your attention… either that or you have given up for now!

I recommend that you use one program as your main focus. I really like the Rocket Languages programs and the Fluenz ones; I have worked with both and am enthusiastic about them. You can find out about them around this site; this tip isn’t about WHICH program you use… it is about STICKING WITH whatever one you get. Just give it a fair chance to help you learn Spanish, French, Chinese, or whatever!

Now I have other tips on this site where I suggest using podcasts, Youtube videos, and the like. But I think in general that things like that are best used as auxiliaries to your main method.

In other words, whatever you decide to try for learning a language, stick with it!

Choose One Method and Stick with It is a post from: Learn Languages Rapidly

Making Mistakes When You Learn French

Rosana — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:11:11 +0000

When you learn a new language, you are going to make mistakes in speaking it. I have not found the French to be as forgiving as the Spanish about mistakes I have made, but still I did learn from my errors in French. Once I began to accept every French speaker as an informal French teacher, it was easier for me to let go of my perfectionism.

I learned French before Rocket French and other online programs existed. I had it in high school. I was lucky enough to spend time in France when I was in college, even though I was not a French major. That is when I learned to accept the French correcting my errors.

As you work on your own French, with whatever methods you use, be patient with yourself. Don’t expect too much too fast. The important thing is to keep at it, to make it a habit, and keep going! If you find it hard, well, you know all the good sayings like “when the going gets tough, the tough get going!” Do whatever you have to, to stay motivated. Try watching a French movie, for one thing.

Making Mistakes When You Learn French is a post from: Learn Languages Rapidly

Read a Book in Spanish, French, or Whatever!

Rosana — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:24:26 +0000

One way to increase your vocabulary is to read a book in whatever language you are learning. This would be easier in Spanish or French than in Chinese or Thai where the way they write is so different. Even Chinese pinyin, Chinese characters transcribed to English, is probably a bit harder than say Spanish.

For example, when I was living in Mexico a few years ago, at a bookstore in a mall I picked up a copy of El leon, la bruja y el armario — a Spanish translation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a gripping novel by C.S. Lewis. I asked a friend who was coming down from the states to bring me a copy in English. Then I read the Spanish one and referred to the English as needed.

This happened to be a book I had read when I was a childrens’ librarian, and I enjoyed reading the Spanish. I knew the sentences would be a little easier than, say, Cervantes, the great Spanish writer of centuries ago!

I also practiced my pronounciation by reading aloud.

If you are at a more basic level in a language, try childrens’ books. Your local public library may have some, or there is always Amazon.

Read a Book in Spanish, French, or Whatever! is a post from: Learn Languages Rapidly

Find Everything on This Site Fast

Rosana — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:31:18 +0000

Here is a quick tip that applies to this website and also to many others you may go to:

Use the sitemap of the site to see what is there that might interest you. Here is the link to my Learn Languages Rapidly Sitemap.

You can see all the articles I have written on Chinese, on French, on Spanish, and on tips on learning any language. When I get to more languages they will turn up there too. Handy!

Hey, while I am at it, here is the link to the sitemap on my blog about learning Spanish.

Find Everything on This Site Fast is a post from: Learn Languages Rapidly

Try a Conversation Exchange

Rosana — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:45:26 +0000

Want to work on your conversation abilities in a language you already know something about? See if you can find someone who speaks that language as a native and would like to speak better English.Then do a conversation exchange where you get together and practice speaking for a while in one language and then in the other.

Do avoid the all-too-common habit of combining the languages into Spanglish or something of the sort! I admit to doing this at times in Mexico.

If you can’t find anyone in your community, go online and look at some of the conversation sharing sites. You could end up chatting with people from all over the world!

Try a Conversation Exchange is a post from: Learn Languages Rapidly

Listen to Internet Radio in the Language You are Learning

Rosana — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:10:05 +0000

Here’s another way to work on whatever language you are learning: find an internet radio station in that language and make a habit of playing it, both at times when you can concentrate but also when you are doing other things.

For example, I just googled internet radio french. I had a lot of choices that looked good. The first ones seemed to be lists of stations, so I checked out the first one, http://www.listenlive.eu/france.html and soon found myself listening to a discussion on one of the channels they listed. I haven’t really used my French much in some time, but it used to be quite good, and I was pleased at how much I could follow, even when the discussion got lively!

This is really an auxiliary method to studying with a program that takes you through lessons that someone has thought out. That is why I recommend the Rocket Languages and the Fluenz programs on this site. But it’s a lot of fun and it can help!

Listen to Internet Radio in the Language You are Learning is a post from: Learn Languages Rapidly

Best Price for Rocket French

Rosana — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:10:34 +0000

Where can you find the best price for Rocket French? At their website.

Here is how you can get the best deal on this program: on the long webpage devoted to describing it, you will see that there are two formats for delivery of Rocket French:

Digital download
As a physical package of CDs they mail out

The better price by far is for the first one. I imagine that the second choice sells pretty well too, for people who are not that comfortable doing downloads. Believe me, it is not that hard to download files and in the case of a reputable business like Rocket Languages, you aren’t taking a risk.

They provide you with instructions for downloading and if that isn’t enough, I am sure their customer support is used to helping people too. So if you want the best price for Rocket French, follow the link to their informative page.

Best Price for Rocket French is a post from: Learn Languages Rapidly

Go Somewhere

Rosana — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:02:41 +0000

This is not the most frugal of my tips on learning another language, but it is arguably one of the most enjoyable! Go somewhere where the people speak the language that you are learning. This does not have to involve a trans-continental flight (though of course it could if you can afford it).

In every city of the US and Canada, you can find people who speak the language you are learning. They are likely immigrants (legal or not, we won’t get into that can of worms), or from a culture that likes to keep their language going. You might find, as I once did, a group of Vietnamese ladies in Olympia, Washington, or also as I once did, a group of French speakers in San Francisco.

How to find them? Do some web research or just ask around. One of my relatives learned some Italian from an old Italian lady in her neighborhood. She didn’t even have to go somewhere, so I guess my tip is rambling. I’ll just say… look for opportunities anywhere!

Go Somewhere is a post from: Learn Languages Rapidly

Listen to French

Rosana — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:39:58 +0000

If you listen to French CDs or MP3 files, like Rocket French, as you commute to work, jog, bike, cook or clean, you are getting some good practice without too much effort. If you use Rocket Spanish, for example, you would be listening to short conversations and then repeating the words yourself. Pretty quickly they have you taking part in conversations, putting words together in new ways. You can pick up a lot this way.

There are also a lot of free French podcasts on the internet, for various skill levels. You can find them by googling “free French podcasts” or a similar term. The tricky part is finding some that are at your skill level, but recent research shows that even you don’t follow much at all, your brain is getting used to the sounds, the intonations, and the rhythms of the language — much like a baby does before beginning to speak its native tongue.

So listen to French as part of your process of learning the language!

Listen to French is a post from: Learn Languages Rapidly