| Holà los amigos y las amigas, I’ve been trying to learn Spanish on-line for what seems like decades ( ![]("http://images.proboards.com/v5/smiley/tongue.png") ), so I’m curious to know of your favorite websites to learn foreign languages.My daughter went to Croatia last summer and picked up quite a bit of useful terms on livemocha (free). I recently checked it out and it’s a really fun way to learn, for all who are "visually-inclined" like moi. Lessons are easy and interactive, and the revision and exercises are very helpful. You can even improve your writing skills and do oral presentations, which are corrected by volunteer on-line collaborators.
What are your fave webtools to learn a foreign language? |
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vagabond Guest ![]("http://s29438.storage.proboards.com/2099438/a/vO_wKPm9qgRWR0v2TWkF.gif") |
Been there, done that. ![]("http://images.proboards.com/v5/smiley/grin.png")
Don’t waste your time/money, Just travel to a country speaking the language you want to learn, find a school offering one on one teaching, sign up for 4 hrs per day classes & a home-stay with a family that doesn’t speak your language. |
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| IMHO, some people can pickup languages, some (like me) can’t. We bought a 5 DVD set of Italian from Primsleur a year ago and even after multiple tries, I have never made it past the first lesson. I completely flunked out of French in HS too. Just traveling to another country did not help as the people either knew English well or were wanting to speak English to better their skills. Didn’t help that I’m lazy about learning another language anyway. I got blasted by a Quebecois woman at a Cuban resort a few weeks back because I was an ‘Anglo’ that didn’t know how to speak French but she was forced to learn English for her Fed. gov’t job. whew – thought you were supposed to leave your temper at home when on holidays.I’m headed to San Miguel Mexico later this year and I’ll do my best to learn something besides Hola & tequila.
Arrogant Anglo |
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| I’ve always had a thing for languages and by habit I take alooooooooooooooooooot of notes, practice talking to the cat (who sometimes answers back) and writing down/keeping new words learned. I’ve run up quite a repertoire of hellos, goodbyes and thank yous in several languages to impress the gallery of multi-origin colleagues where I work. Start small, but THINK BIG ;DDax, if ever you try the website I mentioned, I’d like to hear your comments. Me likey! |
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I have never been one for learning foreign languages. The longest five years of my life was grade nine french. I have enough trouble with english. I get by quite well in Cuba with the following two phrases: Dos cervezas por favor and Donde esta el bano. |
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| Oops sorry, I didn’t want it to look like I was advertising ;D
quatro cervezas, un mojito, dos daiquiris con fresas y un agua on the side por favor |
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OK, checked out the site. It isn’t free. ![]("http://images.proboards.com/v5/smiley/shocked.png")
It’s just about the same as the DVD’s I bought. Maybe it’s my old age, maybe it’s the neural network being destroyed by Cuban rum. Dunno. More likely it’s my lack of ambition to learn. I can understand some words but when I listen to Cubans, Mexicans or Italians talk to each other they talk so fast that all the words become one huge jarble. Even if I knew all the words, I can’t see keeping up to a conversation. I have to agree, you need to live there for an extended period, using it every day for it to become second nature for you. That’s just not going to happen for me. I spent many years looking for retirement options in the Caribbean and everything came up short. |
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| Dax, I’ve been on livemocha for over a month now FOR FREE. All they asked of me was my email address to send me comments from the persons "correcting" any errors in my exercises.
You can CHOOSE to "become a member" or go the optional route as an occasional visitor. You still get access to the lessons etc. |
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