Language

[rangeor]

I've recently become obsessed with Italian culture so I've decided to learn the language. My methods are going to consist of free online lessons, changing my computer's and phone's languages to italian, I'm going to buy a book or two on it, and I've got a friend who's willing to learn it with me. Any other tips you guys have?

 

 

 

Also, what languages do you speak? Are you currently learning any or are planning on learning any in the near future?

[deathdrow]

I speak english and french fluently, not that great with speaking french in the sense that I can barely pronounce anything, mainly because I'm not very good at talking in general, but I can write in french really well.

 

I can speak a few basic bits of spanish and german.

 

I'm going to learn a new language this summer.

[RichieMcD]

I speak English and Irish fluently, I'm at A+ standard in my French exams which means very little, but I'm pretty good, could hold a flowing conversation easily, hope to become fluent in it after I finish school by going to France for a year.

 

 

 

I also want to learn Spanish as it sounds cool and seems pretty similar to french.

 

 

 

Deathdrow, to speak "fluently" means you could speak to a French person perfectly and understand them perfectly, not just hold a standard convorsation ;)

[Bouwzie]

I speak Dutch and English fluently. Even though I'm Dutch, I prefer the English language. It's more useful and interesting.

[l0rd]

I am proficient at speaking, reading and writing Spanish, and I speak English fluently.

 

 

 

There has been a "what languages do you speak?" thread before btw.

 

 

 

But as for tips...go into a situation where you are forced to talk in it, and don't verge into your home-language.

 

 

 

You won't be anywhere near fluent in a language unless you subject yourself in an Italian speaking environment (going to Italy for a few months).

 

 

 

Why Italian? Mandarin, Spanish, and even French would be more useful on a population-basis.

[Lenticular_J]

Join a predominantly Italian forum here on the internet, there are a lot of them. I'm able to speak pretty fluently, although having to take Spanish in school is [bleep]ing me all kinds of up. I might join a forum again, I lurked on one ages ago but can't remember what it was called.

 

I definitely recommend a forum, though. I'm sure there's one for learning Italian. Or, if you know someone who speaks fluently, get with them. Just remember the most important phrase: Parlate ingles? If you don't get an affirmative, it will be much more difficult, considering that if you get confused, you can always ask an English-speaking Italian: "Como si dice (English word) in italiano?"

 

 

 

Why Italian? Mandarin, Spanish, and even French would be more useful on a population-basis.

 

Italian is a very common language in Europe. Plus, at the very least, you could get the gist of what a Spanish-speaking person is saying.

 

 

 

EDIT: Here's a well-recommended website (with popular forum) for learning Italian. http://www.impariamo.com/

 

I may just sign up as well. Anyways, if you want to learn within a few months, you could always buy Rosetta Stone Italiano.

[rangeor]

I'm just learning it for fun; meaning I probably won't get far, but hopefully far enough to hold up a decent conversation. I think it's going to be a fun summer project, and it's a beautiful language as well.

 

 

 

And thanks Lenticular, I've also seen a few Italian forums and I remember seeing this one. I'll join it :D

[Pinkbullet3]

I say you take a class on learning some Italian cooking too. If you can find a class with a teacher who's a native or fairly close, you'll have the extra boost to help you with learning the language.

 

 

 

:thumbup:

[Sbrideau]

Italian sounds fun!

 

 

 

Anyway, I fluently speak English and French, but I have a strong French accent when I speak English :-# . I'm leaning towards a third language as well though, Spanish is the one I want to learn now, since it sounds pretty nice and is also used a lot.

[OldJoe]

As a tip i'd say, when you understand the language better and if you see an Italian move - don't use any subs. Might be difficult, but i think you could gain from it. Also, keep practicing it all the time... Even if you spend 5 years on a language and then don't use it for a while... You will find you're struggeling a bit when talking.

 

 

 

I speak english and swedish fluently. I understand norwegian and danish and know the basics in german. I plan on seriously study german next year (haven't read it since i was 16), as i'm planning to move there in 2011-12.

[Hawks]

I'm fluent in English (as I'm American) and I'm taking German so at this point (at least my German teacher says so) I could hold my own if I get stuck in or visit Germany for a while.

[GibberEsh]

English, Spanish class, and terrible Cantonese. My Mandarin is even worse than that though I'd like to learn it one day. Maybe German or Japanese one day too.

[Giordano]

I'm Italian but can't speak it, WTF. :(

 

 

 

I'm gonna learn someday though, when I get around to it...but when you learn it, be sure it learn how to use your hand gestures too. :thumbsup:

[WoodenFruit]

Apart from English, I speak German and Welsh \ And a tad of Italian, though I need to learn more since i'm going to Italy in less than a couple of months :|

[Robert_de_Sable]

I speak almost-fluent French but I can't write it at all. Strange mental block there. I speak and write decent Hebrew, but only with nekkeudot (vowels). Same for Arabic.

[champion]

At the moment only English. But next year, freshman year in HS, I plan on taking either Spanish or French.

[Lenin64]

Your case sounds like mine, Only replace "italian" with "Russian". Me? I'm using Rosetta Stone. Haven't used it much recently, but I haven't had a whole lot of time to do so. It works great, though; I haven't used it for nearly 6 months (Holy [cabbage], I know, but once summer starts I'll have time again) and I remember damn near everything I was taught in the two weeks I spent with it.

 

 

 

I'm also about to finish my second year of learning German in school. I'm fairly good with it, I've carried an A all last year and this year. Probably next year, too. It's really a fairly easy language.

[Zierro]

The best way to learn a language is to live in their setting for a few months and communicate with them on a regular basis. It's what all my Spanish teachers told me. So, a summer vacation at Italy?

[The Observer]

I am fluent in English because I live in Canada, but am starting to pick up French easily, so I'm planning on taking that all through high school. My teacher has advised me to go on an exchange to Québec so that I can learn the language much faster and more efficiently.

[rangeor]

Well, traveling to Italy's a bit out of my price range, same with rosetta stone :?

[Nadril]

I'm one of your stupid Americans who only knows English. :P

[i_love_burritos]

Why Italian? Mandarin, Spanish, and even French would be more useful on a population-basis.

 

Italian is a very common language in Europe. Plus, at the very least, you could get the gist of what a Spanish-speaking person is saying.

 

 

 

German is much more useful in my opinion. I for one like it and can speak it moderately well.

 

 

 

I'm one of your stupid Americans who only knows English. :P

 

 

 

That reminds me of a joke.

 

 

 

What do you call a person who speaks three languages ? Trilingual.

 

What do you call a person who speaks two languages ? Bilingual.

 

What do you call a person who speaks one language ? English.

 

 

 

It's really a fairly easy language.

 

 

 

Hmmm. What grade are you in ?

[Lenin64]

It's really a fairly easy language.

 

 

 

Hmmm. What grade are you in ?

 

High school junior. Actually, after I said that I realized stuff like the dative case is a real pain in the [wagon], but other than that, really, it is fairly simple.

[Racheya]

I speak British English, but I did Spanish and French at GCSE level. I despised French, I really did, I don't know how the hell I came out with a B in it after only doing it for 2 years. I got a C in Spanish but I remember Spanish far more. I'm not a good one for languages *shakes head*

[i_love_burritos]

It's really a fairly easy language.

 

 

 

Hmmm. What grade are you in ?

 

High school junior. Actually, after I said that I realized stuff like the dative case is a real pain in the [wagon], but other than that, really, it is fairly simple.

 

 

 

Before EDIT: I said something mean.

 

 

 

EDIT:

 

 

 

Ah, no wonder.

 

 

 

It gets harder in later years. But if you study [which is what I didn't do] it should be fine. You come across declensions yet ?