langblr, native german, learning: Latin, Spanish, Slovak, Mandarin
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Thejoyoflearninglanguages - Language Learner - Tumblr Blog
普通話200個基本詞語/普通话200个基本词语
In connection to this post about only needing 200 words
Feel free to contact me and help me edit this post! There are definitely things on here that can’t be explained in a straight-forward way. Mandarin can’t be translated so directly compared to other Indo-European languages!
1st tone (high neutral): mā 2nd tone (rising): má 3rd tone (falling rising): mǎ 4th tone (falling): mà 5th tone (neutral): ma
*When there are two 3rd tones together, the first one becomes a 2nd tone.
suǒ yǐ -> suó yǐ
be － 是 shì
there is － 有 yǒu
have － 有 yǒu
do－做 zuò
create (aka “make”) －創造／造（创造) chuàng zào/zào
cause (aka “make”)－讓（让）ràng
go－去 qù
say－講（more casual) （讲）jiǎng
speak －說（说）shuō
know－知道 （only for knowledge)（知道）zhīdào
think－想 xiǎng
want－想要 xiǎngyào
like－喜歡（喜欢）xǐhuān
can－可以 kě yǐ
need－要 yào
should－應該 （应该）yīnggāi
try－試（试）shì
feel－感覺（感觉) gǎnjué
work (also as a noun) －工作 gōng zuò
learn－學（学）xué
understand－懂／明白 dǒng/míng bái
get (meaning “obtain”)－得 dé
use－用 yòng
start－開始（开始）kāi shǐ
eat－吃 chī
see－看 kàn
write－寫（写）xiě
give－給（给）gěi
sleep－睡覺（睡觉）shuì jiào
buy－買（买）mǎi
decide－決定 jué dìng
find－找 zhǎo
ask－問（问）wèn
meet (meaning to meet someone for the first time)－認識（认识）rèn shi
meet (meaning “meet up with”)－見面（见面）jiàn miàn
take－拿 nǎ
Phrases
hello－你好 nǐ hǎo
goodbye－再見（再见）zài jiàn
My name is… － 我的名字是… wo de míng zi shì
“Nice to meet you.” －（Not said often in Chinese) 我很高興認識你（我很高兴认识你）wǒ hěn gāo xìng rèn shì nǐ
yes－(no direct translation, closest is the word “to be”) 是 shì
no－不是 bú shì
okay－好 hǎo
please－(no direct translation) 請- qǐng
thank you－謝謝（谢谢）xiè xiè
you’re welcome－不客氣（不客气）bú kè qì
sorry－對不起（对不起）duì bù qi
excuse me (to catch someone’s attention)－欸 èi
well (as in “Well, I think that…”)－那 nà
Really?－真的嗎？（真的吗？）zhēn de ma
Conjunctions
that (as in “I think that…” or “the woman that…”) (doesn’t exist in Chinese)
and－和／而且／跟 hé/ěr qiě/gēn
or－或 huò
but－但是 dàn shì
though－可是 kē shì
because－因為（因为）yīn wèi
therefore－所以 suǒ yǐ
if－如果 rú guǒ
Prepositions
before (also as a conjunction)－以前 yǐ qián after (also as a conjunction)－後來（后来）hòu lái
from－從 （从）cóng to－到 dào
in－在（like “in a house”, 在家里面) zài
at (place)－在 zài
at (time)－在 zài
with－跟 gēn
about (approximately）－大概／大約（大约）dà gài/dà yuè
like (meaning “similar to”)－像 xiàng
for (warning, this one has several meanings that you need to take care of)
for (give to) you－給你（给你）gěi nǐ
Adjectives and adverbs
Know both the adjective and adverb forms of these words.
a lot－很多 hěn duō a little－很少／一點（一点）hěn shǎo/yī dian
good / well－好／很好 hǎo/hěn hǎo bad / badly－不好／差 bù hǎo/chā
more (know how to say “more … than”)－比（A）（verb) bǐ better (often irregular and not just “more good”)－更好 gèng hǎo
most－最 zuì
enough－夠（够）gòu
right－對（对）duì wrong－錯（错）cuò
Adjectives
the, a (technically articles) - no definite articles in Chinese
this (also as a noun) 這（这）zhè that (also as a noun) 那 nà
all－所有 suǒ yǒu some－一些 yī xiē no－沒有／無 méi yǒu/wú
other－別的 bié de
any－所有 suǒ yǒu
easy－容易／簡單（简单）róng yì hard－難（难）nán
early－早 zǎo late－晚 wǎn
important－重要 zhòng yào
cool (as in “that’s cool”)－酷 kù
same－一樣（一样）yí yàng
different－不同 bù tóng
beautiful－美麗／漂亮（美丽） měi lì/piào liàng
Adverbs
very－很 hěn
too (as in “too much”)－太 tài
also－還有（还有）hái yǒu
only－只 zhǐ
now－現在（现在）xiàn zài
here－這裡（这里）zhè li
maybe－可能 kě néng
always－永遠（永远）yǒng yuán often－常常／時常（时常）cháng cháng/ shí cháng sometimes－有時（有时）yǒu shí never－從來／從不（从来／从不）cóng bù
today (also as a noun)－今天 jīn tiān yesterday－昨天 zuó tiān tomorrow－明天 míng tiān
almost－快要／快會（快会）kuài yào/kuài huì
still－還（还）hái
already－已經（已经）yǐ jīng
even－都 dōu
Nouns
Chinese has “measure words”, which is like “a/an” in English.
一个 is used for most objects (people, some objects)
一杯 is used for cups and bottles [of liquid]
thing－東西（东西) dōng xi
person－人 rén
place－地方 dì fāng
everything－所有的東西（所有的东西）suǒ yǒu de dōng xī something－一些東西（一些东西）yì xiē dōng xī nothing－沒有（没有）méi yǒu
time (as in “a long time”)－時間（时间）shí jiān
time (as in “I did it 3 times”)－次 cì
friend－朋友 péng yǒu
mother, father, parent－媽媽／母親，爸爸／父親，父母（妈妈／母亲，爸爸／父亲）mā ma/mǔ qīn, bà ba/fù qīn, fù mǔ
daughter, son, child－女兒，兒子，孩子 nǚ ér, ér zi, hái zi
wife, husband－妻子／老婆／太太，先生／老公／丈夫 qì zi/lǎo pó/tài tai, xiān shēng/lǎo gōng/zhàng fu
girlfriend, boyfriend－女朋友，男朋友 nǚ péng yǒu, nán péng yǒu
breakfast－早餐 zǎo cān
lunch－午餐 wǔ cān
dinner－晚餐 wǎn cān
money－錢（钱）qián
day－日／天 rì/tiān
year－年 nián
hour－小時（小时）xiao shí
week－星期 xīng qī
country－國家（国家）guó jiā
city－城市 chéng shì
language－語言（语言）yu yán
word－字 zì
Internet－網路（网路）wǎng lù
house－家／房子／屋子 jiā/fáng zi/wu zi
office－辦公室（办公室）bàn gōng shì
company－公司 gōng sī
Question Words
who－誰（谁）shéi
what－什麼（什么）shén me
where－哪裡（哪里）ná lǐ
when－什麼時候（什么时候）shén me shí hòu
why－為什麼（为什么）wèi shén me
how－怎麼（怎么）zěn me
how much－多少 duō shǎo
Pronouns
Know them in the subject (“I”), direct object (“me”), indirect object (“to me”), and possessive (“my”) forms.
I－我 wǒ
you－你 nǐ
she, he－她，他 tā
it－它／他 tā
we－我們 wǒ men
you (plural)－你們（你们）nǐ men
they－他們／她們（他们／她们）tā men
this post is meant to be a directory of every resource I come across for Slovak. it will be a continuous work in progress so thank you for your patience! if you have any issues or things to add, please reply to this post!
info
about world languages
fun facts
glottolog
history of the slovak language
learning profile
omniglot
playlist of samples
wikipedia
world atlas of language structures
Weiterlesen
this post is meant to be a directory of every resource I come across for Mandarin, often referred to as Chinese or Standard Chinese. It will be a continuous work in progress so thank you for your patience! if you have any issues or things to add, please reply to this post!
info
history of the chinese writing system
“in mandarin chinese, we don’t say…”
language learning profile
playlist of samples
the languages gulper
wikipedia
Weiterlesen
Helloo! Can you recommend some korean learning books for beginners please? Also if you know any that can be found for free in pdf or epub format it would be amazing. My main source of getting books was zlibrary but since it's down I don't know other websites that have free books.
Hi! Thank you for your patience! Unfortunately, I don't believe I've come across any free PDFs of Korean books or anything like that, but I can provide some books I have heard of!
I'm taking a Korean class at school and we use the KLEAR textbooks and workbooks. I'm not sure if I would recommend them to those who are studying on their own since they're designed to supplement a class, but they do provide some pretty good exercises and explanations without getting too overwhelming. Maybe look into it!
I haven't used Talk to Me in Korean's textbooks, but they seem like they would be good if you're studying on your own. I really like TTMIK in general, so I trust that their textbooks are also helpful. Both TTMIK and KLEAR have textbooks for every level, so you should be able to find something for you!
As for websites where you might be able to find free resources, maybe see if your local library has a website where you can "borrow" e-books -- you never know what they might have! There's also a website called OpenLibrary that also allows you to borrow books. I'm not sure what Korean languages resources it has, but give it a try! I hope this was helpful! 화이팅!
I’m at level A2 in Spanish. What verbs should I know?
ser = to be (permanent, personality, height/weight, color, description)
estar = to be (temporary, location, mood, condition, wellness, dead/alive)
ver = to see (sometimes “to watch”)
ir = to go
hacer = to do/make [also used with many idiomatic expressions like hacer calor etc.]
salir = to go out, to exit
decir = to say
tener = to have [also used with many idiomatic expressions like tener hambre etc.]
dar = to give
poder = to be able to
poner = to put
querer = to want / to love
venir = to come
saber = to know (facts)
conocer = to know (people/places) / to meet
deber = must, should
llegar = to arrive
llevar = to carry, to bring
parecer = to seem, to appear (as if/like)
amar = to love (usually romantic)
recordar / acordarse = to remind, to recall / to remember [if you haven’t learned reflexives, then just ignore acordarse for now]
empezar/comenzar = to start/begin
pensar = to think (or sometimes “to plan to (do something)”)
escribir = to write
soñar (con) = to dream (of/about)
gustar / encantar = to like, to really like [used with indirect objects]
resolver = to resolve, to solve
contestar = to answer
preguntar = to ask, to question, to wonder
dormir = to sleep
hablar = to speak
comer = to eat
vivir = to live
cocinar = to cook
preparar = to prepare / to cook
seguir = to continue, to follow
conseguir = to achieve, to get
darse cuenta = to realize (in the sense of having an epiphany or gaining understanding) [reflexives again]
correr = to run
andar = to go, to walk
haber = to exist, to have (done something) [only the basics of hay at this point probably for A2]
dejar = to leave / to stop, to quit
llamar = to call
encontrar = to find
buscar = to look for
necesitar = to need
permitir = to allow, to permit
tomar = to take / to drink (usually with drinks and/or medicine)
trabajar = to work
leer = to read
escuchar = to listen, to hear
oír = to hear
creer = to believe
decidir = to decide
tocar = to touch / to play (an instrument)
jugar = to play (a game/sport)
sentir = to feel, to sense, to noticesentirse = to feel (emotions)
levantar = to raise, to lift uplevantarse = to stand up
acabar = to finish, to end
terminar = to stop, to finish
esperar = to wait / to hope for
añadir/agregar = to add
volver = to return, to come back
regresar = to return
caer = to fall
comprar = to buy
vender = to sell
mentir = to lie, to tell a lie
mirar = to look, to stare, to watch
ganar = to win, to earn
cambiar = to change
estudiar = to study
nacer = to be born
nadar = to swim
volar = to fly
beber = to drink
ayudar = to help
abrir = to open
cerrar = to close
llorar = to cry
reír(se) = to laugh
sonreír = to smile
intentar = to try, to attempt
recibir = to receive, to get
colocar = to place, to put
saltar = to jump
notar = to notice
mandar = to send / to give orders
enviar = to send
parar = to stop (doing something), to not move
construir = to build, to construct
destruir = to destroy
asistir = to attend, to assist
realizar = to accomplish, to finalize
lograr = to achieve, to accomplish, to get done
cumplir = to comply, to fulfill [in the A2 level this would show up more with the idea of birthdays as in “to turn (X number of years)”]
convertir(se) = to change (into), to convert
guardar = to hold onto, to save/reserve, to keep (objects/promises/silence)
ahorrar = to save (money)
despertar(se) = to awaken, to wake up
bañar(se) = to bathe, to take a bath
duchar(se) = to shower, to take a shower
replicar = to reply
responder = to respond, to answer
servir = to serve
invitar = to invite / to pay for, to treat
resultar = to happen [when used with indirect objects it means “to seem like”]ocurrir = to occur
considerar = to consider, to think about
llover = to rain
nevar = to snow
adquirir = to acquire
alquilar = to rent
prestar = to borrow
arreglar = to fix
corregir = to correct
examinar = to examine, to look over
pasar = to pass [also used in many idiomatic expressions]
quedar = to remainquedarse = to stay / to become [situationally]
entrar = to enter
repasar = to go over, to review
revisar = to revise, to look at
quitar = to remove, to get rid of
sacar = to take out
pedir = to request, to ask for
morir (probably) = to die
There might be some repeats or things I missed here. But these are the ones I could think of off the top of my head.
If there are any major ones people think of, let me know!
How To Take Notes
Annotations and Note Taking
Annotations and Colour-Coding
College Note Taking 101
Guide to Note Taking
How to Maintain Good Notes
How to Take Lecture Notes
How to Take Notes if you Hate Taking Notes
How to Take Notes
How to Take Notes |2|
How to Take Notes From a Textbook
Note Taking Post
Take Effective Lecture Notes
Taking Lecture Notes
Typing Your Notes
Note Taking Methods
Cornell Note Taking Method
Note Taking Methods
Note Taking System
Study Methods
Visual Note Taking
How To Make Notes Look Pretty
Guide to Pretty Notes
How to Illustrate Your Notes
How to Make Your Notes Look Pretty
Sketchnote Tips
Visual Guide to Illustrated Notes
How To Make Notes Using One Note
Cornell Note Taking Method on One Note
How to Take Notes Using One Note
Note Taking Printables
Note Outline Printable
Note Printables
I was just thinking about how I don't speak very good Japanese, but I speak more Japanese than most people in the world. And this will probably be true of almost any skill you practice even a little bit. There are many skills out there and we each know only a small subset of them, so if you go out and decide to pick up a new skill you can end up better than 50%, 80%, maybe even 99% of the population pretty quickly. Another example is math. Like, when I'm around other math people, I feel like I basically know nothing. All of math is baffling to me. But realistically I know more math than basically every single person I meet in a non-academic context. So like.
If you are feeling bad about yourself this is a good thing to keep in mind. You're probably better than most people at something. If you aren't, you can become better than most people relatively quickly and easily just by giving something a go for a bit.
some study/homework tips for y'all :)
keep a clock in front of you. to keep track of time. I like to use an app on my phone so that I’m not tempted to scroll on tumblr instead of studying. it’s also for aesthetic purposes. here’s the one I use.
do the most difficult projects first. this might seem like a daunting task, but getting the hardest things out of the way will clear up your mind for the rest of your work. unless of course something else is more time sensitive, then do those things first.
take purposeful breaks. when you’re studying or working on homework, it can be easy to want to do something more enjoyable; but doing those things can often lead our minds astray. when you take a break, try to do something healthy (i.e. read a chapter of a book, take a walk, make a cup of tea, etc.) of course, it’s ok to take a few minutes to scroll on your phone, but try not to let it take up the majority of your break
some ADHD/ADD specific study tips:
motivate your brain. before I start working on a big project or a lot of studying, I get a bag of skittles/m&m’s/some small candy or treat. whenever I finish a small task (reading one page, answering three questions, finishing one problem) I eat one piece of candy >don’t ask me for logic behind this one because I have no clue but it works I promise<
use a calendar or study tracker journal to stay on schedule. especially with ADHD, it can be really easy to procrastinate. using a calendar or journal helps you to stay focused on your goals and organize your study time.
some depression specific tips:
(disclaimer: depression is a serious mental illness that effects so many other people out there. if you’re struggling and need help or just someone to talk to, please feel free to message me)
don’t set timers. I know in the first paragraph I talked about using a clock, but setting timers makes me feel like the tasks I have to complete are insurmountable and I’ll never finish them. instead I try to chunk my studying/homework by category; it makes the whole thing so much more bearable.
reward yourself. try to come up with some good thing to motivate yourself; but set it for after you finish. [when I get done with my math assignments, I’ll make tea. when I finish studying, I’ll go to the bookstore.]
get out of bed. even if it’s not for studying, even if it’s just for depression. go get a whole glass of water and drink it. go put on new clothes and drive to McDonald’s. please just take care of yourselves <3
my most valuable tip:
you know what motivates you; use that as a tool. for me, it’s aesthetic*. I like organized laptop desktops and put-together outfits and beautiful paintings (probably why I spend so much time on studyblr). so some things that motivate me are organizing my desk before I work, or changing my laptop wallpaper to my favorite painting.
no matter how you study, you are all doing great my gals and pals. keep up the hard work and go drink water (that was a threat).
For more studyblr, follow my blog! //beauty is terror//
*a morbid longing for the picturesque??? richard papen WHO
Lesson 4: Consonants
Basic Consonants:
ㄱ - 기역 (Giyuk) = G
ㄴ - 니은 (Nieun) = N
ㄷ - 디귿 (Digeut) = D
ㄹ - 리을 (Rieul) = R
When ‘ㄹ’ is the first consonant, it sounds somewhere between ‘r’ & ‘L’
When ‘ㄹ’ is the final consonant, it sounds similar to ‘L’ as in bell.
There are few Korean words starting with ‘ㄹ’ you will mostly likely see the foreign/borrowed words starting with ‘ㄹ’ because of the ㄹ initial sound rule.
ㄹ initial sound rule: words starting with ㄹ should be converted to ㄴ or ㅇ ex. 로동 (x) → 노동 (0).
ㅁ - 미음 (Mieum) = M
ㅂ - 비음 (Bieup) = B
ㅅ - 시읏 (Siot) = S
Somewhere between ‘s’ and ‘sh’ sound in English.
When paired with ㅑ, ㅕ, ㅛ, ㅠ, ㅣ, the pronunciation of ㅅ is closer to ‘sh’.
When paired with ㅏ, ㅓ, ㅗ, ㅜ, ㅡ, ㅔ, ㅐ, the pronunciation of ㅅ is closer to ‘s’.
When ㅅ is used as a final consonant, the pronunciation of ㅅ is closer to ‘t’.
ㅇ - 이응 (ieung) = Ng
As the first consonant: No sound.
As the final consonant: Ng sound.
ㅈ - 지읒 (Jieut) = J
As the first consonant: J sound.
As the final consonant & not followed by a vowel: T sound.
ㅊ - 치읓 (Chieut) = Ch
As the first consonant: Ch sound.
As the final consonant & not followed by a vowel: T sound.
ㅋ - 키읔 (Kieuk) = K
ㅌ - 티읕 (Tieut) = T
ㅍ - 피읖 (Pieup) = P
ㅎ - 히읗 (Hieut) = H
Double Consonants:
ㄲ - 쌍기역 (ssang-gi-yeok) = kk
As the first consonant: kk sound.
As the final consonant: k sound.
ㄸ - 쌍디귿 (ssang-di-geut) = tt
As the first consonant: tt sound.
Not used as a final consonant.
ㅃ - 쌍비읍 (ssang-be-eup) = bb
As the first consonant: pp sound.
Not used as a final consonant.
ㅆ - 쌍시옷 (ssang-si-ot) = ss
As the first consonant: ss sound.
As the final consonant: t sound.
ㅉ - 쌍지읒 (ssang-ji-eut) = jj
As the first consonant: jj sound.
Not used as a final consonant.
Congrats on learning the whole 한글 consonants. You guys will have an upcoming quiz about 한글. Be sure to study the 한글. The quiz will be posted on Wednesday.
A complete guide to self-studying a language 🌍
Check it out here!
Self-studying a language is an amazing way to learn, if you’re careful to avoid the pitfalls! Here are the steps I go through when making a study plan:
Step 01: Decide what you want to do and what you can offer (what language(s), how much time/money/energy/etc)
Step 02: Gather resources (decide what type you like best and then research and test)
Step 03: Make S.M.A.R.T goals (follow the guidelines and make good goals that will encourage you)
Step 04: Create your plan (using the 3 steps above and some prompting questions on the guide, form a schedule. Be organized, but stay loose and adaptable)
Step 05: Add some back-up or pressure (find an accountability or tandem partner, add the pressure of a scheduled exam, etc)
Check out the link for more Info on each step + tons of tips and links to resources and other guides!! 💪
Good luck!!! Self-studying a language is not easy, but it’s so rewarding and fun!!!
What should you be reading to maximize your language learning?
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of literature we can learn from. Baby books bore you, but you’re not ready for any type of novel, so what’s left?
Here are some tips
For beginner/A1/A2 learners
Watch a YouTube video in your target language, then read the comments
you’ll already have vocabulary from watching the video, most of the comments will probably use that vocab
it’s a short enough text that you won’t get fatigued
the only downside is that sometimes people utilize abbreviations and slang terms, but even these are good to know
Read news headlines and if you find one you understand almost fully, try to read the full article
sometimes the vocabulary used is not common in everyday usage, but it’s a total win for an A1 learner to fully read and mostly understand any text
while vocab is not used everyday, it will give you the ammunition to talk about that particular topic
Watch Netflix in target language with subtitles in the same language
believe it or not, you will learn to read better, especially because you don’t have to understand written description of visuals (usually uses very niche vocab) or emotion
and now you can slow down or speed up
I watched DARK in German before I felt like I could read a book, and I understood 85% of it. This is because I looked up some vocabulary in the first episodes and they continued to use it throughout the show so it really cemented in my head to the point where I don’t even think about it. Now, I had to rewatch some conversations the characters had, but that’s much better for understanding than switching it to English or looking up full phrases and sentences.
For intermediate/B1/B2 learners
read fanfiction
it’s ALWAYS good to read about something you’re interested in so if you like any major movies, books, television, this is the perfect option for you
most people use relatively basic language and you can choose the length
find a comic book or graphic novel
like watching tv, that visual aid really helps with understanding of the plot without all those tricky descriptions
read a book in your target language that you’ve read and loved in your native language
this is by far my favorite way
you don’t have to worry about trying to understanding the bigger picture because you already know what’s happening/what will happen, you really have to discover the meaning of each sentence and then you begin to picture the scene using only your target language
Check out my other post for methods of how to get the most out of reading !
how to self teach a new language
have contact with this language by hearing it on movies, tv shows and music. this will help you with your pronunciation skills and with your vocabulary
learn vocabulary and grammar at the same time
read kids books and translate what you don’t know. it might be hard at the beginning, but keep trying
speak to yourself will help you like crazy. I like to pretend that I’m acting or that someone is interviewing me hahah see the magic happens
READ AND WRITE. this is as important as speaking. It used to be so hard for me to write in English and I felt awful because I could actually speak very well. But my writing skills were just a lower level than my speaking level. Thankfully it’s getting better with practice.
try to study a little everyday. if you don’t have time to do so, watch a movie or something, but have this contact with the new language at least once a day
be persistent because the processes of learning a new language can really piss you off. sometimes you will understand nothing and that will drag you down. the difference is to keep pushing until it doesn’t bother you anymore!
People who shit on Duolingo as a learning method are the bane of my existence. No, Duo won't make you fluent. But, it is a GREAT tool for BEGINNERS, especially those who find it difficult to study with traditional methods.
when i pass people on the duolingo leaderboards i hope they know i'm doing it with gleeful malice in my heart. i'm not doing it on accident and i'm not thinking haha yay i'm thinking everybody get fucked this is call of duty to me
How to learn a language when you don’t know where to start:
General Plan:
Weeks 1 and 2: Purpose:
Learn the fundamentals sentence construction
Learn how to spell and count
Start building a phrase stockpile with basic greetings
The Alphabet
Numbers 1 - 100
Subject Pronouns
Common Greetings
Conjugate the Two Most Important Verbs: to be and to have
Basic Definite and Indefinite Articles
Weeks 3 and 4: Purpose:
Learn essential vocabulary for the day-to-day
Start conjugating regular verbs
Days of the Week and Months of the Year
How to tell the time
How to talk about the weather
Family Vocabulary
Present Tense Conjugations Verbs
Weeks 5 and 6: Purpose:
Warm up with the last of the day-to-day vocabulary
Add more complex types of sentences to your grammar
Colours
House vocabulary
How to ask questions
Present Tense Conjugations Verbs
Forming negatives
Weeks 7 and 8: Purpose:
Learn how to navigate basic situations in a region of your target language country
Finish memorising regular conjugation rules
Food Vocabulary and Ordering at Restaurants
Money and Shopping Phrases
Present Tense Conjugations Verbs
Weeks 9 and 10: Purpose:
Start constructing descriptive and more complex sentences
Adjectives
Reflective verbs
Places vocabulary
Weeks 11 and 12: Purpose:
Add more complex descriptions to your sentences with adverbs
Wrap up vocabulary essentials
Adverbs
Parts of the body and medical vocabulary
Tips for Learning a Foreign Language:
Learning Vocabulary:
What vocabulary should I be learning?
There are hundreds of thousands of words in every language, and the large majority of them won’t be immediately relevant to you when you’re starting out.Typically, the most frequent 3000 words make up 90% of the language that a native speaker uses on any given day. Instead try to learn the most useful words in a language, and then expand outwards from there according to your needs and interests.
Choose the words you want/need to learn.
Relate them to what you already know.
Review them until they’ve reached your long-term memory.
Record them so learning is never lost.
Use them in meaningful human conversation and communication.
How should I record the vocabulary?
Learners need to see and/or hear a new word of phrase 6 to 17 times before they really know a piece of vocabulary.
Keep a careful record of new vocabulary.
Record the vocabulary in a way that is helpful to you and will ensure that you will practice the vocabulary, e.g. flashcards.
Vocabulary should be organised so that words are easier to find, e.g. alphabetically or according to topic.
Ideally when noting vocabulary you should write down not only the meaning, but the grammatical class, and example in a sentence, and where needed information about structure.
How should I practice using the vocabulary?
Look, Say, Cover, Write and Check - Use this method for learning and remembering vocabulary. This method is really good for learning spellings.
Make flashcards. Write the vocabulary on the front with the definition and examples on the back.
Draw mind maps or make visual representations of the new vocabulary groups.
Stick labels or post it notes on corresponding objects, e.g when learning kitchen vocabulary you could label items in your house.
How often should I be practising vocabulary?
A valuable technique is ‘the principle of expanding rehearsal’. This means reviewing vocabulary shortly after first learning them then at increasingly longer intervals.
Ideally, words should be reviewed:
5-10 minutes later
24 hours later
One week later
1-2 months later
6 months later
Knowing a vocabulary item well enough to use it productively means knowing:
Its written and spoken forms (spelling and pronunciation).
Its grammatical category and other grammatical information
Related words and word families, e.g. adjective, adverb, verb, noun.
Common collocations (Words that often come before or after it).
Receptive Skills: Listening and Reading
Reading is probably one of the most effective ways of building vocabulary knowledge.
Listening is also important because it occupies a big chunk of the time we spend communicating.
Tips for reading in a foreign language:
Start basic and small. Children’s books are great practice for beginners. Don’t try to dive into a novel or newspaper too early, since it can be discouraging and time consuming if you have to look up every other word.
Read things you’ve already read in your native language. The fact that you at least know the gist of the story will help you to pick up context clues, learn new vocabulary and grammatical constructions.
Read books with their accompanying audio books. Reading a book while listening to the accompanying audio will improve your “ear training”. It will also help you to learn the pronunciation of words.
Tips for listening in a foreign language:
Watch films in your target language.
Read a book while also listening along to the audio book version.
Listen to the radio in your target language.
Watch videos online in your target language.
Activities to do to show that you’ve understood what you’ve been listening to:
Try drawing a picture of what was said.
Ask yourself some questions about it and try to answer them.
Provide a summary of what was said.
Suggest what might come next in the “story.”
Translate what was said into another language.
“Talk back” to the speaker to engage in imaginary conversation.
Productive Skills: Speaking and Writing
Tips for speaking in a foreign language:
If you can, try to speak the language every day either out loud to yourself or chat to another native speaker whether it is a colleague, a friend, a tutor or a language exchange partner.
Write a list of topics and think about what you could say about each one. First you could write out your thoughts and then read them out loud. Look up the words you don’t know. You could also come up with questions at the end to ask someone else.
A really good way to improve your own speaking is to listen to how native speakers talk and imitate their accent, their rhythm of speech and tone of voice. Watch how their lips move and pay attention to the stressed sounds. You could watch interviews on YouTube or online news websites and pause every so often to copy what you have just heard. You could even sing along to songs sung in the target language.
Walk around the house and describe what you say. Say what you like or dislike about the room or the furniture or the decor. Talk about what you want to change.This gets you to practise every day vocabulary.
Tips for writing in a foreign language:
Practice writing in your target language. Keep it simple to start with. Beginner vocabulary and grammar concepts are generally very descriptive and concrete.
Practice writing by hand. Here are some things you can write out by hand:
Diary entries
Shopping lists
Reminders
What could I write about?
Write about your day, an interesting event, how you’re feeling, or what you’re thinking.
Make up a conversation between two people.
Write a letter to a friend, yourself, or a celebrity. You don’t need to send it; just writing it will be helpful.
Translate a text you’ve written in your native language into your foreign language.
Write a review or a book you’ve recently read or a film you’ve recently watched.
Write Facebook statuses, Tweets or Tumblr posts (whether you post them or not will be up to you).
Write a short story or poem.
Writing is one of the hardest things to do well as a non-native speaker of a language, because there’s no room to hide.
There are lots of ways to improve your writing ability, but they can be essentially boiled down to three key components:
Read a lot
Write a lot
Get your writing corrected
Masterlist
이미 vs 벌써
Counters
Progressive tense
조금,정말,진짜,아주
-만
좋다 VS 좋아하다
Who,What,When,Where,Why
Vocabulary
Seasons
Languages/Nationalities
Days of the week
Countries
Animals
Family
Sports
Space/Nature
Dates
Plants
Fall
Christmas
Valentine’s Day
Birthday
Kpop Vocabulary
BTS - Boy With Luv
Monsta X- Alligator
(G)I-dle - LATATA
Twice - Fancy
Resources/Tips
Ways to stay motivated
Weekly study plan
My Korean notebook
Apps
Youtubers
Apps/youtubers/websites
Get better at reading
✨ Language Study Master Post! ✨
(Ill update this as I post more, but here is a master post of tons of links to language resources to help you study a language from my site (Plurilingualism) so far! 💜)
Before you start:
- A guide to making S.M.A.R.T goals (and why goals are so important!)
- A complete guide to self-studying a language
Resources and tips:
- Website resources page (with links to tons of resources for general language learning)
- 5 must-visit sites for language learners
- Master list of language challenges (vocab, reading, journaling, etc)
- 10 unique resources (I'll bet you haven't heard of even 3!)
- Where to find good foreign language books (+ links to several recommendations)
- Master list of YouTube channels in 50+ languages (With almost 500 links!!)
- All about the animedoro study method (my favorite way to study anything, but especially a language)
- All about Memrise (a great app and website)
- All about Busuu (one of my all time favorite resources)
- All about italki (a must-have resource for any language learner!)
- How to perfect your pronunciation (+ links to guides in several languages)
- How to actively and passively learn a language via TV and movies
- The best 15 apps to learn a language with (+ links to full reviews for each)
+
If you are studying Korean:
- 10 amazing Korean resources (with descriptions)
- Korean resource master post (with almost 200 links)
If you are studying German:
- German resource master post (with almost 200 links too)
If you are studying Spanish
- Spanish resource master post (with almost (you guessed it) 200 links!)
Chinese websites 🇨🇳[MASTERPOST]
Last time when I posted the list with my fav websites where you can practice reading in Chinese, so many of you liked it and shared it! I appreciate it so much… and decided to make something extra, add more websites I found useful during Chinese learning process.
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Reading in Chinese
♡ Mandarin Bean (news in Chinese, HSK 1-6)
♡ Chinese Reading Practice (stories, essays, legends, chengyu stories)
♡ The Chairman’s Bao (news in Chinese, HSK 1-6)
♡ HSK Reading (and more articles!)
♡ My Chinese Reading (stories, scientific, business/politics, history etc)
♡ BBC News in Chinese (for more advanced learners)
♡ + Baidu Baike (something like Chinese wikipedia)
Grammar and HSK websites
♡ Chinese Grammar Wiki (saved my as… I mean my life MANY times)
♡ HSK Online (perfect place to test yourself, learn new words and gain a lot of knowledge how HSK looks like)
Online courses
♡ Courses on edX
♡ Courses on Coursera (recommend these courses created by Peking University)
Online Dictionaries
♡ MDBG ♡ Yellow Bridge
♡ Pleco (APP) ♡ Bohan (for 🇵🇱 ppl)
YouTubers
Teachers:
♡ ShuoShuo Chinese
♡ Mandarin Corner
♡ Chinese Zero To Hero
♡ Everyday Chinese
♡ Learning Chinese through Stories
♡ Daily Zhongwen
♡ HSK Test Preparation and Practice
♡ SyS Mandarin
Chinese vloggers
♡ Elena Lin
♡ Nuria Ma
♡ Liziqi
♡ WenWei
Foreigners in/about China
♡ Blondie in China
♡ Weronika Truszczyńska (Polish vlogger, her shoots are incredible; there are English subs)
♡ Ychina
Online Bookstores
♡ Purple Culture
♡ Sinolingua
♡ ChinaBooks
♡ Mandarin Companion
Where you can watch Chinese drama/movies/cartoons?
♡ YouTube (try to type the Chinese title, high possibilities it will show up! fe. THEY have quite a lot of dramas ;>
♡ iQIYi
♡ Netflix -> Taiwan on Netflix + Movies from Mainland China on Netflix
♡ Little Fox Chinese
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