Learn a language

[linfield100]

It's took me 50 odd years to master English so, I now intend to massacre another language. Well, two actually, German and Spanish.
German...I don't know why but I took a beginners course a few years ago and I would like to pursue it further.
Spanish...Well I go there a lot on holiday and might retire there in a few years.

Anyway, I want to be able to ask for cigars in more than one language.

Have any of you guys tried the online courses available?

Recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks
Tony

[Lee Nub]

I would love to try. My grandma was Italian and my grandad Italian/american, so always wanted to learn Italian, just never got around to it.

[eggopp]

I learnt to speak german by sitting in german bars talking to the old germans about the war over a few beers, its amazing how you can start to understand the language through use of hands and body language...

Best way to learn, but i was stationed in germany so had plenty of opportunity to learn. Never tried any other studies tho so let us know how you get on. I understand the BBC web site does german and as you complete each phase you get a certificate. Its also free.

[Lionhound]

Hi, while being out of work have used some of my time learning Italian. I've done it part time at local uni and found it really enjoyable. As Eggy says the BBC do a good "steps" course and as you say there are other online courses available.
Problem is disciplining yourself and getting pronunciation right.
If poss, I would recommend starting with a part time evening class or something to get the basics then use the interactive stuff.
I deliberalely took a course that covered grammar as I think it helps you to see the rules on how the language works. It was also a certificated course so made sure you did your homework.
Hope this of some help, and all the best however you decide to go about it.

[Kdot]

Ive been brought up multi lingual but still face the same challenges when trying to learn a new language.

I'd love to learn spanish first and mandarin at some point too, guess ive got a bit of free time on my hands so might look up an evening class.

Lionhound can I ask what uni you did your class at, we live in the same area so i might give it a go.

cheers

[Soulmanure]

Lot of fans of Rosetta Stone--I started using it; seems to work alright.

[peanutpete]

Lot of fans of Rosetta Stone--I started using it; seems to work alright.

as soulmanure says lots of people like rosetta stone as i understand it lots of Americans are using it to learn English

[rokkitsci]

as soulmanure says lots of people like rosetta stone as i understand it lots of Americans are using it to learn English

Rosziter swtoun bin halp me talking gud inglische u betcha.

[Soulmanure]

as soulmanure says lots of people like rosetta stone as i understand it lots of Americans are using it to learn English

I speak American and I'm damn proud of it because it's proper. You people have all sorts of strange phrases and spellings, like 'slag off' and colour. Where did that 'u' come from? I think you made it up just to sound different from us, but we're cool with that.

[Robusto]

I'd be cautious of night classes. They can be frustrating because of the different levels and desires of the adults in the class.

I'd avoid the most popular languages school text books. They often focus on snakes, rabbits, budgies and expressing simplistic emotions about them.

If you are after solid transactional language that you can learn in the car, I 'd recommend the Readers Digest languages courses if you can find them at bootfairs. I don't know if they are still in circulation but they are worth picking up in shops.

If you live near me, I'll teach you German for good cigars. Or French. Or the piano.

Good luck in your language studies. You need to be motivated to get good in another language.

A languages teacher x

[Boss Hog]

I always wanted to learn another language but it had to be something different and exotic. Things like Aramaic or Mandarin. I settled on Thai in the end. So I downloaded a few courses from the net which looked good.
It started off all good with all the usual stuff like Hello, goodbye, can you tell me the way too .....
Then it all suddenly got a bit strange and began teaching you sentances like
"Are you a woman or a man?" and "Do you have a place we can go?" I never went past that chapter and gave up after that.
Although I did get a chance to try it out once. Unfortunatley I'm not allowed back in the restaurant anymore.

[Kdot]

I always wanted to learn another language but it had to be something different and exotic. Things like Aramaic or Mandarin. I settled on Thai in the end. So I downloaded a few courses from the net which looked good.
It started off all good with all the usual stuff like Hello, goodbye, can you tell me the way too .....
Then it all suddenly got a bit strange and began teaching you sentances like
"Are you a woman or a man?" and "Do you have a place we can go?" I never went past that chapter and gave up after that.
Although I did get a chance to try it out once. Unfortunatley I'm not allowed back in the restaurant anymore.

LMAO

[Habana-Habanos]

Ich spreche ein bisschen deutsche, franzozisch und englisch. Das ist drei.

Je parle troi langue, un peu de allemand, francais et anglais.

I speak 3 languages, a bit of german, french and english.

[Habana-Habanos]

I always wanted to learn another language but it had to be something different and exotic. Things like Aramaic or Mandarin. I settled on Thai in the end. So I downloaded a few courses from the net which looked good.
It started off all good with all the usual stuff like Hello, goodbye, can you tell me the way too .....
Then it all suddenly got a bit strange and began teaching you sentances like
"Are you a woman or a man?" and "Do you have a place we can go?" I never went past that chapter and gave up after that.
Although I did get a chance to try it out once. Unfortunatley I'm not allowed back in the restaurant anymore.

HAHA.

[Lionhound]

Ive been brought up multi lingual but still face the same challenges when trying to learn a new language.

I'd love to learn spanish first and mandarin at some point too, guess ive got a bit of free time on my hands so might look up an evening class.

Lionhound can I ask what uni you did your class at, we live in the same area so i might give it a go.

cheers

Kam, I did mine at Glasgow uni as it had the one I wanted. Strathclyde and Uni of West of Scotland also do courses.
Try looking google under DACE (dept of adult continuing education) for some info.
Be wary as Robusto says, some people only there for hell of it, so can be demoralising. One of courses I took was daytime, big mistake. Group of women aged 60 plus who did a different activity each year. They never did any of the few exercises we were given to do at home and effectively slowed class right down.
That said, made a few friends & felt I'd achieved something.
Go for it. Good luck.

Rab