Here’s your essential guide to how to make German plurals. Plurals? Well, we’re talking “nouns”. That's to say, naming words for a living being, place, thing or idea. “Noun” in German is das Hauptwort, das Nomen or das Substantiv. If you’re just referring to one Nomen (being, thing and so on), you use the singular form (der Singular). Refer to more than one and … [Read more...]
Top Learn Russian YouTube channels
YouTube is a fantastic resource to learn Russian and here’s a list of nine of the channels you should absolutely check out. Most offer a mix of more formal lessons, monologues, conversations and vlogs. Two of the channels focus on vox pops out and about with native Russians. This post is aimed mainly at beginner and lower intermediate Russian learners. True, most of the … [Read more...]
German grammar guide: topics you need to know (with key terms)
Here is your overview German grammar guide with links to my essential guides to individual topics. As we go, I'll bust the jargon and explain English and German grammatical terms you need. The final section below includes links to level-by-level breakdowns of the grammar you'll typically meet as you move from beginner, to upper beginner, to intermediate German learner and … [Read more...]
Learn German grammar: why and how?
“Do I need to learn German grammar”? "Is German grammar important?" Those are question we often ask ourselves as beginner - and intermediate - German learners. The answer is “yes, but”. This post explains why grammar matters but also how it can get in the way if you don’t approach it right. "Ok, so if I really do need it, how do I learn German grammar?" You’ll discover the … [Read more...]
The Goethe-Institut German A2 exam explained
If you want the Goethe-Institut German A2 exam clearly explained, you're in the right place. In this post we'll unpick the format of this important "upper beginner" German language exam. We'll get clear on just what the A2 test German exam itself involves. That'll help you decide whether it's for you. You'll get a better sense of what you need to achieve to pass this … [Read more...]
Kyiv, Kiev, Odesa, Odessa
It's getting lighter here in the evenings at last...literally, if not metaphorically. For the last two weeks, I've been glued to the news sites and social media, following the horrific events in Ukraine. I've also been in contact with some of Russian and Ukrainian friends I've made over the years. When I first visited Russia … [Read more...]
Language learning “anchors” and getting back on track
Making language learning a regular habit is half the battle on the road to fluency. But "life" will sometimes totally get in the way of your language learning plans.That much is sure. The trick is to make sure you're all set up to get back on track when things calm down.In a recent post, we looked at how to keep things ticking over at a much … [Read more...]
How to learn Portuguese fast
So, you want to learn Portuguese fast? Follow the advice in this post and you can get yourself ready to use your Portuguese in the sorts of basic everyday contexts that we all need or in highly specialised contexts that are personal to you. This post is addressed to you if you're a beginner, a false beginner or rusty. That said, much of what you'll read will also help … [Read more...]
TRKI Fourth Certificate: the fullest “how to” candidate interview yet
I'm delighted to present the latest in Howtogetfluent's well-established series of interviews with successful candidates for the most advanced Russian exam, the TRKI 4th Certificate. The Тест по русскому языку как иностранному Четвертый сертификационный уровень (ТРКИ-4), as it’s known in Russian, is the top exam for Russian as a foreign language. The exam … [Read more...]
How to keep learning a language when life’s turned upside down
Last September, my life got turned a bit upside down. First, routine tests revealed that my dad had cancer and he had to go into hospital for a major op. I decamped to stay at his apartment near Oxford so I could visit him in hospital. We expected him to be out in five days, but he was in for a month. For a few days, things look pretty grim and it was just at that point that I … [Read more...]