How to get fluent, with Dr Popkins

How to learn a foreign language. Methods, matrials and stories to help you maximise your effectiveness on the road to fluency

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In-depth explorations, actionable tips and inspiring conversations for language learners who REALLY want to get fluent…..plus a little but of fun along the way.

German listening practice on steroids (neglected technique)

By Gareth Leave a Comment

Getting good German listening practice is essential if you want to get fluent. Even if you “know” lots of words and grammar, can read, write and even say quite a lot, listening often seems to lag behind.  It’s really frustrating when you still can’t understand your favourite shows or movies.  How embarrassing in a live conversation when you can’t catch the responses to your … [Read more...]

How to learn German fast

By Gareth Leave a Comment

Learn German fast Dr P has his eye on the clock

So, you want to learn German fast? There’s no hiding it, getting really good at German is a big undertaking that takes a lot of time: maybe 350 hours study for a basic, functional “working knowledge” at the “lower intermediate” level (sometimes called “B1”) and at least 600 hours to get even more fluent across a wider range as an “upper intermediate” speaker (B2).  It also … [Read more...]

German genitive case: the only guide you’ll ever need

By Gareth Leave a Comment

In this example-packed post you’ll discover how to form the German genitive case and what it’s used for. There are some nifty genitive-avoiding workarounds too! Genitive-avoiding?   Yep, the first of three good pieces of news about the case is that it’s by far the least-used of German's four cases.  Even in higher registers of written German, the … [Read more...]

Japanese update: August to October

By Gareth 6 Comments

Here's an autumn update on my Basic Japanese Project (update vid at the end of the post). I started learning the Japanese twenty months ago in preparation for my first visit to Japan (last October). I had a great time there both exploring as a tourist in Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Kyoto and Tokyo and attending the Polyglot Conference. Since then, I've continued with this … [Read more...]

Learning Japanese: Month 19 update

By Gareth Leave a Comment

July was a big month in my Japanese journey: I started speaking Japanese with a teacher. During the month I had with six one-to-one conversational sessions online. In this latest monthly update on my Project Japanese, I'll tell you all about that in the context of my wider efforts to learn the language (also as a vid at the bottom of this post). I started learning the … [Read more...]

Intermediate Basque: learner update

By Gareth 5 Comments

Basque flag, red beret and Basque textbook

Beginner's Japanese has been my main personal language learning focus since early 2019 but I'm also a serious intermediate Basque learner. Here's an update on my Basque language journey and some tips, questions and conclusions that just might help you, whatever your language, whatever your level :) While I love rapid progress and an (effective) quick fix as much as the next … [Read more...]

Is Welsh hard to learn?

By Gareth Leave a Comment

"Is Welsh hard to learn?" If you're about to start learning Welsh it pays to know what you're taking on! You're in the right place, so read on. Read on, too, if you're some way in to your Welsh journey and feeling frustrated. First, let's get some perspective. It stands to reason that no language is so difficult that it's beyond the capabilities of the average (or … [Read more...]

Learning Japanese: Month 17 update

By Gareth Leave a Comment

Learning Japanese with Pimsleur

It's time for my monthly Japanese learning update (with vid at the bottom of this post). I started my "Learn Japanese" project at the beginning of 2019. Though I've previously learned a little Indonesian, this is my first serious attempt at an Asian language. I'm a firm believer in the power of habit in language learning and the core of my Japanese learning has been a … [Read more...]

Learning Japanese: Month 16 update

By Gareth Leave a Comment

Here's the latest monthly update on Project "Learn Japanese". I started working on the language at the beginning of 2019, a full fifteen months ago (video at the bottom). Before my first trip to Japan (last October), I aimed to dedicate thirty-minutes to focussed Japanese study. That reflects the importance I attach to consistency and habit in my language learning and how I … [Read more...]

The German imperfect tense: form and uses made clear

By Gareth Leave a Comment

In this post you'll find all you need to know about how to form and use the German imperfect tense or, in German, das Präteritum or das Imperfekt. The imperfect is one of the three tenses used to talk about the past in German. The others are the perfect and the pluperfect (the "past in the past"). In English, the German imperfective tense is also sometimes called the simple … [Read more...]

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