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?
"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. Dr P waves the flag. Easy! But how hard is it to learn Welsh? First, let's get some perspective. It stands to reason that no language is so … [Read more...]
Learning Japanese: Month 17 update
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
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
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...]
Learning Japanese: Month 15 update
For over a year now, I've been sharing my no-hype, "no magic method" account of my attempts at learning Japanese through self study. Although I haven't reported back since I got back from my first visit to Japan, I've been keeping going with my study routine. This post marks the long-overdue resumption of my monthly language learning updates here on the site. There's a "Month … [Read more...]
Why learn a minority language?
Why learn a minority language? In the final post in the series on learning minority, lessor used or endangered languages, let's look at the rewards on offer. Throughout the series, I've drawn heavily on my own experience as a learner of Welsh and Basque but I'm talking to you, dear minority language learner or would-be learner, whatever the lingo! In the first … [Read more...]
The most advanced Russian exam? Guy aces the TRKI 4th certificate (interview)
Here's the latest a 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 guidelines are set by the Russian Ministry of Education. The level is … [Read more...]
Learning minority languages: overcoming negative attitudes
The off-putting attitudes of others don't help us language learners at the best of times. What are the particular negative attitudes you might encounter as a learner of a minority, lesser-used or endangered language and how can you overcome them? This is the latest in our learning minority languages series. Now, I'm not suggesting for a moment that the discouraging … [Read more...]
Transform your German by Summer 2020?
Are you a German learner who's been learning the language for a while and who's covered a lot of the basics? Are you ready to take focussed action to power yourself up as an "independent user" of the language and transform your German between now and the summer? Over in the Howtogetfluent Email Club, I've been talking to quite a few of you who've reached German "upper … [Read more...]