“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...]
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...]
The 50 most common German adjectives
Learning the most frequent German words is makes tactical sense when you're starting to learn the language. Below, you'll find a full list of the fifty most common German adjectives. Adjectives are words that describe what somebody or something is like, for example old, young, intelligent, red, tired. For example “Der Mann ist alt” (the man is old), "Das Buch ist neu" (The book … [Read more...]
How to learn Spanish fast
So, you want to learn Spanish fast? Follow the advice in this post and you can get yourself ready to use your Spanish 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...]
How to learn French fast
So, you want to learn French fast? Follow the advice in this post and you can get yourself ready to use your French 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...]
German Christmas words you need for Christmas traditions you’ll love
Christmas is big in the German-speaking lands and here's your cultural crash course in some wonderful Christmas traditions, many of which have spread throughout the world. Read on and you’ll also kit yourself out with the German Christmas words and phrases you need to throw yourself into the celebrations as a German learner. How do you say Christmas in … [Read more...]
Japanese update: March to July
Here's a quick update on my learning Japanese project which began at the beginning of 2019. In October that year I got to pay my first visit to Japan. Little did I know that would be the last foreign travel I got to do to date. (There's also an update vid at the end of this post). Language learning log: March through July Since returning from my trip to Japan in autumn … [Read more...]