this post was submitted on 19 Jul 2023
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Maybe look for peer to peer type setups. Iirc Babel has one. Basically you’re just chatting with someone else. Iirc they also have a live class thing, which might be good too.
Personally I’m using Duolingo for Spanish, along with watching movies/shows in Spanish (still at kid level so cartoons mostly) and a site (who’s name is escaping me right now) that has a ton of videos that range from very simple to much more complex.
I agree with the first point completely. The apps are usually good for practicing vocabulary, but languages are dynamic, and change based on what was previously said. Talking to someone, anyone, is going to get you up and going a lot faster. Granted, finding someone willing to spend hours talking to you when your just learning can be hard. Look for apps that try to hook learners up.
I’m not sure where you are, but try to find an English community. If your in an English speaking country that is basically any community. If your not then look around for where the English expats hang out. When I was in Cameroon we had an “american club” that everyone was a part of. Having a common interest helps a lot in motivating everyone to talk together.
In a pinch you can force yourself to watch English television, possibly with subtitles. This helps your comprehension but lacks the back and forth of actually talking.
I fully agree with you about having real conversations with real people. The thing is, you need some confidence before being able to speak the language, especially to native speakers. And for some people that comes with a bit of practice by themselves. Thats what I find apps like Duolingo help with.
I fully understand how scary it is to try to talk to someone in a language your just learning. I’m shy and hate talking period! But it is one of those things where you have to allow yourself to make a fool of yourself.
Trust me, most people are very happy you are trying to learn there language and will be exited by anything you can produce. If you do find someone who is rude or offended by it, give them up as a bad job and shake it off. And never be embarrassed to say “I don’t understand”. We assume the people who know the answers are the smart ones, but the people who admit they still need to learn are in fact the geniuses.
Besides, unless your using Google translate, then your English comprehension is plenty good enough. It is time to face your fears and make a fool of yourself. The rewards are worth it!
Thank you for the kind wodrs. Sadly I'm not looking for an app for myself but for my girlfriend.
I got my BA in the UK years ago, and I've made a fool of myself plenty of times, both culturally and linguistically. And you're absolutely right, it really is the only way to properly learn a language.