Parlez-vous français ? (Or any other second language)

[stek]

I learnt Russian after uni, very difficult language it is too, I'm not fluent by any means but I have high standards as to what fluent means - to me it means perfect, fluid, no pausing to think, no failure to understand.....

Russian is well hard, going back to German which I struggled with at school is a piece of piss now, seems so easy, only issue is I can't be bothered with it. Age I think.

Had a crack at Danish which is easy grammatically but impossible to pronounce anything correctly - plus everyone speaks perfect English anyway so no point.

Even Russians find Russian grammar hard, too hard sometimes, there's a famous joke where a Soviet factory had to order five pokers, and Russian nouns in number (genitive case) differ if it's one, two-to-four, or five and over (does my box). Not even Russians are sure of the correct inflection. So rather than look stupid they send a request to the bureaucrats for four pokers and one extra hoping to get them and and the correct genitive plural inflection for five, only to get the five pokers with a note saying 'Here are your four pokers and one extra as requested.....' because they didn't know the correct grammar either....

Ha ha ha ha ha (Soviet laugh...)

[scooterscot]

I've picked up German through being in a German speaking environment. I did attend a couple of courses to get me started. French I learned at school, and it just seems to have stuck. I've never cared about whether my French or German is good - so long as I'm understood and can understand, which is mostly the case.

Und wie sind Ihre Artikel?

Ist gar nicht für mich, Der See, Das Meer, was ist los mit dies?!

[VectraMan]

I did a couple of Skype lessons last year, but found it kind of stressful and to be honest expected a little more of a personal service for the money; having a chat doesn't seem worth paying for. But obviously that depends on the teacher. Lingoda has an organised course with lesson plans and levels, and when you complete a level you get a certificate and move up, which is good for me as I tend to be undisciplined. I've actually managed 24 lessons in less than a month.

(Not trying to push Lingoda, but if anyone is thinking of signing up there's a refer a friend deal....).

I'd like to do an intensive course somewhere. I'm kicking myself I didn't do something last summer when I could have engineered a gap before a renewal. Only thing that slightly puts me off is the thought of it being me and a bunch of 18 year olds.

[VectraMan]

Und wie sind Ihre Artikel?

Ist gar nicht für mich, Der See, Das Meer, was ist los mit dies?!

der Band = volume of books
die Band = music band
das Band = bracelet

Possibly each of those is wrong. And is der See a sea or a lake?

[scooterscot]

der Band = volume of books
die Band = music band
das Band = bracelet

Possibly each of those is wrong. And is der See a sea or a lake?

Always der for a lake, I mean See. Because the lake is masculine and the sea feminine.

[AtW]

French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese are all among many languages that I don't speak...

[scooterscot]

I've been learning German at our local Volkshochschule for the last 4-months, three mornings a week + homework. It is intense. Planning to continue for another year whilst working part time. Learning with others is important for me, being corrected in person with my pronunciation and/or grammar. As others has said don't fall for any miricle course claiming two months and you're done. It takes time but don't give up. Personally I look forward to the day I'm comfortable communicating with others, as long as they're not using the Bavarian dialect!!

[Paddy]

Always der for a lake, I mean See. Because the lake is masculine and the sea feminine.

My favourite German word is “auspuff”, it is so descriptive apart from
Frauen scheißen auf den Glastisch.

[scooterscot]

My favourite German word is “auspuff”, it is so descriptive apart from
Frauen scheißen auf den Glastisch.

My favourite phrase at the minute 'Welche Wäsche waschen haben Sie gewaschen?' - makes the drool fall from my face.

[Uncle Albert]

I'm speak good French, Spanish & Portuguese. If I need to learn a language I immerse myself in Duo Lingo or Linguaphone courses and try to listen to as much radio in that language as possible, ideally a phone in station where you get a range of accents.

For real fun, try learning Finnish