Watch our new video which highlights just how long it takes to learn a new language. Don’t let if put you off! It actually depends on a whole variety of factors and, most importantly, it’s an incredibly rewarding experience!
Learn some names of Spanish foods with our popular food song for children. Over 3000 views on YouTube woo hoo! PS. Adults might like it too!
With over 10 million holidaymakers heading to Spain in August we’ve put together a guide on how to sound like a native when ordering food and drinks in the thousands of wonderful Spanish bars and restaurants. And if you’re heading off to one of the Spanish speaking countries in Latin America then while there are some differences you’ll be understood as well!
Drinks:
Snacks/Tapas/Pinchos
Before you sit down
Once seated
Typical Restaurant Dishes
For all those heading off to Italy this summer we’ve put together a useful guide to Italian food terms and how to order in cafes and restaurants.
And we’re talking about a coffee bar here not a bar like in the UK! You’ll find bars all over Italian towns and cities typically on corners.
Drinks:
Snacks:
3 Golden Rules of Ordering and Drinking Coffee!
Before you sit down
And a few ways you might like to respond to the waiter:
Before you leave:
Acciughe: Anchovies
Agnello: Lamb
Anitra: Duck
Antipasto misto: Mixed appetizers
Aragosta: Lobster
Arancia: Orange
Asparagi: Asparagus
Bistecca: Steak
Brodo: Broth
Burro: Butter
Calamari: Squid
Carciofi: Artichokes
Caroti: Carrots
Carne: Meat
Cavolfiori: Cauliflower
Ceci: Chick peas
Cervo: Venison
Ciliege: Cherries
Coniglio: Rabbit
Crema inglese: Custard
Fagiano: Pheasant
Fichi: Figs
Finocchio: Fennel
Fragole: Strawberries
Frittata: Omelette
Frutti di mare: Shellfish
Fungi: Mushrooms
Grancho: Crab
Grasso: Fat
Lattuga: Lettuce
Lenticchi: Lentles
Lumache: Snails
Macedonia (di frutta): Fresh fruit salad
Mandorla: Almonds
Manzo: Beef
Mela: Apple
Melanzana: Eggplant
Olio di olive: Olive oil
Ostriche: Oysters
Pancetta: Bacon
Patate: Potatoes
Pepe nero: Black pepper
Pepe rosso: Hot red peppers
Peperoni: Peppers
Pesche: Fish
Piselli: Peas
Polipo: Octopus
Pollo: Chicken
Prociutto cotto: Cooked ham
Prociutto crudo: Cured ham
Quaglia: Quail
Riso: Rice
Sale: Salt
Salsiccia: Sausage
Salsa/Sugo: Sauce
Sformato: Pie
Tacchino: Turkey
Tartufi: Truffles
Tonno: Tuna
Uova: Egg
Verdura: Vegetable
Vitello: Veal
Vongole: Clams
Zuppa: Soup
Just a couple of decades ago, if you decided to start learning a language as an adult your choices on how to go about it were uncomplicated and limited. In today’s world your learning options have increased and diversified beyond recognition. Having more choice also means having to make decisions about which one is the best for you. In this article we explore your possibilities and how to choose the route that suits you as a learner.
Evidently, there is not one unique option which fits all learners. The best way to learn depends very much on your natural disposition as a learner, your learning goals, your budget and your time constraints.
In the pre-internet days, learning a language would generally mean joining an evening class. This is still the number one choice for lots of learners, who prefer to learn in a social environment surrounded by a familiar classroom setting.
The obvious advantage of learning in a group is the interaction among students. Interacting with other learners creates somehow realistic scenarios in which to practise a second language in a fun way.
The main drawback of learning with others is having to share the tutor’s attention. Teachers must help all students, which in turn might mean you have to go at a slower pace than you could actually go or on the contrary, slow down your pace to match the majority’s.
In order to make good progress when you study in a group environment is to do your homework religiously as this will definitely support the learning you do in the classroom.
For those who have the means and prefer to have a teacher all for themselves choosing private tuition has always been an excellent option. The obvious shortcoming of this choice is that by having the exclusive attention of your tutor, you must forgo the social aspect you would have enjoyed in a group environment.
Face to face private tuition suits more those who like to have the luxury of having lessons designed to their goals and learning style. In order to complement the lack of social interaction, students can join a meet up group in their second language or enjoy online chats and forums.
The benefits students get out of having private tuition are considerable and for some learners, being able to enjoy tailor-made lessons tops the social side of language learning in a group.
Both group and private tuition centre on having a tutor to guide learners, but some students completely forgo the role of a tutor and guide themselves independently. Using self-teaching courses has always been a very popular choice. It’s affordable and accessible at any time and place.
Self-teaching courses are the right option if you just wish to get to grips with the very basics. Old self-teach courses have evolved into software apps available on your phone, computer or tablet. There are literally hundreds of applications which help you learn a wide range of languages. One of the great improvements on their self-teach “grandparents” is the voice recognition feature, enabling students to be corrected when making mistakes.
When you are really serious about acquiring a second language to a mastery level, using apps or traditional self-teach courses exclusively is not going to cut it. Despite their claims, it is very unlikely that you will become a fluent speaker but they are a good place to start if you do not have access to private or group lessons.
In the last twenty year or so, the advent of the internet era has deeply changed the face of language learning. The basic teaching and learning methods might have remained almost untouched, but the variety of media and access to almost an infinite amount of data has developed the way we see language acquisition today.
Using face time or skype to have a lesson with your tutor might have seemed like something out of Star Trek only a few years ago, but it is now the chosen method for lots of students around the world. Online learning offers a few advantages over face to face learning. Some of its best features are its flexibility in terms of time and location, the ability to record lessons, the use of interactive whiteboards and having immediate access to the internet.
Online learning is ideal for students who live in remote areas, are technologically minded or have severe time constraints. Preferably, it should be complemented with some face to face interaction either in a group or an individual environment to practise some more realistic day to day situations.
Our advice is to not stick to just one of these option. The best thing about all these varied and different ways is that you don’t have to choose just one. Now more than ever before, students can pick and mix methods and resources to have a well- rounded learning experience. For instance, group or individual lessons can be complemented by applications to help you consolidate learning vocabulary, such as flashcards games or Duolingo. Knowledge acquired through face to face lessons can be also reinforced by having extra online lessons. Mix and keep it challenging to motivate your learning.
There has never been a better time to learn a language.
[table id=7 /]
Who would have thought? There really are celebratory dates for anything! November 7th celebrates International Tongue Twister Day. As keen linguists, we love challenging ourselves with word games, and tongue twisters in your second language can be a fun way to test your pronunciation skills. Do some tongue exercise today with these amusing phrases in your second language.
Dutch tongbrekers
Onder de roomse kerk met drie droge doeken.
Below the Roman Catholic Church with three dry tea-cloths.
De koetsier poetst de postkoets.
The coachman cleans the coach.
De kat krabt de krullen van de trap.
The cat crabs the curls off the stairs.
Als vliegen achter vliegen vliegen, vliegen vliegen vliegensvlug.
If flies fly behind flies, flies will fly like lightning.
French virelangues
Je veux et j’éxige ; j’éxige et je veux.
I want and I demand. I demand and I want.
Papier, panier, piano.
Paper, basket, piano.
Je cherche Serge.
I am looking for Serge.
Trente-trois gros crapauds gris dans trente-trois gros trous creux.
33 fat grey toads in 33 big hollows.
German zungenbrecher
Fischers Fritz fischt frische Fische.
The Fischer’s son Fritz is fishing for fresh fish.
Kluge kleine Katzen kratzen keine Krokodile.
Clever little cats don’t scratch crocodiles.
Esel essen Nesseln nicht, Nesseln essen Esel nicht.
Donkeys don’t eat nettles, and nettles don’t eat donkeys.
Brautkleid bleibt Brautkleid und Blaukraut bleibt Blaukraut.
A wedding dress remains a wedding dress, and red cabbage remains red cabbage.
Gaelic Rabhlóga
Cheannaigh cailín cliste ceanúil císte.
A clever, affectionate girl bought a cake.
Chuaigh ceannaí cneasta cliste thar chlaí crua chloch.
A smart, kind merchant went over the hard stone wall.
Cearc ag piocadh piobair de phláta Pheadair.
A chicken is picking peppers from Peter’s plate.
Bhí bean bheag bhocht breoite bruite leis an bhfuacht.
The poor little sick women was scaled with the cold.
Italian scioglilingua
Sopra la panca la capra campa, sotto la panca la capra crepa.
On the bench the goat lives, under the bench the goat dies.
Trentatré trentini entrarono a Trento tutti e trentatré trotterellando.
Thirty-three dwellers of Trent came into Trent, all thirty-three trotting and toddling.
Tre tigri contro tre tigri.
Three tigers against three tigers.
Se l’arcivescovo di Costantinopoli si disarcivescoviscostantinopolizzasse, vi disarcivescoviscostantinopolizzereste voi come si è disarcivescoviscostantinopolizzato l’arcivescovo di Costantinopoli?
If the archibishop of Constantinople debishopconstantinoplized himself, would you debishopconstantinoplize yourselves in the same way as the archibishop of Constantinople debishopconstantinoplized?
Polish łamaniec językow
W czasie suszy szosa sucha.
A way is dry when there’s drought.
Król Karol kupił Królowej Karolinie korale koloru koralowego.
King Karl bought Queen Caroline coral-colored bead.
Stół z powyłamywanymi nogami.
A table with broken legs.
We szwy płaszcza się zaszywszy w szyku marsza trzy wszy weszły.
Hiding in seams of a coat, three lice entered in a marching formation
Portuguese travalínguas
Sabia que o sabiá sabia assobiar?
Did you know that the thrush could whistle?
O rato roeu a roupa do rei de Roma.
The rat nibbled the King of Rome’s clothes.
O rato roeu a rolha da garrafa de rum do rei da Rússia.
The rat nibbled the cork of the bottle of rum of the king of Russia.
Um prato de trigo para três tigres.
One dish of wheat to three tigers
Spanish trabalenguas
El perro de San Roque no tiene rabo porque Ramón Rodríguez se lo ha robado.
Saint Roque’s dog has no tail because Ramón Rodríguez has stolen it.
El cielo está enladrillado. ¿Quién lo desenladrillará?
El desenladrillador que lo desenladrille, ¡buen desenladrillador será!
The sky is full of bricks. Who will put them out now?
The “unbricker” who could put them out, will be such a good “unbricker”!
Tres tristes tigres tragaban trigo en tres tristes trastos en un trigal
Three sad tigers were eating wheat in three sad (lousy) dishes in a wheat field.
Pablito clavó un clavito, un clavito clavó pablito.
Little Paul nailed a little nail, a little nail Little Paul nailed
Swedish tungvrickare
Sex laxar i en laxask.
Six salmon in a salmon-box.
Packa pappas kappsäck.
Pack daddy’s suitcase.
Sju sjösjuka sjömän sköttes av sju sköna sjuksköterskor.
Seven seasick sailors were nursed by seven beautiful nurses.
Klockan sju sitter en sjuk katt på skivan och sjunger.
At 7 o’clock a sick cat is sitting on a disc and singing.