Easy Language Learning » Foreign Languages

Learn Spanish fast – find similarities between English and Spanish words

Admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:33:00 +0000

Finding similarities between the Spanish words you are learning and English words in your vocabulary is one of the most effective ways of expanding your knowledge of the new language. When you start learning Spanish, many of the words you come across from lesson one look similar in both languages, or even identical: individual, mineral, hora, presentar, teléfono, momento, electrónico, radio, recomendar, salmón, limón, apartamento and countless more. Those will be easy to learn and to remember, and a great boost to your motivation. In my experience both as a Spanish teacher and as a student of foreign languages, what is even more encouraging is finding less obvious connections between words in both languages. For instance, have you noticed that the Spanish word for ‘beef’ and ‘cow’ (vaca) has the same origin as the English word ‘vaccine’?; or are you aware of how many English words share their origin with the Spanish numbers: unity (uno), duo (dos), trio (tres), quartet (cuatro), sexagenarian (seis), September (seven), octopus (ocho), November (nueve), December (diez)?Once you have seen those similarities, you are more likely to remember the new Spanish words without effort because your brain works by making associations. If you have ever tried to learn lists of Spanish words without context or associations you will know what a hopeless endeavor that is. That is why I always teach Spanish vocabulary to my students by connecting the new words to other words they already know. Even if you have only just started learning Spanish, making those connections will be one of your greatest allies. They will save you precious time and energy, and will transform the learning process into a game and an enjoyable challenge. The problem, however, is that if you are a beginner, or even if you have already reached an intermediate level, finding similarities between English and Spanish words might not always be easy. A good Spanish language course, however, should point at those similarities, as well as guide you through the most efficient vocabulary learning techniques. To show you how much faster you can learn new Spanish words by associating them to other words you are familiar with, here are twenty-five everyday Spanish words. In brackets I have given you the English translation and on the right is the English word of the same origin as the Spanish:lavadora (washing machine) – lavatorymicroondas (microwave) – undulatecongelador (freezer) – to congealbebida (drink) – beveragecaña (small beer) – canecopa (glass) – cupmanta (blanket) – mantlevino (wine) – vineyardtinto (red [wine]) – tinctureterraza (balcony) – terracemarisco (shellfish) – marinaquerer (to want) – to querycarne (meat) – carnivoreprimero (first) premiercasa (house) – casinotener (to have) – tenantantes (before) – antenatalequipaje (luggage) – to equiphabitación (room) – cohabitationlavaplatos (dishwasher) – lavatory, platemandar (to order) – mandateordenador (computer) – orderencantado (delighted) – enchantedlibre (vacant) – libertycarta (menu) – cartographyCan you connect other Spanish words you know to English words of the same origin? What about ‘pasillo’, ‘fumador’, ‘último’, ‘pescado’, ‘suavizante’, ‘sombrilla’?

lnague vaca

You Can Speak your Customer’s Language and Win Business If you Wish

Admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:32:49 +0000

Research by the Regional Language Networks shows that 1 in 5 UK companies believe they have lost business as a result of language or cultural barriers. This is because more than 60% of our trade is with countries where over 82% of the population do not speak English as a mother tongue. In the light of this it’s surprising that language skills are given such a low priority. In fact most UK companies do not offer their employees the chance to learn languages. And there is strong evidence to suggest that they should.
A survey recently published by the British Chambers of Commerce showed a direct correlation between the value a company places on language skills and its annual turnover. Companies that were successful internationally were those that encouraged staff with language skills either through recruitment or training. So it seems that some of the best UK companies are using language skills successfully to win business.
So why are languages not taken seriously by more British companies? Perhaps it is because it requires you to be “in the know” like the large, sophisticated international firms. It may be that languages are deemed a bit “intellectual” and we don’t like too much cleverness. Talking football is more our cup of tea!
But the biggest problem we have with our attitude to foreign languages is really a historical hangover from The Empire when we taught the world to speak English and play cricket! We made life easy for ourselves. Now it’s a big culture shock to have to make our way in this big new global market full of other languages.
It is certainly not a problem of aptitude. In fact English speakers have a huge advantage. English contains 30-40% of the words in French, German, Spanish and Italian. Banish forever the idea that we have some inherent inability to learn languages. This is a myth. We can do it as well as other nations if we choose. Besides, many British diplomats, officers and business people have been excellent linguists.
If you really want to learn a language then you can. As a grown up your experience should be much nicer than it was at school. Now, with maturity on your side, you have the capacity to achieve far more. Motivated adults, taught by modern “communicative” techniques, can do very well. Using a professional training provider who knows what they are doing will also help. You may just find that it works and it’s fun!
Remember that language learning is a long-term commitment. Although benefits will be achieved as you progress with your training, language learning is an ongoing process and training is just the beginning. In order to become really proficient in a foreign language you need to get out there and use it.
To reach higher levels of language competence you will need to spend plenty of time living and working entirely in the target language. That’s why people talk about “sink or swim”. Learning to speak a foreign language is very much like swimming one day you will be able to do it without any armbands!
We all know in our heart of hearts that shouting loudly in English is not the right way to conduct our international business. On the other hand learning your customer’s language is widely recognised to be very good business practice and many companies are already reaping the benefits in their overseas trade.
It’s a fact: languages are good for your business! And, although you hadn’t realised it, as an English native you are already a budding linguist, at least as far as European languages are concerned. And Europe is where we do the most business. So, why not try language learning – you may surprise yourself!

3 Tips For Learning A Foreign Language At Home

Admin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:35:08 +0000

Did you study a foreign language in school? Spanish, French, Italian? Did you enjoy yourself? Or was it an experience that you’d rather forget?
You have to answer these last two questions honestly because they reveal a lot about how you will do the second time around.
There are many people who can’t learn a foreign language in a classroom. I was one of them. I studied French in high school, dropped it in college and then decided to study Spanish once I graduated. No formal teaching, no homework assignments, no calls home for bad grades.
Now I’m a Spanish teacher, married to a Spaniard and raising our children bilingually. And it all happened outside the class.
If you’re one of these people and have no desire to return to the classroom, then you have to make the most of your studies on your own.
It’s not easy at first. Studying a foreign language requires discipline and an awareness of important tips and tricks that can reduce the frustration and disappointment.
Here are three that are at the top of my list:
1) Understand how to learn – This may seem like a simple point but it’s worth its wait in gold. Understand that things take time. Patience is probably more valuable than your conjugations.
Too many people quit studying foreign languages after becoming discouraged with their progress. If you feel that you should progress everyday, you’re mistaken. If you feel you should make great strides each week, you’re mistaken.
You will learn slowly but surely at first and then there will come a point when you’re learning will accelerate. No one knows when. Just be patient and know that good things are happening in the depths of your brain.
2) A little studying each day is better than a lot of studying for a few days. – This is self-explanatory. You are much better off putting in 5 minutes a day when you really don’t feel like it than waiting a week and then studying for 2 hours.
The 5 minutes everyday can be anything you like. You could listen to a song in the foreign language, read the comics in the language, learn curse words in the language. As long as you’re connecting with the language in some way, you will benefit.
3) Find many ways to study. – By this I mean, listening one day, reading another, and so on. The trick to studying a foreign language on your own is to have many ways to both learn and entertain yourself. This way, you’ll always have at least one thing you can do each day to keep your momentum going.
If you know your learning style then do the majority of your learning using that style. After all, it’s the one that comes naturally to you.
In closing, knowing how to study a foreign language on your own is the most difficult part of the adventure. Discipline and desire are needed throughout. If you think you have what it takes, get to it. I did and I’m as fluent as can be. And loving it!

Want to Learn Spanish, Learn it Online

Admin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:34:16 +0000

Spanish is one of the demanding languages in the world and it is also most commonly spoken by quite a large number of people. Learning Spanish is very easy because the Spanish language is somehow influenced quite a number of other languages all over the world. It is one of the easiest foreign languages to pick up. There are certainly many reasons why people want to learn Spanish language. Perhaps there is an opportunity for career advancement. Some people think that without extensive classroom hours it is difficult to master a second language, yet many people have reported that they were very successful.
Regardless of what motivation is for learning Spanish, it has been proven to be very convenient and easy to learn online. There are many different courses to choose from in the online tutors. Spend some time reviewing the various websites that offer these courses and search out sites that allow people to give honest review about them. One of the advantages of learning Spanish online is that you can organize your schedule in your own way. Online tutoring is more effectual and productive way of learning Spanish.
The Internet has simplified many things in the life of the modern human being and many things are affordable and achievable today because of it. One such advantage is about how to learn Spanish online. Usually, students consider private tutors or different language institutes for learning Spanish, but their fees are very high and you can organize your classes according to your time schedule. Online tutoring is cost effective and you don’t have learn according to their time schedule, you can organize your own time schedule. Online tutoring has emerged as an effective, beneficial and convenient way to get effective academic support. Surely, learning Spanish online is the finest and an exciting way to master one of the most favored languages i. e. Spanish.
Eduwizards is one of the leading online tutoring service providers offering online tutoring lessons in Spanish through highly qualified and experienced Spanish tutor.

Language Lesson Plans – Improve Your Foreign Language Skills to Native Level

Admin — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 14:34:39 +0000

If you are learning a foreign language, language lesson plans are necessary to keep you on the fast track to your success. The good language lesson plans should not be 1) Complicated; 2) Time consuming; 3) Needing a lot of work. A good plan should be 1) Easy to carry out; 2) Based on reasoning that convinces the learner; 3) Having quick and long-lasting effect. Being able to speak a new language feels good. This is one of the reasons that people are keen to learn foreign languages. But a second thought of learning a large scale of vocabulary that consists of strange new words and pronunciations tends to scare people away. “It is just not for me. ” I have heard many people say that after they have learned a second language for a short period of time. Languages are made for human beings. Everybody with health listening and speaking ability is using their native languages freely all over the world. If you can speak your own language, you can be enabled to learn another tongue. If you are not experiencing success in language learning, I can tell you that the problem is not about the one who learns it. It has everything to do the lesson plans. Just think about the process that a baby learns his/her first language. There are no reasons that we as adults cannot learn foreign languages like that. Language learning is just a natural accumulating process. It is not required to work hard on separate words and sentences, neither to acquire listening and reading individually. So what you are supposed to do is just to search for the right language lesson plans.

Learn Spanish To Enhance Your Vacation Experience

Admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:34:24 +0000

If you are wondering why people are rushing to learn Spanish these days, it might be hard to pinpoint one particular reason. If you are an American, your reason for learning Spanish may be far different than a European who has decided it’s time to learn the language. So, why is learning Spanish important to so many people? Let us give you some facts first: * Spanish has become the second language of the United States * The Spanish language is gaining importance as a second or third language in many European countries * There are over 400 million Spanish speakers around the globe, only exceeded by those groups speaking English, Chinese, and Hindustani. * Spanish is the fourth most popular language in the world and the native, or official, language on four different continents. So, enough for the geography lesson. So why should you make the time and investment to learn Spanish? Let me tell you some of the more popular reasons why people like you and me want to learn Spanish: It’s Very Easy to Learn The Spanish language is truly one of the easiest foreign languages to learn. Much of the Spanish vocabulary is similar to English. Better yet, written Spanish is almost completely phonetic. Even a complete beginner can look at almost any Spanish word and tell how it should be pronounced. Of course, there are a few differences in the grammar and verb structure, but the basic grammar is relatively straightforward enough to allow you to carry on a meaningful conversation after just a few lessons. Learning Spanish is Fun If you like to take on a basic challenge, then learning to talk, read, and speak Spanish is your cup of tea. As far as difficulty, learning the Spanish language is quite basic and you can really have some fun in the process. The enjoyment involved in mastering a second language and being able to speak with native speakers can be extremely rewarding. The thrill of having a second language also opens up a whole new world, and different cultures, to you. Enhance Your Travel and Vacation Experiences Knowing how to speak Spanish expands your options when you scour the globe for a new vacation experience. Countries that you have avoided in the past due to the language barrier now become prime targets for your new travels. There is nothing worse than traveling to a new country when you cannot communicate with the local population. Imagine being able to converse with people in most Central and South American countries (and many European countries) in their native language. Whether you just learn a few common Spanish phrases or learn Spanish vocabulary and pronunciation like a native speaker, you will find that it can really open new doors to you while increasing your fun and excitement in a new land. Improve Your Job Skills It’s amazing how many new jobs are now requiring candidates to possess multilingual skills in order to meet the qualifications of the position. For instance, certain regions in the United States have a significant Hispanic population and influence. Employment candidates with Spanish as a second language are highly sought after in these areas and are paying a premium to attract them. Being able to speak Spanish is also a big resume booster and can lead to a better paying job, regardless of your area of employment. Hopefully we have provided a reasonable answer as to the question posed earlier; “why is learning Spanish important for so many people?” We have touched on the more common reasons given by many Spanish students for wanting to learn this wonderful language, but not a comprehensive list for sure. Of course, each person has their own motivation for taking Spanish lessons. But regardless of your motivation for wanting to speak Spanish, the experience can be fun and rewarding and leave you with a new skill that you can use for a lifetime.

The Language School

Admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:33:20 +0000

There are thousands of various languages that are to be found all over the globe; every language is likely to come along with its own culture and refinement and the person who is interested in learning it may use the online schools that have been developed to meet these types of demands. There are online courses for almost every language that is widely used in the whole world. Learning a new language can become quite challenging and rewarding if you are attending the classes of an online language school.

For instance, if you are a businessman who is looking forwards in order to develop his businesses abroad, you will have to deal with the language barriers that may come across your way. You may use the online schools in order to learn the languages that are likely to be the most used ones when traveling abroad. You will have to prepare yourself for the language barriers to come and the language school may become the wisest choice you have ever made in order to enhance your business opportunities.

Online courses may be very helpful because they are especially designed in order to meet the busy people’s needs and demands. Their structure is a simplified one that is easy to learn especially if you do not have too much time at your disposal. Business communication has faced new challenges in the past years and English seems to become the rule in the business communication. But you will also have to be prepared to handle different cultures and backgrounds and the language school can help you do it because the online courses are not likely to be focused only on the language matters.

On the contrary, they may come along with a wide variety of information that can be very helpful when it comes to understanding foreign people and their native cultures. The business partnerships can also be enhanced in case that you learn the foreign languages that are the most used one in the business environment; common ground can thus be found because learning a foreign language can come along with new opportunities to communicate and understand different foreign matters that are related to the business world you are dealing with.

You must avoid struggling with foreign words especially if you are not likely to trust the hired translator; therefore, the online schools are to be taken into account in order to learn the necessary foreign languages. Actually, it is quite crucial for every public relationship to conduct all its businesses in a familiar language; if you are keen on proposing your own plans or ideas, you will have to attend the online classes in order to find everything about a particular language and its specific terms in order to learn how to use them in the proper manner.

If you are looking forwards in order to propose your business ideas on different grounds and not on your home ground, you may try to become familiar with some of the international languages in order not to embarrass yourself while in front of your interlocutors. But if you do not manage to attend the online courses, you can also hire a professional translator in order to show your true respect to the people who are watching you during the business meeting.

By hiring a professional translator or leaning a foreign language, you can make your audience feel comfortable with the language you speak and this is highly important in order to be able to capture their attention. Having a linguistic and cultural background is very important. The language school and its online courses can assure this background. You will have to take your time and study all the available options in order to choose the one that is proper for you.

The online schools have been developed in order to meet all the demands that are coming from very busy people; therefore, if you are a busy businessman, you may consider attending the online courses in order to learn a language that can enhance all your future business opportunities. You will be able to impress your future audience by speaking in their own language and making them feel comfortable when listening to your business ideas and proposals. Online learning is to be regarded as the wisest alternative especially if you are looking to expand your business area; you will be provided with all the information you might need without having to leave your home in order to attend real classes.

Top Foreign Languages To Learn

Admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:33:12 +0000

“What are the top foreign languages to learn?” is probably the most frequent question I get asked by people who just start to learn a foreign language. The assumption behind this question is usually that learning any language is an endlessly tiring task. For many, it’s a lot like asking “Which mountain should I climb first? The Everest or the Kilimanjaro?” But what if I told you that you can master any language you set out to learn within 6 to 12 months? Would the choice of languages still be a problem? You may be working on one or even several languages already, then it’s good that you know which languages you want to master. But if you don’t, you might be tempted to ask questions like “which are the top foreign languages to learn”, and “which language is the most useful?”, “which one should I start off learning?” Some people may tell you that “the answer to your question “depends on the goal you want to achieve”, but something tells me that it’s not the answer you’d like to hear. If you have ever asked one of those questions, I suppose you don’t feel strongly towards a particular language and just want to hear some general language learning tips, or maybe you just want to pick up a foreign language as quickly as you can. But what if I tell you that the differences among all those “candidate languages” are almost negligible once you apply the right techniques? What if learning one foreign language is just as easy as learning another one? Which language would you choose to learn then? The fact is, you should never listen to anyone who’s had a good or bad experience with a particular foreign language. Just because someone had a horrible time with Chinese doesn’t mean you will too. Everyone will feel differently about a specific foreign language according to his or her own education, background and social experience. By the way, did you know that Chinese is one of the simplest languages in terms of complexity? The very reason that many people find Chinese such a demoralizing language is that Chinese is dramatically different from all alphabet-based languages. Asking a European to switch to a tonal language all at once is just as demanding as asking you to write with your right foot. However, the same issue is not an issue at all for a new-born baby. Teaching a baby to speak a tonal language with much fewer grammar rules (Yes, day-to-day Chinese has much fewer grammar rules) could actually be more manageable than teaching the same baby a European language with a huge vocabulary and stringent grammar rules such as German. With all that said, the top foreign languages to learn are: Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Arabic, Russian Those include the official languages of the United Nations. Since you are already reading this article, I presume that your English is well beyond “basic”, which is why English is not included here. How about German, which is not an official language of UN? Let’s see. . . 25% of the European population speak it and it’s the second most popular internet language in the world. The reason German is not listed as a UN Official language is highly political. It should, in fact, be one of the top foreign languages to learn.

Learn a New Language by Immerging Into a New Culture

Admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:34:01 +0000

I was challenged to learn a new language for the first time in school. As our education system requires, every student should learn two foreign languages. Depending on the school, the students were learning English and French (as mine did) some of them English and German, and some of them English and Italian. I loved English (can’t say the same about French)!!! I tried hard to learn it. Believe me, this was a challenge in a class with 30 students and only one teacher! I learned mostly from books, reading and writing… and surprise, when the moment came to talk in English, I couldn’t find my words!!! Did you have the same problem? I know many friends who had the same experience. Some of them learned English with a dictionary and phrase books, and some of them joined English classes. Few of them became fluent in the new language fast, but most of us… we were trying and trying really hard. After many years, moving to India, I was forced to learn Hindi. A difficult language!!! Different sounds, different script, and once again learning from books did not work. I’ve tried for some time, and reached a beginner level. I was able to survive, but I wasn’t content because of the inability to share my deep feelings and experiences with my Indian friends. Miscommunication due to the lack of language knowledge made life really difficult sometimes. In that moment I learnt about OnSite Language Services, an immersion language learning program which helps English/Spanish speaking people to learn Hindi/Urdu and other Indian languages. Its motto is “Immerse to Converse”, because they believe that immersion is the best way to learn a new language. The principles of OSLS are natural, and yet I haven’t thought about them! Let’s learn as children do! What does it mean? Children learn through their everyday experience not through lessons; they acquire language which they need to use; they speak before they write and read. Through OSLS you become a child again; you learn to listen to the new language and to speak before you read or write. This does not mean that writing or reading is neglected, but the program concentrates on speaking. Being a community based language learning program, the students learn the new language mostly out in the community with natives or in private sessions with a language helper. This makes the relationships easy to build and learning culture a natural process. Of course, learning requires sweat, frustration and… humility: to recognize that you don’t know everything, to accept that people will laugh at you and to persist in having embarrassing language contacts. So, what did I learn from my language learning experience? I learned… how to learn! I learned that immersion language learning is the most efficient method to learn a new language… as long as you work hard!!!

Teaching Your Child A Foreign Language

Admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:38:30 +0000

You would be amazed of how many children and youngsters speak one or two foreign languages fluently, especially those leaving in a non-English country. English is obviously extremely easy to learn, since children have contact with it all the time, through media, video games, the Internet, toys and so forth. However, a child can easily learn a secondary foreign language, or if his mother tongue is English, a main foreign language. It has been proven that we have the best assimilative skills during our young years and it’s then that we should try to build up on learning a foreign language.
Obviously, if you’re reading this you’ve probably passed that “perfect language learning age”, but if you have children of your own, it might be a good idea to give them the chance to start up on a foreign language while they are still at their learning best. It’s important to know that with each passing year, his ability to assimilate information naturally gradually decreases, because he starts gathering up on day-by-day information which fills up the free spots so to speak. It has been argued that the best period to introduce a foreign language to a child is in his first year of life. Bilingual families (where parents have different nationalities, or when both parents are of the same nationality but live abroad their home country) use this technique reflexively, since the child “picks up” on both languages at the same time.
At around age 2, your child enters the “vocabulary explosion” period. During this period that lasts around 1 year, he gathers new words like a vacuum cleaner. Obviously, the main vocabulary will be of his first language, but if you allow him to play with some toys that use a foreign language, especially toys that use images correlated to words (flashcards for example) will also give him a heads up on this new language, even though he might not distinctively know which is which at first. It’s important that he uses these words, he memorizes them and he’s familiar with them. This will be extremely useful later on when he’ll start the actual study of the foreign language you’re trying to teach.
At kindergarten age, your kid will already be fluently speaking his mother tongue (maybe the languages of both parents in a bilingual home) so some parents choose to find him a specific kindergarten that focuses on a foreign language. You’ll undoubtedly find kindergartens that teach in Spanish, French, German or English (for non-English parents of course) for natives of these languages or simply for parents that want to teach these languages to their children from a young age. If possible, try making sure that the teacher/s of these kindergartens are native speakers or are well-versed in that particular language, or your kid might end up learning it with the teacher’s grammatical flaws, pronunciation mistakes, chaotic accents and so forth.