Language learning is not something that I find easy. My message always sounds great in my head but then the words just seem to trip over themselves on their way out. Before we left Australia, we were often asked if any of us spoke German. Nup, not a word. The plan was always to learn through immersion.
Today was the start of our two-week intensive German course.
I think it is incredible important and respectful to try to learn the native language of a country you are living in. We plan to be here until the new year so "Entschuldigung. Ich weiß nicht Deutsch sprechen," just won't cut it for the next 4 or so months.
Our bit of homework for this evening was to learn 10 new words, this way, by the end of next week we should all have 100 new words. This is something that I think might need to become a bit of a 30 day challenge so that I could actually have at least a 300 word vocabulary.
I have such admiration for multi-linguists. To understand the different grammar and letter sounds of other languages is an amazing life skill.
I'm off to go over my notes and choose my 10 words to learn.
Take care
When I was a teenager I went to Chile on a student exchange for 12 months and did not know more than a few words when I arrived. I would suggest that you get some post it notes and label everything in your apartment with it's name in german. Then put a list of words of phrases you are trying to learn on the toilet wall, beside your bed, on the kitchen table where you have breakfast and in your handbag. Basically anywhere you can see them when you will have a few mins to spare. and learn hot to say "How do you say...".
ReplyDeleteAfter 3 months I could get by pretty well and after 6 months I was pretty fluent. And at some stage you will strat dreaming in the other language and that is very weird. Have fun.
Hast du gut geschlafen? Now the spelling could be hideous, but that's all I seemed to have retained in my head after living in Germany for 3 months.
ReplyDeleteHave you had a good sleep?....Never know when that one might be handy :-)
Fiona, I will get some Post It notes up and around the apartment. That is a great idea. The lessons are coming along well, very slowly though. I am hoping that soon a few things will click and I will understand some more. It is tricky getting used to feminine, masculine and neutral.
ReplyDeleteCHFG, ja danke. I have slept well. : )
It will be interesting to see how much of this course information stays ion my head. At the moment it is all just swimming around in there and not really meaning a great deal.
Wie geht's? Ich kann auch Deutsch sprechen. Ich war Austauchschuelerin en 1991 en einer kleiner Stadt im Bayern. Deutschland ist fantasticher x
ReplyDeleteExcuse grammar and spelling. It has been awhile!
MultipleMum, your Deutsch is sooooo much better than mine. Who would have thought that after 7 lessons that I'm still not fluent!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like quite a tricky language but as longs I can get by day to day all is good (gut).