Am Michael

(Ill update this as I post more, but here is a master post of tons of links to language resources to help you study a language from my site (Plurilingualism) so far! 💜)

Before you start:

- A guide to making S.M.A.R.T goals (and why goals are so important!)

- A complete guide to self-studying a language

Resources and tips:

- Website resources page (with links to tons of resources for general language learning)

- 5 must-visit sites for language learners

- Master list of language challenges (vocab, reading, journaling, etc)

- 10 unique resources (I'll bet you haven't heard of even 3!)

- Where to find good foreign language books (+ links to several recommendations)

- Master list of YouTube channels in 50+ languages (With almost 500 links!!)

- All about the animedoro study method (my favorite way to study anything, but especially a language)

- All about Memrise (a great app and website)

- All about Busuu (one of my all time favorite resources)

- All about italki (a must-have resource for any language learner!)

- How to perfect your pronunciation (+ links to guides in several languages)

- How to actively and passively learn a language via TV and movies

- The best 15 apps to learn a language with (+ links to full reviews for each)

- Why reading in your target language is SO beneficial (+ 3 reading strategies)

+

If you are studying Korean:

- 10 amazing Korean resources (with descriptions)

- Korean resource master post (with almost 200 links)

If you are studying German:

- German resource master post (with almost 200 links too)

If you are studying Spanish

- Spanish resource master post (with almost (you guessed it) 200 links!)

- Learn Spanish with 15 songs

If you are studying Japanese

I know this expression in Portuguese, but I have no idea why it specifically calls out people from Braga.

- le ciel | the sky

- nuageux | cloudy

- pluvieux | rainy

- ensoleillé | sunny

- orageux | stormy

- humide | humid

- couvert | overcast

- les prévisions météo | the weather forecast

- la neige | snow

- il fait beau | it’s nice weather

- il fait froid | it’s cold

- il fait chaud | it’s hot

- grêle | hail

- givre | frost

- brouillard | fog

- arc-en-ciel | a rainbow

- foudre | lightning

- tonnerre | thunder

- clair | clear (e.g clear skies)

- canicule | heat wave

- déluge | downpour

- une averse | a rain shower

- un degré | a degree

- la température | the temperature

- quel temps fait-il? | how’s the weather?

- le temps s’améliore | the weather’s improving

- le temps se dégrade | the weather’s getting worse :(

- la météo prévoit… | the weather forecast is predicting…

⁎⁺˳✧༚ form a book club!

this is a great way to improve in all areas of language learning (reading, writing, speaking, listening) and make it fun and social! if you have a few friends also learning the same language as you, why not try to read a book in your target language every month? you can get together to discuss your favourite parts, what you did and didn’t like, and even write a review at the end! this works well both irl and virtually (discord would be a great platform for this <3)

⁎⁺˳✧༚ listen to music!

finding some good songs in your target lang can be really helpful! singing along in the car improves your pronunciation, you can note down new vocab as you encounter it, you could give translating the lyrics a go and learn new idioms/metaphors or you could just sit back and enjoy being immersed in the language you’re learning ! i found this one super fun and relatively low effort so maybe give it a chance :D

⁎⁺˳✧༚ speak!

this sounds basic af but i promise there’s actual insight here. speaking whenever possible means you apply all new grammar and vocab you’ve learnt to real life situations! you can chat to your friends, to your pets, record voice memos with shopping lists/notes/observations/diary entries, converse online, read passages of books aloud in your target lang, talk to siri in ur target lang, sing whilst you do mundane chores etc. speak every opportunity you get, because it really does improve your fluency!!

⁎⁺˳✧༚ change your phone settings!

when I first did this, it was definitely scary but ultimately really useful. it forces you to interact with the language daily, and even if you don’t understand everything at first, context and previous knowledge helps you to piece things together. also, your phone has a lot of high-frequency words that are insanely useful in everyday life!

⁎⁺˳✧༚ keep a diary!

this helps you improve fluency and express yourself better, highlights gaps in your vocab, means you learn all your most used words in your target language, helps you to learn how to apply grammar rules and form sentences that sound natural and gives you a record of all the progress you’ve made! you can look back at how far you’ve come which is honestly one of the most rewarding experiences :D

⁎⁺˳✧༚ don’t give up!!

when you’re a beginner, everything feels new and exciting and you feel super smart because you’re learning so many new words! however, as you improve, you’ll realise just how much you don’t know (“i can carry a conversation, sure, but what if i wanted to talk about something specific, like philosophy or biology? there’s just so much i still have to learn!”) don’t let this discourage you! it’s a sign you’re improving :) just try to interact with the language often and keep up the good work <3

Norwegian: due (pigeon), drue (grape)

Danish: due (pigeon), drue (grape)

Swedish: duva (pigeon), druva (grape)

Dutch: duif (pigeon), druif (grape)

Afrikaans: duif (pigeon), druif (grape)

Frisian: duif (pigeon), druif (grape)

German: Taube (pigeon), Traube (grape)

One perhaps overlooked way to assist vulnerable and disadvantaged people is to volunteer as a translator or interpreter. Many people around the world need help but cannot speak English such as many refugees and asylum seekers. Many people need access to key information in their own languages. If you can speak another language, you can help not-for-profit organisations overcome these barriers.

You do not have to be a professional translator to make a difference. Anybody can register on one of these platforms and commit to the extent that they can.

Tarjimly

This is one of my favourite apps. It is essentially a global army of volunteer translators who can be connected as translators and interpreters with those who need help. You can download the app immediately, take the introductory training courses (which ensure that you understand priorities such as ethics) and wait to receive an offer to help.

Translators Without Borders

This is a network of volunteer translators and probably the most famous one. You register, fill in your profile and expertise (you do not need to be an expert but verified and accredited translators will receive offers on a preferential basis) and contribute toward vital humanitarian action.

Respond Crisis Translation

This is a group of volunteer translators and interpreters committed to delivering “compassionate, effective and trauma-informed m” services for refugees, migrants and other people who need help.

Charity Translators

This is a community of translators providing much needed assistance to the charity and aid sector on a voluntary basis.

PerMondo

This initiative allows anyone to use their multilingualism to help various non-profit organisations.

Translations for Progress

In his native Italy, garden designer Luciano Giubbilei has created a verdant oasis that grows under the Tuscan sun.

Monserrate Palace, Sintra, Portugal

Kohtalotoveri - companion/comrade in fate

“He convinced few people” Negative connotation; he did not convince that many people.

“He convinced a few people” Neutral to positive connotation; he did manage to convince some people.

“They found a little food” “Neutral to positive connotation; it might not be a lot, but they did manage to find some food.

In the 90s there was this finnish sketch show Kummeli, that once had a gag about a man going into a café and buying a small coffee and a little pastry, which cost 8 finnish marks (about 1,30 euros or 1,60 USD). The man pays with a 1000-mark bill (166 euros, 204 USD) and gets two marks back. During this whole exchange, really sad violin music is playing on the background for no reason.

 The man who bought his coffee is astonished and says “that was a 1000 mark bill” in a progressively more confused and pleading voice as the cashier responds with the most blank, dead-eyed look you have ever seen on a human face.

Eventually, the man drinks his coffee, accepts his fate and leaves, still repeating “that was a 1000 mark bill.” The whole video is 1,40 minutes long and it’s so unsettling and full of truly neutral energy that your mammalian brain fucking short-circuits and goes for laughter.

There is no explanation to the gag. There is no gag. There is no reason why it’s even funny. If it weren’t for the fact that we know who made it and for what purpose, it could easily be the subject of a creepypasta about a video that makes people go insane. And I’ve had to live my whole life with the awareness of the existence of this video so now you have to.

Music is an excellent way to learn vocabulary, especially if you listen often!

Benefits of Learning From Music

It's free

You reinforce new vocabulary you learn without flashcards

It more often than not is less effort than learning from tv/movies/textbooks

It's fun!

Potential Problems

Just like songs in English, grammar isn't always correct

Vocabulary can be obscure

Pronunciation isn't always the same as in spoken language

My Method

Find music you like (this is important so you'll want to listen to the song many times, even when you're not studying it!)

Listen without looking up lyrics to see what you understand

Listen again, this time reading along with the lyrics. Make note of what you understand now that you have the lyrics handy!

Listen again without lyrics Try to hear what you missed the first time but recognized from reading the lyrics.

Next, paste the lyrics into a document/ print them out/ handwrite them on paper

Highlight vocabulary and phrases you don't understand, and look them up and add the translations to your document

Highlight grammar you don't understand and look it up

If necessary, compare your translations to the translation in your native language (only do this for general understanding of the song, most translations aren't direct)

The last step is to review often! Listen to the song(s) all the time until you understand completely and can sing along!

Extra Credit

This step isn't necessary, but I like to find example sentences for the new vocabulary and add them to my flashcards

If you want to practice translation, go ahead and translate the entire song!