Polyglot Path

La Polcevita: German trash TV commentary. Perfect if you'd like to watch German trash TV but without paying or actually watching each episode full-length!

Annikazion: another German trash TV commentator. She has a specific focus on the queer show "Princess Charming".

STRG_F: journalistic mini documentaries about varying topics such as political scandals, the ne0 n4zi scene, etc.

Marvyn Magnificent: makeup related videos, lifestyle, fashion

Oskar Artem: makeup, casual stuff with friends

Joana June: book content, lifestyle, chill vlogs

Julien Bam: high quality storytelling shortfilm (?) video series - or at least that's my attempt at describing his content. It's really incredible what wonderful stuff him and his crew have been putting out for the last years. As I said, it's hard to explain so I recommend you just look into it yourself!

Jucktmichnicht: second channel of Julien Bam where he posts insights into the production of the main channel videos, stuff with friends, reactions, gameplay

Jasmin Gnu: updates and insights on/in her fitness journey, challenges with friends, honest talks on the beauty industry, social criticism. I really admire her for her honesty & will to speak about beauty standards etc. so openly!

Renzo: (tiktok) reactions, challenges/casual stuff with friends, stream highlights

Tonia: Toni and Nia, though now unfortunately inactive, used to make talk videos with friends and guests about varying topics, often things which are usually not so openly discussed. Super fun and interesting to listen to, I highly recommend!

Taddl: a friend of Tonia who does mainly gaming on his channel: He's also a rapper/musician so check that out as well if you want!

Julia Beautx: challenges with friends, also makes music

Coldmirror: I believe this is actually one of the first gen German Youtubers, and has thus been around for as long as I can think. She does animations (often of her own OCs but also of popular characters like Harry Potter & co.), voice acting, and parodies.

Wer stiehlt mir die Show ("Who will steal my show?"): Originally a TV show, however you can also find it uploaded on Youtube! It's in the format of a quiz show where the winning contestant gets to host the next season of the show. Funny, brilliant, show-stopping, never been done before.... doesn't take itself seriously at all, very lovable.

Space frogs: social criticism in the form of commentary, skits and other similar formats

Dagi Bee: lifestyle, vlogs

Anni The Duck: cosplay, anime related content, vlogs, stuff with friends.

100 Happy Days Langblr Challenge

Introducing a new langblr challenge! It can be difficult to focus on the positives in life sometimes (especially at times like this when many of us are overwhelmed by horrors in the news), so this challenge is all about appreciating the things that make you happy in your day-to-day life while also having the opportunity to practice your target language(s).

Here are the details:

Although it’s called 100 Happy Days after the old instagram challenge, you can choose how many days you want to do it for. You can try 7 days, 28 days, 30 days, 60 days and so on. You set your own target (if you want to go for longer than 100 days, you’re welcome to!)

Find something that makes you happy every day. It could be something small (like drinking from your favourite mug) or large (like graduating from college).

Write or speak about it in your target language.

(Optional: take a picture of it to share with everyone.)

Post with the tag #100happydayslangblr (even if you do a different number of days, using the same hashtag will help us find each other).

Make a note if you would like corrections or not so that native speakers/other learners know whether they should give you any.

You’re welcome to stick to one language, but you can mix it up if you want.

You can start any time! There’s no official start or end date for this challenge :) 

Cause in Brazil, there's a big difference between saying "Eu sou preguiçoso" (I am lazy) and "Eu estou com preguiça" (I "have lazy"). The first always indicates a fixed personality trait and is usually taken to be a criticism on one's character, while the second would mean something like "I'm feeling lazy right now," indicating a temporary condition of a lack of motivation, usually implying an underlying cause for it. Also, the second phrase is so common, in fact, that you can answer someone just saying "Preguiça." and they'll assume that's what you mean.

Click here for the masterlist of all my lessons!

Vocabulary

Must-Know People

Must-Know Places

Must-Know Things

Must-Know Verbs

Must-Know Adjectives

Countries

Months, Days of the Week, and More

Clothing (옷)

School (학교)

Autumn (가을)

Autumn (w/Pictures!)

More Questions

House / Apartment (집 / 아파트)

Emotions / Feelings ( 감정)

Animals (동물)

Loan / Konglish Words

Food and Drink (먹을 것과 마실 것)

Parts of the Body (몸)

Counters

Modes of Transportation (교통 수단)

Colors (색깔)

Colors (with Pictures!)

Weather (날씨)

Winter (겨울)

Music & Instruments (음악과 악기)

Baking Gingerbread Cookies

Emergency (비상)

Hygiene & Bathroom (위생 & 화장실)

Indefinite Pronouns

Work / Office (일 / 사무실)

Spring (봄)

Coronavirus Prevention (코로나바이러스 방역)

How to Wash Your Hands (손을 씻기)

Time (시간)

Korean Cuisine (한식)

Summer (여름)

Summer (여름) w/Pictures!

Graduation (졸업)

Identity (독자성)

Korean Text Slang

Similar Words

Makeup w/Pictures! (화장품)

Family (with Pictures!)

Pronouns

How to Say “Still” and “Already” in Korean

Tastes & Textures (맛과 질감)

K-Pop Audition

K-Pop Fandom Terminology

Different Ways to Say “Change”

Hanja Lessons

최

수

악

식

급

동

부 & 불

애

출

퇴

예

음

중

Charts

Present, Past, and Future Tense

Question Words

잘 vs. 못 and Negative Conjugations

Future Tenses

-았/었던 vs. -던 (at end of lesson)

Particles

Some 받침 Rules

Giving Commands

Conjunctions and -아/어/여서 vs. -(으)니까

-(으)면 vs. -다/라면 and Different Ways to Say “And”

How to Say “Or” (at end of lesson)

Telling Time (at end of lesson)

Comparatives and Superlatives

잘하다 & 못하다 vs. 잘 하다 & 못 하다 (at end of lesson)

You know how whenever you learn Korean or Japanese, the first warnings you get are “People don’t speak like they do in Dramas/Anime!!”

Can you think of examples of media in your language that are like this? Things that just wouldn’t be used in normal conversations but make sense in that media? Kind of curious!

I’ve come back to Tumblr after 2 years and it seems like most of the langblrs I knew decided to leave so if you’re a langblr out there and are at least one of the following, please like or reblog so I can follow:

- Studying German

- Studying French

- Studying Korean

- Studying Maori

- Studying Suomi

- Studying Mandarin

anon asked: I see a lot of posts on Tumblr about 이/가 but they just leave me more confused. Can you help? thanks

Sentences to Showcase the Usage of 이/가 and 은/는: [+what are they?]

Please go here for more context on how/when to use them. This post will be kinda long, so I’ll put a TLDR at the top.

TLDR; if the main noun is an agent then use, 은/는 or if the main noun is an experiencer, then use 이/가

Now, what the hell is an agent or an experiencer. A good way to figure this out is to ask yourself, “is the entity doing the action or undergoing the event?” 은/는 are general particles (commonly used for the agent as they are the ones doing or causing the action), whereas 이/가 are particles used to emphasize (commonly used for the experiencer as they are in contact with the event; I will explain more later in the blog). Both are nominative—which is what makes the argument of “subject” and “topic” extremely confusing and meaningless because they don’t accurately identify the noun’s role in the sentence.

I am fortunate enough to have studied thematic roles and syntax in depth during my time in linguistics, however, I understand that a lot of my followers haven’t! So, I will give you a visual:

So again, ask yourself, “who/what is doing/causing the action?” or “who/what is undergoing the event?” Sometimes, it is also easy to look at the verb or adjective and make a judgement there considering it's common** for 이/가 to go with adjectives and common for 은/는 to go with verbs. Another way to think about it: if you need to place emphasis on the agent, then you can use 이/가.

** just because it's common, it does not mean it's a rule (however, it is a good tip)

Below is an example of why the above statement is not a rule.

이다 [to be] is special because it is a copula. A copula is a verb that joins/links the main noun and it's complement. We have many copulas in English (BE, feel, smell, look, become--to name a few). Korean has three: 이다, 아니다, and 되다.

Let’s try to place it in a sentence where both 은/는 and 이/가 occur in contrast:

매일 신발들은 신어야 하는데 오늘은 이 신발이 안 신으면 안 돼요

In the sentence above ^^, the dependent clause [매일 신발들은 신어야 하는데] gives background information for the main clause [오늘은 이 신발이 안 신으면 안 돼요]. “Generally,” the speaker says, “everyday I have to wear shoes, but I must wear these shoes [specifically] today.”

The sentence shows that there is something emphasized about the shoes; “these shoes must undergo being worn by me”. Whatever the reason may be, the speaker intentionally highlighted the shoes in the second clause as the ones that they must wear that day.

Summary so far:

1) If the main noun is doing the action, use 은/는

2) If the main noun is undergoing the action, use 이/가

3) If you want to emphasize the main noun, use 이/가

Hopefully, you’re still following me. Let’s look at other examples:

오늘은 날씨가 좋아요 - today, the weather is good 

그 이어폰은 제 게 아니에요 [게 = 것+이] - Those earphones aren’t mine

새로운 선생님이 여자예요 - the new teacher is a woman

선생님은 한국 분이 아니에요 - the teacher is not Korean

제 이름은 지연이 아니고 희주예요 - My name is Heeju, not Jiyeon

비빔밥 말고 다른 한식이 있어요? - Other than bibimbap, do you have other Korean food?

그 남자는 캐나다에 갈 때 미혼이 아닐 거 같아요 - I don’t think that man will be single if/when he travels to Canada

Here’s the worst part; sometimes, there’s no fkn difference between the meanings. Which also makes it confusing. So, try to stick to the rules in the post linked and the patterns from this post. 

1. Use 이/가 after an object when you’re describing an agent’s feelings or state of mind 

EX. 존은 책을 읽는 게 좋아요; 존은 책이 좋아요 = John likes (reading) books

2. Use 이/가 after the noun that precedes (goes before) a copula

EX. 존은 한국에 온 지 3년이 되었어요 = John has been in Korea for 3 years

3. Adjectives and Intransitive verbs (no object), can take on 이/가 if you want to emphasize the main noun

EX. 내일은 날씨가 바람이 불 거 같아요 = It seems like it’s going to be windy tomorrow

4. Transitive verbs (takes an object), usually use 이/가 for the first noun and 을/를 for the object

EX. 존이 이를 닦는 중이에요 = John is [in the middle] of brushing his teeth

Okay! I really hope this helped! If there’s still any confusion, please don’t hesitate to send me a message to ask for clarification or more examples! 이/가 and 은/는 are honestly some of the hardest for English speakers learning Korean to grasp because we don’t really have particles like this that distinguish nouns in English. Though, with this, I hope you can get better at it!

Happy Learning :) 

Lesson: Speaking & Listening

The language tips that I provide are usually in English/Spanish however, you can still apply your target language in the examples below because my language tips are for everyone and all levels. So, let’s end our introduction and start learning! This exercise focuses on your listening skills and helps you add more vocabulary to your vernacular. Remember to speak in your target language the same way you would speak in your native language which is with a strong, confident pronunciation.

The 4 techniques:

Can you understand people who speak in your target language and can they understand you? If you are having difficulties with your listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills then follow this series to master your target language.

—

Speaking:

Confidence is key when you are learning a language, and I have noticed that many language learners lack confidence, as a result it affects the way they listen and speak with others. To end this, stop being too harsh on your language progress. You are doing an amazing job and it is quite noble that you are learning a language that is not your native language!

If you are verbally speaking with someone then they can totally understand you! Stop asking people if they can understand you. If someone cannot understand what you are saying then they will tell you. In addition, this could be a protection mechanism because of a lack of self-assurance. Do not allow this bad habit to recycle. You can end this cycle by speaking without thinking about the opinions of others.

Are you purposely sounding like a robot or mumbling? If you are speaking in this way then you look silly. You are attracting more energy towards your cringe speech compared to speaking regular.

Are you actually practicing your speaking skills? There are many people who are upset about their listening and speaking skills but they are not physically working on those skills. Have conversations with people in your native and target language.

If you have a limited vocabulary list then that is okay. You can still practice your speaking skills by reading out loud. If you do not know how to pronounce certain words correctly then learn the alphabet, accent marks, and diphthongs.

If your language partner is selfish and doesn’t allow you to practice your target language or correct your mistakes then find a new language partner, have a conversation with them to declare a common ground, or keep them as a friend and not a language partner. You are in charge of your life and you need to take charge of what is beneficial for you.

—

Listening:

Listen to people speak in your target language by either viewing movies, YouTube videos, television shows, commercials, and podcasts. The reason why I said “people” instead of “natives” is due to the individuals who speak your target language without being a native. Those individuals share a plethora of useful information, so give them a chance instead of judging their progression.

You need to practice your listening skills every day or at least a few times out of the week. If you are busy then change your phone’s language to your target language and create flash cards. You must practice your listening skills often in order to prevent listening difficulties.

The overthinking bug that rests in your head can influence you to translate a sentence in your target language word by word. In your native language, you do not do this.

Watch children shows and cartoons. Those shows and YouTube clips will allow you to listen to people speak slower and clearer unlike natives who are representing an older audience.

—

Check Out These Posts!

Language Learning Master List

How to Manifest

I totally get it, I used to have the exact same problem! My best recommendation is to practice speaking as much as you can; only then will having conversations feel more natural. I know this can be difficult if you aren't surrounded by native speakers, but if you are, do what you can to practice with them! Apps like Hilokal and Tandem also offer opportunities to practice speaking with others in your target language, so check those out too!

It seems like you just struggle with speaking, but if listening comprehension contributes to this, I would recommend practicing that too. K-dramas and YouTube videos made by Korean creators are quite helpful in my opinion. Any content where people are speaking natural, everyday Korean is best! (I feel like YouTube vids fit these criteria more than K-dramas do, but both are helpful.)

Something else that can hurt your speaking is nerves, which I totally get! When I first started taking my Korean class at my school, I was pretty nervous and found it hard to force myself to speak or find the right words. But as time went on, I felt more comfortable and my speaking improved a lot. Of course, I practiced, but the fact that I feel more comfortable makes everything feel easier. So I would also recommend that you don't stress so much! It can be especially daunting when you're talking to native speakers online or in person, but know that they're most likely not judging you! Every time I've spoken to a native speaker they've actually been quite impressed, even when I felt like I was messing up. Again, with practice, you'll feel more comfortable speaking and less worried about messing up.

(If you want to sound like a girl in her 20s)

Shadowing is one of my favorite methods to learn languages. It has multiple benefits and I enjoy how challenging it is to mold your mouth in different shapes. The only problem is that it's really hard to get started if you can't find someone to shadow in the first place. That's why I made this list of YouTubers that I use, in hopes that it could help you guys, too! Enjoy~

반채영

Mainly makeup and lifestyle vlogs

I think her voice so soothing

2. 야야슬

An NCT fan 💚

A lot of unboxings and K-pop related videos

She has that signature nasal sound that I love about Korean

3. 제리

Mainly makeup, fashion, and lifestyle vlogs

Her voice is so soft and cute 🤎

4. 유네린

A lot of storytelling and podcast-style videos

Her voice is so lovely and smooth

Compared to my usual, this a very short post, but I hope it helped you progress along you language learning journey ^^

Here's to another wonderful day of language learning!~

Portuguese: I'm shitting and walking

(Português: Tô cagando e andando)