Midna

To cost an arm and a leg: дословно “стоить ноги и руки”, то есть быть очень дорогим

I’d like to buy a car, but they cost an arm and a leg these days: я хотел бы купить машину, но они сейчас ужасно дорогие. 

To scratch someone’s back: дословно “почесать чью-то спину”. Значение: оказать кому-то помощь в надежде, что тебе помогут в ответ. 

I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine: я помогу тебе, если ты мне поможешь

Scatterbrain / Scatterbrained: рассеянный человек (you’re so scatterbrained)

Keep your chin up: дословно “дежать подбородок высоко”, то есть оставаться на позитиве, несмотря на трудные ситуации

Keep your chin up! Not everything is lost yet: Выше нос! Еще не все потеряно.

Keep eyes peeled: быть начеку

Keep your eyes peeled, he will come soon! Будь начеку, он скоро придет!

Itchy feet: дословно “зуд ноги”, т.е. человек, который не может стоять на одном месте, которому всегда надо путешетвовать 

Hearing the train whistle at night gives me itchy feet

A pain in the neck: дословно “боль” в шее, то есть надоедливый человек

Emma is such a pain in the neck. I can’t wait to get out of here: Эмма такой надоедливый человек - жду не дождусь, пока не уеду отсюда.

Pull someone’s leg: врать

Are pulling my leg?! I don’t believe you! Ты врешь мне, что ли?! Не верю!

To have a thick skin: дословно “иметь толстую кожу”, то есть быть невосприимчивым к оскорблениям

You need to have a thick skin to do this job: чтобы выполнить эту работу, надо быть довольно толстокожим

Word of mouth: аналог русского “из уст в уста”

How did you find out about this? - Easy. Word of mouth. 

blind as a bat: слепой, как летучая мышь (указывает на плохое зрение)

I need my glasses. I am blind as a bat without them: Мне нужны очки - без них я слеп, как летучая мышь

dead as a doornail: мертвый

Did you even take care of my plants? They’re dead as a doornail! Ты вообще поливал мои цветы? Они все умерли!

to be tongue-tied: лишиться дара речи (от стеснительности, стыда и т.д.)

I felt tongue-tied with embarrassment. It was the worst moment of my life! Я лишился дара речи от стыда. Это был худший момент моей жизни!

lips are sealed: “рот на замке”. Больше используется в контексте “это секрет, не могу сказать”

Both words can mean “different” in English. But they are not synonyms.

Другой is always used in comparison with something. Like there is something I like, for example apples and bananas (яблоки и бананы) and you like some other fruits, I don’t know what they are, so I say: “Я люблю яблоки и бананы, а ты любишь другие фрукты”. They are different from what I like. Or Russians have rubles and other countries have different money. У русских рубли, а у других стран другие деньги. Другие страны = not Russia, Другие деньги = not roubles. So there is always one exact object that is compared. As you probably noticed, the word “other” is more accurate for “другой”. The German variant is “anderen”. I know that my favorite film “das Leben der Anderen” is translated into English and Russian as “The lives of others” and “Жизнь других”.

Разный shows a variety. If we take our example with apples and bananas and put “разные” instead of “другие”, the meaning changes this way: I love [only] apples and bananas. And you love various/different fruits [including apples and bananas]. “Я люблю яблоки и бананы, а ты любишь разные фрукты”. Paзные = not just apples and bananas, but also peaches, pears, oranges etc. We can’t change the sentence with the money the same way, because if we do, it would mean that there are different currencies within one country. We can just say: “В разных странах разные деньги”, which means “different countries have different money” - there is a variety of currencies in the world. In German it’s “verschieden”.

Мы другие = we are different from the others (but we are alike) Мы разные = we are different (we are not alike)

Ты другой/другая = you are different (from me). Ты разный/разная = (not a сolloquial style) you are different within yourself. Like you can behave in different ways.

Motivation is an important element of the language learning process. In this busy world it’s hard to keep a consistent level of excitement in learning a new language. Certain parts of every language can be a stumbling block, If you feel like giving up, it doesn’t mean that it’s time to quit. It might just mean that it’s time to take a closer look at what motivates you.   I will try and give you some tips on how to stay motivated when learning a foreign language. Hope you’ll find them useful!

Remember why you started. What made you start learning in the first place? Friendship? Love? Family? Self-improvement? Travel? Work? The reasons for learning a language are varied and often personal. Remember your reason. Use it to motivate you to keep going, keep learning and keep improving. 

Be clear about your goals. Defining your language learning goals is another important element of staying motivated and focused on whatever it is you’re trying to achieve. What does success look like for you? Try to visualize it. Write it down and come back to it regularly to keep the mental image of success fresh in your head. Every time your motivation decreases slightly, remind yourself of what achieving your goals looks and feels like. 

Don’t aim for mastery.  They say that the perfect is the enemy of the good. This is doubly true when it comes to language learning. The language learner who progresses the most is usually the one who takes the most risks, makes the most mistakes, fails the most often - but doesn’t give up. Communicating is messy, creative work, and you’ll hold yourself back if you strive for perfection. There’s no need to drill yourself until you’re exhausted. Do your best and move on. Give yourself permission to be “good enough”. 

Talk to people.  While it can be scary talking to people in a foreign language, it can also be exhilarating to put what you’ve learned into practice! Languages exist because humans are driven to communicate. What better way to apply what you’re learning than by talking to an actual human being? No matter your level, you’ll progress more quickly - and be more motivated to keep learning - if you find a patient conversation partner, either in person or online. You’ll find that most native speakers are thrilled to speak their language with you. 

Don’t compare yourself to other people. Instead of comparing yourself to other language learners, compare your current level to your level in the past, for example last month or last year. That way, you will be able to see the extent of progress you’ve made and boost your motivation. Always comparing yourself to other people can have the opposite effect.

Make language learning part of your routine. You don’t want learning a language to become a chore. There’s nothing less motivating than learning something just because you feel you have to. The key is to transform your thinking about learning so that you don’t see it as an addition to your day but as an intrinsic part of your day. There are various things that you can do to help make language learning part of your routine:

Read for 20 minutes on the train/bus to school or work.

Listen to a podcast or anything in your target language for 5-10 minutes you are walking.

Work in your textbook when you find yourself free at random times of the day

Write a page in you notebook just before going to bed.

Chat with a family member or a friend (it better be a native speaker) in your target language whenever you get the chance to do so.

Don’t Give Up. There is a Japanese proverb which neatly reflects another major component of language-learning success “Fall down seven times, get up eight”. The proverb reminds us to have a holistic and realistic view of the learning process. see this Learning language and time management .

🌷 脚踏实地 (jiǎo tà shí dì) 脚踏实地 literally means “to step on solid ground.” It means that you work hard, focus on the fundamentals, and proceed in a steady and stable fashion. It’s an extremely positive chengyu. Here’s an example : “现在我们要继续脚踏实地”   “xiànzài wǒmen yào jìxù jiǎotàshídì”   “Right now we need to continue staying grounded and pushing ahead”   

🌷 九牛一毛 (jiǔ niú yì máo) 九牛一毛 literally means “9 cows and 1 strand of cow hair.” It indicates something that’s so small that it’s like one strand of cow hair among 9 cows. Here’s an example: “电子商务的盈利在中国整体商业环境中简直是九牛一毛.”   “diànzǐ shāngwù de yínglì zài zhōngguó zhěngtǐ shāngyè huánjìng zhōng jiǎnzhí shì jiǔniúyìmáo.”   “In the entire Chinese commercial environment, the profits from E-commerce are simply just a drop in the bucket.”  

🌷 一无所有 (yìwúsuǒyǒu) 一无所有 means to have absolutely nothing at all. It’s basically being penniless. Here’s an example: “他无家可归，一无所有”   “tā wújiākěguī， yìwúsuǒyǒu”   “He was homeless, and didn’t have a penny to his name.”  

🌷 一见钟情(yí jiàn zhōng qíng) 一见钟情 means “love at first sight.” It’s generally used for people, but you can also use it for other physical objects. Here’s an example: “她就是我的一见钟情 “   “tā jiùshì wǒ de yíjiànzhōngqíng“   “She is my love at first sight.”  

🌷 自由自在 (zì yóu zì zài) 自由自在 means that something is free and easy. It can be used to describe someone’s personality, how someone behaves, or how a place makes people feel. For example: “这是一个自由自在的地方。”   “zhè shì yī gè zì yóu zì zai de dì fāng”   “This is a free and easy place”  

🌷 莫名其妙 (mò míng qí miào)  莫名其妙 literally means that it’s hard to articulate the profoundness or mystery or something. It basically means that something is baffling. For example: “他说了几句莫名其妙的话。”   “tā shuì le jī gōu mò míng qí miào de huà”   “He said some mysterious words. ”  

🌷 半途而废 (bàn tú ér fèi) 半途而废 means to start doing something, only to give up halfway. Literally, it means to walk half the road and give up. Here’s an example: “我不是半途而废的人”   “wǒ búshì bàntúérfèi de rén”   “I’m not someone who gives up halfway”

🌷 抛砖引玉 (pāo zhuān yǐn yù) 抛砖引玉 (pāo zhuān yǐn yù) basically means you’re “just tossing an idea out there.” It literally means “to cast a brick to attract jade.” You’re basically saying, “this idea I’m tossing out there is garbage, but perhaps it will lead one of you to make a better contribution.” It’s a humble way to contribute to a conversation. Here’s an example: “我的建议还不够成熟，算是抛砖引玉吧 “   “wǒ de jiàn yì hái bú gòu chéng shú, suàn shì pāo zhuān yǐn yù ba “   “My suggestion is still half-baked — you could see it as just me tossing an idea out there“  

🌷 豁然开朗 (huò rán kāi lǎng) 豁然开朗 (huò rán kāi lǎng) has two meanings which are linked. The first meaning is the refreshing and liberating feeling you get when you see a beautiful, open area. Typically, immediately before this moment, the beautiful area is not visible and you might be feeling a little stuffy. Second, it’s also used for the feeling you get when you achieve an “aha” or “eureka!” moment. Here’s an example: “大学时期，乔尼开始有机会用Mac做设计，那是一种豁然开朗的体验“   “dàxué shíqí, qiáoní kāishǐ yǒujīhuì yòng Mac zuò shèjì, nàshì yīzhǒng huòránkāilǎng de tǐyàn”   “During college, Jony began to have opportunities to use a Mac to design, and that was a refreshing, eye-opening experience”  

🌷  津津有味 (jīn jīn yǒu wèi) 津津有味 means to eat something deliciously. Also, it can be used for activities beyond just eating, as long as the person doing the activity finds it engaging. It’s not something that people typically use to describe themselves, but you can liberally use it on your friends as it has a positive tone. Here’s an expressive example: “津津有味地看报”   “jīnjīnyǒuwèi de kànbào”   “to devour the newspaper”  

🌷  理所当然 (lǐ suǒ dāng rán) 理所当然 sounds like “to go without saying” or “as a matter of course,” but literally means that “according to reason, it should be the case.” Here’s an example: “Some things which are obvious or natural in the course of a marriage…”   “。。。在婚姻中的一些～的事。。。”   “。。。zài hūnyīn zhōng de yīxiē ～de shì 。。。”  

🌷  全力以赴 (quán lì yǐ fù) 全力以赴 basically means to give it your all (literally “exert all your strength”) for a goal. It has a positive tone, and is somewhat formal but can still be used in everyday speech. It’s important to note that 全力以赴 is typically used for actions that haven’t finished yet, rather than actions that have already been completed. Here’s an example: “无论考生的笔试成绩如何，都要全力以赴准备面试”   “wúlùn kǎoshēng de bǐshì chéngjì rúhé ，dōuyào quánlìyǐfù zhǔnbèi miànshì”   “No matter how the student’s written test score is, he/she needs to give 100% to prepare for the interview”  

🌷  心血来潮 (xīn xuè lái cháo) 心血来潮 basically means “spur of the moment” or “on a whim.” Literally, it evokes the image of blood rushing to your heart (of course in English we’d say head). It’s a perfect chengyu for when you’re telling a story a friend. For example: “某日他们心血来潮，决定比拼一下各自的脚法“   “mǒu rì tāmen xīnxuèláicháo,juédìng bǐpīn yíxià gèzì de jiǎofǎ”   “One day, on a spur of the moment, they decided to compare and compete to see whose footwork was best”  

🌷  乱七八糟 (luàn qī bā zāo) 乱七八糟 means that something is a total mess. You can use it to describe tangible things like messy rooms, or more abstract things, like a messed up life. For example: 是谁弄得乱七八糟的？   “shì shéi nòng de luàn qī bā zāo de?”   “who made this mess?”  

[21/100 days of productivity] 12.11.16

[21/100 days of productivity] 12.11.16

My first bullet journal spread ever!! It took a lot of time, but it’s nice :) Finals are approaching… :’( I got my stabilo pens and mildliner highlighters today!! They’re awesome :3 📝

(Green theme // totoro)

[ Supplies: Muji A5 grid notebook Green Mildliner Stabilo pens]

November 1 2016

asked by anon and @hardlyfluent, I’ll make a part two focused on European portuguese

Grammar

http://www.easyportuguese.com/ (good for grammar)

http://ielanguages.com/portuguese2.html (this is one is pretty good it even has some exercises)

http://mylanguages.org/learning_tips.php (very good as well, plenty of vocabulary)

https://babadum.com/play/?lang=6=3 (vocabulary game, it doesn’t have only portuguese but a lot of stuff)

http://www.digitaldialects.com/Brazilian%20Portuguese.htm (same as above)

http://hackingportuguese.com/ (very good blog with a lot of material)

http://livemocha.com/pages/languages/learn-portuguese-brazil/ (this one is pretty great, you get corrections and tips from natives)

https://www.livelingua.com/fsi-portuguese-course.php (plenty of lessons with audio)

https://quizlet.com/subject/fazer/?sortBy=mostRecent (flashcards website, just search portuguese and stuff will come up, in the link I’ve looked for the expressions with fazer)

https://www.duolingo.com/comment/8147714 (some other resources)

for through explanations of grammar Colloquial Portuguese of BrazilColloquial Portuguese of Brazil 2 are good books. If you click on them there is a link for the pdf version of the books

Music

http://8tracks.com/explore/brasil/hot/1 (Brazilian Portuguese is served)

Artists 

Rock

Engenheiros do hawaii

Legião Urbana

Cazuza

Vespas Mandarinas

Ultraje a Rigor

Pitty

Matanza

Tihuana

Os paralamas do sucesso

Mamonas Assassinas

Raul Seixas

Charlie Brown Jr.

Bossanova

Caetano Veloso

Joao Gilberto

Reading

:anything written by Coelho (i’ve just read O alquimista in portuguese and it was so good) ,

http://contobrasileiro.com.br/?p=778 (brazilian tales),

 Books: O grande mentecapto - Fernando Sabino; Encontro Marcado - Fernando Sabino; Livro do Desassossego - Fernando Pessoa; O cortiço - Aluísio de Azevedo; O Alienista - Machado de Assis;  Barba ensopada de sangue by Daniel Galera,  Mia Couto - Terra Sonâmbola,  Capitães da areia from Jorge Amado, or any book by Luis Fernando Veríssimo, Jorge Amado and Graciliano Ramos.

http://www.globo.com/

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ (just pick brazil edition)

http://www.brasilpost.com.br/

http://www.folha.uol.com.br/

http://veja.abril.com.br/

http://brasil.elpais.com/?cp=3

Movies/shows

http://www.dailymotion.com/mamidogabi (it’s a channel full of telenovelas, I’m personally loving O clone. You can easily find it in this page)

http://www.imdb.com/list/ls074671819?ref_=wl_otl_3 (a list of brazilian movies that I’ve created) Just torrent the movie and then add subtitles in portuguese to it. You can find subtitles in portuguese by writing the name of the movies + legendado portugues

http://www.addic7ed.com/ It’s a website with only subtitles, first you download your favorite shows and then you add subtitles in portuguese to it. It’s a great way to learn new vocab.

http://globotv.globo.com/ brazilian tv

Series : https://vimeo.com/redwebseries (Brazilian webseries with subtitles in both english and spanish) http://www.dailymotion.com/claraemarina (lesbian lovestory from a telenovela, it has subs in whatever language you want) http://www.tabonitobrasil.com/assistir-a-regra-do-jogo-04092015-capitulo-5 (it has the whole episodes of Brazilian shows)

Movies: http://www.thefilmtransition.com/best-brazilian-films-201220132014/

http://www.imdb.com/list/ls074671819?ref_=wl_otl_3 (list of Brazilian movies that are worth-watching that I’ve made)

Speaking

http://www.gospeaky.com/ (I’ve been using it for ages and it’s great, it’s very popular among Brazilians so you won’t have any troubles finding a speaking partner)

VOCABULARY

memrise is your friend, it’s a great website to learn vocabulary that works with a flashcard system and every word is pronunced by natives. The courses that I extremely reccomend you to do are:

http://www.memrise.com/course/470239/intermediate-portuguese-2/ (Duolinguo already covers all the vocabolary that is in the elementary course)

http://www.memrise.com/course/368055/portuguese-pronunciation-ipa/ (how to manage to pronunce all your phonemes properly)