#learn language

Last edit: 2025/05/09

I always recommend to watch or read things that are well-known for you to begin with, like for example Disney shows or movies you already know, right, but dubbed! That way you know what the story and details are about as is, and it's a great tool to get used to a language. To make it more advanced you can skip the subtitles.

Some Disney examples would be

Aladdin

Kim Possible

Lilo & Stitch

Recess

Tangled

But honestly, there's a lot of different animated and non-animated productions that we have dubbed, whether it's from Disney or Dreamworks or whatnot. Like Shrek have a dub, Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run, and so on.

Now material that are actually Swedish from the start!

Old tv shows for kids:

Bamse

About a bear called Bamse, and he grows mighty strong by his grandmother's honey. It's basically a story about him, his family and his friends.

Doktor Mugg

*"Muggen" is slang for toilet, so it's not a show about mugs and kitchenware but toilet villain and silly macho hero!

Eva & Adam

Romantic comedy about school and friends in elementary/primary school.

Fem myror är fler än fyra elefanter (Five ants are more than four elephants)

There are three hosts and they have sketches and songs while also educating the viewer about the alphabet, numbers and other things.

Tillbaka till Vintergatan (Back to the Milky Way)

Basically a space adventure about astronauts and aliens.

Vi på Saltkråkan (Seacrow Island)

Astrid Lindgren made plenty books that turned into tv-shows at the time, this one is about a small island and the people living there and their everyday life.

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Eva & Adam have books as well (never read them myself, but they exist) and Bamse used to serialise comic magazines and I loved them as a kid back in the day.

Tv shows for adults:

*Disclaimer: Some of these I haven't really watched myself but I know a lot of people enjoy them, so therefore they're included in the list!

Farmen (The Farm)

It's about a certain amount of participators that are supposed to live like farmers in the 1800s for a couple of weeks. So they don't have running water or electricity, and so on.

Frostbiten (Frostbitten)

Documentary about life in the North Arctic. The host and viewer meet people that live in the world’s most isolated places and about temperatures dropping as low as -60°C degrees.

Första dejten (The first date)

Reality show about singles that get matched by the tv show itself and they meetup at this bar. It's based on the British series called First Dates.

Robinson

Survival game on an island for participators. I believe every country have one of these, just like Idol and × Got Talent.

Another thing I recommend is children's books, or picture books, and they're great if you're a beginner. For classic children's literature go to my #Swedish-literature posts! I haven't updated them with more authors though, so besides Astrid Lindgren & Elsa Beskow, there are plenty more!

📬Some oldies

Adjö, herr Muffin (Goodbye Mr Muffin) by Ulf Nilsson, Anna-Clara Tidholm

Petter och hans fyra getter (Petter and his four goats) by Einar Norelius

Picture books series✨️

Emma by Gunilla Wilde

Kotten by Lena Anderson (*The title and name of the character would be translated as "the (pine) cone" and it's a wordplay of the Swedish word for hedgehog which is "igelkott")

Mamma Mu och Kråkan (Mamma Moo and Crow) by Jujja Weislander, Sven Nordqvist

Pettson och Findus (Pettson and Findus) by Sven Nordqvist

Let's see, a few recent picture books are:

Jag vill ha min hatt (I want my hat back) by Jon Klassen

Sigrid och natten (Sigrid and the night) by Jöns Möllgren

Siv sover vilse (Siv sleeps herself lost) by Pija Lindenbaum

Korean + English Film Industry Terms (한국어 + 영어 영화 산업 용어)

1. General Terms (일반 용어)

- 영화 (Yeonghwa) – Movie / Film

- 감독 (Gamdok) – Director

- 배우 (Baeu) – Actor/Actress

- 시나리오 (Sinario) – Screenplay / Script

- 제작자 (Jejakja) – Producer

- 흥행 (Heunghaeng) – Box Office Success

- 예고편 (Yegopyeon) – Trailer

2. Film Production (영화 제작)

- 촬영 (Chwaryeong) – Filming

- 편집 (Pyeonjip) – Editing

- CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) – 컴퓨터 그래픽

- 스턴트 (Seuteonteu) – Stunt

- 미술 (Misul) – Art Direction

- 분장 (Bunjang) – Makeup/Costume

3. Film Genres (영화 장르)

- 액션 (Aeksyeon) – Action

- 로맨스 (Romaenseu) – Romance

- 공포 (Gongpo) – Horror

- SF (Science Fiction) – 공상과학

- 드라마 (Deurama) – Drama

- 코미디 (Komidi) – Comedy

4. Box Office & Awards (흥행 & 수상)

- 관객 (Gwan-gaek)** – Audience

- 티켓 매출 (Tiket Maechul) – Ticket Sales

- 아카데미상 (Akademisang) – Academy Awards (Oscars)

- 칸 영화제 (Kan Yeonghwaje) – Cannes Film Festival

5. Popular Phrases (인기 표현)

- "이 영화 대박이다!" – "This movie is a hit!"

- "OST가 너무 좋아요." – "The soundtrack is amazing."

- "주인공 연기 진짜 잘했어." – "The lead actor’s performance was great."

Lingvo: Esperanto 💚

Let me give an example : "Lantern" by April And May

Write/copy down the text

비오는 저녁 홀로 일어나 창밖을 보니 구름 사이로 푸른 빛을 보이는 내 하나 밖에 없는 등불을 외로운 나의 벗을 삼으니 축복받게 하소서 희망의 빛을 항상 볼수 있도록 내게 행운을 내리소서 넓고 외로운 세상에서 길고 어둔 여행길 너와 나누리 하나의 꽃을 만나기 위해 긴긴밤들을 보람되도록 우리 두사람 저 험한 세상 등불이 되리 넓고 외로운 세상에서 길고 어둔 여행길 너와 나누리

2. Remember the sentence structure of Korean and split the sentences accordingly

비오는 저녁 홀로 일어나 창밖을 보니

구름 사이로 푸른 빛을 보이는 내 하나 밖에 없는 등불을

외로운 나의 벗을 삼으니 축복받게 하소서

희망의 빛을 항상 볼수 있도록 내게 행운을 내리소서

넓고 외로운 세상에서 길고 어둔 여행길 너와 나누리

하나의 꽃을 만나기 위해 긴긴밤들을

보람되도록 우리 두사람 저 험한 세상 등불이 되리

넓고 외로운 세상에서 길고 어둔 여행길 너와 나누리

3. Read through the text and mark unknown things in two different categories : unknown words and phrases/sentence structures

I will act like I don't know a majority of the vocab in here, for the sake of the post. I actually understand everything :-)

비오는 저녁 홀로 일어나 창밖을 보니

구름 사이로 푸른 빛을 보이는 내 하나 밖에 없는 등불을

외로운 나의 벗을 삼으니 축복받게 하소서

희망의 빛을 항상 볼수 있도록 내게 행운을 내리소서

넓고 외로운 세상에서 길고 어둔 여행길 너와 나누리

하나의 꽃을 만나기 위해 긴긴밤들을

보람되도록 우리 두사람 저 험한 세상 등불이 되리

넓고 외로운 세상에서 길고 어둔 여행길 너와 나누리

4. Go on Papago - The best English to Korean translator - and give in the individual words. Write down their meaning in a seperate book or remember them

5. For phrases or unknown sentence structures, you can try and give that into papago or go to the Naver dictionary

비오는 저녁 홀로 일어나 창밖을 보니

구름 사이로 푸른 빛을 보이는 내 하나 밖에 없는 등불을

외로운 나의 벗을 삼으니 축복받게 하소서

희망의 빛을 항상 볼수 있도록 내게 행운을 내리소서

넓고 외로운 세상에서 길고 어둔 여행길 너와 나누리

하나의 꽃을 만나기 위해 긴긴밤들을

보람되도록 우리 두사람 저 험한 세상 등불이 되리

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6. If you are done with one sentence, translate it

비오는 저녁 홀로 일어나 창밖을 보니

As I wake up on a rainy evening and look out of the window

구름 사이로 푸른 빛을 보이는 내 하나 밖에 없는 등불을

My one and only lantern is showing blue light in between the clouds

외로운 나의 벗을 삼으니 축복받게 하소서

May you be blessed, because you took the lonely me as a friend

희망의 빛을 항상 볼수 있도록 내게 행운을 내리소서

Please bless me with good luck so I can always see the light of hope

넓고 외로운 세상에서 길고 어둔 여행길 너와 나누리

I will share this long and dark journey in this wide and lonely world with you

하나의 꽃을 만나기 위해 긴긴밤들을

All these olng nights, just to meet one flower

보람되도록 우리 두사람 저 험한 세상 등불이 되리

Origin of “Non tutte le ciambelle riescono col buco.” “Non tutte le ciambelle riescono col buco.”, translated as “Not all donuts come out with a hole” in English, dates back to ancient times in Italy. It refers to the idea that not everything in life turns out as expected or goes according to plan. It emphasizes the acceptance of imperfections and the unpredictability of outcomes. Significance…

Bengali, the language of Rabindranath Tagore and mouthwatering roshogollas, can sound as melodic as a sitar solo. But those unfamiliar with its alphabet and sounds might feel like they're tackling a bowl of phuchka – delicious, but potentially explosive! Fear not, intrepid language learner! Mastering Bengali pronunciation at home is entirely achievable with the right techniques. Here's your cheat sheet to navigate the twists and turns of Bengali phonetics:

1. Befriend the Bangla Alphabet

The Bengali alphabet, known as Bangla Lipi, might look like an exotic vine at first glance. However, with some dedication, you'll be able to decipher its unique characters. Start by familiarizing yourself with the basic vowels and consonants, paying close attention to the diacritics that alter pronunciation. Numerous online resources and apps offer interactive tutorials to make this process less daunting.

2. Shadow Like a Sparrow

Bengalis have a beautiful lilt to their speech. To capture this essence, practice shadowing – mimicking native speakers. Find audio resources like Bengali news broadcasts, podcasts, or movie dialogues. Listen intently, then try to replicate the sounds as closely as you can. Record yourself and compare it to the original, adjusting your pronunciation where necessary.

3. YouTube: Your Virtual Language Lab

YouTube is a treasure trove for pronunciation practice. Explore channels dedicated to teaching Bengali pronunciation. Look for videos that break down specific sounds, offer visual aids like mouth movements, and provide slow, clear pronunciations. Don't be shy to repeat after the instructor, as repetition is key to mastering those tricky Bengali sounds.

4. Befriend a Bengali Buddy: Conversation is King

The best way to solidify your pronunciation is through real-life conversation. Look for online language exchange platforms where you can connect with native Bengali speakers. Practice basic greetings, introduce yourself, or discuss your favorite Bengali dish. Not only will you improve your pronunciation, but you'll also gain valuable cultural insights.

5. Sing Along Like a Nightingale

Bengali music is a vibrant tapestry of sounds. Immerse yourself in the world of Rabindra Sangeet or contemporary Bengali pop music. Listen closely to the lyrics, paying attention to how the singers pronounce vowels and consonants. Try singing along, even if it's just humming the tunes. This not only makes learning fun but also helps train your ear for the natural flow of the language.

6. Record Yourself Ruthlessly

Record yourself speaking Bengali regularly. Listen back objectively and identify areas for improvement. Are your vowels rounded enough? Are you pronouncing those tricky consonant clusters correctly? Being your own critic can be a powerful tool for identifying and fine-tuning your pronunciation skills.

7. Celebrate

Learning a new language is a marathon, not a sprint. There will be days when Bengali pronunciation feels like a bowl of jalebis – sweet but sticky. However, celebrate your Fortschritte (German for progress, because every language learner deserves a fancy word)! Every correctly pronounced word, every successfully navigated sentence is a victory. Reward yourself for your dedication, and keep your motivation high.