"Language Assistance Thread ***READ FIRST POST***"

[AcoRS]

English [ I is Aussie mate ]

Serbian
Croatian
Bosnian
Montenegrin [Serbian background and because some douche decided they were all different languages - but it looks good on your resume ]

FYRMacedonian [Understand almost all, speak a bit - if you can understand Serbian from the south regions u pretty much know FYRMacedonian]

Slovenian (I get the jist of it from living in ex Yu)

[Bleifuss]

But you have to go pretty far into Banjo country today to meet anyone under 40 with a really incomprehensible dialect.

Yeah fair call , although on my recent trip home I was outed as a Holsteiner /Fishead pretty much immediatly , even after not having been there for 11 years.

[Climber]

Spanish, because I live in Argentina
Hebrew, because I am israeli
English, because my English Grandmother insisted in speaking English instead of anything else.

[Navel Lint]

Bump, new title.

[tercio67]

Bump, new title.

Free online interpreter service?

[muck]

I need "Don't forget to buy some drinks" in Chinese.

[Climber]

不要忘记买一些饮料


11111111111111

[muck]

Holy crap, that was quick. Thanks!

[Climber]

Holy crap, that was quick. Thanks!

I hope its don't forget to buy some drinks and not don't forget to buy some ****

[Musashi]

Slovak, Czech and English. Never had a major problem with understanding other Slavic language. Back in high school I was learning for years German, but turns out I don´t remember a damn thing now. However I am thinking about learning another language - Spanish, giving another try to German, try to speak fluently in Russian or Arabic.

I worked with one Czech guy and several Slovaks and I can understand about 90% of what the Slovaks talk. The only Czech guy, I worked with, developed strong Polish skills after working with Polish people for 5 years. Last year, he found a good job in Prague and returned to the Czech Republic. He invited me to his house and I visited him in August 2011. There were other Czech guys and girls and I was able to understand them in 30%, maybe even not so much. He asked me: "how come you don't understand me? I was talking Czech with you for a few years". No way. His Czech was basically Polish with some improper endings and I was able to understand him in 99% at work. It was a different case when he started talking Czech with his mates. It was a bit shocking for me, as Polish, Czech and Slovak are Western Slavic languages and we are closely related. When I read hardware manuals, I need some long reading to differ which language is Czech and which is Slovak, they are so similar. They are as related as British and American English. In the meantime, I cannot understand Czech, while Slovak is pretty easy. On the other hand, I was able to talk with 2 Russian guys, when they sat close to us, when we were having a barbecue, while the Czechs could not understand them.

Still can't figure out "a/the" and "have/has" thingies. Sorry for Yoda-speak

"English Grammar in Use" by Raymond Murphy will be your friend. It's worth every penny and you can even download it in the Internet for free
However, it's better to buy it as it's inexpensive and it's easier to practise with a pencil.

[custodes]

English as it's mandatory to learn in Denmark, I speak it to an A+ level or something I guess. I wouldn't say fluent, since there are still certain grammar and general spellings, that I still haven't mastered 100%. I can manage alone in foreign countries, I can watch TV, movies, read magazines in english while understanding 99,5% of it. And I can master advanced sentences and converse with others.

My german is pretty rusty, well; it has never been more than that sadly. I didn't care much about it in HS (along with everything else) but I can still speak basic sentences, order a beer and a wienersnitzel, read and understand most of it. Watch the news and understand around 65% of it.

On the 9th. Sept. I'm starting on basic french and latin. 48 lessons. So hopefully I'll be able to get around in french speaking nations a bit more easily, than I do today.

Ps. Just curious, but what do native english-speaking members on this board think about my english?

Pretty damn good. You make a few mistakes but, are completely understandable, even with your use of complex sentence structure. "Their" for "there" many English speakers could make that mistake. "Don't" just seems a bit awkward there. Not exactly wrong maybe. Conversate is not a word, although we would all understand what you meant.
Their= possesion. It is their cat. It is theirs. "There" is a place. Voila. There it is.

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

I need

"Come in and take a seat on the couch"

"Open your legs a bit more"

"Pull the shoulders back"

In german pweese.

[tercio67]

That could be;

"Come in and take a seat on the couch"
Kommen Sie rein und setzen Sie sich auf die Couch

"Open your legs a bit more"
Öfne die Schenkel etwas weiter

"Pull the shoulders back"
Deine Schultern zurückziehen



if you trust some random internet translation that is....

[Navel Lint]

I need

"Come in and take a seat on the couch"

"Open your legs a bit more"

"Pull the shoulders back"

In german pweese.

On that topic....


Locate an ex-pat Stammtisch. Usually attended by varying levels of Deutsch. Including native speakers. Drink, eat, talk, learn.

toytowngermany.com would be a good forum to join.

[Einhander]

On the other hand, I was able to talk with 2 Russian guys, when they sat close to us, when we were having a barbecue, while the Czechs could not understand them.

Basically it's ****ouncing-only issue for us (Russians). Vocabulary is similar and even if some words rae not the same their meaning can be easily understood. Kind of Cockney slang but with synonyms instead of rhymes.

"English Grammar in Use" by Raymond Murphy will be your friend. It's worth every penny and you can even download it in the Internet for free
However, it's better to buy it as it's inexpensive and it's easier to practise with a pencil.

Opening a learning book makes my head full of heavy boredom. But I'll try, thanks.