In co-operation with Ef Language Travel
From time to time we've had the urge to learn French, Spanish or Italian. When travelling in Southern Europe, it would be nice to get to grips with the local language, instead of struggling with English, which doesn't always work as well as one might wish.
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Why learn another language?
The most important language for most people today is undoubtedly English. With English you can get by in most parts of the world, but there are still a lot of times when you feel that you would have benefited and enjoyed knowing the local language. We have travelled a lot in southern Europe, and every time we wish we were a little better at French, Spanish or Italian.
Even though we think languages are quite fun, learning a new language is a tough challenge. Of course, the best thing is to be in a country where you can both study and practise at the same time. One way to do this is to go on language trip and yes, there are language holidays to France, Spain and Italy (for both young people and adults)!
French?
I (Helena) studied French at school, between Year 7 and Year 1 in secondary school, and can say things like "Je m'appelle Hélène est je suis 13 ans" (My name is Helena and I am 13 years old) and embouteillage (traffic jam). The latter was on a glossary and our teacher said we didn't need to learn that particular word, so which was it? single the word that stuck? Yeah, you get it...
I can't speak French, but the pronunciation is quite comfortable for me (I tend to blame my Scanian r's that I can pick up from childhood) and somewhat feels it's like French is there, waiting to wake up. The advantage of learning French is that the language is spoken not only in France, but also in much of Africa, as well as in parts of Belgium, Switzerland and Canada.
Spanish?
I also studied Spanish, between first and third year of secondary school. When I opted out of a language to get more art lessons, it was actually French that got the short end of the stick. French is so beautiful, but Spanish seemed a bit easier.
Unfortunately, I don't speak Spanish either, but my years of French and Spanish studies mean that I still understand a lot, not least when it comes to reading menus and signs and such things. Spanish is also a very good language to know if you want to travel to South America. We even started an evening course once, but then there were other things that came in between ...
Italian?
The third Romance language that is of course popular to learn is Italian. Italy has a romantic feel to it, and many people can imagine walking the streets of Rome or Venice while practising ordering ice cream in Italian... And remember, you don't have to be fluent in a language to benefit from it. Small, small language skills go a long way many times!
Do you speak French, Spanish or Italian? Which language would you most like to learn?
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åsa/nalta norrland says:
I can barely get by in English 😉 I understand but I'm bad at speaking...
Elin started studying Spanish in sixth grade,
she chose between German & Spanish.
If I had to decide 😉 Elin would have studied German... I think it feels like German is more of a world language than Spanish and then we have plenty of German speakers in the municipality.
14 November 2018 - 7:27
Helena says:
Talking is a matter of habit! German or Spanish depends a little on what you plan to do in life, and it's hard to know when you're in sixth grade 😉 For the sake of motivation, maybe it's an advantage to have something you feel a little more comfortable with?
14 November 2018 - 13:13
Ama de casa says:
I would definitely not mind learning Spanish...
Where we live it is "impossible" - mostly due to laziness. Most people speak English (except at the authorities) and it is easy to "get away". Even if you start talking in Spanish, most people answer in English...
We actually do "language trips" quite often. Our trips to less touristy places in the hinterland mean that you have to struggle with your Spanish. How useful - and fun!
We understand quite a bit of Spanish, but to start conversing? It's a pretty big threshold to overcome. Maybe it's because as a kid in school you were drilled hard on the importance of grammar. Honestly, they don't care about this in Spain - they are very friendly and really try to understand what you are trying to say.
Hmm... I feel it's probably time for a little "language trip" again 😀.
14 November 2018 - 9:19
Emma, Sol som sol? says:
Amen to that!
14 November 2018 - 12:55
Helena says:
Ama de Casa, I understand that it is difficult when most people speak English with you! This is also the case at my job. We have many foreign students and PhD students, but it's hard for them to learn Swedish when everyone is happy to switch to English ... And you have to dare to ignore the grammar, at least at first!
14 November 2018 - 13:15
Steve says:
Why did I choose German as a second language at school? There aren't many times I've had any use for German. Should have chosen French or Spanish instead, of course. It's so long ago now, about 50 years, that I don't remember if it was even possible.
I would like to master Italian as I think it is such a beautiful language.
However, I have done well with English, which I have mastered really well.
14 November 2018 - 10:58
Helena says:
It is difficult when you go to school to know what to choose. If you could even choose, as I said, but maybe French was available? I think that German is a good language too, we would have benefited from it many times in Europe, not only in Germany and Austria, but also in parts of Poland and the Czech Republic.
14 November 2018 - 17:44
Emma, Sol som sol? says:
I have studied English (8 years, opted out of the last year of high school), French 6 years plus refresher two years at KomVux, Spanish 2 years, Latin 2 years, Greek 1 year ...
I am only comfortable with English.
The French language is quite deep and I imagine that if I were to really get to grips with it, for example by moving to France, it would be refreshed and developed quite quickly so that I can actually get by on it.
I have exactly the same attitude as you there with French and Spanish, Spanish seemed easier. But I don't know if I now agree. 😀 It's probably age and the learning difficulties that come with age that show up. We have lived in Spain for four years and I don't know Spanish! It's so embarrassing! But that's because you're not forced to do it on a daily basis. The son has passed me by (which he doesn't really want to admit), he is forced to go to school every day. The worst thing now is that if he is there, I do try to converse but I lean more and more on him if I don't understand or get stuck, ask if he understood, sometimes he takes over and asks the question or gives the answer. Stings a bit, to be honest.
I have, however, found some Spanish series to watch (with English subtitles) such as Las Chicas del Cable (The Cable Girls) and La Casa de Papel (just watched the first episode of that one, seems promising). I find myself actually listening, reacting when I recognise expressions or phrases I've heard.
14 November 2018 - 13:07
Helena says:
Learning a language is difficult and requires a lot of effort. It's usually easier on site, but becomes difficult when you manage in English 😉 You have to decide to struggle with it, I guess. TV series sounds like a great way to go! I also like to read magazines or children's books or anything that happens to be at the right level 😉.
16 November 2018 - 8:21
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
I am also one of those who unfortunately chose German as a second language. Some of it is still there, but I don't use it very often. The French studies in high school were short-lived because our French teacher said "it's impossible to teach West Germans to speak French"....
I've tried my hand at Spanish through a couple of semesters of evening classes, so I can understand some signs, tell people who I am, etc, but good time as soon as everyone speaks the language. Today it would be nice to know a few more phrases.
14 November 2018 - 13:26
Helena says:
Oh, haha, would it be impossible to teach West Germans to speak French ...? It sounds like a terribly stupid comment .... Glad you read some Spanish! The goal does not always have to be to become fluent. Knowing a little bit can help a lot!
16 November 2018 - 8:22
Rolle o Carina says:
We do so well with English! 🙂
Have it Nice....
14 November 2018 - 17:25
Helena says:
Usually you can get around in English, a very useful language!
16 November 2018 - 8:23
JoY says:
Would like to know Italian, it is so beautiful. We got CDs, Italian for Beginners which we listened to when we travelled around Italy. We manage to order in a restaurant and Come stai, Mi chiamo Yvonne and some other easy words. Not French, can't get that sound haha I hope every time we come to a new country, that that particular language comes out of my mouth. Unfortunately, it is not so, but it will be English and a little Swiss German. Jakob knows a few French words and a few more Italian words than me.
But it would be great to know more.
14 November 2018 - 18:45
Helena says:
Of course it would be good if the language just came out of the mouth, I can also dream of that, haha, Good to know some Italian words and phrases, it can help a lot sometimes!
16 November 2018 - 8:26
Ditte says:
I think languages are fun and have read a lot and also had great use for what I have learnt. I have tried to keep the modern languages current in different ways and it has gone quite well. I have studied French from grade nine and throughout high school, three years, I studied French 5 hours per week. I have also studied French in Switzerland and in Aix en Provence in France. Even today, the oral part works really well but the written part is behind. I studied Spanish in high school for one year and for a couple of years now I have been studying on my own via the online course "Babbel". Since I spend a lot of time in Spain, there is also an opportunity to practise practically. But I would like to learn more and faster.
I studied German in school from grade 7 and all through high school. In high school I also took three years of Latin and one year of Greek. English has been with me since grade four and throughout high school. I only dabbled in Italian when I studied French in Aix. During the four years we lived in Beijing, it became natural to at least try to read Mandarin and then I could easily get around in everyday life. But I didn't learn any signs.
I believe that practising a language on site in a country where you are constantly surrounded by the language gives you a lot. And not to have other Swedish speakers in the group (if you are in such a group) because it then becomes easy to use Swedish when it becomes "difficult" - I have never been on a Swedish-organised language trip but have from the beginning, from the age of 15, organised them on my own. I think it is important to keep the languages going and not be afraid to "say the wrong thing".
(Yes, Norwegian and Danish are included as an added bonus).
14 November 2018 - 19:26
Helena says:
Oh how much language you know! I agree that it is good to practise on the spot, where you are surrounded by the language, and to keep it going. Language is a perishable commodity ...
16 November 2018 - 8:29
BP says:
I speak, or rather spoke, French fluently. Strangely enough, French is very helpful when you want to learn Spanish, and vice versa of course.
In Spain, even in tourist resorts, speaking English is not a given. So even though I understand/can read a lot of Spanish, sometimes you can actually do better with French than English.
Italian is a wonderfully beautiful language. Here too, French helps when reading the language. I think I'd like to learn Spanish for real.
14 November 2018 - 21:47
Helena says:
Wow, how nice to be able to speak French fluently! I can definitely understand that French is a help when learning Spanish, as the languages are related.
16 November 2018 - 8:30
Maria / Magnolia Magis says:
Wow, what would I like to learn? Actually, Icelandic! Besides English, I know some Italian and some French. Enough to make myself understood with body language. Spanish would be fun to know some more words as we have Canarian grandchildren... But I mix well between French, Italian and Spanish...;D Not so good think the children... The husband knows German too. Otherwise there are more languages that are good to know, sign language for example. Me and my husband have had a bit to do with it in our jobs. I don't know if rune writing is a merit or useful but it's a fun thing I learnt a bit this summer! (Fun site to learn languages by the way is Babbel).
Buona Notte, Bonne Nuit et Buenas Noches.... over and out!
14 November 2018 - 23:23
Helena says:
Icelandic!? Fun! It's the only language I can speak reasonably well apart from English. Unfortunately I've forgotten some of it because I never practise, but I'm sure it can be picked up quickly. You seem to have a good mix of European language skills in general! 🙂 I knew a bit of sign language as a child, as I went to a playschool with mixed hearing and deaf children. We did all the songs and stuff in sign language. Today I only remember small fragments unfortunately ...
16 November 2018 - 8:33
Maria / Magnolia Magis says:
Yes, how cool! Practise and learn!!! 😉 we want to learn because it sounds so beautiful! Then maybe you get there sometime...;)
16 November 2018 - 18:11
Helena says:
Icelandic is a beautiful language! The grammar is a bit complicated but in terms of words it is quite simple, it is related to Swedish! We'll have to take some Icelandic words over a glass of wine some day ðŸ™'
16 November 2018 - 19:19
Christine - 29° says:
I so wish I could speak Spanish. I understand menus but after that the register runs out. 🙂
15 November 2018 - 8:47
Helena says:
It helps a little bit to understand the menus anyway ðŸ™'
16 November 2018 - 8:33