Comments on: 18 Great Sites to Learn a New Language http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/18-great-sites-to-learn-a-new-language/ Cool Websites, Software and Internet Tips Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:51:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: How to Speak Japanese http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/18-great-sites-to-learn-a-new-language/#comment-430587 How to Speak Japanese Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:55:35 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=20718#comment-430587 Nothing beats learning with a native speaker, but you can get a good basic knowledge about a new language with website based training courses or books and audio courses. Done that myself with a few languages and then started to go to language schools either in my home country or abroad (best experience for language training ever). Nothing beats learning with a native speaker, but you can get a good basic knowledge about a new language with website based training courses or books and audio courses.
Done that myself with a few languages and then started to go to language schools either in my home country or abroad (best experience for language training ever).

]]> By: Steph http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/18-great-sites-to-learn-a-new-language/#comment-424129 Steph Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:23:25 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=20718#comment-424129 Honestly, I've found that websites are usually great for reference, but not much else. I've been learning Mandarin, and since it's such a visual language, there's just so much help that any website can give. What really helped me was finding a good book with supplemental stuff (which you should be able to snag at your library). Be sure to grab a few books and see which one looks like the best fit. You're going to be spending a LOT of time with it. Then, use a flash card program (Anki and Mmemnosyne are the two that I've tried), and make your own flash cards or download a deck if the deck goes with the books you're using. Honestly, I’ve found that websites are usually great for reference, but not much else. I’ve been learning Mandarin, and since it’s such a visual language, there’s just so much help that any website can give. What really helped me was finding a good book with supplemental stuff (which you should be able to snag at your library). Be sure to grab a few books and see which one looks like the best fit. You’re going to be spending a LOT of time with it. Then, use a flash card program (Anki and Mmemnosyne are the two that I’ve tried), and make your own flash cards or download a deck if the deck goes with the books you’re using.

]]> By: Alex http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/18-great-sites-to-learn-a-new-language/#comment-423879 Alex Sun, 06 Dec 2009 17:48:49 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=20718#comment-423879 Hey you should use the resource that I have been using for the past 3 years - www.wordchamp.com Usually my problem with other websites is that they spend 90% on the vocabulary but if you really want to get fluent at a language you need to know 90% of the grammar. Wordchamp is my conjugation go to source, with audible translations for most words in like 30 different languages. They also have a program where you can take lessons from a fluent person. Never used it though... I guess I was always using my spanish teacher for that. Hey you should use the resource that I have been using for the past 3 years – http://www.wordchamp.com Usually my problem with other websites is that they spend 90% on the vocabulary but if you really want to get fluent at a language you need to know 90% of the grammar.

Wordchamp is my conjugation go to source, with audible translations for most words in like 30 different languages.

They also have a program where you can take lessons from a fluent person. Never used it though… I guess I was always using my spanish teacher for that.

]]> By: Berta http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/18-great-sites-to-learn-a-new-language/#comment-416668 Berta Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:25:09 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=20718#comment-416668 Sure you can use lingQ for free, I do. All the content in the library is free. That is lots of audio with its translated text, read by natives. Then you can use the lingQ interface to study it, looking up the words you don't understand, saving them.... Download the audio to your mp3 player and listen to it anywhere... etc You can also earn point to get some tutor correct your writings and sign in for conversations. That is the non-free part of the website, but like I said you can earn points just uploading content (text+audio) and each time someone picks up your content to use it, you get points. So to use the website is totally free, just the tutoring part isn't. Which sounds faire, just like Mark said you have to pay the tutors and the servers. Sure you can use lingQ for free, I do.

All the content in the library is free. That is lots of audio with its translated text, read by natives. Then you can use the lingQ interface to study it, looking up the words you don’t understand, saving them…. Download the audio to your mp3 player and listen to it anywhere… etc

You can also earn point to get some tutor correct your writings and sign in for conversations. That is the non-free part of the website, but like I said you can earn points just uploading content (text+audio) and each time someone picks up your content to use it, you get points.

So to use the website is totally free, just the tutoring part isn’t. Which sounds faire, just like Mark said you have to pay the tutors and the servers.

]]> By: Michael Schwager http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/18-great-sites-to-learn-a-new-language/#comment-414722 Michael Schwager Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:27:51 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=20718#comment-414722 I find the best site to learn a new language is with my S.O.! :-) I get instant grammar and pronunciation correction, and a new vocabulary word every day! LOL Seriously, though, there's nothing like using a language in order to learn a language. Sadly, my daughter knew more Spanish at 2 years old than I will probably ever know! :-O Oh, to be young again... I find the best site to learn a new language is with my S.O.! :-) I get instant grammar and pronunciation correction, and a new vocabulary word every day! LOL Seriously, though, there’s nothing like using a language in order to learn a language.

Sadly, my daughter knew more Spanish at 2 years old than I will probably ever know! :-O Oh, to be young again…

]]> By: marmaraelt http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/18-great-sites-to-learn-a-new-language/#comment-410574 marmaraelt Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:20:59 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=20718#comment-410574 very nice list of websites for learning a new language..thanks very nice list of websites for learning a new language..thanks

]]> By: Parrish http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/18-great-sites-to-learn-a-new-language/#comment-404601 Parrish Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:38:29 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=20718#comment-404601 There are thousands upon thousands of words in the English language. I have heard it said that the average person who grows up under the English language must learn an average of 20-30 words per day beginning with his or her first day in this world and continuing until the age of 18! Wow, how much we have learned and the majority of this learning was probably not in a formal teacher-student environment. There is a lot to learn in a short amount of time. But one thing we can do to improve our growth in any language is to focus on those vocabulary words which are most commonly used. I found many sources online for free that feature lists of the most commonly spoken words in English. For example, the 250 most spoken words or the 1000 most spoken words. There are thousands upon thousands of words in the English language. I have heard it said that the average person who grows up under the English language must learn an average of 20-30 words per day beginning with his or her first day in this world and continuing until the age of 18! Wow, how much we have learned and the majority of this learning was probably not in a formal teacher-student environment.
There is a lot to learn in a short amount of time. But one thing we can do to improve our growth in any language is to focus on those vocabulary words which are most commonly used. I found many sources online for free that feature lists of the most commonly spoken words in English. For example, the 250 most spoken words or the 1000 most spoken words.

]]> By: kevin http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/18-great-sites-to-learn-a-new-language/#comment-402173 kevin Mon, 31 Aug 2009 08:10:05 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=20718#comment-402173 It's also worth checking out <a href="http://www.italki.com/" rel="nofollow">italki.com</a>. There are a lot of free community services, like foreign language questions and answers, and of course language exchange. You only pay if you want to book a lesson with a teacher (or to state it in reverse, you can earn money as a teacher). It’s also worth checking out italki.com. There are a lot of free community services, like foreign language questions and answers, and of course language exchange. You only pay if you want to book a lesson with a teacher (or to state it in reverse, you can earn money as a teacher).

]]> By: Street-Smart Language Learning http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/18-great-sites-to-learn-a-new-language/#comment-400771 Street-Smart Language Learning Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:12:19 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=20718#comment-400771 I've got a whole blog devoted to just this topic over at <a href="http://www.streetsmartlanguagelearning.com" rel="nofollow">Street-Smart Language Learning</a>. Come check it out! I’ve got a whole blog devoted to just this topic over at Street-Smart Language Learning. Come check it out!

]]> By: dave http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/18-great-sites-to-learn-a-new-language/#comment-400695 dave Mon, 24 Aug 2009 01:10:52 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=20718#comment-400695 for Chinese, the best site is www.skritter.com !!! for Chinese, the best site is http://www.skritter.com !!!

]]>