Duolingo Sucks, Now What?: A Guide

Now that the quality of Duolingo has fallen (even more) due to AI and people are more willing to make the jump here are just some alternative apps and what languages they have:

"I just want an identical experience to DL"

Busuu (Languages: Spanish, Japanese, French, English, German, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Polish, Turkish, Russian, Arabic, Korean)

"I want a good audio-based app"

Language Transfer (Languages: French, Swahili, Italian, Greek, German, Turkish, Arabic, Spanish, English for Spanish Speakers)

"I want a good audio-based app and money's no object"

Pimsleur (Literally so many languages)

Glossika (Also a lot of languages, but minority languages are free)

*anecdote: I borrowed my brother's Japanese Pimsleur CD as a kid and I still remember how to say the weather is nice over a decade later. You can find the CDs at libraries and "other" places I'm sure.

"I have a pretty neat library card"

Mango (Languages: So many and the endangered/Indigenous courses are free even if you don't have a library that has a partnership with Mango)

Transparent Language: (Languages: THE MOST! Also the one that has the widest variety of African languages! Perhaps the most diverse in ESL and learning a foreign language not in English)

"I want SRS flashcards and have an android"

AnkiDroid: (Theoretically all languages, pre-made decks can be found easily)

"I want SRS flashcards and I have an iphone"

AnkiApp: It's almost as good as AnkiDroid and free compared to the official Anki app for iphone

"I don't mind ads and just want to learn Korean"

lingory

"I want an app made for Mandarin that's BETTER than DL and has multiple languages to learn Mandarin in"

ChineseSkill (You can use their older version of the course for free)

"I don't like any of these apps you mentioned already, give me one more"

Bunpo: (Languages: Japanese, Spanish, French, German, Korean, and Mandarin)

Soo True 🖤‼️

I'm sorry if this has been asked before but I'm new to learning this(self taught), so I was wondering if there's any apps or sites that you would like to recommend? Or if there's any suggestions on where I should start with learning, or just tips in general. Thank you in advance and I hope you have a great day ahead!

Hi!

I'm a native french speaker, so I've only learned the language at school, but in my experience with other languages I've learned, I would say immersion through consuming content in your target language is the most important part of the learning process. (That is, if you're not in France already, cause that would be the ultimate immersion😅) So that could be TV shows, movies, YouTube videos, a french person on social media, etc. Hearing the language will help you a lot with pronounciation, comprehension, and memory. At the beginning, you won't retain much consciously, but your brain does remember things and it'll be easier when you study. You'll be able to call back to things you've heard and make connections that way, thereby making more out of your studying. Use subtitles to help you know what they're saying, so you can take notes when there's an expression or a sentence you want to remember!

I've used the apps Memrise and DuoLingo for languages. An app alone will not make you fluent, but it will give you a pretty good base from which to continue. I also recommend starting with an app so you can see if you actually enjoy the language!! Try it for a few days or more, and see how it feels. Maybe you'll be even more interested the more you learn, or the opposite will happen, and you'll realize you actually don't like the sound of it. Both are okay! If you're learning for leisure, don't pressure yourself with a specific idea that you have of a language. Get to know it a little so you can decide if you wanna dive in.

Then if you do want to keep going, do some writing exercises. Maybe write a paragraph or a sentence in a language you know, and try to write it a second time in French. Pick topics you love talking about, things that are central to your life, stuff you want to actually be able to say! You could even pick a celebrity, show or whatever, and write an introduction to them. The key, to me, is keeping the interest of learning alive, by using other things you're already interested in. That's another reason why immersion is important: you can find new things to like that are ALREADY in your target language, and it's very likely you'll be motivated by the desire to understand them without needing to translate.

Speak out loud to yourself!! Have fun with it! It will not be perfect, but you're learning, it doesn't matter! Repeat out loud sentences that you hear in the content you watch! I do this, and I love it. Exaggerate the accent, do impersonations of characters from shows or movies you watch. It lightens the mood when you study, and it also makes you remember what you're saying better.

When you feel you know enough to have a conversation with someone else, I'd definitely recommend reaching out to other people through apps like Tandem! If you're not exactly there yet, but you want some practice with interacting with others, try writing comments under french YouTube videos, or under posts by french people you follow on social media.

As for resources, I don't have experience with any bilingual website, but elearningfrench.com seems pretty good! If you're studying for school or work, I think the best option would be a grammar textbook. It's a resource you'll use throughout the learning process, so if you had to buy anything for French, it'd probably be that. There's gotta be more helpful websites for grammar, but I don't know them, unfortunately.

I hope this helps a bit! Thank you for your question, and I hope you have a nice day too. 😊 If you have any more questions, don't hesitate! 🐝

UPDATE: So, its been a long, long, journey. I can happily say that I am mostly recovered. Struggling with anxiety and dp/dr this past year - I persevered and beat it! Life is pretty much back to normal. The first step with recovering for myself, to acknowledge that it is okay to struggle with mental health issues such as anxiety. To treat yourself with kindness, to relax and love life again. Learning to self love was also a big one for me. You can still be a strong person even if you are having mental health struggles. I am also connected to myself and my environment. Medication and the right support system helped a lot, it gave me the strength to not give up.  I learnt more about dpdr, trauma and anxiety. Dpdr is Depersonalisation/derealization. This is a type of dissociation in which you feel disconnected from yourself/others. One of the causes of dpdr is that its a response to trauma, experiencing an overwhelming situation which you cannot fully process emotionally or physically. So then you dissociate from your external environment. It's part of the 'flight and fight' response but there's also a third, called 'freeze' This is when an individual's nervous system is sensitized and believes there's no escape(flight) nor any way to fight back, so you are triggered into freeze mode. For some people, this can lead to dpdr. There are many types of dissociative disorders, such as dissociative identity disorder where it’s developed due to trauma. There is a dissociative spectrum with different disorders and severity of its effects. I don’t know much about the other disorders, nor have enough knowledge to comment on them. I am just focusing on dpdr as it’s something I struggled with. Fortunately for myself, it took a lot less time to achieve a sense of normalcy.  Check the links below for more detailed explanations! 

Your body and mind can heal, and things can go back to normal - just give yourself the time, be understanding of your self and try not to overwhelm yourself :')

I started many different hobbies to try and build myself up! I tried music production and made a couple of songs, which I'm proud of and still listen to. I tried learning languages. Focusing back on Spanish and French, I used websites like memrise! I started writing to help myself emotionally process the past year and vent - although that had to stop because I got hacked lol. (Then, got accused of hacking which made it weirder) So, back to writing paper, and maybe someday i can buy a type-writer or something like that. I checked ebay and some are being sold for £30-40 so hmmmmm, tempting tempting. Gaming has also been a really relaxing distraction from daily stresses. I started playing animal crossing new horizons again and re-terraformed my whole island. I also stuck to a theme for my island 'cottagecore' apparently its a really common theme and overused in the acnh community, but sucK it, i love it. Also it was entertaining going on Nookazon daily; I have been trading with other players and visiting other islands.

It was faster to recover from anxiety and dp/dr by just continuing my day and plans as normal, even if it did make me anxious. If you're struggling similarly. I really would recommend to still do things, like go out with friends, go shopping, embrace hobbies, visit places you haven't been to before, and make new memories. Just make sure its balanced and you're not overwhelming yourself too fast - so take one step at a time. If you feel uncomfortable meeting with friends, try texting, calling, then build up to meeting them at a safe place and etc. Start in a safe place and slowly build up out of your comfort zone, no matter how long it takes, its worth it. To start living again, rather than just giving up and distracting yourself with constant superficial gratification. 

Also another tip or advice: be aware of who you're surrounding yourself with. The people that you have in your social circle can have an effect on your mental health, if they are stressing you out or hold no positive influence over your life - just be aware of the hold it may have on you. Put yourself first and come back when you're ready. And if you feel like you have to cut people off for a while or permanently, I would say do it. Protect your spiritual energy. And, for yourself, be aware of what you're putting out energy wise and the influence you have on others. It can effect the people you love and care about.

As cliché as it sounds life does get better. I have changed for the better, I feel more 'grown up' and ready to handle new responsibilities. I am more aware of my boundaries and my limitations with others. I can forgive and let go. I'm content not going back to people who have hurt me or who I have hurt. Sometimes its just for the best. I take accountability of my own self too and where I have personally gone wrong. Knowing which areas I need to grow in is important for self growth. No individual is perfect, and at some point we do hurt others or get hurt ourselves. I am grateful that I have the ability to learn from my own personal mistakes and can avoid having an victim complex.

Cool changes for this year: I'm planning to get a car soon. I've made a bucket list for 2021 and things I want to do/explore. Camping. Holiday. Keep learning languages. Date ideas. Other fun activities. Try a different job to build experience. Maybe get a tattoo? also, also, figuring out uni stuff for second year :)<3 

To anyone else that is struggling with mental health or is not feeling the best, I believe in you. I hope you get better, there are going to be good days and bad days for everyone. Healing is not linear, so treat yourself with kindess and love. I can't imagine what youre going through but I can understand. You're brave, strong and Ily. Thank you for reading <3

Helpful educational youtube links for anxiety and dp/dr: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPyzPH8sB2A (fight, flight, freeze)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIb7QwFhcYg (narcissist response where you fight, flight, freeze) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZdEDEUidDg (talking about dp/dr recovery)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1GCjggflEU (dpdr explained)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PMeMxO8yz8 (causes of dissociation)

Hei! I feel like you've been asked this a lot XC, sorry. How long did it take for you to reach this level of fluency in Norwegian? What would you recommend a complete beginner to do (something free, if possible. I can't order anything online and the current situation means I can't go out shopping either (and stores in my country won't have anything I'm looking for) )? PS: I've just finished the first checkpoint on Duolingo! Your posts motivate me everytime I feel down.

Hi there! No worries, I always like talking about learning Norwegian ^^

It depends on what you count as time spent studying Norwegian, because I’ve taken breaks from it and I basically didn’t know what I was doing during the first year or so lol. I usually say about 4-4.5 years. It’s possible to reach that level a lot more quickly though (I was reading a post on Norsklærer Karense’s facebook group and some people were like “yeah I went from zero to B2 in 3 months” lol rip) but for some people it takes longer. It all depends on the time you put in, how much exposure you have, how many opportunities you have to practise and how naturally you pick up languages.

As for free resources for complete beginners:

NTNU has a free course

Memrise is a good website/app with several Norwegian courses (I recommend starting with Norwegian 1, but there are loads of vocab lists on there)

Other apps include Drops and uTalk. I’m not big on Drops, but I quite like uTalk, even if the amount of coins you earn seems to be completely random (don’t be fooled into thinking you have to buy coins to progress!)

Lingohut has loads of lessons suitable for beginners

CALST is pretty great, focusing more on spoken Norwegian, and gives you the option to learn dialects (I recommend just learning Oslo dialect if you’re a total beginner, unless you’re moving to a specific area of Norway)

God i Norsk is a course in Norwegian for adult Norwegian-learners with lots of listening, reading, grammar and vocabulary exercises

Bildetema is also good for learning vocab and is available in both bokmål and nynorsk

Lesnorsk has lots of texts of different levels (I’ve linked you to the beginner level texts)

Norskpodden is a Norwegian podcast for beginners that comes with transcripts and games to test your understanding

Norwegian Teacher Karin on youtube has lessons suitable for beginners (check out her beginners playlists)

Norsklærer Karense is a qualified Norwegian teacher - her videos are entirely in Norwegian so you’ll need some basics first, but they’re a fantastic free resource (here you can find her videos specifically aimed at beginners)

Learn Norwegian Naturally is another good youtube channel

Here’s an English-Norwegian / Norwegian-English dictionary

Some other things I recommend:

Stick the radio on in the background while you’re doing housework/scrolling tumblr etc. You won’t understand anything at first, but that’s not the point - the point is to get you used to the rhythm of the language. I recommend NRK P2 as it has more talk and less shitty English music

Keep a journal. By that, I don’t mean write about your day in detail - obviously that’s not going to happen when you’re a beginner - start by writing things like “today is Wednesday. I wake up at 8am. I eat breakfast.” The purpose of your journal is to practise using the language, not to write coherent, connected prose with perfect or even good/correct grammar (my Finnish journal entries, for example, consist of 2-3 short sentences, using the only two tenses I know). You can share it if you want, but I keep most of my journal entries to myself.

Listen to Norwegian music. Search “norsk (your favourite genre)” on spotify for playlists.

If you haven’t already, create a langblr. Use it to reblog resources, vocab lists, posts about grammar etc. Write short posts and ask for feedback if you feel brave enough (it’s scary at first, but I find getting corrections is the most effective way for me to learn). Ask other langblrs questions about grammar and vocab (even if they don’t know the answer, there are usually a lot of native speakers lurking that are always willing to help!)

Sorry this got a bit long - I hope that helps you! Also, thank you so much for your kind words, and congrats on reaching the first checkpoint on Duo! I hope you enjoy your Norwegian journey.

Alright so!! I got some requests from people for me to make a post with tips on how I self-study my languages, so here we are! It’s not perfect and everyone studies differently, but I hope some of these tips can help you out.

Personally I study Korean & Thai so this list is aimed at those but a lot of the study tips are pretty general and can be applied to whatever language you’re learning. 

I’m an energetic puppy in human form - I simply CANNOT sit still and study for longer than 20 minutes before getting insanely restless and distracted, so I tend to only actually sit down and actively study once a week. If you’re expecting something clever and insightful this is absolutely the opposite of that... I basically trick myself into learning! So here is my silly little guide, let’s go!

General Tips:

★ Get ridiculous with sticky notes. Seriously, do it. If you’re just starting out and don’t know the words for all of those household objects then go ahead and scribble them down on those post its and stick them EVERYWHERE. It might drive your family members/roommates crazy but hey... you’re doing it for a good cause, right?

★ Don’t rely on romanization too much - if your language has its own writing system, focus on that using as much as you can. Romanization seems helpful but in the long run you’ll rely on it too much. It’s better to get familiar with the native writing system asap!

★ Pick out a word/phrase of the day and write it somewhere you’ll see it often. I have a whiteboard in my room that I’ll scribble a few phrases onto and then every time I walk past it, I’ll say them. Or if I’m not gonna be home all day then I write something on my wrist and glance at it throughout the day! This one is the most fun because when people see it they’re like “ooh that looks pretty!” or “ooh does it mean something deep and profound?” when in reality you have the phrase I like cheese written on your arm and it never stops being entertaining. Bonus points if someone native to that language reads it and looks at you like you’re crazy.

★ Say the words in silly voices. It sounds weird but if you’re sitting there repeating words (like the word banana, for example) from an app in a monotone voice you’re definitely less likely to remember it than if you’re yelling out “BANANA!!” in an opera voice or squeaking out “b an a n a” dramatically as you let go of Jack’s hand and let him sink into the ocean. 

★ Don’t isolate vocabulary. Learning new words is great, but it’s useless and you’re more likely to forget it if you don’t learn to use it in a sentence. 

★ Keep a diary! One of the absolute best ways to practice your writing and improve your skills is to just jot down a few things every now and then. It’ll be rusty and you won’t have much to say at first and will definitely keep needing that dictionary every 2 seconds, but after a few weeks you’ll really notice the difference. Buy pretty pens and stickers to motivate yourself to write in it! It’s also fun to do this around people who can’t speak it as they’ll look at it in awe and you can show off when in actual fact your writing is usually a clumsy scribbled “today I snacks eat and go sleep” but hey what they don’t know can’t hurt and it’s always fun to look like a genius.

★ Talk to your pets in that language. They’re not going to judge you, they actually don’t even care what you say as long as you say it in that entertaining pet voice. I don’t have any friends that speak Korean or Thai so the majority of my speaking practice is hurled at my dog. If you don’t have a pet, then plants or stuffed animals work perfectly too!

★ Listen to language podcasts while you do household chores, heck if you’ve gotta do something boring, might as well yell foreign words while you do it!

★ Change your phone settings to your target language. That way you’re literally forcing yourself to use it, and it becomes second nature and you pick up key words so quickly. Only do it if you know how to get back into your settings and change it back if you have to... or else you’re stuck and lost. 

★ Listen to music and sing a lot. Just scream those lyrics! A little off-key screeching never hurt anybody!

★ Get comfortable with numbers. They’re something that is dominant in ALL languages and you’re going to use them on a daily basis. Start with learning how to count to ten and get comfortable with it, and then go higher. Once you’re used to numbers individually, make it harder. I used to get my mum to write out 10 random numbers between 1 to 10,000 in the morning and I would translate them, and then I would do the same for myself in the evening. After a while you get quicker at them and before you know it you don’t have to awkwardly translate them in your head anymore, the numbers are just there ready in your brain.

★ Don’t only watch dramas! Watch more natural stuff too - variety shows, vlogs, instagram lives... anything where people are just chatting like they normally would do. That way you’re subconsciously learning more casual speech patterns and casual language too!

★ Don’t just study at home! Always make sure you have a dictionary handy (like on your phone, for example!) and keep your brain busy while you’re out and about. Buying some groceries? Try to name everything in the fruit and vegetable aisles and if you don’t know the name of something, look it up! You’re more likely to remember vocab this way as your brain has a situation to associate it to.

★ Be mean and make yourself work for things you normally do - check your horoscope on a regular basis? Read it in your new language instead! Want to check out the weather forecast? Do it the hard way.

★ Don’t feel like studying? Not in the mood? Then don’t do it! Instead put on your favourite show in your study language of choice. Not every study session has to be a hard one. Just relax and watch a foreign movie! You have no idea how much your brain picks up without you even noticing, chilling out and watching a drama absolutely counts as studying. Don’t force yourself to study if you’re not feeling it, you’re more likely to learn if you’re having a good time.

Advanced Tips:

★ Get keyboard stickers - if your new language has a different alphabet and you use your laptop to study it a lot then you’re definitely gonna need these! You can buy them SUPER cheap on ebay!

★ Change the language on your Netflix account and get ready to binge watch your faves! If you change your profile language to the one that you’re studying, you’ll notice that a lot of the shows available will now show subtitles in that language too. If you’re pretty advanced then now is probably the time to drop your native subs and start watching with the original subtitles in the original language.. good luck! 

★ Play Pokemon. When the latest Pokemon games started coming out with Korean language options I JUMPED at the chance - what better way to study than to just laze around playing video games? This is great for any other kinds of games you can snatch up in your target language too.

★ Read a favourite book in your new language. A common one is Harry Potter! It’s pretty much available in every language at this point and it’s a story you probably already know, which means you never get too lost because you know the plot already.

Resources:

Here are a bunch of apps and things that I use for studying that I find super helpful (and all of these are free!)

Drops (for Thai and Korean - available in both the apple store and the google play store)  - I use this app every single day without fail. It’s brilliant for expanding your vocabulary (there are TONS of languages available on there too!) HOWEVER: It only lets you study for 5 minutes and then you have to wait around 9-ish hours before you gain another 5 minutes to work with unless you want to pay for more. But honestly? That’s a good thing. You only need 5 minutes of vocab study before your brain wants to dissolve into mush anyway. I get up, do my morning stuff (usually just involves rolling around and blinking in confusion before grabbing a coffee) and then sit and do 5 minutes of drops, and then by the evening my 5 minutes have replenished and I do it again. Rinse and repeat, and you’ll be learning more words in a week than you even realise!

Duolingo (I use this for Korean, there is currently no Thai option) - This app is fantastic. I don’t recommend it for beginners as it should be used as more of an aid alongside your natural studies, rather than as a study resource itself. This app expects you to already know the basics so I’d dig into this one once you’re starting to get a little comfortable with your language!

Naver Dictionary (for Korean) - I use this every single day! Not only does it help me when I need to find a certain word, it also gives me lists of example sentences which is PERFECT and super helpful when I’m trying to memorize words!  And for Thai I use Thai-English Dictionary (I can only find it in the Apple store sadly) and that’s incredibly handy too, I wouldn’t be able to cope without it! I also use this website as a Thai dictionary when I’m not on my iPad!

Talk To Me In Korean (for Korean) - This has been a core element to my Korean studies. They have tons of lessons available on their website, they do regular YouTube videos (usually only 5-10 mins long, perfect for just a mini casual study session!) and they also sell textbooks and do podcasts too. If you learn best from textbooks then these are by far my favourite ones I’ve found, give them a try! They’re not too pricey.

Lingodeer (for Korean) - It’s cute, it’s friendly and it’s helpful!! I learned a bunch of new phrases using this one and it’s perfect for casual study!

Memrise (for Korean) - Fantastic if you’re a beginner! There are tons of languages available on here too. Although, there are only 3 levels in Korean so I got through this one pretty fast. 

Eggbun (for Korean) - An app that encourages you to learn using a texting format! I haven’t really used it much but I have friends that have said it’s really useful!

Ling (for Thai and Korean) - This one was pretty good, once again though I wouldn’t use it if you’re a beginner, it’s probably a lot more helpful if you know the basics before you attempt this one! I’ve only used it for Thai but there’s a Korean option you could try checking it out!

Mondly (for Thai and Korean) - This app is cheeky and it wants your money. You get a bunch of free lessons to start with which are GREAT but that’s it. Then it reduces you to one free lesson a day but honestly? Still useful so go ahead and use it. They also have speaking practice available too!

Thai2English (for Thai) - This website is an absolute LIFESAVER!! If I’m ever browsing and come across a sentence that just throws me, I simply copy and paste and this legend of a website just breaks it down for me word for word.

Extra Korean links:

Children’s books in Korean

Learning Korean through fairytales - a textbook used in Korea for children who are learning to read, it’s helpful as a Korean language learner too! You get a little story and then it’ll ask you questions about what you just read. 

TOPIK previous exams - these are so good for practice and if you want to get a general idea of what academic level your Korean skills are at. 

Learning to type in Hangul - this one was fun and I now type Korean pretty comfortably on my laptop so if you know you’re gonna be typing a lot, I recommend this program!

the word brain - summary and notes

the word brain: http://www.amedeo.net/wb/TheWordBrain2015.pdf

It’s a book about how to learn a language. I like the straightforward estimates of time lengths in it. What I’m about to write is gonna have a lot of notes to myself (as usual lol). 

anyway, below is the word brain summary. and my ideas on how to maybe add its ideas to my study plan.

Notes:

Increasing Vocab:

I tend to not do the explicit vocab study the book starts with for very long. I did it for french for around 1000 words (which was apparently enough base), and 2000 words using memrise for chinese. Now for japanese I use memrise to do this step. 

What I learned from this step, is there may still be use in dedicating some time per day to reading my hanzi books and common-word dictionaries - and reading sections over a few times in spaced repetition (like day 1,3,7,13, 30) could work similarly like memrise/anki. So I could still have use for them.

This book mentioned word lookup in novels counts, if you do it often, and so I can see how I usually quickly abandon “this writer’s way” of increasing vocab, and move onto relying nearly entirely on reading and word lookups to learn as soon as I feel reading is doable. So again... I could speed up word acquisition with either: more memrise/anki, or more glancing at my reference texts every so often. Not that much time is needed either - 5 minutes to learn a word (so studied in like 30 sec - 1 minute intervals over multiple sessions). My usual strategy of reading to acquire words definitely works - but I could probably speed it up a bit by a bit more purposeful reviewing. And I could still have a use for my reference books if I use them for hanzi/word learning.

Also - aiming for 5000 words in related languages, 15,000 in very unrelated languages, is usually enough for overall comprehension.

-

Listening skills:

Need generally 1,500-2,000 listening hours to parse speech in a language. This time can mostly be done surrounded by language audio. So basically: yes playing your target language in the background does help. And will help for up to about 2,000 hours, at which point it should’ve benefited your ability to parse speech. If you have difficulty parsing speech, listen more.

You can also do shows/audio you intensively listen to/focus on purposefully (like Listening Reading Method, shows, documentaries). The takeaway point is just - there’s actually merit to the suggestion to “listen to target language as often as you can.” (Which I did not know there was any real benefit). And that even if you’re not trying to comprehend it’s content, simply practicing parsing the sounds by listening is beneficial. So I’m gonna start playing more audio in the background more often. 

-

Reading:

I basically do the advice. What this book recommends: using audio at first whenever you read, to create the correct ‘inner voice.’ I didn’t do it, do it now sometimes, it is what it is. But probably good advice for new learners to USE their textbook audios, course audios, and graded reader audios when they have them available - since they’ll help. (The sure would’ve helped me in french ToT).

-

*Grammar: 

Like my plan to read a grammar guide, this is kind of similar. But this book recommends learning the most common grammar structures just like words - “nailing” them in your memory by reviewing them (in spaced repetition). I think this is probably something I could add to my studies - picking up my grammar books, and reading and re-reading parts of them to help remember them better. So studying them much like words. Or watching grammar videos and rewatching/reviewing in that same kind of sequence to help remember.

I could possibly do a few review grammar guide fast-overviews - where I just reread old grammar guides I read now and then, to reinforce the memory (like spaced repetition). This is something the book recommends.

I don’t think the book mentioned it, but this could be a good place I could add 50-100 hours of producing/practicing grammar structure - at least the main ones.

Basically though - I could do a little grammar-focused study.

-

Speaking:

Grammar overview/learning words. Listen, read, first. Then shadow. 

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Summary: could use my reference books by studying similar to how anki/memrise work and just reading/re-reading in spaced review sessions (If I want to increase how fast I learn vocab), reading and looking up words repeatedly to acquire vocab does work though. Listen to more audio in background in general. I could probably use 50 hours of some review of the grammar more (review same as words), and some particular practice on main grammar. I should shadow more.

---

Looking at their table, chinese is probably going to take 3-5 years, and if I eventually slow down my study then up to 6 years.

I also think if this book’s definition of fluency is higher than mine like ‘C1′ competency, then I might get away with accomplishing my goals 1-2 years faster than this book’s timeline - since B1-2 is usually enough for me to be happy with what I’m able to do (I would imagine B2 is definitely enough to read/listen for enjoyment and talk to people about general topics with some fumbles?). Anyway... based on their table I would guess it will take me 1-2 more years to do what I want comfortably? At least, if I can keep my reading progress improving at the current rate or throw in some extra hours this year, I think within another year I might get to a point where I can read/listen for enjoyment mainly. At which point, slowing down my progress by studying less wouldn’t bother me as much - then if it took another 1-3 years for improved fluency because I’m studying slower, I wouldn’t mind as much. If this book’s fluency aim is around B2, then I’m probably looking at at least 2 more years. Still not bad ToT I have a bit of a warped perspective, I expected like A2-B1 level reading skill to take 4 years, whereas its taken me more like 2 years, so I’m already way ahead of schedule in how much time I thought chinese improvements would take.

I can at worst *painfully* read most modern things I try to now - so weibo, random literary stories/novels, gu long, webnovels, shows, tests, news. Sometimes I can read much easier than that, but in the worst cases I can take a while and grasp the main ideas and some details (did that with some random novels/news). Which is where my french was at about 1 years in. Chinese, having less cognates, means I’m not going to learn the unknown words fast enough to ease the ‘pain’ unless I keep studying to speed up word-learning. So that’s what I’m doing, still studying much more than I did for french at this level. But as far as milestones, I’m around what I consider A2 pushing into B1 (starting to not find modern material completely impossible) - in chinese I’m even a little better, I can start pretty much whatever new show I want and follow the main story and some details at minimum. I was never able to do that in french. Also I can follow some audiobooks/audiodramas if I have prior context - I have never tried that in french.

My personal “milestones” I go by:

a. can recognize enough common words to start trying to read comics/books with a dictionary (could be very painful lol) - this is when immersion becomes feasible.

b. know enough basic words to start trying to basically express self imperfectly (ideally eventually basically in many ideas) - this is when language exchange becomes realistic/journaling.

c. can recognize enough words and grammar in reading that main idea is generally understood without an aid (main idea understanding without aid might be painful but its possible) - this is when immersion in french I could stop using a dictionary, and in graded reading material i want at least this level of comprehension to start using it, this is when immersion can become pleasant with a dictionary, when info can start being learned from context somewhat more regularly.

d. can start to recognize main idea without aid without it feeling draining, and some amount of detail without aids - immersion now pleasant without a dictionary/aids, can learn more from context alone without feeling drained, with aids i can now pick up new words quicker but without it being draining, comprehension is now enough that depending on material i don’t feel any need/desire for an aid to grasp the missed details.

e. can recognize main idea and nearly all details, the rest mostly clear from context, nothing feels draining (mainly i only have this in graded reading materials - but in chinese daily life manhua i often feel like this now, with french website navigation or informational texts since i use them a lot, etc).

a+b is usually my goal within 5 months to a year - french took me 3-5 months, chinese took me 5-8 months. japanese took me 1.5 years lol. c is my absolute minimum goal - its enough to at least consume media with a dictionary. the beginning of the c stage can still feel ‘painful’ since all reading is ‘painful reading’ or ‘intensive reading.’ But it is comprehensible with a dictionary, so I can start learning that way. d is when I start feeling happier lol, and different areas of comprehension reach d at different points. e is my usual goal but i’ve only really hit it in certain ‘genres’ of content. All these milestones i can also ‘partially hit’ - for example in japanese years ago i hit ‘basic main idea’ milestone c for manga, but not for any other content type. For japanese... it took 2 - 2.5 years to hit c stage, which is where I’m picking back up (I can understand basic main idea with intense draining feeling, but with a dictionary i can follow most things). Now that I’m picking it up, I seem to be c in a few more ‘genres’ - video games I can also follow main idea better, and now novels are more doable with a dictionary (though i would NOT say i could follow even the main idea of a novel chapter without a dictionary). My chinese is sitting at d mostly for reading, at the earlier side of ‘usually I decide to look things up’ for missing details because i don’t want to always rely on context alone (unless its a show or manhua or extensive reading practice).

Exam 2: Goethe-Zertifikat B1 German exam

The second hurdle for my year-long language exam challenge! 

🌟 why am i doing this?

Everything I learnt my two years of german study at uni has eVAPORATED from my brain after not having practised for quite some time and I’m back for redemption!! When i left uni i would have been pretty solidly at B1 level with german so my goal for this language exam is simply to get myself back to were I was 💪 

With effort I could mayyyyybe go for the B2 exam - that is, if study goes well and I’m able to get myself back up to the level I had when I left uni with time to spare- buuuuuuut for the time being I’d prefer to set my goal as B1 which is much more manageable. If I get near to the exam date and feel like I’ve got my skills up to a passable B2 standard I might revise this goal 😎

imho German is such an awesome language to learn and I really enjoyed my classes at uni so i’m definitely looking forward to diving right back in! I also have a few friends who are German native speakers or living in a German speaking country and learning the language so I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to practise with them (and any other German speaker/learner here who is up for a chat!)

🌟 when am i gonna do it?

The actual exam dates in the center I’m likely to take this exam in have not yet been posted for 2021, but it looks like the B1 exam is held a coupe of times a year - with any luck I hope to sit this exam in around July 2021. However if i do end up feeling brave and going for the B2 this might be pushed back a bit  ✌️

🌟 what will be on the exam?

in a very helpful move, the Goethe Institute has written on their website (in English) the main assessable goals for the B1 exam:

understand the main points of information in conversations and texts on familiar matters relating to work, school and leisure time, etc. when clear, standard language is used,

deal with most situations typically encountered when travelling in German-speaking countries,

express yourself simply and coherently when talking about familiar topics and areas of personal interest,

report on experiences and events, describe dreams, hopes and ambitions as well as make short statements and explanations.

Like most other language exams, there will be four main parts: reading, listening, writing and speaking and these components together will have a total run time of 3 hours (and I might be able to take the sections on different days? its unclear but huge if true)

🌟 what will i need to do?

first step will 100% be revising everything I learnt grammar-wise at uni and jogging my memory on all the vocab i learnt (i’m sure it’s all tucked away in my brain somewhere,,, memrise and quizlet here i come 😅) 

this exam will be quite a challenge because in some ways i feel like i’m really starting from scratch again but hopefully i’ll be able to pick it up again fairly easily. this is also a good level to be coming back to because a lot of what is covered on this exam are general topics so in this case I’m looking to study topics more freely for a bit and get a feel for the language again, but sooner rather than later i’ll focusing in on the exact questions and format of the exam itself (many thanks @lagom-languages​ for your advice on this!)

🌟 how will i study?

the really awesome thing about learning German is that there is an AMPLE amount of free online resources to get stuck into (like easy to read news, slow german podcasts etc) so little by little, each week I’ll be working on reading and listening that way, and practicing writing responses/summaries of what I read. All this plus an occasional chat with a willing speaking partner and following a textbook for grammar exercises should be a good way to get started!

If anyone has any specific recommendations for A2-B1 level resources that I’ve missed here, or any other tips in general pls let me know! 

another super long post from me (only 2 more to go 😅) so thank you to anyone who’s read to the end of this plus a huge thanks to everyone who’s already reached out to help me!! 

~ ~ ~ 367 days to go  ~ ~ ~

memrise - the best way to study korean vocabulary?

i started to learn korean a few years ago through howtostudykorean website. i still think it’s one of the best ways to learn korean without.. actually paying money to buy textbooks or online courses. i love how the author explains the grammar. maybe it’s because he is also a foreigner and understands well, what is it like for an english speaking person to learn korean. it’s almost like he is giving you a private tutoring, trying hard to explain everything thoroughly. it’s not the textbook-like explanation that you can rewrite word-to-word into your notes. you need to think about it to make notes, which makes the learning procedure much more effective.

in every lesson, there is, of course, new vocabulary. the author’s approach in choosing the words is also praiseworthy. after i’ve started to study korean at university, number of beginner level textbooks went through my hands. i am not sure if it was because most of them are made by koreans, but what i realized was that the order they teach you words in those books is somehow off for me. like... one example that comes to my mind is word 까치 (magpie) that appeared right in the first lesson of the book we used in the first grade. if this was the first time i was learning korean i wouldn’t know how to say ‘hello’, or ‘my name is’, but I would know how to say magpie. i think i never used that word in korean for now, neither in written or spoken way. i am not trying to say it’s useless to learn how to say magpie, just that i appreciate a different approach in learning vocabulary. (and that is to learn words by actually using them) which is also a reason why i recommend howtostudykorean... even though that shouldn’t be the focus of this article. haha. 

i started to talk about this is because this website introduced me to memrise app. i am not sure if it was officially made by the author or one of the learners made it, but thanks to the howtostudykorean course on memrise app, even now, I remember all of those words in a way, i can’t forget it even if i want. people that used it were themselves making so called ‘mems’ to make you remember these words well. for example, to this day, i remember the word 위 (on top), because someone made the mem ‘you say weee, when you fall from the top of a slide’. would you believe everytime i use this word, in my mind i hear ‘weeeee on top’. no? that’s exactly what happens. at first, these prepositions of place were really confusing to me, but after using the app, seeing the mems other learners have made, it became incredibly easy. of course, after using any word in a few sentences, you will remember it even without this kind of “worldplay”, but it can be a good start. sometimes there is an explanation in hanja characters and that is definitely something i want to talk about in the near future on this blog.

source: memrise howtostudykorean unit 1

another reason, why i recommend memrise is because you can learn korean whenever you have some free time - in a bus, during the class, while waiting in a queue for something, during the commercial break when you are watching a TV.. you can download the courses and use the app even if you have no internet connection. and believe me, even 2 minutes can make miracles. because, you know, everyone is saying that when you learn new language, it’s important to study a little by little, every day. but it’s easier to say than done. thanks to memrise, it became a part of my daily routine and i use memrise every time i want to use my spare time to do something productive.

of course, there are many other pros of this app, but the last one i’m going to mention (to not make this article too long), and the one i discovered only recently, is that after registration you can make your own courses. And this was quite groundbreaking to me. because, when you are learning a language, the vocabulary in textbooks is not the only one you come across. you start to note down the words you hear in songs, dramas, the words you look up because you want to use them in a sentence and you want to practice these words too! so i always take notes of them in my phone and when I have at least 10-20, i put them into my own course to practice. if you have more friends that learn korean, you can all add words into one course or make a group and compare your learning score, compete between each other..

so, are you using memrise? do you plan to use it or is there any other app for learning vocabulary you recommend?

- ehalslzk

How To Create Korean(or any language really..) Study Schedule

Hello guys! How are you? Are you studying hard?

In today's post, I'm going to be writing about how to create your own study schedule.

As you know, being consistent when learning languages is key. In order to be consistent, you need to be in control of your time and know what you are doing and when. Sometimes it can be really tricky to create your own schedule, especially when studying a language by yourself. I hope that this post helps you a bit!

Organize your resources

Prepare all the books, notebooks, and websites you are going to use in order to see what you actually have. That way you can be very specific and create a mini syllabus for the week/ month. It will also allow you to see if you need to find extra resources. Here is a list of the resources I'm using:

Korean Grammar in Use

Talk To Me in Korean

Naver

How To Study Korean  

Write down specific goals

This one is quite obvious but it's a must. You need to understand what are your daily, weekly, and monthly goals. Please remember that your journey is something that is personal to you so don't get upset or discouraged when you see the progress of other people. For this section, I would suggest to break it to 4 categories that will allow you to understand where you are in your learning process.

Vocabulary

Listening

Reading

Speaking

Sit down and be honest with yourself. How are your listening skills? Are you having trouble memorizing vocabulary?

After you've done that, choose a resource that will help you improve the skills you feel you're lacking at. Here are some great tools:

Vocabulary: I'm currently reading a book called "Fluent Forever" by Gabriel Wyner and in this book he talks a lot about spaced repetition. If you are not family with this term, here is a video that explains it. Since I started using this technique, I saw a huge improvement in my studies. With this technique, I like to review vocabulary on a daily basis so I am "exposed" to new words more frequently. If you guys are interested in trying this technique, there are 3 websites/apps that I would recommend:

Anki

Memrise

Quizlet

All you need to do is find or create your own flashcards. I highly encourage you guys to create your own flashcards because you will be able to personalize it. And by that, I mean that you can choose the words that actually matter to you and that you know you will use for sure.

Listening: For listening practice, I would suggest to either listen to audio with a text that you could read later (TTMIK has an IYAGI series. There are two levels: beginner and intermediate). There is another fantastic resource that I found on Naver. On this page, you will be able to find different novels that will help you improve your reading skills and if you scroll down to the bottom of the page you will be able to find a link that will redirect you to a website where you can find audio recordings of the text.

Realize how much time you actually have to study

Everyone has a different lifestyle and not a lot of people can devote 3 hours to studying Korean every day. And that's totally okay! People have different responsibilities and priorities so you need to calculate how much time you can study Korean every day or every week. Even spending 25 minutes is enough.

Get creative

Now it's time to have some fun! get a piece of paper and a few colorful pens and create a schedule that you could tape to the wall and see it every day. This will also act as a reminder and you'll know what exactly you have to do for that day.

Conclusion

Organize your resources

Write down specific goals

Calculate how much time you actually have to study Korean

Try to review vocabulary and listen to something in Korean every day.

Do your best!

As you can see creating a schedule can be a really fun experience that will help you understand where you're in your language learning journey. Creating a schedule will help you stay organized and you will be able to move forward quickly. I hope this post helped you and if you have any requests let me know in the comment section below!

Back to school - What’s on my phone?

Okay so I don’t know about you guys, but I used to be obsessed with what’s on my phone videos. And with back to school season being at full force, I have decided to make a what’s on my phone, but talk about apps I use for school, and anything that helps me stay productive/active (including routine)

For this post I’ll have a bunch of screenshots, so sorry in advance if it’s long. I’ll order them by category, so you can easily find whatever you might be interested in.

This is my homescreen/school folder (some apps are covered up because of privacy reasons). Wallpaper by @emmastudies. It also shows most apps I’ll be talking about in this post.

Planning/Time Managment

App #1: Wunderlist

It’s a basic to-do app, but I now also use it for keeping track of other tasks. In the app I have 4 different lists. Main (for basic tasks), schoolwork (homework and essays), social media to do (which has 5 sub lists; youtube, studyblr, langblr, studygram, and main instagram), and to buy (for groceries, but also my school supplies checklist, makeup checklist, ect.)

It is really easy to keep track of everything, as it allows you to add due dates, reminders, notes, and even attachments to your tasks. You can also add sub-tasks, so if it’s a step by step task you can add those in too. And the best part, you can sync it with other users, so if you have a group project you can add them to the task or list (if you have multiple tasks together) and keep track of each other’s progress too.

I definetly recommend this app for anyone that needs to be more organised.

App #2: Days--

Sadly this app isn’t actually available in the app store anymore, as the maker of the app discontinued it. However, you can still get an apk to install, which I will link here. (Download on your pc or laptop, scan for any virusses, then send to your phone to install. It was save for me, but you can never be too carful)

I use this app for events and big tasks. It’s kind of like a countdown app. I added in each event or big tasks, and it orders it by when the deadline/event is, so I can see how much longer I have to either prepare or finish it. I also added in birthdays so I can see how much longer I have to prepare a gift/party. The color coding option in the app is also really nice. I color coded it as follows:

Red = Events (mostly concerts)

Yellow = Birthdays

Green = Release dates (music I look forward too, movies, ect.)

Blue = School stuff (first day of school, tests, ect.)

Purple = Other

Although I mainly use it for looking at how long until my next concert, it’s actually really useful to plan study/work sessions for school tests or projects. Instead of having to count days/weeks towards due dates and than devide my time up, I can just look at the app, see how long I have left, and devide it up then. And because it takes up barely any space, I feel like it’s a nice bonus to have on my phone that isn’t necessarily an essential, but it’s also not in the way of any other apps.

App #3: Google Calendar

Now this I don’t really need to explain. It’s a calendar. It syncs with your Google account, and it has a really clean interface with a lot of options for personalisation.

For privacy reasons I didn’t take a screenshot of my own agenda, but I did add pictures from Google themselves.

App #4: Quality Time

I don’t know about you guys, but I usually spend way too much time on my phone. So I got an app that warns me when I have spend either too much time in total, or on one app in specific. You can set your own time limits for each app (or set it as unlimited) and a limit of how much you want to be on your phone in total. It won’t shut you out of apps after the time has run out, but it does keep track, which is really useful in my opinion.

Here I have added a screenshot of a few days ago. 

Studying

App #1: Forest

A lot of you already know about this app, but I’ll still talk about what it does a little bit. Basically, you plant a tree, and you can’t use your phone until the tree has grown (you can set the time that it takes to grow yourself). If you do touch your phone before it grows, the tree dies. It helps with concentration, as it eliminates phone usage while studying.

Here is my forest from today. I like to use it for more than just studying (working out, reading, ect.), so my forest time is a bit long today.

App #2: Memrise

I talked about this app before, but I’ll talk about it again. It basically is an app that you can use to learn a new language! It has a bunch of languages included, and is really easy. It also feels a bit like a game because of the levels/experience system it uses. The more you practise, the more your character levels up! It also sorts it’s vocab lists by category, so you aren’t just learning random words, which is nice. (I just finished learning how to use regular verbs, and after that I’ll start with describing my emotions/thought in Spanish)

App #3: Quizlet

This is an app that literally everyone should have. It basically is a community driven flashcard app. Need to practise vocab? Make a flashcard set, or see if someone else has on that topic already. Need to learn dates of the French Revolution? Make flashcards! It is really easy to use, and has a bunch of modes you can use to learn your topic, including multiple choice, writing it out, and matching (matching is great for learning dates in my opinion)

I used this app at least once a week last semester, so I definetly recommend it.

Miscellaneous

App #1: Sleep Cycle

This app has literally made me into a morning person. It tracks your sleep pattern, and calculates the best time to wake you up! Set the limit on when you have to be awake, and the app will wake you up at the best time within 30 minutes of your limit. It tracks your movement in your sleep using either the movement censor or the microphone in your phone (you can choose which).

Not only that, I personally also really like looking at my graph of how I slept throughout the night.

Other apps you might want to put in your school folder:

Audio recorder (for lectures)

Office apps (word, powerpoint, excel, ect.), or another app that covers the same document types (for example, Polaris)

Calculator (I also recommend you check out Photomath if you’re doing any math related subjects)

And that’s the end of this post!

Like I said before, you probably already knew of most of these, but for those who didn’t I hope this was helpful! Any apps you’d recommend? Use the comments or reblog to let others know!

My links: Tumblr | Spanish Langblr | Amazon Wishlist | Instagram | Twitter | Printables | Masterposts | Back To School |  Personal blog

How to start learning Finnish

I get asks every once in a while to recommend resources for beginners, so I thought of sharing what I started with and what I generally find useful for beginners.

Here is my resource post with all links and downloads I’ve collected so far, if you’re looking for specific things. If you know of anything I didn’t include, let me know and I will. :)

1. Apps

The first thing I used was the Finnish Fun Easy Learn 5000 words app. It teaches you words in different categories with various exercises (recognizing the words after hearing, writing them down, find the mistake, etc.), so it’s a good app for learning words in context. It also helped me to recognize various patterns in words that were helpful later. (also this was before I seriously started learning Finnish, so kind of a warm-up exercise).

Other similar apps are 6000 words also from Fun Easy Learn (it’s not actually 6k because you’ll have to pay for the full version) which has a similar structure with the added bonus that you can also practise saying the words and the app will tell you if it was good or not.

50 languages is also popular, again with various exercises to practise. (this personally didn’t work for me but mostly because my tablet kept crashing so that’s not to say others won’t like it)

So, a good idea to use some apps every day or maybe once a week, depending on what method you find best for learning. They can be a good extra practice if you want to focus on e.g. learning from a book.

2. Books

Language learning always starts with books, right? It’s always a good idea to have a grammar book, especially for Finnish. It will explain all you need to know and you can also practise. At least this method works for me.

Teach Yourself is probably one of the most popular books, I hear many people using and liking it. (The one on the link is an earlier edition, but just as good as the new one - I bought the hard copy). It’s a “classic” language book with topics, situations, grammar, vocab and exercises. There is also audio so perfect for getting an idea about speaking too.

Take a look at my resource list for more books, there are also links to various resource folders where you can download lots more. Maybe a different book will work for you, but I think this one is a good start. Whichever you chose, I definitely recommend using a book, at least for grammar.

3. Online resources

"There is no Finnish on Duolingo!” you will probably hear if you decide to learn Finnish. True, but there are other apps and sites you can use similarly, even if they not as “interactive” as Duolingo. Again, check the links to find something you like. :) There are some sites like Mondly or Mango that have premium features, so the free version is only a couple of lessons. Wasn’t worth for me so instead I tried to find others. The only two sites I use for Finnish at the moment are Memrise and Clozemaster.

Memrise is quite popular, mostly for vocab, even if you just choose one of the “most frequent words” courses, you can practise a bit every day and learn some new words that will surely turn up elsewhere. I did the beginner’s course first, it’s great even if you start a grammar book at the same time. Later you might find different courses that fit your needs.

Clozemaster is probably not the best for a total beginner, but after a bit it’s useful. You have to fill in the missing word in various sentences. The good thing is that these are sentences you might use in real life and contain very frequent words plus you learn in context and the grammar rules will turn up too. There is a multiple choice option which is good for beginners, later I switched to just adding the word by myself. You can play on various levels and the sentences repeat (so you can “master” them) so it’s also a good daily practice.

I didn’t have time yet to try more apps, but I will post about them when I do.

4. Immersion

Another thing you hear often as a language learner: Immerse yourself in the language! Read, write, watch movies in your target language, etc... so, how to do this with Finnish?

Reading

Again, check out the resources - there are some downloads and sites with children’s books which are probably the best starting point. They are easy and you can start recognizing things on your own and understanding more of the text. Believe me, you’ll get bored with it, but at first it’s a good feeling to say: Wow, I’m at the level of a Finnish four-year-old! :D Later you might want to read more complex books or Harry Potter or whatever, if you can and want, maybe buy some actual Finnish books :)

Also useful to read news and maybe Wikipedia articles on things that you’re interested in.

Writing

You might have to write some sentences during the exercises in your grammar book, so after a while you’ll be able to construct sentences on your own. Try writing short things at first, maybe a few lines about your day or choose a topic you’ve already learnt about. You can keep a diary or just post on your blog and others might correct it. It’s a good idea to write as often as you can, as early as you can, then you recognize the areas you have to improve in and go back to certain things if needed.

What to watch and listen

Youtube videos - check the resource list for some recommendations :)

TV programmes - again some links there, some probably have subtitles, but even without those you can just listen and see how much you understand, even if it sounds like nothing at first (an important part of language learning is falling in love with the language before you understand it, so just listening to it casually will make you love it even more and it also helps with listening to how people actually speak). You might find some cartoons/kid’s programmes as well which are probably easier to understand at first.

Music - just jump in and find Finnish artists you like and listen to them 24/7 and eventually you’ll pick out some words or try to learn the lyrics if you like (most of my Swedish learning was song lyrics for a long time) which helps learn a lot of vocab in context so you’ll remember better.

Disney songs - assume you know some Disney songs already, just listen to the Finnish version and similarly to music, it will help you learn more.

Watch movies - when you feel brave enough :D Also, watch movies you already know like Disney or others (if you can find them in Finnish) Again, you don’t have to understand everything, you know what the movie is about so try to pick out some familiar words.

Listen to the radio - again good for music and maybe some random speaking programmes

5. Tumblr

Make a langblr :D You can post about your progress, collect resources, practise writing and have others correct it, make friends and help others. You can find some of my favourite blogs in this post.

Tumblr is also good for finding random Finnish content and learning more about Finland and the culture. One way or the other you’ll find some Finnish blogs with interesting content and maybe eventually understand the weird memes they’re sharing :D Because let’s not forget, learning about your target language’s culture is important, and with Finnish it’s great fun because there are so many great things about Finland and Finnish culture.

6. General things

Some final pieces of advice based on my experience:

Don’t listen to the “OMG, Finnish is so hard” comments. Once you get the hang of it, it is just as easy as you make it to be. :)

Don’t be afraid to speak! Even if you just read out the dialogues from your book, words from Memrise or whatever, practise speaking. If you know native speakers and you’re not afraid to talk to them, do! :D

Practise every day (just like with any other language) - even if just a little, small progress is progress :)

Don’t get discouraged by the amount of grammar or unknown words or people who say it’s too hard. Just study in your own pace, try different methods, learn from the mistakes you make and try again. It will work!

This is all I can think of at the moment. Let me know if you have any questions and I will make more posts on different resources. And of course, good luck with learning Finnish! We’ll all get there one day!

Practical Tips for Studying Abroad

There are lots of google-able lists of best things to do to study abroad, so I won’t cover everything. But I do have a few practical tips for college students interested in studying abroad.

I studied abroad a few years ago in Costa Rica, and these things all helped me:

Side note: I use college and university pretty interchangeably, because that’s what we do where I’m from.

1. Study Abroad Office

Even if it’s on the opposite side of campus, get your ass over there. They will have a zillion resources for you-- pamphlets, flyers, program booklets, and trained staff who are familiar with most of the big name programs and study abroad companies.

Speak with a staff member at the Study Abroad Office. You are not bothering them. They are paid to help you. Their job description includes helping students figure shit out. Their purpose is to help you out. 99% of the time they are very nice and friendly. You may have to make an appointment, because certain times of year they are helping a lot of students at once. That doesn’t mean you are less important-- you just might need to set up a specific time where they can help you one-on-one.

Go to a Study Abroad Fair. They will have students from your college/university who studied abroad as well as several companies who try to sell you on going with their program. Take their pamphlets and booklets. If you are really interested, give them your school email. Listen to the students who have been to your ideal location. Ask them questions. Get excited!

In each program booklet, there is usually a guide to what major is suited to each of the study abroad locations/programs. For example, my major was biology, so I wanted to pick a study abroad program where I could take biology classes. I ended up going to Costa Rica with a company called USAC, because they offered (a) tropical biology electives (b) the credits transferred to my school (c) i could also take cultural classes while I was there. You’ll want to find a program that works for your major and your specific needs.

2. Planning

Start looking into your study abroad options approximately two semesters before you plan to go. Deadlines creep up fast, and usually there is a LOT of paperwork that needs to get filed before you can go. You’ll need a passport, travel insurance, and a ton of paperwork needs to be signed by both you and your school and your study abroad program. You need to be organized about it, and give yourself plenty of time to deal with people who lose your paperwork and for walking all over campus to get signatures (it happens). You don’t want to be caught 3 hours before the deadline only to be told someone is out of the office for the day and can’t sign your paperwork.

Talk with your academic advisor for your major. Tell them you want to study abroad. Figure out how this will affect your class schedule and your academic plan. Are you determined to graduate in 4 years? Find a study abroad program that includes interesting classes from your major. Do you want to graduate in 5 years? You may have a little more wiggle room.

MAKE SURE YOUR CREDITS CAN TRANSFER! I cannot stress this enough. Please, please, please double and triple check this. Run it by the study abroad office AND your academic advisor.

Troubleshooting: Your advisor doesn’t know shit. Ah yes, the bane of every student’s existence: the academic advisor who doesn’t know what they are doing. I had one of these. I checked in with him once a semester about my plan, but he always told me the wrong information and if I had been depending only on him, I would have been severely fucked. 

So. I ended up secretly seeing a different professor for advice about my academic plan. I also used my school’s website extensively to figure out what requirements I still needed to fill.

Finding a better advisor can rub people the wrong way, so I would develop a rapport with one of the long time academics who have been teaching at your school for a millennia. Then broach the topic about classes. A lot of the older professors are well aware that some people in the department aren’t good advisors-- they’ve heard about it before.

That said, never badmouth a professor in front of another professor. It’s very unprofessional and makes you look bad. But I might say something like, “Dr. [x] told me that I didn’t need to take another physics class, but I was so sure that I did. Do you know if they changed the requirements recently?”

You may be able to request a new advisor. Only do this if you are 110% certain that you will never need to take a class with that professor ever again. Otherwise you might get yourself into more trouble.

You can also ask for advice in the office dedicated to your major. (Usually each major will have an office dedicated to it on campus.) Usually there is someone there that can help you!

3. Picking a program

Things to consider when picking a program: what your major is, what language you want to learn / what cultures you are interested in, cost, and safety.

Types of programs and cost:

Direct Exchange: means you will pay the same price as your regular tuition. Usually these programs have an agreement between the university abroad and your home university. A very good option if you want to keep your spending somewhat the same.

Through a program provider: you will coordinate between your home school and a program provider (who will organize mostly everything for you). Costs vary. Some are more expensive than your home university and some are less expensive.

Summer programs: what it says on the tin. Usually shorter than spring/fall programs, and have a more intensive work load, and costs marginally less. A good option if you have a busy schedule and don’t want to be gone for a full semester during the year.

Language and Culture

One of the best things about studying abroad is learning about a different language and culture. I would highly recommend going to a country where they speak a different language than you do. 

It would be extremely helpful if you knew a little bit of the language before you left! A good place to start preparing is Duolingo, Memrise, and any variety of podcasts that are out there for you to download for free. Also check your campus for language exchange programs, where you can set up a time to meet with classmates from different countries. You can practice each other’s target languages together!

Remember that you are an ambassador of sorts for your home country. For the love of God, don’t be obnoxious and self-entitled. You need to put your best foot forward and present a good name for your home country. Don’t prove bad stereotypes right.

Living with a host family

THE BEST PART OF STUDY ABROAD, IMO. You will adjust to the culture much better if you live with a host family. You will also learn so so so much more, practice your target language every day, improve your listening skills astronomically, and be able to make strong cross-cultural connections. You may even become close enough that you get to visit them again in the future!

Go with the flow and accept differences. Don’t view the differences as better or worse than your home country-- it is merely a different way of doing things. Adjust your behavior to what is done in your new country. For example, if everyone takes off their shoes before entering a home-- make sure you do that too! If someone tells you that you will get sick if you are barefoot on cold tile floors-- put on sandals!

Try every food they put in front of you. In a lot of cultures, it is offensive to refuse the offer of food. Accept food when it is offered with a smile. Does the food smell strange or disgust you? Keep an open mind and try it. You might even like it!

Culture shock and reverse culture shock

I didn’t experience culture shock when I arrived in Costa Rica, but I remember being blindsided by reverse culture shock when I got home. My best tip is to make strong friendships with your classmates and host families. They help you through the adjustment period immensely. And when you get home? Keep in touch with the friends you made abroad. Tell them how hard it is to adjust back to your home country. And know it gets better.

4. Safety

Are you visibly LGBTQ+?

Look extensively into the country’s recent LGBTQ+ debates. Make sure that you will be safe there.

Do you belong to a racial, ethnic, or religious minority?

Look into the country’s history with people from your background. Look into the recent political movements. Look into the recent social issues being debated in that country. Is there a rise in islamophobic, antisemitic, anti-black, anti-latino, anti-[x] sentiment in that country? Are they dealing with anti-immigrant sentiment focused on people that look like you?

Political turmoil

There are a lot of countries across the world that are in political turmoil right now. Please look extensively into the current political debates and issues.

Sign up for alerts about areas to avoid.

This is the link to the US Consulate, which gives you current information for people traveling abroad:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html

Remember that studying abroad should be a joyous, exciting experience. Don’t go anywhere that your life could be in danger.

That’s all for now, but as I think of things I might try to make a second post.

Keep in mind that this is all coming from someone who lives in the USA. Things may be different depending on where you live and where you are planning on going!

tl;dr: You need to do a lot of research and planning before you go, but in the end it will be so worth it! Get excited! Have fun!

JLPT | 日本語能力試験 Hey guys, throughout my time running this studyblr I've received a lot of questions regarding the JLPT exam. Personally, I myself have never taken the exam nor am I planning on doing so in the near future, however I have asked my closest friends around me who have taken the exam in the past, or who are currently studying for it, for advice regarding how to prepare for the exams. So below is some advice, information, and resources that I've gathered over time. I hope it'll be able to help answer some of your questions! What is the JLPT and why is it important? The Japanese Language Proficiency Test is an internationally recognised exam that measures the proficiency of non-native Japanese speakers. There are five levels, N5, N4, N3, N2, and N1. N5 is the lowest level, which is equivalent to basic conversational Japanese skills, and N1 is the highest level, equivalent to that of a native speaker. The JLPT is important say for example, if you plan on working in Japan in a job that requires you to use Japanese. How can I take the JLPT? The test is held twice a year (July and December) in some cities, and just once a year in other cities (December). On the official website is a list of institutions that hold the JLPT. Which level should I take? You can attempt sample questions from the different levels on the official website in order to understand which level you are. What will I be tested on? The JLPT tests examiners on their vocabulary, grammar, reading, and listening skills. For a full view of all the items you will be tested on, check out the official website for more information. How should I study for the JLPT? There are a lot of websites online with information, resources, and study-guides for each level of the JLPT. This website hosts pdfs with practice tests, official workbooks, mock tests, and answer sheets for each level of the JLPT. It’s a good idea to purchase a textbook so that you can learn new vocabulary, grammar, and kanji, as well as get in some reading practice or practice exercises. -  For N5/N4 I can recommend the Genki series or Minna no Nihongo. -  For N3 Jitsuryoku Up! Nihongo Nouryoku Shiken has been recommended. -  For N2/N1 日本語総まとめ and Kanzen Master (新完全マスター) books have been recommended. I've been told kanji is used quite sparingly in the N5/N4 exams, so I've been advised that you shouldn't spend all of your time studying kanji for those exams. A good idea is to focus on the recommended kanji for each level, and spend more time on vocabulary, grammar, and more time on reading and listening comprehension. You should try to study every day if possible. Studying/cramming for a certain amount of hours in just one session each week is not a good way to retain information. You don't have to study in the traditional sense every single day, it can be anything from reviewing vocabulary, going through kanji flashcards, or talking with Japanese friends. Another good tip is to time yourself with the appropriate exam timings when taking a practice test online to see how you score under exam conditions. Recommended websites and apps: -  Memrise - for vocabulary -  Anki decks - for kanji -  iTalki - speak with conversation partners or Japanese teachers -  Nihongo Ichiban - JLPT materials -  JapaneseTest4You - JLPT materials -  Jisho - good online dictionary -  Nihongonomori - JLPT Youtube channel -  Tanos - JLPT materials Textbook PDF’s: -  Genki I -  Genki II -  Genki Answer Key -  Japanese for Busy People -  Kanji Look and Learn -  A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar -  Tae Kim’s Japanese Grammar Guide Disclaimer: As I mentioned before I’ve never taken the JLPT exam, nor do I plan on taking it anytime soon, so I cannot be certain that all the informatin I’ve listed is correct. If I’m wrong about anything please let me know! 頑張ってください！

I live in Japan, and I’ve went to a Japanese school. Now I’m in my last year of high school, and I have to take multiple university exams. I start my first one in a week, but I’ve lost all motivation to study. I feel like I won’t get into any universities even if I do study, and I know I’m running away from my problems, but I just can’t seem to find any will to do anything and I feel like such a loser and weak. I hate disappointing my parents, and I do want to go to university... I’m desperate:(

Hello! Thank you for sending this in, and I hope we are not too late to talk about this. If you’ve taken the tests then I wish you all the best with them and I hope you felt okay about how they went. Tips for tests and how to handle them can be used in everyday life, though. I really hope there are some techniques you can take away from here and use.

The first base to touch on with studying, for me, is usually the area I plan to use. I’m lucky enough to have a desk with lots of resources, and I find that helps me a lot. However, you can still make a study area on a dining table, a wide space on the floor (as long as you’re comfortable sitting on the floor) or even outside in the shade. Wherever it is, here are a few things to look at:

Supply of fresh air (having a window open, being outside)

A clean, clear space with working pens and pencils.

Highlighters. Can you colour coordinate what each means?

A good chair or position to sit in.

A good temperature.

Having the noise appropriate for you (if you can study with calming music or if you prefer it silent)

Another thing to look at in advance to studying is creating a schedule. Within this schedule, it is beneficial to slot in short breaks, meal times and time to enjoy yourself. It may take a while to figure out which works best for you (whether you prefer studying first thing in the morning, during the day or in the evening), but you can mix it up until you feel it is right all while studying. If you find it helpful, you can even schedule down to the very subject you will be revising each study slot. I always find it rewarding to tick off the slot when I have completed it, too!

Studying can feel overwhelming, as we often are not sure where to start. Scheduling can help with this, as well as finding the best way to revise. There are websites which can help contribute to studying, such as memrise. This is like a digital version of making study cards, but being tested on them. It contains lots of subjects so it may be helpful to check it out. You can, if you find it helpful, also make your own study cards. Writing them out in different pen colours in itself is studying, as we are focused on what we are writing. Then, we can use these small cards wherever we are. At work, in a queue or even at dinner. Mind maps are also useful, and they can be colour coded and stuck on a wall to glance at every so often. When revising for my exams, I used to stick questions on the walls next to light switches, mirrors and even the toilet flush! I had to answer the question (the answer would be on the back) before I could continue my day, or flush the toilet. This way I wasn’t overwhelmed by sitting down in front of a page full of information. I could take little moments out of my day to focus on questions, as well as sitting down and working on some other subjects.

During my dissertation at university, I really struggled to sit and read information. Whether it be an article or my own work, it seemed to jumble into one and go in one ear and out the other. I tried reading aloud, but I struggle with that too. Eventually, I downloaded an extension for Google Chrome called Speak It. I could then highlight what I was trying to read, press the button, and it would read it out loud for me while I followed along. This helped me massively, and I encourage you to try it if you feel you may struggle in the same way.

In most cases, schools offer study sessions in quiet environments with a teacher available if needed. Do you think attending one to see how they work for you would be beneficial? Talking to a teacher or school counsellor about your worries may also help, as they may have some study techniques or tips to cope with the exam period.

On our MHA page, we have some information on school advice. I will link it below. It does not directly target exams or tests, however, some of the advice (especially on getting a good night’s sleep) can be applied to a lot of things in life. I really hope you find the page useful.

School Advice

Speak to the universities you would like to go to. Speak to the staff. But, most importantly, speak to the students. I know this may feel scary and too much, but even communicating via email or a forum is valuable enough. They may have advice on applying or getting through exams, and not all universities may be the same. When I applied, my university focused more on my personal statement, growth within my results and my portfolio. Yours may be the same, so I recommend having a look into that if you feel you can.

I completely understand that this time may be overwhelming and stressful for you, but my last piece of advice I will give you is probably the most important. Breathe, take breaks and take time to yourself. Having time to enjoy things is just as crucial as studying, and it helps our mind massively. It is okay to spend some time away from studying and it is okay to feel nervous. Believe in yourself, and know that you are trying your best. Reward yourself. Look after your mental and physical health.

I really hope this has helped, and to everyone else who is going through exam season. I wish you all the best and believe in you!

Rosie

How do I study Korean ?

I started to learn Korean two months ago, mostly by using web resources, and there are tons of websites out there that offer you to learn Korean, so at the beginning it was a bit complicated to know which one would be better and would be adapted to how I study. After a while, I had found a few resources that suited me better and that I now stick to, and I want to present them to you.

This post is going to be quite long, so sorry in advance for that ; also, keep in mind that this is what I personnally use, but that it doesn't mean it will work for everyone. I haven't tried every single Korean learning website either, so maybe you'll find better ones. This is just my personal experience !

If you still want to read this blog, then here we go !

#1 Hangeul

The very first thing I had to learn was Hangeul, which is the Korean alphabet. I highly recommend to start by that, because even if you'll certainly find courses using romanization, it will never reproduce the exact sounds that native Koreans make when they speak. Plus, romanization can vary depending on the source, so it's not super reliable. Hangeul is quite easy to learn because there aren't that much characters to learn, unlike Japanese or Chinese. I learned it in a week, and I even know people who learned it in one day ! You can do it too, just break it down into little steps and you'll know Hangeul in no time !

Here are the resources I used :

✦ The Hana Hana Hangul series of video from KoreanClass101.com

This website has a ton of other useful resources, but the very first thing I used was this series of videos. You'll learn 3 characters in each video, and your first Korean words using these characters. After learning the characters, there are also videos about batchim and pronunciation that are very useful too.

You'll have to create an account to access the whole series on the KoreanClass101 website, but it's free so it's not a big deal.

However, if you don't want to create an account, I have another website for you :

✦ How to study Korean.com, Unit 0

The Unit 0 of this website is dedicated to Hangeul. You'll learn letters, how to write syllables, and tips about pronunciation. There are also audio files of some syllables so you can hear how they are pronounced, and the other units have audio files for the vocabulary presented.

The lessons are very complete, and you can download the PDF files of the lessons for free. There are also workbooks if you want to practice ; they cost 5$ each, and you'll receive an email containing the PDF files for that price. It can be useful BUT you can totally do without it, because all the lessons are free.

After Hangeul, the next step for me was :

#2 Grammar

✦ How to study Korean.com is divided into 6 Units (plus two Units in the Hanja section), that correspond to different levels of grammar, from basic to advanced. Since I found the Hangeul lessons so useful, I naturally moved on to the grammar lessons of the website !

I like the fact that the lessons are dense and contain many examples and explainations. It sometimes make it hard to study because there are a lot of informations to memorize, but for me that's the major advantage of this website.

For now it's the main one I use to learn grammar, but if you have suggestions feel free to send me a message !

#3 Vocabulary

At the beginning of each of these grammar lessons, there's a list of vocabulary. Personnally, I prefer learning vocabulary and grammar separately, that's why I use the Memrise courses created by How to study Korean (but there are other courses created by the community that you can use too).

✦ Memrise allows you to learn five words at a time, you can also review the words you've learned previously, and mnemonics are suggested to help you remember words.

That way, I can focus on grammar when I'm reading my lessons, and learn the vocab later, during breaks or when I have 5 minutes to kill.

#4 Reading

A good thing when learning a new language is to read as much as you can in your target language. It can be anything, from short stories to news.

On tumblr, I try to find langblrs posts written in Korean, and try reading them. It's a good exercise, and you can learn new words too. Here are some of the Korean lanblrs I follow (I'll probably add more later, as I'm still exploring the community) :

seoulfullstudy ✦ studykorean101 ✦ mygoalmyway ✦ learnkorean-kstudyblr ✦ hangulstudy ✦ eviestudieskorean

✦ Naver daily conversations

Naver provides a lot of informations to people who learn Korean. One of my favourite things is that everyday, a short conversation is posted in English and in Korean, with the vocabulary words used. It's a great way to practice a bit everyday !

#6 Listening

The Talk to me in Korean youtube channel is great ; there are Q&A videos, interviews, ASMR, tongue twisters, lessons... The content is varied and always of quality, so it's a great way to study Korean !

✦Koreanclass101's podcasts are short, easy to understand, fun to listen, and you can download them for free if you want to listen to them as much as you want. It also allows you to track your progress, which in my opinion is a good option.

✦Korean Unnie's youtube channel is great to help you learn more about Korea. She shows you different places like karaoke, hair salon, the korean subway etc, and teaches you phrases and words linked to that place. She also does podcasts about the Hangeul characters, and korean lessons. Her videos are always nice to watch, so go check her channel !

It's finally the end of my post ! I hope it wasn't too long, and that it can be useful to you ! Have a good day everyone !