How To Learn a Foreign Language: Tips & Advice from a Polyglot - Wolters World

[jasonmyintUK]

Thanks a lot!! Just moved to berlin you been a lot help. Keep up the good work!

[woltersworld]

@jasonmyintUK Thanks. Glad I can help a bit. I loved living in Berlin. Was there for 3 years and had a great time. I am jealous! Good luck buddy! And thanks for watching and commenting!

[HeroFlame]

Happy bunny building face at 0:30

[woltersworld]

@HeroFlame Happy bunny indeed :)

[gorillawalk2]

Mark is a beast!

[woltersworld]

@gorillawalk2 Thanks... but my wife you do not need to sign on under a fake name to let me know ;)

Honestly, thank you very much! Love to have you watch andcomment! Please subscribe :)

[urbanempress]

"you can't learn a language like a native unless you are 3 years old"

sorry but that's not true and I don't know what you are basing this on. Personal experience and latest research prove that there are quite a few "super learners" who were 13 and older (I personally know someone who was 15) when they started learning German and they are absolutely PERFECT. work for German national radio stations etc and you can't hear a tiny bit of accent. just FYI.

[woltersworld]

@urbanempress well you are giving me single examples and I am making a generalization so we are both wrong statistically ;) What I am saying is that there are people that do not try to learn a foreign language because they figure they will never sound like a native and will always have an accent. I am telling them it is OK to have an accent when you speak a foreign language as you are not a native of that country. Yes some people do have amazing accents.

[urbanempress]

@woltersworld no we are not both wrong. you are wrong as you are making a generalization. I am not. I am saying "there are quite a few" and not: everyone is. you are saying: "you can't learn a language like a native unless you are 3 years old". You are generalizing and even giving a set age without even knowing the research and statistics.

[woltersworld]

@urbanempress Wow... I am guessing your parents always let you win when you were a child...

[woltersworld]

@urbanempress OK... Listen to yourself... "Super Learners" Yeah, because the average person learning a language is a "Super Learner." What I am saying is that there are some people who do not even try to learn another language because they will not be perfect at it. I am telling them to not to worry about and just go and have fun and learn a language without worrying about a perfect accent. Its called making people feel better, no research needed ;)

[adeadlyitem]

I wanna learn Belgian

[woltersworld]

@adeadlyitem Good luck with that ;) You would need to learn French for the Wallooons and then Flemish for the North part then bureucracy to speak in Brussels with all the diplomats :)

I think the first two are doable but that bureucracy speak always boggles my mind :)

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[salesmanwho]

@woltersworld I am Belgian and live next to Heidelberg Castle. Scince I am learning German your tips are really helpful, thanks!

[woltersworld]

@salesmanwho Glad the videos are helpful! thanks for watching and commenting. please subscribe! and keep making those really tasty fries and waffles and BEER :)

[Tns312]

what i meant to say was:

"p.s do you have any styles of learning that you suggest???"

im from the USA, by the way

[Tns312]

alright, so next year, my best friend is moving to pfalheim, germany. im not yet eighteen, but i will be in a few years. we plan to skype, and im trying to learn german to help her. i want to move there when i turn eighteen. i have a steady job throughout the summer and on weekends, and i thought that i could try to get a scholarship to a college in/near heidelberg, or become an au pair... do you have any tips and suggestions for me? and, do you think i'd be okay if i moved?

p.s. do you have

[woltersworld]

@Tns312 OK. first, does your school offer any German courses? That would be my first recommendation. If they do not then you may check out the local community college for German classes there. They would count as high school/college credit as well. It is good to have a solid "base" for the grammer then you can learn on your own a lot easier. My usual recommendation for people trying to learn is to 1. if you can be in the country that is the best as you are emmersed in the language all the time

[woltersworld]

@Tns312 if you cant get to the country (there are sometimes summer intense classes you could take near heidelberg as well) or take the high school or junior college class then i would

1. use my videos i have to learn german, and buy a good "learn German" book. there are a bunch out there. get the ones that have some online videos or dvds so you can hear the langauge not just a book.

[woltersworld]

@Tns312 2. once you get a feel for the language read websites in that language and read htem out loud to get your voice used to speaking that language

3. have you and your friend practice some basic german together over skype. just having someone to chat with in the language can help a lot.

4. find a native speaker or someone very good at German speak german with you once or twice a week for an hour. the practice will help.

hope some of this helps. good luck on your travels and German learning!

[woltersworld]

Sometimes learning foreign languages is easier than you think. here are a some tips. from Germany

[FuneralDust666]

Thanks for this video, it very good. It makes me feel alot better about me learning...

I guess until I start to get it down pack, just because I don't say the "ch" right or roll my R's when I'm not suppost to that doesn't mean they won't be able to understand me, or work it out... So this video puts my mind at ease a bit... I like when you said "Just have fun with it..." You are right!!!

[woltersworld]

@FuneralDust666 yeah, that is one thing i try to do with these videos, just get people trying to speak, we never will sound like locals and once we accept that then we get to actually speaking for fun. good luck with the german!

[lafolieviolet]

These are some good tips - they sound simple but it's so true. And honestly I've learned that if you just try to speak, the locals are happy to help out. It's when you get frustrated and mad at their language that they check out.

[woltersworld]

@lafolieviolet exactly, once you realize its OK to sound silly it makes it so much easier to speak a foreign language. thanks for the nice comments!

[AndreR241]

The tip to speak a foreign language is great and I know that it's usefull. I am naturally a perfetionist and I hate it to make mistakes. But one day I realized that I'll never be able to speak english on a native level. But since I just speak, my English is getting better and better.

Thanks for the tips!