Mika’s Languages

[silver]

4 hours ago, Rebecca Wiseman said:

Putting it in my language topic rather then ask elsewhere 

but his accent seems to have changed a lot from 2007 to now also he seems to have a different accent depending what country he’s in 

I may have only just noticed this since I Went from watching stuff in 2017 in Italy to 2019 in England to 2008 in America (I think)

So might have just noticed it from all the jumping around 

 

There's a thread about this

 

 

[Prisca]

34 minutes ago, holdingyourdrink said:

That is very true, I think you’re maybe more consistent than I am, which I think is pretty cool.

Thanks

34 minutes ago, holdingyourdrink said:

How is it when you switch between languages?

I am somehow not quite the same person depending on which language I speak either.

 

Romansh and Italian I speak quite fast. German, English and French slower. When I speak Italian, I have to use hands, without it doesn't feel naturally to me. With the other languages I don't use often my hands. And when I speak French I have problems pronuncing the "r" correctly, especially when it's "roi" in the middle, e.g. "trois", "froid". In the other languages I don't have problems pronuncing the r.

Edited September 13, 2021 by Prisca

[TinyLove_CJ]

Does anyone have any tips or advice  for remembering words or phrases in another language?

 

Learning Italian is going well and I would say that the very basics have stuck in my head but there are still words I forget, certain verbs for example, i.e to walk, to sing, to make.

 

One thing that does work for me is to place small doodles next to notes and if I remember the doodle I remember the word! e.g little tomato next to pomodoro or a little avocado for the Italian word for lawyer (if you know Italian you'll get why! 😁)

 

But I would like to know how other people remember words too!

 

Also for the word but in English, can someone who knows Italian tell me when it's appropriate to use either 'ma' or 'bensì' , I don't really understand the difference 😅

[Prisca]

3 minutes ago, TinyLove_CJ said:

Also for the word but in English, can someone who knows Italian tell me when it's appropriate to use either 'ma' or 'bensì' , I don't really understand the difference 😅

You can always use "ma" for "but". I never use "bensì". I think it is a higher level and is mainly used in writing. That's my feeling, as I'm not a native speaker of Italian. For "but", "però" is also often used.

[TinyLove_CJ]

2 minutes ago, Prisca said:

You can always use "ma" for "but". I never use "bensì". I think it is a higher level and is mainly used in writing. That's my feeling, as I'm not a native speaker of Italian. For "but", "però" is also often used.

Thank you! I have seen però used in sentences but not actually known what it meant 😅

[Prisca]

23 minutes ago, TinyLove_CJ said:

Learning Italian is going well and I would say that the very basics have stuck in my head but there are still words I forget, certain verbs for example, i.e to walk, to sing, to make.

I know a good website, but unfortunately I can only find it in German.

There is a method for remembering words.

 

The long-term memory learning method from Sprachenlernen24:
Learn and never forget again

The Italian long-term memory learning method is based on the latest findings from learning research on vocabulary learning.
 
You learn all the vocabulary of the Italian course from scratch and repeat it systematically until it is stored in your long-term memory.

This way you will never forget the vocabulary again in your life.
 
 
Each word is tested again and again according to a precise rhythm:
 

    A new word is tested every day until you know it on the first try.
    then after another 2 days;
    then after another 4 days;
    then after another 8 days;
    and for the last time after 16 days.

If you know the word each time, you will never forget it again in your life - it is in your long-term memory.
(A word that you don't remember in between comes back to the beginning of the repetition loop).
 
With this method you memorise all the vocabulary of the course one after the other.
New words are added every day, so that your vocabulary increases quickly.

 

https://www.sprachenlernen24.de/italienisch-lernen/#m5

 

This is a method of the software. But I guess you can also do it without software.

Edited September 25, 2021 by Prisca

[MyriamNeeme]

24 minutes ago, TinyLove_CJ said:

Does anyone have any tips or advice  for remembering words or phrases in another language?

 

Learning Italian is going well and I would say that the very basics have stuck in my head but there are still words I forget, certain verbs for example, i.e to walk, to sing, to make.

 

One thing that does work for me is to place small doodles next to notes and if I remember the doodle I remember the word! e.g little tomato next to pomodoro or a little avocado for the Italian word for lawyer (if you know Italian you'll get why! 😁)

 

But I would like to know how other people remember words too!

 

Also for the word but in English, can someone who knows Italian tell me when it's appropriate to use either 'ma' or 'bensì' , I don't really understand the difference 😅

Do you try duolingo?

[Prisca]

41 minutes ago, TinyLove_CJ said:

'bensì'

Something else about "bensì": With it, you must use the Italian subjunctive (congiuntivo). My tip: Avoid the word. 😅

[TinyLove_CJ]

Thanks @Prisca for sharing 😊

 

Looking a bit more at the website I think I understand the concept of the theory of how to remember phrases but I don't think I'll be downloading the software. I tend to pick random things in Italian (websites, articles or magazines) and just give them a read over and over again. Hopefully the more I read, the more I remember! 😁 

[TinyLove_CJ]

3 hours ago, MyriamNeeme said:

Do you try duolingo?

Yes I do. It is helping but certain words are still a little confusing 😅.

[Prisca]

Just now, TinyLove_CJ said:

Thanks @Prisca for sharing 😊

 

Looking a bit more at the website I think I understand the concept of the theory of how to remember phrases but I don't think I'll be downloading the software. I tend to pick random things in Italian (websites, articles or magazines) and just give them a read over and over again. Hopefully the more I read, the more I remember! 😁 

I never bought the software either, just did the free 48-hour demo. I didn't want to spend money.

I find some learning tips from the website interesting.

 

[TinyLove_CJ]

Similar question to the ma and bensì problem I had, what's the difference between using o or oppure for the English word 'or'?

 

Personally I keep using o just because it's easier 😅

[Prisca]

3 minutes ago, TinyLove_CJ said:

Similar question to the ma and bensì problem I had, what's the difference between using o or oppure for the English word 'or'?

 

Personally I keep using o just because it's easier 😅

There is actually no difference. They are both interchangeable.

"oppure" is perhaps a little bit more elevated.

[BeccaStardust]

Sorry to interrupt your language lessons but since I had another question re languages I thought I’d use my thread then make another or something 

 

2 questions that are random thoughts 

But what languages do his band speak, do you ever think it gets confusing for them 

also 

Has Mika ever mentioned which language he speaks at home and with his family most I’ve Probally seen this in an interview but forgot 

I know I’ve seen an interview about which language he thinks in but forgot which that was in

 

The thinking  is something I’ve always wondered about people fluent in multiple languages 

[Prisca]

2 minutes ago, Rebecca Wiseman said:

Has Mika ever mentioned which language he speaks at home and with his family most I’ve Probally seen this in an interview but forgot 

I know I’ve seen an interview about which language he thinks in but forgot which that was in

 

The thinking  is something I’ve always wondered about people fluent in multiple languages 

I think mostly in English. He also only writes English songs on his own. For the French songs, I think he almost always has help from Doriand.

[BeccaStardust]

Just now, Prisca said:

I think mostly in English. He also only writes English songs on his own. For the French songs, I think he almost always has help from Doriand.

Thanks 

yeah I knew Doriand helped with French song 

 

 

[Hero]

I remember he said once in an interview that as children, he and his siblings knew how much trouble they were in depending on which language was used to scold them. If they were told off in Arabic they knew they were grounded. 

Edited September 30, 2021 by Hero

[Prisca]

For all those who are learning French, Italian or other languages: You can use this website for verbs.

 

https://conjugator.reverso.net/conjugation-italian.html

 

Let's say you are learning Italian and you don't know which verb "sia" comes from and what it means, then you can type in "sia" and the table will tell you which form it is (congiuntivo presente) and what the infinitive form is (essere = to be).

 

Verbs in particular often have several meanings and so you can look up the word and find out what it might mean in that situation.

 

I also like this dictionary for Italian because it gives the meanings of a word very precisely.:

 

https://dizionari.corriere.it/dizionario_inglese/Italiano/M/mettere.shtml

 

Here, for example, is an excerpt of the verb "mettere":

 

 

(Sorry, is a bit small)

 

But the dictionary unfortunately has a few catches:

 

• For example, you have to enter the basic form of a noun or adjective, otherwise it won't find it.
• You must make sure that the search direction is correct, e.g. either EN-IT or IT-EN.
• You cannot enter two words, only one. For example, if you enter "prize cup", the dictionary will not find anything. (if you still find a way to do this, please let me know. )

I hope this helps you.

[Ally Kate]

Please let's keep this thread alive. It's been very helpful! Thank you for your links!

 

On 9/25/2021 at 10:16 PM, TinyLove_CJ said:

Does anyone have any tips or advice  for remembering words or phrases in another language?

 

Learning Italian is going well and I would say that the very basics have stuck in my head but there are still words I forget, certain verbs for example, i.e to walk, to sing, to make.

 

One thing that does work for me is to place small doodles next to notes and if I remember the doodle I remember the word! e.g little tomato next to pomodoro or a little avocado for the Italian word for lawyer (if you know Italian you'll get why! 😁)

 

But I would like to know how other people remember words too!

 

Also for the word but in English, can someone who knows Italian tell me when it's appropriate to use either 'ma' or 'bensì' , I don't really understand the difference 😅

 

Not really a technique, but in my experience, words sink in better when they are put in some specific context (e.g. a hilarious interview). So I never really create lists of words to memorise – instead, I watch or listen someone I like. For instance, I've remembered a ton of Italian words through this Rolling Stone interview with Mika – just because I liked it so much (and it has subtitles, which also helps):
 

Spoiler

 

Also, songs always work. I constantly listen to Italian music, and some verses stuck in my head automatically, without me actually learning them on purpose.

 

Lastly, one of my recent findings is this really nice little website for language learners, Linguno (https://www.linguno.com), which has different interactive exercises and daily crosswords. I sometimes use that.

[BeccaStardust]

I actually started to use Duolingo but with moving I stopped abd havnt really had a chance, nit sure if it’s the best Ethier 

[TinyLove_CJ]

Still working hard at my Italian but if ever I'm stuck with a word I've come to realise that I can say it in English and just stick an 'O' at the end. Everything in Italian seems to end in an O!

 

And this video I've just watched is proof of that!

 

 

Snek? Snack? POTATO CHIPPO!

[Prisca]

10 minutes ago, TinyLove_CJ said:

And this video I've just watched is proof of that!

I hear more words ending in A here.

[Prisca]

14 minutes ago, TinyLove_CJ said:

You got 36 out of 40, I'd say that's pretty good!

 

I'm sure you'll be fluent in Spanish in no time! 

 

I get what you mean with speaking a language compared to writing it. I find reading/writing Italian much easier than speaking it. Living in the UK there's really not many opportunities for me to go out and speak it. Maybe I should just start speaking it anyway even if other people don't understand me? 🤔 😄

 

Is there an Italian version of that test @Prisca?

I guess I'll move the conversation here where it's more appropriate.

 

I found the test for Italian:

 

https://www.esl.ch/de/online-sprachtests/italienisch-test

 

[BeccaStardust]

I keep forgetting I made this and get surprised ever tine I get a notification for it 

[BeccaStardust]

Actually while I'm here 

I've been use Duolingo previously but are there any other good cheep (or free) language apps I want to learn more but struggle with Duolingo