Language Learning Stack Exchange
Language Learning Stack Exchange

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1396 questions
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How can watching movies help improve fluency and listening skill?

Poems, songs, and book are usually known to help with your listening skills and clearly, your fluency. With movies, it seems different to me for some reason. Movies have a lot of stuff going on with lots of movement and quick dialogue people need to…
Anthony Pham
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How to remember words and improve my vocabulary

When trying to learn a new language I keep forgetting words, especially the adjectives. I think the main problem is that I don't use them at all and so after a bit I forget all the words that I don't need to know. I have tried keeping a notebook…
Noemi
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What are the most common languages among people who DON'T speak English?

My aim in language learning is to communicate with the most people. I want to learn a new language and thought to learn Mandarin Chinese, because it's the most common language. But I figured if a lot of people who speak Mandarin already speak…
Chimaera Phantasma
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Is it possible to learn a language just by being exposed to media and books?

Say I want to learn to speak Chinese. Could it be possible to learn Chinese just by watching subtitled Chinese movies/tv and reading books made for children?
Grizzly0111
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When learning a foreign language, should one focus on vocabulary or grammar first?

When I learned Spanish, I focused entirely on learning the grammar and conjugations before learning a plethora of vocabulary. As a result, I was able to speak properly given what I knew, but I often had to ask the person I was speaking to for the…
Sir Cumference
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Which alphabet should I learn for Tatar?

I'd like to learn Tatar, particularly Kazan Tatar (not Crimean Tatar), but there are three alphabets in use: Zamanälif (Latin), Cyrillic, and İske imlâ (Arabic). My grandfather only knows İske imlâ but I've gotten the impression that it's not used…
Alex A.
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What resources are there for learning Toki Pona?

I recently started using Memrise to learn Toki Pona, because I find that language to be very interesting. Memrise is indeed useful regarding vocabulary, but I think it is not enough. Are there other resources readily accessible on the Internet (or…
jsksp
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Able to understand conversation but not speak

This is my problem: If an Englishman is speaking, I can understand him well. I've read many English novels and stories, I can understand English movies without subtitles, and when I need subtitles, I only activate English subtitles, not those in my…
user819
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Is maintaining a L2 detrimental to learning a L3?

At my peak in mid-2014, I was part of the way through my second Japanese textbook, "Japanese for Busy People II". Since then, I have tried maintaining the level of language I had, and picking up bits of vocabulary, but with no intention of learning…
Golden Cuy
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How can you verify your grammar during self-study?

This similar question regarding pronunciation made me think about verifying other aspects of language when you do not have access to a native speaker frequently or at all. I have many self-instruction books and kits for many different languages and…
callyalater
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Does learning a second language happen in the same part of the brain as learning a first language?

Does learning a second language happen in the same part of the brain as learning a first language? A lot of things are actually different. For example, vocabulary works different, because in an L2 you make connections between L2 and L1, but in an L1…
wythagoras
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Does dreaming in the target language speed up the learning process?

If so, is there a way to "learn" how to dream in another language? For example would thinking in 'language X' for one hour before going to bed help? Or does dreaming in another language only occur when one fully starts to think in this language?
user28332
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Is there a method to learn which grammatical gender a noun in French has?

In French, some nouns are considered male and some female (le/la). Is there a way which can help me understand which grammatical gender to use with which noun?
Dawny33
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How can immersion in the language's country improve beginner skills?

As a beginner in language X, how will immersion in that language's country help learn the language faster and better? Are there any studies that show that visiting the language's country helps to learn a language faster and better? Preferably…
Quill
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How does learning vocabulary through sentences compare to learning with words alone?

When learning vocabulary, especially with the use of SRS (Spaced Repetition System), it is interesting to use flashcards. A commonly encountered problem is how to formulate those for maximum efficiency. How does learning vocabulary through…
Bougret
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