All Questions
1,376
questions
0
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2
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24
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Where can I get Chinese reading materials to copy/paste into LanguageCrush?
I'm trying out LanguageCrush which tracks your vocabulary while reading and watching videos (kind of like LingQ, but I'm able to use the free version). The feature I like is how it keeps track of how ...
CommunityBot
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1
vote
1
answer
30
views
How can I improve the sophistication of my Chinese grammar usage?
I'm starting to become aware of a weakness in my Chinese grammar. While in my speaking and writing I'm generally grammatically correct (of course, not always), I don't often use more sophisticated ...
CommunityBot
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1
vote
1
answer
34
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Pronounciation of final -k in Azeri
So I read that, in Azeri, K can either be pronounced as [c] (in Azeri words) but also [k] (in loanwords). However, in the word "çörək", it turns out that the final -k can either be ...
CommunityBot
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1
vote
1
answer
58
views
Russian: How to learn which cases / prepositions to use with each verb
I am learning Russian and am between B1 - B2 level and still having some difficulty finding a good strategy for learning which preposition and case to use with each verb. Does anyone have any good ...
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1
vote
0
answers
26
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Low-intermediate graded readers for Latin
Which books can I use to progress in Latin reading once I have finished Lingua Latina per se Illustrata: Colloquia Personarum? The degree of difficulty should correspond more or less to the level you ...
- 197
1
vote
1
answer
28
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In European Spanish is it possible to pronounce soft C as [th] and Z as [s]?
So I heard that in all of the Spanish language, Soft C and Z sound the same. In European Spanish, C is used for [th] before I and E and Z in all other cases while in most other regions, both are ...
- 192
3
votes
2
answers
234
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Find free dictionary with example sentences (e.g. English - German)
Are there free dictionaries available online for download? I have been looking for data which provides multiple possible translations and examples, e.g.:
Input word: Nevertheless
Output: ("...
CommunityBot
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5
votes
4
answers
246
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How to improve my usage of vocabulary
I have been having trouble recently, related to my vocabulary.
While writing essays or whatever writings in English, I recognized that my sentences were mostly consisting of 'simple' words. Such as '...
CommunityBot
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4
votes
4
answers
18k
views
How long between each HSK level for learning Mandarin?
A common question among language learners is how long will it take me to learn <insert language>?, and the usual answer, for a native English speaker, is to refer to the FSI list, which divides ...
- 3,425
11
votes
3
answers
283
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Is there a similar app to Lernu for learning Korean?
I've recently been interested in Esperanto, and found a highly useful site for learning it. Lernu teaches you Esperanto by telling a story Esperanto with the English translation available by hovering ...
CommunityBot
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1
vote
1
answer
52
views
How can ESL students improve their pronunciation by using technology?
Can ESL students improve their pronunciation by using technology?
Are there any specific applications for pronunciation assessment and improvement?
CommunityBot
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4
votes
1
answer
240
views
Are there any apps for learning Uyghur?
I am looking for apps or possibly websites (if they feature gamification) for learning basic Uyghur. Do such apps/sites exist?
- 3,425
1
vote
0
answers
33
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Need help in improving my spoken English
English is my second language and I had a weak foundation in my childhood. Now, I am having trouble in building long conversations with people as I have very limited vocabulary. I would like to ...
- 192
10
votes
6
answers
1k
views
Is there a typing tutor for Modern Hebrew?
Is there a typing tutor program for Modern Hebrew on the PC that is friendly for Hebrew learners?
I would like to learn to type on the Standard Israeli Hebrew keyboard layout, the one that starts ...
- 101
4
votes
1
answer
70
views
Are there effective ways to improve oral English or a platform which emphasizes students' improvement?
Am I the only one who feels that these English-teaching websites are just a way for teachers to make a few bucks here and there?
It seems that the majority don't really focus on the intricacies of ...
CommunityBot
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2
votes
1
answer
143
views
How developed are Duolingo courses for each language?
Many of the [Duolingo] "courses" are so heavily underdeveloped to the point of being useless. You lucked out that Spanish is one of the actually legit ones (French being the other main one).
...
- 121
3
votes
1
answer
27
views
Where should I go for questions about the Finnish language?
I was looking for a site here for Finnish language, because I could nowhere find any hint on how double letters are spoken. Is "tt" spoken as "t" holding not as short as it would ...
- 2,368
4
votes
2
answers
207
views
What ways can ChatGPT assist with learning a foreign language?
I believe ChatGPT's strong linguistic capability would enhance language learning.
But I think it depends as ChatGPT may sometimes provide incorrect responses with confidence. and language learners may ...
- 2,368
2
votes
1
answer
103
views
Strange, unpredictable behaviour of unsuspended cards in AnkiDroid
Could you explain me the following strange and unpredictable behaviour of unsuspended cards in AnkiDroid?
For a very long time I didn't block my "leeches", because I considered it annoying. ...
CommunityBot
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0
votes
1
answer
23
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Is there research into language teachers getting comments from students on their appearance?
Sometimes I encounter in online or in-person Chinese classes, students who comment on their teachers appearance. Typically it's a female teacher, and the student will say something like 她很美丽 or 她很漂亮 (...
- 3,425
3
votes
1
answer
130
views
How to predict whether user knows one word knowing another?
I'm creating a web service for learning words and I need to not make a user to see each English word, for example if you know the word "table" you most likely know words "apple", "door", "hi" and so ...
CommunityBot
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0
votes
0
answers
32
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Correct way to use the Articles: a, an, the
So, is there any way to master the use of articles. I do basically know where to use them but I think I might be overusing. Is there a way to limit the usage -- basically, I want to know where not to ...
lilWizza
3
votes
1
answer
74
views
How similar are the "faulty sentence" sections of the Chinese Gaokao 高考 exam and the HSK6?
I recently learned the Chinese Gaokao 高考 exam includes a 病句 ("faulty sentence") section. This has piqued my interest as I prepare for the HSK6 which includes the notoriously hard HSK6 语病 (&...
CommunityBot
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7
votes
1
answer
162
views
Can comprehension happen before meaning?
I'm trying to find the right terminology to describe the learning process that might be happening when a language learner goes from comprehension to meaning, rather than the other way around.
Imagine ...
CommunityBot
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3
votes
2
answers
157
views
Why don't Chinese people who are eager to practice English simply practice with each other?
If you've ever been a "foreigner" in China (especially in major cities), you may have encountered the intensity in which some Chinese people try to practice English with you. I certainly ...
- 259
8
votes
5
answers
437
views
Way to learn Persian (Perso-Arabic) alphabet
I'm going to learn the Persian alphabet. I found it very difficult because the letters look different depending on whether they are at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of a word. Is there ...
2
votes
1
answer
53
views
Would it be easier for someone who speaks Farsi to learn English or Arabic?
Since English and Farsi are both Indo-European languages, one might think English is easier. But Farsi and Arabic have similar systems of writing, and I would guess they've had influence on each other,...
1
vote
1
answer
33
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What is the anticipated usage of this Chinese textbook's long lists of questions and answers?
The Chinese HSK6 textbook series 《HSK规范教程 6上》 by 王璕 has many pages like the following
wherein there are many listed questions and answers, such as
最近一年你身边有什么灾难发生吗？
In the previous year, has a ...
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0
votes
0
answers
20
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What are the grammatical similarities between Mongolian and Japanese?
Are there any native speakers of Mongolian that have learned Japanese, or vice versa? Any tips on learning the grammar would be appreciated. I'm not expecting anyone to have learned both languages but ...
4
votes
2
answers
76
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Are the highest language levels (eg: CEFR C1+) unnatural?
I am learning German, and I find many of the concepts taught in C1 very unnatural. For example Partizipialsatz, konsekutive Konnektoren (folglich, infolgedessen etc) seem to be almost never used in ...
CommunityBot
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2
votes
0
answers
44
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English short grammar books recommedation
I hope this message finds you all well.
I want to study English grammar, but I could not find good resources for me, I want to study shorter books before the longer ones, but I could not find any ...
3
votes
0
answers
40
views
How can people with the same native language and target language practice with each other?
In this thread Dr @Rebecca J. Stones raised a very interesting question on the reasons behind Chinese people who are eager to practice English don't simply practice with each other, and I've shared my ...
- 259
4
votes
2
answers
56
views
Struggling with voicing an alveolar trill
I was hesitant to post this question, as I imagine a ridiculous amount of people post here asking about it, but I can't find help with this specific issue. After some time and tutorials, I'm able to ...
CommunityBot
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5
votes
1
answer
102
views
How can I find the meaning of a sign language sign that I don't know the meaning of?
If I have a sign language (specifically, American Sign Language) sign which I don't remember the meaning of, how can I search online to find its meaning? I've tried describing the sign in Google, but ...
- 141
1
vote
0
answers
17
views
How can I improve my listening for a selection of Chinese HSK6 words?
I downloaded Mandarin Corner's mp3s where, for each of the 2500 Chinese HSK6 words, Teacher Eileen says the word twice, then its example sentence twice. I note down the words which I don't near-...
- 2,368
0
votes
5
answers
408
views
Is there a customizable Memrise-like spaced-repetition software that lets the user choose an answer from a list?
I use both Anki and Memrise to learn vocabulary but these days I'm getting to think that Anki is not that effective to learn a word, as it is just flipping a card. On the other hand, Memrise lets you ...
CommunityBot
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4
votes
1
answer
105
views
Two common ways to increase vocabulary -- which is more efficient?
I just wondered how I can increase vocabulary to be able to communicate better and enjoy magazines, books and news programs in English.I have two vocabulary workbooks that contain around 2000 words ...
- 61
0
votes
0
answers
23
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How can I go from "I can express myself" to "I can express myself in multiple ways"?
Most of the time, I can express myself appropriately in Chinese (speaking and writing). The catch is, my language would sound more fluent if I were able to say essentially the same thing in multiple ...
- 2,368
4
votes
5
answers
600
views
Difference in acquisition of active vs. passive language usage skills
By passive and active, I mean understanding language when used vs. using it yourself, like in the terms active/passive vocabulary. My experience learning languages is that active skills are much ...
CommunityBot
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5
votes
1
answer
136
views
Coming from Spanish, where do I start learning English?
Is there any manual or website that I recommend to start learning English?
Honestly, with my mother tongue (Spanish) I have forgotten and sometimes left without understanding, some concepts that are ...
CommunityBot
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10
votes
2
answers
263
views
What sequences of learning kanji characters, their readings, meanings, and related vocabulary tend toward longest retention?
In Japanese, many words can be written both with just the kana (phonetically) and with the kanji (Chinese characters).
For example, the character 年 (ねん - "nen") means "year". In ...
CommunityBot
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1
vote
2
answers
106
views
Does the usefulness of Anki vary between languages?
This question is motivated by this Reddit comment where the author has had success learning Spanish via Anki:
I've been using Anki for about a year (the time it took me to reach C1 in Spanish from ...
- 163
4
votes
1
answer
157
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Improving vocabulary reading foreign language literature on ebook readers, how to export selected vocabulary into a spaced repetition app?
For improving my vocabulary I read favourite novels and short stories, preferredly in the original (target) language. When my level isn't quite up to it, I read a translation (be that English or ...
CommunityBot
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7
votes
1
answer
144
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How to learn a niche language, i.e. Kazakh?
I am learning Kazakh.
There are maybe a total of 10 teachers of this language with a curriculum and none of them know grammar past declension.
Google translate is no help either.
I've had to use ...
CommunityBot
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5
votes
1
answer
90
views
How to be in constant contact with the IPA to improve one's pronunciation of a language?
Recently I've been consulting a few words in the dictionary and after seeing their phonemic transcription I realized how my pronunciation differed from that of natives. The dictionary may then seem ...
CommunityBot
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4
votes
1
answer
76
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Resources for teaching children Chinese
My nine-year-old son is bilingual English/French (British father, French mother) and absolutely devours books for his age in both languages (ie his reading age in both languages seems roughly equal), ...
CommunityBot
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1
vote
2
answers
126
views
How long does it take to learn Brazilian Portuguese if I speak Spanish on a B2 level?
I speak Spanish on a B2 level. How many months does it take to learn Brazilian Portuguese if I already speak Spanish?
CommunityBot
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2
votes
1
answer
35
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Why do days mutate in Welsh when standing on their own, and why does the object of a past-tense sentence mutate when following 'chi'?
Background:
The Welsh Duo Lingo course was designed in two parts: the "flash cards" (the things you do in the app) and the accompanying course notes.
Unfortunately the notes were never ...
CommunityBot
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12
votes
2
answers
406
views
How do I learn to read and write a language I can already speak fluently?
Born and brought up in the city of Kolkata, I've been surrounded by people who speak Bengali almost all my life. We speak a different language at home and my schooling has been in a different language,...
CommunityBot
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9
votes
1
answer
151
views
How can I convince my girlfriend she is learning too fast?
I'm a native German speaker and my girlfriend is a native French speaker. Right now, she is using Duolingo to learn German.
She is very motivated and often spends several hours trying to do as many ...
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