Doing both levels in 2 days

Spanish
#61

Just to say - 2 lessons a day is a stunning rate of progress - that would have you through Level 1 and Level 2 in 25 days - less than a month - and if you were having Spanish conversations as well, that would be enough for genuine conversational ability, so don’t underestimate yourself! 1 lesson a day gets you through 1+2 in less than 2 months… for a level of ability that most people would expect had taken you a year or more…

Also - the brain adapts - so you might find that if you did 10 minutes more than felt possible every day, your tolerance would increase - but as per my first comment, that’s entirely optional - this is about getting there, not about racing :slight_smile:

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#62

Yup! Iwan Rheon :slight_smile: Have you seen the interview with the fake subtitles?

How is dysgu Cymraeg a Kernewek at the same time going? Do you feel like it’s good or frustrating to learn similar langauges at the same time? I was surprisingly frustrated with Spanish because of Italian, but then Español and Italiano are much closer to each other than Cymraeg and Kernewek… (I think)

Yeah - I mean, not perfectly, but enough to be able to recognise all and use most. I remember there being a couple of sentences that despite being repeated quite a few times I never managed to say on time (even talking/shouting over Catrin). One was “Ai eich plant chi ydy rheina?” which now - without having repeated any of the lessons - feels completely natural. I guess that some sentences just needed time to be absorbed properly :smile:

Yay! Please let me know how it goes if you decide to do it :slight_smile:

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#63

Yup - I remember you :smile:

I definitely need to speak a lot more! It’s been two months since the two days of learning I did and I haven’t spoken any Spanish since then apart from a couple of half-italian half-spanish conversations last week…

So, if you’d be up for a Skype chat sometime I would be really thankful. Muchas gracias :blush:

I’d definitely be interested in hearing how doing level 1 in a day goes for you if you decide to do it! I wrote my “report” a while ago in this thread :slight_smile:

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#64

Embarrassing, but I still have problems embedding quotes into my replies…so, instead of making a mess, I’m just answering like this…:innocent::flushed:

:joy::joy::joy: Thanks for the suggestion, these fake subtitles are hilarious! Next time the word “dechrau” comes up, I’ll want to mix myself a Daiquiri!

Dysgu Cymraeg a Kernewek is going surprisingly well, I rarely muddle up the two languages. It’s probably because I can quite easily change from one “language world” into another; the voices of the teacher do really help a great deal to get me into Cymraeg or Kernewek mode immediately. I’m not sure, but I think that Español and Italiano are about as close to each other as Cymraeg and Kernewek…but that’s really just my estimation and I could be completely mistaken, as I don’t have enough knowledge and skill in both languages yet to say for sure.

I honestly think that your working memory - all kinds of memories - work much, much more efficiently and have way more capacity than mine! I think you’re like my friend from school that simply is an ace learner, brilliant and extremely gifted.:sparkles: I do have problems recognising structures and patterns and it takes quite long for me to not just recognise the words, but being able to use the words and from sentences myself. True, some sentences are much harder to remember than others, no matter how many times they were/are repeated.

Today, I did Challenge 14, 15 and 16…and followed your advice! It felt much better to make sounds, mutter, or just speak out the words I could remember (only parts of a whole sentence), instead of freezing and waiting in silence for the Cymraeg. But a lot of expressions like “rhywun oedd yn moyn”, “wnaeth fy mrawd i gwrdd â”, “oedd e’n moyn i fi ddweud wrthot ti” and even expression from previous Challenges still are out of reach for me. I need a long time to finally come to the point where I can remember and use them properly.

Are you taking courses in advanced Cymraeg now? Did you get to talk in Cymraeg a lot during your visit in Cymru? :relaxed:

P.S. I did some quick research and I think you’re right and Español and Italiano are much closer to each other than Cymraeg and Kernewek

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#65

If you’re using a computer you can paint the text and a box will pop up saying “quote reply”. Some text will appear and you just continue as normal :slight_smile: Of course answering like that is completely fine as well!

Ah, yes, I think hearing Aran’s voice in Spanish after finishing the northern Welsh course really confused me - I kept mentally translating sentences into Welsh before starting to think about the Spanish for them. :sweat_smile:

Diolch, you’re extremely kind :heart:

It’s fine if it takes long; all the words and structures are repeated until the end, so you won’t miss anything by not getting it straight away. :slight_smile:

(also what you think is long might not actually be as long as you think - I remember it sometimes taking me over 10 lessons to have some sort of conscious control over new vocab)

O! Llongyfarchiadau! I remember 14 (and 13) being one of the most difficult challenges in SSiW :grin: And you did three in one day! I thought you said you were having trouble with the course :laughing:

I’d say what you’re describing there is completely normal (or at least I hope so - I had trouble with those structures too)

Nope - I don’t feel like any course can be as good as SSiW. I haven’t done any courses or any kind of “proper” learning after finishing the challenges. At that point you can just start reading, writing, watching tv, talking… So you sort of improve without really trying to :slight_smile: At the moment I’m hoping to go to university in Cymru and study something through the medium of Cymraeg. Maybe do a degree in Llenyddiaeth Gymraeg (Welsh literature). Sounds like a crazy idea to me as I’ve always had trouble with literature, but it would be the most interesting option for me as long as I can get some practice in literary analysis in the next two years :slight_smile:

Yes! I (fairly briefly) met four people who didn’t speak Cymraeg so I did have to speak a bit of English (and it was worth it - the people were lovely :slight_smile: ). Other than that the month was almost completely yn y Gymraeg :smile:

Have you ever visited Cymru? Are you planning on going sometime?

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#66

Aaah, thank you, it really worked! :triumph: You know, I sometimes accidentally painted a piece of text, and the pop up box appeared saying “quote reply”…but, being as thick as two planks, I didn’t get it until you told me about it in your post…:joy::flushed:[quote=“Novem, post:65, topic:8368”]

(also what you think is long might not actually be as long as you think - I remember it sometimes taking me over 10 lessons to have some sort of conscious control over new vocab)
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Now, that sounds very reassuring. I think that’s exactly the thing I’m struggling with the most - the feeling of not having any conscious control over new vocab; even over old vocab from previous Challenges. I’ve experienced that learning is an endless drag, and that I only learn “good” enough, when I can remember and control the content directly after having mugged it up. It’s a little…hmmm, how can I put it…unfamiliar, even scary to take this leap of faith and trust that Aran’s nifty and brilliant method works even with my brain.

If only you could have heard my incoherent replies and see the look of utter incomprehension on my face whenever a sentence consisting of more than 4 words came up…not to mention
the many swear words…[quote=“Novem, post:65, topic:8368”]
At the moment I’m hoping to go to university in Cymru and study something through the medium of Cymraeg. Maybe do a degree in Llenyddiaeth Gymraeg (Welsh literature).
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That’s so great, I hope so much that everything will go well and you can go to university and study in Cymru! :books: Are you talking about practice in literary analysis yn y Cymraeg or practice in the field of literary analysis in general? The daughter of one of my bosses, a medical doctor, is studying linguistics in Leipzig, Germany, as she has always been fascinated with everything to do with languages. I love reading, languages and culture myself, so I can understand your choice very well! I wish you all the luck in the world!

Sadly, I’ve never had the means to travel…but maybe some day, I will be able to visit Cymru, and until then, I have my imagination, dreams and the beautiful narrations of people who have been there. :relaxed:

In the Games of Thrones episode of last Sunday, I couldn’t help but expecting Jon Snow siarad Cymraeg with the dragon while he caressed him…“Dw i’n dy hoffi di draig!” :dragon_face:

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#67

Both, I guess :smile: I’ve always considered myself to be bad at writing, so I think that’s my motivation behind wanting to learn more about it in general (writing and literature), as well as of course being interested in Cymraeg. I need practice in the next two years because I don’t think the student counsellor and/or school coordinator would approve of me applying to study my worst subject in university :sweat_smile:

I really hope you will one day get to travel to Cymru and Kernow :heart: Maybe we’ll be able to meet if I’m there!

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#68

I’m sure that you weren’t at all bad at writing and literature in Highschool (did you go to school in Italy or Finland? In German we call the kind of school, which allows you to study afterwards “Gymnasium”)? I can imagine how proficient your Cymraeg must be, that you can follow lectures in it! :mortar_board::sparkles:

This would be absolutely fantastic, I’d love to meet you in Cymru or Kernow :heart_exclamation:

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#69

I’m in Highschool right now - just started my second year (out of three) I started school in Italy but moved to Finland in third grade (age 8/9). In Swedish we call my school “gymnasium”, so I think that matches with German :smile: The Finnish for it is “Lukio”.

I’m not very bad grade-wise, but it’s definitely the subject I struggle with the most and that I’m the least confident in. I’ve adopted a SSi-mindset for most learning-related things now (langauges, math, sciences…), but anything to do with writing (essays, analysis, creative…) still needs to be “perfect” before I’m happy with it which means I’m never happy. :confused:

How are you practicing your Cymraeg? Do you have any way to use it outside of SSiW? Just thought I’d say I’m happy to talk on Skype if you want :slight_smile:

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#70

Oh, scusami, I used the wrong tense. :flushed:

Do you speak both, Swedish and Finnish? I must admit that I’ve only learned to swear in Swedish (it sounds very melodic, though). My sons used to watch Felix Kjellberg’s videos, and I must admit that I happend to enjoy them quite a bit, too. The phrases I use daily are “För fan i helvete!” and “Jävla skit!”…these words can dissolve my anger in no time and make me smile again. [quote=“Novem, post:69, topic:8368”]
I’ve adopted a SSi-mindset for most learning-related things now (langauges, math, sciences…), but anything to do with writing (essays, analysis, creative…) still needs to be “perfect” before I’m happy with it which means I’m never happy. :confused:
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Yes, I understand what you mean - and as stupid as it may sound, it’s almost a relieve to hear this from such a smart person like you! I think it’s very human to put even more effort, heart and soul in a subject that means a lot to you, but that isn’t your absolut strong suit. And I do understand that, no matter what grades you get, you’re still not happy and think you need to “perfect” your skills in this subject even more, in order to be good and confident enough.

I wish I knew a cure, as I’d need it badly, too. :sweat: I think that time will help, and practice, routine and experience. I admire you for having the courage to follow your heart and study something that is out of your comfort zone…for the love of Cymraeg! :kissing_heart:

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#71

Sorry for the late response. Well, if you’d like to add me on FB, go ahead and send me a private message and I’ll give you details. :slight_smile:

Are you interested solely in spoken Spanish, or written as well?

Looking forward to hearing back from you. :slight_smile:

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#72

No problem! What’s your relation with Italian, by the way? Have you learnt it? :slight_smile:

Finnish as a mothertongue, and I have been learning Swedish at school for 6 years (in other words, can’t speak Swedish at all). I used to watch his videos too and definitely recognise those phrases :smile:

I think noticing that I do it is the first step, and I’m hoping I’ll just be able to convince my brain that it’s stupid. We’ll see how that goes. :sweat_smile:

Solely in spoken Spanish at the moment, but maybe later I’ll get into reading books and will want to learn to write :slight_smile: Muchas gracias! Diolch o galon!

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#73

Milla, I just read your thread and I’m inspired to follow in your footsteps. I’d planned an intense day of learning Spanish based on the article by @aran and had posted a question on ‘is there such a thing as too many lessons’ as I tend to love being intense in learning, so thank you for the inspiration!

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#74

Let us know how it goes! And I strongly recommend putting yourself into a ‘must use it’ conversational setting at the end of the day (which, of course, we’d love to see on video if you’ve got the nerve…:wink: )… :slight_smile:

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#75

Hi! I’d love to hear about how it goes! I agree with Aran about the “must use it” setting. You might feel very tired and not ready at the end and like putting off chatting for a few days, but if you’ve already arranged to talk to someone you’ll feel pressured to do it :slight_smile:

How much are you planning to do? Also 2 levels in two days?

Good luck! Keep us updated :smile:

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#76

Hola Milla, welcome to the SSISpanish group board! :slight_smile: How has it been going with your Spanish since you posted this?

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#77

Hola Natalie :slight_smile: Eh, I’ve been putting off doing anything in Spanish really :smile: I feel like if I have the time to organise Skype chats, I would rather do Welsh chats since I like Welsh more. And now that I’m in school again I haven’t had much time to do anything other than schoolwork anyway.

I got the chance to speak Spanish a few times during the summer and I surprised myself with how much I could say. I haven’t yet had a conversation longer than 10 minutes despite feeling like I would definitely be able to. I think I need a bootcamp to force myself to get to a point where I can actually start using Spanish without feeling like I’m just practicing… :smile:

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#78

An update!! Sorry didn’t update you guys sooner but the experience so far has been awesome. I ended up finishing Level I and a third into Level II over the weekend and been doing more since then.

Milla, now I know why your meals beforehand - takes time! However I did take your advice and arranged for a conversation in Spanish, which happened this morning. I was firstly amazed at how much I could understand! I was skeptical about the vocabulary, given we don’t go thru lists of vocabulary like other programs do, and i was very curious how well the double speed works - it does! I actually thought she was slowing down for me!

She guessed I was at intermediate level of learning! She couldn’t believe this was basically after a weekend.

@aran she asked for the name of your site / app so I hope this drums up more business!

Anyways thank you both for the support! I’m heading (coincidentally!) to South America tonight for work so we will really test it out!

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#79

Awesome - that’s an absolutely fantastic result! Huge congratulations… :star: :star2:

Can’t wait to hear how your trip goes… :slight_smile:

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#80

Wow! So cool to hear back from you! :blush: Good job on forcing yourself to have a chat and getting such positive feedback, and for getting through so many challenges, and for mastering the listening exercises, and… :smile:

Good luck in South America! :slight_smile:

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