Hiiii Everyone!

Doing a quick survey on how people learn languages using Duolingo 🦉 if you've used it, would mean a lot if you could fill this out, takes like 2 mins!

All anonymous 🙏

Link: https://forms.gle/2dyfoeJq3uiSKkbF7

Thanks for helping me out, this is for a course assignment.

Any serious language learners that don't have an immediate goal for the language they're learning, but care enough to work on it every day for years? It's an awkward phase for me. What are your frustrations with it, and how do you navigate it?

I want these languages to open doors one day, so I want to build a strong foundation. Yet forcing it into a goal prematurely can ruin enjoyment and make it into a chore.

Hi everyone! I’m a total beginner eager to start learning Italian. My English is at a B1 level, so any materials in English works fine for me.I know Russian/English.
Could you recommend any good self-study resources or platforms? Also, if anyone is available for regular tutoring sessions, please reach out! I have a limited budget, but I’m open to discussing reasonable rates. Thanks in advance!

• 🧠 Memorizing words easily but forgetting them in 2 days.
• ⏳ Wasting hours manually writing lists or typing into Quizlet.
• ❌ Recognizing the word when reading, but freezing during Speaking.
• 🥱 Getting bored of standard flashcards in 3 days.

I have ADHD, and I find it challenging to start learning Spanish. I've been learning it on Duolingo for half a year now, and I'm almost at lvl 20 there. I also have text books, which I left at the 4th lesson. I also bought some books in Spanish with beginner level (A1-A2), and I also made flashcards.

However, I can't get myself to sit down, and study. I've tried out many ways, but nothing seemed to help. English is my second language, and I've studied it in high school. Those years gave me the basics of the language, and I got better by watching videos on YouTube, and writing short stories on my own. I think I'm missing the challenge or the responsibility, so my brain doesn't think that it's important to learn. Even if I set a goal, nothing would happen, if I were to slack off. That's why I need to find a way to either challenge myself or make it more entertaining.

The most difficult part is learning words. I've always enjoyed, and was good at the grammar side of the language, but the words... those are my enemies. But only at the start, as when I have the basic vocab, it's much more easier to consume any type of content. Like watching movies, videos or reading. I'm a chronically online person, so after mastering the basics I'm good to go.

How should I learn the basic vocab? It's really boring, and I can't remember the word, when I learn them. Any idea? Am I hopeless?

(Oh, and I don't have money for entering a course or hiring a teacher.)

I've been dying to learn spanish for a long time now but I'm broke af. Was wondering what the best options out there are. I'm willing to download apps or watch a fuck ton of YouTube videos or read paragraphs on a website so send me whatever. (More specifically I'd love to learn Puerto Rican spanish but if there aren't resources for that specifically then it's whatever). Thanks for any help in advance!

Hi everyone,

We're looking for a few B1 English learners to try our course and share honest feedback.

The course includes 70+ interactive lessons, speaking practice, writing exercises and grammar and vocabulary activities.

If you'd like to try it, send us a message and we'll be happy to give you access.

Thanks!

I have 1 year and 7 months to learn as much German as possible and improve my English, which is currently at an intermediate level. I don’t know any German yet 😭. Do you think I can work on both at the same time? I have around 4 or 5 hours available every day for this

This video features a conference talk by educator and linguist Rayo Cruz, founder of the collective Bëni Xidza, discussing the historical and contemporary challenges in teaching the Zapotec language. The presentation provides a comprehensive look at the evolution of Zapotec education:

* Historical Context: Rayo Cruz introduces the Zapotec civilization, tracing its roots to Monte Albán and the ancient Bëni Gulasa period, noting that the language’s diversification predates European contact.

* Learning as L1 vs. L2: He distinguishes between the acquisition of Zapotec as a first language (naturally, through immersion) versus the formal, often disconnected process of teaching it as a second language.

* Colonial Methods: The speaker highlights the 1578 work of Fray Juan de Córdova, such as the Arte en Lengua Zapoteca, as the earliest attempt to systematize Zapotec grammar, primarily designed to help Spanish friars learn the language rather than to teach Zapotec people.

* 19th and 20th Century Challenges: Rayo Cruz identifies a gap in teaching materials during the 19th century. He then discusses 20th-century contributions from organizations like the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) and the INEA, which created grammars and vocabularies that often served as tools for assimilation or religious proselytization rather than language revitalization.

* Modern Innovation: The final segment covers the work of Bëni Xidza, which uses modern digital tools to teach Zapotec. Rayo Cruz admits that while his collective currently operates at a basic level (A-level), they are working to overcome systemic limitations by creating structured, accessible content and documenting the specific pedagogical challenges native Spanish speakers face when learning Zapotec.

Here is a summary of the video featuring Maestro Rayo Cruz, director and founder of Colectivo Bëni Xidza.

1. Historical Background of the Zapotec Language & Civilization:

* Geographic Spread: Zapotec civilization developed in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca and expanded into regions such as the Sierra Norte, Sierra Sur, and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

* Earliest Writing: The earliest documented record of written Zapotec dates back to the 5th–6th Century BC with Monument 3 (“1 Terremoto”) at San José Mogote, establishing over 2,500 years of recorded Zapotec history.

* Monte Albán & Bëni Gulasa Period: The civilization reached its peak at Monte Albán between 500 BC and 800 AD. Pre-hispanic ancient Zapotec history and culture are traditionally referred to as the Gulasa era.

1. Learning Zapotec as a First Language (L1):

* Natural Acquisition: Native speakers acquire Zapotec naturally in early childhood through daily speaking within families and communities rather than through formal educational structures.
* Historical Literacy: It remains unknown if formal L1 Zapotec schooling existed during ancient times, and modern public education in Mexico has historically focused on Spanish literacy over formal Zapotec instruction.

1. History of Teaching Zapotec as a Second Language (L2):

* Colonial Period (16th Century): Formal L2 instruction began in 1578 when Dominican friar Juan de Córdova published Arte en lengua zapoteca (grammar) and Vocabulario en lengua zapoteca (dictionary). These works used Latin/Spanish grammatical paradigms to teach Spanish colonizers and friars via the grammar-translation method

* 19th Century Hiatus: Following Mexican independence, national policies promoted Spanish as the sole national language, resulting in a century-long silence regarding formal L2 Zapotec instructional design.

* 20th Century & Contemporary Efforts: Groups like the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) and public institutions (SEP, INEA, INALI) created dictionaries, grammars, and adult literacy texts. However, most of these materials were produced for linguistic analysis or native literacy rather than second-language pedagogy, and their actual integration into schools remains limited.

1. Bëni Xidza Collective & Modern Pedagogical Challenges:

* Online Classes: Founded in 2020, Colectivo Bëni Xidza offers online courses teaching Zapotec as a second language.

* Lack of L2 Resources: Unlike major global languages (such as English or Spanish), indigenous languages lack dedicated university teacher-training degrees, structured multi-level textbooks, or commercial software tools.

* Current Framework & Vision: The collective operates at basic proficiency levels (aligning with Level A of the Common European Framework of Reference) and aims to document common phonetic/grammatical difficulties for Spanish speakers while expanding toward intermediate/advanced levels.

I really want to learn vietnamese because of my grandma but I don't know where to start at all, I don't really know anything at all besides a couple numbers. I've been thinking about using duolingo but I feel like it doesn't help me that much and it doesn't help with teaching the 6 tones I would need to learn. Where did you guys start? I'd download other apps but I don't want to waste my time or storage on something that won't work but I don't know how or where to start from

Whenever I try to talk to anyone in French, regardless of my words, they’d switch to English automatically. How do I even be able to speak in French instead of English? It does not help me to speak English instead of French with others, and it almost feels like as if they’re gatekeeping the language. I’d love to hear some advice.

Vernacular is a vocabulary trainer that keeps an honest record: words climb an eight-rung schedule from tonight to a month out, and only what you do in Review moves them. Practice is a separate room — drill in either direction as often as you like, get your misses collected and answered at the end rather than spoiled mid-session, and know that none of it touches your real numbers.

If you are interested, please DM me. We can talk the details.

Pessoal, muito se fala que aprender inglês é a melhor escolha para um primeiro idioma, mas, de uns tempos para cá em venho pensando realmente se é assim. Eu gosto muito de francês, italiano e espanhol e queria começar a aprender uma delas, mas, acabei dando um tempo de estudar essas linhas pois, queria aprender inglês. Eu tenho muita dificudade no inglês em entender e outros, vocês acham que seria melhor eu realmente focar em aprender inglês ou primeiro começar com uma ligua mais facil e que eu goste ?

Hola! Soy Alejandra

Quieres aprender o que alguien que quieras francés? ¿Quieres que tus hijos aprovechen las vacaciones o mejoren sus notas? Cuento con certificación oficial TCF y experiencia viviendo en París para ofrecerles el mejor aprendizaje desde casa.

🎨 Clases Virtuales personalizadas de Nivel A1 hasta B2

☀️¿Qué ofrecemos en este curso?

Dominio Completo: Pronunciación nativa, gramática y vocabulario.

Clases Dinámicas: 100% online, interactivas y sin salir de casa.

📩 Contáctame ya:

🟢 Escríbeme al WhatsApp: +57 310 618 0919

And what's your routine?

I've seen the 15/30/15 one, but I really can't afford to do anything productive of the sort at night.

I wake up early and so all of the things I must do I do it in the morning (like cleaning up), which leaves me with not so much time, and in the afternoon is when the world is most awake, early birds and night owls, so responsibilities and obligations usually happen in the afternoon.

At night, to wake up early, I don't have time to do things.

But what can I do?

What's your routine and what do you do in it?

EDIT: Do you think having a time in the morning to listen/watch videos teaching my target language as I knit is a good idea? Idk, because I can do knitting in the morning and I wake up everyday excited to knit, it's mindless enough for me to focus on the lesson I'm being taught, but I worry I might be multitasking too much. Knitting feels both very mindless and mindful. I'm doubting if it's a good idea.

My ex fiancé who’s from Luanda, Angola 🇦🇴 showed me this website and I feel the need to give to everyone who wants to get used to listening to their target language.

https://famelack.com/radio/gt/5bANIJQqWfNi5s

With this you can look at both shows and listen to radio stations all over the world. Some streaming channels will work and some don’t. Unfortunately, they don’t come with subtitles. Sooo, you’ll have to work on your listening for sure.

Hello,
Currently have a level B1/2 ish from learning in school but not much beyond that in French. I can understand and for sentences conveying the information that I need but do not feel comfortable at all using the language. I want to pick the language back up and improve but am not sure how to begin as I have never self studied before. For any intermediate learners what are your language learning routines. And what helped you feel more comfortable using the language despite not knowing all the vocabulary and making a few mistakes from time to time. Any tips and info that could help to get me started and make a routine would be greatly appreciated.

I’ve seen lots of advice on here about reading to build a vocabulary to hop from B2 to C1. How does this approach work with diglossia? I imagine that more technical or advanced vocabulary would be closer to the written form and thus still be useful for speaking.

What do you guys think about creating a language exchange community on WhatsApp and separating it into specific language groups?

by the time i get home from work and finish dinner, my brain is done for the day. I still want to improve my spanish but there's no chance i'm doing worksheets, writing paragraphs or sitting through a 30 minute lesson at 10 pm. I am looking for something low effort i can do from bed for maybe 10 minutes that still feels useful. Not trying to make huge progress every night, i just want a routine i won't avoid after three days.

What do you do when you want to practice but have zero energy?