Best way to learn a language from scratch?

Morthoseth

Morthoseth

Morthoseth

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Wales, Wrexham
Ok, im very interested in learning Swedish, but have no idea what books / tapes / cd's would be my best bet for learning it, since i would prefer to not take a course on it.

I'd like to learn it myself, which will probably be very hard, but i have a few swedish speaking friends online who can help me :)

If anyone could leave me with some suggestions, i'd be grateful :>

Thanks!
 
You could download that Rosetta stone thing, they probably have a swedish language pack.

I'm taking Spanish at Uni this coming year, gets me out of 3 physics modules!! unbelivable
 
ArmyofHarmony said:
I'm taking Spanish at Uni this coming year, gets me out of 3 physics modules!! unbelivable
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How does that work? You can take up a language course instead of physics for a few terms or something?
 
It's going to take a lot of time, I can only suggest that you meet some native speakers in your area (if there are any) and practice with them if they wouldn't mind. It will do wonders for your pronunciation. Of course, there's still always those language tapes but they're nothing in comparison with being able to learn with a native speaker.

I'm learning Portuguese with my cousin, our only option is to do it over MSN though. It's great though.
 
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Alchemy said:
How does that work? You can take up a language course instead of physics for a few terms or something?
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Basically at Warwick our course is broken up into "CATS", each module in physics is 7.5 CATs, unless its a main module where it can be like 12 CATs.
Spanish as an option is 24CATs, which will get me out of 3 Optional physics modules.
 
Pimsleur language course? Think they might do a Swedish one. My library has a selection of them which you can just rent out. The structure is that you just repeat things parrot fashion but often enough that you start to remember.
 
ArmyofHarmony said:
Basically at Warwick our course is broken up into "CATS", each module in physics is 7.5 CATs, unless its a main module where it can be like 12 CATs.
Spanish as an option is 24CATs, which will get me out of 3 Optional physics modules.
Click to expand...

I didn't really understand that, but I got the gist of it. :p
 
Alchemy said:
It's going to take a lot of time, I can only suggest that you meet some native speakers in your area (if there are any) and practice with them if they wouldn't mind. It will do wonders for your pronunciation. Of course, there's still always those language tapes but they're nothing in comparison with being able to learn with a native speaker.
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Yeah, i dont know any around here as such..

But there is one person whom i talk to very often at nights via teamspeak / whatever, and already have her teaching me the basics for fun, but when she says

"So what do you want to learn next?"

Its hard to choose, and take a right path - i'd like to learn how a language works, not simply phrases and stuff, if that makes any sense :)

Months / Days / Numbers etc are easy, putting everything together is hard

Thanks for the replies though :)
 
Echo toxin said:
Pimsleur language course? Think they might do a Swedish one. My library has a selection of them which you can just rent out. The structure is that you just repeat things parrot fashion but often enough that you start to remember.
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that is what rosseta stone does - i find it works well.
 
Swedish? An odd choice even if I do say myself as a Swedish speaker!

It's an odd language really, not as hard and fast in its rules as say German or French. Mind you I never really had to learn it, and I still get my genders mixed up!

Definitely actually speaking it aloud with someone is the best way to go...
 
sara said:
Swedish? An odd choice even if I do say myself as a Swedish speaker!

It's an odd language really, not as hard and fast in its rules as say German or French. Mind you I never really had to learn it, and I still get my genders mixed up!

Definitely actually speaking it aloud with someone is the best way to go...
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Hej, Jag Heter Oli (I'm so pro at swedish, go me?)

But okej, tack for the replies (I'd say the rest in swedish, but hey ;D)

Well, ill check out some of these things you have mentioned, i know its a strange language to choose.. but hey :)
 
Sorry to post another thing just below my other, i fear the thread may dissapear off the face of the forums if i didnt ;p

Just checked out the Rosetta stone thing now, and its a little expensive at $195.00 for Swedish Level one

Whilst i dont find that overpriced as far as learning a language is concerned, i'd like to explore some other, cheaper options first instead of paying that much and deciding against learning it afterwards, if that makes sense :)

Are theyre any cheaper alternatives?
 
One last thing, if you want to go into detail -

(verbs specifically, this seems like the perfect book)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Swedish-Ver...ef=sr_1_1/026-6626606-9637216?ie=UTF8&s=books

It's called "201 Swedish verbs". I found out about this series when I was in my local library and I noticed "501 Italian verbs" I had a flick through it and it looked really thorough. I then looked around for the Portuguese one, but I couldn't find it, I'll order it from Amazon sometime next week.

It would probably be better to learn how to read in Swedish first though. It won't take too long though, your friend should be able to teach you all the correct pronunciations.
 
Morthoseth said:
Hej, Jag Heter Oli (I'm so pro at swedish, go me?)

But okej, tack for the replies (I'd say the rest in swedish, but hey ;D)

Well, ill check out some of these things you have mentioned, i know its a strange language to choose.. but hey :)
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Ja då, riktigt proffsigt :p

Är det kanske för att alla Svenska tjejer är söta? ;)
 
Err, Ingen Fara?

(Only asked her what that was in swedish because i thought it was funny in welsh.. long story) ;P

But i have no idea what you just said, looks cool though =P

Oh, i understood Svenska - Brownie points or am i too useless? ;D
 
Morthoseth said:
Err, Ingen Fara?

(Only asked her what that was in swedish because i thought it was funny in welsh.. long story) ;P

But i have no idea what you just said, looks cool though =P

Oh, i understood Svenska - Brownie points or am i too useless? ;D
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Ägd. :p
 
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