#langauges

[spanishskulduggery]

Can you explain to me the subjunctive in Bad Bunny's song CYBERTRUCK, please?

The lyrics according to Genius:

Yo no aclaro duda', piensa lo que tú quiera'

Que me odie el que me odie, que me quiera el que me quiera

In the English translation, this is

I don’t clear up doubts, think what you want to Let those who hate me hate me, let those who love me love me

I understand the basic subjunctive phrases like "Quiero que él tenga un buen día."

Should I think of it as the love that people have for him, or anyone, is not certain? That is why the subjunctive is used in this case?

Thank you!

In que me odie el que me odie actually has two separate subjunctive clauses here

First - el que me odie "the one who hates me" is a subjunctive of doubt or hypothetical existence; it's "whoever hates me" idiomatically. You'll find a lot of constructions like this used with "whoever"... like quien lea esto "whoever reads this"... you can sort of think of it as "whoever happens to love me" in a way

It's talking about a person who may or may not exist... like "if a person should exist" or "if someone should happen to be (doing something)"... it comes out as subjunctive

Another common one is lo que sea "whatever" literally "that which it might be"... or quien sea "whoever it is / whoever they are". Another is pase lo que pase "whatever happens" but more literally "come what may"

Most common especially for formal things - a quién corresponda "to whom it concerns", literally "to whom it may concern/correspond/go to"

These subjunctive clauses indicate a hypothetical situation, not one actually happening. You get a better sense of knowing how it's translated as you go. Are you talking about a real person/event or is it an imagined or hypothetical one? Could you translate this appropriately with a "might/may" or "happens to (be)", or could you say "whoever/whatever" etc.

-

The second subjunctive is que me odie; this is an "indirect command", somewhere between subjunctive and imperative (commands)

Rather than "hate me" as a regular command, it's "let (he/she/they) hate me"

Most of the "let (someone) do something" constructions are done this way; with a que implying "let" and then the verb in subjunctive

This is like que tengas un buen día "have a good day" but literally "let you have a good day"

Most of the indirect commands can be understood as a kind of shortened command.

As an example diles que coman is "tell them to eat" - you're commanding someone [a tú] to give a command on your behalf, that's why it's called "indirect"; essentially saying "you (tú) go tell them to eat"

And you can then shorten it to que coman "let them eat" or idiomatically "eat up [plural]"

The indirect commands are often used when there's an impersonal aspect to it... or when a direct command is seen as too confrontational or blunt

Another common example of both of these can be found in the Bible:

El que esté libre de pecado, que tire la primera piedra. "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone"

Literally "he that would be free of sin [if that person exists; doubtful existence, almost hypothetical], let him cast the first stone"

#asks #Spanish #langblr #language #langauges #la gramatica

[cant-get-worse-than-this]

I speak 6 languages and I take full advantage of this so my favourite thing to do when bored in the city is to walk around like I'm on a phone call speak dramatically in a foreign language (I am swedish so it usually end up being Spanish or Italian) in a volume that everyone can hear but that doesn't interrupt too much 10/10 would recommend

#learning latin rn to further expand my reach of latin languages #italiano #español #langauges #sverige #sweblr

[kelseythelinguist]

Any recommendations for a person trying to learn Greek?

Yes, definitely! I also wrote a post on learning Modern Greek online.

I am not sure what your native language is or if you know any other languages. I studied German before Greek, and so I found Greek grammar very easy in comparison.

To start with, it's slightly more complex than Spanish for English native speakers since it uses a case system (changing noun, adjective, and article endings). But I found the patterns fairly regular and easy to remember! So it is not stressful at all. And since many words are similar between English and Greek, you will find it easy to pick up vocabulary.

For learning, this was what I did:

A1/A2

Timeframe: 9-12 Months, Depending on how fast you go

Tools:

Duolingo: 5-6 lessons/1 crown a day, or 30 minutes

Rosetta Stone: 3 lessons a day, or 30 minutes

Language Transfer Greek: 1-2 lessons a day, 10-20 minutes

LingQ: Free reading, when chilling out

When you finish Duolingo and Rosetta Stone materials, watch Eisai To Tairi Mou on Youtube. The wonderful George has subbed the whole series in English.

For textbooks, I used Take Off In Greek. I did 1 lesson a week after completing Duolingo/Rosetta/etc. This takes about 3 months. There is an audio CD, which you may need to buy separately. I'm not sure.

I also started tutoring while working on the textbook. I meet with Georgia on Italki, who is amazing.

B1/B2

I'm still working on this. 😉

Colloquial Greek is a good textbook here. It's very fast, though. Lots of vocabulary. Routledge also has a Modern Greek Reader, which is advanced but quite good.

But if you want in-depth resources, look at "publications" from Omilo.

Lydia is a good review of A1/A2, all dialogues. They also have workbooks on verbs, Greek music, podcasts, etc. Their B1/B2 book is Fiyame, and it's all in Greek.

At this point, I would work through either Colloquial or Fiyame while working with a tutor 1-2x a month or more.

There is also a Greek Mastodon server - https://kafeneio.social/explore

I am not on this server, but I follow and interact with many people on it. I also use Greek as my default language. 😊

University of Athens

I want to point out that there is an affordable learning course from the University of Athens. It is an online course. They have multiple language courses, but they have a good deal.

Their basic level course is 150 EURO, but you can get it for less. If you buy one of their culture courses, many of which are 100/120 EURO, you can get the Greek course free. The culture courses are taught in English.

I hope this is all helpful! I find Modern Greek rather fun and easy to digest. So far, the grammar is not very difficult. And many of the A1/A2 resources are free or low-cost. Rosetta Stone can be bought for $167, I think, and be used for multiple languages.

#modern greek #learn greek #langblr #languageblr #language learning #learn modern greek #langauges #inewt

[lemonadeandlanguages]

I'm staring at my bookshelf and I've just realized that English-language books seem to have text on the spine that's read top to bottom, whereas other languages have text that reads bottom to top, and now I'm wondering if there's a reason for that 🤔

#i used to chalk it up to publisher preference but i wonder #i do have some spanish books that have top to bottom spine text but not sure about the other languages #books #lnl #langauges

[thearcaneuniversity]

while I've written in my "bio" post that I'm learning 5/6 languages (if you count english), I'm only truly sticking to spanish for now. I do learn some french, turkish and arabic (+ dabbling in serbian here and there), but I'm not putting my whole effort into these languages yet, because I don't want to pull myslef in a million different directions.

given that, I've thought a lot about arabic recently. I didn't start learning it because of the genocide that is being inflicted upon the palestinians, I've been drawn to the language for some time, but this situation has definitely already influenced me - all I wanted for now was to stick to getting comfortable with the alphabet/abjad, but maybe that'll be changing.

I've been wondering recently about which dialect, apart from MSA, should I stick to first. I've been torn between egyptian and levantine. now I think I'm 100% sure, and will pick levantine. however, levantine encompasses quite a lot of countries, so I also began to wonder - how big of a diversity is there in this one group alone?

how seperate is the levantine arabic spoken in palestine? is it being erased as we speak? (of course it is)

are there some sites, channels, etc., that try to archive such information?

#arabic #free palestine #langblr #language learning #langauges

[sayitaliano]

how to speak italian if you never know what to talk about when practicing :(

Tell about anything you like, or you don't like. Just tell yourself what are your plans for your day or talk with yourself... It may seem weird if you're not used to but you can basically tell yourself about the actions you are making: "Ora mi alzo, mi lavo e faccio colazione, poi andrò a prendere il pane...". For example. Or you can imagine sitting at your desk at night and writing your diary of the day. Tell about a movie you have watched or are passionate about, about a video you've just seen (we spend hours on social medias very likely, so you can tell about that account on yt/ig/tiktok... you love for example or simply that specific funny video). You can talk about your favorite holidays or vacation, how it went, where you went... Or the weirdest/most recent dream you had. Talk about anything past, present ot future, like your experience in school, the best/worst teacher or classmate, your bestie, your pet or what you dream to do next month or later... Talk about that celebrity you like, why you like them, describe them, what they do; or just your first crush or love interest or partner. Weather (I guess it's the most comon and therefore kinda annoying at a certain point but still good), clothes, styles, cars, animals, nature... There are actually so many things you can talk about: foods, family, emotions... you can choose a topic each day/week and search for vocabs and things to say.

And guess what! Any of these really need to be real things or what you really want to do/think if talking about yourself makes you uncomfortable and you only need to practice and not knowing the other person (eg. you are in school/course or writing stuff/recording yourself talking): you can just invent stuff. Or search for the weirdest/strangest expression to use and put it in a sentence or try to make a text about it, on why you like it, where you read/listened to it. You can ask questions too, about the other. where is this place, how can you reach that other place (you agan can make up stuff/just pretend you need infos). Your favorite song/artist. Tell their message, why you like it/them. Or choose a random pic and talk about it: describe it, and then try to go a little more deeper, according on your knowledge of Italian (or any other language you're learning -I'm trying to do all this as well)

There are many other samples/ideas you can find in the study-post on @sayitalianohome, hope this gives you something to ponder about. You can make 30 days list and put a topic/thing to do for each day to repeat each month or simply try if it may work for you as a way to pratice

#it #italian #langblr #italiano #italian language #italian langblr #language #languages #parole words #learning italian #studyblr #studying italian #langauges #learning languages #studying languages

[majestylanguage]

Hello Langblr!

Hello! It has been a while since I’ve posted here. I am now in college and have the same ambitious goals from when I started this blog in middle school! My current target languages are Spanish and Russian. I am planning a trip to South America in the upcoming years that will put my Spanish to the test and am minoring in Spanish at my university. I have been formally taught Spanish since 1st grade, however didn’t really begin absorbing the language till sophomore year of highschool. To continue my growth with Spanish I will be taking the A2 course on Lingoda (https://learn.lingoda.com/en/account/course-overview). I will also be watching Shows (specifically reality TV since I love it) in Spanish to familiarize myself with the language. 

Russian is more of a personal learning experience - my favorite characters in a book learned Russian so I wanna learn Russian. I’ve started with learning the alphabet starting with hand-made flashcards and quizlets. Once I have a more solid grasp on the letters I will begin the Russian course on LingoHut (https://www.lingohut.com/en/l71/learn-russian).

My future goals include fluency in Spanish and Russian. Once I have a more solid grasp on these languages I wanna learn eventually French, Japanese, Portuguese, Korean, Greek and American Sign Language. Which I know seems ambitious but I have a long life ahead of me so it’s possible! 

#learning #langauges #spanish #russian #lingoda #lingohut #langblr #langblog

[cloudofbutterflies]

Is toil leam a bhith dà-chànanach ann an cànan nach bruidhinn duine tuilleadh. Is urrainn dhomh an cac as neònach a ràdh agus a ràdh gu bheil e rudeigin àbhaisteach agus feumaidh a h-uile duine a dhol leis. B’ urrainn dhomh aideachadh gur e marbhadh sreathach a bh’ annam agus cha b’ urrainn do dhuine sam bith cac a dhèanamh

#scottish gaelic #scotland #scottish #langauges #bee speaks

[accessibleaesthetics]

Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of free resources for different sign languages:

American Sign Language (ASL)

Australian Sign Language (Auslan)

Australian Indigenous Sign Languages

Black American Sign Language (BASL)

Brazilian Sign Language (LSB)

British Sign Language (BSL)

Chinese Sign Language (CSL)

Emirati Sign Language (ESL)

French Sign Language (LSF)

Italian Sign Language (LIS)

Indian Sign Language (ISL)

International Sign Language (IS)

Irish Sign Language (ISL)

Japanese Sign Language (JSL)

New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL)

Mexican Sign Language (LSM)

Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL)

Polish Sign Language (PJM)

Ukrainian Sign Language (USL)

Yolŋu Sign Language (YSL)

Please feel free to add on if you know of others, be it more resource for one of the sign languages above, or resources for learning any of the other 300 plus sign languages.

Edit: I updated the ASL reference to Bill Vicars, but reminder that these are just things I found around, please find Deaf teachers wherever possible! And for ASL, lifeprint.com is another wonderful resource.

Please also check out Lingvano if you want to learn American Sign Language (ASL), British Sign Language (BSL) or Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS). This app has D/deaf teachers and is designed for people who can only spend 5 to 20 minutes a day on learning and practicing, so it's very handy for those with busy schedules! Only the first few lessons are free though, then it’s around $10 a month.

#sign langauge

[spanishskulduggery]

How does "desde hacer" work? And is there a reason the translator switches from "he sabido" to "lo sé" for "I've known about" when you add "for two decades"? (But "I knew" stays as "sabía"?)

desde hace is similar to hace "ago" except that it's even further in the past or implied distance

It just generally means "since (X time)" or "(X time) ago" with desde hace being even more distant

As for the lo sé it's a quirk of using hace / desde hace

It is generally preferred or considered most correct to use present tense with the "ago" phrases:

Vivo en la ciudad hace años. = I've lived in the city for years. Hace años que vivo en la ciudad. = It's been years that I've lived in the city. / I've lived in the city for years.

And you could say desde hace instead though to me saying desde hace años feels like "for many years"

So for saber you might see:

Hace mucho tiempo que no sabemos nada de ella. = We haven't heard from her in a long time. [lit. "(it) has been a while since/that we don't know anything of her", but saber here is like "to have heard" or "to have learned/gotten word" of her]

It doesn't follow the normal "I knew" is imperfect rules

-

Note: You can also use the imperfect which is even more in the past, it's imperfect + imperfect... like hacía muchos años que vivía en la ciudad which feels like "I had been living in the city for many years"

I think you could use sabía if you said something like hacía dos décadas que lo sabía though it reads kind of like "I've known for about two decades"

The general trick for "ago" is that if it's hacer in present tense you use present tense next; if it's hacer in imperfect, then the next clause is imperfect

#asks #followers please let me know if I messed that up #spanish #langblr #language #langauges #la gramatica

[calesleftboob]

I RECEIVED MY ARABIC STUDY BOOK!!!!

STARTING ON MONDAY/TUESDAYS. GONNA BE FINISHING AT 8PMMMMM

#Arabic #langauges #polyglot #quadrilingual

[kelseythelinguist]

I've had a lot of experience with learning languages, but also anxiety. And over the years, I've tried to reprogram my brain for specific languages that had become associated with negative experiences and anxiety.

It all starts with identifying the root cause of what's making you anxious about your language sessions. Then you can find ways to reduce or work around it.

Click to read the whole take.

#languageblr #language learning #foreign languages #language blog #polyglot #lingblr #linguistics #langblr #langauges #anxiety

[alloyin180p]

i get it when people complain about learning english. like why does ambiguous look like that? why is necessary the way it is?? and dont get me started on definently

deffinently

DEFINITELY

#english #you are stupid #langauges #why is THAT spelled like that

[bunnyswritings]

Saying "I love you" without saying "I love you" — some ways your otp can silently express affection

Forehead kisses, and smiling through the kiss

Resting their forehead on the other’s after a kiss

Tucking strands of loose hair behind their ears, with a thumb caressing their cheek

Interlacing their fingers with the other’s when they least expect it

Sleepy back hugs when the other person is busy whipping up breakfast in the kitchen, catching them by surprise

Just doing their own things in the same space; being so comfortable around the other even in their pyjamas

Holding both their hands while holding their gaze gently, just before leaning in for a kiss

Switching positions with the other when walking down a busy sidewalk because your feel the need to keep the other safe

Being playfully clingy in the mornings when one has an off day and the other has to rush to work

Getting them something from the store when they only mentioned it in passing

When one is overseas for a work trip and everything they see reminds them of the other person (bonus: whenever it happens, they take a picture and drop the other person a text.)

Squeezing their hand reassuringly and holding their hand throughout an intense social situation (eg. a large school reunion which the more introverted person is dreading)

Kissing away their tears

^ and letting the other cry on their shoulder even when their t-shirt gets soaked from their tears

Meeting them where they are, mentally and emotionally; never forcing them to do anything they aren’t comfortable with

Wholeheartedly supporting their dreams, and putting that into action by making concrete plans for it to happen

Dropping the other person an encouraging text before an important interview/event

Surprising the other with flowers just because; no occasion and no reason needed

Picking the other person up from work when it’s getting late, and walking them right to their doorstep after

Good morning and goodnight texts

Making the other person a Spotify playlist with songs that remind them of their relationship and growth

Remembering the littlest of things — activities they like and dislike, favourite brands of stationery, go-to ice cream flavour, choice of popcorn

Writing little notes on post-its and leaving them in random pages of their textbook, so that they will get a little endorphin boost when studying

#writing #writing prompts #bunnyswritings #creative writing #writeblr #otp prompts #prompts #fanfiction prompts #new writer boost #creative writing prompts #imagine your otp #love langauges #fluff #romance prompts #fluff prompts

[samaya-samachar]

रत्नमानले ल्याए तीन भाषाको पुस्तक

रत्नमानले ल्याए तीन भाषाको पुस्तक

पोखरा । शिक्षासेवी रत्नमान गुरुङले नेपाली, अङ्ग्रेजी र गुरुङ भाषासम्बन्धी पुस्तक बजारमा ल्याएका छन् । गुरुङको पहिलो कृति ‘भाषा, व्याकरण र गुरुङ वाक्यविज्ञानः एक परिचय’ नामक कृतिको शनिबार पोखरामा आयोजित एक कार्यक्रममा साहित्यकार सरुभक्तले लोकार्पण गरे । २००८ मा लमजुङको करापुमा जन्मेर पोखराको रामघाटस्थित टप्स बोर्डिङ स्कुलका संस्थापक तथा प्रधानाध्यापकका रहेका गुरुङ करिब ४ दशकदेखि शैक्षिक क्षेत्रमा…

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#books #langauges

[itstacharya]

रत्नमानले ल्याए तीन भाषाको पुस्तक

रत्नमानले ल्याए तीन भाषाको पुस्तक

पोखरा । शिक्षासेवी रत्नमान गुरुङले नेपाली, अङ्ग्रेजी र गुरुङ भाषासम्बन्धी पुस्तक बजारमा ल्याएका छन् । गुरुङको पहिलो कृति ‘भाषा, व्याकरण र गुरुङ वाक्यविज्ञानः एक परिचय’ नामक कृतिको शनिबार पोखरामा आयोजित एक कार्यक्रममा साहित्यकार सरुभक्तले लोकार्पण गरे । २००८ मा लमजुङको करापुमा जन्मेर पोखराको रामघाटस्थित टप्स बोर्डिङ स्कुलका संस्थापक तथा प्रधानाध्यापकका रहेका गुरुङ करिब ४ दशकदेखि शैक्षिक क्षेत्रमा…

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#books #langauges