My first attempt: Swedish, (No French)*

[naqvisson]

Linguaphone 50
Rivstart 9th..

today I finished 50 Lessons of Linguaphone Swedish...This is the highest number of lessons that I completed in any language (My previous max of any language book were, Assimil German With Ease 25 lessons, and From Start to Finnish: 18 chapters.)..... en-route, I have been tempted by so many other materials, at times assimil, at times FSI, and at time wonderlust but some how,I kept linguaphone as my prime material.

On rivstart, I am at chapter 9.

Targets for The Week: 2 New lessons of Linguaphone daily..
Rivstart: Chapter 9 and 10

Wonderlust:
At times, I wanted to restart Finnish, at times had a look of the Russian, at times I was thinking that I can learn Persian pretty quickly as I know about 40% of the Persian words...somehow I kept my self away from it. i kept telling myself that nothing to start before I reach 50 Lessons of Linguaphone Swedish...and today I am feeling so content
So its time to add one another language and the language will be FRENCH!

My French plan will be:

One Lesson of Assimil New French With Ease daily and may be a bit of Linguaphone French. I prefer Linguaphone in the beginning because it has a structure, a story. Assimil is way too random but since its the best in the business so my main focus will be NFWE.

I will folllow Emme's Small Step Log approach for french... http://how-to-learn-any-language.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=20125&PN=1

Her approach was,

"This is how I’ve tackled my day-to-day studying:

I begin each day by listening to and then shadowing previous lessons

I listen repeatedly to the new lesson trying to understand as much as possible without the help of the book: since I usually do this on the go I don’t fall into the temptation of reading the text immediately

When I finally find some time to sit down at my desk I work out the lesson by following the audio track with the written version so that maybe I can grasp one or two further words

Then I make sure I got the translation right and I understand every sentence

At this point, with the help of the pronunciation guide, I start listening and repeating the lesson a few times
I read the notes: being a false beginner a quick read through has been enough until now

Finally I do the exercises first orally and then in writing (and I also copy the lesson so that I can start getting a grip on French orthography)

Whenever I have time throughout the remainder of the day I shadow the lesson some more"

[naqvisson]

Back after a break of two months ..almost...the things i did in two months:

1. Watched all Football matches with Swedish Commentary.
2. Watched a couple of tv programs from svt.
3. Tried SVT language learning app: SVT Språkplay. It really good for accent development.
4. Traveled on my summer vacation for a month and got no chance to read anything

Things I lack:

Prat, prat och prat.

Unfortunately still ain't got a chance for the output. There are so many language cafes in Helsinki but almost all of them are for practicing Finnish language. Just one for Swedish language (as for as I know) and that will be operational from October I think I will only get a chance when my university opens in the first week of September. The good thing is that it is a swedish university and I have already registered for Swedish grammar course Now anxiously waiting for the semester to start.

In the meanwhile, I am trying to read Paulo Coelho's Alchemisten. I have its mp3 and english version as well. Will try to follow, " Lydia Machova" method. One page a day.

On French side, again started from the Lesson #1 This time aiming and hoping to be consistent.

Lesson Learnt:

Language learning is not like a sprint. Its a marathon.

[tiia]

There are so many language cafes in Helsinki but almost all of them are for practicing Finnish language.

The one on Monday has quite regularly a Swedish table. Not too many people on that table though, but you could give it a try.

[naqvisson]

Tiia wrote:
The one on Monday has quite regularly a Swedish table. Not too many people on that table though, but you could give it a try.

Thank you very much for the info. I wish I know the place. The one in Pasila Library will be functional from October and there is one somewhere near kamppi but I have to yet find it out

If you hv the adress, please do text me It would be a great favor

.

[tiia]

I sent you the info via pm.

[Skynet]

Hello there!

I am late to the party, but welcome to the forum. (I have only been here for a month!)

I am studying French, so I was baited by your log title. I am happy to see that you're progressing with your Swedish! It is very good to see such dedication from someone who's doing heavily quantitative courses (I should know!) I am proud of you! Keep it up!

I couldn't help but notice that you listed "Saraiki" as one of your known languages. I have met someone at my university from Punjab (Pakistan) who speaks Saraiki (written in Perso-Arabic script) and I couldn't help but wonder if you had either misspelt the name, or you spoke a language that I couldn't find (with a quick Bing query.)

Long terms goals of 2018-19
French , German, Persian (I can read and understand 40% as urdu has many a loan words from Persian), Finnish. I am a Finance graduate student thus might be shifting to Frankfurt by the end of 2018. Thus German will become top priority after Swedish.

I envy you for being able to speak Urdu because I am learning Persian Farsi but am still illiterate as I have not had time to learn the script. We have similar language plans, including starting German at the end of our current language projects (my project is French). I look forward to seeing your progression on this forum!

[naqvisson]

I sent you the info via pm.

Tackar, Kiitos paljon

[naqvisson]

Hello there!

I am late to the party, but welcome to the forum. (I have only been here for a month!)

I am studying French, so I was baited by your log title. I am happy to see that you're progressing with your Swedish! It is very good to see such dedication from someone who's doing heavily quantitative courses (I should know!) I am proud of you! Keep it up!

I couldn't help but notice that you listed "Saraiki" as one of your known languages. I have met someone at my university from Punjab (Pakistan) who speaks Saraiki (written in Perso-Arabic script) and I couldn't help but wonder if you had either misspelt the name, or you spoke a language that I couldn't find (with a quick Bing query.)

Long terms goals of 2018-19
French , German, Persian (I can read and understand 40% as urdu has many a loan words from Persian), Finnish. I am a Finance graduate student thus might be shifting to Frankfurt by the end of 2018. Thus German will become top priority after Swedish.

I envy you for being able to speak Urdu because I am learning Persian Farsi but am still illiterate as I have not had time to learn the script. We have similar language plans, including starting German at the end of our current language projects (my project is French). I look forward to seeing your progression on this forum!

Thank you for the kind words. I have been through your log and it has been a great source of motivation. I wish I could achieve 1/10th of your dedication. You are really dedicated fellow being a Banking & Finance majors and me really lazy being a Quantitative Finance majors ...and ur 9 x 45 min slots a day are tooooo much! Will try to follow your footsteps once I am done with my thesis.

On Saraiki, you got me right. Saraiki is a regional language spoken in Pakistan. As per wikipedia, about 20 million people speak this language. Fortunately, I have a couple of friends who speak this language and helped me to learn it. I once met an Indian couple here in Helsinki on a function and they were also Saraiki speaking and it was such a pleasant surprise as I never knew that few Indian fellows also speak this language. They told that they sometimes call this language "Multani".

On the future ambitions, I hope and wish to stick to Swedish (80% of time) till November, and French as 20% of time. German will be my replacement of Swedish from November on wards as my plans for shifting to Frankfurt have been deferred for the time being. Hope to stay in touch and to seek your guidance for the languages journey and to know more about your techniques

[naqvisson]

Today was a big day...full of excitement...first day when my Swedish got in to practice.... i was getting bored so registered for German I...just for fun sake...and today was the first class. The teacher seems very nice indeed and started teaching/giving intro in Swedish....and to my surprise I was understanding every bit of it Just can't believe how the input of Linguaphone+Rivstart+SVT+ a bit of Assimil worked so well....

After a while, the teacher approached and asked me sorry i didn't notice. I thought you are another "svensk kille"...and i was like....I understand you all..please continue teaching in Swedish

The feeling that you can understand real conversation, real means live, not the audios of any textbook etc...takes you to the 7th sky...I am all smiles since then..hope I will improve Swedish in the German class, even more than German in the German class

Meanwhile:
Linguaphone Swedish 70
Rivstart A1+ A2: 14th

[naqvisson]

Back to forum after a long log time. Had been wasting so much time reading posts, so tried to refrain/abstain but still some how kept spending some time on the forum reading dedicated fellows posts...or listening to Polyglot Conference videos on youtube..

Here is the status update:

German: I went to classes for 2 weeks where the teacher was teaching in swedish...and just left as German was not my priority this semester. I was only attending to get more understanding of real swedish .. so it was kinda "sunk cost"..but not 100%.

Swedish: I went to Swedish class and the teacher after a while suggested me to come to Swedish 3 class...and that was a kind of motivational appreciation...so some times i would attend, sometimes i would not..

After attending language classes this semester, my belief has further strengthened that the best way to learn language is by yourself....daily, bit by bit, teachers are good but its you that has to learn it...

What I did / am doing these days:

Finished Rivstart A1+A2

Started Rivstart B1+B2 but somehow i am not very serious with finishing the text book..

Linguaphone: Stick at Lesson # 83....13 more to go but again kind of stuck there..

Assimil Le Suédois: 54 lesson (I dont know french, I just translate with the help of dictionary, google translate and then listen it 20-30 times/ each lesson).. Trying Luca method...translating a lesson after 3 days...

Assimil Schwedisch ohne muhe 2003: On lesson 31 (Its in German and I am using it the same way I use the french one. Every day, I spend about 2 hs in Buses/Metro, so that becomes my study time..

None of the books comes close to Assimil Schwedish...Its loaded with vocabulary... but two of the speakers have a bit different accent...at time annoying.....The french based Le Suédois is watered down course but speakers are using may be standard stockholm accent, tror jag.

New Addition: Glossika Swedish: Simply awesome. At least it made me to think in Swedish by bombarding me with sentences. Listening during walks and travel time (buses, metro). Caution: There are mistakes in it, so not suggested to begin learning with this. It should be used after doing atleast 50 lessons of Assimil or 10 chapters of Rivstart.

Language Cafe: I found two language cafes, one on tuesday, from 5:00- 6:30 pm, other on wednesday for an hour. Trying to speak, speak and more speak but its a long road of course.

Alkemisten: 20 pages. I think the best addition to study plan. I some times read just a paragraph, some times a page but there are so many words that I don't know but I want to know what will happen next with Santiago (the herder).. I don't feel burden that I am studying to learn language, rather i enjoy it.. with 185 pages, its relatively a small book, easy to carry as well. The best 10 euro investment...

Harry Potter och De Vises Sten: I have just read about 2 pages of it. Seems interesting but I am more interested in Alkemisten.

French: another sunk cost of time for the time being..Did 10 lessons of Assimil NFWE and TOIL and then deffered it till my language exam. I will hopefully follow @skynet's apprach, NFWE/TOIL/Linguaphone. Another language has taken its place and that is: Python. French I will comeback to you after mid of November. I promise.

This is my first L2 and I am learning by mistakes. Burnt out many a times. Sometimes stuck even. Lost. Don't want to study but then some song by Melissa Horn, some news item headline, Blue bird by Sofia Karlsson bring me back... telling me: come on man... you have to learn this beautiful language not for any exam, not for any diploma, but for the sake of the beauty itself. Jag älskar svenska. Trying to figure out my learning style and now I feel that I have found the right mix that I like doing... (Start with Linguaphone, Assimils+Alchemisten+Glossika etc)....... I think that may be for every one ,first L2 is nothing but continuous experimentation....

I will not be regular in posting but I want to thank all of you who motivated me through your logs, who came to help out of the way, who suggested best alternatives, and those who posted their logs...which helped me / motivated me to do some thing...even 5 minute..just do it! Thank you every one. You are awesome!