Let’s start with the basics.

The word for summer in Italian is “estate”.

Now, I know what you may be thinking – “That’s an English word!”

Well, estate is actually a falso amico – false friend – meaning that it looks and sounds the same as in English but has a different meaning.

Rather than a patch of private land with a property, in Italy the word estate indicates “la stagione estiva”, the summer season.

Summer is the season of colori vivaci (bright colors) and attività all’aria aperta (outdoor activities).

“Le vacanze” are the holidays. The word is plural and feminine and you need it to wish someone happy holidays: “Buone vacanze”!

Where do Italians go for the holidays?

Most of them vanno in vacanza al mare (go on holiday to the seaside) to relax in spiaggia (on the beach) or fare un tuffo nell’acqua (make a splash in the water).

Of course they also enjoy spending time sotto l’ombrellone (under the beach umbrella) so they can prendere il sole (to sunbathe) while they play parole crociate (crosswords) and mangiano frutta fresca (eat fresh fruit).

If you have kids, trips to the seaside mean packing secchiello e paletta (bucket and spade) so you can happily costruire un castello di sabbia (to build a sandcastle) with them.

You may want to include braccioli (water wings) or un salvagente (a lifebuoy) in your valigia (suitcase) just in case the kids want to go for a swim.

Sea’s not everyone’s cup of tea so some Italians may opt for una gita in montagna (a trip to the mountains) or un viaggio all’estero (a trip abroad).

What about those who don’t go anywhere and just stay in town?

Many Italian cities and small villages host local celebrations such as sagre di paese (town festivals) and processioni (processions).

August 15th signals the peak of summer. It’s Ferragosto – Assumption Day – a national holiday in Italy. Offices are closed, as well as some shops and restaurants.

Italians are usually headed to the countryside or nearby beach resorts to cool down and enjoy un po’ di aria fresca (some fresh air).

Italian summer vocabulary

Occhiali da sole– sunglasses

Crema solare – sunscreen

Giornate soleggiate – sunny days

Caldo – hot

Costume da bagno – bathing suit

Spiaggia – beach

Mare – sea

Nuotare – to swim

Prendere il sole – to sunbathe

Ondata di caldo – heatwave

Cool Expressions

You may overhear Italians say the following phrases when the sun is shining and the temperature is rising.

Come picchia il sole! – How the sun beats down!

Un sole che spacca le pietre –- a blazing sun, a sun hot enough to fry an egg

Bello come il sole – beautiful as the sun

Il sole bacia i belli – the sun kisses the beautiful ones

Baciato dal sole – sun-kissed

Si crepa dal caldo –  It’s sweltering

Si bolle – It’s boiling hot

Useful words and phrases for your summer trip to Italy

I have carefully crafted a vocabulary cheat-sheet for you, so don’t forget to grab your copy in printer-friendly PDF format for free!

If you already have access to the Language Library, you can download it directly from there.

You would be doing me a HUGE FAVOR  by sharing this post via Twitter, Facebook, Google +, Instagram or Pinterest.

Ready to brush up on more Italian Vocabulary? 

The post How do you talk about summer in Italian? appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.

Today we are going to talk about summer… en français.

I’ve been to France over the summer season two times thus far and there’s no way I would’ve survived without memorizing these vocabulary words first!

Well, okay, that might be a tad bit extreme, but the list of words and phrases that I’m about to share with you definitely came in handy during my summer trips.

When we think of summer, we inevitably think of holidays – “les vacances”.

Traditionally, families and friends take advantage of sunny days (les journées ensoleillées) to travel (voyager) or simply go to the beach (aller à la plage).

“Je suis en vacances!” (I’m on holiday) This is what you can excitedly exclaim once you’re off your study or work duties.

French people have a specific term to indicate the summer break: “les grandes vacances” which means “big holidays”.

Why is that?

Well, that’s simply because summer is the longest period of school holidays for kids – from July to August, 8 weeks total.

Once school is no longer in session, les enfants are finally free to engage in fun outdoor activities.

French Summer Vocabulary – Vocabulaire de l’été
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Summer Activities in French

• Aller à la mer – to go by the beach
• Faire ses valises – to pack
• Défaire ses valises – to unpack
• Marcher sur la plage – To walk on the beach
• Se bronzer – to sunbathe
• Nager – to swim

Summer Months in French

• juin (June)
• juillet (July)
• le mois d’Août (August) – Beware of the pronunciation! The correct pronunciation of août is “oot”.

“Des aoûtiens” is the name given to August vacationers: un aoûtien (if he’s male), une aoûtienne (if she’s female).

People taking their vacation in July (juillet) are called “un juilletiste, une juilletiste”.

Summer Weather in French

When talking about the weather, French people use the verb “faire” (to do).

The usual construction is: “Il fait + ___”  followed by “chaud”, “froid” or what else.

• Il fait chaud – It’s hot
• Il fait du soleil – It’s sunny
• Il fait beau – The weather is nice
  
• La chaleur – The heat
  Le soleil brille – The sun is shining
  Le ciel est bleu – The sky is blue

YOUR FREE FRENCH SUMMER VOCABULARY!

Click below to receive your French Summer Vocabulary straight to your inbox for free.

If you’ve already got access to the Language Learning Library, use your password to download it directly from there.

What are your plans for the summer? Did you learn any new French words by reading this post?
Please share in the comments!

The post French Summer Vocabulary – Vocabulaire de l’été appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.

It’s Valentine’s day and there’s no better language than Italian to express love, passion, and romance.

It doesn’t matter who you are, you will steal the heart of anybody by whispering some Italian paroline dolci (sweet nothings) in their ear.

From the ever-charming “ti amo” (I love you) to the luscious “amore mio” (my love), I dare you not to succumb to the musicality of this language.  

Even the most passionate storia d’amore (love-story) of all times, Romeo and Giulietta, has an Italian vibe since it’s set in Verona.

Need I say more?

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been sharing love-related Italian words and phrases over Instagram and Facebook. A countdown to Valentine’s Day, one that combines love and education.

Want to impress your valentine? Read on and try to memorize the following vocabulary and romantic expressions.

Day 1: Il bacio

Un post condiviso da Runaway Daydreamer (@runawaydaydreamerblog) in data: 1 Feb 2017 alle ore 03:08 PST

Dammi un bacio! (Give me a kiss!)

Baciare (to kiss)

Non smettere mai di baciarmi (Never stop kissing me)

Baciamoci e abbracciamoci per ore (Let’s kiss and cuddle for hours)

Non posso vivere senza i tuoi baci (I can’t live without your kisses)

Day 2: Sei il mio mondo

Un post condiviso da Runaway Daydreamer (@runawaydaydreamerblog) in data: 2 Feb 2017 alle ore 10:03 PST

 Sei il mio mondo. You are my world.

Day 3: Il mio cuore batte solo per te

Un post condiviso da Runaway Daydreamer (@runawaydaydreamerblog) in data: 3 Feb 2017 alle ore 00:53 PST

Il mio cuore batte solo per te. My heart beats only for you.

Il mio cuore ti appartiene (My heart belongs to you)

Mi fai battere forte il cuore (You make my heart beat faster)

Il mio cuore è tuo (My heart is yours)

Mi hai rubato il cuore. (You stole my heart)

Day 4: Lettera d’amore

Un post condiviso da Runaway Daydreamer (@runawaydaydreamerblog) in data: 4 Feb 2017 alle ore 04:02 PST

Lettera d’amore. Love letter.

Mi ha scritto una lettera d’amore (He wrote me a love letter)

Vorrei che qualcuno mi mandasse lettere d’amore scritte a mano (I wish somebody would send me handwritten love letters)

Scrivere una lettera d’amore è il miglior modo per esprimere ciò che provi (Writing a love letter is the best way to express how you feel)

Gli scriverò una lettera d’amore per San Valentino (I will write him a love letter for Valentine’s Day)

Day 5: Rose rosse

Un post condiviso da Runaway Daydreamer (@runawaydaydreamerblog) in data: 5 Feb 2017 alle ore 07:55 PST

Rose rosse. Red roses.

Questo mazzo di rose rosse è il mio regalo per te (This bouquet of red roses is my gift to you)

Le ho dato un mazzo di rose rosse per San Valentino (I gave her a bouquet of red roses for Valentine’s Day)

Rose rosse per te, tesoro (Red roses for you, sweetheart)

Day 6: Anime gemelle

Un post condiviso da Runaway Daydreamer (@runawaydaydreamerblog) in data: 6 Feb 2017 alle ore 08:12 PST

Anime gemelle. Soul mates.

Sono la persona più fortunata del mondo. Ho sposato la mia anima gemella (I’m the luckiest person in the whole world. I married my soul mate!)

Francesco e Marta sono perfetti l’uno per l’altra. Sono anime gemelle (Francesco and Marta are perfect for each other. They are soul mates)

Sono single. Sto ancora aspettando la mia anima gemella (I’m single. I’m still waiting for my soul mate)

Day 7: La mia dolce metà

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La mia dolce metà. My better half.

Trascorrerò le vacanze con la mia dolce metà. Non potrei essere più felice (I’ll spend the holidays with my better half. I couldn’t be happier)

Stasera la mia dolce metà torna a casa. Non vedo l’ora! (Tonight my better half comes back home. I can’t wait!)

Sei la mia dolce metà. Significhi tutto per me (You’re my better half. You mean the world to me)

Day 8: Piccioncini

Un post condiviso da Runaway Daydreamer (@runawaydaydreamerblog) in data: 8 Feb 2017 alle ore 08:46 PST

Piccioncini. Love birds.

Guarda quei due piccioncini! (Look at those two love birds!)

Lasciamo i due piccioncini da soli. Sono così innamorati (Let’s leave these two love birds alone. They’re so in love)

Federico e Laura hanno negato la loro relazione, ma sembrano due piccioncini (Federico and Laura denied their relationship, but they look like two love birds)

Day 9: Occhi a cuore

Un post condiviso da Runaway Daydreamer (@runawaydaydreamerblog) in data: 9 Feb 2017 alle ore 10:57 PST

Occhi a cuoricino. Heart eyes.

*Cuoricino literally means “little heart”, but you can also say “occhi a cuore.”

Lei ti piace e non puoi negarlo. Hai gli occhi a cuoricino (You like her and you can’t deny it. You’ve got heart eyes)

Hai una cotta per Alberto? Lo stavi guardando con gli occhi a cuoricino

(Do you have a crush on Alberto? You were looking at him with heart eyes)

Gli occhi a cuore non mentono (Heart eyes don’t lie)

Day 10: Cenetta romantica

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Cenetta romantica. Romantic dinner.

Venerdì ho appuntamento con Davide per una cenetta romantica (I have a romantic dinner with Davide on Friday)

Vorrei che andassimo a fare una cenetta romantica il giorno di San Valentino (I wish we could go out for a romantic dinner on Valentine’s Day)

Non possiamo andare al cinema stasera. Ho promesso a Maria di portarla fuori per una cenetta romantica (We can’t go to the movies tonight. I promised Maria I’d take her out to a romantic dinner)

Day 11: Io e te

Un post condiviso da Runaway Daydreamer (@runawaydaydreamerblog) in data: 11 Feb 2017 alle ore 15:34 PST

Io e te. Per sempre. Me and you. Forever.

Day 12: Mi fai arrossire

Un post condiviso da Runaway Daydreamer (@runawaydaydreamerblog) in data: 12 Feb 2017 alle ore 10:08 PST

Mi fai arrossire. You make me blush.

Smettila. Non guardarmi in quel modo. Mi stai facendo arrossire! (Stop it. Don’t look at me like that. You’re making me blush!)

Lui ti piace! Stai arrossendo! (You like him! You’re blushing!)

Oh no, non farmi arrossire! (Oh no, don’t make me blush!)

Day 13: Mi sento a casa con te

Un post condiviso da Runaway Daydreamer (@runawaydaydreamerblog) in data: 13 Feb 2017 alle ore 09:18 PST

Mi sento a casa con te. I feel at home with you.

Ti amo. Mi fai sentire a casa (I love you. You make me feel at home)

Non importa dove andiamo, quando sono con te mi sento a casa ( It doesn’t matter where we go, when I am with you I’m home)

La mia casa è ovunque tu sia (Home is wherever I’m with you)

Day 14: Buon San Valentino!

Un post condiviso da Runaway Daydreamer (@runawaydaydreamerblog) in data: 14 Feb 2017 alle ore 01:23 PST

Buon San Valentino. Happy Valentine’s Day.

 San Valentino si festeggia il 14 febbraio (Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14)

 Ogni anno gli innamorati si scambiano piccoli doni, bigliettini e dolcetti il 14 febbraio (Each year on February 14th, lovers exchange small gifts, cards, and sweets)

Don’t forget to spread the love by sharing this article with someone you care about.

Buon San Valentino! Valentine’s day in the Italian language
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There are some Christmas traditions I never ever break.

Putting up the Christmas tree on December 8. Not a day before, not a day after.

Eating lentils on New Year’s Eve. It is said that lentils bring luck and prosperity if eaten on that day, so… you get the point.

Stuffing my face with Italian Christmas delicacies.

The sweet taste of Pandoro gets me every time. As soon as I smell that vanilla-scented powdered sugar, I feel like taking a slice. And another one. And then one more. Yum.

But I digress.

Traditions, as I was saying, are quite a big deal for me. That’s why I created my own language traditions to go with the holiday spirit. Who says you can’t keep your language skills sharp during Christmas?

Let’s dive in!

1. Reading about holiday customs in foreign cultures

This sets the vibe right from the beginning.

Did you know that in Hawaii Santa is known by the name Kanakaloka? What about the Spanish leyenda (legend) of Los Reyes Magos (the Three Kings)? Go read about it en español and you’ll satisfy your curiosity while practising your reading skills. A win-win.

2. Watch Christmas films in your target language

Two words: Home Alone.

Yes, you’ve seen it a thousand times.

Yes, you know you wanna see it again. Go for it and watch it dubbed in the language you’re learning!

Fun fact: “Home Alone” in both Italian and French is translated as “Mom, I missed the plane!”

“Maman, j’ai raté l’avion” is the French title and “Mamma, ho perso l’aereo” is the Italian one.

However – here comes the fun bit – the funniest translation I’ve stumbled upon is the Argentinian one, “Mi pobre angelito” which equals to “My poor angel”. *puzzled face*

3. Listen to Christmas songs in your target language

I know, I know. You can’t have Christmas without having Mariah Carey streaming on the radio. Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to ditch your entire discography of Christmas songs in English. I wouldn’t do it myself.

Just add a touch of foreign Christmas carols to your playlist. Mix and match, you know. Michael Bublé on one side and a French tune on the other.

Speaking of French, I’ve got some suggestions for you which I have gathered in a playlist called “Noël” on Spotify. Check it out!

My favourite one? “L’enfant au tambour”, a.k.a. the French version of “Little Drummer Boy”. Génial!

4. Learn Christmas-related vocabulary

Regalos, regali, cadeaux… you may want to memorize different ways of saying “gifts” to spice up your letter to Santa! Way to boost your vocabulary, right?

5. Make a Christmas recipe from a foreign country

Eating sweets probably takes up most of your time at Christmas (I feel you), but you could spare some hours to go all-out and prepare traditional foreign recipes from all over the world.

Awaken the chef in you and get busy in the kitchen! Watch video tutorials and read recipes using the language of the country you’re interested in.

If you’re a Francophile like me, there are plenty of dishes to try but the Bûche de Noël and Galette des rois are an absolute must.

Looking for more tips on how to learn a language over the holidays?

• Festive Fluency Tips: How to Learn German This Holiday Season (Fluent Language)
• How to Organise Language Learning At Festive Times  (Lindsay Does Languages)
• Christmas Holidays: How will you keep up language learning over the break? (italki)

Christmas is all about giving, sharing and caring, right? Right! So, share this article with your amigos. It would mean a lot to me.

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How to keep learning a language during the holidays
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Today we’ve got a guest post from Lucia Leite, a Portuguese native speaker who has a degree in English and German. At the moment she’s taking a Master’s degree in English as a second language for young learners, while improving her Spanish and French. I’ll leave you with her now…

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Listening is an important first step in learning a new language.  Some call this the silent period – when you listen to the spoken language to reinforce vocabulary structures and learn speech patterns.

When you are studying a second language it is a good idea to find examples that you can listen to from podcasts and television shows to movies and music.

Listening, believe it or not, is a skill that needs to be practiced.  Listening and hearing are not the same thing.  You may hear a television on in the background but you are not actually listening to the dialogue that is being spoken.

Listening is an art and one must hone their skills to be good at it.  Active listening requires you to focus on the speaker to distinguish words, tone, and meaning.

If you listen to a language before you try to learn to speak it you will have a much better grasp of the pronunciation.  If you start out pronouncing words incorrectly it can be difficult to try to fix the error later on.

It does not matter if you don’t understand what you are listening to at first – the first stage of listening is to get a feel for the rhythm of the language and how sounds are pronounced.
You will learn new vocabulary as you continue on your learning journey.

Listening to music when you are learning a second language can help you as a learner.  It can increase a listener’s ability to distinguish specific sounds in the spoken word.

One thing to remember is that listening to music activates more of the brain than language does so singing something can help you to remember it more easily than simply saying it.  Remember when you used to study for a test and you would make up a little song to remember details?  The same thing applies for learning a second language!

Look for music in the language you are learning that appeals to you.  You Tube is a good place to start and you may even find music videos with subtitles so that you know the meaning of the lyrics as well.

The lyrics will help visual learners by stimulating another sense rather than just auditory.

Using song lyrics to help build your language vocabulary is helpful too.  When you listen to a song repeatedly you will start to pick out vocabulary words related to the story of the song.  This is much easier than trying to learn vocabulary words from a list with no particular relation or meaning.  When you learn vocabulary words from a list they do not tend to transfer to long term memory the way they do if you hear words in context.

Another way to use music in language learning is to put phrases you need to remember to a familiar tune.  Choose a simple song such as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star or Do-Re-Mi and substitute your phrase for the song lyrics.  Then you can sing the phrase over and over and it will be locked in your memory – the same way a catchy television commercial jingle stays in there forever!

Music also elevates your mood and we all know that learning is more fun when you are in a good mood and enjoying what you are doing.

There have been studies that show how music enhances creativity and also helps build vocabulary and writing skills – maybe that’s why musical parodies are so much fun!

Research has shown that adults who learn a second language by incorporating music speak the language twice as well as those not using music as a learning tool.  Singing when learning a language helps take advantage of the link between music and memory.

Those who sing when they learn a language have a better long term memory of the words and phrases that they learn.

The post Music as a Learning Tool: Sing Your Way to Fluency! appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.

Learning new languages at superspeed is probably the dream of every aspiring polyglot.

Lingvist offers you just that – or at least that’s what it promises.

What’s Lingvist? I hear you ask. Lingvist is a brand new platform, launched in 2014 and still in its beta version.

Lingvist is also the tool I am currently using to practice French – I am on a 10-day streak and I have no intention of stopping!

Overview

The big claim behind Lingvist is: “Learn a language in just 200 hours”.

For any skeptic out there – like me! – the website also adds that “it’s no magic, just pure science!”.

What’s the formula, then? A scientific, technical, data-driven approach.  The tool uses a smart algorithm that teaches you the important words and phrases that matter first. As if that wasn’t enough, this is a proven method. It was tested by the co-founder himself, Mait Müntel. He was looking for a quick way to learn French while working at CERN in Switzerland that didn’t demand as much time as a class would. He developed a prototype of Lingvist, he put himself to the test and took a high-school level French exam. He passed.

First impressions

Can you learn French in 200 hours, then? Umm, I don’t believe so. Certainly not by using this platform alone. You can learn some French in 200 hours but I think this claim misrepresents what you’ll be actually able to do once you complete the program (according to them you’ll reach a B2 level proficiency).  

First of all, each one of us is different so every learning experience is different. Secondly, there is no speaking practice on Lingvist. You won’t have any conversation with native speakers because most of the emphasis is on listening, reading and vocabulary. Nonetheless, Lingvist is a magnificent tool.

What do you get when you log into the website?

Let’s have a closer look.

The dashboard

Audio Files on Lingvist

Lingvist consists of three sections:

• ‘Memorize’ which is where you’ll find lots of interactive fill in the blank exercises.
• ‘Listen’ which is full of good listening material.  The bite-sized audio recordings also come with transcripts (awesome!).
• ‘Read’ which provides a variety of texts – from articles to funny jokes and dialogues. To be completely honest, I usually prefer finding materials to read in a foreign language by myself so I didn’t spend much time on this section.

I really like the interface because it’s very sleek and modern-looking, extremely easy to navigate.

Grammar in a nutshell  

A feature that I’ve found to be quite useful is the grammar guide on top. It’s called “Grammar Hints and Tips” and you can find it in the header under the button with quotation marks.  It doesn’t focus extensively on grammar explanations, it just covers the basics and it goes straight to the point by answering some of the most common grammar-related questions.

The Good Stuff

The best part for me is the memorization system. It forces you to come up with the right words and to actively remember them. Keyword: actively. There’s nothing passive about this; if you misspell a word, you are required to re-type the correct answer.  

Type ’till you get it right!

Lingvist picks up learning where you left off and you can see your daily progress on the dashboard. You can also sort the words you’ve learnt by “last practiced” and “times practiced”.

The learning experience is adaptive and fully personalized.

Lingvist is free (yes, free!) while in public beta but things may change in the future. If I were you I would jump at the chance to use it without spending any money.

Psst! I’ve found out that they’ve also developed an app available for iOS and Android but I still have to try it out!

Your progress on Lingvist

Is it possible to learn a language in 200 hours? That’s what it promises Lingvist. Tempted to try it out? Check our review here for an inside peak!
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This workbook was designed for beginners but despite the word “débutant” displayed on the cover it assumes some knowledge of the language. As a matter of fact, it is completely written in French – grammar explanations included – so if you use no other book or dictionary, you may find yourself a bit lost at times.

You can still be a beginner and use it, but I believe it works better as a refresher for upper-beginners or intermediate French learners. If you have studied French in the past and are looking for a quick and efficient reminder of things once known, you certainly won’t be disappointed.

I was already able to understand French when I started using this workbook, so I was actually glad that there was no English at all. I enjoyed being fully immersed in the language while reading grammar points, rules and related exercises.

“Niveau Débutant” is divided into 60 chapters and eight sections. It takes you right from the basics – introducing yourself, telling the time, describing common situations – to the use of verb tenses (including le present, futur, passe compose, imparfait).

Brushing up on my previous knowledge with this workbook turned out to be a great idea since it’s packed with exercises (440 in total). Keep in mind that the grammar explanations are pretty concise, even if very clearly laid out, hence it’s best to use it to supplement your studies, not in isolation.

Preview of the workbook

Strong Points

What I love about the “Niveau Débutant” workbook is that you can work through it sequentially or skim through pages and use it as a reference manual.

In addition, I applaud the choice of including an audio CD. The accompanying audio contains 38 exercises that you can load onto your iPod and listen to whenever you want and wherever you are.
The Downside

It should be noted that you’ll need to buy the answer book separately which is quite a bummer but it is necessary if you are going down the path of self-study.

Further Studying

Grammaire progressive du français is a series composed of three volumes. The one I’ve just reviewed, Niveau Débutant, is the most basic one. Once you’ve made some progress in French, you may be interested in advanced textbooks like Niveau Intermediaire and Niveau Advanced.

The post Review: Grammaire progressive du français – Niveau Débutant appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.

In Italian, “primavera” is the word to describe the beautiful season of spring.

It can be traced back to the Latin roots “primus”, meaning first, and “ver”, meaning spring.

In Italy, as in many other countries, is common tradition to do some “pulizie di primavera” – or spring cleaning – during this time of the year.

Feeling inspired by my own spring cleaning, I have decided to collect into this post a handful of Italian words, expressions and proverbs that will have you ready to jump into “la bella stagione”.

Spring related vocabulary in Italian

I fiori – flowers
Le api – bees
Le farfalle – butterflies
Gli alberi fioriti – blossoming trees
L’arcobaleno – rainbow
Le giornate più lunghe – longer days
Gli abiti primaverili – spring-like dresses
I profumi deliziosi – delicious smells
I fiori di ciliegio – cherry blossom

Soleggiato – sunny
Nuvoloso – cloudy
Fiorire or sbocciare – to bloom

I bambini giocano all’aria aperta – Children play outdoors.
Gli uccelli cinguettano – Birds chirp.
La primavera è la stagione dell’amore – Spring is the season of love.

Italian Sayings

• “Aprile, dolce dormire”

Meaning: It can be literally translated as in “April sweet sleep” and it means that in April one sleeps soundly.

As the weather changes and the temperatures become warmer, the appeal of “il dolce far niente” (the sweetness of doing nothing) increases.

• “Aprile, ogni goccia un barile”

It is related to April weather which is often unpredictable and rainy.

Meaning: “April, every raindrop, a barrel (of wine)”.
According to this proverb, every drop of water from the sky will turn into a drop of wine in your barrel during the month of April. Pretty optimistic!

• “Una rondine non fa primavera”

Meaning: You may have heard English speakers affirm that “One swallow does not make a summer” or Spanish people say “Una golondrina no hace verano”.

This proverb is popular even among Italians except that spring is used instead of summer, “Una rondine non fa primavera”.
Same goes for French folks that use the phrase “Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps” to indicate that one sighting of an event does not indicate a trend. Even if swallows return for spring (or summer!), seeing just one swallow does not mean that spring is on its way.

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Learning Mandarin Chinese has become an increasingly popular endeavor in recent years, with more people undertaking the challenge every day.

There are as many different reasons to learn Mandarin Chinese as there are people who take up the language.  Some people learn Mandarin Chinese in order to get a new job, a promotion, or a raise.  Some are planning a trip to China or another area where the language is widely spoken.  Some people take up Mandarin Chinese just because they love learning new languages, or perhaps because they enjoy the sound of Mandarin.  Many people take up learning Mandarin Chinese for a combination of reasons.

Just as there are many different reasons for learning Mandarin Chinese, there are many different ways to go about it.  Some people like the flexibility of online classes, while some like the personal interaction of traditional classes.  Some people choose tutoring, while others learn on the go from audio files.

Our mission is to help you learn to speak better Chinese.  We hope these ten do’s and don’ts will help you familiarize yourself with the Chinese culture and provide you some insight into how the culture shapes the language.

It is our opinion that gaining some insight into the Chinese culture will help you deepen your understanding of the Chinese language.  We hope that a greater understanding of the issues relevant to Chinese culture will help improve your understanding of the language.

We hope these tips will spark your interest and get you looking for more tips on how to learn Chinese, or to talk with someone who has been down the road you are now travelling.

Happy learning!

Profile: Yang is a serial web entrepreneur whose latest website is www.learnmandarinnow.com. Yang is passionate about learning new languages and cultures.

The post Improve Your Mandarin Chinese with These 10 Cultural Tips appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.

Native speakers play a huge role in your language learning journey.

You can buy all the textbooks you want, watch all the foreign movies you like, but nothing beats conversing directly with native speakers. It’s undoubtedly one of the most important steps in acquiring a new language and yet one of the most dreaded ones!

The problem is… where do you find someone to talk to, especially if you’re not in the country where your target language is spoken and won’t be in the near future?

This is where the HelloTalk App comes in.

WHAT’S HELLOTALK AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

Finding a language exchange partner is not always an easy task. It can be frustrating, to say the least, due to completely different time zones and different lifestyles. HelloTalk makes it easier.

I’ve been using this app for quite a while now and I’ve really enjoyed it thus far. Since I’m focused on French at the moment, I’ve only looked for French native speakers but HelloTalk gives you the opportunity to connect with language exchange partners in over 100 different languages. Not bad, uh?

But wait! There’s more…

The app has several strong points that make it particularly good to use.

1. It’s user-friendly: The design is intuitive and appealing, hence engaging with other users is incredibly easy.
2. Personalized: You can totally customize your profile by deciding whether or not to display your age or gender.
3. There’s a huge community: 2 million users worldwide. ‘Nuff said.
4. It’s safe: The app has a privacy filter function that allows you to block any undesired incoming calls and limit those who contact you to a certain gender, age range or location.

My Favorite Features:

The thing I love the most about HelloTalk is that it’s an app particularly interactive.

I took my time to test every single feature and I found them all very useful. Two features, in particular, caught my attention:

1. You can send both text and voice messages to other learners as well as you can send doodle and photos or take instant pictures to make everything more fun and personal. In this way you can learn more about your fellow language partners and their country/culture.
2. You can correct your partners’ writing mistakes by using Correct Sentences function.

HelloTalk is free but it should be noted that you can only add one native language and one language that you’re learning on your profile. You need to pay an extra ($1.99) to add more languages.

There are also other optional paid upgrades such as unlimited translation, transliteration and voice recognition.
If you want to unlock everything and use the app as a paying premium member, there is a small fee of $9.99 per year (or $0.99 per month or $2.99 per 3 months). Pretty convenient, if you ask me!

Wrapping Up

As you can tell from my previous words, I’m completely satisfied with the app and I will continue to chat with French native speakers through HelloTalk. I have yet to find a flaw, to be honest…

Now it’s up to you to download HelloTalk and try it out if you haven’t already!

The post HelloTalk App Review: Practice Your Target Language On Your Smartphone appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.