I am learning several languages on Duolingo. When I get tired or bored, I open another language. I read the introductory page, why I should learn it, a couple of grammar rules.
Why should you take advice from me? Because, according to Duolingo's end of the year summary, I am one of the top 4% of learners of several languages, maybe all.
Where do I get the time? I am retired, although very busy with Toastmasters International, often grammarian or language evaluator at meeting. (Plus managing inherited property, seeing friends and family, tidying, writing poetry, writing blogs, writing books, travelling.)
I spend a minimum of just 5 minutes a day. We all take breaks from other activities. Over coffee. After coffee. If I get up early. If I can't sleep. If I want a break from upsetting news, to de-stress, clear my mind, bore myself with repetition. Instead of reciting mantras, I practise vocabulary.
A few words from each language. 5 minutes a day on each language? At least five minutes a week on each language. And five minutes a day on one language. Usually two. Here's what I learned today.
CHINESE - ENGLISH
gong xi (she) fa tai (tie) - Happy (Chinese) new year
hau (how) - good (reply to how are you)
ma - (question word) really? / is that right / is that so?
ni (pronounced knee) - you
Ni hau + literally you good = how are you ? / hello
shan - hill / mountain
ENGLISH - CHINESE
happy (Chinese) new year - gong xi (she) fa tai (tie)
Hill / mountain - shan
hello / how are you - ni hau
good - hau
really? is that right? / is that so? - ma?
you - ni
de - the
en - and
een - a/an (just change the vowel and it is almost the same as English)
het - the or it
ik - I
jullie - you
krant - newspaper
melk - milk
menu - menu (the same word, how easy is that!)
of - or
rijst - rice
vrouwen - women
water - water
we - we
Words which are the same in both Dutch and English, menu, water, we. However, like German, the written w is pronounced v.
Confusion Cleared
Je is not I but you, prnounced more like yay. Jullie is not Julie but you. I remember, Jullie, it's you. The month of July is juli. Een is a but en is and.
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FINNISH - ENGLISH
ja - and
kiitos - thank you
kippis - cheers
no - well
paljon onnea - congratulations
tervetuloa - welcome
ENGLISH - FINNISH
and - ja
cheers - kippis
congratulations - paljon onnea
thank you - kiitos
welcome - tervetuloa
well - no
FRENCH - ENGLISH
(un) accord - an agreement
aire de joux pour enfants - childen's playground/ play area
acheter - buy
acompte - deposit
agent immobilier - property agent (US) estate agent (UK) (property - something immobile)
(un) bail - a lease
bilan - survey
caution - gurantee/security deposit
flcons de neige - snowflake
frais - fees
locataire - tenant
logement - accommodation
(le) loyer - the rent
mensuel - monthly
moulin rouge - red windmill (note that the adjective is second place)
non - no
oui - yes
piscine - swimming pool
ENGLISH - FRENCH
accommodation - logement
activities - activités
buy - acheter
children's playground
children's swimming pool / paddling pool
condo - co-ownership - co-propriete
family friendly - conviviale et familiale
a lease - un bail
fees - frais
Jacuzzi ' spa bath - baignoir/bain balnéo
monthly - mensuel
red windmill - moulin rouge
the rent - le loyer
rent - louer
security deposit - caution
serviced apartment - appartement avec services
shop - magasin
shop on site - boutique sure place
swimming pool - piscine
swimming pool for children - children's pool - piscine pour enfants
survey- bilan
ben is son, as in the name Benjamin.
Beth lehem, means house of bread, or bakery.
ha - the
Shalom, meaning peace, is hello and goodbye, as in the city name Jerusalem, city of peace.
ma? - what
ma zeh - what is this?
sheve/shiva - seven (as in 7 nights of mourning for post-funeral prayers, and Beer Sheva the town, probably originally an oasis of seven wells)
tov - good
ENGLISH - HEBREW
bless(ed) - baruch
bread - lehem
good - tov
hello/goodbye/peace - shalom
house - beit (beth)
son - ben
the - ha
this - zeh
what? - ma?
what's this - ma zeh?
In Duolingo, you don't have to worry about clicking on the wrong word becuase nothing happens until you click on submit. When you clock on the forign language word, either it automatically pronounces it for you, and you can repear it aloud, or you can click on the microphone or loudspaker symbol. So you can click on the four alternatives offered and learn four words, four vowels or consonants, per question, instead of just one.
SPANISH - ENGLISH
angeles - angels, plural. Note the letter s for plurals, like in English. As in the Californian city, Los Angeles, meaning the angels.
camarero(s)- waiter(s)
dos - two
el - the (masculine, singular)
ensalada - salad
feliz navidad - happy Christmas
Los - the, plural, as in Los Angeles, the city in California, USA
mes - table
una - a/one
para - for
pescado - fish
por favor - please
ENGLISH - SPANISH
chicken - pollo
for - para
Happy Christmas - feliz navidad
please - por favor
salad - ensalada
table - mesa
Flag of Sweden. From Wikipedia.
Swedish looks like simplified, shortened English.
SWEDISH - ENGLISH
April - April
dag - today
det - it
eftermiddag - afternoon
i - in
Ja - yes
juni - June
jag - I
kall - cold
November - november
somrarna - summer
vi - we
vintern - winter
ENGLISH - SWEDISH
afternoon - eftermiddag
April - april
cold - kall
I - jag
June - juni
in - i
it - det
November - november
summer - somrarna
today - dag (very similar to the English word day)
we - vi
winter - vintern
yes - ja (same as German)
Useful Websites
duolingo.com (Languages include Dutch, Finnish, French, Hebrew, Spanish, Swedish
wikivoyage phrasebook
https://swissfrenchschool.ch/blog/en/french-vocabulary/real-estate-vocabulary
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