English speakers have it easy! The ubiquitous “the” makes any English noun definite. But getting the right Italian articles is a little more complicated.
Not only do you have to know the gender – OK, “a” and “o” endings will give you a clue, as long as you also remember some exceptions – but then you have to select among a number of singular and plural forms.
The masculine Italian definite articles are the ones that cause the learner most trouble. Don't despair, however, we'll give you the major rules, as well as a fun game, Italian Articles, so you can remember the rules more easily!
Italian Definite Articles for Masculine:
Singular: il - lo - l'
il: singular nouns that begin with a consonant • il pranzo - the lunch • il giorno - the day • il succo - the juice
lo: singular nouns that begin with s+consonant,y, z, pn, ps, gn • lo scrittore - the writer • lo studente - the student • lo yogurt – the yoghurt • lo zio - the uncle • lo pneumatico – the inflatable • lo psicologo – the psychologist • lo gnocco – the (small) dumpling
l': singular nouns that begin with a vowel • l'album - the album • l'indirizzo - the address • l'orologio - the clock, watch
Note: The first letter of the word that follows the article determines the form of the article. • lo zio - the uncle • il vecchio zio - the old uncle
• l'album - the album • il nostro album - our album
Plural: i and gli
i: plural nouns that begin with a consonant • i pranzi • i giorni • i nonni
gli: plural nouns that begin with s + consonant, y, z, pn, ps, gn • gli scrittori • gli studenti • gli yogurt • gli pneumatici • gli psicologi • gli gnocchi Note: the plural form of “yogurt” doesn't change
gli: plural nouns that begin with a vowel • gli amici • gli edifici • gli ospiti
Note: The first letter of the word that follows the article determines the form of the article • gli amici - the friends • i miei amici - my friends
• gli studenti - the students • i tuoi studenti - your students
Italian Indefinite Articles for Masculine
Compared to the definite articles, the masculine singular indefinite articles are pretty easy: un: for all masculine gender nouns • un amico - a friend • un libro - a book • un succo - a juice
uno: for those beginning with s+ consonant, z, y, pn, ps, gn • uno studente - a student • uno spazio - a space • uno zio - an uncle
Italian Definite Articles for Feminine
The feminine Italian definite articles are either la,l', or le, as shown below.
Feminine Singular - Femminile Singolare: la and l'
la: for all feminine nouns (except - see below) • la scuola - the school • la ragazza - the girl, girlfriend • la chiave - the key
l': for a noun that starts with a vowel • l'ora - the hour • l'idea - the idea • l'edicola - the kiosk, newsstand
Femminile Plurale - Feminine Plural: le is used in all cases.
• le fotografie - the photos • le settimane- the weeks • le notti - the nights
• le ore - the hours • le opere - the works • le uve - the grapes
Italian Indefinite Articles for Feminine
una: for all singular feminine nouns • una camera - a room • una domanda - a question
un' : for any feminine nouns beginning with a vowel • un'idea - an idea • un'ora - an hour
Partitive Articles and Combinations with Pronouns
Enough grammar rules for now! It's always a good idea to pace yourself and not bite off too much.
We'll cover the “del, dei, dello, della, glielo, glieli, etc.” in another post and have you practice them “playfully” with our language games.
Applying the rules and practicing the Italian articles with their singular and plural forms with as many nouns as you can remember is a worthwhile exercise. Once you got these down pat, it's time to internalize a few other Italian grammar rules.
Some time ago we added a German Quick Language Game called “2 Verb Pairs with 'ver-'.” Soon after, a few players contacted us with some questions about the Prefix "ver".
No wonder: Among the many German prefixes, “ver-” is a very confusing one. If you agree, you're not alone: in Mark Twain's Notebooks & Journals, Volume II (1877-1883), page 253, the author laments about the many “fragmental elements” of the German language:
"German language is a dozen fragments of words flung into an octagonal cylinder …. up spring your fragmental elements with Ver's & Be's & Ge's & Er's & lein's & schen's & gung's & heit's & zu's & a thousand other flashing & blazing prefixes, affixes & interjections broiderd on them or hung to them."
Well, even if Twain was exaggerating just a bit, the “ver-” prefix can indeed be tricky and somewhat misleading.
Moreover, “ver-” is just one of a number of inseparable prefixes. (Others are “er-”, “ent-” “emp-“, ”be-”, “ge-”, “zer-”.) At least the inseparable prefixes don't add to a learner's word-order woes.
A Little Prefix "ver-" Language History
Today's German inseparable prefix “ver-” can be traced back to the Old High German “far-”, which originates from a mixture of Proto-Germanic “fer-”, “fur-”, “fra-” and other similar particles. And it's no coincidence that you'll recognize the “ver-” also in the “pro-”, “per-”, “pre-”, “for-” of English and other European languages.
In German the inseparable prefix “ver-” appears in four basic ways:
1. As a simple prefix. 2. As a Prefix that makes the root verb a “faulty action,” or somewhat the opposite of what the root verb implies. 3. As a Prefix that makes the root verb an action (often new, different, but somewhat related). 4. There are a number of verbs starting with “ver-”, where the root verb doesn't have a meaning of its own. Look at the examples below:
1. As a Simple Prefix
Examples: • geben – (to give) vs vergeben – as in: Ich vergebe dir. (I forgive you.) • kehren – (to sweep) vs verkehren – as in: Er verkehrt in besten Kreisen. (He socializes with high society.) • gehen – (to go, walk) vs vergehen – as in: Die Zeit vergeht. (The time goes by.) [Note however, “sich vergehen” means to abuse someone sexually and “ein Vergehen” is a minor offense.]
In the above examples, the prefix “ver-” creates a new meaning with the root verb. Even if you know the meaning of the core verb, you may find the new meaning with the prefix hard to guess.
Many of the root verbs in this category also take other (inseparable) prefixes, such as “er-”, “be-”, “ent-”, etc. • ergeben – as in: Ich ergebe mich. (I give up, surrender.) • bekehren – as in: Er bekehrt die Ungläubigen. (He converts the unbelievers.) • entgehen – as in : Er entgeht einer Gefahr. (He escapes a danger.)
2. As a Prefix that makes the root verb a “faulty action,” or somewhat the opposite of what the root verb implies.
Examples: • kaufen – (to buy) vs verkaufen – as in: Ich verkaufe mein Auto. (I am selling my car.) • zählen – (to count) vs (sich) verzählen – as in: Ich habe mich verzählt. (I miscounted.) • fahren – (to drive) vs (sich) verfahren – as in: Ich habe mich verfahren. (I got lost driving.)
In these cases, the somewhat opposite meaning can be guessed from the root verb. Here the “ver-” prefix sometimes corresponds to the English “mis-” prefix, as in “miscount” above, to misspell (sich verschreiben), to miscalculate (sich verrechnen), etc.
These root verbs combine only with a few inseparable prefixes. But they do combine with a number of separable prefixes, such as “auf-”. Often these change the root meaning just slightly. • aufkaufen – as in: Er kaufte halb Las Vegas auf. (He bought up half of Las Vegas.) • aufzählen – as in: Sie zählte alle seine Fehler auf. (She enumerated all his faults.) • auffahren – as in: Er fuhr auf das Auto vor ihm auf. (He rear-ended the car in front of him.)
3. As a Prefix that makes the root verb an (often new, different, but somewhat related) action.
This is the most frequent use of “ver-”.
Examples: • suchen - (to seek, search) vs versuchen – as in: Ich versuche es. (I'm trying it.) • binden – (to tie, bind) vs verbinden – as in: Ich verbinde Sie. (I'll connect you.)(Note that there is second meaning of • verbinden: to wrap, bandage.) • folgen – (to follow) vs verfolgen as in: Ich verfolge ihn. (I pursue him.)
With most of these there are many other separable and inseparable prefixes that let you guess the meaning quite easily.
4. There are a number of verbs starting with “ver-”, where the root verb doesn't have a meaning of its own.
Examples: • verdächtigen – to suspect • verdeutlichen – to make clear • vergessen – to forget
There are just a few verbs in this category and the root verbs typically don't work with any of the other separable or inseparable prefixes. So you'll just have to learn their meaning.
While prefixes can be confusing at times, they can also provide you with an initial clue of their meaning – especially when you understand the context in which they are used.
Test Your German with the Prefix "ver-"
Depending on how good your German is, you may have fun guessing the meaning of these “ver-” verbs below. You can look up the translation on Google translate or send us a note and we'll return the answers.
Root verb
English
“ver-” Prefix Verb
English
Category
achten
to respect
verachten
ändern
to change
verändern
ärgern
to annoy
verärgern
arbeiten
to work
verarbeiten
bauen
to build
verbauen
bergen
to recover
verbergen
beugen
to bend
verbeugen
bieten
to offer
verbieten
bitten
to ask
verbitten
brechen
to break
verbrechen
danken
to thank
verdanken
decken
to cover
verdecken
dienen
to serve
verdienen
drehen
to turn
verdrehen
And often, when you learn and remember the root verb, you'll also have an easier time remembering the many derivatives with the “flashing and blazing prefixes”.
Bio: Ulrike & Peter Rettig are co-founders of Gamesforlanguage.com. They are lifelong language learners, growing up in several European countries before moving to Canada and the United States. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yes, learning a new language is a fun and exciting opportunity - not only to grow in a very useful skill but also for feeling great for many years to come!
In the last few months research has found that bilinguals enjoy many practical advantages: Being bilingual can help you find higher paying jobs, improve your ability to perform mental tasks, and slow down symptoms of aging.
We have linked various articles and posts about such research in the past.
TakeLessons Bilingual Infographic
Recently we became aware of an informative infographic by TakeLessons, which summarizes those benefits quite succinctly. You'll find Take Lessons' sources at the end of the graph.
(And if you're not quite ready yet for language lessons, just click on the link below the graph and play a few fun games!)
Bilingual with Gamesforlanguage Quick Games?
No time or not ready yet for language courses? No problem. Just play a Quick Language Game or two, when you have a minute. (No registraction required.)
We can't promise you that you'll become bilingual that way, but just maybe, you'll develop a taste for (re)learning and a habit of practicing a foreign language.
And, if you keep at it, YOU can become bilingual as well!
Bio: Ulrike & Peter Rettig are co-founders of Gamesforlanguage.com. They are lifelong language learners, growing up in several European countries before moving to Canada and the United States. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Disclosure: Gamesforlanguage has no business relationship with TakeLessons, other than using its infographic.
We are always surprised that “How to say 'song' in French?” gets so many hits on our Gamesforlanguage Dictionary! And those hits are in spite of the increased use and popularity of Google Translate, which provides the translation as well.
So we thought we would give those who are looking for the translation of 'song' a Quick French Language Game: La Chanson. Click on the link or the image above to play it. You'll learn also a bit about the Saint Bénézet bridge - which you may know under another name.
And for those who like to practice French with songs and want to learn more about the etymology of “song” and “chanson,” here are a few fun facts.
Singing the Song
It appears that the English “to sing” has its roots in the Proto-Germanic word “sengwan,” and the later old High German and Old English word “singan.” Variations in other Germanic languages over the centuries have led to today's German “singen,” Dutch “zingen,” Swedish “sjunga,” and Norwegian and Danish “synge.”
Chanter la Chanson, Cantare la Canzone, Cantar la Canción, Cantar a Canção
The roots of the French "chanson" go back to Latin. This is also true for other Romance languages: “canzone” (Italian), “canción” (Spanish), “canção” (Portuguese).
The Old French “chançon” derives from the Latin “cantionem” (song) and from the Latin verbs “cantare” and “canere.” The French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese verbs for “to sing” are all identical or close to their Latin root.
Song vs. Chanson
The words “song” and “chanson” clearly have different roots. This may not be surprising. Still, a recent article pointed out that “The English language is a lot more French than we thought,...”. What is interesting from the article's analysis and chart is the conclusion that of the first 200 most-used English words, Old Norse makes up 5-10% and Anglo-Saxon 85-90%.
Can that be the reason that the French or Latin terms never replaced the Old English?
The ear-worm quality of these songs lets you easily memorize key phrases and expressions. And when you hear them several times, you'll discover new words and grammar forms that stay with you.
But these are just two songs we like. You should find a few of your own. Listen to them, memorize and sing them, and your “chanson” (or canzone, canción, canção, etc.) will not remain just a bunch of foreign words to you!
Bio: Ulrike & Peter Rettig are co-founders of Gamesforlanguage.com. They are lifelong language learners, growing up in several European countries before moving to Canada and the United States. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
We all know that children use games to learn how things work. They don't need to be taught how to play. They just do it. For them games are a way to explore the world around them.
Adults see games less as a means for learning, but rather as way to relax and being entertained or - as in this picture - as a family activity. By combining a travel story with games for language learning our courses both teach and entertain.
DIGITAL GAMES FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING
For digital language games, the rules are often simple. The player gains points or advances for making the right match, and loses points or has to replay for getting it wrong. Graphics, sound, and gamification features add fun and excitement.
When Duolingo launched in 2011, the “gamification” of language learning started in earnest. Now there are hundreds of language learning apps available for iOS and Android mobile devices. Most online language learning programs now use games or game-like features.
Games for very young children often match a picture or sound, with a letter or word. Games for preschoolers teach them to recognize words, how to spell them, and how to sound them out. For school children, games can get more complicated. These often involve sentence building, spelling races, and grammar searches.
SECOND LANGUAGE GAMES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS
More and more language games for children are being developed, both as web apps or as native apps, available from App stores.
Typical ingredients of second-language games are: • Flashcards • Fun graphics and sound • Simple rules, involving hit and miss • Rewards, in the form of advancement, points, trophies • Lots of repetition • Interactive play
Figuring out how a game works is all part of the learning.
Maybe adults are not as enthusiastic when they get the correct answer as the children in the picture above - but gamification features also help adults to stay motivated. An early feedback from an adult learner was: "I didn't even notice that I was learning. But I was!" And maybe that's one reason, children also like Gamesforlanguage.
GAMES FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING ONLINE
Our Gamesforlanguage courses and Quick Language Games were originally developed for adult learners. Banking on the wider use of WiFi, we decided against developing a mobile app. We are actually surprised by the number of children in school classes playing our courses and games.
This French Quick Language Game, for example, shows some of the games included with our free courses. (Click on the link above or the picture to play it!)
Through feedback, we have learned what works for all players: • The courses and games are interactive • The travel story appeals to older children (4th grade and up) who travel with their parents • The story sequel format with 36 (or 72) Scenes works well for children and adults • Text-based games practice individual foreign words, phrases, and sentences, as well as English reading and spelling • Foreign spelling is practiced with simple words • Travel-story podcasts advance listening skills
MANY DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES FOR LEARNING NEW LANGUAGES
It's clearly a good idea for children and adults to engage in all kinds of different activities to learn and practice languages. Digital games are just ONE tool.
Our 3-year-old granddaughter, for example, is taking French Skype lessons with a tutor several times a week. She loves to sing "un deux trois" and is very proud when she can surprise us with a new French word from time to time.
Adults have access to a large array of resources. They can learn AND entertain themselves with foreign movies, YouTube videos, etc. Or read books, foreign newspaper articles online about topics that really interest them – once they have mastered the basics of a foreign language.
Bio: Ulrike & Peter Rettig are co-founders of Gamesforlanguage.com. They are lifelong language learners, growing up in several European countries before moving to Canada and the United States. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
An expanded version of this post is scheduled has been published on the British website Lingotastic.
Junilearning recently contacted us and suggested that their post, 6 Ways Coding is Teaching Kids Problem Solving, might also be of interest to our readers. Indeed, language learning and coding require very similar challenges and teach children valuable problem solving skills.
There are several benefits to being a polyglot and language learning can be fun and engaging.
Knowing multiple languages not only boosts your chances for employment, but it also makes you more open minded and appreciative of other cultures.
Also, being able to communicate with a broader network of people betters your chance of discovering new things and making new friends. Multilingualism broadens your horizons and opens the door to rich experiences no matter who you are and where you come from.
Whether you’re a student who is learning a new language at school or a professional whose career demands learning different languages, or simply a traveler who wants to talk to the locals in their language, learning a new language can be both exciting and exacting.
Although learning a foreign language isn’t always a cakewalk, it doesn’t have to be an uphill climb either. Thanks to the evolution of technology, we have access to multiple platforms and tools that make learning an appealing and a fun experience.
What’s more, a lot of these tools are free to use. You don’t have to shell out a single penny! And remember whatBenjamin Franklin had to say about pennies: A penny saved is twopence clear.
Keeping that in mind, I’ve put together a list of some free language learning tools that are totally fun to use. For more more comprehensive content and in-depth learning they all offer in-app purchase options.
Imagine being able to practice the language of your choice with its native speakers...Well, don’t just stop at imaging.
Go right ahead and practice Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, etc., with native speakers through voice chat on Lingbe app.
It’s easy to use and comes with a call button that instantly connects you with a native speaker who can help you practice the language of your choice. The best part: you get real-time feedback about your progress from collaborators who guide you and help you become more fluent.
And if you’d like to help other learners learn your mother tongue, you can collaborate with them for which you’ll receive not just brownie points, but some actual credit points in the form of lingos (practice exercises). More lingos you earn, better will be your chance at practicing.
English (US), Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, Simplified Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Spanish (Mexico), Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal) - the list goes on and on to include over a 100 languages!
No matter which language you choose, HiNative helps you learn it in style. You can either upload audio files to get feedback on pronunciation or you can share pictures of those complex Chinese characters to know their meaning, or you can simply stick to the plain old Q&A format.
No matter which format your queries come in, HiNative’s learning community readily helps address them by providing pronunciation support, example sentences, grammar tips, and what not!
Not just that, you can also ask the community about different countries and their cultures. Whether you’re traveling to someplace or moving permanently, you can learn about the dos, the don’ts, and everything else by simply asking the people who are already there. If that isn’t convenient, then what is?
Mango Languages gives you access to 70 different foreign language courses and 17 different types of English language courses that are designed keeping in mind native speakers and their requirements.
All courses focus on four key components of communication: vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and culture. From Yiddish, Tagalog, Pashto, to Haitian Creole, Cherokee, Mango Languages has courses that make language learning an enjoyable process.
Besides the regular courses, there are some specialty courses that focus on specific learner requirements. If you don’t have time for an entire course and are simply looking for a short-term course to help you with a short trip abroad, then you can choose from a list of specialty courses available to suit varying needs.
Whether you’re a native speaker or a newbie learner who wants to improve vocabulary by learning new words, Lingo Vocabulary Trainer is what you need.
Lingo Vocabulary Trainer includes more than 100 different topics (business, education, nature, science, sports, tourism, etc.), different levels of learning, and statistics that help you gauge progress.
Lingo Vocabulary Trainer consists of more than 5000 words and helps you learn and pronounce words through images that help you memorize better.
What makes Lingo Vocabulary Trainer fun is that it allows you to collaborate with other app users through online games where you can earn some cool points!
Another noteworthy thing is the listen-and-type feature where you get to listen to an audio piece following which you’ll have to type what you heard to help better your listening skills
SpanishDict boasts of 10 million plus user base each month, making it one of the most popular Spanish language apps available today. It offers Spanish-English dictionary which provides examples, insights into regional usage, and contextual information.
SpanishDict helps you by providing audio pronunciation support and also comes with an autosuggestion feature that helps save time and effort.
If you don’t have access to the internet, you don’t have to worry because with SpanishDict, you can look up words offline as well. Also, you get to use three separate in-app translators to translate words and phrases.
What makes SpanishDict appealing is that it provides conjugation tables for all tenses for thousands of verbs and highlights irregular verb conjugations in red for ease of understanding. Besides, if you want to learn on-the-go, you can enable the push notifications to conveniently receive new words on your phone everyday.
If you’re the shy type and are apprehensive about approaching people to help you with learning English or bettering your English conversational skills, you would consider Andy a blessing.
Andy is an English speaking bot that converses with you and helps you learn new words, study grammar, and play language-learning games - all without being judgemental. From casual day-to-day interactions: greeting, chatting about your day, weather, etc., to daily lessons and tests, Andy comes in handy by catering to your English learning needs.
You can discuss about topics like travel, movies, hobbies, art, jokes, and curious facts with Andy and can also expect a detailed explanation on what is right and what is not when it comes to language usage.
And if at any point in time you’re tired of rigorous learning or are simply bored, you can take a break and play fun games available on Andy.
If you have trouble memorizing words and are working on building your vocabulary, Cram flashcards can help address your issues.
Known to be one of the most tried and tested learning tools, flashcards aid active recall - a mental technique that helps remember and recall answer to any given question through spaced repetition learning technique.
Cram puts to use the same technique to help you memorize better through effective learning and recalling of new words and their meaning. There are two modes - Card mode and Memorize mode.
The Card mode enables you to view and use the entire set of flashcards in a sequential manner. In case you want to focus on a few cards and hide the ones you don’t need, you can switch to the Memorize mode. Cram gives you access to a whooping 176 million (and counting) flashcards across various subjects, in different languages, which are free and easy to use.
Based on which language you want to learn and which language you already know, Idyoma connects you to other language learners nearby.
By using Idyoma, you not only meet new language partners but also get to build a network online by following your favorite partners. Idyoma focuses on language exchange between people.Besides practicing the language of your choice, you get a chance to teach your native language to other learners.
Idyoma enables you to check the location of your language partner and see if you have common people in your network, depending on which you can schedule real-life meetups. Idyoma is all about social learning and helps not just better your language skills, but also meet new people and make new friends.
With Beelinguapp, you can read texts in two languages side by side.
By doing so, you can compare the text of the language you’re learning with the text of your native language or the language you already know. This helps you understand the new language better by means of referencing.
What sets Beelinguapp apart is that it you can listen to text in any language using its high-quality audio, even when your phone is in the sleep mode.
The app lets you pay attention to what the audio voice is saying by highlighting the text in karaoke-styled animation. What’s more, you can use the audiobook feature to listen to stories in any language of your choice.
Soon to be available on iOS
So no matter who you are and what your language learning requirement is, there is an app out there to help you achieve your learning goals.
Thanks to technology, learning a new language is not as complicated as it used to be. Just a click here and a click there and you’re all set!
Bio: Sophia Sanchez is a passionate educator, a lifelong learner, a freelance writer, an avid reader, and an adrenalin junkie all rolled into one. When not working, she spends time networking and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Wordpress.
Disclosure: Gamesforlanguage has no business relationship with Sophia Sanchez or any of the learning app companies reviewed above, except for publishing Sophia's post on it's site.
Thinking about visiting Heidelberg? Exploring this romantic and historic university town will leave you with lots of wonderful travel memories.
Our first German Travel Memories post coveredFrankfurt a.M., where Michael, the young traveler in our German 1 course, is visiting family. He then takes the train to Heidelberg for his second stop in Germany.
We'll follow Michael's explorations of Heidelberg. For those of you who are doing or have done our German 1 course: Michael in Deutschland, the additional details will complement those of the course.
The Travel Memories blog posts tell you more about each of the cities of GamesforLanguage's travel-story based courses. We typically use the cities' real street names, hotels, squares, restaurants, etc. and we've been to many of them ourselves.
In future blog posts, we'll provide more details of the two other German cities Michael visits, Munich and Berlin. And we'll do the same for the cities that our other travelers visit in France, Italy, Spain, and the U.S.
In our travel-story course, you learn daily conversational language. The vocabulary listed here is a combination of some words taught in the course as well as other useful terms for travelers in German.
Quick Facts about Heidelberg
The city of Heidelberg lies on the Neckar river in the south-western part of Baden-Württemberg (one of Germany's 16 federal states). Because of its stunning location and picturesque cityscape, Heidelberg is a hugely popular travel destination.
A quintessential college town, Heidelberg has a population of just over 150,000, with roughly a quarter of its inhabitants being students.
The city is well known for its university, which was founded in 1386 and said to be one of the oldest in Germany. Over the centuries it has attracted prominent philosophers, poets, and scholars. In addition, Heidelberg is the location of numerous research institutions, among them four Max Plank Institutes.
After World War II, Heidelberg, which was situated in the American Zone, became the Headquarters of the American forces in Europe.
Vocabulary for Travelers 1
• Bundesland (n.) - federal state • Lage (f.) - location (of a city) • Stadtbild (n.) - cityscape • Universitätsstadt (f.) - college/university town • Studenten (pl. m.) - students • Philosophen (pl. m.) - philosophers • Forschung (f.) - research • Forschungsinstitut - research institute • Hauptquartier (n.) - (military) Headquarters, H.Q.• die amerikanischen Truppen - the American forces
Arrival in Heidelberg (the Weststadt Neighborhood)
From Frankfurt, Michael takes the ICE (InterCity) to Heidelberg, a train ride of less than an hour. (You can also take the S-Bahn, or a regional train.)
Heidelberg has 15 city districts. The Central Railway Station is located in Weststadt, the district next to the historic core of the city (Altstadt). It's also where Michael's friends live: on the Schillerstraße.
Weststadt is a residential district dating back to the 1830s. Starting in the 1870s and continuing into the 20th century (a period which is often called "Gründerzeit"), Weststadt experienced a residential building boom and became a highly fashionable neighborhood.
The "Gründerzeit" (literally, "founders' period") - related to the period when the German national state was consolidated under Chancellor Bismarck - coincided with rapid industrialization and economic growth in central Europe.
The architectural style of that time was eclectic and mixed diverse historical periods. So walking through the Weststadt neighborhood, you'll see buildings in various styles: Italian Renaissance, Baroque Revival, Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, etc.
Vocabulary for Travelers 2
• Hauptbahnhof (m.) - Central Railway Station • Altstadt (f.) - historic city center • Wohngegend (f.) - residential area • Gründerzeit (f.) - economic phase of rapid development (lit.: "founders' period") • Bauboom (m.) - building boom • Industrialisierung (f.) - industrialization • Wirtschaftswachstum (n.) - economic growth • Baustil (m.) - (architectural) style • Ritter (m.) knight • Friedrich Schiller - German philospher, playwright, poet (1759-1805) • nach rechts - to the right • nach links - to the left • geradeaus - straight ahead
Mark Twain's Travel Memories of Heidelberg
Michael and his friends walk through the historic of Heidelberg ("Altstadt"). One of his friends, Renate, points out a hotel, where Mark Twain supposedly stayed during his visit to Heidelberg in 1878.
In that year, Mark Twain was struggling to finish his novel Huckleberry Finn (as some journalists claim), and went on a Europe tour with his family, as a kind of working holiday. Mark Twain loved Heidelberg (as you can read in his Travel Book "A Tramp Abroad") and stayed there for three months.
Possibly, the hotel that Renate points out, is today's Crowne Plaza, built in 1838 as Hotel Ernst, and located in the Old Town on the Bahnhofstraße.
Mark Twain first notes in "A Tramp Abroad": "We stopped at a hotel by the railway-station." Twain continues: "The weather was growing pretty warm, - very warm, in fact. So we left the valley and took quarters at the Schloss Hotel, on the hill, above the Castle."
As Twain describes it, the Schloss Hotel provided him with a fantastic view: "Now if one turns and looks up the gorge once more, he will see the Schloss Hotel on the right perched on a precipice overlooking the Neckar—a precipice which is so sumptuously cushioned and draped with foliage that no glimpse of the rock appears. The building seems very airily situated. ... (see view from Heidelberg castle)
Out of a billowy upheaval of vivid green foliage, a rifle-shot removed, rises the huge ruin of Heidelberg Castle, with empty window arches, ivy-mailed battlements, moldering towers ... It is a fine sight to see the evening sunlight suddenly strike the leafy declivity at the Castle’s base and dash up it and drench it as with a luminous spray, while the adjacent groves are in deep shadow."
Journalists and historians have tried to guess why Mark Twain loved Heidelberg so much. Was it because "Heidelberg" (short for "Heidelbeerenberg"), in fact, means "Huckelberry mountain" as we speculate in Why did Mark Twain like Heidelberg? More likely, Twain fell in love with the beauty of town itself, and its picturesque riverside setting.
Vocabulary for Travelers 3
• Roman (m.) - novel • Arbeitsurlaub (m.) - working holiday • Heidelbeere (f.) - huckleberry • Wetter (n.) - weather • Aussicht (f.) - view • Schloss (n.) - castle • Klippe (f.) - precipice • raten - to guess
Twain had a love-hate relationship with the German language and his The Awful German Language - an Appendix to his 1880 book, A Tramp Abroad, is a fun travel memories read for anyone learning German.
Heidelberg University
The founding of the University of Heidelberg (1386) was prompted by a curious historical event. At the time of the Great Schism of 1378 (when two popes - one French and one Italian - were elected after the death of Pope Gregory XI), German secular and spiritual leaders supported the Italian one in Rome.
As a result, German students and teachers at the University of Paris had to leave. But, the Italian Pope, Urban VI, allowed the creation of a university in Heidelberg.
During the years 1804 to 1809, a number of writers who were part of the German Romantic movement, spent time in Heidelberg for teaching and research at the university. They included poets such as Clemens Brentano and Friedrich Hölderlin.
In the 1960s and 70s, Heidelberg University became one of the main centers of left-wing student protests. Today, Heidelberg University is internationally renowned. Its building are grouped in two main locations. 1. In the Altstadt: the Old Town Campus (for humanities), some of whose buildings reach back to 1712, and the Bergheim Campus (for economics and social sciences). 2. In the district of Neuenheim across the river: The New Campus built during the 1960's (for the natural sciences and life science).
Vocabulary for Travelers 4
• Universität (f.) - university • Gründung (f.) - founding • Pabst (m.) - pope • Romantik (f.) - Romantic movement in the arts and literature (late 18th-early 19th c.) • Dichter (m.) - poet, writer • Dichterin (f.) - poet, writer • Linker Studentenprotest (m.) - left-wing student protest • Ort (m.) - location, site, place • Unigelände (n.) / Campus (m.) - campus
Das Schloss
A Renaissance ruin and well-known landmark, Heidelberg Castle is nestled on the slope of the Königstuhl hill, 300 feet above the city of Heidelberg.
To go up to the castle from near the center of town, you can take a funicular to the Molkenkur station, and from there change to another funicular up to the castle. In all, it's about a 15-minute ride, and the view from the top is fantastic.
First built in 1890, the two Heidelberg mountain railways (Bergbahnen) underwent various building phases, renovations, and additions to meet current safety standards.
Vocabulary for Travelers 5
• Ruine (f.) - ruin • Abhang (m.) - hillside • Wahrzeichen (n.) - landmark • Standseilbahn (f.) - funicular (cable car on a slope)
Further sights that may interest you:
Other Places to visit in Heidelberg
Studentenkarzer: The Student Prison (part of the old university), which was used from 1778 to 1914. Philosophenweg: The Philosopher's Walk is a pathway that the university's philosophers frequented. It runs along the side of Heiligenberg and provides spectacular views of the castle and the city. Alte Brücke: The Karl Theodor Bridge goes over the Neckar river joining the two historic parts of Heidelberg. Königstuhl: Instead of taking the funicular up to the summit, you can also make the Königstuhl (King's Chair) a destination for hiking.
From Heidelberg, Michael takes the Intercity to Munich.
There he stays at a hotel, visits the Hofbräuhaus (see picture ), and spends the evening with friends in Schwabing, a lively student quarter.
We'll soon tell you more about Munich in our future post "German Travel Memories - Michael in Munich".
Register or log in again to continue with the German 1 course.
Bio: Ulrike Rettig is the co-founder of GamesforLanguage.com. She is a lifelong language learner, growing up in Austria, the Netherlands, and Canada. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and leave any comments with contact.
Although the world’s two billion English speakers span an estimated 57 countries, in our “global” society, the importance of being able to speak a second (or third or fourth) foreign language is more valuable than ever before.
With plenty of opportunities to start learning right away, it’s time to decide which language you want to start learning. There are a lot of factors that can influence this decision.
Some languages are easier to learn than others, some are more widely used, and you may have a vested interest in one language over another based on where you live, your background or any other personal preferences.
If you’re on the fence about which language to learn, here are a few ways to help you decide.
Are You Looking for a New Hobby?
Becoming adept in a foreign language offers numerous personal benefits including enhanced memory and cognitive function, more confidence in your capabilities and intellect, or even just “bragging rights” to impress friends and family.
If your motivation for learning another language stems from the desire to acquire a new skill or explore a new hobby, consider studying French or Spanish. Both of these languages are widely spoken throughout the world, with French spoken in 32 countries and Spanish in 21.
Given the appropriate time investment—five days per week—you could gain conversational proficiency in six months.
Are You Heading Back to School?
Not only does learning a language make you a better student, various scholarships are available to bilingual speakers, especially for graduate program expenses.
If you want to learn another language for educational purposes, consider studying German, which is esteemed in academia.
Also, keep your degree program and major in mind when you select a language. If your degree would benefit from learning one language or another, consider that as well.
You may want to talk to your academic advisor and see what he or she recommends. Having languages skills on your resume can help you land your dream job.
Are You Preparing for a Trip Abroad?
Knowing how to speak the native tongue when traveling allows you to have a more authentic and memorable experience. It also makes you a more self-assured traveler, being able to communicate with locals, read traffic signs, and order from a restaurant menu without mispronouncing the entree.
You'll have a much more fulfilling trip and be able to experience more than you would if there was a language barrier or lack of understanding of the local language.
If your motivation for learning another language stems from wanderlust, study whichever language correlates with the region you’re visiting.
Are You Investing in Career Goals?
Knowing a foreign language can make you a sought-after—perhaps even indispensable—asset on the job market because companies recognize the advantage of global business relations in our modern economy.
Bilingual employees can network with international clients, remain abreast of overseas corporate trends, or even compete for higher-paid positions abroad.
If your motivation for learning another language stems from professional development, consider studying Mandarin Chinese, which is spoken by 1.3 billion people, more than any other language.
Are You Connecting a Foreign Language to Your Roots?
Learning a foreign language promotes awareness of other cultures, how ethnic heritage shapes family dynamics and rituals, cultural perceptions and beliefs, or even your own life and ancestry.
If your motivation for learning foreign languages stems from an appreciation for where your family originates from, consider studying whichever language reflects that ancestry.
Caucasians often find German or French beneficial, while Hispanics gravitate toward Spanish or Portuguese. Asians might choose Malay or Chinese, while those of Middle Eastern descent likely connect with Arabic.
This is a great way to learn about the history and native language of your spouse’s family as well. You can learn the language together and then plan a trip to visit their family’s home country.
Once you gain proficiency in one language and, therefore, understand how the learning process works, learning more languages over time becomes less intimidating, challenging and time consuming. Decide which language you want to learn, start studying and see where it takes you—who knows, you could end up moving abroad or landing your dream job.
Bio: Maile Proctor is a professional blogger and content editor. She writes articles on lifestyle and family, health and fitness, education, how-to and more. Maile earned her Bachelor’s in Broadcast Journalism from Chapman University. When she’s not writing, she enjoys hiking in San Diego, California.
Disclosure: Gamesforlanguage has no business relationship with Maile Proctor other than publishing Maile's article.
At times we think that the “GamesforLanguage” name has two drawbacks, as some language learners could assume that: (1) Language learning games are more for children, or that (2) Gamesforlanguage.com is not a serious and well-thought-out self-teaching language program.
Our courses are based on our own extensive experience in foreign language learning, as well as a 20-year stint in writing and editing self-teaching language programs.
Each of our courses integrates several key features into one unique comprehensive language learning program: • A travel-story sequel of a young traveler visiting the country of his parents' family. • Fun games that practice reading, listening, speaking, and writing. • Everyday vocabulary, which is introduced, practiced, and then repeated in later lessons. • New words and structures introduced in every lesson, and familiar words and structures repeated from previous lessons. • Travel-related and culturally relevant vocabulary, dialogues, and expressions that are immediately useful on a foreign trip. • Grammar and structures that the learner can discover gradually. Brief comments and tips that clarify aspects of the target language and culture.
Language Learning Patterns
We know that learning a foreign language as an adult takes motivation, engagement, and commitment.
We also know that self-teaching online language programs are not for everyone.
Recently, a post on another language-learning site analyzed the learning patterns of its users. It prompted us to look at the learning patterns of our registered users.
We can distinguish a few characteristics, and we are not always "serious"! Some fun also helps learning!
The “0” Points Player
Now and then we see visitors who register and start a course, but then decide on the next screen not to continue. Maybe they expected another type of course or game, or thought they had to register for the Quick Games. (You don't.)
We are planning a survey of those players to better understand their reasons for registering, but not continuing with a course.
The Nibbler
About 15% of those that started a language play only a game or two. As each lesson starts with a story dialogue, they may have listened to the dialogue, but then stopped after the first game screens.
Maybe they expected a different game, pictures, or a video game. Or they just wanted to see what “GamesforLanguage” was about, without any real interest in learning a language.
We have also noticed that some “Nibblers” come back later to practice or try out another language.
The Voracious Player
Sometimes we see players who - in one stretch, after registering – play an entire level, or six lessons, often just beating the minimum score to move on to the next lesson.
Maybe these players are motivated by the fun aspect of the games to test their knowledge. However, we also noticed that they are unlikely to come back, to either improve their scores or continue.
The Finisher or Focused Learner
The Finisher plays through all or most of the games of the first lesson, though he or she may skip the Recording (as it requires the Flash Player which is not supported on smart phones or tablets).
Then, having met the score requirement, this learner moves on to lesson #2. These players seem to be interested in one language only.
They may also “nibble” sometimes by trying out another language, but then return to the language of their choice. These are the learners who are most likely to continue with their course.
Language learning is not a short sprint but more like long-distance running. After you cross the finish line, the feeling of accomplishment is sweet and will stay with you for a long time.
The Polyglot Player
Polyglot players go for at least one scene of two or more languages right away. From his or her scores we can speculate that this player may already know one or more of the languages.
Sometimes Nibblers also try out different languages. When their scores are high enough to let them move on to further Scenes, we can't distinguish them from Polyglots.
The Quick Language Game Player
Since our start, we have added over 200 Quick Language Games, which can be played without registering. These Quick Games are quite popular. But we don't see the names of individual players, we can only note which games are played and how many times.
How to Play, Learn and Practice
The “serious” learners are more likely to click on “How to Play and Learn” under “New Here?” on the Course Page. Below are a few key suggestions for effective learning and practice. These apply not only to GamesforLanguage, but also to many other online language learning sites:
• Play only one (1) NEW lesson per day, and - if you have 20-30 minutes - start by reviewing the PREVIOUS lesson, or at least the Dialogue of the previous lesson.
• Re-play any of the games of a previous lesson, for which you scored less than 100%.
• To get into the learning habit, PLAY SOME GAMES EVERY DAY. (Also note that the Quick Language Games can be played without logging in.)
• Don’t worry, if you don’t know the meaning in the “Balloon Words,” or “Say It” games. Just concentrate on the sounds and the melody of the language, while you repeat what you hear.
• Repeat the native speaker's words and phrases in any game whenever you can - BEFORE the native speaker, if you can, and AFTERWARDS to correct yourself.
• Practice your pronunciation with “Record It.” Keep recording and re-recording your voice until you feel that you're getting close to the native speaker's pronunciation.
• In the games, pay attention to the occasional abbreviations that appear directly behind the English word. They will tell you which form of the foreign word you should use.
• After completing a Level (six or twelve lessons) listen to the Podcast. If you don't understand a lesson perfectly, replay it.
• Listen to the Podcast of the next Level and find out how much you can understand or guess, before you start a new lesson.
How About Fluency?
Few, if any, online language programs can make you fluent. The only way to become fluent is to TALK, to engage in as many conversations as you can join.
But online programs can be an excellent preparation. That's why we emphasize REPEATING ALOUD, and making use of the recording feature whenever possible.
Fluency not only requires sufficient vocabulary, but also the ability to combine words into phrases and sentences when talking with others.
Until online programs can truly generate interactive one-on-one conversations, teachers, tutors, language exchange or conversation partners (in-person or on-line) are the best way to become fluent in a new language.
Bio: Ulrike & Peter Rettig are co-founders of Gamesforlanguage.com. They are lifelong language learners, growing up in several European countries before moving to Canada and the United States. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Spanish Travel Memoriesadd to the information that our Spain traveler David picks up in our GamesforLanguage travel-story courses.
In the courses, we use street names, neighborhoods, hotels, and restaurants - many of which we've explored ourselves - in each of the Spanish cities. In Spanish Travel Memories 1, we tell you more about Barcelona. After visiting his aunt and uncle there and exploring the city, David heads south to Granada.
If you're going to visit Spain, you wouldn't want to miss Granada. It's a fascinating city with a multicultural history, and certainly a place for travel memories. We're also listing a few basic words and phrases in Spanish that will help you to communicate locally. The word lists are a combination of words and phrases taught in the course and other useful travel terms.
Just as we did with our post about Barcelona, we'll follow David's discoveries in Granada. For those of you who have done or are doing our Spanish 1 course: David en España, this may be of special interest.
Quick Facts about Granada
The city of Granada is the capital of the province of Granada, one of the eight provinces in the autonomous community of Andalusia. The city proper has a population of over 236,000. Granada has a great location. It lies close to the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and is only about an hour by car from the Mediterranean coast. The name "Granada" may come from either the Spanish word for "pomegranate" (granada) or from the Arabic word said to mean "hill of strangers".
In its early history, the region of what is now Granada was the site of an Iberian settlement, Elibyrge, (5th century b.c.), and of the Roman town Illiberis (150 b.c.). During the reign of the Visigoths (500 a.d.), a small community of Jews who had also settled there, named the area Garnata al-yahut.
In 711, a Moorish Caliphate invaded and conquered Granada. After internal conflicts among Arab clans, the Ziries clan created an independent kingdom, which lasted from (1013-1238).
This was followed by the powerful Nazrid dynasty (1238-1492). It was during the reign of the Nazrid kingdom, that the Alhambra fortress and the Generalife palace were built. Granada was the last Muslim kingdom to be conquered by the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492.
Basic Words and Phrases - the mountain range - la sierra - snow-covered, snowy - nevado/a (adj.) - the coast - la costa - the pomegranate - la granada - the settlement - el asentamiento - the dynasty - la dinastía- Catholic Monarchs - Reyes Católicos
Train to Granada
The distance between Barcelona (located in the northeast of Spain) and Granada (in the south) is 425 miles. Rather than fly to Granada, David chooses the less expensive option. He takes the train, which in his case is the Arco train with a route along the eastern coast.
Side Note: Obviously, train schedules and routes change over time. The Arco train to cities in Andalusia, operated by RENFE (Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles), has been replaced by their AVE trains with somewhat different routes.
The map above shows the driving options, which also mirror the train routes quite closely. The train route via Madrid may be faster.
Once he arrives in Granada, David asks for directions to “la calle Reyes Católicos,” the street where his friend Daniel lives, in the center of town. From the train station it's about a three-mile walk. (There's also an easy bus connection.)
Basic Words and Phrases - the train station - la estación de tren - the distance - la distancia - he train schedule - el horario de trenes - the train ticket - el billete de tren - the (train) track - la vía - to wait - esperar - a seat by the window - un asiento en la ventana - Is this seat available? - ¿Está este asiento todavía libre?
Washington Irving and the Alhambra
The Alhambra ("the red" in Arabic) is a spectacular palace and fortress built between 1238 and 1358 during the Moorish Nazrid dynasty. It stands on a plateau overlooking the city of Granada. You can read up more on its history HERE.
We were surprised to learn that the American writer Washington Irving (1783-1859) had actually lodged in a room in the Alhambra palace for three months in 1829. During that time he began his "Tales of the Alhambra," a colorful mixture of local history and legend. There's a plaque in the room where he stayed.
On the way down through the gardens, you can see a statue of Irving, which commemorates the 150th anniversary of his death. Downtown, there's also a street named after him.
Basic Words and Phrases - the palace - el palacio - a palatial complex - un complejo palaciego - the writer (m/f) - el escritor, la escritora - the tale, story - el cuento - the plaque - la placa - the garden - el jardín - the statue - la estatua
Side note: The city of Alhambra in California is reportedly named after the "Tales of the Alhambra." In 1874, the daughter of Benjamin Wilson, a wealthy developer, was reading the book and encouraged him to use the name for his new suburban development in Los Angeles County.
University of Granada
Founded in 1531 by emperor Charles V, the University of Granada is one of the oldest in Spain and continues a long educational tradition that goes back to the time of the Moorish epoch. With over 50,000 students in Granada alone (and seven campuses, five in Granada, and two in Spanish territories in Northern Africa), the University of Granada is the one of the largest in Spain.
The university is also highly popular with students of Erasmus, a program adopted by the European Commission in 1987, to encourage and support student exchanges throughout the European Union.
Side Note: The Erasmus Program was named after the Dutch philosopher and scholar, Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466-1536). At the same time, ERASMUS also stands for: European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students.
Mirador de San Cristóbal
The San Cristobal Viewpoint is in the picturesque Albaicín neighborhood of Granada. From the viewpoint you have a stunning panoramic view of the city, including a side view of the Alhambra and the snow-peaked mountains behind. El Albaicín has maintained the narrow winding streets and the architecture of its Moorish past. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1984, together with the Alhambra.
David's next Stop (and future Spanish Travel Memories 3)
From Granada, David takes the train to Seville for more travel memories. There he checks into a hotel his friends had recommended to him. He explores the Toro del Oro and the Almohad Tower, called La Giralda. Together with Ana and some of her friends he spends an evening in Triana, the neighborhood known for flamenco dancers and singers.
Register or log in again and continue with the Spanish 1 course.
Bio: Ulrike Rettig is the co-founder of GamesforLanguage.com. She is a lifelong language learner, growing up in Austria, the Netherlands, and Canada. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and leave any comments below or with contact.
English speakers have it easy! The ubiquitous “the” makes any English noun definite. But getting the right Italian articles is a little more complicated. 
Note: The first letter of the word that follows the article determines the form of the article 
• le fotografie - the photos
![15 Stats That Prove Being Bilingual is Awesome [Infographic]](http://takelessons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/15-Stats-That-Prove-Being-Bilingual-Is-Awesome-1.png)
