English Language Game: Question Words

Quick English Language Game: Question Words
Level: Beginner (A1)
Time to Play: 4 minutes
Play this interactive online English Language Game (ESL) to learn and practice 6 Question Words in the context of typical short sentences.
[Translations in French, German, and Spanish are provided.]

English Question Words

• Who?
• What?
• When?
• Why?
• Where?
• How?

Short Questions

• Who is calling? 
• What time is it?
• When will he be back?
• How much?
• Where are you from?
• Why not?

As you play, always say the English sentence out loud and try to say it as fast as the speaker says it.
This will help to improve your pronunciation.

German Language Game: Geben - Present Tense

Quick German Language Game: geben (to give) - present tense.
Level: Elementary (A2)
Playing Time: 4 minutes

Learn and practice the present forms of "geben" with this fun interactive online game.
Present Tense: stem vowel changes: du, er/sie/es = "i"; all others = "e" (including the formal "Sie")
"Geben" + indirect object (give "to whom"): Ich gebe dir ... (I give [to] you ...).
"Geben" + direct object (give "what"): Ich gebe das Geld. (I give the money.)

Present Tense of "geben"

ich gebe - I give
du gibst - you give
er/sie/es gibt - he/she/it gives
wir geben - we give
ihr gebt - you-all give
sie/Sie geben - they/you(form.) give

Idiomatic expressions

es gibt - there is
Was gibt's? - What's up?

Indirect Pronoun Objects - give "to whom":

mir - (to) me
dir - (to) you [familiar]
ihm - (to) him/it
ihr - (to) her
uns - (to) us
euch - (to) you-all
ihnen/Ihnen - (to) them/you (formal)

Direct Objects - give "what":

Ich gebe dir den Kaffee. - I give you the coffee. [der Kaffee, masculine]
Ich gebe dir die Adresse. - I give you the address. [die Adresse, feminine]
Ich gebe dir das Geld. - I give you the money. [das Geld, neuter]

Short Sentences: "Geben" + Ind. and Dir. Object

Wir geben ihr die Adresse. - We give her the address.
They give us the money. - Sie geben uns das Geld.
Ich gebe dir den Kaffee. - I'll give you the coffee.
Kannst du mir das Geld geben. - Can you give me the money?
Sie gibt ihnen den Kaffee. - She gives them the coffee.
Es gibt kein Geld. - There's no money.

You'll find more in our post: How to Use the German Modal Verb "Können"

If you like our games, please SHARE us with your friends.

More Than a German Language Game

And don't forget: You can practice German online for FREE with our 36-Scene German 1 Story: "Michael in Deutschland" and our 72-Scene German 2 Mystery Story Sequel: "Blüten in Berlin?".
(If you already know that "Blüten" means blossom in German - you'll learn that Blüten has still another meaning...).
Just login HERE.
If you have any language questions  - don't hesitate to contact us!

Italian Language Game: Avere - Present Tense

Ouick Italian Language Game: avere (to have) - present tense.
Level: Beginner (A1)
Time: 4 minutes

Practice the present-tense forms of the irregular verb "avere" online, with this fun, interactive Italian Word Shoot language game.
Then, with Word Invaders, put together an easy sentence with each.
(Image Credit: Arthur Yeti on Unsplash)

Note that in Italian the pronoun is often dropped, except for emphasis or clarity.
But, in any case, with or without a pronoun, you always have to use the correct verb form.

Avere - to have

• io ho - I have
• tu hai - you have (familiar)
• lui, lei ha - he, she has
• noi abbiamo - we have
• voi avete - you(pl) have
• loro hanno - they have

Vocabulary

• il libro - the book
• l'indirizzo - the address (m)
• la chiave - the key
• le fotografie - the photos
  
  

As you play the game, make sure you say the words out loud.
It's a good way to learn new vocabulary and to improve your pronunciation.
If you like our Italian games, please SHARE them with your friends.

More Than an Italian Language Game

Remember: You can practice Italian online for FREE with our 36-Scene Italian 1 Travel-Story: "Marco in Italia".
In it you learn and practice all the words, phrases and sentences you also hear in the Italian 1 podcasts. Just login HERE.
And, if you have any language questions  - don't hesitate to contact us!

Spanish Language Game: Tener - Present Tense

Quick Spanish Language Game: tener (to have) - present tense
Level: Elementary (A2)
Time to Play: 5 minutes

Learn and practice the present tense of the irregular Spanish verb for "to have" with this fun interactive game. (Image credit: Kamila Maciejewska on Unsplash)
You'll practice the personal verb forms and make easy sentences with them.
Note that pronouns (yo, tú, él, etc.) are often dropped in Spanish, except when they are needed for clarity or emphasis.
In this game, we first include them, then drop them in the sentences.

Present Tense of the Irregular Verb "tener"

• yo tengo - I have
• tú tienes - you have (familiar)
• él, ella tiene - he, she has
• Usted tiene - you have (formal)
• nosotros/as tenemos - we have (m/f)
• vosotros/as tenéis - you have (m/f) [Spain]
• Ustedes tienen - you (pl) have [Latin America]
• ellos/as tienen - they have (m/f)

Italian Language Game: Using "tu" or "Lei"

Italian Language Game: Using "tu" or "Lei".  A quick online game as a mini-story. Marco is introduced to Claudia, the sister of a friend. How should he address her? Use the familiar form of address right away?
(Photo thanks to Adrian Krajcar on Unsplash)
Play this quick Italian online game to practice 15 Italian words and phrases.
Note that in Italian the pronoun is often dropped, except for emphasis or clarity. But in any case, with or without a pronoun, you always have to use the correct verb form.

Using "Tu" or "Lei":

The pronoun "tu" is the singular familiar word for "you". It goes with the second person singular verb form.
Use the familiar form of address with family and relatives, children, good friends, classmates, and some people at work.
Using the familiar form is appropriate to use when know each other well, are of similar age, have equal status, etc.

"Lei" is the singular formal word for "you", and it goes with the third person singular verb form. The formal "Lei" is used with both men and women.
Use the formal form of address with older people, strangers, and in professional situations.
Using the third person singular form shows respect and/or distance, and should be used when in doubt.

Note that "lei" also means "she" in Italian. The context of a conversation tells you which meaning is being used: "she" or the formal "you".

We very much like Silvia Perrone's explanations for "tu" and "Lei" in her post here.

When playing the game, say the Italian OUT LOUD.
Click again on the Italian to practice saying the word or sentence again.
Try to "shadow" each of the sentences, by saying them at the same time as the speaker.
Even if you're familiar with all the words, it takes practice to say a sentence in natural speed.

Words in Italian Mini-Story Language Game

• Piacere. - Nice to meet you.
• Piacere di conoscerla. - Pleased to meet you. (formal)
• essere - to be
• Non essere così formale. - Don't be so formal. (fam.)
• potete - you(pl) can
• dare - to give
• vi - (you pl.) each other [reciprocal]
• Potete darvi del “tu”! - You(pl) can use "tu" with each other.
• per te - for you (familiar)
• va bene - it's okay
• Se per te va bene. - If it's okay with you. (fam.)
• certamente - of course
• noi studenti- we students
• ci - (we) each other [reciprocal]
• ci diamo tutti del “tu” - we all use "tu" with each other

This brief story is also part of our Italian 1 course.
(You can play the complete course for FREE by registering HERE.)
After playing the game, try to recall some of the words and phrases.
It's a good way to become familiar with new vocabulary.
For more easy games see also our post: 5 Easy Italian Language Games.
Or you can find ALL of them - over 60 by now - on the Italian Quick Language Games page.
If you like our Italian games, please SHARE them with your friends.

More Than an Italian Language Game

Remember: You can practice Italian online for FREE with our 36-Scene Italian 1 Travel-Story: "Marco in Italia".
In it you learn and practice all the words, phrases and sentences you also hear in the Italian 1 podcasts. Just login HERE.
And, if you have any language questions  - don't hesitate to contact us!