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!

French Language Game: Tutoyer - Using "tu"

Quick French Language Game: Tutoyer - Using "tu"
A quick online game where students first use "vous" and then "tu".
Daniel meets Mathilde and her sister Virginie. He politely starts out using the formal "vous" when he's introduced to Mathilde. But Virginie tells him that he's being much too formal.
Shadow the French OUT LOUD after the speaker! You'll improve your pronunciation.
There are a couple of very useful phrases in this conversation. Practice them until they become automatic.
You can clicking on the French sentence to have it repeated.
Our games work best for mid-to-high Beginners who want to learn and review conversational French.
Play on a Computer or Tablet.

Using "tu" or "vous

"Tu" is the singular familiar word for "you".
Use it with family, children, good friends, classmates, some colleagues.
Using "tu" suggests that you know each other well, are the same age, have equal status, etc.

"Vous" is the singular formal word for "you", as well the plural for "you", familiar or formal.
Use it with older people, in business and professional situations, with strangers.
Using "vous" shows respect and/or distance, and should be used when in doubt.

Phrases in French Language Game

• bonjour - hello
• enchanté(e) - delighted (m/f)
• la connaissance - the acquaintance
• Enchanté de faire votre connaissance - Delighted to meet you. (formal)
• ne sois pas - don't be ... (fam.) [être]
• si formel - so formal
• tutoyer - to use the familiar "tu" with sb.
• vous - you (sing. formal and/or plural form/fam)
• vous pouvez vous tutoyer - you can use "tu" with each other
• déranger - to bother, upset
• Ça ne te dérange pas? - You don't mind? (fam.)
• Bien sûr. - Of course.
• Bien sûr que non. - Of course not.
• entre étudiants - among students
• nous - we, us, to ourselves/each other
• nous nous tutoyons toujours - we always use "tu" with each other

Ne sois pas

Note: Here, "Ne sois pas ... !" (Don't be ...!) is an imperative form of "être".
(tu) sois ! - be!
(nous) soyons ! - let's be!
(vous) soyez ! - be!

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More Than a French Language Game

And don't forget: You can practice French online for FREE with our 36-Scene French 1 Travel-Story: "Daniel en France". 
In it you learn and practice all the words, phrases and sentences you also hear in the podcasts. 
Just login HERE.
"The Story" and easy games will let you forget that you're actually learning French! 
If you have any language questions  - don't hesitate to contact us!

German Language Game: Modal Verb "können"

Quick German Language Game: können - can, to be able.

Level: Elementary (A2)
Playing Time: 5 minutes
(The picture: Können Sie Taekwondo?)

A fun interactive language game to learn and practice the present, past, and conditional forms of "können" (can /to be able)
Present Tense: stem vowel changes: singular = "a"; plural = "ö" (including the formal "Sie")
Simple Past: stem vowel is "o"; add regular endings -te, -test, -te, -ten, -tet, -ten
Conditional: stem vowel is "ö"; otherwise, all forms are the same as Simple Past.
With this game, you'll practice how to pronounce German "a", "o", and "ö".

Können - Present Tense

Note the change in the stem vowel: singular "a", plural "ö"

ich kann - I can
du kannst - you can
er/sie/es kann - he/she/it can
wir können - we can
ihr könnt - you-all can
sie/Sie können - they/you(form.) can

Simple Past Tense of "können": drop the umlaut

ich konnte - I could
du konntest - you could
er/sie/es konnte - he/she/it could
wir konnten - we could
ihr konntet - you-all could
sie/Sie konnten - they/you (form.) could

Conditional Tense of "können": add umlaut to Past

ich könnte - I would be able /could
du könntest - you would be able /could
er/sie/es könnte - he/she/it would be able /could
wir könnten - we would be able /could
ihr könntet - you-all would be able /could
sie/Sie könnten - they/you(form.) would be able /could

Short Sentences:

Er kann nicht. - He can't.
Kann ich? - Can I?
Ja, du kannst. - Yes, you can. (fam.)
Ich konnte gestern nicht anrufen. - I couldn't call yesterday.
Ich kann heute kommen. - I can come today.
Ich könnte dich morgen treffen. - I could meet you tomorrow.

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

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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!

Spanish Language Game: Claro que no

Spanish Language Game: Claro que no (Of course not ) 
In this quick online game, learn and practice 10 Spanish phrases with a 34-word mini-story.
1. Identify key phrases.
2. Hear the mini-story.
3. Build the sentences with Word Invaders.
4. Test yourself with Flashcards.
5. Listen to the story again without translating.

Always say the Spanish OUT LOUD. Click on the sentences to hear them again.

The context: David is at his friend Daniel's apartment in Granada.
He meets Daniel's girlfriend Rosa and introduces himself to her sister Ana.
Will he use the formal form of address, or say "tú" to her?

Words in Spanish Mini-Story Language Game

• ¡Hola! - Hello! 
• Encantado de conocerle. - Pleased to meet you. (formal)
• David, no seas tan formal. - David, don't be so formal. [ser]
• tutear - to say "tú", use the informal form of address
• ¡Que os podéis tutear! - You can say "tú" to each other.
• ¿No te importa Ana? - You don't mind, Ana?
• Todos los estudiantes - all the students
• nos tuteamos - we say "tú" to each other
• ¿Estudias aquí? - Do you go to university here?
• en Granada - in Granada
• No, estudio en Sevilla. - No, I go to university in Seville.
  
  

This short episode is also part of our Spanish 1 course, which is a series of brief stories (that we call scenes).
In the 36 scenes of the course you learn and practice 750 useful words.
(The full Spanish 1 course is available for FREE by registering HERE.)

Practicing with mini-stories is a great way to get more familiar with natural-speed Spanish pronunciation and idiomatic expressions.
Note that in Spanish, personal pronouns (I, he, she, we, etc.) are often dropped unless they are needed for clarity or emphasis.

Please share us with your friends who also want to learn Spanish, or Italian, German, or French.

More than a Spanish Language Game

If you like our Spanish games, you can practice Spanish - online and completely for Free - with our 36-Scene story "David en España" by just logging in, or registering HERE. 
You can find more resources for learning and practicing Spanish on FREELANGUAGE.ORG.
Our FREE Spanish 1 course will let you learn and practice Spanish playfully - with a travel-story of a young man in Spain and easy games.

German Language Game: Jetzt sollten wir...

Quick German Language Game: "Jetzt sollten wir..." - (Now we should...)
An online game to practice German word order with various types of sentences.
The mini-story: Michael is at his friend Karl's apartment in Heidelberg, where he has just met Karl's girlfriend and her sister Claudia.
Karl returns after his classes, just in time to help put lunch together. 
This language game focuses on simple conversational German word order.
Playing this game won't make you a word order expert, but it will certainly help you understand basic patterns.
Say the sentences several times, out loud if you can.
Even if you know the word-order "rules", using them while you talk takes plenty of practice. 

Sentences with basic word order patterns:

1. Ein wenig später kommt Karl nach Hause. 
[A time phrase "ein wenig später" starts the sentence.]
2. Ich bin froh, dass du uns besuchst.
[A sentence with the conjunction "dass" (that).]
3. Ich freue mich auch, dich wiederzusehen.
[The verb "wiedersehen" becomes "wiederzusehen".] 
4. Jetzt sollten wir ans Mittagessen denken.
[A sentence with a "modal" verb (sollten).]
5. Claudia und ich können den Tisch decken.
[Two subjects "Claudia und ich".]

Words in German Language Game

• Karl kommt nach Hause - Karl comes home [kommen]
• ein wenig später - a little later
• ich bin froh - I'm glad [sein]
• dass du uns besuchst - that you're visiting us (fam.) [besuchen]
• ich freue mich auch - I'm also pleased [sich freuen]
• dich wiederzusehen - to see you again (fam.) [wiedersehen]
• wir sollten - we should [sollen] 
• jetzt - now
• ans Mittagessen denken - to think about lunch
• ich kann - I can [können]
• uns - us
• eine Pizza bestellen - to order a pizza
• Gute Idee. - Good idea.
• einen Salat machen - to make a salad
• Claudia und ich können - Claudia and I can
• den Tisch decken - to set the table

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!