Everything started when I had to learn English at school. I was 10 years old and I was fascinated. This was something completely new to me – new alphabet, new sounds, etc. I liked English very much then. However, unfortunately, in the high school we changed so many teachers that we stuck in the intermediate level. Nevertheless, in high school I started to learn my second foreign language – Spanish. Spanish quickly became my favourite language. I choose it because I liked how it sounds in latino music. I studied it for 4 years alongside English and then I heard for the first time European Portuguese from TV series. I liked it very much and I wished myself to learn it some day with Italian. Some years later, I continued with Spanish in the university but couldn’t reach advance level. Therefore, I had to do something because I gradually began to forget my Spanish and English. I started to watch TV series in English, to read articles and forums about language learning. This gave me the confidence that I could study on my own, without a teacher. I had a good foundation in English so I read everything in English. Later became good at watching TV channels like National Geographic and Animal Planet. I learned a lot from polyglot sites and forums. Therefore, in one moment I realized I had to use this information to better my Spanish. I tried various techniques – to take lessons, use flash cards, etc. I made my first plans how to study on my own, how to track my learning time, what technique was working for me. Then I decided that it was time to start learning Portuguese or Italian. I couldn’t find Portuguese teacher so I decided to start with Italian. I quickly realized how important my new knowledge of learning languages was. I understood that had to read more about my native language – that helped me to view some barriers and difficulties for me. I faced them in every language I started to learn. In addition, this helped me a lot with my last, so long waited, language – Portuguese. I decided to try to study it without a teacher in 2018. Now, I have to say that after Italian and Portuguese, my new learning language is Bulgarian. I understand that I have to better and maintain not only my foreign languages but my native language too. I am very happy with what I´ve done and want to continue with these languages. I developed some reading and listening skills so now is time to develop a writing one. I have to say that I tried it in 2020 but unsuccessfully. Writing is more than taking notes in one language.
I want to thank Robin for this fantastic place and for his tremendous efforts, he has put in. In addition, I want to thank all of you for the corrections and notes.
Иван
Your English is quite good already, and I would say you are definitely close to the advanced level, if you aren't already there. Most of the corrections I left for you were smaller things or some more natural ways to phrase something. Hopefully these are all helpful to you!
Thank you very much! I have to write more. I was focused on Romance languages last two years but I never stopped to read in English. I try to use linking words but I hate them all. I feel I write not very clear but can't understand why. Hopefully, practice make perfect.
Your English is AMAZING. Aside from a few forgivable errors, it's so natural and your tone is so native. Very impressive. Please keep writing. My 21-year-old niece is studying Bulgarian. I'm going to encourage her to use this site and look you up - you'd be good at explaining things. Bravo!
Thank you for the good words! Writing was one of my main goals for 2020. But there was no Journaly, so ... I wrote to myself in the internet. It is strange but very efficient. I will try to make a some sort of report for 2020 but I want to be in Spanish. By the way, I became good with explanations when I started to try to speak in Spanish. I knew only a few words but I explained things that I didn't know how to say. I will try to explain things, hopefully understandable for other people. I have to say that sometimes I don't know some grammar rules in Bulgarian and I have to read them in books. Maybe this is normal but I feel a little bit ashamed.
Not at all! It's normal to speak your own language instinctively and not know WHY you say things the way you do. The funny thing is that the more you help people with Bulgarian, the more Bulgarian YOU'LL learn too. By the way, I'm a professional editor for an international publishing house. If you ever need an explanation of something in Spanish or English, don't hesitate to ask 😉 They're both my native languages.
O, this is fantastic! You can edit my "report" in Spanish. Now I am thinking how to write it?!? I have plenty of data but I want not to be a statistic report. For me the hardest thing is to decide WHAT to write. Nevertheless I am so happy that I will write to human beings and not to myself!
Absolutely, Ivan! I look forward to your future posts)))