Non-native English speakers... what about our English?

[irishguy28]

^Articles in English are pretty basic and straightforward.

You surely wouldn't prefer the un/une/le/la/les or ein/eine/einen/einem/einer/eines/der/die/das/dem/den/des confusion of other languages?

It's actually not confusing at all, once you are used to them.
Because in these languages, things have genders, unlike English!
But those are pronouns, not prepositions!

"In" and "On" can be very confusing at times.

I don't think you got my point.

English nouns have both gender (which has no grammatical effect, so many ignore it) and case, the same as all the other languages. But still, the articles never change.

Hence, on that very point alone, English is a far easier language

German:

Code: Select all

      Gender    M     F     N     Plural
Case   
Nominative      der   die   das   die
Accusative      den   die   das   die
Dative          dem   der   dem   den
Genitive        des   der   des   der


English:

Code: Select all

Regardless of case, gender, or number: the


[Crazy4Brit]

I don't think you got my point.

English nouns have both gender (which has no grammatical effect, so many ignore it) and case, the same as all the other languages. But still, the articles never change.

Hence, on that very point alone, English is a far easier language

German:

Code: Select all

      Gender    M     F     N     Plural
Case   
Nominative      der   die   das   die
Accusative      den   die   das   die
Dative          dem   der   dem   den
Genitive        des   der   des   der


English:

Code: Select all

Regardless of case, gender, or number: the


Latin is even worse! There are also two more cases: the Vocative and the Ablative!

Articles do NOT even exist in Latin, they're included in the words! In this way, just 1 word can give you much information (gender, number, the case, what is the subject/object doing, if it does it WITH someone/something, if it COMES from somewhere or it GOES somewhere, if that somewhere is UP or Down ecc ecc ecc

These are just few exaples btw. I'm glad that English is the international and trade language nowadays, it's WAY easier than neo-Latin and German ones!

[nekoo3372]

In this way, just 1 word can give you much information (gender, number, the case, what is the subject/object doing, if it does it WITH someone/something, if it COMES from somewhere or it GOES somewhere, if that somewhere is UP or Down ecc ecc ecc!

czech has the same ... one word can change the whole meaning of the conversation or topic.
Even each name has different forms (about 4 - 7).
Zdenek
(about Zdenek) Zdenkovi
(from or to Zdenek) Zdenka
(calling Zdenek) Zdenku
(Zdenek owns) Zdenkovo

Tada, jak se ku*va reknou pady a skonovani ?

[Grybop]

Articles do NOT even exist in Latin, they're included in the words! In this way, just 1 word can give you much information (gender, number, the case, what is the subject/object doing, if it does it WITH someone/something, if it COMES from somewhere or it GOES somewhere, if that somewhere is UP or Down ecc ecc ecc

Turkish is like that also, it has lots of similarities with Latin actually. The verb "to be" doesn't exist as such in Turkish either, but that's another story.

Learning English is a piece of cake compared to other languages.

[BLover]

^Articles in English are pretty basic and straightforward.

You surely wouldn't prefer the un/une/le/la/les or ein/eine/einen/einem/einer/eines/der/die/das/dem/den/des confusion of other languages?

It's actually not confusing at all, once you are used to them.
Because in these languages, things have genders, unlike English!
But those are pronouns, not prepositions!

"In" and "On" can be very confusing at times.

I don't think you got my point.

English nouns have both gender (which has no grammatical effect, so many ignore it) and case, the same as all the other languages. But still, the articles never change.

Hence, on that very point alone, English is a far easier language

German:

Code: Select all

      Gender    M     F     N     Plural
Case   
Nominative      der   die   das   die
Accusative      den   die   das   die
Dative          dem   der   dem   den
Genitive        des   der   des   der


English:

Code: Select all

Regardless of case, gender, or number: the


I know English is much easier, but it's also a fantastic language to speak. I can, at times, express myself better in English than in Portuguese.

I was just saying "le, la, les, un, une" were not prepositions. I don't really speak German though.

[jpguy]

I can't find any answer guys...
Do you know what does:

"Never have I ever been a size ten in my whole life"

&

"But the dust cap is off"...

(lyrics from "Stupid in Love" - Rihanna)

I tried to serch online and found nothing!!!

What does that mean literally??

[leoapp]

My biggest doubt is the "in", "on" and "at". OMG! They are so confusing. In (?) my native language, we just have one word for all these three, which makes easier to use.

yessss still very confused, when you should use on, in and at

[Serby]

I can't find any answer guys...
Do you know what does:

"Never have I ever been a size ten in my whole life"

I've seen same question somewhere in the past...someone thought how RiRi gain weight cuz of their break up ( she was upset so she ate a lot).

But, actually, i think it means how she found jeans size 10 in wardrobe and she know they're not her cuz she had never weared (or wore???) that size, so then she knew that he's cheating on her.

[Shortie]

Gender M F N Plural
Case
Nominative der die das die
Accusative den die das die
Dative dem der dem den
Genitive des der des der

God, I'm learning German and I can say that the article is killing me!

[Matti88]

czech has the same ... one word can change the whole meaning of the conversation or topic.
Even each name has different forms (about 4 - 7).
Zdenek
(about Zdenek) Zdenkovi
(from or to Zdenek) Zdenka
(calling Zdenek) Zdenku
(Zdenek owns) Zdenkovo

Tada, jak se ku*va reknou pady a skonovani ?

Czech is very similair to Polish

[Alicepotter]

My biggest doubt is the "in", "on" and "at". OMG! They are so confusing. In (?) my native language, we just have one word for all these three, which makes easier to use.

yessss still very confused, when you should use on, in and at

Agree.

[ThomyX]

I've just sent my application for an English language exam (upper-intermediate level)! I'm taking it in March and I'm pretty anxious, to be honest! Do you guys think I can make it? Do I make mistakes regularly? I think tenses and sometimes prepositions are my main problems. Any thoughts on that? It would mean a lot!

[summer]

I've just sent my application for an English language exam (upper-intermediate level)! I'm taking it in March and I'm pretty anxious, to be honest! Do you guys think I can make it? Do I make mistakes regularly? I think tenses and sometimes prepositions are my main problems. Any thoughts on that? It would mean a lot!

I'm sure you'll make it! What's the name of the exam?

[stevyy]

Gender M F N Plural
Case
Nominative der die das die
Accusative den die das die
Dative dem der dem den
Genitive des der des der

God, I'm learning German and I can say that the article is killing me!

I think it sounds cute when foreign learners pick the wrong one.. your message remains perfectly understandable even with the wrong article.

One problem I sometimes have is that I begin to lack words in German which I can perfectly express in English or even French.

I think my studies stirred up my vocab.

The common German for example doesn't even know anymore when he switches to a foreign language.. the "Back Shop" is as common as "shoppen gehen"

[ThomyX]

I'm sure you'll make it! What's the name of the exam?

Thank you, I really hope so!
It's called The European Language Certificates (TELC). I don't know how I should prepare, though!

[stevyy]

I'm sure you'll make it! What's the name of the exam?

Thank you, I really hope so!
It's called The European Language Certificates (TELC). I don't know how I should prepare, though!

I had to do the TOEFL a few years ago (2009) and I think the whole test is a mess. Just relax and be confident.

[JimJim]

I can't find any answer guys...
Do you know what does:

"Never have I ever been a size ten in my whole life"

&

"But the dust cap is off"...

I'll address the second one first. The lyric is actually 'the dunce cap is off', a 'dunce cap' is something that a troublesome/stupid kid in a classroom would have to wear as a punishment in the old days...



By that line, Rihanna is saying she isn't a fool anymore.

As for 'never have I ever been a size 10 in my whole life', this line has always been confusing even for us English natives. My guess would be that she is implying she is a size 12 and that she was never skinny enough for the guy to be happy with her.

[sambo9]

I thought it meant that she had caught her boyfriend buying a size 10 outfit, or she had found a size 10 outfit in their home, and yet she's always been a different size to that - implying that he was involved with someone else.

[NoAngels]

jpguy, native speakers also have a problem understanding a lot of the lyrics some musicians sing.

Slang books are everywhere nowadays, you can buy one from a local library and learn from it.

[summer]

I'm sure you'll make it! What's the name of the exam?

Thank you, I really hope so!
It's called The European Language Certificates (TELC). I don't know how I should prepare, though!

Try to google some books. Maybe you can download something

[summer]

I had to do the TOEFL a few years ago (2009) and I think the whole test is a mess. Just relax and be confident.

I did the same test in 2010. You should have seen my face when it occurred that there were more texts than I expected!

[nekoo3372]

Czech is very similair to Polish

I understand a lot ... its very similar

[NoAngels]

TOEFL and IELTS are difficult tests even for native speakers, they heavily depend on vocabulary, reading comprehension and idiomatic expressions.

[Crazy4Brit]

OMG i feel so ashamed now

My English level is around B2 (FCE)

[through_the_ra]

TOEFL and IELTS are difficult tests even for native speakers, they heavily depend on vocabulary, reading comprehension and idiomatic expressions.

They told me that TOELF and IETLS tests, despite being very useful nowadays, lose their validity in two years.


Some time ago I took CAE (C1) and Trinity (12th level, C2) exams. The latter should have no "expiry" date, shouldn't?