t looks like we'll be returning to Belgium fairly frequently, and I'm thinking about learning to speak some Dutch. Has anyone had experience with learning a language via a software package, either installed or online? Which one? Did it work?
I know there are other options; I'm just looking for information about software in this post.
I've been studying French for almost 2 years... In my opinion, no one product has "worked." I have found that for me it's really a combination of a lot of different learning tools and mediums (but everyone learns differently, so YMMV).
I have used Rosetta Stone (both on disc, and online), and I have used Duolingo. I've liked both, but don't know that I could say either one has "worked." It all comes down to what your goal is. Is it basic Dutch? or some level of fluency?
(More resources below that are not software, so feel free to ignore as they are not necessarily on topic)
Other tools I've used...
I watch a lot of Youtube videos in French
I watch France24 news online
I read children's books
I read magazines
I have several workbooks
I watch movies on Netflix in French with English subtitles
I listen to news and podcasts
And i've taken several classes at my local Alliance Francaise
I am constantly looking for opportunities to expose myself to French...
All of that combined, has worked. This January will be 2 years, and I hope to be passing my B1 fluency test in March.
I hope this helps.
This not not a real answer but it it related to learning languages. Here is the method that I have figured out regarding foreign languages: buy a good phrase book and a pocket sized dictionary. Teach yourself some words and phrases. Take these books with you. At your destintion, talk as little as possible. Avoid talking in English unless somebody who knows English insists on talking to you, in English. I have an advantage because my undergraduate degree in college was linguistics; took a phonetics/ phonology class and gained the ability to hear and pronounce sounds and sound combinations not in English.
I like a combination of learning tools but not software. RosettaStone and Duolingo were a drag, to me. I learned Italian by using Pimsleur audio lessons (available from many libraries), Community College courses, on-line forums like BBC Languages, and a few other podcasts I found. Eventually I got a tutor, but start with a combo of audio lessons you can use in the car or while dressing in the morning and Community College one night a week. (If you can find Dutch at a CC. That might be tough.)
The best way to learn a language in my opinion is actually to practice speaking it. I think that starting with software to learn some basic vocabulary /sentence structure is good but I would then look for a conversation class either in person or online.
Duolingo is a good free ap to get started with. In any case, there is no harm in checking it out.
You can use apps like babbel to start your training in dutch language. Is a good tool to practise. I know that yo are asking only about softwares but a good idea is try to find people who speaks dutch in your area & practise. Anyway have a luck with learning.
I've tried Rosetta Stone twice. You have to have the self-discipline and time management skill to commit to sitting at the computer for long periods of time. Some of it is very tedious. If my goal was fluency, it would be just one of the tools I would use. My goal was more of "getting by as a tourist" for which I was unwilling to commit to the long haul with computer learning.
Check with your local library to see if they have (or can order thru their system) the Pimsleur course for you - we've generally found that method to be the most convenient.
Thank you all for your suggestions. Right now I'm looking for basic skills. Maybe fluency will come later. I want to be able to read menus, street signs, museum labels, etc. I would like to understand announcements on the bus. I want to have simple conversations without having to ask people to switch to English. Belgians do start to learn English at a young age, but I don't want to force them to speak my language in their country.
"...but I don't want to force them to speak my language in their country." Bravo! My compliments on your attitude. I don't want to "rely" on their English knowledge either just to please me in their country.
Understanding announcements is hard and reading signs in museums may be fairly difficult but you can certainly learn enough Dutch to complete simple transactions (buying tickets or ordering from a menu). I did 30 lessons on Pimsleur in Polish and it was well worth it! I spent about an hour a day listening to the lessons. I downloaded the lessons on my phone, so it was super convenient. Of course, you will learn better from a native speaker. But you can get a good start with on-line or downloadable lessons.
but I don't want to force them to speak my language in their country
Bravo! you're already in my friends' list. This is the attitude everybody should aim for when going abroad. And if one's only visiting for a few days, even learning a few short basic sentences (or words) makes all the difference.
It's good you want to learn. There are some apps on iTunes like the Coffee Break series, which allows you to learn a few phrases at a time.
Don't be surprised however if people still talk to you in English even when trying to speak Dutch. Mostly because they want to make it easier for you and that the default language to speak in Europe whenever two people speak different languages is English.
... or simply because your basic Dutch makes no sense and it's difficult to understand, LOL! :)) Don't feel bad if that happens, it's not meant to be rude, on the contrary, it's meant to facilitate you a much more "fluid" communication. Gotta say sometimes it's the opposite, the hosting party tries to speak your language and you don't understand what he/she's trying to say... an awkward situation, how do you politely say your effort is fruitless, I have no idea what you're saying A true lost in translation case :))
I used RosettaStone for German, French, and Italian. They were more successful than I thought!
I had already taken German in high school and knew a few words. RosettaStone reinforced that knowledge (by waking up those brain cells where all of what I learned was snoozing away). I was able to converse simply on arrival in Germany. Hey, I could order a beer, many types of schnitzel, and ask where the toilet was, as well as simple greetings and thank you. What else do you need? :-)
But where it really impressed me was when I took the French and Italian courses. Not having anyone to speak those languages with at home, I had no idea of if I was learning anything at all. But I did! Not enough to handle deep philosophical discussions, but way more than just "Where is the toilet?"
RosettaStone uses an immersion process. Once you start, you do not se anything but that language in the lessons. You also have to speak into the microphone and the program determines if you match the pronunciation closely enough. I have zero success with reading a phrase book and then knowing how to pronounce the words. Sure, I can tell what the words are from written documents, but trying to say them with the proper linguistic requirements of the language escape me. This I think is where RosettaStone really excels.
Despite the OP specifically mentioned Dutch, the conversation has somehow steered away towards a more generic "how do I learn a language" so I'd like to add something...
These days my hometown is a very popular destination, so in case anyone plans to move to Barcelona, or anywhere in Catalonia -where Catalan is the local language- or even if you're just visiting and want to give a good impression to us Catalans, you can remotely "learn" our language thru several methods: the above mentioned RosettaStone and the like, by attending a course in one of the 150 universities around the world offering them, thru the free online course at www.parla.cat ...
And when you have managed the basics, aside from the main TV group TV3 -where you can see several of their online channels (general, news, children, sports...)- there's a very interesting program that has been working for 15 years called "Voluntariat per la Llengua" (VxL), volunteers for the language in English, where native Catalan volunteers offer their spare time to help people learning our language.
In this program, you're "matched" to a native volunteer -according to the profiles and preferences of you both- and you both commit to a 10 week 1h per week sessions to practice your language skills and to learn about our culture. These are referred to as "linguistic couples" and many of them have resulted in longterm friendships later on. Over 110,000 of these couples have been created in this period. I should clarify that "couple" refers just to two people getting together for the purpose described above :))
This is a free program -hence the reason is staffed by volunteers- and has two modalities: face-to-face and online.
The first case is aimed at those that have recently moved to Catalonia. Both you and the volunteer meet at your own convenience (ie having a stroll, a coffee, etc.) wherever you want and spend an hour talking in Catalan about whatever subjects you want, the only purpose is for you to acquire fluidity in the language and this has proven to be the best setup -rather than the formality of a classroom. As mentioned, this is to improve your communication skills, so you need to have a previous basic command of the language. The online modality is basically the same, but via Facetime, Skype or similar.
Important, for @DAV: I know for a fact that the Belgians and the Dutch, among others here in Europe, exported the experiences of this program into their own countries so this is now available also there (ie. check here for further details)
Yes, most of us native Catalans "also" speak Spanish (and English, and even some French) so you could communicate in any of these when visiting... but Catalan is the local language, so consider that. I should add that Catalan is one of the Romance languages, much like Spanish, French or Italian -among other- so for anyone having knowledge of one of them, it should be fairly easy to get to learn another one.
Enjoy!
