Saturday, July 6, 2013

Learn Swedish - 4 Great Resources To Speed Learning


1) Start with Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone is the most well known language software program. It utilizes a unique system that attempts to mimic the environment that we all learn languages as children. Therefore, there are no translations or grammar rules. Instead, students must infer the meaning of Swedish words through context and pictures. This process truly aids in the retention of words and makes learning a much more enjoyable process. This software is the best place to begin learning Swedish.

2) Watch Swedish TV

One of the most difficult tasks in learning Swedish is being able to follow and participate in conversations. If you live outside of Sweden and are not surrounded by Swedish speakers, a great exercise is simply watching TV. The Swedish TV programs are well produced and often times the same as shows in the US. From sitcoms to reality shows, you can find it in Swedish

Even if you are a beginner, it still helps to watch these shows. Just try to listen for words you recognize. It's amazing what you will pick up on and it will really help you retain the Swedish words you've learned. Several of the online shows offer subtitles in Swedish at the bottom of the screen. Subtitles are ideal and will allow you to pick up on much more of each conversation. You can search for many of these shows online including Swedish TV3 or TV8.

3) Try the free online Swedish dictionary

Thanks to the internet, we no longer have to go to the bookstore and pay for expensive foreign language dictionaries. The benefit of an online dictionary is not just ease of use, but also accuracy. Folkets Lexicon is a free dictionary developed in Sweden that is on an open platform basis. Since it is an open platform, it is more likely that the translations you receive are relevant words and not antiquated translations. Simply type in any word in Swedish or English that you would like to translate and a list of suggestions will instantly populate. For verbs, the dictionary provides all the relevant tenses so learning verbs has never been easier. If you want to bring the dictionary on the go, it is possible to download the entire collection. Obviously, this open source dictionary is a great free resource to help you learn Swedish

4) Take lessons with LiveMocha.com

There are over 10 million people throughout the world that have joined this social language learning network. The website offers free Swedish lessons as well as a network to connect with native Swedish speakers. The lessons follow the same structure as Rosetta Stone which is the leading language instruction software. Live Mocha offers other free resources as well such as the ability to create flashcards or use flashcards that have been created by others. The social aspect of the site will help keep students motivated to learn and help create connections to Swedes.

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