Nina Schmidt ~ Vancouver German and Spanish Lessons

Author: Learn With Nina

  • Grammar Tips: Special Expressions with ‘to have’

    Certain common expressions in both Spanish and German use the verb ‘to have’. Below is a list of common expressions in which Spanish and German function in this manner. As these expressions do not always translate literally into English, they are best memorized.

    Spanish expressions with the verb ‘tener’

    1. To ask how old someone is you say:

    ¿Cuántos años tienes?                      – ->  How many years do you have?

    Tengo 20 años.                                   – -> I have 20 years.

    2. To talk about pain in the body you say:

    ¿Tienes dolor de cabeza?                – -> Do you have pain of head?

    3. To talk about sensations:

    ¿Tienes frío/hambre?                      – -> Do you have cold/hunger?

    4. Idiomatic expressions:

    tener miedo de . . . . . .                    – -> to have fear of . . . . . .

    tener interés en . . . . . .                 – -> to have interest in . . . . . .

    tener ganas de . . . . . .                    – -> to feel like  . . . . . .

    tener razón                                       – -> to be correct

    tener prisa                                        – -> to be in a hurry

    tener celos                                        – -> to be jealous

    tener éxito                                        – -> to be successful

    tener suerte                                      – -> to be lucky

    tener lugar                                       – -> to take place

    tener  que                                          – -> to have to

    German expressions with the verb ‘haben’

    1. To talk about pain in the body you say:

    ¿Hast du Kopfschmerzen?           – -> Do you have a headache?

    2. To talk about sensations:

    ¿Hast du Hunger/Durst?             – -> Do you have hunger/thirst?

    3. Idiomatic expressions:

    haben Angst vor . . . . . .                – -> to have fear of . . . . . .

    haben Lust auf . . . . . .                   – -> to feel like  . . . . . .

    haben Interesse an . . . . . .          – -> to have interest in . . . . . .

    Recht haben                                     – -> to be correct

    Eile haben                                         – -> to be in a hurry

    Heimweh haben                             – -> to be homesick

    Glück haben                                     – -> to be lucky

     

  • Further Learning: Memory Aids for Language Learning Part II

    This is part two of a two-part blog on memory aids for language learning. In the first blog (written November 21,2012) I covered subconscious memory aids such as employing colors, smells and music to expand the power of your mind to recover information. Here, in the second part, I will focus on consciously developed techniques such as: mnemonics, the memory palace, labeling and intermittent review.

    Mnemonics

    Mnemonics is a well-known system designed to help people remember. It may consist of acronyms, images and linking words. How many of you remember learning the colours of the rainbow in elementary school with the acronym ROY-G-BIV? (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). A funny example from my first-year Spanish course at University was how to remember the word for swimming pool in Spanish.  The word is spelled piscina and it is pronounced (pis-I-na). My professor said it’s easy to remember as young children often “piss in a {pool}!”  I have developed quite a few acronyms for German. For example,  I use DOG-WUF to help my students remember the accusative prepositions: durch, ohne, gegen, wider, für and um. Students can even invent their own mnemonic devices often with great success.

    Memory palace

    Another trick that works for some people is called a memory palace. This technique allows people to memorize something by picturing a scene in their minds and then linking specific words to the images. For example, you might picture a family photo you are familiar with and then go in and imagine everyone wearing a piece of clothing bearing the name of their relationship to you in the target language. For example, your grandmother may be wearing a shirt with an “Oma” logo on the front. Some people develop this technique further and imagine themselves walking through various scenes in a story with each scene providing new clues to words they wish to remember.

    Labeling

    Sometimes,  simply labelling items around the house helps. You can buy predesigned labels online or make your own. When studying a gendered language, it’s important to include each noun’s gender on the label. This is a great way to build vocabulary for items around the home especially in the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. Some people even label their office or classroom environment. Try to engage the labels by creating sentences in your mind as you go about your daily tasks.

    Intermittent Review

    Sometimes frustrations arise when you see or hear a word you know you’ve encountered before but simply can’t remember what it means! This is often true of words that don’t appear frequently in common conversation. It’s important to write down any words you have trouble with on a special page in your binder or notebook titled “troublesome words.” This page should be reviewed every time you go to study. In general, any new vocabulary you learn should be revisited within 24 hours, then again in three days, a week and finally a month. Studies have shown that students who follow this review pattern have upwards of a 90% retention rate for newly learned vocabulary.

    Have you had success with any of the above memory aids or any others? Feel free to share below.

  • Book Review: Speak

    Speak: a short history of languages, was written by Tore Janson, a Swedish linguistics and language professor. The book uncovers the history of how the world’s languages have evolved over the years from prehistory through to modern day touching on the earliest civilizations of Africa, Asia and Europe. The book gives a good overview of the world’s large language groupings and explains how languages go from being spoken in small isolated areas, to becoming the majority or ‘big language’ of a large number of speakers.

    I especially enjoyed Chapter 2 titled The Large Language Groups, which focuses on the histories of Germanic, Slavic, Romance and Bantu languages. The author describes how Bantu, a grouping of Southern African languages, was comprised of a number of scattered speakers as recently as 3000 years ago but with the development of farming there was a massive expansion in population and an increase in settlement throughout the southern half of the African continent. Currently there are about 180 million speakers of an approximate 300-600 Bantu languages of which only the major ones such as Swahili, Zulu and Xhosa are well known to outsiders.

    In Chapter 11, How Languages Disappear, Janson discusses the various reasons why languages die out. The author makes a point of saying that most languages undergo a slow death rather than a rapid decline. Generally this occurs as over a number of generations another language comes to prominence in a given area, as knowledge of a more largely spoken language becomes more economically important. Globalization in general is causing large shifts in the use of language throughout the world with more and more people speaking one of the world’s major languages in addition to their local dialect. In future, these local dialects may be seen as unnecessary and die off as has happened with many indigenous languages around the world.

    Currently there are between 6000 and 7000 languages in use globally, but Janson hypothesizes there may be as few as half as many within 100 years. He states, “the 60 largest languages, in terms of numbers of speakers, share more than 4 billion speakers among themselves. That is, about 1% of the [world’s] languages are used by about 75% of the speakers.” The breakdown of the number of languages per continent is roughly: Africa 30% of the world’s total with 2000 languages, the Americas at 15% with 1000 languages, Asia at 32% with 2200 languages, Europe at 3% with 230 languages, the Pacific at 19% with 1300 languages including the island of New Guinea with an estimated 1000 languages alone!

    In the final chapters, the author hypothesizes what the language situation on earth may be in 200, 2000 or 2 million years. I have often wondered about the future of languages. No doubt, the English spoken far in the future will be nearly unrecognizable to today’s English as languages are always changing as long as they are in use. It is hard to visualize this as a learner or speaker of a modern language as the changes happen so slowly as to be easily overlooked in one or two generations. Nevertheless, if you pick up a book written a mere 200 years ago there will be a lot of grammatical structures and phrases unfamiliar to the modern speaker.

  • Travel Spot: Balearic Islands

    Travel Spot: Balearic Islands

    The Balearic Islands, or Las islas Baleares, are found off the eastern coast of mainland Spain. The three main islands are: Minorca, Mallorca and Ibiza. Taken together, this archipelago of islands is a province of Spain with Palma, Mallorca as its capital. Spanish and Catalan are the two official languages but German and English are widely spoken, as the islands are extremely popular with foreign tourists. With a total land mass just under 500,000 km² the islands have a year-round local population of around 1 million. However, millions of people from throughout Europe visit the islands all year round due to its warm temperate climate and beautiful beaches. Short, direct flights fly in and out of Palma to most European capitals every day and package deals make it a very affordable place to visit.

    The main island of Mallorca boasts a long history in which it changed hands many times, at turns being under the control of the Byzantines, Romans, Vandals and Arabs. One can still see the Arabic influence in many of the buildings in the capital city of Palma especially the main downtown cathedral, featured above. With beautiful cobbled streets and an abundance of world-class shopping and restaurants, Palma is a beautiful place to visit. Owing to its varied history, the islands have developed unique dishes. For more information on local cuisine click here. 

    Ibeza, the southernmost of the large islands is popular with partygoers, especially fans of electronic music. Since 2005, it has been host to the popular music event Ibeza Rocks drawing large numbers of musicians and bands from around the world. Minorca, the northernmost large island of the archipelago, is the most traditional of the islands. Its inhabitants still observe ancient holiday festivals throughout the summer season. A popular treat, the flaon, is found in bakeries throughout the island. These are a circular pastry often sweetened with honey especially popular around Easter time.

     

     

  • Further Learning: Memory Aids for Language Learning Part I

    Further Learning: Memory Aids for Language Learning Part I

    The ability to memorize is crucial to learning a language as an adult. Unfortunately, some students give up, claiming they simply can’t learn because they have a “bad memory.” In reality, healthy people are born with similar potential but not everyone has the skills or techniques to maximize their memory capacity. As everyone learns differently, trying out a few of the techniques outlined below is best, as the first one you try may not be right for you.  In this blog, I will focus on subconscious memory aids including: colors, smells and music. Part II will focus on consciously developed techniques such as: mnemonics, the memory palace technique, labeling and intermittent review.

    Colors

    Colors can be extremely useful in helping your brain store information. For example, you may wish to designate a certain color such as red to all the feminine nouns in your target language. Then, when you go to recall that noun, its gender will come to you automatically as you will picture it in that context. Not only gender can be memorized like this, you can also use varying colors of ink or paper for verb conjugations or case systems such as those found in German.

    Smells

    This is a great technique for high school and university students who need to remember a lot of information come exam time. Choose a scent you easily associate with a specific language. For example, perhaps you associate lemons with Spanish as it has a tropical undertone. Then, every time you go to study Spanish, cut open a fresh lemon and allow the smell to permeate the air. Then, before heading into your exam rub some lemon scent on the inside of your wrist. While you are in the exam, smell this periodically when you are struggling, close your eyes and the information will come flooding back! This also works with essential oils and perfumes for those who are not fragrance sensitive.

    Music and other audio

    Some people need absolute quiet to study, but most of us actually benefit from background noise. Personally, I found listening to Latin music extremely helpful in my early studies of Spanish. It put me in an upbeat mood and opened my mind to the possibility that one day I would understand all the lyrics if I kept at my studies. I began playing specific artists while studying specific themes. For example, salsa beats for verb conjugations. Soon enough I was conjugating along to the beat of the music! Other audio, such as dialogues in the target language or vocabulary tracks, can also help you immensely in learning a new language.  Even if you are not actively repeating what they are saying,  consistent exposure enables the student to get a feel for the pronunciation and rhythm of the language.

    If you have had success with any of the above techniques or others please share by posting a comment here or on my Facebook page (link below).

     

     

     

  • Highlight on History: The Berlin Wall

    Highlight on History: The Berlin Wall

    After World War II, Germany’s capital of Berlin was divided up into four occupied zones, one for each of the major victors of the war: the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Russia then known as the Soviet Union. (See map below) By 1949, Germany itself had been carved up into two distinct countries, East Germany or the DDR (Deutsche Democratische Republik) under the control of Soviet Russia and West Germany or the BRD (Bundesrepublik Deutschland). By the 1950s, West Germany was experiencing an economic boom or Wirtschaftswunder and many East Germans were leaving for the West. In response, the East German government built the Berlin wall or Berliner Mauer. The government claimed it was erected to protect its citizens from the fascist influences of West Germany. In reality, its main aim was to prevent any further citizens from leaving.

    The Berlin wall was erected under cover of darkness on August 13, 1961. Most were caught off guard by it the next day and many people were separated from their families and jobs overnight. At first the Berlin wall was just a short barbed wire fence, but as people continued to try to cross over, the government fortified the structure in three successive waves of construction. To improve its effectiveness the wall was reinforced by electric fencing, newer concrete walls, trenches on either side, guard dogs and a large sand area known as the Death Strip with over 100 watchtowers housing soldiers with orders to kill on sight. For a fascinating series of short videos detailing the construction and history of the Berlin wall click here.

    Throughout the nearly 30 years the wall stood, there were nine checkpoints at which individuals could cross to the other side.  There were however numerous restrictions on movement, especially those attempting to enter into the West.  The most famous of these checkpoints was named Checkpoint Charlie. Today a museum stands on this spot highlighting the ingenious ways in which individuals attempted to cross over, under and through the border without being caught.

    Roughly 150 people died attempting to go through the Berlin wall.  Many were shot,  but some also drowned as they attempted to enter through sewer systems and rivers. To get a feel for what life was like just after the Berlin wall was built I highly recommend the film Der Tunnel. Based on the true story of a tunnel built in the early years of the Berlin wall, it is a thriller that really brings to life this historic era. For a trailer click here. 

    With other communist countries beginning to gain independence in 1989, East Germans took to the streets and churches to demonstrate their own desire for freedom. These peaceful protests came to be known as Montagsdemonstrationen as they took place on Mondays. Pressure on the East German government by its citizens built throughout that Fall, and on November 9 the official edict came down to open the border. That evening, thousands of East Germans or Ossis crossed over to West Germany. The atmosphere was jubilant with many West Germans or Wessis greeting them with champagne and embraces.  Within days people began to hack away at the wall with hammers and took away pieces as keepsakes or souvenirs. These people came to be known as Mauerspechte or wall woodpeckers. Today only a small length of wall remains where tourists can visit and locals can be reminded of what was once a strong symbol of a divided nation.

     

     

     

  • Cultural Corner: Day of the Dead

    Cultural Corner: Day of the Dead

     

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    The Day of the Dead or El día de los muertos is a Mexican national holiday celebrated every year on the first two days of November. On these dates Mexicans remember family members and friends who have passed away.  Modern practices are a blend of pre-Columbian beliefs and the Catholic observance of All Souls’ Day. While the Day of the Dead is also observed in other Hispanic countries, here we will focus on Mexican traditions.

    In Mexican culture, death is accepted as part of life. The Day of the Dead is seen as not only a chance to reconnect with lost loved ones, but also for the living to make fun of death and celebrate having lived through another year. Rather than a somber tone, this holiday has the air of a celebration with people telling humorous anecdotes about the deceased and perhaps even singing or reciting their favorite songs, poems or jokes.

    Commonly, families go together to cemeteries to visit with the souls of the departed. Upon arrival, they clean the grave and build altars on the tombs or tumbas. This altar includes many offerings or ofrendas such as the favourite foods and beverages of the deceased, family photos, votive candles, incense or copal and flowers, particularly Mexican marigolds. In the case of children, small toys and candies are given. The hope is that these items will attract the missing souls back for a short time so that they may enjoy time with them once again. In some areas of Mexico, people even spend the night at the cemetery and set out an extra pillow and blanket for the departed.

    Alters are also commonly built in people’s homes, schools and workplaces.  Symbols of Christianity, such as the cross or photos of the Virgin Mary, are also sometimes incorporated. Families spend weeks every year constructing these colourful alters, to view some click here. The most common symbol of the Day of the Dead is the skull. Bakeries compete to see who can make the most popular pure sugar treat in the shape of a small skull called a calaverita. Symbols associated with the Day of the Dead are present in Mexican culture throughout the year as they are seen to bring good luck. Similar celebrations are found in other countries of Latin America, and even within Mexico there are regional differences in customs of observance. For ideas on how to celebrate El día de los muertos in Vancouver check out this link. 

  • Cultural Corner: Oktoberfest

    Cultural Corner: Oktoberfest

    Oktoberfest is celebrated annually in the city of Munich, Bavaria and generally takes place over the last 2 weeks of September and into the first weekend in October to take advantage of favorable weather. It is the world’s largest fair attracting around 5 million visitors every year!

    Munich is a city of around 1.5 million inhabitants found in the southern portion of Germany in the state of Bayern or Bavaria. Bavaria is Germany’s largest state by landmass and is the heartland of tradition in Germany.  In this region it is not uncommon to see people wearing traditional clothes or Trachten on their way to festivals throughout the year.  In the countryside, the Catholic Church’s bells ring out on Sunday mornings to call people to worship and neighbors still greet each other with a friendly Grüss Gott!

    Oktoberfest recently marked its 200-year anniversary, as it began as a Royal wedding celebration in 1810. However, since the early 1900s it has been more of a festival of the various breweries found in this part of the world. In fact, beer drinking, eating and traditional German Blasmusik are at the center of the celebration. Somewhere in the neighbourhood of 7,000,000 liters of beer are consumed annually from specialty Krüge, or beer mugs, in the various beer gardens.

    Traditional German food is also consumed in enormous quantities. Some of the more popular dishes include Hänchen (roast chicken), Schweinebraten (roast pork), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), and many varieties of sausages or Würste,  eaten with mustard and large bread pretzels, or Brezel, (pictured above).  Common side dishes include dumplings, cooked cabbage and potato pancakes.

    Local families make day visits and children enjoy carousel rides and other family entertainment. Many wear their traditional clothes that comprise of Lederhosen for men and Dirndl for women. People sit outside for hours enjoying the weather, socializing and people watching.  Once the sun sets, the younger crowds take over, drinking and carousing late into the night. Smaller Oktoberfests are also held in German communities around the world. The Alpen Club in Vancouver holds its own festivities in the first weeks of October every year.

    Do you enjoy German food or beer? Visit my Facebook fan page below to post your recommendations!
  • Travel Spot: Salzburg

    Travel Spot: Salzburg

    Salzburg is the capital city of the province of Salzburg in Austria. The city has an approximate population of 150,000 and is located along the Salzach River at the northern boundary of the Alps. The most prominent feature of its skyline is a fort or Festung located up on a hill. This iconic building overlooks the city and dates back to 1077! Salzburg is very popular with tourists year round owing to its beautiful old town or Altstadt, great café culture, and vibrant music and arts scene.

    Salzburg’s long history is reflected in its architecture. Modern buildings are interspersed with beautiful examples of Gothic and Romanesque architecture from centuries past. There is much to explore among the meandering cobblestoned streets, the most famous of which is the Getreidegasse. This long street winds its way through most of the old town district and includes the birthplace of its most famous citizen, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

    Mozart was born at Getreidegasse number 9 in 1756. A child genius and musical prodigy, Mozart began composing by the age of five.  As a child, he toured throughout central Europe with his father and older sister, also musicians. He mostly played the piano in the salons of the upper classes for a fee. By the time of his death at age 35, Mozart had produced over 600 works. His influence can be felt today in the numerous gift shops, restaurants and even the famous Mozart Kugel chocolate featured below.

     

    Another claim to fame for Salzburg is as the home of the filming of the movie The Sound of Music. People from throughout the world who love this iconic film come to Salzburg to take part in one of the many tours that visit the sites where this film was shot. Music is still central to Austrian culture today. The best time to catch live classical music performances in Salzburg is during the Festspiele that takes place every summer at various venues throughout the downtown core. For the official German language website click here.

     

  • Grammar Tips: Muy vs. Mucho and Bueno vs. Bien


    Many students struggle with the differences between muy/mucho and bueno/bien.  At least part of the blame lies in English, as its speakers have come to use adjectives as adverbs in everyday speech. For example:

    Question:  “How are you?”                                  Answer:    “I’m good, thanks.”

    When asking how someone is doing you are asking for their state of being. Therefore an adverb should be used in the answer as it is modifying the verb ‘to be.’ However, in English we generally respond using an adjective. The same exchange in Spanish is as follows:

    Question:  “¿Cómo estás?”                                  Answer:    “Estoy bien, gracias.”

    Spanish requires the speaker to be more sensitive to the uses of adjectives and adverbs. By internalizing the rules below you’ll be speaking proper Spanish in no time and perhaps your English will improve as well!

    Muy and Mucho

    1. Muy is an adverb and invariable in form. It translates into English as very.

    Example:     Es muy coloroso.

    2. Mucho can function as an adverb or limiting adjective. When functioning as an adverb it translates into English as a lot/ much and appears after the verb it modifies, unchanged in form.

    Example:     Hablo mucho.

    When used as an adjective, mucho translates into English as a lot (of)/many and appears before the noun and must agree in both number and gender: mucho/a (s)

    Example:    Tengo muchos amigos.

    You try: fill in the blanks with the correct form of muy or mucho.

    1. Ellas hablan ………… rápido.

    2. Ella corre ………… .

    3. Ellos tienen ………… problemas.

    4. Roberto cocina ………… bien.

    5. Estamos ………… tristes.

    Bueno and Bien

    1. Bien is an adverb and invariable in form. It translates into English as well.

    Example:     Estoy bien.

    2. Bueno is an adjective that can appear before or after the noun and must agree in both number and gender: bueno/a (s). It translates into English as good.

    Example:  Son buenas muchachas.

    When placed before a masculine singular noun it drops the final ‘o’.

    Example:  Es buen hombre.

    You try: fill in the blanks with the correct form of ‘bueno’ or ‘bien’.

    1. La familia está ………… .

    2. ¡Qué ………… día!

    3. Somos muy ………… amigos.

    4. Manuela baila ………… .

    5. Es una ………… mujer.