If you live in Stockholm you have surely traveled in the subway / metro which the Swedes call tunnelbana.
Tunnel = tunnel
Bana = path / track
Quite literally “tracks in a tunnel” or “tunnel tracks”, which makes a lot more intuitive sense than “metro” I guess. That is way you sign those huge T signs where the subways are.
Jag åker tunnelbana varje dag = i take the subway every day
Here is a compilation of some useful words and phrases you might hear these days, with all the news about corona virus going around. Which are also useful for the regular flu.
If you are working in Sweden, then you need to know about karensdag, which usually comes into play once you get sick.
Under normal circumstances, if you get sick and don’t go to work you will lose some income. You will not receive any money for the first day you call in sick. This is called a karensdag.
After the karensdag, if you are still sick and not working, you normally receive 80% of your salary (up to a certain level of income)
This law has its pros and cons. One of them is that people might not want to take a sick day because they can’t really afford it, since they would be loosing 100% of the payment for the first day.
However in this coronavirus days, the Swedish government has decided to nullify the karensdag law. Since they want sick people to stay at home so that the disease doesn’t spread as much.
In the Swedish news:
Karensdagenslopasi två månader = the karensdag is abolished for two months
It is not very common in Sweden but from time to time you might meet someone that just won’t shut up. In English you might refer to a person like this as someone that is talkative. In Swedish we call them pratglada.
Prat = talk
Attprata = to talk
Glad = glad / happy
In essence a person that like to talk, that gets joy from talking.
Min granne är så pratglad = my neighbour is so talkative
Äldre människor är ofta pratglada = older people tend to be talkative
The word röst is an interesting one. Its first meaning is “voice”.
Jag har tappat min röst = I have lost my voice
Hon har en bra röst = she has a good voice (talking about singing)
In addition to that the word röst means “vote” as well. I think this makes a ton of sense. By voting you make your voice heard. So in a way your vote is your voice.
Att lägga ner sin röst = to lay down your vote (to obstain from voting)
Brevröst = letter vote (when you are abroad and vote via mail)
If you want to start sounding super sophisticated when you speak Swedish you can use phrases like this one.
Å ena sidan… = on the one side…
Å andra sidan… = on the other side…
These phrases are used when considering the pros and cons of something. In English it is quite common to say “hand” instead of “side” which does not really work in Swedish. “Andra” also means second. So “Å andra handen” would be quite confusing. It sounds like you are talking about something that is “secondhand” for some reason.
Å ena sidan vill jag äta godis idag = on the one hand I want to eat candies
Å andra sidan är det inte lördag = on the other hand it is not Saturday
It is kind of an old idiomatic expression which is still used today. That is way the “å” part might not make a lot of sense to you. Just know that it works in this expression and pretty much nowhere else.
Another thing that is very useful to know is how to say is “thing”.
There are two very common ways of saying “thing” in Swedish: sakandgrej.
Your mom might say:
Ta hand om dina saker! = take care of your things!
Nej, det är inte samma sak! = no, it’s not the same thing!
Other common phrases:
Vad är det här för grej?! = what is this thing?!
Jag ska berätta en grej för dig = I am going to tell you something
Det är en sak som… = it is a thing that…
This last phrase is especially useful when you are missing a word in your vocabulary. Don’t be frustrated when you fail to find the Swedish word for what you want to say. Instead of switching back to English you should try to explain it in Swedish.
A heads up - almost all of these words are just English words in Korean. The reason why is the same reason as to why we use the Italian word pizza to say pizza in English. ALso sorry for being late :(
Today marks the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, or as it is known in Korea, 6.25 전쟁. I hope you enjoy this brief fairly long post on the Korean War!
The Korean War officially began at 4am on the 25th of June, 1950. To this very day, the war is not officially over, making it the longest ceasefire without a peace treaty. It was fought between the democratic UN Allies, and communist North Korea, USSR, and China. 67 countries participated.
But before I get into the details of the war, here are some facts you need to know. Until the end of WWII (15 August 1945), Korea was under Japanese colonial rule, and almost immediately after WWII, the Cold War begins.
Prior to liberation (15 August 1945) when the Japanese were losing WWII, the Soviet (Russian) army advance through northern Korea. Their reason: to un-arm the Japanese soldiers and to maintain safety and peace. With the Soviet Union occupying northern Korea, the US occupy southern Korea the following month as they saw communist advancement as a threat. 3 years later, the South Korean government is formed and the North Korean government is also formed. With small fighting along the 38th parallel, a military alert is declared. However, the day before the outbreak of the Korean War, this military alert is lifted.
The war began with a surprise advancement by North Korea as they crossed the 38th parallel without warning. Within 3 days, the North Korean army captured Seoul. Within 1 month, they captured Daejeon (140km south of Seoul), and a few days later, they reached near the Nakdong River (122km south-east of Daejeon). This left only the Daegu and Busan area. On the 18th of August, only 3 weeks after the start of the war, the South Korean government was forced to move from Seoul to Busan.
North Korea had planned this attack with help from the Soviet Union (Russia) providing them with tanks and weapons, and China providing them with men. Prior to the outbreak of war (24th June 1950), North Korea had over 201,050 men, 242 tanks, 110 warships, and 226 planes. On the other hand, South Korea had 103,817 men, 0 tanks, 36 warships, and 22 planes. Although the South Korean military had informed authorities that military advancement was suspected, this was shut down. This allowed the North Korean army to swiftly and successfully capture Seoul within 3 days.
With General Douglas MacArthur as chief, military from 16 countries arrive in Busan to counter North Korea. The Battle of Inchon (Operation Chromite) succeeds on the 19th of September 1950 and Seoul is restored on the 28th of September. The South Korean army advances past the 38th parallel on the 1st of October (Armed Forces Day). 2 weeks later, Pyongyang is captured and North Korea is almost completely captured. However, with the addition of the Chinese soldiers, the war continues.
4th of January 1951, Seoul is recaptured, but an area of North Korea, Hungnam is left stranded. The South Korean army prepares to evacuate, but 100,000 refugees gather, in fear of getting killed by the North Korean army, as they had helped South Korea and its allies. As a result, all military weapons are thrown overboard and 14,000 refugees are taken onboard instead.
On the 27th of July 1953, the war is paused.
A total of 2-3 million civilians were killed, 1,252,934 were wounded, 1.6 million soldiers died, 100,000 orphans and over 1 million families were separated.
Here you have some words/expressions (in bold) that you can use to show off while speaking Spanish. A native will know them, but if you use these you will impress them. Also, in your writings these words will look quite good. NOTE: Some of them are quite formal and not used in conversations.
similar - semejante, afín, cercano, aproximado, símil, parecido (adj.) (similar)
parecerse - asemejarse, semejar, darse un aire, recordar a (to resemble)
el monográfico | a monograph [a detailed and specialized study]
heredero| heir [ok where I found this in the paper (pg. 5) it sounds a bit weird to be translated as heir, but I guess ser heredero is a way to say ‘stems from’ or ‘is indicative’…any comments on this?]
la eclosión | emergence
ejecutarse | to carry out / to execute
el seno | core
la conciencia fonologíca | phonological awareness
otorgar| to award / to gift / to bestow
el grafismo | graphic || can also mean: graphology [scientific study of writing systems and written symbols]
la advinanza | riddle
el caudal léxico | vocabulary level [i don’t really like this but literally would be lexical flow]
la alfabetización| literacy
el matiz | nuance / hint [tomar un matiz: take a hint!]
engañoso| false
el almacenamiento | storage
emplear| to spend [time / energy]
desplegar| to unfold
privilegar| to favor
jerárquico | hierarchical
arrojar| to generate
así como | just like
asimismo | also
poner de relieve | to highlight / emphasize
puesto que | because
docente| academic / course [?]
urdir| to warp [textiles; makes sense within the paper]
Reflexive verbs are verbs that take reflexive pronoun se in the infinitive, such as bañarse (to bathe oneself/to take a bath). They are used when the subject and object of a verb are the same. In general, reflexive verbs are more common in Spanish than they are in English and it’s important to remember that a Spanish reflexive verb may not always be translated reflexively in English.
Conjugation
The verb is conjugated as normal with the appropriate reflexive pronoun. Here is the conjugation of peinarse (to comb one’s hair):
yomepeino
tútepeinas
él/ellasepeina
nosotrosnospeinamos
vosotrosospeináis
ellossepeinan
Placement of reflexive pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are placed:
before the conjugated verb:La abuela sepeina (The grandmother combs her hair).
before the negative imperative (but directly after the positive imperative):¡Notepeines! (Don’t brush your hair!),¡Péinate! (Brush your hair!).
directly after the infinitive:Ella va a peinarse (She is going to brush her hair).
directly after the gerund. In the progressive tense (estar + gerund), the pronoun can come before or after the verb:Ella está peinándose/Ellase está peinando (She is brushing her hair).
Usage
Reflexive verbs indicate that someone is performing an action on or for themselves. Therefore, the reflexive pronoun always agrees with the subject:Cada semana me corto las puntas (I trim my hair every week), A diario se peina como una verdadera profesional (She combs her hair every day like a real professional), Siemprenos miramos en el espejo mientras utilizamos el secador (We always look ourselves in the mirror while we use the hairdryer).
Pronominal verbs
Some verbs can only be reflexive and are called pronominal verbs. Some of the most frequent are acurrucarse (to cuddle), adentrarse (to penetrate into), adormilarse (to doze), adueñarse (to take charge of), amodorrarse (to get sleepy), arremolinarse (to crow around), arrepentirse (to regret), desinteresarse (to lose interest), dignarse (to deign to), and suicidarse (to kill oneself).
Reflexive/non-reflexive verbs
When reflexive verbs are used without reflexive pronouns, it means that the action is being performed on or for someone else. In this case, we have to use a direct or indirect personal pronoun after the verb. For example, La abuela se tiñe el pelo (The grandmother dyes her hair) (reflexive) -> La abuela le tiñe el pelo a Lucía (The grandmlther dyes Lucía’s hair) (not reflexive).
Some verbs can be used either in their reflexive or their non-reflexive forms. By adding the reflexive pronoun, the verb receives a more particular meaning or even a completely different meaning from the non-reflexive verb.
encontrar(se). Reflexive (to feel): Me encuentro un poco mareada (I’m feeling a little dizzy). Not reflexive (to find/to encounter): No encuentro mi paraguas (I can’t find my umbrella).
ir(se). Reflexive (to leave): Nos vamos inmediatamente (We are leaving immediately). Not reflexive (to go): Vamos de vacaciones a Perú (We are going to Peru on vacation).
levantar(se). Reflexive (to stand up/to get up): Siempreme levanto a la misma hora (I always get up at the same time). Not reflexive (to lift): Levanta la alfombra mientras paso la fregona (Lift the carpet while I mop underneath).
llamar(se). Reflexive (to be called/to be named): Me llamo Marta (My name is Marta). Not reflexive (to call/to name): No llamarán hasta las seis (They won’t call until six).
meter(se). Reflexive (to mess with): Sus primos se meten con todo el mundo (His/her/their cousins mess with everybody). Not reflexive (to put ): Mete las tijeras en el cajón, por favor (Put the scissors in the drawer, please).
negar(se). Reflexive (to refuse): Los alumnos se niegan a ir al colegio los sábados (Students refuse to go to school on Saturday). Not reflexive (to deny): El testigo negó todo lo ocurrido (The witness denied everything that happened).
ocupar(se). Reflexive: (to take care of something/someone): Nuestro equipo se ocupa de las ventas internacionales (Our team takes care of international sales). Not reflexive (to take up/to fill up): La ropa de invierno ocupa todo el armario (Winter clothes take up all the closet).
perder(se). Reflexive (to get lost): Nos perdimos en el bosque durante varias horas (We were lost in the forest during several hours). Not reflexive (to lose): Yo perdí una vez las llaves de la oficina (I once lost the keys to the office).
poner(se). Reflexive (to put something on): Carlase puso su mejor traje (Carla put on her best suit/dress). Not reflexive (to put): Pon el vaso en el armario (Put the glass in the cupboard).
referir(se). Reflexive (to refer to): Este libro se refiere a la Guerra Civil (This book refers to the Civil War). Not reflexive (to give/to provide): Nadie refirió ejemplos concretos (No one provided concrete examples).
retirar(se). Reflexive (to leave [formal]): Los invitados se retiraron después de la cena (The guests left after dinner). Not reflexive (to put something away): Retiraron ese producto del mercado hace meses (This put this product away from the market months ago).
reunir(se). Reflexive (to meet): La Junta Directiva se reúne en el salón de actos (The Board meets in the meeting room). Not reflexive (to meet/to fulfil ): Este candidato no reúne las cualificaciones necesarias (This applicant doesn’t meet the required qualifications).
sentar(se). Reflexive (to sit): Siéntate y abróchate el cinturón (Sit down and fasten your seat belt). Not reflexive (to (not) sit well): Le sentó mal el batido de frutas (The smoothie didn’t sit him well).
volver(se). Reflexive (to become): Después del accidente, Alberto se volvió muy cauteloso (After the accident, Alberto became very cautious). Not reflexive (to return): Volvemos a casa el martes por la noche (We are coming home on Tuesday night).
Reciprocal verbs
In addition to reflexive verbs, there are also reciprocal verbs, which are used to communicate the idea of “each other”, so they only appear in the plural. For example, Lucía y su abuela se entienden a la perfección (Lucía and her grandmother understand each other perfectly). Here are some of the most common ones:
ayudarse (to help each other)
conocerse (to know each other/to get to know each other)
pelearse (to fight/to scuffle with each other)
reñirse(to argue/to bicker with each other)
separarse (to separate from each other)
telefonearse (to call each other/to phone each other)
I’ve developed this “language maintenance” challenge for languages I’ve neglected in my own studies but still wish to practice. It consists of a variety of activities, designed to not be intrusive in daily life but keep you thinking about your TL. It’s also designed to broad and fit a wide variety of situations including heritage languages, intermediate-level languages, languages that you’ve finished a course and don’t know what’s next, or languages that you’ve otherwise put on the back-burner. Hopefully, someone out there will find it useful! If you need help finding a resource to complete one of these activities, let me know! If you make any posts relating to this, please use #upkeepchallenge so I can see it :D
Write down all of the reasons why you want to learn your target language, or why you want to make sure you maintain it. Think about them, then stick this list into your notebook.
Write out an introduction. If you met a native speaker right now, what would you say? Your name, your interests, where you’re from?
Go into wherever you keep your resources, whether a folder on your computer, a tag on Tumblr or a physical textbook. Open to a random page and try to translate the first sentence you see in your target language. Try to do it on your own without resources, before checking with a dictionary or grammar book. How did you do?
Pick a random verb and write out by hand all of the conjugations you know of for that verb. In other words, write the same sentence over and over again but with different conjugations. Ex: eu sou Americana, tu és Americano, ele é americano, nós somos Americanos… etc. I have some mini-printables for this!
Watch a show/youtube video meant for children in your target language.
Make a vocabulary list for your major/favorite subject/job.
Create a set of flashcards that you can carry around with you. This can be done either digitally (tinycards or quizlet apps on your phone) or physically (cut down index cards to size.) Include vocab from a variety of sources if you can.
Put together a playlist of ONLY 20 songs. Evaluate them and rank them. It might take several listens (that’s the point!)
Learn some filler words or sounds and practice speaking with them in a natural cadence/rhythm.
Go back to your playlist (Day 9) and learn the entire lyrics to one of your favorite songs. Practice until you can sing it acapella.
Whip out your set of flashcards (Day 8) and set a goal for the number of cards memorized by the end of the day. For example, “I’m going to have at least ¾ths of my cards in the ‘know’ pile by 10pm tonight.”
Have a full conversation with yourself in the mirror today. Imagine you just met yourself in a cafe or a class and just make small talk. Use your introduction from earlier (Day 2)!
Look for a discord group, forum, or other community of people who are learning/speaking your target language. Post at least one thing. Even if you’re shy, ask a question or just introduce yourself then bounce!
Watch a movie in your target language.
Do a little research about into the folklore of the culture of your language. Pick one creature/location/story and try to see if you can find any info about it in your target language. An easy way to do this is to find the wikipedia page in your native language and then click on the equivalent article in your target language (it’s on the left side).
Find a passage in your target language that interests you, then record yourself saying it. Evaluate it yourself or post it on langblr or /r/JudgeMyAccent for feedback. What are the elements you got down? What can you improve on?
UseIPA to sharpen your pronunciation. If necessary, record yourself speaking first to pinpoint what sounds off. Focus on sounds that aren’t found in your native language. Practice in front of a mirror and exaggerate them.
What is your favorite aspect of the culture of your target language (ex: food, dance, traditions, festivals)? Find a youtube video or mini-documentary about it. And try to find it in your target language!
Pick something in your room and talk about it. Be as specific as possible in describing it and how you feel about it. Use a dictionary without shame.
Find a poem you like and copy it into your notebook.
Write up a quiz complete with answer key. Think carefully about the things you think are important for you to know from your target language. Use your textbook or online resources as a guide, but try to make up your own questions too. These can range from conjugating verbs to translating sentences to matching vocab to short answer questions.
Translate the poem (Day 23) and try to keep as much of the poetic language as possible.
What do you have strong opinions about? Politics? Media? Relationship drama? Outline an essay about this topic, complete with thesis and supporting points. Use a dictionary without shame. The goal here is to think deeply in your target language, not criticize your grammar!
Take the quiz that you wrote (Day 24). Grade yourself with brutal honesty to identify the areas you are weak in.
What did you find is your biggest difficulty so far? Today is the day to work on that! Pull up your textbook, look back on your notes, or ask some native speakers online. There’s no shame in asking questions! Act as if you are studying for a test and you just have to understand this one particular point. No more putting it off!
Make a post with everything you’ve learn this month (include all your new vocabulary and grammar points). Reflect on and celebrate your progress! What media did you consume? What resources did you use? What was the most helpful? What were your challenges?
