#study italian

So, quitting happens because of missing plans, structure, goals and rewards.
I’ve been to Italy quite a few times (around 30 times to be honest) and I’ll be there in 2 months again. I want to make the best out of these 60 days, so I can use the language as much as possible. But first, I need a plan!

I should mention I’m not a fan of exact numbers like 10 minutes this, 40 minutes that, a 15 minutes break here. Simply because I never stick to it, then I’m getting frustrated, stop for the day, forget it on the next day, want to start new next week, don’t do that and quit it completely. Not just for learning languages, I’m just like that in general. If I want to start at 6 pm but start at 6.15 pm I’m already mad at myself. 

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What are my resources?

• Babbel - it doesn’t make as much fun as Duolingo, but I’m NOT going to use Duolingo. Like I said I want to get the most out of these 60 days and I like that Duolingo is fun but… it’s not really productive. First because the sentences are often non sense (what I usually like because it’s funny), second the progress is slow (the slowest I know) and even if you’re done with a tree you don’t really get far with it compared to the time you put in and where other apps get you with the same amount of time. Babbel is not nearly as cool as Duolingo because it’s way more like “sit down and learn this shit” but in the end this method is faster. I studied 2 different languages with Babbel and the structure (especially for grammar) is the best I know when it comes to apps / websites. 
  
• Memrise - I think I don’t have to say much about it… build up vocab as fast as possible.
• Beelinguapp - It’s an app with audio books. You choose your target language and a book. While reading it you listen to the audio version of it and if something is unclear you have the translation in your native language below.
• Italienische Verben - a collection of Italian verbs and their conjugation. And if you didn’t notice by the name it’s a German app but I’m to 99,99% sure there is something like that in English (or other languages).
• Habitica - a to do list in rpg style. Actually I use this anyway, even without learning a language haha ^^ but I’m a really competitive person and you can join guilds (groups for everything you can imagine), so I joined a few language learning guilds to attend challenges. There’s also a guild chat for exchange and many more things you can do. :)
  Warning: if you don’t do things on your to do list, your character will lose health. :p
• Deezer and Pi Music Player - music players for… well I guess you know. 
• Tandem - an app for language exchange, finding an exchange partner or even a teacher. If you click on “community” you see native speakers of your target language learning your native language. Already with the topic they want to talk about. You can decide between (video-) call or messaging them. Warning: you maybe have to wait to get in, because they want to keep it balanced between different countries. GIGANTIC plus point for girls: this way it’s impossible to get hardcore spammed by men from… specific countries asking you to marry them or who are sending you photos of their tiny wiener. I’m serious this app is PERFECT for girls. Almost all people are just there for language exchange and not to find a girl of the country they want to move to.
• HelloTalk - also a nice language exchange app but I prefer Tandem.
• Google Translate - well… duh. Why do I even mention it.

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What are my study plans?

• find a language exchange partner as friend (with Tandem and HelloTalk)
  
• learn as much vocab as possible (with Babbel and mainly Memrise)
• much practice of listening skills (Memrise for the native speaker option, Babbel for the dialogues between people at real life situations, Beelinguapp for audio books, Deezer and Pi Music for listening to music in Italian)
• practice writing (Babbel, Memrise and chatting with native speakers on Tandem/HelloTalk)
• practice speaking (a little bit with Memsie and Babbel but mainly with native speakers from Tandem and HelloTalk)
• practice reading (Beelinguapp, chatting with native speakers on Tandem/HelloTalk, Babbel)
• learn basic grammar (with Babbel)
• study as much as I can do per day but at least 30 minutes every day NO MATTER how busy I am
• have a small basic conversations with my language exchange partner (who will probably speak extra slowly and clearly, because they know your language level) after one month

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What are my goals?

• have small-talks with native speakers in Italy
  
• get around without using German or English at all. The worst part about this will be that they always start speaking German or English with me (I guess I don’t look Italian at all but you can see my profile picture soooo yeah I don’t know) and I have to tell them to stop trying to have a normal conversation with me so I can make the situation awkward and hard to understand for everyone with my broken Italian. :D Embarrassing moments I’m coming for you!
• set my smartphone on Italian and actually understand the most of it
• get a diary and use it in Italian without a dictionary
• live the language as much as I can (here is a post about what I mean)
• find Italian friends
• understand a few songs I like (going to learn a little bit vocab from my favourite songs to make it easier)
• play a game like Sims and understand most of it (I wanted to use Skyrim but I guess everyday life vocab will be more easier to understand than the vocab about potions, killing dragons, magic spells, being a dragonborn, etc.)