Has anyone successfully learnt a language later in life?

[BlueMoonRisin’]

I can speak pigeon Italian and Spanish, it gets me by.

 

[Bill Walker]

I learned to speak Meercat

 

[Blue Mist]

I tried to learn women but after 39 years of marriage I still don't understand it.

For instance what does 'have you read the instructions ' mean ?

 

[crazyg]

Well it's one male and two female dogs ... so feck knows! :-)

Good Moaning. Here is the official good nose:
As long as they're all chipped, it doesn't matter if il y a un, deux ou trois chiens.

The best way to get experience in a language is to ty it out on some poor unsuspecting local when you get there. If you make the effort to talk to them, it's amazing how they want to reply in English, even if they have said non to your "parlez vous Anglais, peut-etre?"
I only learned French to "O" level standard, but have been there many times since our first family holiday there in 1992, and can now get myself understood. My reading and writing skills are still far better than my oral (ooh matron) ability, but I get by.
Oh, and I can also say:
Dos cuba libres/cafés con leche, por favor
or Zwei große biers, bitte
but I'm not quite multilingual, yet.

;-)

 

[blueish swede]

Another vote for duolingo from me but You get to a point where you need to talk to other people. To really learn you need the spontaneity to force you to think in the language, rather than translating to/from English in your head.

The Cervates Institute (Instituto Cervantes) give classes. It's on Deansgate on the opposite corner to the Beetham Tower.

 

[crublue1]

I can speak pigeon Italian and Spanish, it gets me by.

Anyone can speak pigeon mate. It's just cooing.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

Judging by the thread title, try starting with English.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

Anyone can speak pigeon mate. It's just cooing.

Cooing in Spanglish gets a bit confusing at times though.

 

[crublue1]

Cooing in Spanglish gets a bit confusing at times though.

I suppose it could be useful if you're trying to get home.

 

[MCFCTrick]

Me neither mate, I'm shit at French, just far worse than Greek ;-)

Seriously though, I think as 'dog' is a masculine word, they'd be referred to as 'Le' rather than 'La' and 'un' rather than 'une', I'm not aware of any other word that would be used to indicate two different sexes (happy to stand corrected though).

Apparently, a lady dog is La Chienne :D

Good Moaning. Here is the official good nose:
As long as they're all chipped, it doesn't matter if il y a un, deux ou trois chiens.

The best way to get experience in a language is to ty it out on some poor unsuspecting local when you get there. If you make the effort to talk to them, it's amazing how they want to reply in English, even if they have said non to your "parlez vous Anglais, peut-etre?"
I only learned French to "O" level standard, but have been there many times since our first family holiday there in 1992, and can now get myself understood. My reading and writing skills are still far better than my oral (ooh matron) ability, but I get by.
Oh, and I can also say:
Dos cuba libres/cafés con leche, por favor
or Zwei große biers, bitte
but I'm not quite multilingual, yet.

;-)

That gave me a giggle, cheers! All three dogs are chipped, and have EU passports as all Cyprus rescues, so good to go.

First visit to France since a school trip a hundred years ago, looking forward to discovering new places and the food is a big attraction, not the poncey stuff, but the rustic good stuff.

Looking at a Gite or cottage. Have driven extensively abroad in USA, Greece, Turkey and Spain, but not looking to go too far south for our first trip with the hounds. So any tips or recommendations on areas would be appreciated, cheers.