English vs Spanish

[nocturnus33]

I hate how bad I am with English verbs conjugations. I'd just need to remember I know how to conjugate them in Spanish, maybe I'd be less intimidated by them.

Comments

[dhw]

Wow, that's a lot of conjugations in Spanish - I'm afraid, as a language, it is more or less a complete mystery to me (I learnt German, French and Latin at school). I really ought to learn some Spanish - at least the basics - as it really is a rather shameful gap in my knowledge.

[nocturnus33]

I think German has the trophy of the confusing language if you master that one, Spanish shouldn't be that difficult to you. Knowing Latin and French won't hurt you in that challenge.

[dhw]

I don't find German too bad (French was much worse), but I wonder whether or not it's because I can see the similarities between English and German. Not that there aren't any between English and French, but I just seem to be able to pick them up easier in German. Very odd.

The thing I find most confusing is gendered words. I mean, how do you know?!

[nocturnus33]

I have no idea how to explain it, it's just cultural, at least not the kind of things I have ever thing about it. In my case, I find French and Portuguese easy. I'm not fluent on them but I can make the link with Spanish and understand them pretty well.

[dhw]

That's what my friend says, too! She's Galician, and I asked her about how you can tell whether something is male or female, and she just said that you kind of know. *headdesk*

I think that's one of the strangest things for me, since English doesn't really have that, so learning that things can be male, female (and sometimes neutral) is a bit mind-bending!

[nocturnus33]

For me, the weird thing in English is the use of "it" to designated animals, from my cultural frame it's like giving them an object status. The other "weird" thing is the verb "to be" designating our "ser" (which point to the essence or identity of something or someone) and our "estar" which philosophically speaking it points more to accidental, it points out the "state" of a person or an object. So, for us being ill as a state it's different as an identity. In both cases, I know how to use them but I feel weird using it as such.

[dhw]

It's funny how many little quirks and whatnot each language has that seem strange to non-native speakers.

[nocturnus33]

It is beautiful, too. It "speaks" a lot about the way we approach the world.

[mywitch.livejournal.com]

oh for once English is the lesser of two evils! lol

[nocturnus33]

Hahahaha. English is not that bad.

[mywitch.livejournal.com]

I am grateful every day that I am a native speaker because English is full-on bonkers.
If you haven't seen this article - it is definitely worth a look LOL

21 Times Tumblr Proved English is the Worst Language Ever (https://www.buzzfeed.com/annaneyman/will-will-smith-smith?utm_term=.lyZPDPrey#.ciRaPaY6d)

[nocturnus33]

I'm not sure I would had an easy time learning Spanish have I not been Native ;D

[delphipsmith]

I totally never ever knew no. 12 and now I am LIKE WOAH...

[nocturnus33]

I'm not sure if I will say this in the correct way, as grammar is not my strong point, less alone translating grammar concept to English.

Let's try: "Hacíamos" (We were doing) is the first person plural of the imperfect of the indicative of the verb "hacer" (to do).

[hikorichan.livejournal.com]

I'd argue that they missed a several verb tenses on the English one, e.g, will do, was done, had done, have done, will have done, will be doing, was doing, is doing, have been working, had been working, will have been working ;)

[nocturnus33]

It's true,and there is when I start getting lost.

[mywitch.livejournal.com]

[nocturnus33]

Hahahahahahaha

[delphipsmith]

I don't think Americans ever learn to "conjugate" our verbs, we just sort of pick them up as we go along. I did learn to conjugate Latin verbs, though:

amo, amas, amat
amamus, amatis, amant...

And then there is the hic haec hoc song :)

[nocturnus33]

In my times, it was mandatory during 5th and 6th grade. I'm not sure if my kids study conjugations. I'd certainly forgot a lot of Spanish grammar foundations even if I tend to do "apply" it correctly.