How did you learn English?

[60Yen]

I learned English pretty quick using the computer (freackin' 4 years old ), watching TV and having Family from Australia/Canada/New Zealand visiting sometimes. Actually, my English is better then my Dutch, I think English being so easy is a factor as well.

 

[maushan3]

Um, I learned English since I was 8 years old in school. Plus, I lived in the US one year and watch American tv in m house.

Mauricio

 

[hideway]

I learned english watching movies, reading boooks, playing computer games and participating on forums such as this. School was cool to give some basics, but it doesn't really teach us to read, or write, fluently, mainly because of the lack of vocabulary.

ps: google also improved a lot my posts, I use it all the time to check if the word is well writen.

 

[maushan3]

ps: google also improved a lot my posts, I use it all the time to check if the word is well writen.

Nice strategy. I use that too!

Mauricio

 

[tigi]

Once upon a time I studied English everyday because I wanted to write a letter to Boy George and the Culture Club. And it was also very critical for me to understand all the hateful stuffs those Duran Duran fans had said in the English pop music magazine "Smash Hits."
How to learn a second language?
I think motivation is crucial in learning anything. Of course, the opportunities to implement are just as important.

but spanish is harder than english dude... english needs about 2 years to be able to write and read and be able that other ppl understands u.

In my case i learned english in high school (i had allways about 2 years of advantage over my classmates cause my curiosity about english language).
Then i turned into a quake3 "pro"gamer here in spain and i began playing matches with ppl all over the world. I really needed to learn a better english.
I used to have a great level for my age(in english, and q3), but when i stopped playing q3 i stopped using english so the practice went off and i turned like this. Talking a fking poor english.

I have to say that here in spain the english level in high school is one of the worst levels in this world. (most ppl dont wanna learn it cause they dont understand it or cause they are idiots). I saw that germans have a great english level, all the german people i met were just ******* experts on it.

Maybe the level is so poor here in catalonia cause we gotta learn 3 languages and 1 optative(u can learn it or not), it can be french or german in most of our public schools.
Catalan is as harder as spanish, maybe a little more i think, cause the phonetic, and some gramar structures. but catalan is quite beautifull, spanish sounds a bit rude.
well i went off the topic like allways happens to me...

 

[mika_r]

Is this because your country has a strong educational system? no, it's because i went to an english school when i was 4 XD
How old were you when you first studied English? 4
Did you study on your own? when i was 9 i moved from school (to a french one XDDD) so then i studied from my own. until 11 when traditionals schools start with english.
Did you travel to places where you needed to speak English? united states. 3 times.
Is/was studying English required of you? sure it is. if we dont study english we can't comunicate with first world.
Can you speak/write other languages just as well, or just English? actually english is my worse language. i speak and write very well french and of course spanish.
Why do you speak English so well!? i do not XD

 

[Kimochi]

Is this because your country has a strong educational system?
Yes, English was considered the main language for communicating the stuff taught in schools.
How old were you when you first studied English?
6
Did you study on your own?
No, I learn it with other kids from the teacher.
Did you travel to places where you needed to speak English?
Yes. It's widely used in asean region.
Is/was studying English required of you?
Yes.
Can you speak/write other languages just as well, or just English?
Yes. Chinese and various chinese dialects (Cantonese, Hokkien (Fujian)), I speak relatively fluent Thai, I know basic Japanese.

Why do you speak English so well!?
Well enough to be understood. But when it comes to slangs or lingos used, I'm sometimes confused. American english, british english and Australian english is so different in their ways.
e.g
MacDonalds in Australia = Mackers

 

[Seon-a Kim]

This might sound strange to some, but for me it isn't...ehhh okay, here goes:

I never learned English, never had it in school and never had classes for it...I just learned it automatically by watchin' movies and listenin' to music.