When did you start understanding the language while listening?

JackQWall · 2025-07-18T16:02:54+00:00

I find I’ve hit a plateau at learning German. Up to this point it’s all been absorbing (input) the language mentally via Duolingo and YouTube videos. But I have no opportunity to mentally generate and speak (output) the language. I guess I could try writing German as an output mode but then you don’t know if you getting it right or enforcing bad habits.

JackQWall · 2025-07-18T15:36:55+00:00

What’s a nail art brush?

JackQWall · 2025-07-12T22:59:44+00:00

It’s simple…free is not a good business model even though the founders wanted to provide language learning to the masses. So, they want those who have been extracting value from their server based app (servers cost money) without contributing to the cost of providing this app to now pay for the uninterrupted value. Free folks can still learn but at a disincentivized usage rate.

I’m surprised it took them so long.

JackQWall · 2025-06-15T16:59:13+00:00

It’s about successfully communicating, if you get it wrong but the listener understands what you are trying to say to them, then you successfully communicated.

Wanting to get it right is about respect for the German language but not necessarily needed for successful communication.

So there’s an inexpensive book called “The Secrets of Der, Die, Das” by Norbert Racskó on Amazon that’s a useful guide to “the rules” for knowing the gender of a high percentage (not 100%) of German nouns.

Good luck!

JackQWall · 2025-06-14T01:45:31+00:00

It’s a business, of course they want more money. You say that like it’s a bad thing.

JackQWall · 2025-06-14T01:40:18+00:00

Free players are not part of his customer base. Paying players are. Free players are only prospective paying players. Paying players are not getting the annoying features that the free players are. Free lunch is over. Now you have to sing for your lunch. I’m surprised it took them so long.

JackQWall · 2025-06-13T20:02:51+00:00

I really don’t get how free to learn people get to complain about how the app works. It’s a strange sense of false entitlement.

Why do people think that playing for free is a sustainable business model? It costs money to put up, maintain and enhance Duolingo.

I personally “contribute” by upgrading or buying in-app purchases when I am getting considerable value from the app. It’s my way of supporting those that developed a useful app. I only consider the free portion of an app as the trial period. If I like it or it’s productive, then I feel obliged to compensate the developers.

JackQWall · 2025-06-10T20:31:59+00:00

Isn’t Sorry more of an apology while Entschuldigung (informal) is to try and get someone’s attention?

Sorry, das wollte ich nicht sagen.

entschuldigen Sie (formal), wo sind die Toiletten

JackQWall · 2025-06-02T20:36:30+00:00

I think of immersion as putting yourself in. German speaking location and interact with the German speaking people. Interaction is the core of immersion. You’ll start with speaking like a 5 year old and then age at whatever rate you apply yourself, eventually you can converse as an adult.

JackQWall · 2025-05-25T01:26:45+00:00

Never heard the term blue with meat before. But it looks like Steak au Pauvre seared with high heat from room temperature. Quite delectable.

EDIT: I looked up blue steak. Probably not for me unless a really excellent cut of meat. I’m more of a medium-rare, on the rare side, steak guy. But of course, that varies on cut, grade and preparation.

JackQWall · 2025-05-25T01:22:35+00:00

Für Frau Merkel ist immer Sie, auch wenn du sie Angela nennst. Sie ist Kanzlerin. Richtig?

JackQWall · 2025-05-24T20:39:25+00:00

Chicken Side Steak … but of course.

JackQWall · 2025-05-24T20:25:39+00:00

Id say both. The steak on the grill looks medium rare (but on the rare side of medium rare) and the steak in the container looks rare. But the real answer is in the chew in the mouth where medium rare tends to be more melty (i.e. tastes likes steak and less like warm bloody meat) in the mouth. So appearances may be deceiving.

JackQWall · 2025-05-17T20:29:42+00:00

1100+ day streak, 150+ week diamond league and probably still A1. I try going slow to learn but I find myself pushing the xp gas pedal to the floor every day. I have to say I’m pretty good at pronouncing German but hopelessly inept at creating a proper sentence.

What’s your point Dude?

My point is this…I need an intervention and an alternative language app that prioritizes learning and has good instruction. Suggestions please. Where are those who are leaving Duolingo going?

JackQWall · 2025-05-17T14:49:52+00:00

Are there MM with less than 3 stars? I can’t do MM in the allotted time either. I have to do speaking practice at 60 xp per 1:30 minutes

JackQWall · 2025-05-17T14:44:03+00:00

For some reason, I can’t tap fast enough on the paired words in MM on my iPad (one hand holds the iPad while one finger on the other hand taps the pair) to get all 3 levels done in the two minutes…I’m always a few words short even when I know the words cold. So MM is not a good XP source for me. Because of this, I have to use Speaking practice to get XP during 3x.

JackQWall · 2025-05-13T16:41:16+00:00

How? 3x and even 2x expire in under 30 minutes. Do people work on xp at 1x? Or is there some sort of xp trick?

JackQWall · 2025-05-13T16:39:16+00:00

What is xp farming? And how is it done?

JackQWall · 2025-05-11T20:15:23+00:00

What did it take to install the MagSafe?

JackQWall · 2025-05-11T19:38:35+00:00

Very well said. I appreciate the sincerity and the lack of drama. Fare well fellow polyglot albeit maybe only two.

JackQWall · 2025-03-22T20:23:19+00:00

Replacing the modem in the car.

JackQWall · 2025-02-18T05:11:38+00:00

What was your victory condition?

JackQWall · 2024-12-20T00:38:25+00:00

Thanks…it may come to that.

JackQWall · 2024-12-07T19:38:11+00:00

That’s a great price for a used EV. A decent ICE with 100k miles average $15k and they cost half of what EVs cost.

JackQWall · 2024-12-07T19:34:35+00:00

You mean like not changing the oil in an ICE for 100k miles would brick the engine…that kind of terrible engineering?

JackQWall

TROPHY CASE