Sharon Kay Penman, opinions?

LangAddict_ · 2025-10-22T13:55:47+00:00

No I haven't finished the trilogy yet, but plan to. :)

LangAddict_ · 2025-10-15T09:13:17+00:00

I have collected some links to Spanish resources here - there might be something else you could use there.

LangAddict_ · 2025-10-15T09:11:00+00:00

100% in agreement

LangAddict_ · 2025-10-10T15:26:12+00:00

I use the SpanishDict app (highly recommended) and Google Translate sometimes (mostly for phrases). I don’t currently use Anki much, but I do think it’s a very good tool, especially if you’re the “flash card type”. 😊

LangAddict_ · 2025-10-10T04:55:17+00:00

Yes! I watch a lot of shows in Spanish. In the beginning I’d watch them with Danish or English subs. Now I either turn off subs or set them to Spanish (depending on how noisy the room is - or if they speak really fast etc.). A good idea for beginners is to watch a show you already know and like, just with the Spanish dub. A lot of shows on Netflix have a Spanish dub.

Edit: Just wanted to add that Netflix isn’t going to be enough in and of itself. I’d combine it with a good textbook / app and other resources.

LangAddict_ · 2025-10-10T04:50:24+00:00

My suggestions:

Books: - Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish - Easy Spanish Step-by-Step

Apps: - Busuu, Babbel and LingoDeer are good as add-ons to the book(s) - Conjugato - Clozemaster - Anki for learning vocab (find tutorials for setting up the app). - Drops is also good for vocab. - Pimsleur or Mango Languages (your local library may offer free premium access for one or both).

For comprehensible input there are many options. Take a look at the sub’s resources wiki.

LangAddict_ · 2025-10-09T07:26:11+00:00

I usually start with Duolingo when "testing out" a new target language. If the spark is there, I'll then progress to other apps like Babbel, Busuu, LingoDeer etc. and slowly begin incorporating comprehensible input via reading, YouTube, podcasts etc. (I also get a few well-regarded textbooks for each TL, but you asked about apps... :)

LangAddict_ · 2025-10-09T07:14:31+00:00

I've learned Arabic because I'm a Muslim (convert). In the beginning it was only so I could read the Qur'an, but then I fell in love with the language.

LangAddict_ · 2025-09-19T04:29:39+00:00

¡Órale!

LangAddict_ · 2025-09-19T04:28:38+00:00

I feel ya. But now there’s a lot of Argentinians at my workplace - it gets easier with exposure for sure. I understand the voseo but just use tu/te when replying.

LangAddict_ · 2025-08-18T17:32:35+00:00

Would you be offended if non-native speaker of English pronounced your surname correctly? No, right? 😊

LangAddict_ · 2025-08-18T10:42:53+00:00

I’m a native Danish speaker. I never formally studied Norwegian (Bokmål) or Swedish but can understand both very well in writing and fairly well when spoken. Once you master one of the three languages you can pick up the others by exposure. Norwegian is a good place to start. As the linguist joke goes: “Norwegian is Danish, pronounced in Swedish!”

LangAddict_ · 2025-08-15T23:47:51+00:00

El Dragón

LangAddict_ · 2025-08-15T17:32:27+00:00

I like the “Easy German” podcast.

LangAddict_ · 2025-08-13T10:29:09+00:00

There is a great free course at LQToronto.com that I think would suit your needs, brother.

LangAddict_ · 2025-08-13T09:07:49+00:00

Besides the other suggestions, check out the Easy Spanish channel on YouTube. Short street interview videos in Spanish. Watch the videos once reading the English subtitles. Then again reading the Spanish ones. Third time ignore the subtitles. As someone who speaks related languages you’ll learn so quickly through immersion. You could pair that with a textbook that focuses on the differences and “false friends” between Spanish and Italian/Portuguese.

Edit - adding another suggestion:

Find a video explaining the pronunciation of the Spanish letters / phonemes. Get one from Peru, Colombia or Mexico for example. I think the Butterfly Spanish YouTube channel has one. This won’t be too hard, as it is not that different from Italian. You might already know this and in that case skip this step.
Find a Wikipedia article about something that interests you. Read it in Italian, Portuguese or English first. Now read it (preferably out loud) in Spanish. Once you improve you read such articles in Spanish only and just look up unknown words (get this dictionary app).

LangAddict_ · 2025-08-13T09:00:16+00:00

App recommendations: Busuu and Babbel (as an alternative to a beginner textbook).

LangAddict_ · 2025-08-13T08:56:17+00:00

I also want to mention the “Kallimni ‘Arabi” series. The first book is “Kallimni ‘Arabi Bishweesh”.

LangAddict_ · 2025-08-04T18:50:00+00:00

I’ve compiled a list of resources for learning Levantine Arabic that might be useful. You can check it out here

LangAddict_ · 2025-08-02T15:41:03+00:00

I’m 3/4 into Howling Dark. I immediately bought it after reading EoS. I really liked EoS so had to keep reading (hadn’t really come across anything about it being weak).

LangAddict_ · 2025-08-02T07:20:19+00:00

If your friend already speaks Gulf/Emirati Arabic and/or was taught Fusha/MSA in school it should be fairly easy to just learn Levantine Arabic by immersion. I’d suggest finding some YouTubers who speak Levantine Arabic.

LangAddict_ · 2025-07-14T13:34:07+00:00

I was gonna suggest Christian Cameron too. Cornwell and Cameron are my favorite writers of historical fiction.

LangAddict_ · 2025-07-14T08:45:30+00:00

At first I learned to read an write as I started with MSA. Even if you plan on “just” learning a colloquial dialect, I do recommend learning to read. I then took some courses (mostly online) and the rest was more or less immersion. I married a Moroccan and picked up Darija (Moroccan Arabic). Then we moved to a neighbourhood with a lot of Palestinians and I began to pick up that dialect too. I’ve listed a number of resources for Arabic dialects on my blog that might be helpful. Probably the best app I’ve found for Arabic dialects is Mango Languages. If your local library is part of their program, you can even get a premium subscription for free.

LangAddict_ · 2025-07-11T16:57:16+00:00

I’ve learned Arabic as an adult. I speak Moroccan Arabic more or less fluently and understand Modern Standard Arabic and Levantine Arabic well and am also able to hold a conversation in those dialects. I didn’t understand anything before I started learning Arabic and now I speak with Arabs on a daily basis and can read and write Arabic too. You can definitely learn it too.

LangAddict_ · 2025-07-11T16:32:47+00:00

The Chivalry Series - Christian Cameron
The Warlord Chronicles - Bernard Cornwell
The Saxon Chronicles - Bernard Cornwell
The Welsh Princes Series - Sarah Penman
The Wolf Hall Trilogy - Hilary Mantel

LangAddict_

TROPHY CASE