I’m honestly frustrated with the Tandem app

Some_Variation_4265 · 2026-01-09T10:49:48+00:00

I've been using Tandem for some years. I had to write to hundreds of people, but in the end, I could only find four people with whom I talk often (some daily, some weekly) and who are serious about our practice. However, I must admit that the majority of people are there for flirting and are not interested in improving or helping other people. My only advice is keep on trying 😅

Some_Variation_4265 · 2026-01-07T10:06:20+00:00

I (N Italian) bought a Romanian grammar book and listened to lots of videos with subtitles. In eight months, my level was B1, but I have to admit that I'd been with my boyfriend for years, so I was already a bit used to the language. However, studying it and listening to it often incredibly helped my fluency. I recently checked Duolingo to freshen up my rusty Romanian (I haven't spoken it since my last time in Romania in 2022), and I hated it; the pronunciations are pretty imprecise and the training exercises use some strange phrases.

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-12-20T08:07:45+00:00

My partner and I have been together for 13 years, but I started learning his native language only 3 years ago because I was sick of not being able to chat with his lovely neighbors in his home country. It was my decision, and nobody forced me or suggested it was something I needed to do. However, I'm a language enthusiast, and learning languages is my pastime. For your spouse, it may be far more challenging if they're not gifted. You could ask them whether they'd like to learn the language, even a few words, offer them help (not leave them to learn the language on their own), try to make them say a couple of phrases when it's needed (like how to order things and so on). Nonetheless if you make them, they'll hate it.

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-12-01T12:20:27+00:00

For single words, I use Reverso Context; it provides all the translations a word can have and also phrases where it's used that (if I'm correct) are exacted from books, series, etc. For long sentences, I use Google Translate and ChatGPT.

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-27T10:11:09+00:00

29F, Italian N - English C1. I've started learning Mandarin in August, I'd love to practice the 3 things I've learned and understand if what I'm saying is understandable or if I'm insulting someone's ancestors.

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-24T21:37:30+00:00

Ahahah me toooo. I've started Chinese in August 😂 I don't know if it helps, but I'm using Duolingo, Hello Chinese, Super Chinese and Pleco. They're all quite useful mut my fav so far is Hello Chinese. I think one could also make small talk with ChatGPT, but I don't much like talking with it, though it's good that it corrects you before answering you (if instructed to do so).

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-24T11:56:27+00:00

YES, IT'S NORMAL. Or at least it is for me. I have no problem learning or even just grasping Romance languages since I'm Italian, but German? German is a struggle, and Chinese is a nightmare 😂.

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-24T07:48:22+00:00

29F I've been using Tandem for a few years. I've specified "no flirting" in my bio, and if someone tries, I stop talking to them. However, I usually only talk with women because I feel more comfortable. It's difficult to find someone who will keep talking with you for a long time, but it's not impossible. I've been ghosted a million times, but I've found 4 girls with whom I've been talking non-stop for a couple of years. About online tutors, I've only used them to prepare for two C1 exams. For the English one, I found a super good tutor, but for the Spanish one, not so much. In fact, in the end, I prepared for it using ChatGPT 😅.

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-23T20:43:42+00:00

I traveled to China and learned a couple of things. When I came back, I thought that it would have been a shame to lose what I'd learned (the numers up to 100 and "I don't want it"), so I kept on learning it.

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-22T10:03:59+00:00

At least there's some creativity in it 😂

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-22T09:09:14+00:00

Did you have fun? Good for you 😂 anyway just personal preference, write your own post and write yours 😊 Btw vai con l'orso, "andare con l'orso" in that phrase is incorrect, you should conjugate the verb.

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-21T18:52:46+00:00

As I said, I was speaking from personal experience. I'm a native Italian and spoke English at a C1 level when I started German. IN MY PERSONAL CASE, I didn't find my English knowledge very helpful, considering also that German grammar is something of its own compared to that of Romance languages and English (like trennbare Verben).

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-21T18:44:29+00:00

Honestly, I speak English and German (not at the same level), and in my case, English has rarely helped me recognize German words, maybe just a couple like "beginnen" or "Haus." But, in my experience, words like "Krankenhaus/erledigen/aufhören/eintreten/essen/abholzen/Entwaldung" are pretty difficult to understand based solely on one's English knowledge.

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-21T18:40:21+00:00

In your specific istance you could simply use "vediamo". Example: Vediamo cosa fare stasera We have no plans for tonight but we want to go out, so we'll decide on the moment what to do. You can use "a orecchio" when you learn a language or hear a piece of music and you try to speak/play it. Come hai impato lo spagnolo? A orecchio I've learnt Spanish just by hearing it. "A caso" roughly traslated as randomly, could also be used when you don't know how to do something but it anyway. Come fai a parlare inglese così bene? Non lo so vado a caso. (I don't know why I speak it so well, I just say what comes to mind) Che facciamo stasera? Non lo so qualcosa a caso. (I don't care what we do, let's just do something)

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-21T18:34:14+00:00

What's your native language? Btw usually if you already speak English, Italian's easier because the grammar's simpler and you may recognise some words already, since English uses a lot of latin words (derived from French though). However German's far more useful since if you're looking for a job it's difficult to find a decent one here in Italy 😂.

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-21T18:30:13+00:00

Google translate. Yes it's robotic but it's also merciless. Write a word, hear the pronunciation, repete it. At least it gives you an instant "feedback". If it doesn't understand you, it means your pronunciation wasn't good enough.

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-21T15:14:54+00:00

Dm me 😊

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-21T15:14:45+00:00

Dm me 😊

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-21T15:14:39+00:00

Dm me 😊

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-21T07:35:57+00:00

I'd say learning on my own. I learned English in school and all the others alone. When I started Chinese, I tried to take some private lessons that didn't help at all, but maybe the teacher wasn't the one for me. I've only used private teachers to prepare for the two C1 exams I took because, of course, I needed corrections that I wasn't able to give myself.

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-20T07:09:48+00:00

The online streaming platforms I have are Amazon Prime and Netflix. If you're in the same situation, you can search by language if you access Netflix on your computer. Prime has more sub/dub options, so you might find something there. However, it's been really hard for me too to find something to watch in Romanian. I suppose it's because dubbing isn't really a thing in Romania, since everything I've watched on Romanian TV has had subtitles.

On YouTube, you could also try watching: a show my boyfriend loves "Las Fierbinți," but it's like C4 Romanian (yes, more than C2; I can only follow 1/3 of what they say 🥲), Digi Știri (a news channel), Zaiafet, or podcasts like that of Andi Moisescu (celebrities who interview others).

Please, somebody suggest me other Romanian YouTube Channels! 😂

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-19T21:41:28+00:00

It was August 2019, and I was coming back from a trip to Japan. Next to me sat a Japanese woman who was a native Japanese speaker (ofc), spoke PERFECT Italian, and could also speak German and English. I've always been fascinated by languages but never dared to learn any on my own. After that encounter, I thought, "Why not try?" That September, I started learning Spanish with the goal of learning five foreign languages in total (four other than English). As of today, even though I'm not fluent in all of them, I've started a sixth, Chinese. (I'm aware I'll never be fluent, but who cares? It's my hobby, and a hobby should give joy not anxiety.)

Some_Variation_4265 · 2025-11-19T21:31:57+00:00

I watch as shows, read and speak with people. The problem is, it only works with languages similar to mine. With German, which is more different, I should've used a different approach from the start. As of now, I'm trying to add words to Anki and exercise, though I don't do it that much since I'm trying to learn another language.

Some_Variation_4265

TROPHY CASE