Help me to learn English Like a native

N7.N7.
edited June 2013 in General Chat
Hi, I would like to learn English but in our country and in our schools they really don't teach us English! just a little about grammatical rules :( I learned a little by myself ! but still I have some problems

I just need you guys come here some times and help me to find out some of my questions about this language

thanks
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Comments

  • N7.N7.
    edited September 2012
    For example! what is the meaning of these sentences ?

    we had a run-in
    pull through
  • edited September 2012
    We had a run-in.

    "we" encountered "something"

    A run-in is an encounter.

    As for pull through, it depends on context. It could mean "to get well"
  • N7.N7.
    edited September 2012
    Thanks a lot. It was useful, I'll back with more questions:D
  • edited September 2012
    Glad to help.
  • edited September 2012
    Other meanings for "Pull-through": To Persevere, to Overcome.

    Be sure to ask more questions when you have them! Good luck! Your English is pretty good for someone who's self taught.
  • edited September 2012
    The >$$ Thread Title $$<< made me think this was spam/a lucrative venture at first
  • edited September 2012
    JedExodus wrote: »
    The >$$ Thread Title $$<< made me think this was spam/a lucrative venture at first

    I was hoping for an opportunity to get rich quick, and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.
  • N7.N7.
    edited September 2012
    Thanks again, my main problem is that I just know 3500 Words in English
    My vocabulary holds around 4000 words, I tried to learn more but it's so hard

    I want to know which words are more important in this language

    Could you refer some of them ?
  • edited September 2012
    3,500 words is pretty good! Stick with it. Learning a new language is hard when you're older, but it's worth it.
  • N7.N7.
    edited September 2012
    3,500 words is pretty good! Stick with it. Learning a new language is hard when you're older, but it's worth it.

    Thanks but I just need English
    I'm still a beginner

    15000 Words would be good for me
  • edited September 2012
    English is a very complicated language, but native speakers can often understand you even if you do not say something exactly right. Keep practicing!

    You may want to spend some time looking over the Simple English version of Wikipedia, where people try to write in simple, common words. See if you can understand the articles there.

    There is also Ogden's List of 850 basic English words, that he thought were most important, but that was back in 1930, so it is a bit out of date. You can still see if you understand them all.
  • edited September 2012
    Yeah, don't worry about grammar, native speakers don't. :p

    However, seriously, please do. You'll end up sounding better than most.
  • edited September 2012
    N7. wrote: »
    Thanks again, my main problem is that I just know 3500 Words in English

    I tried to learn more but it's so hard

    I want to know which words are more important in this language

    Could you refer some of them ?

    I'd actually suggest reading children's books (not necessarily the illustrated kind. Could be short novels). If you've got gaps in words that you should know then it's a good way to correct that because you've got all the time you need to look up that word. And since it's fiction, it's likely that those same words will show up multiple times within the story so you'll get a bit of practice in.

    If you're not a reader, picking an interesting show to watch in English would be a good second option.
  • edited September 2012
    I'd actually suggest reading children's books (not necessarily the illustrated kind. Could be short novels). If you've got gaps in words that you should know then it's a good way to correct that because you've got all the time you need to look up that word. And since it's fiction, it's likely that those same words will show up multiple times within the story so you'll get a bit of practice in.

    If you're not a reader, picking an interesting show to watch in English would be a good second option.

    I second the idea of trying children's books.

    Perhaps try books you've already read in your native tongue, so that you can get the general gist of the story. That'll help you puzzle out the meaning of words on your own. I'd say the Harry Potter books might be worth a try, seeing as each book becomes more complex than the previous one, which may help you build up your language skills.
  • N7.N7.
    edited September 2012
    Edited
  • edited September 2012
    English is a very complicated language.

    No it isn't.

    I'm not saying that learning English should be a piece of cake, but Russian is far-far more complicated, and English is incredibly simple in comparison :p (And I'm sure there are several languages more complicated than Russian)
  • edited September 2012
    English is the hardest language to master(it's all because of our rule exceptions and plurals), but it's not like any one uses proper grammar any more.
  • VainamoinenVainamoinen Moderator
    edited September 2012
    Johro wrote: »
    English is the hardest language to master(it's all because of our rule exceptions and plurals), but it's not like any one uses proper grammar any more.

    lachen.gif

    English doesn't even have a grammatical gender. And that's what kicks a language's arbitrariness way up! In English, rule exceptions in spoken language are relatively seldom; analogy is the right path 90% of the time. The hard part is the arbitrary spelling, particularly the defunct spoken/written vowel sound/letter connection. But that's about it.

    http://mylanguages.org/difficult_languages.php
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Difficulty_of_learning_languages
    http://www.lexiophiles.com/featured-articles/top-list-of-the-hardest-languages-to-learn
    http://www.fluentin3months.com/most-difficult-language/
  • edited September 2012
    we lean in english in iran.. who said we dont learn
    english here
    n7 iknow that we dont have a good books but we have english class and you know it too.
    but if you want you can خواستن توانستن هست
    im happy that i can found one of my compatriot
    im going to say something about a people who think iran is Arab
    ok forget that. we are not arab we are persian
  • edited September 2012
    English doesn't even have a grammatical gender.

    True, but I never really had problems with genders. I guess it's something else to learn, but once you get the hang of them, words just look "right". Maybe that's just me, I have a pretty good memory. It's really the fluidity of the spoken sentences that is the hardest in English I suppose. You could have two synonyms, but one is never used in a particular sentence and there is no way to know that but practise(a lot of languages are similar, but boy do we love our synonyms). I work with a dude who's native French, but has spoken fluent English for 15 years.... and every now and then there's still a slip.
  • edited September 2012
    You can learn English online, I think http://www.idiomaswatson.com/ this will help you to learn English.
  • edited September 2012
    You can play Hidden-Object games,to learn lots of nouns
  • edited September 2012
    Andorxor wrote: »
    You can play Hidden-Object games,to learn lots of nouns

    And they'll make you want to learn lots of profanities.
  • N7.N7.
    edited September 2012
    When should we use of this sentence ? "We have been down this road before"
    I know what is mean of this sentence, I just would to know when should we use such a sentence like this ?
  • edited September 2012
    It means someone is suggesting to do something that has already been tried, and has not been successful in the past. It could be in business or in a relationship. (Sometimes sports announcers use it, too.)

    A business example: In the past year, two social media companies, Zynga and Facebook, have "gone public" (meaning they issued stock for public trading for the first time). In both cases, the value of the stock has gone way down since it was issued. Say some third social media company has an idea to go public now. We've been down that road before.

    Relationship example: A man and a woman have two children, but the man and the woman fight a lot. The woman wants to stop fighting and suggests to the man that having another child might bring them closer together. The man could say, "We've been down that road before," meaning it didn't work the last two times. Everyone else would just scream "NO!" at them.
  • N7.N7.
    edited September 2012
    WarpSpeed wrote: »
    It means someone is suggesting to do something that has already been tried, and has not been successful in the past. It could be in business or in a relationship. (Sometimes sports announcers use it, too.)

    A business example: In the past year, two social media companies, Zynga and Facebook, have "gone public" (meaning they issued stock for public trading for the first time). In both cases, the value of the stock has gone way down since it was issued. Say some third social media company has an idea to go public now. We've been down that road before.

    Relationship example: A man and a woman have two children, but the man and the woman fight a lot. The woman wants to stop fighting and suggests to the man that having another child might bring them closer together. The man could say, "We've been down that road before," meaning it didn't work the last two times. Everyone else would just scream "NO!" at them.


    Thanks a lot, it was a complete description
    I have two more questions :D

    first:
    What is mean of sidelines ? for example she's staying on the sidelines

    second:
    When should we use "pieced together" ?
    for example "Have you pieced together how should we do that ?"
    I mean when people use this:confused:
    is it general ?
  • edited September 2012
    Sidelines comes from sports. Some sports are played on a field, where the lines at the top and bottom are goal lines, and the lines on the side are sidelines. They are called different things in different sports, but you get the idea. The people playing the game are in the field. Someone standing on the sidelines is watching the game but not playing it. That can be made more general, so for example, someone who is reading this message but never posts on this forum could be said to be reading from the sidelines.

    Pieced together is like a puzzle, where you have to put pieces together to finish the puzzle. It just means you need to work to figure out the solution.
  • edited September 2012
    N7. wrote: »
    Thanks a lot, it was a complete description
    I have two more questions :D

    first:
    What is mean of sidelines ? for example she's staying on the sidelines
    It's a reference to sporting events.

    Many sports use a field, and the edges of the field are usually marked by lines. The sidelines refer to the lines which run from one goal to the other; while goal lines are the lines on either edge of the field which is nearest to either goal. "Staying (or sitting) on the sidelines" refers to watching the game without actually being a part of playing it.

    4fU4t.png

    This, in common (non-sports-related) usage, means to deliberately not get involved in a situation more than to just watch what is happening.


    second:
    When should we use "pieced together" ?
    for example "Have you pieced together how should we do that ?"
    When you think "pieced together", think of something you have to fix, like a jigsaw puzzle:
    ehMHK.png
    So, "piecing (something) together" basically means solving a problem by looking at the different things involved in the problem and figuring out how they fit together.
  • N7.N7.
    edited September 2012
    I really appreciate both of you, I think I'll never forget mean of this word "Sidelines"
    thanks

    I'll come back with more questions :o
  • N7.N7.
    edited September 2012
    Hi again, I have some more questions

    1: What is mean of "surged" ?
    for example "they surged through the relays and hit Arcturus station"
    this sentence is from Mass Effect3

    2: What is mean of "I'm flattered" ?

    3: In this sentence what's mean of "principle"?(it's the larger principle that matters
    )

    4: what's mean of "I'll hammer them " ?
    for example "I'll hammer them with every soldier, ship, and bullet we've got"
    it's from ME3 too

    5: What does mean bold section in the bottom sentence ?
    How long can we keep that up ?

    6: What does mean blod section in the bottom sentence ?
    I'm buying us time, keeping us in the game while you gather what we need for this Prothean device
    this sentence is from ME3 too

    7: and finally what is mean of "So keep at it" ?

    thanks a lot
  • edited September 2012
    1) Surged. There's several meanings to the word, but in this case, it would mean that a very large group of 'them' passed through the relays very quickly.

    2) I'm Flattered. If you flatter someone, you compliment them - for example, I could say that you wanting to learn more about English shows you are eager and willing to learn. That would be praise / flattery. Saying "I'm flattered" means that you accept the praise and appreciate it.

    3) Principle. "It's the larger principle that matters." Hmm. Not sure.
    I'd need more context to explain this one. Can someone else help?

    4) I'll Hammer Them. In this case, it would mean that they will attack with every soldier, ship and bullet they've got. When you use a hammer, you smash it against something (usually a nail) with great force. 'Hammer Them' is another way of saying Smash Them, or Attack Them.

    5) Keep That Up. 'How long can we keep that up' is another way of saying 'how long can we keep doing this'.

    6) Keeping Us In The Game. It's another way of saying 'buying us time'. To keep yourself in the game, you need to do things to extend the amount of time you remain in the competition, even if they aren't positive things. You simply do them to prolong the experience.

    Say we have a conversation that is supposed to last 5 minutes. But you want to keep it going, so you start talking about, say, Doctor Who. Because I like Doctor Who, I will keep talking for much longer than I intended to. By bringing up Doctor Who, you 'kept yourself in the game', with the game being the current situation - in this case, the conversation.

    7) Keep At It. 'Keep doing what you are currently doing'.

    Mass Effect 3 is a very wordy game. You're going to be asking us for a help a lot if you're playing it!
    (Not that we mind helping you, of course. Just warning you!)
  • N7.N7.
    edited September 2012
    Thanks alot it was really helpful
  • edited September 2012
    Happy to help. :)
  • edited September 2012
    A principle is generally some truth or founding thought that is the basis for other actions. An example would be some sort of rule that you use to govern your behavior, like never telling a lie.

    So in the case of "larger principle that matters" you'd be referring to a commonly held founding idea that is more important than the other ideas that have been presented in the conversation.
  • edited September 2012
    Note on grammar:
    N7. wrote: »
    What is mean of ...
    is incorrect.

    More correct would be "What does ... mean" or "What is the meaning of ..."

    The word 'mean' can be a verb (to mean), a noun (the mean) or an adjective (mean) which are used very differently and have largely varying meanings.

    The word 'meaning' is the correct noun to the verb 'to mean' when referring to what a word means.

    (Could any of you native speakers please be so kind and make this a bit more understandable? Because reading my post I just realised that I don't understand what I mean here ...)
  • edited September 2012
    Honestly, Iryon, you did a better job that I could have. Maybe even the majority of English speakers here (not counting those who have studied the language in detail). It's often hard for native speakers to talk about grammar because we often don't think about why we use certain words or why we order them a certain way.

    For N7's benefit, saying "What is the mean of..." actually means something quite different than "What is the meaning of..." We automatically assumed you meant the latter because of context. Asking the "mean of something" generally means that you wish to know the average value of that thing.
  • N7.N7.
    edited September 2012
    Thanks
    Honestly I'm embarrassed to ask more questions, because some of you answering my questions very carefully and because of that It's hard for me to ask more questions

    The only thing that I have is just questions and more questions
    if it's Ok I would like to ask more questions :o
  • edited September 2012
    Don't be embarrassed! You won't learn if you don't ask, and we're happy to help. Ask away!
  • N7.N7.
    edited September 2012
    Now what I want know is that what's the difference between this three words ?

    abhor
    abhorrence
    abhorrent
  • edited September 2012
    N7. wrote: »
    Now what I want know is that what's the difference between this three words ?

    abhor
    abhorrence
    abhorrent

    Abhor is a verb. You can abhor something. (I abhor potatoes.)

    Abhorrence is a noun. You can call something an abhorrence. (Potatoes are an abhorrence.)

    Abhorrent is an adjective. You can only describe an object with the modifier as abhorrent. (That is an abhorrent potato.)

    No idea why I chose those.

    If anyone has anything else to add, I'd appreciate it. I feel I'm lacking something.
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