Language exchange anyone?

[AlwaysNaked]

Hi guys! Is anybody interested in doing a language exchange? I would like to learn Mandarin and in exchange, as a native speaker of English (from USA) and a former professor of Spanish and linguistics, I can help you learn English or Spanish.

[kimlo777]

Quote

anyone can teach conversational Thai?  I can coach you in conversational English in return.

 

[MonstaInYoMind]

On 1/16/2017 at 10:29 AM, AlwaysNaked said:

Hi guys! Is anybody interested in doing a language exchange? I would like to learn Mandarin and in exchange, as a native speaker of English (from USA) and a former professor of Spanish and linguistics, I can help you learn English or Spanish.

 

Need a classmate? I would like to be able to have more proficient conversational Mandarin. Could be helpful to have a classmate :] and beneficial for myself too. (Self learning German).

[Cube3]

Trying to start on basic reading and conversational Korean, able to engage on English, Mandarin and various dialects, Japanese. Anyone? 

[chojin]

I lived in Japan for 3 years and studied Japanese there while I was working. My Japanese is a bit rusty, but I have lots of excellent materials.

I'd love to learn Mandarin.

[neverletmego]

Great idea! 

 

I speak/write:

English (duh)

Mandarin

 

I'd like to learn:

Danish/Swedish

Arabic

any other language really

[chojin]

Funny, my grandmother and that side of the family is Danish. I'm not all that great with the language though sadly. I do know the culture and have visited. Copenhagen is a beautiful old city! I highly recommend a visit if you've never been.

Curious why you are interested in the Nordic languages. 

[neverletmego]

I was in southern Sweden for half a year hence the fascination with the Scandinavian languages! 

[chojin]

Wow! That's cool! I love that region!

[wilfgene]

14 hours ago, chojin said:

I lived in Japan for 3 years and studied Japanese there while I was working. My Japanese is a bit rusty, but I have lots of excellent materials.

I'd love to learn Mandarin.

CCP, PAP or DPP text?

KMT

[chojin]

4 hours ago, wilfgene said:

CCP, PAP or DPP text?

KMT

 I have no idea what any of that means. 

[LeanMature]

Anyone fit (one) enough to teach Malay? 

[Jason Leong]

Wish to improve my English, and learn Japanese( simple conversation) 

 

 I can teach mandarin and Cantonese

[lovehandle]

Dear all knowing  how to speak and knowing how to teach is two diff thing, always rem

eg if I could speak Cantonese, I may not know how to teach in a systematic way

if it is just a blabbering course, like Apple is Peng gor, Pen is bakt, This is an apple - yi gor hai peng gor......then it is ez

you have to teach from a pronunciation guide (intonation/pinyin), all the way to forming basic structure (which will include grammar)  to have very simple conversation, cos you cannot be doing conversations by saying

apple

pen

buy

ok?

you

sell

how much?

if it is broken and simple Japanese, I can try teaching from scratch , hannibalism raise a good point , where is the location? cannot be conducted a fast food place
If it is clean activities, I might have possible venue
Mandarin, I as an expert but to really structure it for teaching, wow,alot of work needed (and it is not about teaching kids from Primary school level)

I agree with Chojin, I totally don't get the DPP, KMT thingy, hope PAP is not our Spore ruling party

On ‎20‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 7:13 AM, chojin said:

 I have no idea what any of that means. 

21 hours ago, hannibalism said:

i can teach english and mandarin also. i'd like to malay! and french or whatever language anyone would like to teach, really.

 

so how's is this going to work out? anyone has a place to get this started?

 

but I believe among those who volunteered (above), have really done teaching-related work

 

eg seeing how our parents behve as parents might not necess equate we will know how to be a good parent in future

 

teaching is not ez - just to side track

 

[chojin]

I used to teach for 3 years

[rfvhu]

i'd like to learn japanese

if there are teachers out there, kindly pm me

thanks

[Cube3]

19 hours ago, chojin said:

I used to teach for 3 years

 

- Would you like to start a group...we learn Japanese from you and in turn, we can help you master Chinese? I have the Mandarin materials and have taught the language locally and overseas.

[chojin]

It's a bit difficult for me to do that at the moment. No place till mid March. 

I'm also not fluent in Japanese.  But I have lots of materials and could teach beginner and early intermediate maybe. Also culture and accent.

[SpillingTheT]

On 16/01/2017 at 10:29 AM, AlwaysNaked said:

Hi guys! Is anybody interested in doing a language exchange? I would like to learn Mandarin and in exchange, as a native speaker of English (from USA) and a former professor of Spanish and linguistics, I can help you learn English or Spanish.

 

I took basic Spanish lessons. Would be nice to continue them. I could in return help you out with mandarin. Pm me if you're interested.

[BusinessBi]

I like to learn Japanese too, please PM me if anyone willing to teach.

[chojin]

I can teach Basic Japanese from March. 

[Cube3]

1 hour ago, chojin said:

I can teach Basic Japanese from March. 

 

13 hours ago, chojin said:

It's a bit difficult for me to do that at the moment. No place till mid March. 

I'm also not fluent in Japanese.  But I have lots of materials and could teach beginner and early intermediate maybe. Also culture and accent.

 

Would like to offer my place...but prefer to do so when more familiar with who is in the group (sensible, right?) - Why not start with meeting at a cafe or something? Modest group of 4-5. If everyone gets along, can move to a more permanent venue 

[wilfgene]

On 1/20/2017 at 2:33 AM, wilfgene said:

CCP, PAP or DPP text?

KMT

 

On 1/20/2017 at 7:13 AM, chojin said:

 I have no idea what any of that means. 

 

On 1/21/2017 at 8:50 AM, -Ignored- said:

I agree with Chojin, I totally don't get the DPP, KMT thingy, hope PAP is not our Spore ruling party

 

Yuan Si Kai was dead but his ex-subordinates of warlords were still strong.  So Sun Yat Sin, a Hakka also fluent in Cantonese, opted for their bastardized Tsongus/Altai of a Northern Chinese Dialect as a foundation for Standard Chinese.

 

Mandarin(s) are political artificial languages with structure dictated by the ruling parties of the day.

Plus the 4th May New Literature Movement, this so-called Standard Modern Chinese is nothing but a Mutant.

 

Try listening or reading your own dialects while making comparison with the Classics.

Or pick on the Wrong characters utilized all around you.      

 

Not my style to see yet pretend I don't see, hear yet pretend I don't hear and don't speak as if I don't speak.

[lovehandle]

yes, I know yuan shi kai, sun yat sun , etc kuomingtang history but ........I think it is just very basic ones will do, use 普通话 ie China current standard Chinese

If  u r observant, most of our newscaster are from China (even though they might be converted to sg citizen/PR now)

not the Taiwan version, they have certain slangs

[chojin]

15 hours ago, Cube3 said:

 

 

Would like to offer my place...but prefer to do so when more familiar with who is in the group (sensible, right?) - Why not start with meeting at a cafe or something? Modest group of 4-5. If everyone gets along, can move to a more permanent venue 

Sounds OK. 

[Cube3]

3 minutes ago, chojin said:

Sounds OK. 

 

So a Japanese-Mandarin Exchange group? Am situated at Chinatown...would meeting around here be a good idea? On a weekend (to start things off)?

[lovehandle]

On ‎23‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 2:50 PM, Cube3 said:

 

So a Japanese-Mandarin Exchange group? Am situated at Chinatown...would meeting around here be a good idea? On a weekend (to start things off)?

cube 3 you r teaching which language?

public places may not be a good option

 

[Cube3]

On 22/01/2017 at 10:08 PM, chojin said:

I can teach Basic Japanese from March. 

 

3 hours ago, -Ignored- said:

cube 3 you r teaching which language?

public places may not be a good option

 

 

Thot chojin could start off with the Japanese teaching...? I would like to suggest a potential venue for an introductory first session, which is a brand new food court at Havelock II (it's located right across from Hong Lim Park, beside Tongji Yiyuan/opp. Furama Hotel Central). This mall is only about 25% tenanted e.g. nobody knows there's a Cold Storage in the basement! - but the food court is decent offering nice kopi and snacks. As it is not very well-known, the food court on level 2 is largely empty with hardly any visitors. It is a good, quiet space we can use before people start patronising.

[chojin]

I'm open to the idea. But I am not free till mid March.

Also daytime hours. Evenings and weekends I am unavailable... Probably inconvenient for most.... Sorry.

[lovehandle]

Havelock 2 is indeed quiet

 

they have start to operate?


Oh, from march.... Chojin,

may I know your nationality? American? but the name.....cannot be Japanese too , very rare jp name too even  if it is

[chojin]

8 minutes ago, -Ignored- said:

Havelock 2 is indeed quiet

 

they have start to operate?


Oh, from march.... Chojin,

may I know your nationality? American? but the name.....cannot be Japanese too , very rare jp name too even  if it is

Yup, American.  Chojin is kind of based on a funny nickname I had when I was living in Japan. 超人

[kingbitch]

1) I'll be following this thread closely. Learned Japanese in a school years ago, but never got a real chance to put any of that into practice.

 

2) I'm also very interested to pick up Portuguese; looking for others who are similarly interested to learn or to teach.

[lovehandle]

6 hours ago, chojin said:

Yup, American.  Chojin is kind of based on a funny nickname I had when I was living in Japan. 超人

noted,

superman

 

 

 

アメリカの超人,おもしろいですね!

[lovehandle]

@chojin
The reason why I asked about nationality is I m trying to help as many mbrs as possible, I noticed some may have issue in findg hattenbas, saunas in jp and from their googling is leading them nowhere too

Of course I know the regulars who know jp language but they could be busy now

I wish to contribute to this forum (not just in the area of language but in as many areas) too

I wish to see value-adding lifestyle

 

 

So sorry Cube3, I just saw that you offered your place? which is good but could u roughly say is your place - directly near to an MRT , or is near to which line/mrt , extreme east or which location? (don't have to disclose the address for now)

 

Kingbitch:U r not bitchy right? Halfway thru' the lessons, will the participants get something from you? lol

On ‎22‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 11:28 PM, Cube3 said:

 

 

Would like to offer my place...but prefer to do so when more familiar with who is in the group (sensible, right?) - Why not start with meeting at a cafe or something? Modest group of 4-5. If everyone gets along, can move to a more permanent venue 

9 hours ago, kingbitch said:

1) I'll be following this thread closely. Learned Japanese in a school years ago, but never got a real chance to put any of that into practice.

 

2) I'm also very interested to pick up Portuguese; looking for others who are similarly interested to learn or to teach.

 

[kingbitch]

2 hours ago, -Ignored- said:

@chojin
The reason why I asked about nationality is I m trying to help as many mbrs as possible, I noticed some may have issue in findg hattenbas, saunas in jp and from their googling is leading them nowhere too

Of course I know the regulars who know jp language but they could be busy now

I wish to contribute to this forum (not just in the area of language but in as many areas) too

I wish to see value-adding lifestyle

 

 

So sorry Cube3, I just saw that you offered your place? which is good but could u roughly say is your place - directly near to an MRT , or is near to which line/mrt , extreme east or which location? (don't have to disclose the address for now)

 

Kingbitch:U r not bitchy right? Halfway thru' the lessons, will the participants get something from you? lol

 

 

LOL. I'm mostly bitchy to aunties who step on my shoes in the bus....

 

Yeah I was trying to figure out what I can contribute to the group. My Mandarin is half-baked, my English is of no particular strength, and no one mentioned interest in Bahasa Indonesia. I could bring Famous Amos Cookies i guess?

[chojin]

4 hours ago, kingbitch said:

 

LOL. I'm mostly bitchy to aunties who step on my shoes in the bus....

 

Yeah I was trying to figure out what I can contribute to the group. My Mandarin is half-baked, my English is of no particular strength, and no one mentioned interest in Bahasa Indonesia. I could bring Famous Amos Cookies i guess?

I won't say no to Famous Amos cookies! 

[Cube3]

21 hours ago, chojin said:

I'm open to the idea. But I am not free till mid March.

Also daytime hours. Evenings and weekends I am unavailable... Probably inconvenient for most.... Sorry.

 

I guess we could bring this up again nearer March (but you'd have your place ready by then anyway). I'm ok with daytime hours but not sure about anybody else. Well, if there's sufficient interest, people can post here to add up to a critical mass...?

[chojin]

@-Ignored-

If you know of anyone of the Japanese speaking regulars that are better suited to teach Japanese, I'm fine with that. I know my daytime hours are hard to work with and my Japanese was never fluent. That's why I mention I can teach beginner to intermediate only as well as culture and practical advice.
I won't pretend to know more that I do. LOL

[lovehandle]

5 minutes ago, chojin said:

@-Ignored-

If you know of anyone of the Japanese speaking regulars that are better suited to teach Japanese, I'm fine with that. I know my daytime hours are hard to work with and my Japanese was never fluent. That's why I mention I can teach beginner to intermediate only as well as culture and practical advice.
I won't pretend to know more that I do. LOL

Tutor Chojin
they totally wont take up the roles, sadly, it could also be due to teaching is not an easy task

 

Kingbitch

Will participants grow fat after consuming cookies? I guess to make it more motivating, only those who answered Sensee 's questions correctly get your cookies?

わかりますか？and I think from what you mentioned about mandarin, u r very likely to be a tutee

 

11 hours ago, kingbitch said:

 

LOL. I'm mostly bitchy to aunties who step on my shoes in the bus...

 

Yeah I was trying to figure out what I can contribute to the group. My Mandarin is half-baked, my English is of no particular strength, and no one mentioned interest in Bahasa Indonesia. I could bring Famous Amos Cookies i guess?

 

[chojin]

In regards to learning Japanese, you can start now on your own by learning the two syllabic 'alphabets', Hiragana and Katakana.  You can easily learn them both in a week or so. 

Each of the characters represent a sound and so work like the English alphabet that you are familiar with. Japanese has far less sounds than English, so it will be fairly easy to pick up Hiragana and Katakana for many of you.

 

Katakana is used mostly for foreign words, business names, or as a way of making a text stand out. Since Japanese uses a lot of English words, it will be really good to learn this first. 

 

Hiragana is like Katakana,  but is used for conjugation and as an aid to help new or younger readers to read and or pronounce Kanji (Chinese characters).

 

Katakana is used a lot in video games for common instructions like, "press A button", "jump", etc.

 

Katakana looks like this:

エスカレート Escalator  ヘリコプター  helicopter  バス bus  トイレ toilet

 

Hiragana looks like this:

ありがとう  arigatou りんご ringo / apple  すみません sumimasen / excuse me

 

It may sound complicated,  but take a look and you'll see it isn't so bad. 

There are a lot of free charts online to help.

 

If this seems a bit difficult, nevermind, I'll help you pick it up quickly when we start.  

 

A series if books I can't recommend enough are the Minna No Nihongo series. Check them out in Kinokuniya. They have a complete Japanese text practice and the vocabulary and grammar teachings in your preferred language. They also have listening practice. Excellent series!

[kingbitch]

Someone suggested me Duolingo - I started yesterday and am liking it so far.

 

Caralho grande é muito bom.

[chojin]

Deve ser! 

[chojin]

I also taught English to the large Brazilian community of Nagoya, Japan. Though, Brazilian Portuguese is a bit of a different variety. 

[kingbitch]

1 hour ago, chojin said:

I also taught English to the large Brazilian community of Nagoya, Japan. Though, Brazilian Portuguese is a bit of a different variety. 

 

I would naturally have preferred Portuguese Portuguese from a purist's point of view, but given Portugal's current economic and cultural standing in the world, compared to that of Brazil, I'm leaning towards Brazilian Portuguese now

[chojin]

It has a really unique sound, that's for sure. Their food is really good too!

[lovehandle]

and for those who wanted a feel of jp language, u may want to consider free intro lessons:

watch this pg

https://regsystem.bunkalang.com/free-intro-class/

[lovehandle]

On ‎26‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 8:52 AM, chojin said:

In regards to learning Japanese, you can start now on your own by learning the two syllabic 'alphabets', Hiragana and Katakana.  You can easily learn them both in a week or so. 

Each of the characters represent a sound and so work like the English alphabet that you are familiar with. Japanese has far less sounds than English, so it will be fairly easy to pick up Hiragana and Katakana for many of you.

 

Hiragana is like Katakana,  but is used for conjugation and as an aid to help new or younger readers to read and or pronounce Kanji (Chinese characters).

Katakana looks like this:

エスカレート Escalator  ヘリコプター  helicopter  バス bus  トイレ toilet

 

Hiragana looks like this:

ありがとう  arigatou りんご ringo / apple  すみません sumimasen / excuse me

Dear

not ez! my ex colleague immed gave it up after attending a few lessons.....while I struggled with it

[chojin]

Really? Maybe it was the teaching method?

 

I recommend,  saying it and writing it at the same time and studying in sound sets, ka, ki,  ku,  ke, ko...ta, chi, tsu, te, to, etc. 

 

Also draw something out on flash cards and practice recognition. 

 

I taught myself pretty quickly with these methods,  and the other students in the school I attended picked it up within a few days to a week.

 

Everyone has a different methods of learning that they respond better to. If you aren't starting to pick it up in a few days, you should try something else.

 

I really believe in the multi-sensory approach of hearing, saying, seeing, and writing all at the same time.  

[lovehandle]

The bunka jp lang sch has quite a good system in teaching too

but i guess in sg, we dont get to practice it at all

[chojin]

I would also suggest getting a ubox 3 and watch actual Japanese TV live. You will start to pick up common phrases and practice your hearing.