hi everyone, im julz, i live in CT but i am going to be moving to prague for a semester so i thought i would join this site to meet some new people. im 21 and i wil be studying abroad. i hate to admit it but i don't speak anythign but english, i used to speak spanish but i haven't used it in so long that i can't claim to any more. im very excited about going to prague and if any one has any tips about where to live, how to get around, or what i should bring plase let me know i just can't wait to go!
hello i wanted to introduce myself but felt foolish creating a new thread. i am moving to prague in september and am interested in making new friends who can show me around when I arrive. Like Julz I only speak English but I am hoping to learn at least some Czech and to make friends there.
I'm sure once you came here, it will be very easy for you to learn the language, especially if you'll be hanging out with locals.
I'm not so sure gementricxs is correct. Czech is very complicated especially for English speakers. It is so much different than English with all it's cases and the way words change. I'm sure it will be easier to learn the language while living there vrs living here in the States, but I would suggest getting a tutor. Listed on this website are a couple of tutors in Prague, there is even one person who suggested doing it as an exchange for helping with English. If you have written explanations of the language as well as living there, it should come easy, but I think it would take a couple of years to pick it up just by living there. Especially in Prague where it is possible to get by with speaking English. I really like the book Czech Step by Step by L. Hola. You can get it at Amazon for around $35. Amazon also has it's work book for around $20. I'm using this book with a tutor and explains the language quite nicely. If I lived there, I'm sure I would be through the book by now. I've been doing it for about 5 months. I'm sure if you took weekly lesson's while living there, you would learn the language within 4 or 5 months. Since you are not going until Sept, I would suggest getting materials now and start trying to learn the language now. However, Czech Step by Step is best taught with a tutor. It's not a teach yourself book. I've ordered teach yourself in the past and although I've always been a straight A student, those teach yourself books aren't that great if you want to seriously learn a language. Once again, I suggest getting a tutor/lessons. I hope you enjoy your time in Prague! What a great city.
Okay, it's not so easy as I said and dzurisovak is completely right. You have some time till September and I'd suggest to find an tutor in US or at least buy some books and try to learn it as much as you can. When you'll be in Prague learning of the language will be much more easier. You'll hear the language every day in a subway and on the street, you'll all the signs in Czech, menus in restaurants and so on. I highly suggest take a tutor or a language course when you'll be in Prague, there's lot of schools and tutors, you shouldn't have problem with finding some. I know some people who came here and started learning the language. Someone I know came here a year ago and now can go to a shop and buy something without problem, I read essays written by her and her Czech is pretty good, but she's going to a language school and even have a private tutor. One thing you should consider are people who you want to hang out with. If you'll be hanging out with English speaking people you won't learn the language, you should try to find some Czech friends when you'll come here. I know there is lot of people on expats.cz who even wants to give exchange lessons (Czech for English), but you have to consider that these peoples are not proffesionals tutors. If you compare one lesson with them and one lesson with proffesional tutor, the lesson with proffesional tutor is more effective. On the other hand, the exchange lessons are for free.
Julz and Totally, I forgot to say Hi and Welcome! Sorry. I hope you enjoy this site as much as I have. There is plenty of great information on here and the others are very friendly and polite. Even our disagreements stay friendly! Right gementricxs? :lol: (You'll find him very helpful and full of information as so many others are here.) Have FUN!
Hi and Welcome also from me Julz and Totally. Dzuriovak, you see any disagreements? I don't. You was just beign more specific than I was. I see you are both members only few days here, I'm sure you'll find this board very useful. As more posts you read here, you'll find it more and more helpful and if not, you can just ask. You can see for yourself that there are plenty of helpful people.
Well I did say in my first post that I disagreed with you. However, when speaking about disagreements, I was speaking more about the many disagreements in general on this website. Especially in the cultural section. For instance, there is the thread about public housing, another about interracial dating, and another about public smoking. There are quite a few threads where people disagree with one another, but most everyone stays polite. Thats whats nice about this site.
