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How to learn Cantonese on my own?

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  1. #31

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    Have been for around 7 years, local wife, watch my wife watching local television, some local friends, went studying Cantonese... still don't get it :-)!
    You learn a lot in the beginning, and then you forget the words one by one over the years... The main problem is, that you cannot read or write it, so you cannot learn it passively, unlike any western languages.
    Better focus on improving your English (if you're not native)!


  2. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by HK_Katherine:
    Go on 9 hour hikes with a local and ask for him to teach you. This is my current strategy. I'm learning about 3 words per hike...
    Then they haven't taught you any swearing phrases yet, as most of them will contain 4 characters or more.....

  3. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tocs:
    Have been for around 7 years, local wife, watch my wife watching local television, some local friends, went studying Cantonese... still don't get it :-)!
    You learn a lot in the beginning, and then you forget the words one by one over the years... The main problem is, that you cannot read or write it, so you cannot learn it passively, unlike any western languages.
    Better focus on improving your English (if you're not native)!
    If you're having trouble retaining words, then I'd advise you to look into "spaced repetition software" (SRS) such as Anki. SRS are basically fancy flash card systems using special algorithms to schedule reviews with the aim to achieve optimal memory retention. Providing you are reasonably consistent with reviewing your language "card decks", it's a sure way to build up vocabulary and keep it. I can personally attribute a large part of my progress with Cantonese to the use of Anki. Prior to starting with it, I would forget words almost immediately and all my efforts seemed futile. It really turned things around..

    Anki
    Tocs likes this.

  4. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by Proplus:
    Then they haven't taught you any swearing phrases yet, as most of them will contain 4 characters or more.....
    I'm still focusing on the more useful and practical stuff like "how much" and "where is"...!

  5. #35

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    Quote Originally Posted by nickvv:
    If you're having trouble retaining words, then I'd advise you to look into "spaced repetition software" (SRS) such as Anki. SRS are basically fancy flash card systems using special algorithms to schedule reviews with the aim to achieve optimal memory retention. Providing you are reasonably consistent with reviewing your language "card decks", it's a sure way to build up vocabulary and keep it. I can personally attribute a large part of my progress with Cantonese to the use of Anki. Prior to starting with it, I would forget words almost immediately and all my efforts seemed futile. It really turned things around..

    Anki
    I find I remember words by association. In Mandarin for example I remember the word for diet coke as being "Jenny cola" because this was the joke the pod presenters told when I learned it.

    In cantonese the word for money sounds to me like "chin" and the only way I can get the tone acceptable to my canto local friend is if I stick my chin out when I say it... The two things stick together in my mind.

    Words I can't associate vanish in minutes!

  6. #36

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    Quote Originally Posted by HK_Katherine:
    I'm still focusing on the more useful and practical stuff like "how much" and "where is"...!
    In HK I'd say the swearing phrases definitely fall under the "useful and practical" classification

  7. #37

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    I suggest a structured course. A few decades ago RTHK published one called "Everyday Cantonese" or something like that that was quite good as a starting point. There are probably similar courses out there.

    The 1:1 method might not really work, you pick up words, but lack structure.


  8. #38

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    Quote Originally Posted by HK_Katherine:
    Go on 9 hour hikes with a local and ask for him to teach you. This is my current strategy. I'm learning about 3 words per hike...
    You could learn more than that by asking on Geo

  9. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by ray98:
    You could learn more than that by asking on Geo
    don't take the piss, at least she is making the effort!

  10. #40

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    Aug 2013
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    Thanks Nick and Katherine!