Hey, I’m @bloomzone ! I’ve decided to transform this account into a space for my journey learning italian and chinese
At the moment, I’m working through A1 in Italian and A2 in Chinese and I’ll be sharing everything from my wins to the struggles I face along the way. It’s not always easy, but I’m excited to grow, and I’d love to connect with others who are learning too.
If you're into languages, feel free to follow, share your own experiences . Let’s learn and support each other! !
It's Angel! I've also been trying to learn Italian, :D
I use Duolingo, LingQ, and StudyStack. LingQ is a bit more helpful though.
I just wanted to know what resources you use to study Italian. I feel like while what I use is helpful, I'm not actively learning something. It'd be nice to get your recommendations on how to effectively study the language — including Chinese!
hiii pokiiiie sorry for this laaate answer I've been really busy with school and stuff but here I am !
How to actually learn a language
Learning a language is exciting at first, then frustrating, then exciting again, then you feel like you’re not learning anything, then suddenly, out of nowhere, you understand something and it feels magical. But for a lot of people, that "magical" moment never really comes because they get stuck in a cycle of half-learning a little bit of Duolingo here, a few YouTube videos there, and months later, they still can’t form a full sentence.
I’ve been there. And I’ve learned that the secret isn’t just "practicing every day" or "using the right apps" it’s about knowing how to learn. Not every language works the same way, and the way you approach it changes everything. So let’s break it down properly.
1. Why Are You Learning? This Changes Everything
Before anything else, you have to ask yourself: Why do I want to learn this language? Because different reasons need different strategies.for example
If you're just learning Italian for a trip, you don’t need deep grammar knowledge. You need to train your ear, memorize key phrases, and practice pronunciation so people understand you.
If you’re planning to study in Italy, then a casual "Ciao! Come stai?" won’t cut it. You need a structured approach, real grammar knowledge, and at least a B2 level to survive in an academic setting.
If you're learning Chinese just for fun, you can take it easy with apps and light immersion. But if you ever want to work or live there, you must take it seriously Chinese isn't a language you can just "pick up" casually.
Knowing why you’re learning changes how you learn. If you only need basic conversation skills, focus on listening and speaking. If you need full fluency, you have to do the hard work grammar, writing, and structured learning.
2. The "App Trap" Why Most People Feel Stuck
A lot of people get stuck at the beginner level because they rely too much on language apps. I did this with Italian at first. I spent like the whole summer in WLINGUA and thought I was making progress, but when I tried to form a sentence on my own and yeah I found nothing stored in my brain
The problem with apps like Duolingo, LingQ, and Memrise is that they teach you words and phrases, but they don’t teach you how to think in the language. You memorize sentences, but you don’t really understand why they work the way they do. yeaaa I can say Duolingo is the like N1 app for me and it's the best for Chinese in my opinion cuz it help u memo the characters cuz they keep repeating them for u and Chinese is all about memorizing so I guarantee duo for this one
So what’s the fix? You have to combine active and passive learning:
Apps (Passive Learning) → Great for exposure but won’t make you fluent.
Textbooks (Active Learning) → Boring but necessary for real grammar and keeping ur mind organized
Speaking & Writing (Real Learning) → Forces you to produce the language, not just recognize it.
For example, when I started learning Italian seriously, I switched from just using apps to actually writing short journal entries in Italian every day. Even if my sentences were simple and full of mistakes, it forced my brain to think in Italian instead of just recognizing words. That’s when I really started to improve
3. How to Learn Based on the Language Itself
Not all languages are learned the same way. Some are easy to pick up, others will absolutely fight you every step of the way.
European Languages (Italian, Spanish, French, etc.)
🏷️ If you're learning a language that's similar to English (or another language you know), you're lucky. The grammar is different but still follows familiar patterns.
🏷️ You can skip textbooks if you just want casual fluency.
🏷️ Immersion works really well watching shows, listening to music, and reading will naturally help you pick up structure.
🏷️ The hardest part is usually verb conjugation (french have the hardest conjugation 🦅) so focus on mastering the most common tenses first.
Asian Languages or characters based languages (Chinese, Korean, Japanese .. )
🏷️ Now, if you're learning something like Chinese or Japanese, it’s a whole different story. You cannot learn these languages the same way you’d learn Italian or Spanish.
🏷️ Textbooks are necessary. Asian languages don’t follow English patterns, so you need structures (u don't have to buy them there are pdf and online one )
🏷️ Pronunciation is critical. If you don’t learn tones early in Chinese, for example, you’ll struggle to be understood.
🏷️ Characters matter more than speaking at first. With Chinese, if you only focus on speaking and ignore characters, you’ll hit a wall fast
I learned this the hard way when I started studying Chinese. At first, I tried learning the way I learned Italian listening to native speakers, trying to pick up words, avoiding grammar at first. Big mistake. Chinese doesn’t work like that. The best way is to follow a structured course with a teacher (even if it’s online) and make sure you're learning characters alongside everything else it's tiiiring at first but it worth u will found teachers in YouTube who explain Chinese course module by module don't go straight to vocabulary or trying to force yourself into writting ，start with tones and pronunciation of initial and finals (mā , jiē ... )
then u will start learning how to read pinyin the more u revise the textbook the more u listen to the language, and greetings phrases for ex the more u will start to memo the words in Pinyin u will see the real characters and u will be like yes this is how nihao look like (nihao - 你好 ）and step by step u will rise from beginner to intermediate ..
4. Speaking: The Hardest Part (But The Most Important)
Most people avoid speaking because it’s awkward and scary. But here’s the truth: If you don’t practice speaking, you will never feel confident using the language.
The trick is to start early. Even if you don’t know much, just try.
Talk to yourself. Describe what you’re doing, even in broken sentences.
Use voice notes. Record yourself speaking and compare it to native speakers.
Find a language partner. Apps like busuu (I use it for Italian ) or HelloTalk are great for casual practice.
With Italian, I was scared to speak at first. I felt like I’d sound dumb. But when I finally forced myself to have a real conversation (even though it was full of mistakes), I realized people don’t care if you mess up. They just appreciate the effort.
For Chinese, it was even harder because of the tones, but practicing with a tutor helped a lot. When learning a tonal language, you cannot guess pronunciation you need feedback.
5. The "Lost Motivation" Phase & How to Get Past It
Every language learner hits a point where they feel stuck. You’ve been studying for months, but you still don’t feel fluent. What do you do?
Switch up your method. If you’ve only been using apps, try writing. If you’ve only been writing, try speaking.
Make it fun. Watch something you actually enjoy. I watch cdrama and I try to pick random words / phrases and I keep repeating them and use them for daily talks
Track progress differently. Instead of measuring how much you don’t know, look back at what you’ve already learned.
I hit this phase with english after like it's been 2y I felt like I wasn’t improving. But then I found a book I had tried reading at the beginning and realized I could actually understand the 60% . That’s when I knew I had made real progress so to improve try to not compare urself to fluent ppl !
sources for chinese and Italian
Chinese textbook (pdf download textbook and workbook)
buusu the app (the best for Italian if u don't know how to start )
French pronunciation is one of the biggest challenges for learners, but mastering it early will make speaking and listening much easier. This section will cover essential pronunciation rules, including vowels, accents, silent letters, and liaisons and never be afraid to learn French no matter how tricky it might seem at first eeeevery language feels overwhelming in the beginning, but the key is to take it step by step. You’ll make mistakes that’s so flipping normal! In fact, it’s the best way to learn. The more you practice, the more natural it will feel. French may have its challenges, but it also has a rhythm and logic that you’ll start to recognize with time. So be patient, enjoy the process, and remember very French speaker was once a beginner too!
1. The French Alphabet & Sounds
French uses the same alphabet as English (A-Z), but many letters are pronounced differently.
Consonants: Most consonants are similar to English, but some require extra attention:
R → A throaty sound, made in the back of the throat (rouge – red).
J → Sounds like the English "zh" in measure (je – I).
G → Soft before e, i (genou – knee), hard before a, o, u (gâteau – cake).
Vowels: French vowels have different sounds depending on accents and word placement.
📌 Practice Tip: listen to native speakers and repeat after them.
2. French Vowels & Their Sounds
French vowels are a, e, i, o, u, y. Some have multiple pronunciations:
A has two main sounds:
1. Short A – as in fat → avoir (to have), année (year).
2. Long A – as in father (if it has a circumflex â) → âme (soul), âge (age).
E has four sounds too :
1. Mute E – Almost silent, like u in our → de (of).
2. É (acute accent) – Similar to e in lexicon → opéra (opera).
3. È (grave accent) – Like e in met → très (very).
4. Ê (circumflex) – Similar to è but slightly longer → fête (party).
📌 Practice Tip: Record yourself pronouncing été, très, fête and compare to native speakers.
3. French Accents & Their Effect on Pronunciation
Accents in French change pronunciation, meaning, and sometimes grammar:
Acute accent (´) → Only on é, makes it a sharp "ay" sound (été – summer).
Grave accent (`) → On à, è, ù, makes è more open (très – very).
Circumflex (ˆ) → Often lengthens vowels (tête – head).
Diaeresis (¨) → Separates vowels (Noël – Christmas). (it's not used a loooot )
Cedilla (ç) → Softens c before a, o, u (garçon – boy).
📌 Practice Tip: Read words with accents aloud and focus on the differences (été vs. très).
4. Silent Letters in French
French spelling often includes silent letters.
Final consonants are usually silent (grand sounds like gra).
But they’re pronounced in liaisons! (see next section).
H is always silent (homme sounds like omme - hôtel sounds like otel ).
📌 Practice Tip: Read aloud and exaggerate silent letters to learn when to drop them.
5. Liaisons & Linking Sounds
Liaisons connect words when a word ending in a consonant is followed by a vowel.
Les amis → Pronounced lay-zah-mee
Nous avons → Pronounced nou-zavon
📌 Practice Tip: Listen to French sentences and write down where liaisons happen.
6. nasal vowels
French has nasal vowels that don’t exist in English. They come from vowels followed by n or m:
─ an, en → Like "on" in song (enfant – child).
─ in, ain → Similar to "an" in bank (pain – bread).
─ on → Similar to "aw" in long (nom – name).
─ un → Unique sound, similar to an but softer (un – one).
📌 Practice Tip: Try holding your nose while pronouncing pain, bon, un to feel the difference!
sources for beginners
- have always a french dictionary in your bag ! if u found a new word try to search it this is the best way and this is how I have a rich french vocabulary since I was 7 the more u search the more u pack !
- "easy french" on YouTube : always watch those type of video to hear pronunciations and also learn new words in a easy way + they have subtitles too !
- cartoons : NGL trotro l'âne - simon super lapin - peppa pig ...
Cartoons can be an excellent tool for learning French, especially for beginners. They use simple vocabulary, clear pronunciation, and repetitive sentence structures, making it easier to understand spoken I grow up forced to watch Piwi+ on tv 💀 and it really impact my pronunciation and since animations are designed for a younger audience, they often include visual cues that help learners connect words with actions, reinforcing comprehension.Additionally, cartoons expose learners to natural speech patterns, common expressions, and cultural references in a fun and engaging way. Watching with english sub or watch the cartoon in ur mother language and put sub in french will make since too ! Then after months u can start watching dramas or films in french for advanced dialogues..
I hope this is informative and helpful as a start !
Italian : Chi ha pazienza può ottenere ciò che vuole
Chinese character : 有耐心的人能得到自己想要的东西 。
pinyin : Yǒu nàixīn de rén néng dédào zìjǐ xiǎng yào de dōngxi
✒️. Today went really well! I finally finished Chapter 1 in Italian : learning how to introduce myself, ask someone’s name, and say things like nice to meet you and how are you? It feels so good to complete a whole chapter! I even started Chapter 2, which is about asking where someone is from and where they live. I’m making sure to read everything out loud so I can memorize it better. It actually helps a lot!
As for Chinese, I only did my Duolingo 8 lessons today, but that’s okay because… tomorrow is my 100-day streak! 100 days of learning mandarin ! I can’t believe I’ve been this consistent i don’t think I’ve ever committed to something for this long 💁🏻♀️
