Working for a multinational software company in Colombia, Daniel is required to speak a number of languages on a regular basis. His language learning journey started at a young age: “When I was younger I went to a bilingual school here in Colombia and afterwards my father moved to Brazil so then I learned Portuguese over there, then I noticed that I was actually good at learning languages and I enjoyed doing so. Thats when I got started with learning languages.” He now speaks an impressive 8 languages (Portuguese, French, Italian, German, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish and English).

While he constantly strives to improve all of the languages he speaks, he is currently focusing on Chinese using Coffee Break. Daniel has also been using Coffee Break to keep on top of his other languages: “Through Coffee Break, I began with French in the beginning. Although I had some notions of French, I improved them (I hope) through the podcasts.Then I went to the Italian podcasts and German as well, and now the Chinese podcasts.”

The traditional ‘textbook’ style of learning does not appeal to Daniel due to his busy lifestyle. He particularly enjoys the fact that he can listen to Coffee Break as and when it suits him: “I love it because I don’t have much time to read and do exercise and so on, so the podcasts are great for that and (they) help a lot for improving listening skills. It’s easy for me to fit into my routine while I’m walking or exercising. I get to listen to the podcasts and learn new things, that’s good. As I have used the podcasts to learn several languages now, I’m quite familiar with the structured method so to speak. I feel comfortable with it.”

Daniel tends to listen to the audio first, without any other materials, and then listens again with the notes and the video lessons when he has time. He stresses the importance of using the lesson notes alongside the audio, particularly when learning Chinese: “Especially with Chinese I think the written part is very important to grasp the language itself. With the others (languages), I think you can manage just through listening and maybe speaking. In previous podcasts, especially with French I remember there were hints given as to how things were written out. With Chinese it’s a lot harder so I do use the premium material. I think that the podcast itself, on it’s own, it’s a challenge.”

Daniel has a particular method which he used to learn all of the languages he speaks: “All of the languages that I speak or that I know, I learned just through using them. They might not be perfect, but as I said I don’t really enjoy or have time to use textbooks. And I think it’s better that way, just getting used to the language and speaking and just throwing yourself our there.”

Fortunately, Daniel’s job has enabled him to learn languages this way as he has regular contact with a variety of different nationalities: “I try to compliment the podcast learning through speaking to native people in my company – it’s multinational so I do have several colleagues in several countries that speak the languages that I speak so I get to practise with them.”

The aspect of language learning that Daniel finds the most challenging is writing and speaking: “With languages like Chinese, you have nothing to relate it to so I think that the written part is very important. Also, you don’t necessarily exercise your speaking skills. You might listen very well and understand everything that’s being said at one time and eventually you can read as well, but the speaking part is a challenge. In Chinese with the tones and so on, it’s tough. What’s easy for me is once I identify the patterns in the language I think I find it easier to build up from there.”

Alongside Coffee Break, Daniel has tried various language learning apps and websites in an attempt to connect with other language learners. He believes that these resources compliment the Coffee Break lessons. He stated: “I wouldn’t replace it (Coffee Break) because they serve different purposes but I think it’s a good compliment.”

It also became apparent that learning all of these languages has opened many doors for Daniel. He explains that in his previous job he had the opportunity to manage a project in Brazil purely due to his knowledge of Portuguese. Now, in his current position, he communicates with people all over the world. He explains: “being able to communicate with all of them and speak these languages was what got me the job.”

It is clear that Daniel has had a passion for languages from a very young age. Despite the fact that he speaks an impressive number of languages, he admits that no matter how advanced you are, you never stop learning.

Which language or languages are you learning with Coffee Break? 

Spanish

What are your favourite memories of learning a language? 

Quick Fire Round

• Your favourite language: Spanish
• Your favourite word or phrase in the language: Tinao – roofed area for relaxing outside
  
•  Do you have a favourite film, TV show, book or singer in the language? Hija de la Fortuna by Isabel Allende
• Your favourite destination to practise your language: Las Alpujarras

Originally from Australia, Amanda now lives in New York where she moved to work as a lawyer. However, she is now focusing on pursuing a career as a writer. Having Lebanese parents, Amanda can speak Arabic and has also studied Japanese. Amanda started learning Italian for a partner. However, even after the end of that relationship, she continued studying, having fallen in love with the language, culture and her friends at Coffee Break Italian. She is now “enjoying learning a language that you don’t have to learn a whole new alphabet for!”

After only 2 months of studying the language, her progress was put to the test on a trip to Italy. Although she was nervous at first, she managed to understand and follow conversations which boosted her confidence.

Amanda starts by telling us how she discovered Coffee Break Italian: “I was looking up ways to learn Italian then I came across the free podcasts and I started listening to them. I then went to the website and realised that I could purchase the package and get the notes which I found very helpful. There was this news article which had a list of podcasts which are useful for learning a language…which is where I came across it.” 

What Amanda enjoys the most about the lessons is the interaction between the hosts: “I really like the people that are a part of CB Italian, I feel like they’re my friends. I just feel like it’s very easy, even though there is no one there to judge me I feel like they’re patient. It’s not boring, it’s interesting, they seem like they’re having fun. I like the balance between Mark, whose Italian is great but they’ve also got a native speaker for pronunciation which I really appreciate.”

Amanda enjoys learning alongside another learner (featured on the podcast): “It’s good as I can relate to the learner, It’s actually quite comforting when you’re learning a new language to know that you’re not the only one  who can’t pronounce something….if she makes a mistake they leave it in there and correct her but they do it nicely so I then also know that ‘ok it’s not so bad if I make a mistake’. It sounds like they’re having so much fun which is really nice, it’s not boring. And it’s nice to have someone who is a native English speaker but who can speak Italian really well because it almost shows you what you can do but it’s also great having that native Italian speaker for pronunciation and just hearing it, it’s a great way to learn. I think it’s a really great set up.”

Amanda continues: “I like the listening but I also appreciate that you can get the notes. I like hearing it and then seeing how (the words are) spelt. Being a native English speaker, I’m not learning a whole new alphabet but then it just helps me when I read it to make sure that I’m pronouncing the sounds that in English would be different. I really appreciate that. Having the notes is helpful if you want to look back on something but I learn more by hearing something and especially with language, I think that’s really important. So I really like that way of learning and because it is such a fun and casual setting, it makes me want to listen to it more than when it’s a bit more sort of in a lecture; it feels more like a chore that way.”

Amanda particularly enjoys the fact that the podcasts fit in around her busy lifestyle: “I can just listen to it on my way to work. In New York everyone is in a rush so I can just start talking to myself in Italian and no one really pays much notice. I can listen to it while I’m walking to work or on my lunch break and repeat it out loud. It’s a great way to be efficient with the time that I have….and then I go back home and look over my notes. It’s a helpful way to reinforce what I’ve just heard to look at them half an hour later.”

Listening to the CB podcasts means the Amanda can learn at her own pace, making her feel more in control of her learning: “I like that I can do this in my own time. It’s great because you’ve got all the online stuff, you can write comments, there’s a community to support you. I like the videos. I’ve also got the YouTube videos with CBI , it’s nice as you can put a face to the name. It just always seems like they’re having a great time. I’ve actually recommended it to a few friends who are learning other languages.”

Coming to terms with differences in the way in which things are said in another language is often difficult to get your head around. However, as Amanda points out, once you are aware of these differences and accept them, it become easier. “The biggest challenge I face is the order of the words because in English you might say: ‘Can you turn the light off?’, and in another language it might be: ‘Light off can you please?’, something like that. That for me is one of the more difficult things because I just want to be able to ask my questions or just speak, but I have to remember the different order. With Italian, it is always remembering that you have to put ‘the’ in front of everything which I think is very unusual but you’ve got to get past what you think is strange or what is unnatural and just let that go.”

As we mentioned earlier, Amanda speaks Japanese and Arabic, both of which are quite different to Italian. Amanda tells us about the key differences. “The thing with those other languages is that you’re learning a whole new script and very different sounds. Even though (Italian) is different to English, it’s still based on Latin so it’s not a difficult language to listen to or be able to pronounce. Arabic is a very difficult language to speak because you make one sound that you think is right and it could be something completely different, so that’s the good thing I think with Italian. The other thing is, because it’s Latin based, I think I underestimated how much easier it would be. It’s easier than those other languages but it’s still not easy, it takes a lot of effort.”

Amanda tells us the story behind one of her favourite Italian words: “It’s funny because there is a TV show called ‘Master of None’ here in the US and the main character is a well known comedian and he spends the first few episodes of the second series in Italy. He comes across the word allora (which just means ‘ok, so’). The way that the actor was saying it was in a very exaggerated way! So, when my friends found out I was learning Italian, they would keep saying this word to me every time I spoke to them. They’re like: ‘Allora, how are you?’, ‘Allora, how’s your Italian going?’ It’s this joke now that has unfortunately surpassed many pretty words, but I laugh every time. It’s a pretty language so I’m definitely happy to be learning it.”

Amanda ends our chat with a message for the Coffee Break team: “I really appreciate the way you guys do it, the way you guys have come up with it. Once I had started learning with CBI I realised that they had won an award for the podcast which they so deserve as it’s so well done! Another thing I like which they do are the scenarios in-between. They teach you words then they speak between themselves in different scenarios, it’s at a nice pace. I think they’ve done a fantastic job with it and I’m very happy I stumbled upon it.”

Tell us who you are, where you live, your nationality and how long you’ve been learning a language with us. 

Hi, my name is Kerstin, I live in Hamburg, Germany, and I’m German. I’ve been learning Italian with you since sometime last summer … so about 9 months or so.

Which language or languages are you learning with Coffee Break?

Italian

What experience have you had speaking and learning other languages? 

I have always liked languages ever since I started to learn English in 5th grade. I added French in 7th grade and Latin in 9th grade (quit Latin after two years though …). I studied English Literature at university, and during my time at university I also learned Swedish because I did my Erasmus year in Sweden and totally fell for the country. Starting to learn Italian was something that happened a bit by accident, I would say. It wasn’t something I had planned to do really.

What are your favourite memories of learning a language?

I love speaking English anywhere any time simply because I can do it effortlessly. It’s so much fun having mastered a foreign language. I love that by learning the language you also learn about the culture and the people. It broadens your horizons, makes you question things, and it feels like exploring new territories. As for my (still very basic) Italian: I was in Bologna on a business trip recently. I checked in at the hotel in Italian, I asked how to get to a supermarket, I ordered food in Italian, I bought stamps at the post office and and cheese at the market in Italian. Everything worked out well and I was soooo proud of myself.

Where would your ideal coffee break be, and with whom? 

I think I already had the perfect coffee break: On the shore in Greenland after we had been hiking on the inland ice shield and while we were waiting for our boats to pick us up again. But if you give me holidays, Italy, sunshine, a nice view and a good cappuccino (even in the afternoon … sorry Francesca!!) I’m pretty happy too!

What’s the best language-learning tip you have found works for you? 

If you are motivated and if you are enjoying what you are doing everything else will follow. Listen to music, look for blogs and podcasts. If you are advanced enough read books and watch films. Like that you learn without even noticing. For learning vocabulary I write flash cards. That’s a bit boring but necessary I guess … Sometimes I talk to myself.

Quick Fire Round

• Your favourite language: Usually I’d say English, but I go for Italian now.
• Your favourite word or phrase in the language:
  1. Quindi. Maybe a weird choice but I like the sound of it and I think it is a very useful word. I don’t know much Italian yet but quindi is one of the few words I know to tie two sentences together elegantly.
  2. Sogni d’oro. Just sweet.
  3. Allora. Maybe the most Italian of all words (except ciao …)
  
•  Do you have a favourite film, TV show, book or singer in the language? Marco Mengoni and Tiziano Ferro have some really nice songs I think.
• Your favourite destination to practise your language: I’d love to go to Stromboli one day.

Your final comments

Thank you Francesca and Mark (and Katie and Isla) for the work you put into CBI. I enjoy your lessons A LOT! I wouldn’t have started to learn Italian had I not come across your podcast but you make it really easy. I listen to you while cooking or cleaning, while jogging or on my way to work. And without even noticing I have mastered the A1 level  of a new language … Thumbs up! Grazie mille!

Meet Coffee Break French learner, Krissie, a 21 year old final year Biology student from London. Krissie recently spent some time working with the Radio Lingua team so we caught up with her to discuss her language-learning experience with Coffee Break.

Krissie begins by telling us where her love for French began: “When I was little I really didn’t want to learn French. My grandpa has always had an absolute passion for French. He did a degree when he retired and he absolutely loves it. So, he always tried to get me to learn French when I was younger but I wouldn’t do it because I was an annoying little child. I was forced to do it at school during my GCSEs which my Grandpa loved. I sometimes loved it, sometimes hated it…and then I dropped it to pursue science. The reason I picked it back up again was because I wanted to communicate with my Grandpa more. I used to see him a lot before I went to University and I don’t get to see him that much now so I thought that if I picked up his hobby we would have something to chat about and I could write to him in French.”

Coffee Break French was the first resource Krissie found online after deciding to start learning French again. Impressed with what she heard, Krissie quickly became a loyal customer. Depending on her schedule, she often listens to Coffee Break French during her breaks at university. Sometimes she has time to listen to 3 podcasts a day! “I love listening to them when I walk my dog. If I’m out for an hour I will normally listen to three but when I’m studying I might manage one or two a week and sometimes none at all, but I just fit it around my schedule.”

Krissie mentions that the length of the podcasts make learning French more manageable: “I love it because it’s in such bitesize chunks and you’re only listening for 15/20 minutes at a time. The stuff that you learn is quite condensed so you learn things really quickly.”

A lack of listening practise while studying French at school has made it difficult for Krissie to understand the language when communicating with native speakers. However, since learning with Coffee Break, she feels that her listening skills have improved: “All the Coffee Break French podcasts are listening based so you’re hearing the text and you’re hearing people talk in the language so my listening skills have advanced massively.”

Thanks to her part time job at the London Eye, Krissie has the chance to practise her language skills with the huge number of French tourists that come to visit: “It’s really great to be able to speak to them in their language and they really appreciate it because so few English people speak French. My ability to speak to them has really come on…I’m only at intermediate level so I’ve got a long way to go, but if I ask them to speak slowly and they go easy on me then I can just about manage a simple conversation.”

In terms of overcoming the challenges that come with studying a foreign language, Krissie believes that perseverance is key: “It took me a long time to realise how long it takes to become fluent in another language, or just really confident in a language. To keep going when you know you have such a long journey ahead of you is quite difficult, but since Coffee Break French podcasts are so cheerful all the time, it kind of helps to keep your enthusiasm up.”

Tell us who you are, where you live, your nationality and how long you’ve been learning a language with us. 

I’m 25 and from the USA. I live in New York at the moment and I work in organic agriculture. I have been using Coffee Break Spanish since January.

Which language or languages are you learning with Coffee Break?

Spanish

What experience have you had speaking and learning other languages? 

I spent a year backpacking and volunteering on small farms throughout South America. I then went back to Ecuador last winter for three months and did a similar trip.

What are your favourite memories of learning a language?

At the beginning of my trip my Spanish was so poor that I was asking for soap in a store in a small town Colombia by demonstrating washing my armpits and saying ‘sopa, sopa’. By the end of my trip I was fully immersed in conversations at dinner and going out with local friends.

Where would your ideal coffee break be, and with whom? 

I want to speak Spanish and share maté with Lionel Messi in the locker room of the Camp Nou.

What’s the best language-learning tip you have found works for you? 

When I was travelling I would write diaries and have Spanish speakers correct them for me. Now that I’m back in my country I try to maintain a lot of Spanish WhatsApp conversations with friends and listen to Spanish podcasts and music.

Quick Fire Round

• Your favourite language: Spanish
• Your favourite word or phrase in the language: Chévere
•  Do you have a favourite film, TV show, book or singer in the language? 100 Years of Solitude
• Your favourite destination to practise your language: Colombia

Your final comments

Learning a language is fun because it is a lifetime process. Each day you can learn something new and get a little better.

Tell us who you are, where you live, your nationality and how long you’ve been learning a language with us. 

I am a 25 year old actress from England living in London and I’ve been learning with Coffee Break for about a month. I actually started the course last year but didn’t find the time to commit to it properly until last month!

Which language or languages are you learning with Coffee Break?

French

What experience have you had speaking and learning other languages? 

I learnt French for 2 years at school and German for 4 years so I have a very basic understanding of those languages but before this course, I could not hold much conversation in either! Despite always wanting to learn another language, I have never really spent much substantial time abroad in a non-English speaking country, nor have I put much effort into learning! Then a couple of years ago, one of my best friends began dating a Parisian and through him I’ve made some great French-speaking friends and have been spending more and more time in Paris. His sister recently asked me to look after her apartment in Paris for a month while she is away, so it seems that now is a perfect time to learn French! Finally!

What are your favourite memories of learning a language? 

Sending a text in French to one of my new friends in Paris (who is very kind and always messages me in English) for them to reply with shocked face emojis telling me I had written ‘A PERFECT FRENCH SENTENCE!!’. I asked him to keep messaging me in French and he keeps being impressed with my progress!

Where would your ideal coffee break be, and with whom? 

I want to speak perfect French to a journalist on the Cannes red carpet when I am interviewed about one of the featured films I am starring in.

What’s the best language-learning tip you have found works for you? 

I always write the PDF notes out by hand into my own note book after each lesson, which I keep in my handbag, and I make as much pointless text-conversation with my French friend as possible!

Quick Fire Round

• Your favourite language: French
• Your favourite word or phrase in the language: So far? C’est ton tour !
• Do you have a favourite film, TV show, book or singer in the language? Not yet, but I love listening to the song Plus Je t’embrasse. 
•  Your favourite destination to practise your language: Paris

Your final comments