Language exchange:

[svetosila.livejournal.com]

I am starting to learn Swedish.
Are here any native Swedes who are learning Russian?
We could be penpals! Just comment on this post or come to my LJ.

Comments

[kragoth.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I'm not Swedish. But I am learning russian, and I know very little. But anyway, I just wanted to say I think its amazing you're learning Swedish.

[svetosila.livejournal.com]

Thanks for believing in me...
Still, it takes no miracles to learn a foreign language (trust me, I've managed it already with English and Spanish).
In many ways, Swedish isn't so different from English. But at this early stage I need a lot of willpower or a strong motivation. So a penpal would be handy.

[kragoth.livejournal.com]

No problem. :-) Spanish and English? Must have been quite hard with our past tense. I'm a native english speaker. I've heard that german was the closest language to english besides any other. Is that so? Or would Swedish be closer?

[svetosila.livejournal.com]

German seems closer but it has a whole other grammar system, I'm happy I never had to really master it.
As for English past tense, I didn't find it difficult (at least, after the Spanish one which is basically the same only a bit more complicated)

[kragoth.livejournal.com]

The russian past tense is fun. It's perhaps the most simplistic of all, just change the -òü to an -ë.

ÏîêîðèÒÜ -> ÏîêîðèË

It's amazingly amazing. I heard that german was pretty easy. Why haven't you a need to master german grammar? Spanish scares me. I know a ukranian woman who speaks it, and it makes me laugh because it's in a russian accent.

[svetosila.livejournal.com]

The russian past tense is fun *
Thanks for the information ^)))))
I heard that german was pretty easy. *
Well, the system of nouns must be difficult for an English speaker, as I imagine. No, English is definitively easier.
Why haven't you a need to master german grammar? *
I don't travel to Germany. If it happens, I would study a bit of German but till now...
Spanish scares me. *
But why? It's beautiful and very expressive! All these suffixes!
I know a ukranian woman who speaks it, and it makes me laugh because it's in a russian accent *
I believe her accent must be ukranian too (it sounds different fron russian accent though some people born on the South of Russia sound the same when speaking Russian. Gorbachev's accent is a good example.).

[kragoth.livejournal.com]

I dislike spanish because a lot of Mexicans over here make it sound ugly. I would only learn it if I were going to spain.

I can't tell the difference between accents, honestly.

[svetosila.livejournal.com]

I dislike spanish because a lot of Mexicans over here make it sound ugly. I would only learn it if I were going to spain.*
Spain has its score of unpleasant people (every country has). Perhaps you dislike unconsciously the Mexicans, and the antipathy encompasses their language, too. But there may be some people in Mexico that you can relate to.
I can't tell the difference between accents, honestly *
Wait, and you'll learn. Still, the fact that she's from Ukraine doesn't authomatically mean that she has this kind of accent, it all depends.

[kragoth.livejournal.com]

I've heard something similar to that before. I don't hate ALL the people. Just the, well, I don't know if you've really been to the US, especially the Eastern part. But if you have, there's like spanish gangsters who speak spanish and make it sound so ugly, plus they've ruined any spanish culture interest by bossing me around when I was younger. Perhaps this might be seen as racist,but I try not to just first site. I don't know, maybe this is just shear opinion. There's just something about their accent when they speak it that makes it so nauseating.

[svetosila.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you've really been to the US, especially the Eastern part *
I was in US for two weeks, it was sort of a tour so I didn't see much of everyday life.
they've ruined any spanish culture interest by bossing me around when I was younger. *
Yeah, I think I know the feeling. I can understand your aversion. The accent is closely tied to manners, too; there's the tone of the phrase, with the (im)proper tone one can make just anything sound insulting and dirty.

[b0bb.livejournal.com]

These days, I would learn Danish instead.

[svetosila.livejournal.com]

And Arabic, to balance? :^))))
There's an old Soviet joke:
"An optimist learns English, a pessimist learns Chinese, and a person who has a realistic view of things learns to shoot".

[b0bb.livejournal.com]

For balanse, as well as solidarity - only Danish.

I heard the joke above about Lithuanians and some other languages, but AK-47 was also there...

[sillypoorass.livejournal.com]

Here is one! :)

[mister-mist.livejournal.com]

I am Danish but I know Swedish quite well. I am also learning Russian. You are welcome to write me.

[svetosila.livejournal.com]

Tack!
I'll be in touch through your LJ!