Language Learning

1. Estou aprendendo galego.

   I am learning Galician.

   Usage

   Use to tell people you are learning Galician

   Grammar Note

   Language names are lower-case ("galego"). The progressive is estar + gerund (-ndo)

2. Pode falar máis amodo, por favor?

   Could you speak more slowly, please?

   Usage

   Polite way to ask someone to slow down

   Grammar Note

   "Amodo" is an adverb meaning slowly ("devagar" also works). "Máis" needs its accent

3. Como se di "grazas" en inglés?

   How do you say "thank you" in English?

   Usage

   Ask how to say a word in another language; swap the word and language as needed

   Grammar Note

   "Dicir" is to say, and "se di" is impersonal. Thanks in Galician is "grazas"

4. Pode corrixir o meu galego?

   Can you correct my Galician?

   Usage

   Use to ask a native speaker to correct your mistakes

   Grammar Note

   "Corrixir" is spelled with x. The possessive takes the article: "o meu"

5. Cal é a diferenza entre o galego e o portugués?

   What is the difference between Galician and Portuguese?

   Usage

   Use to ask how Galician differs from a related language

   Grammar Note

   Language names take the article and stay lower-case. "Diferenza" is spelled with z

6. Non entendín, pode repetir?

   I didn't understand — can you repeat that?

   Usage

   Standard phrase when you did not catch what was said

   Grammar Note

   Negation puts "non" before the verb. "Entendín" is the first-person past of entender and needs its accent

7. O galego ten moitos tempos verbais.

   Galician has many verb tenses.

   Usage

   Use when talking about features of the language you are learning

   Grammar Note

   "Moito" agrees with the noun ("moitos"). Note "ten" (singular) versus "teñen" (plural)

8. Teño que practicar máis a pronuncia.

   I need to practise my pronunciation more.

   Usage

   Use to say that you need more pronunciation practice

   Grammar Note

   "Ter que" plus infinitive expresses obligation. "Pronuncia" can also be said "pronunciación"

9. Pode recomendarme un método para aprender?

   Can you recommend a method for learning?

   Usage

   Use to ask for advice on how to study

   Grammar Note

   "Recomendar" takes the thing as direct object, and "me" attaches after the infinitive

10. Quero facer un intercambio lingüístico.

    I want to do a language exchange.

    Usage

    Use to propose a language exchange with a native speaker

    Grammar Note

    The diaeresis in "lingüístico" (güi) shows that the u is pronounced. First person of querer is "quero"

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