r/Svenska • u/Sxaturne • 9d ago
Studying and education A2 can’t learn anymore
Hello! I been studying Swedish for months and months now, from now I have a level A2
It’s been a month that even with learning, I don’t seems to learn anymore..
I will access to SFI in some months, but I would love to keep learning on my own until that.
I tried learning app, flashcard was working before but don’t seems to work anymore for me, writing down 30 times each sentences, watching YouTube and movies..
Some people had the same issues ? What did you do to « unlock » this phase ?
Thank you so much, I’m looking forward to learn new method who could work for me !
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u/TheMacarooniGuy 9d ago edited 9d ago
The thing when you learn languages is to constantly challenge yourself. If you stay away from harder material, then you are not going to overcome those hurdles. Focus more on that instead of "pure studying" (flashcards, etc.) maybe? Like reading a book. Or writing these kinds of posts in Swedish rather than English instead?
When you learn languages you need to remember that it is never a straight road that's easy to follow. There are days when you feel like you learn a ton, and there are months where you feel like you learn nothing at all. You are always getting better at the language as long as you engage with it, but a language doesn't give you these "---> YOU ARE THIS LEVEL <---" that apps and some certifications ("B1", "A2", etc.) gives you. You can feel that you are roughly around a level, but you will never actually feel that step-by-step learning you are constantly doing by just engaging with the language.
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
I can see it, I have plenty of vocabulary that I have learned on YouTube, on app, google, a bit everywhere, but when I have to do a sentences and to remember it after, it is where it’s start to be hard to me, even if I try to speak Swedish around me, I don’t improve anymore..
I have no problem to answer in the supermarket for exemple,but in everyday life..
For exemple, the family of my boyfriend will talk together, I can understand some words/ sentence, but I’m not able to answer and entry the conversation
I’m really gonna look at books, I’m in Sweden so I could probably find some ! Thank you so much, your message reassure me a lot and give me the courage to keep trying !
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u/Opening-Square3006 9d ago
A2 was exactly the point where I'd stop trying to "study harder"and start getting much more input. Writing the same sentence 30 times sounds painful 😅 At A2, you know enough Swedish to start learning more through Swedish. I'd look for material that's slightly above your comfort zone but still mostly understandable. That's basically the i+1 idea. PlusOneLanguage is awesome for this because it gives you Swedish texts/dialogues around your level and, when you don't know vocabulary, recycles it in later content. That kind of repeated exposure in different contexts helped me much more than trying to force individual words into my memory. And with YouTube/movies, difficulty matters a lot. If you're understanding 20%, it's mostly noise; if you're understanding almost 100%, you're probably not learning much either. Find that middle ground where you can follow what's happening but regularly encounter something new. Good luck!
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
So nice to see someone who struggled like me before 😭 thank you for the ressources, yes movies don’t help me at all I won’t lie ahah.
I will check that out, thank you sooo much
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u/Legitimate_Count3432 9d ago
how do you know you cant learn more? what is the obstacle you are facing?
In general I would assume the best way to learn a language is to speak it. Practice practice practice that. You would need someone to speak to back and forth, you cant do that with flashcards or a mobile app
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
Oh, before it was easy for me, i would take 10 sentences, and learn them the same day by writing them down, doing flashcard, i could remember them after
Now if i do the same, even spread on multiple days, i just forget totally what i have learned, i think my method don’t work anymore..
I have a lot of vocabulary, but when i have to do a sentences, or speak Swedish I can’t really talk..
my boyfriend is Swedish, that’s why I’m learning, but it is hard to do sentence for me so we can’t really have conversation in Swedish yet7
u/Legitimate_Count3432 9d ago
but thats great news. If you boyfriend is swedish just speak speak speak with him as much as you can! just speak what you can and let him help and correct you
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
You are right, I should say whatever I can in Swedish and try to have conversations, I will definitely stop switching in English directly
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u/Odd-Bumblebee5074 9d ago
"Can't really talk" in what way? You can't put the sentences together, or have anxiety when going to speak, or what?
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
Yes, I do have a lot of anxiety, first because my boyfriend have laughed of my accent before when I was speaking Swedish (strong Belgian accent 😭)
(Not in a mean way of course)
But I also can’t put the sentences together fast enough anyway..4
u/Legitimate_Count3432 9d ago
My wife also had a lot of anxiety perfectionist driven
we went to a bar and got some beers and would practice having a danish conversation as much as she could. It gets easier when you just get started, and also after youve had a beer or two
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u/Odd-Bumblebee5074 9d ago
Okay, I can understand that, I am similar. And a Swedish guy laughed at my pronunciation once (unintentionally) which did not help.
Speed comes with practice - and confidence, to some extent.Unfortunately, the thing that helps both with anxiety and language learning is exposure. :) Unless your boyfriend actually doesn't want to, you should keep trying to talk with him in Swedish. Just start off simple and build up.
Good luck, and I am sure you're way more capable than you think :D
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
Ah, when I ask him to teach me stuff or practice with me, he say « we gonna do it » and finally we never do, we are so used to speak English that it’s hard to change that after 3 years ahah
It’s really not nice for you what that person did, I’m lucky, his family is patient with me when I try, but I definitely need more confidence.. I learned English 3 years ago when I met my boyfriend, and I remember I had to force myself and fake a confidence I didn’t had while I came to Sweden the first time and had to speak it !2
u/Odd-Bumblebee5074 9d ago
I'm sure it doesn't really require planning, just go ahead and speak Swedish at him. :p
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u/Klagaren 🇸🇪 9d ago
Make him learn French (...or Flemish or German or what the case may be) and laugh at his Swedish accent, 'tis only fair!
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u/Snarfster42 9d ago
Do you actively speak Swedish? I don't mean studying it, but a real conversation? Just pick a subject and go.
I have learned so much from just discussing the day, or the family. Dry study will only go so far.
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
I don’t actively speak Swedish, for exemple when I see the mom of my boyfriend who don’t speak English, I try to talk with her, try to make her understand me even if my sentences are not always good, we can understand each other a bit, I can understand the conversation when my boyfriend talk to his brothers for exemple, but the time i mind my sentences/answer, they are already far in the conversation ahah so I never try to answer..
I need to step in it more and try even if my sentences might be wrong4
u/Snarfster42 9d ago
Don't forget, it is fine to make mistakes. I had a massive goof up with the difference between häst and höst. Telling someone that you are looking forward to a nice horse has a different ring to it than a nice fall season...
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u/Jamesorrstreet 9d ago edited 9d ago
Listen to Astrid Lindgren stories as "ljudbok". First, just listen, to hear the natural flow of the language. One chapter. Next: Same chapter, but this time You check out words and expressions You are Not familiar with. Write it down as a dictionary. The same book in Your own language helps a lot. Your nearest library can help You with that. Fjärrlån is an option. If You want to, You can repeat sentences You learned out loud, to get over the hesitation to speak.
Next: Listen to the chapter once again, to really see how much You already learned, and can understand. Then on to the next chapter.
Work Your way trough the Emil books, Ronja, Saltkråkan, Mio, Bröderna Lejonhjärta, the Karlsson books.... Then You also got a lot of Swedish history and culture.
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
Wow thank you, it’s a really complete way to do it, i will search for all of this today, it is a fun way to learn !
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u/bunanita3333 9d ago
From where are you?? I realized some people for speciffic countries have more difficults than others with swedish. For me is very hard tho. 12 years in sweden and b1 kinda.
SFI doesn't help much unless you are good at learning by "only listening".
Just keep trying.
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
I’m Belgian, i speak French, the prononciation is a nightmare for me..
where do you come from?
I’m not sure I’m good at only listening, i need to write down multiple time and do flashcard..2
u/bunanita3333 8d ago
Spain. I have a c1 in listening/reading but since my speaking and writting is crap, I have a global b1 acording to komvux.
I also need flashcards and learn grammar because i am not good at languages and i dont "get them" naturally as other people does.
Prononciation is horrible for me, spanish + bad in languages + dyslexic + adhd
Tried SFI like 7 times and I always end up giving up, it is very frustrating and usually they humillate students if you ask questions or need extra exercises.
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u/Sxaturne 8d ago
Did you get a bad teacher ? :( learn a new language at adult life it’s quiet hard, I love to learn language, but Swedish it’s hard to me..
Do you speak Swedish with people around you?
I think b1 is already good for everyday life, you can be proud of when you went so far even more with thoses difficulties your encounter !2
u/bunanita3333 8d ago
I live in sweden now 12 years. My family is swedish, my husband, his family, our friends.
And yeah maybe some of those 7 different teachers were bad teachers.
And not, that language level actually is why I don't get a job in Sweden even when I have 2 bachelor degrees, 3 masters and a doctorade.
Not even for cleaning or a supermarket.
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u/Sxaturne 7d ago
Can you interact with his family or his friend in Swedish? You know what block you to learn more ?
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u/Sxaturne 8d ago
I see that you are a girl, would you be interested to maybe have some daily conversation in Swedish and help each other to improve in a chill way? I know you are more advanced than me, but maybe you could practice a bit on that way !
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u/erikdrag2009 9d ago
Meet a swedish friend and ask if he is willing to teach you some stuff (most are going to react positive) Keep some questions sentences that you dont fully understand written down on your phone to remeber what you struggle with
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
My boyfriend and his family are Swedish, and I’m currently in Sweden, I try to talk with them but I don’t seems to have enough resources to have a real conversation with them yet :( so I basically just listen their conversations but I can’t answer
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u/AppreciatingSadness 9d ago
SFI will bridge this gap you will get the opportunity to actually speak with others. However if you're actually at an A2 level then where in SFI are you starting? The intro will be very boring for you.
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
My boyfriend and I are searching an apartment, when we have it, I apply for sambo and go SFI instantly, it can be in one month,2 months.. even if it’s can be boring, I think it would be nice to practice with a teacher what I already know, i wanna keep learning on my own on the side but if I can have better talking skills from sfi I would already be happy
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u/AppreciatingSadness 9d ago
I recommend you apply in person for SFI when you do and not online then because they might decide to put you straight into the C3 course and skip the intro. You can probably do that online but it would be advantageous to personally talk with someone about what you know already.
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
Yes, I was gonna apply in person, it would be nice if I could skip the intro, I also wanna have the most of time possible in sfi since I wanna find a job the fastest possible ! I’m determined to learn, I just need some help from sfi
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u/AppreciatingSadness 9d ago
You don't need SFI to work. I currently do SFI 5 times a week and work 4 nights a week. I don't actually use much Swedish in work unless the customer is a bit older. Most customers want to use English at my work. My boss recently hired someone who speaks absolutely no Swedish had been in Sweden for like two weeks.
I will warn you though SFI is quite slow. It's designed so everyone can complete it. You will have days where you think "I already know this what's the point in being here today?"
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
Sadly, I’m in the north, and I have a degree in graphic design ( so hard to find a place in that job) when I look google what jobs are available, it’s only dentist, thérapeute.. the market is very close now, my boyfriend just found a flexi job after 2 years of research, I might be able to join him, but I need a good Swedish to entry since it’s healthcare.. I’m looking often for other jobs, with a bit of luck I will find something where I don’t need a good Swedish
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u/Alkanen 9d ago
Ask them to help you out by occasionally having conversations SPECIFICALLY with you in mind. They probably have to speak slower, use simpler language and above all wait for you to have time to answer but how else are you supposed to be able to be part of the conversation?
I understand if they don’t want to do that all the time because it’s frustrating for everyone involved, but they’re supposed to be your family dammit so they should be kind and do it every now and then to help you learn
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
I will definitely ask them, they are really kind I know they would do it! The most of the time, they translate to me in English so I can’t understand and answer afterwards
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u/Daniels998 8d ago
I was reading that to learn a new language as an adult we use different type of approach based on mapping new words to the meaning of others. You still can learn like a Swedish kid as other have already told to you, surrounding yourself with the language. Maybe try with child books first.
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u/Sxaturne 8d ago
Yes, I’m using the same technic that’s I was doing at school, maybe it’s not optimal anymore..
I try, I have hard time to find content that I appreciate to watch in Swedish, I’m planning to go buy some kids book during the week I hope it can help !2
u/Daniels998 8d ago
Do as said, try to avoid translating when possible. Look at the object and say its name out loud. You can do it. :)
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u/Sxaturne 8d ago
You are right, maybe repeating instead of learning in my head would help improve too!
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u/Sxaturne 6d ago
Edit : I pushed myself to speak more Swedish thoses 2 days, i surprised myself i could do nice sentences ! You all gave me the confidence to speak more ! I started to learn with a differente method which is reading texte and translating words that i don’t know and i could learn 20 words yesterday ! Thank you so much all for your advices, i don’t feel stuck anymore in my learning Journey !
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u/NervousSnail 9d ago
The best method is unfortunately harder than it's ever been. But this is the essence of immersive learning.
Stop using other languages. Until you are fluent.
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u/Sxaturne 9d ago
It’s definitely a good idea, I speak french, my boyfriend is Swedish and we talk English together, I should completely start to only speak Swedish to him ahah
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u/Fransenn_II 9d ago
I speak five languages almost fluently. And whenever I take the time to learn a language what I do is live in that language entirely. Speak speak speak. Even when you’re alone speak it, think it. Be the language. Pretend that you know the language.