Learning a foreign language should take place in a complex: reading books and newspapers, watching TV shows, writing essays and letters, speaking. Kato Lomb - translator, polyglot, who mastered 16 languages, most of which she mastered on her own, said that the language can be compared with a fortress that needs to be stormed from different angles. That is, in addition to working with grammar books, it is also important to read the press and fiction, communicate with representatives of other countries, listen to songs and watch foreign films in the original. Dialogue in English or another foreign language is an integral part of quality training.
How to learn new words and phrases?
Each language has certain speech cliches and features of the combination of words. Many make a mistake by memorizing only lists of individual lexical units. In the future, communication problems may arise due to the inability to combine words and make sentences. The process of mastering the language will be much easier if you initially pay more attention to phrases and phrases. New vocabulary is much better remembered if used in a conversation. One of the most effective ways to absorb information and learn to fluently communicate in a foreign language is to draw up a dialogue on each topic in English or another language being studied. The connection of the educational process with practical activities will significantly increase the chances of learning grammar and vocabulary in the shortest possible time.
The following are some topics, phrases from which are most often included in the dialogue in English: acquaintance, greeting, etiquette.
Greetings and Farewell
Any conversation begins with a greeting and ends with words of goodbye. So it is important to know at least a minimum that allows you to ask how your interlocutor is doing and answer a similar question. There are several basic phrases and phrases for this case.
phrase and translation | a comment | example |
Hello, hi, hey! Hello! | An informal greeting is most often used in communication with friends and relatives. | Hi Ben! I'm glad to see you! Hello Ben! I'm glad to see you! |
Good morning (or afternoon, evening, night). Good morning (or day, evening, good night). | A common greeting. | Good morning, mister Perkins. Nice day, isn't it? Good morning Mr. Perkins. It's a beautiful day, isn't it? |
Good bye, bye bye. Bye see you. | Commonly used words | Bye bye, John, see you later. “Bye, John, see you later.” |
How do you do? | Most often translated as "hello", "good afternoon." | - Hello, my dear friend!
- How do you do! - Hello my dear friend!
- Hello! |
How are you? -
How are you? How is your daughter (son, mother etc.) -
How is your daughter (son, mother) doing? Very well. Not bad. - Very good. Not bad. | Simple phrases that let you know how the interlocutor or his relatives, friends and acquaintances are doing. | - Good morning, mister Brown. I haven't seen your family for a long time. How are your children?
- Good morning, Mrs. Black They are very good. Thank you. And how is your younger sister?
- She's fine. Thanks. “Good morning, Mr. Brown.” I have not seen your family for a long time. How are your children?
“Good morning, Madam Black.” Everything is fine with them, thank you. What about your little sister?
- Thank you, good. |
Acquaintance
When meeting a new person, as a rule, simple questions are asked regarding the name, profession, home country, and many others.
Here are a small number of phrases that need to be mastered, starting to study. This is a necessary minimum for acquaintance and communication, which can later be supplemented with other expressions.
| phrase with translation | example |
What is your (her, his) name? - What is your name (her, his)? My name is ... - My name is ... | Who is that girl? What is her name? - Who is that girl? What is her name? |
How old are you (she is, he is)? - How old are you (she, him)? | How old is your best friend? “How old is your best friend?” |
Where do you (does she, does he) live? - Where do you live (she, he lives)? I live in ... - I live in ... | Where does your brother live? - Where does your brother live? |
Do you speak (understand) Spanish? - Do you speak (understand) in Spanish? I speak (a little) Spanish. - I (a little) speak Spanish. | - Have you seen the new girl? She'll be learn in our school. She's from France.
- Does she understand English?
- She speaks three languages. - Have you seen the new one? She will study at our school. She is from France.
“Does she understand English?”
- She speaks three languages. |
What's your (her, his) nationality? - Who are you (she, she) by nationality? I'm an (a) Italian (American, Australian, Ukrainian, Russian etc.) - I am Italian (American, Australian, Ukrainian, Russian). | - What's his nationality?
- He's a Cuban. - Who is he by nationality?
- He is a Cuban. |
Where do you work? - Where do you work? I'm a teacher (student, clerk, engineer, lawyer, programmer, pianist, composer, actor, taxi-driver, office-cleaner). - I am a teacher (student, clerk, engineer, lawyer, programmer, pianist, composer, actor, taxi driver, cleaner). | - Where does shee work?
- She's an economist.
- And how long has she been working?
- For three years. - Where does she work?
- She's an economist.
“And how long has she been working?”
- Three years. |
Thanks
Politeness is an integral part of communication. Even for those who are just starting to learn the language, simple phrases below should be included in the dialogue in English.
| phrase and translation | comments | examples of use |
Thank you, thanks. thanks | The easiest way to express gratitude. | Thank you for smth. (for coming so soon, for the present). Thank you for something (for coming so soon, for the gift). |
I appreciate (that, your help etc.) I appreciate (this, your help) | Commonly used expression. | Helen appreciates their help. Elena appreciates their help. |
You are welcome, think nothing of it, not at all, no thanks at all, no problem, no trouble, don't mention it. Not at all, not worth the gratitude. The pleasure was mine, it was a pleasure With pleasure, this is my joy. | Common answers to expressing gratitude, the Russian equivalents of which are the phrases "not at all," "please." | - I'm so grateful to you!
- You are welcome, it was a pleasure. - I am so grateful to you! - It is not worth gratitude, it is to my joy. |
I'm (very) grateful (thankful) to you. I am very grateful to you. | Another way to express gratitude. | My friend is thankful to her. - My friend is grateful to her. |
Apology
The ability to ask for forgiveness is another side of etiquette that is important to learn.
words and translation | comments | examples |
Excuse me. I'm sorry, sorry, sorry. | It is used as an apology in advance when you need to apologize to the interlocutor for questions, comments or requests that follow. This is rather a way to start a conversation, to attract the attention of the interlocutor, rather than an apology. | Escuse me, sir, could you tell me how can I get to the station. Sorry (sorry) sir, could you tell me how to get to the station? Excuse me, but you are wrong. I apologize, but you are wrong. Excuse me, could you open those windows? Sorry, could you open those windows? |
Sorry, I'm sorry, we are sorry etc. Sorry, I'm (we) really sorry, sorry. | An apology for the inconvenience, bad deeds and other unpleasant moments. | I'm sorry. My daughter has broken that chinese vase. Sorry, my daughter smashed that Chinese vase. They are sorry about that. They are sorry that it happened. |
Pardon
Pardon me, short form: Pard me. Sorry. | Most often used when the speaker did not hear the words of the interlocutor. Pronounced with interrogative intonation. | Pardon, I didn't catch (I missed, I didn't get) your last words (most of your words). Sorry, I didn’t hear the last words (most of the words). |
Forgive me. Sorry. | This expression has a strong meaning and is used only in cases where you need to ask for forgiveness for the damage of considerable magnitude. For example, betrayal, | Please, forgive me if you can. Please forgive me if you can. |
It's all right. That's ok. - All is well, nothing. Don't worry about that. - Do not worry about it, do not worry. | This can be heard in response to an apology. | - Oh, I'm awfully sorry.
- It's all right. I understand everything. “Oh, I'm terribly sorry.”
- Everything is fine, I understand everything. |
Any simple dialogue in English includes several of the above phrases.
Dialogue example
Using simple and most common phrases, which includes English for beginners, dialogues, as knowledge deepens, can be supplemented with new words.
| English version | transfer |
- Hello! How are you? I saw you last morning with my sister. What is your name?
- Hi! I'm fine. Thanks. I remember you. My name is Angela. And you?
- Nice name. I'm Monika. I live not far from here. And you? Where do you live?
- I live in that house.
- Are you from Spain?
- No, I'm from France.
- Where do you work?
- I'm a student. I learn foreign languages.
- Oh! That's great!
- Sorry. Now I have to go. I was glad to meet you. See you later.
- Nice to meet you too. Bye bye | - Hi! How are you? I saw you last morning with my sister. What's your name?
- Hi! Well thank you. I remember you. My name is Angela. And you?
- Beautiful name. I'm Monica. I live not far from here. And you? Where do you live?
“I live in that house.”
- You (came) from Spain?
- No, I'm from France.
- Where do you work?
- I am a student. I study foreign languages.
- Oh, that's great!
- Sorry. And now I have to go. I was glad to meet you. See you later.
“Glad to meet you too.” Till. |
With the help of simple expressions, it is quite possible to communicate at the household level. Spoken English in dialogs is one of the best ways to get used to a new language. It is important not only to learn a large number of words and understand grammar, but also to learn how to apply the acquired knowledge in practice.