How to listen foreign language?

Hello! I have a problem. I can write, read, and speak in English (of course with some mistakes, but people understand me well), but I do not understand English speech. So I cannot have good communication. I listen to the radio in English a lot of time, but it does not give effect. Maybe I should wait and it will come later?? I know the studying should be accompanied by the pleasure… But if I can write in English better (it gives more pleasure), I practice my English in writing often. I cannot listen English, it is difficult, uncomfortable to me ((( I chose radio because I listen a little of English speech, then music…etc., so I like it. How can I do it by other way?

Well. In my opinion,I think you haven’t find a right source of listen English. Radio is a good source but maybe too fast or too wide for a foreign learner. I would like to share my experience. When I start to learn English, I choose to watch some TV dramas. They can attract my attention for a long time. The words of these dramas are not too difficult to know. Most of them are simple oral words which are used in our daily life. It makes me feel happy that I can use these words in my life after i watching dramas. If you want to make a progress on the academic English. I think you can listen some good podcast of iTunes U. I know maybe these academic podcasts are boring. You can find some subjects you like at the beginning. For me, I think writing is my weak part. I think if you can’t do well in listening and reading. You cannot do well in writing. Well. That’s all i think right now. I hope it will help you a little to get your confidence in your language studying.

I love listening. I prefer videos because I see person’s lips. So, I think films is best, but podcashes and musics are great too.

Save them, and you can listening when you go to job, to college, before sleep…

listening about that you love - for exemple, I prefer comedy!

I would suggest that you go through the English content in the LingQ library, and study the words you don’t know. Then listen to the content until you can understand at least 80%. This may require listening many times to the same content. If possible, load the files onto an MP3 player and then listen throughout the day when you commute, have a free moment and so on. The goal would be to increase your library of studied, natural content to the point where you can begin to understand radio. Eventually from there you will begin to learn new words from context and the whole process will just kind of snowball. But I’d recommend doing some heavy study from the LingQ library. I promise that will do you a world of good!

I think this theme is very important one.
They say a best way to watch many short easy English films
These films have to be with English subtitle
I wonder, Where is to find these type of films?
Let’s to put link to its

Thanks to all! It is very interesting useful information. I agree video is a good way to learn English. But sometimes I have no free time for it. Whereas I can use radio daily, when I do my work in home, for example. And yes, I need right source of listen English maybe. I will try to do it.
As for me, unfortunately it is very bored to listen something few times ((( I cannot do it with pleasure, it is like hard work for me ))))

astrosl
How about this one? - YouTube

@couch
Thank you.
Спасибо

@Ks

When I started to learn English three years ago I was listening 5-6 hours a day. I usually choose simple dialogues. After understanding these dialogues I listened to broadcasts which were interesting to me. I agree, if you don’t understand at least 80% of what were said you will learn nothing. I’d recommend to listen intentionally because it will help you to predict next sentences and conclusions. Then I’d recommend to watch TV series instead of films because in series the whole scenario remains the same and words often are used repeatedly over time.

I wish success in your language studies.

I had the same problem and it is confusing since some people state that you must listen “simple” audios where you understand easily around 90% and others says that this won´t be useful because it is not “real english” and you are not being forced (audios for learners, slow speech, etc).

@Ks: “And yes, I need right source of listen English maybe.”

Yes, keep trying to find interesting sources, sources that will encourage you to listen to them more than once. If you have an mp3 player, you can copy interesting sources to it and listen to them over and over. And above all, don’t get discouraged. There are so many sources of spoken English that I know you’ll be able to find something that interests you.

@ josegolem

Bienvenido a LingQ.

I vary my approach. Sometimes I listen to a “simple” audio, and sometimes I listen to a “difficult” audio. Sometimes I read the text while I listen, sometimes I put the text aside and just listen. Sometimes I listen to audio over and over, sometimes I listen just once and move on to a different audio. Sometimes I watch films, sometimes I watch TV. Sometimes I watch just one or two episodes of a TV series, sometimes I watch several seasons of a series. When I get bored listening to something, I stop and go on to something else.

Listen to what other folks on LingQ have to say and to recommend about techniques for learning languages. I have been struggling to learn languages since the 60s, and only now with LingQ have I begun to hear advice that makes good sense. However, also remember that advice that works for others may not work for you. You’ll have to find your own method, and it may take a little effort, but you will find it, and it will be worth it.

¡Ándele¡ y que lo pase bien.

@nesirli
You listened English 5-6 hours in day - it is really great! Thanks for your advices!

@donhamiltontx
You quite right, there are many sources of English learning. I started to listen a lectures over my speciality (medicine, physiology), it’s very cool, because I understand what about talking. Thank you for your comment!

I continue listen radio every day at home, and it seems I understand English speech better now ))))

Movies are a good way to learn English.
Choose a movie you like, because that motivates you more to learn. If you don’t understand a sentence you can rewind as often as you want. Use the subtitle if you don’t understand much.

And other good way to learn English - it’s to be around people who speak English. I am going to do it!

You can also watch TV series (I do for example Gossip Girl) at first in english, then with russian subtitle. Or you can listen to fairy tales.

@couch_potato
You gave very useful youtube link. Thank you very much.

By the way I am from Lithuania and practise english too. :slight_smile: