How to speak Romanian

You want to know how to speak Romanian? I am afraid to say it is a really tricky language to learn. I have tried to do it in so many different ways...

My first attempt was while I was still in the UK. I bought a book and a tape to learn how to speak Romanian and as I walked to and from work in a town where I was regularly told all foreigners were 'nig -nogs' and not worth talking to, I got some very odd looks. Also, as a tape cannot correct you - and the Romanian language is so precise - I mastered reading and a little understanding but speaking eluded me.

While in Romania, after a few lessons with my Romanian girlfriend - she decided I needed a real teacher and so I went twice a week for lessons - at first I made solid progress - until she decided that I should learn about the dark side of my new family.

Paying money to hear stuff you know is not true annoyed me and I had to find a different way to master this language.

This was followed by a quick succession of more Romanian books, CDs and tapes - each having the downside of not correcting me...

I married and thought 'Now here is my chance to learn how to speak Romanian' - alas no. They would let me witter away in my Romanian and work out the gist of what I wanted - normally due to my wild hand expressions that matched and never correct my terrible grammar.

Even when my wife did try she was first charmed at my 'Sweet Romanian' so didn't like to correct me until my mistakes had taken such root as to be impossible to eradicate - at which point she would just get annoyed and walk off...

People suggested she only ever spoke to me in Romanian - a sentiment I completely agree with but again alas no as she thinks it would be quicker to do it herself than this solution.

I do make great progress however during my immersion sessions as my Romanian granny and mother-in-law cannot speak English and so it forces me to think and work on my Romanian.

My Romanian great aunt loves to complain to me about my lack of Romanian - in guess what - Romanian. This means I have conservations about my not speaking Romanian in Romanian with someone who never took the time to learn a second language.

My mother in law told me to learn the language by watching the news - but you know how fast newsreaders speak and Romanian politics is tricky enough to follow. I do however understand the president - who speak slowly and clearly - perfect for foreigners and the dim witted.

I did find that the software BYKI did help and I did use it a lot to build up my skills - though the rest of the train on a daily basis had to hear me go 'blue, blue, red, yellow...' as I learnt my colours.

My last big chance will be with Victor, my son, as we can hopefully learn to speak Romanian together - unless anyone else has a better solution for me to try?

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