Recommend me a second language to learn

[Mystes]

I keep having failing grades in Chinese...

[ainsoph9]

If do you not mind me asking, what is giving you the most trouble in Chinese?

[Mystes]

Writing, obviously. I only get 5% of the characters right. Or maybe 10%.

[Doraneko]

Writing, obviously. I only get 5% of the characters right. Or maybe 10%.

You can fully comprehend a novel while getting 95% of the characters wrong in writing. This is quite awesome in itself.

[Mystes]

You can fully comprehend a novel while getting 95% of the characters wrong in writing. This is quite awesome in itself.

Actualy, when I was young, I learnt Chinese by watching dramas and reading books. However, my hand didn't move a lot.

I can easily recognize some difficult words at sight, but writing it is difficult, since I don't remember the shape and such.

That's why I basically eliminate the competition in my class when it comes to oral presentations or reading.

And reading comprehension is difficult, since I do not know how to write.

[rpapo]

Writing, obviously. I only get 5% of the characters right. Or maybe 10%.

You can fully comprehend a novel while getting 95% of the characters wrong in writing. This is quite awesome in itself.

I agree 100% on this. I have not spent any real time trying to learn how to write Japanese text. To read, you need to know the various ON and KUN readings of the characters, and more than a little grammar. Learning those is no mean feat!

[Mystes]

Actually, grammar in Chinese, when I think of it, is something that is learnt by speaking and reading.

[ainsoph9]

If you can learn the radicals, everything else kind of goes downhill.

[Mystes]

What do you mean with 'radicals'?

[ainsoph9]

Chinese characters can be divided up into parts like building blocks. Certain parts are commonly used to form the basis for other characters. While multiple radicals can be used to form a single character, they generally will appear in a character in one place or another. Almost all characters have at least one radical in them. Here is a Wiki article about radicals. Radicals are used to look things up in a dictionary as well. If you can recognize and remember a radical, you will be able to learn Chinese and Japanese much quicker and easier. Also, one thing that helps, despite the fact that you will look crazy, is writing characters in the air. Doing this will quickly improve your writing skills because it allows you to "see" the character you have written without wasting paper.

[rpapo]

Chinese characters can be divided up into parts like building blocks. Certain parts are commonly used to form the basis for other characters. While multiple radicals can be used to form a single character, they generally will appear in a character in one place or another. Almost all characters have at least one radical in them. Here is a Wiki article about radicals. Radicals are used to look things up in a dictionary as well. If you can recognize and remember a radical, you will be able to learn Chinese and Japanese much quicker and easier. Also, one thing that helps, despite the fact that you will look crazy, is writing characters in the air. Doing this will quickly improve your writing skills because it allows you to "see" the character you have written without wasting paper.

At least these 'radicals' don't blow things up . . .

[Mystes]

Chinese characters can be divided up into parts like building blocks. Certain parts are commonly used to form the basis for other characters. While multiple radicals can be used to form a single character, they generally will appear in a character in one place or another. Almost all characters have at least one radical in them. Here is a Wiki article about radicals. Radicals are used to look things up in a dictionary as well. If you can recognize and remember a radical, you will be able to learn Chinese and Japanese much quicker and easier. Also, one thing that helps, despite the fact that you will look crazy, is writing characters in the air. Doing this will quickly improve your writing skills because it allows you to "see" the character you have written without wasting paper.

Oh you meant that by 'radical'...well, they are easy to memorize indeed. However, the combination of these, plus other things, is hard to me.

I cannot practice writinng in the air. I need to see the character first.

[ainsoph9]

At least these 'radicals' don't blow things up . . .

*Pfft* True, that. The worst that they can do is be put into a computer code that does...

Oh you meant that by 'radical'...well, they are easy to memorize indeed. However, the combination of these, plus other things, is hard to me.

I cannot practice writinng in the air. I need to see the character first.

How I learned kanji was to write it a few times on paper. Then, make flash cards, and write the English on the front with the Japanese on the back with furigana. Start out by learning the Japanese first by looking at the English side and guessing the Japanese side. In your case though, it may be going from French to Chinese. In any event, do this, and write the kanji in the air. Because you have already written them on paper before, you should be able to write them in the air. The repetition helps. If you have a massive number of characters, I suggest breaking it up into groups of 10 characters (read "flash cards") or so. You will learn them quickly this way. After you complete a set, go back to previous sets and do them. This is a timely way to do things, but I have found it to be the best and quickest way.

[Mystes]

I'll need to free some time in my schedule though.

[ainsoph9]

I guess it all depends on how much you want to learn Chinese...