What did you find most challenging about learning English?
What did you find most challenging about learning English?
What did you find most challenging about learning English?
We asked seven big names, including Didier Drogba and Petr Cech, for their opinions about life in England and learning English.
Watch the video and read the transcript to find out what they said when we asked them:
What did you find most challenging about learning English?
Ivar Ingimarsson: Well, obviously it’s always just getting the hang of new words and everything. For me, you know, the spelling and everything is far more difficult than actually speaking it but that’s probably mostly to do with practice.
Petr Cech: The written language is different in the newspapers because it is the proper English and um, it’s um… sometimes you can find the words that you don’t understand. The worst to learn is the expressions because here, I think a lot of people use the expressions and you can’t translate it any way because sometimes you try to, I tried to translate it and it was impossible to understand what does it mean.
Dirk Kuyt: The most difficult to learn is maybe the, the accent here in Liverpool and I hope I will learn it in the coming few years.
Mido: I think it’s the… The pronounce of the words, you know, cause I think a lot of people can speak English but they just pronounce words the wrong way and er… it’s about the accent.
Sun Jihai: Some words you cannot find out… dictionary. You know, like erm… Mancunian, Scouser… I’m sorry, I don’t know that’s rude or… you know, that mean… you cannot find out from the dictionary, you know, sometimes I cannot understand some words like… er… boot, the end of a car – when he says, I can put the coat in the boot… I say… boot? You know the boot… you know its set means… what means boot? He says… you know, he pointed for me – oh I remember… He helped me a lot.
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Comments
05/09/2022
points
As for me, the most challenging about learning a foreign language is to understand what native speaker say. Especially when they speak in daily routine.
05/09/2022 16:26
Tottenham Hotspur
5558
As for me, the most challenging about learning a foreign language is to understand what native speaker say. Especially when they speak in daily routine.
11/06/2022
points
This is the lesson for my students today. Enjoy learning English with international famous footballers. Good lesson.
11/06/2022 03:00
Manchester United
443
This is the lesson for my students today. Enjoy learning English with international famous footballers. Good lesson.
05/04/2021
points
I agree and I can add that I find difficult to understand some kinds of accents, when people speak faster and of course the local expressions, as Cech said.
05/04/2021 18:44
Arsenal
1512
I agree and I can add that I find difficult to understand some kinds of accents, when people speak faster and of course the local expressions, as Cech said.
17/06/2020
points
The idioms , phrasal verbs and dialects are the most challenging.
17/06/2020 15:34
Manchester United
6539
The idioms , phrasal verbs and dialects are the most challenging.
24/04/2020
points
Picking up a right word at the right moment and of-course pronouncing it right is a real challenge.
24/04/2020 11:21
Arsenal
6
Picking up a right word at the right moment and of-course pronouncing it right is a real challenge.
08/10/2018
points
The most important thing to learn English is to know how to speak and what is challenging is to pronounce.
08/10/2018 16:50
Manchester United
6
The most important thing to learn English is to know how to speak and what is challenging is to pronounce.
08/10/2018
points
For me speaking is difficult because the pronunciation varies too much.
I agree with several ideas from the players.
08/10/2018 16:50
Manchester United
6
For me speaking is difficult because the pronunciation varies too much.
I agree with several ideas from the players.
26/03/2016
points
Yes i agree with them.
26/03/2016 18:43
Liverpool
3705
Yes i agree with them.
30/11/2015
points
One more thing about learning English worth mentioning is an accent. I've had some really challenging experience of talking to Australians and Scots. Sometimes it seemed to me that I had no English listening skills at all)
30/11/2015 13:41
Arsenal
2453
One more thing about learning English worth mentioning is an accent. I've had some really challenging experience of talking to Australians and Scots. Sometimes it seemed to me that I had no English listening skills at all)
30/11/2015
points
Have you seen our lesson about Geordie? 'Hadaway man' is a popular Geordie phrase. Any idea what it means?
30/11/2015 16:06
Liverpool
594
Have you seen our lesson about Geordie? 'Hadaway man' is a popular Geordie phrase. Any idea what it means?
01/12/2015
points
I remember that informative lesson about a famous Newcastle accent. There was an expression 'Howay the lads' meaning 'Come on, boys'. As for 'Hadaway man', my first guess was something like 'go away or get lost') But then I googled it and found some nice explanations: Had away an' sh*te, man! - "Don't talk nonsense"; Haway man! - "Come on!" but can mean, when used at a football match, "How the **** can that possibly be offside, there are at least three defenders keeping him on!". Really interesting phrases, thanks. Have you ever come across Geordie-speaking people? Can you, Rich, understand them?) How would you advise us (English learning community) to ask such people to switch to 'generally accepted' English?)
01/12/2015 13:34
Arsenal
2453
I remember that informative lesson about a famous Newcastle accent. There was an expression 'Howay the lads' meaning 'Come on, boys'. As for 'Hadaway man', my first guess was something like 'go away or get lost') But then I googled it and found some nice explanations: Had away an' sh*te, man! - "Don't talk nonsense"; Haway man! - "Come on!" but can mean, when used at a football match, "How the **** can that possibly be offside, there are at least three defenders keeping him on!". Really interesting phrases, thanks. Have you ever come across Geordie-speaking people? Can you, Rich, understand them?) How would you advise us (English learning community) to ask such people to switch to 'generally accepted' English?)
30/11/2015
points
I find phrasal verbs most challenging about learning English, as a change in prepositions will inevitably lead to another meaning of the phrase. And it's very hard to memorise when you have to use this or that preposition.
30/11/2015 13:36
Arsenal
2453
I find phrasal verbs most challenging about learning English, as a change in prepositions will inevitably lead to another meaning of the phrase. And it's very hard to memorise when you have to use this or that preposition.
24/11/2015
points
Slang is not so important I think, but sometimes it can be very usefull.
24/11/2015 10:56
Arsenal
3557
Slang is not so important I think, but sometimes it can be very usefull.
24/11/2015
points
The most challenging thing were idioms. I had to repeat it many times because the translation is often very different. But, once you memorize them, it is very nice when you use them in right situation. Sometimes I use idiom that describes some other situation and then, it can be very funny:-)
24/11/2015 10:54
Arsenal
3557
The most challenging thing were idioms. I had to repeat it many times because the translation is often very different. But, once you memorize them, it is very nice when you use them in right situation. Sometimes I use idiom that describes some other situation and then, it can be very funny:-)
17/11/2015
points
Most challenging is vocabularies
17/11/2015 09:24
Arsenal
2320
Most challenging is vocabularies
01/11/2015
points
The most challenging is the size of the English vocabulary.
01/11/2015 07:52
Liverpool
6577
The most challenging is the size of the English vocabulary.
01/11/2015
points
I hope our vocabulary pages can help you Alex! http://premierskillsenglish.britishcouncil.org/words/football-vocabulary
01/11/2015 10:45
Liverpool
594
I hope our vocabulary pages can help you Alex! http://premierskillsenglish.britishcouncil.org/words/football-vocabulary
03/11/2015
points
Thank you, Rich ! It will definitely be of help.
03/11/2015 15:57
Liverpool
6577
Thank you, Rich ! It will definitely be of help.
27/09/2015
points
Phrases verbs and informal language sometimes .
I agree with them
27/09/2015 17:11
Chelsea
1814
Phrases verbs and informal language sometimes .
I agree with them
09/09/2015
points
I agree with them.
09/09/2015 20:47
Leicester City
44
I agree with them.
03/09/2015
points
The questionnaire is very good and interactivio
03/09/2015 22:26
Manchester United
0
The questionnaire is very good and interactivio
31/08/2015
points
this test is interesting
31/08/2015 01:24
Manchester United
0
this test is interesting
31/08/2015
points
This test is interesting Because it helps me broaden the knowledge and understanding of the language more easily.
31/08/2015 00:22
Manchester United
0
This test is interesting Because it helps me broaden the knowledge and understanding of the language more easily.
30/08/2015
points
I agree with what he says Mido, "people pronounce some words wrong and that makes difficult to lear ".
It is very important vocabulary, because depending on the context of the sentence is its meaning.
30/08/2015 15:29
Manchester City
0
I agree with what he says Mido, "people pronounce some words wrong and that makes difficult to lear ".
It is very important vocabulary, because depending on the context of the sentence is its meaning.
30/08/2015
points
I believe that the most difficult to learn English first is pronunciation and accent and second the context of words according to the region where we decide to study, because there are words that we don’t find in the dictionary.
Yes, I agree with the players; each factor that they said are important when you decide to learn English, and it’s very expected that learning the language can be a little difficult for that reason.
30/08/2015 15:17
Manchester United
0
I believe that the most difficult to learn English first is pronunciation and accent and second the context of words according to the region where we decide to study, because there are words that we don’t find in the dictionary.
Yes, I agree with the players; each factor that they said are important when you decide to learn English, and it’s very expected that learning the language can be a little difficult for that reason.
30/08/2015
points
For me the most difficult about learning English is listening and also don't be shy to speak
30/08/2015 01:55
Chelsea
0
For me the most difficult about learning English is listening and also don't be shy to speak
28/08/2015
points
For me, Is difficult to listen, because I don´t understand what say the people when speaking in english.
28/08/2015 22:56
Chelsea
0
For me, Is difficult to listen, because I don´t understand what say the people when speaking in english.
28/08/2015
points
the pronunciation is very important, we need practice
28/08/2015 18:23
Sunderland
0
the pronunciation is very important, we need practice
27/08/2015
points
I agree with the players, the most difficult for me is the pronunciation and accent.
27/08/2015 21:49
Chelsea
0
I agree with the players, the most difficult for me is the pronunciation and accent.
27/08/2015
points
For me, the most challenging is the pronunce, because I don't identify easly the different accents. I am agree with the players.
27/08/2015 21:44
Chelsea
0
For me, the most challenging is the pronunce, because I don't identify easly the different accents. I am agree with the players.
27/08/2015
points
I listened to the video and each pleayer in it and it´s so right what they said, For example, for me is difficult to differentiate the accents. Sometimes is hard to understand especially when is a person from a non English speaking country who is speaking English.
27/08/2015 04:21
Arsenal
0
I listened to the video and each pleayer in it and it´s so right what they said, For example, for me is difficult to differentiate the accents. Sometimes is hard to understand especially when is a person from a non English speaking country who is speaking English.
26/08/2015
points
the most difficult to learn English is that we have a constant practice , so easily forget what they learned
26/08/2015 13:05
Liverpool
0
the most difficult to learn English is that we have a constant practice , so easily forget what they learned
25/08/2015
points
I found challenging to practice english in my country because not many people speak fluent this lenguage. I am agree with the players.
25/08/2015 19:32
Arsenal
0
I found challenging to practice english in my country because not many people speak fluent this lenguage. I am agree with the players.
12/03/2015
points
I agree with Kuyt and Mido...accent makes English difficult to understand.You may know the words when read but through listening you may understand it differently.
12/03/2015 01:48
Manchester United
0
I agree with Kuyt and Mido...accent makes English difficult to understand.You may know the words when read but through listening you may understand it differently.
06/10/2014
points
it is about getting new words and slangs ..
06/10/2014 19:37
Chelsea
0
it is about getting new words and slangs ..
15/12/2012
points
i've listened to speeches of all players & i think each of them is right. There're so many people,nations in the world who speak english & everyone speaks his or her own english. For e.g,Russian people have one accent,azerbaijanis and indians other ones.And sometimes it's really difficult to understand them. As Peter Chec says that written englishon newspapers is more difficult.Sun Jihai says that sometimes there're some words which can't be found even in dictionaries. I think the most challenging issue in learning english is a lack of skills in listening & speaking.
15/12/2012 13:34
0
i've listened to speeches of all players & i think each of them is right. There're so many people,nations in the world who speak english & everyone speaks his or her own english. For e.g,Russian people have one accent,azerbaijanis and indians other ones.And sometimes it's really difficult to understand them. As Peter Chec says that written englishon newspapers is more difficult.Sun Jihai says that sometimes there're some words which can't be found even in dictionaries. I think the most challenging issue in learning english is a lack of skills in listening & speaking.
11/12/2012
points
Students of 8a and 8f class!
Please share your opinions here after watching the video. Do you agree with the speakers? What do you find most challenging about learning English?
Waiting for your answers.
11/12/2012 18:26
0
Students of 8a and 8f class!
Please share your opinions here after watching the video. Do you agree with the speakers? What do you find most challenging about learning English?
Waiting for your answers.
27/11/2015
points
I agree with the speakers
27/11/2015 15:04
Arsenal
2320
I agree with the speakers