Days 1 and 2

I started on Saturday by listening the first 3 episodes from Pimsleur. The problem with audio tapes is that you never know how words are actually written (my written French is horrible, I think I make mistakes in basic verb conjugations).  So I needed to check out from websites how the words are actually written (most of these came from here or from Google translator). Anyhow, from Pimsleur I learned following expressions:

-Goedemorgen, hoe gaat het met jou?
-Ik ben goet

-Spreekt u Nederlands / Engels?
-Ja, ik spreek Nederlands. / Nei, ik spreek geen Nederlands

-Ben u Nederlands
-Nei, ik ben Amerikaanse.

-Tot ziens!

Then I listened the first 5 chapters from Michel Thomas recording. After listening those, Pimsleur appeared much more monotonous. Michel Thomas starts from very simple sentences and builds up from that. That seemed almost too easy.

From Michel Thomas I learned:

Het is niet warm hier.
Het is heel goed hier
Ik doe dat nu 
Ik wil dit. 
Ik wil niet werken, ik wil nu bier trinken! (I modified that a bit).

Starting point

Yesterday I didn't know a single word in Dutch. Of course, if I read anything in Dutch, I was able to guess some words, but I couldn't have named one. And I don't come across with Dutch texts in my daily life, so I have never really tested how much I'm able to understand.

That was until yesterday. Then I learned my first words in Dutch. Maybe I shouldn't have started to learn a new language, since my French is still far away from perfect (I'd say I'm on  B1). Maybe I'll keep the French on the background and concentrate on Dutch for at least 5 months. My aim is somewhere on B2 level, because it's useless to study a language, if you are not going to learn it enough to be able to use it in real situations.

I will use all the best methods available:

- Pimsleur audio material. There is the basic Dutch I course available, and it includes 30 lessons.
- Michel Thomas audio material. This is based on Michel Thomas - method, and Dutch version is made by Cobie Adkins-De Jong and Els Van Geyte.
-Routledge Dutch, An essential grammar.
-Livemocha community.

I have already used those self study materials to learn other languages. I started my French with Pimsleur, and I found it quite efective. I also have listened Michel Thomas French course, but I already knew some French when I listened the beginners tape, do I never fully concentrated on the method like I should have.

This is a good opportunity to compare all the methods, so I'll report everything here on detail. I hope other language learners can benefit from this. I also hope, that I can develope my skills as a teacher by examining different methods and learning styles.