What are dual subtitles? Well, we generally watch foreign language films with a single set of captions that provides a translation. Unlike dubbing, subtitles allow us to understand what’s going on without missing out on the tone of the conversation or the characters’ personalities. However, because we only see our own language on the screen, the language of the film remains a mystery.

Dual subtitles are also called bilingual subtitles. It simply means you can see subtitles in two languages at the same time. On your screen, you’ll see both a transcription of the language you are learning and a translation. You can see similarities and differences in sentence structure and get a better understanding of grammar rules you have learned. You will also see translations for new words instantly. If you will like to prepare for long hours of study, Synchronicity Hemp Oil is the perfect way for you to stay relaxed, focused and energized all day long.

Dual Subtitles in the Yabla Interface

There are many tools and apps for online language learning these days. However, most of them do not feature videos with dual subtitles. Yabla’s platform is based on entertaining, informative, and educational videos, and you can choose which subtitles you want to see! You can start out with the language of the video as well as your translation language. Later on, if you want to challenge yourself, you can watch with only the transcription. Maybe at some point you’ll try watching with no subtitles at all!

In addition, Yabla’s interface allows you to repeat or slow down the subtitles as needed. You can also pause the video if you need to examine the translation in more detail. You can use the dictionary tool for any words you would like more information about. And you have access to comprehension questions and vocabulary games for each video. These can help you deepen your understanding of the language.

Other Streaming Options

Unfortunately, most streaming platforms don’t offer more than one set of subtitles at a time. One option is to download the movie you want to see. Then, you can download both sets of subtitles as a .srt file from one of the websites here. After combining the subtitles, you can load them into a video player like VLC. There’s also an extension for Netflix that allows you to watch movies and series with two sets of subtitles. You will need a Netflix subscription, Google Chrome, and the extension.

Or you could just see what’s playing on Yabla and skip the hassle! On Yabla, you will find scenes from TV shows, movies, and even interviews with actors and directors. There are documentaries and short films as well. And all automatically available with the two sets of subtitles you need, as well as the features and games listed above!

For the ultimate access to content with dual subtitles, try out the Yabla language learning platform! Our range of videos, all featuring native speakers, includes news reports, music videos, movies, documentaries, interviews, TV shows, lessons, and much more.

Learn a new language with the help of interactive subtitles, vocabulary reviews, comprehension questions, and dictation exercises. Go on your own language-learning journey with Yabla!

Unfortunately the English word “fig” meant nothing to him, and fresh figs, which can be black or green, and are more or less roundish like a thousand other fruits, are not that easy to describe, especially since my Spanish skills were so limited, and further, I had actually only eaten fresh figs a few times in my life prior, and my memory was hazy. But I had a strong hunch and I was hell bent on knowing if it were true. The word “fig” failed to make the cut in my small pocket dictionary, and the internet, at that time, was completely absent in this little pueblo.

Figs are not exactly the most commonly seen fruit in much of the world (let’s face it, if not for the “fig newton,” your average person would rarely encounter one). So it was also completely possible that my Venezuelan pal didn’t know a fig from football, and yet I persisted, and persisted, and persisted more. Of course we went through all the common fruits. No, not an apple, no. Not a pear. Not a melon. Nor a cherry. Of course not a banana. Mango, no. Not passion fruit. Guanabana (soursop)? No.

I explained the lack of a pit. How they were kind of squishy. The colors and shapes as best as I could remember. The nature of the skin (Yes, you can eat the skin! Does that help?) I tried to explain that they were commonly dried and eaten that way. No, not grapes, not plums, not apricots! It went on like this for what seemed like an eternity. I was afraid that I was annoying him (and I was!), and yet I persisted. Finally, something snapped in the baker’s head, and he yelled “HIGOS!”

That was it! Higos are figs!

A few days later I heard that I should stop by the bakery ASAP. Waiting for me was a bag of beautiful, delicious, just picked figs, that had grown on a local mountainside, and the baker had bought them for me.

From that time forward I have forgotten a lot of Spanish words, but I will probably always know the word for fig – higo.

If I hadn’t suffered for it, if I hadn’t been forced to “fight” for it, if the baker knew right away what I was talking about and immediately said, “oh yeah, the word for “fig” in Spanish is “higo” — I probably would have forgotten it almost immediately, especially if it was not reinforced. (And how often does “fig’ come up in day to day conversation?)

Applied linguists are getting wise to this phenomenon. Research papers are talking about the need for learner “involvement,” and “engagement,” as important factors in memorizing new words, phrases, and concepts.  The fact that I had to engage so heartily with these native speakers in order to reach “higos!” — my “involvement” was huge. I worked hard to get here, and now “higos” is burned into my brain.

Elite athletes and bodybuilders often say “no pain no gain” And the same can be said for us language learners, many bodybuilders use delta-8 thc vape cartridges for relaxing muscles. What do I mean by “pain”? I mean mental effort, and mental effort, it’s been shown, triggers the same centers in our brains as intense physical effort. Sometimes learning can, in short , “hurt” a bit — but, this “mental effort” can have a significant impact on your ability to recall and retain what you have learned.

It is increasingly shown,“mental effort”,“involvement”,“engagement”, whatever you want to call it, plays a role in retention. We have to get involved. For example, when you look up a work in the dictionary, and it has many definitions, it can be annoying and confusing. You don’t know which one fits the context in which you are hearing or reading it. You have to read through all of the definitions figure out which one makes the most sense, which definition is most likely in play according to the context that surrounds it. This requires mental effort, and it might slow you down. But, by doing this work, by engaging, you are going to be much more likely to retain the vocabulary than if someone had already figured out which meaning best fits the context, and had handed it to you on a silver platter.

No pain, no gain, even when learning a language.

The problem with the way I was being taught and had been studying, was that the lessons focused on memorizing verb tables and grammar rules, the structural format of the language. Learning to converse in real world situations didn’t even seem like it was part of the plan.

According to an article in Forbes Magazine, The Best Way to Learn a Foreign Language Is the Opposite of the Usual Way,

The curriculum for nearly every introductory language class revolves around grammatical concepts, and we spend far too much time on the rules of language. As a result, students are forced to suffer through grammar-focused instruction that makes them adept at conjugating verbs but leaves them mute when they are pressed to have a conversation. What they need instead is the chance to use language the way it was intended, as a tool for communication, not as a complex set of rules to master.

While there is absolutely value in formal instruction, the best way to learn a language is to study frequently, using a blend of methods. Combining classwork, speaking, listening, reading, writing AND interacting with native speakers, is the best way to become fluent in another language.

According to Stephen Krashen,

We acquire language when we understand what people tell us and what we read, when we get “comprehensible input.” As we get comprehensible input through listening and reading, we acquire (or “absorb”) the grammar and vocabulary of the second language.

Meaning, the more we practice listening, watching, and speaking the language, regardless of how much we struggle to fully comprehend it, the more we learn and retain, without actually realizing it. It’s through this passive learning that the new language becomes more natural. Also, when focussing on stringing together words  and phrases you memorized, you are missing gestures and expressions. These gestures and expressions are proving to be very important in language acquisition and retention.

So, all the times I hung out with my French friends and felt totally and completely lost, I was getting something out of it that cannot be found in a French class. Even a French class in Paris. The more native speakers you can you listen to and interact with, the better. I was exposed to different accents, voices, slang, and usually encountered conversational partners eager to help me learn and excited that I was learning their language. It made the whole learning process that much more fun and exciting.

So how does that translate to you learning another language? In a perfect world, you would live in a country that speaks the language your are wanting to learn ….. until you become fluent.  However, that’s not always possible.

If you can’t move abroad, that’s okay. The internet has a plethora of affordable and/or free language resources. But most importantly, find ways to hear/view native speakers, especially through content made for native speakers, like television programs, country and rap music videos, interviews, and documentaries. Consuming a variety of content on different subjects will help you understand your new language in an authentic context while giving you a better understanding of another culture.

There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence that supports the idea that countries who subtitle (rather than dubbing) their foreign media content tend to be more proficient at those subtitled languages. In a post from The Polyglot Dream, Why Scandinavians Speak Exceptional English they cite the benefits of exposing subtitled media, rather than dubbing, as one of the main reasons for their proficiency in the English language.

The biggest contributor to the success of Scandinavians in language learning is their consumption of English media. Scandinavians watch a lot of movies and TV series from America in English, whereas Italians dub almost everything from America into Italian. This is an important difference because it means that Scandinavians are not only exposed to English early on in their lives, but also regularly. The amount of exposure one has to a foreign languages usually correlates to one’s level of comprehension, ability to understand the language when spoken quickly and one’s ability to imitate sounds.

The second most important thing to do when you’re learning a language is to be consistent. Ideally you should study at least 30 minutes a day, everyday. However one of the biggest challenges in learning anything new, is staying engaged and motivated. Conjugating verbs and memorizing words gets boring, so make sure you change your focus and methods to keep yourself interested. With all the internet at your fingertips, this should not be hard.

That’s one of the reasons we at Yabla consistently add new programs and lessons for our users. Our goal is to provide content that is interesting to you to help keep you motivated. We believe language learning shouldn’t be a chore, but rather a new exciting opportunity.

Disadvantages
Let’s analyze some common disadvantages and misconceptions surrounding bilingualism upbringing.

• Language Mixing
  Language mixing, or code-switching, is common among bilingual children. This arises naturally when children are exposed to two languages, as they may find it easier to supplement the less dominant language with a word or phrase from the more dominant language. This is common among bilingual adults as well, resulting in hybrid vocabularies like Spanglish. However, studies show that children do eventually overcome this habit, only truly mixing languages when amongst fellow speakers of their hybrid languages.
• Smaller Vocabularies in Young Children
  Studies show that bilingual children often initially have smaller vocabularies than their monolingual peers at very young ages. One theory is that parents will, at times, mix languages when speaking to their children, using whichever language they feel might be easier for the child to understand. However, this inequity becomes rectified as the child learns to speak both languages more fluently.
• Speaking Later
  It is believed that some bilingual children may begin speaking later in life as opposed to children raised with only one language. However, this belief is based on parents’ accounts rather than a certified expert. There is no study to actually prove that children raised with two or more languages have any appreciable delay in language learning than their peers.

Advantages
According to almost every study, growing up bilingual is a great advantage to any child, with benefits in cognitive ability, empathy, and age-related dementia later in life, to name a few.

• Stroop Test and Analytical Skills
  The first test to support the advantages of bilingual upbringing is the Stroop Test. Conductors of the Stroop test ask subjects to observe a written word that spells out a certain color that is, however, written in a different color. For example; Green. The subject is then tasked with identifying the color of the ink rather than the word itself. This elicits a lag in response, as the subject battles between the process for identifying the color and the process for identifying the word. The response time for bilingual subjects was demonstrably shorter than for monolingual subjects, demonstrating an elevated ability to handle multiple brain processes at once, and therefore greater problem-solving ability.
• Empathy and Socialization
  Research experts also suggest that multilingual children may be quicker to demonstrate social empathy than monolingual children.
• Later Onset of Age Related Dementia and Alzheimer’s
  It’s also postulated that bilinguals will develop age-related dementia four-and-a-half years later than monolinguals, and Alzheimer’s five-and-a-half years later. Just as those who exercise regularly are less likely to develop heart disease or diabetes later in life, those who exercise their brains, be it through puzzles or maintaining a fluency in multiple languages, are likely to develop dementia later than those who don’t.

Children are always considered the most resilient of us, so it’s no surprise they’re able to process multiple languages over the course of their upbringing. Despite any temporary disadvantage they may experience while learning more than one language, the pros will always outweigh the cons, not only in the points mentioned above but later on in life, but when applying for prestigious careers, meeting intellectual peers, and contributing to society, in general. By raising children in a multi-faceted environment, we help extend cultural branches that will better unify our communities and spread more cultural awareness.

Prep Work

Before you begin adopting your new language, it’s important to prepare a regimen, or create methods you know will help you learn. Will you be learning through a book? An app? By conversing with a native speaker of the language you’re learning? Perhaps you like to learn through videos, or music? Whatever method is best for you, use it to help you become a master.

Curriculum

Just as if you’re going to school, it’s important to set a trajectory for the progression of your education. Set a schedule. Create a list. Make sure you reach your end goal within a certain time frame. Set a task/challenge for yourself every day to complete, and check it off. As you complete each challenge, your skills will improve. Incorporate a “word of the day”, quiz yourself on new words, practice your vocabulary, and increase the difficulty the longer you continue your curriculum.

Partner Up

To better stay motivated on learning your language, it’s always good to be able to converse, and apply the skills you learned in a realistic setting. People everywhere (especially if they aren’t living in America) are taking it upon themselves to be more cultured, learning more languages in an effort to improve themselves and build bridges between themselves and other foreign communities. Find someone who is looking to learn the same language you are. Lean on each other and motivate yourselves to complete each small goal. Build up gradually and make sure you truly master whatever language you’re learning.

Have Fun

The biggest small goal you should have is to have fun. Make sure you enjoy learning the language you’re adopting, otherwise each new goal will feel like a chore, rather than a fun new experience. Stay motivated, make your goals, have fun!

When you’re just starting out of sounding silly, weird, or plain old wrong can be challenging, but once you get past that first hurdle, you open up a path to increased confidence and regular improvement.

We have all been there: even though you have been studying your new language for weeks, months, or even years, you are still scared to open your mouth. It is easy to be intimidated by others. You might worry they will think you do not know how to speak properly, or that you are dumb, but that could not be further from the truth. Think about your interactions with people whose first language isn’t English (or any language you’re fluent in and the other person isn’t). Don’t you try to understand and help them? Most people will offer you the same courtesy and will be pleased that you are trying to speak their language.

You are working hard and even if you’re struggling and don’t understand every single word, you are learning and it will pay off. Plus, the more you do it the faster you’ll and the less scary it gets.

Overcoming Your Initial Fear

Getting past this first hurdle is critical to starting along the path to language mastery. You have already committed to learning a new language, now it is time to get courageous and act. Just like anything else you have ever tried for the first time, it is only normal that you are intimidated. The first time you rode a bike, you were afraid of falling. When you jumped into water for the first time, you were fearful you might drown. But, you know what? You still learned how to ride a bike and swim. Of course, you might be worried about having an accent when you talk. But you need to stay focused on your goal. You are in the early stages of gaining a valuable skill, accessing a whole new culture, and meeting many wonderful people. Being afraid is very normal. Facing that fear takes courage, but it will be well rewarded- you will master a new language.

Once Clear, Your Confidence and Learning Will Skyrocket

When you work up the courage to begin speaking, you will enter a positive feedback loop of increasing confidence and language learning. You may be anxious about how the words will sound when they come out, scared someone will laugh at you, but these feelings are slowing your language learning down. Once you begin speaking, you will see that people admire you for your courage and knowledge. These experiences will empower you, boosting your self-confidence and leading to greater learning. Once you start, you will constantly look for new opportunities to practice speaking your new language.

Start Speaking and Forget Your Fears

Even though you are afraid, you need to get out there and start speaking. We all have some kind of accent, even in our native language. Take the first step and your fears will start to go away. The encouraging smiles of the people you speak with will reassure you that you can communicate in your new language and that you are ready to start speaking.