Forvo: All the Words in the World. Pronounced!

Ok there are times when you want to know how a particular word or phrase is prounounced.
Sure there are many dictionaries out there on the web which offer audio pronounciation, but the problem is that you can't find it for all forms and there are always words such as proper names or expressions that don't have audio available. If it isn't there, you're out of luck.

A great site that avoids this problem is Forvo, a site I've recently discovered and find very useful for language learners.

The great thing about this site is that all audio content is user created. Once you register, you're free to record words in your native language. Click on any language (there are many to choose from) and you will see a list of recently added words that you can click the arrow on the left to listen to. On the right, there are words that haven't been recorded yet that you can add pronounciations for if you want to. The interesting thing is that these words are created by user requests. If you search for a word and it isn't there, you can send a request that it be added by another user. Using French as an example, there were several words that I searched for that weren't there. I requested them to be added and the next day they were there ready to listen to.

So to get the most use out of Forvo, it's best to register. That way you can request new words if you don't find what you're looking far. In addition, if you find the site useful, you should do a good deed and add some words in your own native language to help out other users and get that nice warm fuzzy feeling from helping others.

I'd be interested to know what you think and if you find it useful.

I'll be publishing some other mini-reviews of other useful sites for English and other language learners in the near future.

http://www.forvo.com/

vocabulary
---------------
to be out of luck - to be unlucky in that there is nothing else you can do. To have no other
choice.

a good deed - doing something that helps other people like helping old ladies to cross the
road.

to get the most out of something - to be able to use something or experience something in
the fullest possible way.

a warm and fuzzy feeling - a feeling you get when you do something to help other people
or do something that is a good deed or the right thing to do.

New Year's Resolutions

Of course it's a little late to be discussing New Year's resolutions, but since I'm a hopeless procrastinator it's never too late.

Making New Year's resolutions is a common tradition in the United States, as well as breaking them. Almost nobody keeps their New Year's resolutions, although there is the occasional exception.

Below are some common New Year's resolutions.

You can say "My New Year's resolution is to ..."

quit smoking
lose weight
work out more
save more money
reduce stress
eat healthier
stop procrastinating
learn English
enjoy life more

Common verbs that can be used with New Year's resolution are:


Make

Keep

Break


Have you made any New Year's resolutions?

It's difficult for me to keep my New Year's resolutions.

I often break my New Year's resolutions.

This pattern can also be used with the verb promise. In fact, a New Year's resolution
is a kind of promise that you make to yourself for the coming year.

My New Year's resolutions this year are to get more sleep and produce more original
English materials for my students. A difficult task to combine!

Here's a useful video on the subject of New Year's resolutions by Jennifer Lebedev.