Last month I logged some great "comprehensible input" that I use for Spanish, Russian, and Chinese, my "focus languages".

This post investigates the comprehensible input possibilities for my "maintenance languages".

For German and French, I don't really need any props. I can tackle "real" reading and listening material without too much difficulty. But I use learner-oriented material for one very specific reason: to update my knowledge of contemporary colloquial language. It's a number of years since I was actually in a French or German environment for any length of time, and things definitely change...

Easy German, an offshoot of the Easy Languages project I mentioned last time, is very good for this purpose, and there's also an Easy German Podcast. Watching news broadcasts is also good for acquiring vocabulary for things that didn't exist back when I learnt German (Tagesschau is currently my favourite).


At the Frankfurt Book Fair, Germany, 1993

Easy French is the francophone version of Easy Languages. In addition, I use Inner French (podcasts and videos by Hugo and his team);  A Piece of French (videos by Elsa); and One Thing in a French Day (short podcasts by Laetitia).


Learning French, 1990





In Italian I read passably (ie, I can get through a not too demanding book, but with much less ease than is the case with German or French). But my listening comprehension is poor. 

There is -- you've guessed it -- an Easy Italian.

But the Place To Go is Online Italian Club. This site is an absolute treasure trove of material, much of it free. If you sign up, you get three newsletters every week, alerting you to new material, and offering all sorts of language-learning advice. 

Its sister site is Easy Italian News, whose bulletins you can also get emailed to you three times a week. 


Polignano a Mare, Italy, 2019



Indonesian I read quite well, and used to speak pretty tolerably. But I've grown a bit rusty over the last couple of years, and would definitely benefit from the kinds of materials I'm using to "maintain" these other languages. I'm struggling to find them, though... 

There is an Easy Indonesian, but sadly it consists of only four episodes...

The Conversation has an Indonesian edition, which I enjoy reading. And of course there is no shortage of news sites.

But I've not yet found anyone who produces the Indonesian equivalent of the everyday, conversational, multi-topic, all-in-the-target-language material that I've found for the other languages.

There must be a MASSIVE opportunity here for someone...

Today I came across Resourceful Indonesian and its extensive listing of material. Nothing exactly like I'm looking for has yet leapt out, but I'll try a few of the other offerings, and report back anon...


Our first trip to Yogya, Indonesia, 2010