how did you learn english?

I learned it from my family. But as a second language, here's what I think you might do.

Find some American TV comedies like Seinfeld, Mash, Friends, etc. If they've been translated to your native language, all the better. Just watch them in English. Buy the DVD sets. You'll pick up the language quickly, especially if you've watched them in your own language first language.

If I were to watch Gilligan's Island in Swahili I'd pick up the language quickly because I've seen every episode many times.

I learned English from 3'rd grade to the 10'th grade in the elementary school and 2 years at high-school. But what's really funny is that I've learned more English from video games and TV than I've learned at school. :p

English is sort of my first language, but I guess my brain processes it a bit like a second language (long story).

Anyway, I suggest that you learn English according to what is relevant to you. If it is for business, business English. If it is for shooting movies, English relevant to that. The fact is that even native speakers of English won't fully understand "shop talk" in fields outside of their areas of expertise.

If you want to learn conversational English, then, yes, acquiring the scripts to sit-coms and learning what they mean could do wonders for your English. It tends to be only the most advanced speakers of English as a second language who can understand comedy. Comedy is not only full of slang, but cultural references as well.

I speak more than one language, not so well, but still managed to land gigs interpreting so there you go. The other thing is to chat with friendly English speakers if you have the opportunity to do so. Beer might help for that.

If I were going to learn a new language I would give rosetta stone a try. They have had some great results and are well recognized.

Amazon.com: Rosetta Stone English (American)... (not an affiliate link)

English is my second language.
Listen to the radio
Don't always have a pen in hand. Sometimes it helps to just listen.
Watch English TV
Children's programming is very useful for ESL learners.
Watch movies

If anyone from family. Otherwise school teacher. Your eagerness.

OK guys thanks for your replies.

English is a hard language to learn. Of course, whenever possible it is best to learn it in a culture that speaks it as a first language, since you can't separate a language and its culture. You start by reading books for children and advance in age levels of the books as you learn. If you have a copy in a native language as well as one in English it will help you to understand some of the idioms that seem strange to you.

The suggestions for watching movies, too, are good suggestions.

Speaking the language is almost a necessity for learning it well, so find a partner to speak it with. Do things together and make speaking in English a requirement during that time so you can start to learn to actually think in the language a little bit.

Well, it is my native language, but I DO know how I got a larger vocabulary, etc... and acquired OTHER languages. I don't know that much about the philipines, but the language IS based on an alphabet that is based on the latin one, so you have a LITTLE bit of a headstart. ALSO, from what I understand, there are a lot of people there that speak english. If your media has subtitles, USE THEM! Listen to programs from america, britain, etc.... Look on the internet. Try to ALWAYS have related reading material, or audio. It is best to have BOTH!

Language is a HABIT! If you try to conciously translate everything, it will be slow, error laden, etc.... So you want to be exposed enough that you can just want to speak english, and you do. By exposed, I mean in the way you would learn to play a piano. Just hearing isn't enough, but it gives you an idea of what is correct, and an ear for hearing it. and playing the piano is a habit ALSO. People don't generally think of each key stroke, etc...

MOST spoken classes are bad for MANY reasons. For ONE, they are setup for a person that is above average and has a certain base. FEW are that good, and NOBODY has that base, so it ends up slowing down EVERYONE, and most don't do well. A POOR learner, with guided instruction based on where THEY are at could likely learn over 3 times as fast. They won't be studying needless things(Because they don't have that base.), and will concentrate on things that need work(Because their deficiencies will be acertained.).

Steve

I learned my English mostly from these weird Geordie people i grew up with. They speak kind of funny...

When I was little, my parents knew very little English. I learned to speak English by watching Sesame Street and other children's shows. By the time I started kindergarten, I spoke better English than my parents and I speak Spanish fluently as well.

The chat with the people who know to speak english is the best way to learn the language.

I learned by living and growing up in The United States.

Lololololol. Yes. This will help you learn English FAST!!! SUPER FAST! Lololol. Seriously, it probably really would. I hope learning English would not be your prime motivation. There are MANY wonderful wonderful wonderful women that speak GREAT English.

Hello,
I am 53 years old born in the United States and still trying to learn the English language.
Being raised in New York has not helped the situation.

english is my second language too. :-)
first I learned some at school.

but the main thing that made me good at it was by... watching tv, and listening to music

though my voice still "shakes" a bit when I talk. but my writing is good :-) and for the interwebs, that is what is important :-)

I started watching the sitcom "friends" when I was about 10 or so (I am only 17 :-))

but actually now I think american shows, is the best tv. true story :-D

The pillars of learning a language are speaking reading writing and listening. Do all of them as often as possible. Knock out 2 or 3 at once and transcribe an audiobook or a TV show. Good luck!

Simply, "Cowboy" movies...

I learned English by watching Sesame Street and reading the English version of Reader's Digest. Children's TV programs are easy to follow as they are spoken in simple language. Reader's Digest is not only entertaining and informative but an easy read as well. With this method, by the time I actually got to live in England at the age of 23, I was very fluent and had also completed a translator's course.

You can have my misses....you would,nt get a chance to speak though...she never shuts up.lol

There are two easy ways watch alot of english programs and speak with people daily.

i moved to a english speaking country. besy way to learn a new language

spanish is next

I learn it (mostly) from video games when i was a kid, especially rpg games genre that contain lot of conversations in many situation in the game, i use my local - english dictionary to understand the game storyline until i finish the game.

I tried another game and i repeat this method until i automatically don't need my dictionary anymore, well a little bit nerdy but trust me it works, and it was very much fun

In my opinion forum posting may be good source to learn English, I remember when I was join a forum and my English was not so good that time, I don't make proper sentence and the forum members tell me to learn English.