There’s no doubt about it, it takes courage to step out of your comfort zone and learn a new language. Emotional ups and downs come with the territory and feelings of exhilaration are often followed by moments of frustration. But one thing is for sure, if you can stick with it you’ll be so proud of yourself — and who knows what doors your new-found skill might open.
Here are our top 10 tips for successful language learning…
1. Get comfortable with being a beginner. As adults we are often afraid of being beginners. We don’t like not having all the answers, looking silly, or messing up. When it comes to learning a language, admitting that you don’t know everything (and being okay with that) is the key to freedom, growth, and success. Let go of your grown-up inhibitions and remember, everyone is a beginner at some point: everyone starting a new job; every new parent; every brave person starting up a business; and everyone voted in as Prime Minister. So [Tweet “embrace new beginnings and enjoy the process of diving into a fresh new learning experience”] knowing that tomorrow you will know more than you do today.
2. Understand your motivation and make your mission public: It might seem obvious, but without a strong desire or good reason to learn a new language, you might struggle to stay motivated long-term. Ask yourself why you want to learn this new language. Write down your reasons and stick them somewhere you can see them everyday. Also, if you tell friends and family about your mission, or make it public on your website, blog, social media, or anywhere else, it confirms your commitment and you’ll be more determined to keep going.
3. Just start! It really is that easy! First, learn to say ‘hello’. And then, when you’ve done that, learn to say ‘my name is… And then learn to say ‘nice to meet you’. And go on like that. By learning ready-made answers, and also how to ask questions, such as ‘where are you from?’ and ‘what do you do?’ you’ll build your vocabulary quickly and before long you’ll feel comfortable holding a simple conversation. Another good tip is to learn the filler words. These are the words and phrases people say then all the time between sentences but have no real meaning (like alors, which means then/so/in that case in French) which can buy you extra thinking time while you’re chatting!
4. Welcome your new language into your every day life. The more you immerse yourself in the new language the more your brain will consider it something worth caring about so invite it in!
- label every object in your house in your chosen language
- read kids’ books written in it
- watch subtitled TED and TEDx talks in it
- watch subtitled movies in it
- listen to an online radio station in your language as you perform other tasks to familiarize yourself with different intonations, pacing and pronunciations
- live-narrate parts of your day to a pet or imaginary foreign friend!
- go to ethnic restaurants and test your language skills with the staff
5. Keep it relevant: In addition to the fact that it’s fun and a challenge, most of us will be learning a new language for travel or work so we can communicate easily and effectively. So when you’re learning think about the kind of things you’re most likely to want to say, or write, in everyday life. Learning words and phrases which help explain your background, situation, interests, as well as current events is a great way to expand your vocabulary.
Learning a new language means learning hundreds of thousands of new words. And that’s no mean feat. The thing is, most languages don’t use the vast majority of their words. Most sit in dictionaries waiting for the day they are plucked out for use in a conference speech or technical paper. In English for example, 65% of written material is composed of just 300 words! To help you concentrate on learning the most frequently used words in a language invest in flashcards or download an app like Anki or Flashcards.
6. Take a free online class or download an audio book. There are free online classes for just about every subject these days, and foreign languages are no different. For example Open Culture boasts a huge collection of free language learning resources, including audiobooks, websites, textbooks. Another great site is LiveMocha, a language learning community which provides instructional materials in 38 languages as well as a platform for speakers to interact with and help each other learn new languages.
7. Turn web browsing time into language learning time. The Language Immersion extension for Chrome helps you build your vocabulary and language knowledge by translating parts of the web page you’re on into your target language. Similar is Readlang which also creates flashcards for you and offers other study tools. You can also read newspaper sites written in your target language for extra more practice.
8. Get appy! Who needs expensive lessons when there are so many great smartphone apps for free! Some of the best include: Duolingo, Memrise, busuu, HiNative, MindSnacks, and Babbel.
9. Make new friends. Interacting in the new language is key — it will teach you to intuitively express your thoughts, instead of mentally translating each sentence before you say it. You can find local conversation groups and language cafés in libraries and community centres. If you live near a university, the international student community is another hot spot for language exchanges and events. Many foreigners in your city will be happy to meet you and hold a language exchange, where you offer mutual support to each other by helping your partner learn your language. Alternatively you could find a foreign pen pal or try The Mixxer, a free educational site designed to connect language learners around the world so that everyone is both student and teacher. The How to learn any language forum is another great source of support. It’s filled with tips and tricks for learning a language from people in the same boat, or who have already done it so it’s a great place to find a mentor.
10. Practice makes perfect: Once you’ve made your pledge, commit and practice, practice, practice! Make it part of your daily routine. Devoting just twenty minutes a day to developing your skill will keep you motivated and you’ll be more successful than if you cram for an hour or two only sporadically.
Of course completely immersing yourself in a country’s culture, by taking a holiday, an extended trip or a sabbatical, is a fantastic way to improve your language skills. It allows you to experience a place on a more intimate level, mingle with the locals and forge lasting friendships and memories, especially if you’ve learnt the basics before you go. Remember that native speakers are like doting parents: any attempt from you to communicate in their language is objective proof that you are a gifted genius.
