A Complete Guide On Everything You Need To Know To Learn a Foreign Language
Learning a new language is a huge amount of work and it can be challenging and frustrating. The process can be so overwhelming that you may not even know where to begin. Furthermore, our experiences of learning a foreign language has been tainted by a school system that focuses on repetitive rote learning and memorisation.
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However, mastering another language can open up a lot of opportunities. You can communicate with more people, learn about other cultures, and be exposed to job opportunities that were previously unavailable.
Learning a second language is something we can all do and should do at some point in our life. Not only does it exercise our brains, but it also helps us to appreciate the differences in cultures around the world.
But what does it mean learning a language?
Language is not only its words and grammar. Language consists of slang, local dialects, the speed and rhythm with which its spoken, abbreviations, and idioms which people use. Understanding all these dimensions of a language in addition to learning its vocabulary and speaking the right words is what learning a language means.
Language learners ask themselves these kinds of questions all the time: What’s the best way to learn a language?” “What’s the quickest way to learn new words?” “How can I sound like a native speaker?” “Do I really have to study grammar? How can I know if I’m spending my time on the right things?”
Figuring out the best way to learn a new language seems nearly impossible. Different science, theories, and learning styles are all over the place.
Language teachers are using different methods and giving conflicting advice. Some learn vocabulary by memorising word lists, others absorb it naturally by reading. Some concentrate on the sounds first, others prefer to improve their pronunciation as they go along. Some swear by grammar drills, others never open a textbook.
As qualified language teacher and a long time language student (I have years of experience in teaching Italian, English and German and I have a passion in learning new languages since I can remember I could talk), I will give you my top tips for getting to grips with a new language.
Here are some tips to tackle such a large project from the start.
Have The Right Motivation
This tip might sound obvious, but if you don’t have a good reason to learn a language, you are less likely to stay motivated in the long-run.
Many people start learning a language with no idea of what they’ll use it for.
Some good motivations to learn a language can be that you’re fascinated by the culture or you’re planning a trip to a foreign land and want to be able to order street food and tell the taxi driver where you’re going in the local language. Or if you’re starting a life in a new country and you want to become a part of another culture and assimilate to not always remain a foreigner.
But remember there are bad motivations too. If you want to learn Italian simply to impress that cute Italian you met on holiday, well, then it will be very much likely that you’ll give up soon.
Motivation is a tricky thing. You can will yourself to learn something difficult for a short period of time. But in the long-run, you need to be reaping some practical benefit from your efforts. Without that, you’ll eventually burn out.
Once you’ve found your motivations, you need to know how your language journey will be and what phases you’ll go through.
Know The Phases You’ll Go Through
First, you’re able to speak a little and understand nothing. Then you’re able to understand far more than you speak. Then you become conversational, but it requires quite a bit of mental effort. After that, you’re able to speak and understand without conscious mental effort (i.e., you don’t have to translate words into your native tongue in your mind). Once you’re able to speak and listen without thinking about it, you’ll begin to actually think in the foreign language itself without effort. Once this happens, you’re really hitting a high level.
And the final level? Believe it or not, being able to follow a conversation between a large group of native speakers is the last piece of the puzzle to fall into place. Once that happens, and you’re able to interject, come in and out of the conversation at will, you’re pretty set.
Now that you’re familiar with these phases, you’re next step is to know the right order of learning, because this is very important to master a new language.
Know The Right Order Of Learning
Start learning a language with greetings, then daily routine questions such as did you eat lunch or want a cup of tea — these everyday conversations would ease your way into the language slowly and naturally.
Then come numbers, time, pronouns, introductory phrases, routine verbs such as to be, need, want, say, come, go, have, eat, drink, party, read, learn, forget, watch, work, live, see, sit, sleep, shower, wash, clean.
Relations, surrounding objects, seasons, places, temperature, professions, come next.
Start with less and the set your learning goals.
Set Your Learning Goals
Language-learning goals are best if they are short, simple and easily measurable.
Learn the most important things first. Learning first things first is the key to quick progress in your new language.
The Pareto principle (also known as the 80:20 rule) basically states that you get 80% of the results from 20% of the work. This principle can be applicable in language learning as well.
Languages contain hundreds of thousands of words but only a fraction of them are used on a daily basis by native speakers and only a fraction of those are words that you need for your first conversations.
So break down your big goals into mini-missions: focus on vocabulary for one area or topic each week (i.e., transportation or food items), and then move onto another topic the next week. Just like teaching yourself new sentences and passages, this organized routine will make learning vocabulary and other important keywords more manageable and you’ll begin to be able to group things together.
There are many apps available to learn and practice vocabulary and some even offer a free program, such as Duolingo, Memrise, Babbel, Busuu, Rosetta Stone and many more.
Remember To Be Patient With Yourself
It is imperative to keep in mind that learning a language is like stepping into an entirely new world, and it’s going to take some time. Trust your experiences and the knowledge you’ve gained so far. However, you need to realise that when taking on a new language the key to getting results is being regular, and consistent, because, no matter your motivation, once you’ve decided on a language, it’s crucial to commit.
Be Consistent
You’ll certainly go through periods where you lose motivation, or struggle to find the time to work on your language, and that’s completely normal.
What’s important is you stay consistent with your study, and try to carve out some time every single day. Consistency in language study is very important. It keeps everything fresh, prevents you from needing to do unnecessary review, and helps you continue to move forward.
Find bite-sized chunks of time to devote to it. Just a few sessions a week will seriously improve your vocabulary and pronunciation, as long as you stick at it and keep reminding yourself to do it regularly. Many apps for iPhone or Android are structured to work in tiny segments of time.
So schedule consistent daily practice and make language learning a daily habit. Habits are key to behaviour change because once you form them, you don’t need to rely on willpower or motivation. A habit is usually made up of three components: a cue, a routine and a reward.
The cue sets the behaviour into action. You can do that by simply setting daily reminders in your online calendar. The routine is the actual behaviour that you perform in response to the cue. When you start, make the routines easy – you only need 15 minutes a day to make progress. Lastly, reward yourself in some way as the positive reinforcement will increase your chances of success. This could mean treating yourself to something, but for many people just noticing their progress is enough of a reward to reinforce the habit.
In order to do that you need to measure your progress.
Track Your Progress
Tracking your progress is not only a good way of structuring how you learn. It will also help you combat the dangers of motivation loss.
Measure your progress in some way. This gives you the reassurance that you are progressing and therefore increases your motivation.
Never worry about progress on bad days. Just shift your focus to completing your language learning session, maybe with the help of a language partner.
Find a Friend or Language Buddy to Study With
Studies show that people who feel like they’re working as a team, even if they’re not physically together, accomplish more. We’re social animals and sharing our experiences with others makes us feel more positive about them and once your goals are out there for all to see, you’re more likely to work towards them. Not to forget, you get access to a lovely support network who can give you advice and encouragement.
If there’s a community of people who speak the language you want to learn in your city, start attending events. Meetup hosts listings of gatherings worldwide to practice another language, which can be a great place to practice your vocabulary while making a few new friends.
While having friends or study buddies is always a great idea, if you know someone who is a native speaker of the language you are trying to learn, take your education one step further and involve yourself with this person. Finding a native speaker is, in fact, an important step of how to learn any language
Find a Native Speaker Of The Language
Native speakers are great teachers and the best way to learn a language, because they know all the in’s and out’s of the language, they are experts in conversational speaking, and they can teach slang, jokes, and references that you may otherwise not be privy to. Watch and listen to the native speaker and observe, as much as you can. Soon you would start speaking at least some words of the language you want to learn with the correct accent and sounds.
You can easily find a native speaker with one of the many free or budget-friendly online language learning applications and websites.
Another way to get in contact with a native speaker is to find an international pen pal and trade language expertise and knowledge. You’ll help each other learn, your skills for writing in a foreign language will increase tenfold, and you may even have someone to visit abroad when you’re ready to put those skills to use.
Start Speaking The Foreign Language As Soon As You Can
Start speaking the language irrespective of incorrect grammar, incomplete sentences, missing articles, and an awkward accent. Don’t be embarrassed or hide behind the convenience of not knowing the foreign language.
Look Ridiculous
Get rid of your pride. Understand from the beginning of this language journey that it’s not going to be an easy ride. The first rule to succeeding in learning is being comfortable and a-okay with making plenty of mistakes.
Humans learn by making mistakes. When it comes to learning a language, admitting that you don’t know everything is the key to growth and freedom. So leave your comfort zone. No matter how much you learn, you won’t ever speak a language without putting yourself out there: talk to strangers in the language, ask for directions, order food, try to tell a joke. The more often you do this, the bigger your comfort zone becomes and the more at ease you’ll be in new situations.
However, you need to learn to listen before you can learn to speak. Every language sounds strange the first time you hear it. The more you expose yourself to it, though, the more familiar it becomes, making it easier to speak and comprehend.
You can for instance watch a movie or listen to the radio.
Watch a Movie Or Listen To The Radio
Put on a foreign movie in another language — without subtitles if you can. Not only is this one of the best ways to learn a foreign language, but you will also get a greater sense of that language’s culture as well.
Similar to watching a foreign movie, try listening to a podcast in your target language either in the car, or at the gym. Try to see how much you can understand, and write down words that you recognize but do not understand to look up.
You can also use the the Interwebs. The internet is a truly magical place. From using Google Translate to watching videos to reading articles and helpful brochures to infinity and beyond, the internet is ready to help you reach your foreign language learning goals.
Jump at every chance of conversation in the foreign language or create your own reasons. If you have the possibility, travel and go abroad.
Go Abroad
One of the best ways to learn a foreign language is to visit a country that speaks your target language and live with a host family that doesn’t speak your native language. You’ll be absolutely amazed at how much information you can communicate and how quickly you pick up a language when you don’t have any other option. This full-on immersion style training will have you speaking fluently in months. Conversation. Conversation. Conversation. This is the most effective way to learn a language.
Find the best course for you
Learning a language is a path and sometimes you need to be guided by a teacher or a school that knows the right order of learning, sets your learning goals and tracks your progress.
Learning a language abroad has several advantages, including:
- Immersion: When you learn a language abroad, you are fully immersed in the language and culture. You have constant exposure to the language, which can help you learn more quickly and improve your fluency.
- Authenticity: Being surrounded by native speakers allows you to experience the language in its most authentic form. You can pick up on nuances and colloquialisms that you might not learn in a classroom or textbook.
- Cultural understanding: Language and culture are closely intertwined. By learning a language abroad, you also gain a deeper understanding of the local culture, customs, and way of life.
- Networking: Learning a language abroad can provide you with opportunities to meet new people, make international connections, and expand your personal and professional network.
- Personal growth: Living and studying in a foreign country can be a challenging and rewarding experience. It can help you develop independence, adaptability, and cultural sensitivity, which are valuable skills in today’s globalized world.
Here are some tips on learning a language abroad
If you cannot travel abroad and don’t have time to commute, you can choose among many online language schools that offer you a language course with native speaking teachers who are certified and trained.
I’m sure they all offer excellent language courses.
I have tried Five of them, Lingoda, italki, Mondly, Preply and Rype and they offered me a great language program with native teachers that helped me out being consistent on my language learning journey.
Here are my full reviews
Finally, Make Learning Language Fun
Think of some fun ways to practice your new language. If you can’t find a way to have fun with a new language, chances are you’ll be quitting soon.
Find people you enjoy talking to. Go to events where you can practice while doing something fun. Make a podcast with a friend, draw a comic strip, write a poem or simply talk to whomever you can.
Your hard work to learn a language would pay off. You would be able to travel the world and work wherever you want to.
Learn a foreign language and broaden your horizon! Good luck!
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