Language is one of the most amazing things mankind has developed over time. We alone remain a species that can communicate so effectively and deeply using just sounds we emit from our mouths. And naturally, like art, cuisine, and music, language is another part of culture that was unique to each land. And learning more languages is something no one can claim is a waste of time.
Being able to understand and communicate with another culture takes on an entirely new level of comprehension once you speak their tongue. People grow more relaxed and friendlier around you when they hear you speak their mother tongue. Furthermore, whole new vistas of pop culture open up to you without the need for translations. So that is why in this post we will be going over just a few tips on how you can speed up your process of learning a new language.
Study Daily
One very true fact about taking on a huge undertaking – learning a language being one too – is that if you take a small break there is a good chance that break will never end. If you’re looking to learn a new language, practice and study new material every day. Even just 15 minutes a day is better than nothing, because it keeps the flow going and helps you to not drop everything. And that’s a great way of studying daily; keeping the study sessions short. Knowing it won’t be too long helps keep you motivated and going strong.
Revise Weekly
Another point about repetition and practice. Every week, preferably on the weekends when you’re free, quickly revise what you learnt that week and before it. This is extremely important and vital to learning a new language. If you stop revising and continue pushing on you might one day find out you know how to ask the time but have forgotten the ABC’s. It is essential that you revise the basics in weekly intervals.
Pick A Source
People learn new languages all the time. The difference is in how they do it. Some prefer watching a teacher’s videos on the internet. Some prefer learning from books. Others yet find that the way that suits them best is plain old signing up for lessons. Try different methods and take your time with each one. Eventually you’ll find the one that you’re most comfortable with and which fits in with your daily schedule.
Practice…In Different Ways
With your diligence and preferred method sorted out, you now need to turn your focus to practice. And by practice, we mean really practice. Just watching a video or attending a lesson won’t help at all. You’ll start forgetting stuff faster than you’re learning it. The solution? Applying what you have learnt. Occasionally, take some time out and write something in the language you’re learning. Maybe a paragraph, or a short story. When you don’t feel like writing, just point out different items in the room and say their name and color. Maybe make up and speak a sentence about the item. And writing and making sentences is all well and good, but you should also try having conversations. No need to seek out another person who knows that language. You can simply talk to yourself in the mirror. This should help get your pronunciations right and help you not stutter too.
Indulge Yourself In Media
One big step you can take to make sure you learn your language right is heavily indulging in it. What we mean by that is, when you reach some level of proficiency, start reading books and watching shows or news in that language. Of course, we don’t mean for you to jump into reading complex novels or watching movies straight away. Feel free to start small. No one’s going to judge you if you read and watch kindergarten material at first. And if they do, try making a witty remark in the language you’re learning. News programs and newspapers are also a great source of mastering a language as you learn proper grammar structure and pronunciation along with that language’s common phrases and idioms.
Immerse Yourself In That Language
Going one step further than indulging yourself, this time, let the language indulge into you. Instead of just consuming media in that language, replace everything around you too. Everyday items. Learning French? Change your phone’s language to French. Learning Spanish? Time to start participating in Spanish forums online. Fair warning though, this is something reserved for the most dedicated of folk, and not everyone can keep it up. But hey, feel free to order the whole Star Wars collection in Chinese while you’re at it.
You Might Have To Change Your Thinking
Finally, be aware that some languages have a structure completely different to the one you’re used to. At first, you might not even understand how this is possible. Things you would expect to come at the start of a sentence might be at the end. Something you might think should be a sentence will turn out to be possible in one word. Things like this might throw you off in the beginning but do not be discouraged. It will only be a matter of time before you familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of the language and then you’ll be cracking jokes in Japanese like a professional comedian. Probably.
Conclusion
And as we reach the end of the list we wish you the best of luck. Learning a new language can seem like a scarily colossal task at first. But in a few months you’ll probably be able to translate this very article! Speaking of which, here are a couple more articles for you to translate in few months. How to Use Technology to Save Time and How to quickly prepare for an upcoming exam should prove no problem for you. Prove us right. Au revoir, Sayōnara, and goodbye.
