Learning a new language introduces you to a whole new world. You learn about the culture, the history and the little nuances that a language carries. You get to interact with new people and learn about their life experiences.
In my opinion, learning a new language also makes you more open and accepting. It shapes your overall personality.
At the moment I understand seven languages and I'm already on my way to add the 8th language to this list. Since I'm starting out on this new journey of learning yet another language. I thought of sharing with you 8 full-proof tips that helped me learn a new language.
1. Know Your Why
Before starting out with learning the language of your choice, be clear as to why you're learning it in the first place. Since the first few days of learning a new skill are always exciting, you will definitely be pumped to learn as much as you can.
However, you may lose the initial motivation within a few days and may not be able to continue learning. This is when your 'WHY' comes into play. Having a strong reason will help you get over the days when you don't feel very motivated.
Speaking for myself, my 'Why' is that I want to learn Korean because I enjoy watching Korean Dramas and K-Pop. I want to be able to understand the lyrics of the songs or the dialogues without using the sub-titles.
2. Be Consistent
It's a known fact that consistency compounds over time. This certainly applies to learning a new language as well. The more you stay consistent, the faster you will learn the language.
Set aside some time each day for learning the new language. It could be 10min a day or an hour a day, whatever suits your schedule. It slowly will build into a habit and you will look forward to your daily learning time.
You could also use apps like Duolingo which has streaks that gamifies language learning. This ensures that you stay consistent as you don't want to lose your learning streak.
I have been learning French on Duolingo and I currently have a 450-day streak *Happy scream*. This way I don't miss a day of learning and the app also notifies me when it's time to learn.
3. Surround Yourself with Different Mediums of the Language
When you're learning a new language, surround yourself with its music, movies and beginner level books. This way you will get to use all the mediums of learning i.e.; listening, watching and reading. This will speed up your learning as you're exposing yourself to all the mediums of learning.
Not to forget, everything is a lot more fun when you enjoy what you're doing. So listening to the music, trying to understand what the lyrics mean is a great way to learn a language faster. Also understanding what your favourite K-Drama actors are saying without subtitles is a definite win-win.
4. Find an Accountability Partner
Having an accountability partner doesn't only help with practising the language but also staying consistent with your learning. You would have someone to share your journey or even discuss the problems that you might be facing with the pronunciation of new words.
If you can't find someone amongst your friends, you could also look for language learning partners online. There are plenty of websites that offer language learning partners.
Here are two websites that you could check out:
5. Observe Native Language Speakers
Observe how native speakers talk in that language. Which words do they stress? How does the tone of the language change with their mood? Sometimes, even if you don't understand the word, the sound of the word gives you an idea of what the conversation is about. This will help you improve your listening skills and will also let you understand the correct pronunciation of words.
6. Don't Worry About Making Mistakes
When you are starting out, you will mistakes. Get comfortable with making mistakes. Don't worry if someone makes fun of your pronunciation or get disheartened. You will eventually learn and everything will be fine.
I have often faced such situations where the native language speakers make fun of a word that was mispronounced or was grammatically incorrect. However, just considering that moment as a learning opportunity helped me pick the language faster.
7. Start Thinking and Speaking to Yourself in that Language
As you're a few weeks into learning, start speaking to yourself in the language. Form basic sentences in your head for the activities that you do throughout the day.
This is a great way to learn words that you would use on a regular basis. It will also help you frame sentences and converse better as you proceed.
8. Hire a Language Coach
If you're serious about mastering the language, hiring a personal language coach is your best bet. The coach will understand your requirements and will be able to tweak the course as per your needs and requirements.
Having a personal coach also helps in faster resolution of the hurdles that you face and a better overall experience of learning a new language.
You can also check this article: 9 Reasons why being a Polyglot is your Superpower!
I hope you found this article helpful. If you're starting on a journey to learning a new language, let me know in the comments section below and we can be accountability partners.
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Until next time,
Hugs!
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