How to Actually Learn a Foreign Language
As somebody who has failed miserably to learn three different foreign languages, but is having middling success with my fourth, Spanish, I feel uniquely unqualified in sharing my tips for successfully learning a foreign language for free. Enjoy!
Find your reason to learn a foreign language. Whether you are planning to live on the other side of the world, aiming to increase your earnings, or finally getting around to talking to your Thai bride, you need to have a specific, achievable goal and timeline. Go from “learn French this year” to “order a meal at a French restaurant in two weeks time” and start from today, rather than tomorrow.
Me plucking up the courage to buy some rice for breakfast.
Practice everyday, for 30 days. As Matt Cutts of TED fame says, “30 days is just about the right amount of time to add a new habit to your life.” By day 31, either learning a foreign language will have become another part of your daily routine, or you will know for sure that bilingualism isn’t your thing.
Dedicate yourself to a 30-day learning streak.
Immerse yourself in your target language. Travelling is an excellent way to surround yourself with native speakers of whatever foreign language you want to learn. However, it is possible, advisable even, to speak to people of your chosen nationality before leaving your bedroom – provided you have internet connection. Italki lets you arrange a language exchange through Skype for free, and both Meetup.com and the Couchsurfing website are teeming with people waiting to help you study free of charge.
We were learning Chinese the whole time we were living in Taiwan.
Choose your resources carefully. My three favourite applications for learning a foreign language are (in order of excellence) Duolingo, Memrise, and AnkiDroid Flashcards. Combine these applications with your real life, squishy, flesh-and-blood foreign language speaking friends for best results.
Charlie practices her Spanish on Duolingo.
Enjoy yourself! I am a firm believer that if you don’t enjoy doing something, then you’ll struggle to ever do it well. With that in mind, whichever way you most enjoy learning a foreign language is the best way to do it. Jump straight into Spanish music, French film, Manga, or whatever floats your particular boat. If you find yourself having a good time, chances are you’ll soon be practicing without even realising it.
Whatever floats your boat…
Good Luck! Perhaps above all else, remember that you learn best from failure rather than success, and if you find yourself making mistakes, then you’re probably doing something right! It can be scary plucking up the courage to say even simple things in another language at first, but the vast majority of people that I’ve met, excluding the French, are overjoyed to have someone try to communicate in their native tongue, even if they make mistakes. And if all else fails, there’s always Google translate ;)
Are you learning a foreign language?
Do you have any other language learning tips?
Katie Featherstone
Thanks for this! I’m struggling to learn Spanish at the moment in preparation for a trip into South America.
Charlie on Travel
Haha! Learning a language is always tough I think, it’s a lot of time and effort. When are you heading to South America?
Laura
This is excellent! We’re in Germany at the moment and I can make myself understood and understand most of what’s going on, but I’m still not fluent! This will definitely help me though :)
Charlie on Travel
Thanks, Laura! That’s awesome, I learned German at school but never got much chance to use it! Definitely would love to be in Germany trying to learn German – I think it could be successful! :) Glad you found some stuff helpful!
Daniel Sturrock
Turn facebook and stumble-upon into Spanish so internet time is learning time too! Facebook’s especially good for subconsciously keeping you learning a new language!
Charlie on Travel
Does that help, or does it just make you want to not use Facebook and StumbleUpon!? haha!
Agness
Great tips! I’ve been studying Dutch since September last year as I’m moving to Amsterdam for my master’s degree in 2 months. From my experience I can tell you that it’s all about consistency. I try to devote 30 minutes a day to do my tasks with Rosetta Stone (which I highly recommend to everyone) and I can see the results. My speaking has improved a lot!
Sharon
Yes, short regular chunks of learning each day! I really enjoyed reading this lovely friendly little piece. Thank you.
HannahontheMap
Great tips! I definitely used these when learning Portuguese. I’m fluent now, but the beginning was a struggle. I recommend if you’re single, getting a boyfriend/girlfriend who speaks that language!!! You need to be forced to speak that language, even in times you “don’t feel like speaking it” or in times you don’t know how to express yourself. If you only practice and speak it when you feel like it, you’ll never learn and become fluent.
Charlie on Travel
Thanks, Hannah! Wow, awesome, and congratulations! Language learning certainly is a struggle and I’m sad to say neither of us are fluent in a second language yet – yes, unfortunately not single over here! We’ve got a lot of expat friends who have really benefited from their other half speaking a different native language. We’re travelling in Costa Rica and Central America now, so hopefully that will be the case with our Spanish :)
Ola
From my experience motivation in the most important thing in learning a language. I have tried to master a few but I always fail as soon as my motivation fades :) and I’ve just realised that I haven’t touched my German in two days :P
Charlie on Travel
Yes, that’s true! I find myself going through phases of being really motivated and then not motivated a t all. We’re also living in a bit of a rural place and only really get practice when asking the neighbour for eggs and milk in Spanish… Good luck with your language learning too, Ola!
The Guy
Hi Luke and Charlie. This article has lots of great tips and I must admit that many of them are new to me. I’m afraid that I am a typical Brit in that I am awful at learning languages. I may have gained many As at various subjects in school but I always struggled with languages.
I do think that if you throw yourself into the situation with no escape, that is go and live in a place for a few weeks that it is the best way to learn. You have to learn because it is the only way you’ll get by.
Oliver
I think the most important point is probably immersing yourself in a language. A bit like testing the water with your toe by learning the basics, but your probably will start (learning) to swim once you took the plunge… :)
Another advice once you are abroad: carry paper and pen wherever you go! In the most random situation you will come across people and words, so be prepared. Write things down or let people write it down for you. I’m a person who needs to read unknown words in order to remember them.
Charlie (@worldexplora)
Great tips! I’m just starting out learning Spanish on Duolingo in prep for travel next year, and loving it! Feel free to add me if you fancy, charlie_beth, healthy competition is always a great motivator ;) been meaning to check out memrise, downloading the app now. Best of luck with your learning!