Tips for Learning A New Language
If you're in the process of learning a new language, you've probably already read a lot of motivating articles about how to learn quicker and more efficiently. I read a lot of these too. Many of them seemed to be written by polyglots who have somehow learned the mystical secret to learning a language in a couple of months or even a few weeks.
I am not one of those people.
It took me a long time to become fluent in Nepali, even though I studied every textbook I could find and practiced with Nepali speakers every day.
But I learned to enjoy the learning process and finally finding out the meaning of a new grammar point or a word I couldn't find in the dictionary was like a lightbulb moment every time it happened. It was a really rewarding journey and it opened up a door to a new culture, a new way of thinking, even a new sense of humor! Most importantly, I think, it really helped to improve myself - I went from a shy girl who didn't really know how to express herself in English to a (relatively) outgoing Nepali speaker who loves meeting new people!
We all have different reasons for learning a new language, but whatever it is, it can be a really rewarding process. If you're committed to learning, there will be times when you're going to hit a plateau and think about giving up. There will be days where you think you've got the hang of the language and before you know it you're deep into a conversation when you realize you only understand every other word.
So tip #1 is
DON'T GIVE UP! Keep your enthusiasm and make it fun to learn. Don't go crazy with textbooks and rote memorization if it's not your thing and it's boring you to tears. I happen to like studying from textbooks, so I did it a lot - but I stopped when it stopped being enjoyable and moved on to different methods of learning and practicing. So you can switch it up too! Just don't give up and let what you've already learned slip out of your mind.
Well, now that we've gotten that out of the way, here are some more tried-and-true tips that have helped me:
2. Don't be shy or scared to practice with native speakers
A lot of new language learners are afraid to practice at first because they are worried they will sound stupid with their limited vocabulary or grasp of grammar. Well, here's the thing - you probably will sound stupid! But that's okay - in fact, it's almost necessary. I tend to remember mistakes I've made while speaking better than times when got the hang of something new right away.
If you have a native speaker correct you on something you said wrong, it can be kind of embarrassing - but you are bound to remember it for next time!
Besides, native speakers are very rarely inclined to make fun of you or be annoyed for your attempting to speak their language. Really, it's usually the opposite! Especially in Nepal, I find that Nepali are really excited and happy to hear a foreigner speak even just one or two words in their language.
Don't forget, too, that many people are either learning another language or are already bilingual - so they understand the struggle of practicing.
Basically, it's a matter of being humble and accepting that you're going to make mistakes - you might as well laugh at it and have fun learning the language as opposed to being shy and never making progress!
3. SRS programs
If you've done research about learning a new language, I'm sure the phrase SRS has popped up once or twice. SRS stands for Spaced Repetition Software. These programs basically work like flashcards, but with a twist - they're designed to have you review something just before you were going to forget it, making it cemented deeper in your mind.
One of the best catch-all SRS programs is Anki, a program available for nearly all operating systems which allows you to make your own flash cards or download an existing set made by the user community.
I really recommend making your own flashcards, as being bombarded with a lot of words/sentences/grammar points you've never heard of all at once can be frustrating.
Instead I like to take a notebook with me wherever I go and when I hear or see something I want to understand, I write it down and later add it to my Anki deck with the definition. This immediately gives the flash card more significance to me since it is something I personally learned or wanted to know in a specific situation.
That being said, especially at first you are going to want to start off with a set of basic vocabulary/phrases so you can start speaking right away. So you can copy phrases/words from your dictionary, phrasebook or textbook into your SRS program as well. At any rate, it's a great, useful tool that I definitely recommend to get you started.
4. Listen to music/watch movies in that language.
Listening practice helps you get the accent/tone down. BUT don't be discouraged when you don't understand what is being said - songs usually have very poetic-style lyrics which don't necessarily reflect how people talk in real life, and movies often feature 'slang'-style speaking or really advanced vocabulary/speak really fast so it is naturally much harder to understand for a beginner.
Even if you don't understand, though, you're still subconsciously learning a lot. Watching media in your target language gives an insight into the culture, gestures, and tone of the language. You can pick up on the differences between polite and formal speech and rude, course speech as well as how close friends talk to each other. You will definitely pick up on some phrases that are used in many different situations and you will hear over and over again. (For instance, in Nepali, when someone is hurt they might yell out "Aiyya!" instead of "ow!" I would never have thought to look that up in a dictionary, but seeing it in many movies and observing it said in real life slowly got me in the habit of saying it when I hurt myself, too!)
And this will also really help your pronunciation of your target language. When you first start learning you may find video lessons or talk with people who speak really slowly and clearly which is super helpful for a beginner. But in everyday conversation, nobody speaks like that - in any language! I used to get frustrated when I would talk to a Nepali friend and understand pretty well...then she would start talking to another Nepali person and I couldn't understand a word! That's natural and it's going to happen at first. But getting a head start on watching/listening to media in your target language is never a bad idea.
5. Keep a diary.
I think I may have mentioned this in a previous post, but it really helped me in learning how to use my new language in a practical way. Keep a journal in your target language and write down something in it every day. Write down the events of the day - even boring things - anything you know how to say. You can look up words you don't know in the dictionary to use (and add them to your list to learn, as well). Write about how you feel, who you met, etc.
As you progress you'll find yourself wanting to write more complicated things and being motivated to figure out how to say them. You will also notice mistakes you made in previous entries or find that you've found a better way to say them. This is really good for keeping yourself motivated, too. You can really see how far you've come in your language learning!
I hope that these little tips may help you in learning your target language!
I am not one of those people.
It took me a long time to become fluent in Nepali, even though I studied every textbook I could find and practiced with Nepali speakers every day.
But I learned to enjoy the learning process and finally finding out the meaning of a new grammar point or a word I couldn't find in the dictionary was like a lightbulb moment every time it happened. It was a really rewarding journey and it opened up a door to a new culture, a new way of thinking, even a new sense of humor! Most importantly, I think, it really helped to improve myself - I went from a shy girl who didn't really know how to express herself in English to a (relatively) outgoing Nepali speaker who loves meeting new people!
We all have different reasons for learning a new language, but whatever it is, it can be a really rewarding process. If you're committed to learning, there will be times when you're going to hit a plateau and think about giving up. There will be days where you think you've got the hang of the language and before you know it you're deep into a conversation when you realize you only understand every other word.
So tip #1 is
DON'T GIVE UP! Keep your enthusiasm and make it fun to learn. Don't go crazy with textbooks and rote memorization if it's not your thing and it's boring you to tears. I happen to like studying from textbooks, so I did it a lot - but I stopped when it stopped being enjoyable and moved on to different methods of learning and practicing. So you can switch it up too! Just don't give up and let what you've already learned slip out of your mind.
Well, now that we've gotten that out of the way, here are some more tried-and-true tips that have helped me:
2. Don't be shy or scared to practice with native speakers
A lot of new language learners are afraid to practice at first because they are worried they will sound stupid with their limited vocabulary or grasp of grammar. Well, here's the thing - you probably will sound stupid! But that's okay - in fact, it's almost necessary. I tend to remember mistakes I've made while speaking better than times when got the hang of something new right away.
If you have a native speaker correct you on something you said wrong, it can be kind of embarrassing - but you are bound to remember it for next time!
Besides, native speakers are very rarely inclined to make fun of you or be annoyed for your attempting to speak their language. Really, it's usually the opposite! Especially in Nepal, I find that Nepali are really excited and happy to hear a foreigner speak even just one or two words in their language.
Don't forget, too, that many people are either learning another language or are already bilingual - so they understand the struggle of practicing.
Basically, it's a matter of being humble and accepting that you're going to make mistakes - you might as well laugh at it and have fun learning the language as opposed to being shy and never making progress!
3. SRS programs
If you've done research about learning a new language, I'm sure the phrase SRS has popped up once or twice. SRS stands for Spaced Repetition Software. These programs basically work like flashcards, but with a twist - they're designed to have you review something just before you were going to forget it, making it cemented deeper in your mind.
One of the best catch-all SRS programs is Anki, a program available for nearly all operating systems which allows you to make your own flash cards or download an existing set made by the user community.
I really recommend making your own flashcards, as being bombarded with a lot of words/sentences/grammar points you've never heard of all at once can be frustrating.
Instead I like to take a notebook with me wherever I go and when I hear or see something I want to understand, I write it down and later add it to my Anki deck with the definition. This immediately gives the flash card more significance to me since it is something I personally learned or wanted to know in a specific situation.
That being said, especially at first you are going to want to start off with a set of basic vocabulary/phrases so you can start speaking right away. So you can copy phrases/words from your dictionary, phrasebook or textbook into your SRS program as well. At any rate, it's a great, useful tool that I definitely recommend to get you started.
4. Listen to music/watch movies in that language.
Listening practice helps you get the accent/tone down. BUT don't be discouraged when you don't understand what is being said - songs usually have very poetic-style lyrics which don't necessarily reflect how people talk in real life, and movies often feature 'slang'-style speaking or really advanced vocabulary/speak really fast so it is naturally much harder to understand for a beginner.
Even if you don't understand, though, you're still subconsciously learning a lot. Watching media in your target language gives an insight into the culture, gestures, and tone of the language. You can pick up on the differences between polite and formal speech and rude, course speech as well as how close friends talk to each other. You will definitely pick up on some phrases that are used in many different situations and you will hear over and over again. (For instance, in Nepali, when someone is hurt they might yell out "Aiyya!" instead of "ow!" I would never have thought to look that up in a dictionary, but seeing it in many movies and observing it said in real life slowly got me in the habit of saying it when I hurt myself, too!)
And this will also really help your pronunciation of your target language. When you first start learning you may find video lessons or talk with people who speak really slowly and clearly which is super helpful for a beginner. But in everyday conversation, nobody speaks like that - in any language! I used to get frustrated when I would talk to a Nepali friend and understand pretty well...then she would start talking to another Nepali person and I couldn't understand a word! That's natural and it's going to happen at first. But getting a head start on watching/listening to media in your target language is never a bad idea.
5. Keep a diary.
I think I may have mentioned this in a previous post, but it really helped me in learning how to use my new language in a practical way. Keep a journal in your target language and write down something in it every day. Write down the events of the day - even boring things - anything you know how to say. You can look up words you don't know in the dictionary to use (and add them to your list to learn, as well). Write about how you feel, who you met, etc.
As you progress you'll find yourself wanting to write more complicated things and being motivated to figure out how to say them. You will also notice mistakes you made in previous entries or find that you've found a better way to say them. This is really good for keeping yourself motivated, too. You can really see how far you've come in your language learning!
I hope that these little tips may help you in learning your target language!
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