Useful tips for learning any language
LikeMy name is Luisa Wichtendahl, I am a language tutor offering French lessons and Spanish lessons, and I want to give you my own personal point of view on how you can master any language.
The most important tip I can give is that theory should always be applied with practice. What I mean by this is that, learning vocabulary and grammar doesn´t serve much purpose if you´re not going to practise and use what you´ve learned with native speakers.
I´ll give you an example of what I mean with my own personal experience. I studied English when I was 19 years old and I finished my studies with good grades. A year later, I apply for my tourist visa for visit some family I have in Rhode Island in the USA. On that trip I decided to spend a few days in New York so that I could explore the city as well as practise my English. What I discovered was that I only really understood about 40% of what people were saying. This isn´t to say that this is bad, but it was really a wake up call that I needed to immerse myself more in the language to truly learn it. I decided to spend more time amongst English speakers and the results were amazing. It allowed me to develop my English conversation skills further and gain a deeper understanding of the language.
In addition to this top tip, here are some additional pieces of advice that you can use for learning any foreign language:
- Be patient. Learning a language takes time and a lot of practise. Don´t be afraid to make errors along the way as this only helps you learn from your mistakes.
- Try to practise with native speakers from different backgrounds. If you´re learning English for example, there are many nationalities with whom you can practise, whether that be Australian, American, English, Irish or Scottish, just to name a few. With each nationality you´ll discover interesting idioms and funny phrases that you can use in everyday conversation.
- Watch series you like, read books or listen to music in the language you are trying to learn. You can find films and series in various languages on Netflix, as well as music and podcasts in a number of languages on Spotify. If you don´t want to commit to buying a book in your chosen language just yet, there are plenty of news outlets and blogs online where you can read short snippets of text.
- Although it´s tempting to delve into many languages at once, try to focus on just one language at a time when you can. That being said, if you´re learning 2 different languages that have the same origin, for example French and Italian both derive from Latin, you may find that while you may get confused at times, the languages can also help each other out. You might find the root of some words or vocabulary is similar.
- Ensure you´re all in. If you decide to invest your time and money in learning a language, you need to ensure you´re fully invested. Make sure you take the time to practise the language and talk with native speakers.
- If you´re working with a private language tutor and you don´t understand something fully, such as an aspect of the grammar, don´t be afraid to ask questions or let them know that you´re struggling with this aspect. This way they can go over the topic again or provide examples or exercises so that you can practise until you´ve understood.
An important aspect of language learning is striking the balance between learning grammar and vocabulary, and putting this into daily practice through conversations and listening exercises.
If you´re learning French and Spanish and you require further assistance with the help of a private language tutor, don´t hesitate to reach out to me for more information.