You might already know that learning a second language is great for your brain and career. Being bilingual is a skill that you will admire all your life. As long as you are learning a second language that is in demand, you will become an individual who will be in demand by multiple employers. A common reason why some people hesitate from learning a second language is it’s time taking. If you already have a job, taking classes to learn another language makes your schedule tighter. Before you give up on this idea, let me tell you that as long as you have some valuable tips on hand, you can learn a new language faster than otherwise. No, there is no short-cut to learning a new language but you can definitely get a good grip on it faster if you follow the right strategy and stick to it.
So here is how you can learn a second language faster:
Learn the 100 most common words
Every language has some common words that are used repeatedly. Pick those. Don’t just learn how to spell and pronounce them, but also make sentences with them. You must know enough grammar to do that. As soon as you become well familiar with these words, you will be able to start a conversation in the new language.
Follow your interests
Soon, studying for the new language is going to start feeling like a chore. Before that happens, look for ways to incorporate your studies into things you are interested in. Some people like reading. If that’s you, use reading as a tool for learning the language. Likewise:
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Watch movies
If you can find subtitles in the language you are learning, a movie can help you catch up.
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Listen to music
If you are good at understanding lyrics, this one is for you. You can learn lots of new words and the right pronunciation through the music of local artists.
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Play games
There are plenty of language-learning computer programs that include games. Some people can get hocked to games for hours. If that’s your interest, then why not spend your time in a meaningful way and study for the new language.
Set challenges
The initial excitement of learning a second language begins to fade over time and it can get hard to stick with your goal. This will get frustrating especially when you can understand the language and communicate too. But what turns most of us off is that we speak like a toddler. That’s when you are supposed to challenge yourself for the better. Why not sign up for a language exam? This will level up your skill. Even if you don’t pass, it’s going to be a great learning opportunity.
Think in the language
This won’t be easy if you only know a few words but try to use those words and express everything you can. Try to forget about your first language for a while and immerse yourself in the second language. This can make you do a lot with the limited vocabulary you have.
Identify your strengths and ignore them
It can be tempting to start with something that’s easy for you. For instance, if you are good at memorizing new words, you might like to spend all your day doing that. Language experts say the stuff you are good at will improve naturally and hence you don’t need to worry about it much. Also, the truth is, if you focus too much on one aspect, then you will eventually hurt the entire language learning process.
Be consistent
A good thing is you can learn a lot in a few weeks but the bad thing is, you can forget it just as quickly if you are not consistent. It is recommended to learn little by little each day instead of all at once. Spending 30 minutes a day is better than spending 10 hours once a week.
Communicate in the new language
Learning the language at home isn’t going to be enough. If you don’t use it in your communication, you will never figure out your mistakes. Speak to people. Stop worrying about how bad you are going to sound or the mistakes you are going to make. As soon as you come out from your comfort zone, you will become comfortable in communicating in the second language.
Remember that slow and steady wins the race. If you have always wanted to learn a second language, stop procrastinating and start today. Follow these tips and learn the new language fast.
