7 tips for language learning

Learning a foreign language can be a daunting task. But when we break it down, it’s really a numbers game. How much time do you spend on it and how many words do you know? In most cases, you will need a few hundred hours of study and generally 2,000 to 3,000 words of active vocabulary to be able to converse in the hope that one day you will be truly fluent.
Once you learn it to that point, it practically becomes self-sufficient, if you stick with it and continue to use it.

This sounds like too difficult a task for someone who casually says “Hey, I’d like to learn Spanish!” but the reality is that you can learn to speak a language at the level of everyday conversation much faster if you apply some additional techniques to
Complement your method or language class. It can be functional with far fewer words and can significantly reduce the number of hours required to learn the basics of the language.

Flashcards Pound for pound, the best and most efficient use of your time when learning a language. Ten
seconds of free time turns into a quick quiz: take card number one out of your pocket “What’s the Spanish word for … food? food? flip the card over … correct!” Two minutes is an important review session. Look at it this way: if you spent ten seconds on a word, for two minutes, that’s twelve words in two minutes. Twelve words a day for five days a week is 3,000 words in a year. All the words you need to converse in just two minutes a day. That doesn’t take into account grammar and pronunciation, but still, a year to learn all the vocabulary you need. Don’t say you don’t have time to learn a language. Remember this the next time you are in line at the bank or grocery store, at the doctor’s office, waiting at a red light, etc.

Read Once you have a basic understanding of the language, get some reading material. Here’s the important part: something that interests you. If you like gardening, get a magazine or print a gardening article online in your target language. You will learn vocabulary and phrases that really interest you and that will help you learn much faster.

Audio If your language method doesn’t have an audio component, get one. If so, get another
anyway. Listening to the language is the most important aspect of learning if you intend to speak it. Give yourself opportunities
for use at times that would not otherwise be productive, such as while driving or just relaxing.

Internet radio By following the tips above, give yourself more (and free!) Opportunities to listen to your new language. Radio can expose you to new vocabulary and fresh content every day. Don’t go overboard with your one audio CD. Mix your audio with other sources and those that change constantly, such as music and Internet news broadcasts from other countries. The more sources you have to listen to, the better.

Daily contact This is probably the fundamental rule when it comes to learning languages. You should expose yourself to the language every day if possible. Studying for ten minutes a day is better than studying for an hour once or twice a week. Frequent review, even if only for a few minutes, is essential. This is also valid for maintaining a language after having learned it. Long periods of rest are deadly.

Pen pals Use the power of the Internet to connect with other people around the world who speak the language you are learning. They can help you immeasurably. You can help them with English and they can help you with your target language. There are many free sites and forums for finding people who will be happy to work with you.

Study with others Studying and practicing with other people can give you instant feedback and interactivity that
You just can’t get it from a book or even from audio or software. Even if you only know very little, you will absorb it faster and with more pleasure than simply studying alone. Ultimately, that’s the purpose of learning a foreign language anyway:
Comunicate with other people.

So, try applying a few different techniques to your language learning regimen. You will probably find that you can add some
techniques without requiring more time from your already overloaded schedule. You may find that you can actually use
less time studying as you streamline your learning process. Learn to learn more effectively and remember to watch
on goal, whether you put a number on it or not.