5 Steps to Learn a New Language Quickly
Most of us are interested in learning a new language, and why not? It makes you sound nice, and gives you stellar skills which you can boast about in your resume. Furthermore, it is also a known fact that learning a new language increases your employability through leaps and bounds. However, as adults, it might get a little difficult to get a grasp on learning a new language. Things may seem too overwhelming initially, and learning grammatical basics may get confusing. This is due to the fact that our brains have already moved past the developmental phase where it could absorb a plethora of information from everywhere. Nevertheless, there is something that we always recommend while trying to learn a new language (and this method is foolproof) – teach yourself like you are a toddler.
Apart from the small idea that we shared in the last paragraph, this entire article is going to concentrate on how you can swiftly learn a new language. There are a few pointers which might come to the rescue, and if you find them to be helpful, do write back to us. We’d be delighted!
So, How Do We Go About It?
The target is very simple, the obstacles, not so much. Briefly speaking, you want to learn a new language, but you are probably an adult or a college student who can obviously not devote the amount of hours to learning said subject like a school student would. Hence, we have to devise some other methods to learn your target language. This is precisely what we would do in this section.
- Set realistic goals: studying a new language can be an overwhelming affair, with toning down your native accent and learning the grammar. Hence, it is extremely important to have realistic, tangible goals. So, instead of writing something like “I’m going to go from a beginner to an intermediate-level speaker in two weeks”, you can try writing “I will learn around 20-30 new words this week”. The former is a goal which isn’t quantifiable, the latter sets boundaries. Hence, you are obviously going to find that learning 20-30 new words is going to be easier than moving from a beginner level to an intermediate one.
- Learn the basic words correctly: If we look at a language, there are about hundreds and thousands of words and hence, we can never learn a language completely even in a lifetime. Do not let this bother you. The most basic hundred words appear in 50% of the language, and the intermediary thousand make up for more than 90%. Thus, you are going to learn the language much more efficiently if you focus your grip on the basics.
- Studying hard is so 2006; Study smart: Gone are the days of locking yourself in a room and slogging all day long. This is the 21st century, and you must use fun techniques to learn a language. Try out flashcards and revise those whenever you get some spare time. It can be in the public transport, or when you feel like doing something light. Another great technique is to use mnemonics. You will get multiple apps that can help you with this. Moreover, learning the translation of the word(s) before guessing the meaning also helps a lot.
- Speak the language: knowing a language is a skill, and it can only get better only if you polish that. There are multiple study YouTubers who help people speak a new language, and you can even go on social media sites and enter into groups where people are learning your target language. The entire purpose of this exercise is to have someone to talk to in the language so you can practice. Practicing makes perfect, and this is something you absolutely cannot skip!
- Keep testing yourself: You need not worry about flunking this one! Test yourself to see and measure your progress in the target language. If you are accessing any online learning apps or anything similar, you can go for their testing options. Tests can also help you to grade yourself and see how long you have to go before you can market this newly-learnt skill to your potential employers as well!
Always Remember
Learning a new language as an adult might take some hiccups but we got you here, and you are definitely not alone in this one! Watch shows and movies in your target language, and read books (kids’ books are really helpful) to get a better grasp of the language. Furthermore, using apps can be a massive help. You can also learn online on different platforms, and their self-test features will also help you keep a track of the progress you are making. That being said, we hope you enjoy your journey of learning a new language. Au revoir!
