Seven Successful Tips For Learning a Foreign Language
Hey there, fellow travelers! Part of the fun of traveling is learning the local culture and picking up some of a new language. Being able to speak the local language can totally change your travel experience. While it’s pretty easy to get by on English these days, learning a foreign language is never a bad idea. So, today, I’m sharing seven tips on how to learn another language. These are tips I actually use to learn a new language before traveling.
#1 Be Serious About Learning
You can have fun learning a foreign language, but you have to take it seriously. If you just pop a CD in your car and listen to it every once in a while, you’ll never learn the language. Treat it like you would anything else you want to learn and set aside time to study it. If you want to learn a foreign language, you have to make it a priority.
Watch: Top Ten Spanish Words Travelers Should Know
#2 Buy a Grammar Book, Not a Phrase Book
Most language books aimed at travelers are phrase books. All these do is teach you to repeat phrases, so having a conversation can be very difficult if the person you are talking to doesn’t ask the question you’ve rehearsed. With a grammar book, you can learn how to form your own sentences, which is much more conducive to conversation.
#3 Watch International Programs
The Internet allows us to watch TV shows and programs from around the world. I like watching Internet TV the best because you can turn on the subtitles (also in the foreign language) and see what the words look like, which helps you sound them out. If you’re trying to learn Spanish, most DVD’s have an option for Spanish subtitles, so you can listen in English and read along in Spanish, or vice versa.
#4 Read the Newspaper Out Loud
Newspapers are a great way to learn a foreign language because they are usually written for about an eighth-grade reading level, so it’s not super technical. By reading it out loud, your mouth gets used to making the sounds of the local language, even if you don’t quite know what you’re saying.
#5 Find Someone to Practice With
If you can find a local person who wants to practice conversation with you, it will really help you learn a foreign language quickly. You can set aside an hour per week, and split the hour in half so that you each get a chance to learn a new language for 30 minutes. This can really help you advance beyond studying on your own using books and CDs.
Watch: How to Make Friends While Traveling or Living Abroad
#6 Just Speak! It Builds Confidence
You may know more than you think, but are hesitant to use what you’ve learned. Just do it! Of course, you will make mistakes, but that’s expected and totally forgivable. The locals will appreciate you for trying! The more you speak, the more confident you will become.
#7 Tequila!
If none of the above tactics work, a little bit of tequila goes a long way to loosen up your tongue!
I hope this helps you feel better about how to learn a foreign language and encourages you to give it a shot. Whether you want to learn Spanish, Russian, German or any other language, these tips will work! Do you have other tips on the best way to learn a language? Tell us in the comments! For more travel tips and advice, take a look at these other blog posts and videos:
