Things To Know Before Learning A New Language

Look, I'm no language learning expert, but there are definitely some things I wish I knew before I started learning a second language. Whether you've already started learning your new language, or is something you are just tempted to do, these are the tips and tricks I wish I was told before I started!

NUMBER 1: Do Your Research.

Languages are all extremely unique and different, but there are languages that are much more different to some than others! Looking at your first language and seeing which languages are similar to it grammatically and in sentence structure is a good place to start if you don't already have a language in mind! 

For example, many claim that Spanish, Italian and Dutch are the easiest to learn if your first language in English! Babbel Magazine even ranked Norwegian and Swedish high up on their list of the '9 Easiest Languages For English Speakers To Learn"!

NUMBER 2: Find A Program.

Whether you're hiring a tutor, or are going down the self taught route, using a free online program can certainly make the process of learning a language easier, quicker, and probably a lot less stressful. 

For example, I personally use howtostudykorean.com (as I am learning Korean, obviously), and have never needed to use any other site or resource! Using apps and online websites can definitely help, as most language-learning sites provide many options for all different languages! A great website I use for memorization is "Cram.com". It has pre-made flashcards available, or you can make your own, and even has fun games that take the words you've put into your flashcards to help you with memorizing them like match up games and others!

NUMBER 3: Get The Supplies.

Get ready for your hand to burn because you'll be done a whole lot of note taking. Having some good pens, pencils, highlighters, and multiple notebooks will definitely be useful. 

For example, having notebooks for different aspects of the language is a great way to organize your lessons. Having an individual notebook for things like vocabulary (which can be divided by nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.), grammar, sentence structure, key points to remember, and a spare one to do some review in is one of the things I wish I had done prior to starting my lessons!

NUMBER 4: Make The Time.

To get good at anything, practice is necessary. So, if you're hoping to become fluent in another language, you must be prepared to practice. I would highly encourage you to add study time into your calendar on a specific day. 

For example, you could learn a new lesson on Monday's, use Wednesday's as study days, and Friday's as quiz days! Realistically, whether your schedule allows you to study 5 days a week for an our each day, or 1 day a week for 20 minutes, or 2 days a week for 3 hours, find a time and day and schedule it in so you don't forget!

NUMBER 5: Music And Movies.

A great way to get a feel for how the language is spoken and what the dialects sound like, watch some movies or tv shows in the language you're learning! Subtitles will, of course, be needed in the beginning, but after you're more comfortable, you can try and watch it without them! Music is another great source to hear the language in a more fun way!

For example, listen to hear words you've already learned like 'yes', 'no', 'please', 'thank you' and take note of how it's pronounced. Playing music in that language while driving or in your free time can be a more fun and less demanding way of studying on the days you can't find time to. Searching up or writing down the lyrics then translating them can also be a great way of studying, then at least you'll know what you're actually singing or dancing to!

NUMBER 6: Ask A Friend.

Asking a friend or family member to learn the language with you can be a great way of staying encouraged and staying on top of your studying. This can also be incredibly helpful when it comes to practicing things like pronunciation and reading! Just like in school, having someone there to compare answers to, or maybe even ask questions to can be extremely helpful.

For example, make time to quiz each other on the lesson you completed that week, or try to maintain a conversation with each other in that language! This can also grow rather competitive, which can be a good form of encouragement.

NUMBER 7: Check Your Sources.

I cannot even tell you the number of translating apps and websites you're going to try to use while learning a new language. If you've ever taken, or are taking, a language course in school, you'll know how true this is. Don't get me wrong, these apps and sites can come in great use when you need a quick, general translation for the odd word or sentence, but do not rely on this to teach you the correct translations. This, of course, depends on the language you are learning, but many languages have certain grammatical rules that need to be followed in order for a sentence to make sense. Unfortunately, many of these translation sites do not add in the correct grammar.  

For example, 'you're' and 'your' may be pronounced the same in English, but the spelling and context of the words are different. If you were to use a translation app or site, it may translate each individual word correctly, but not the sentence as a whole correctly. Many languages compared to English have a different sentence structure, for example. In some languages, if you were to describe an object, the noun comes first then the adjective follows, but in others, the adjective comes first and then the noun follows it.

i.e, "blue car' vs. 'car blue'. This isn't always how apps translate things, but if it does, it becomes extremely confusing and may teach you habits you do not want to know. 

NUMBER 8: Keep A Journal.

The best advice I have gotten when it comes to ways you can improve your writing when learning a new language is to keep a journal to write in, in the language you're learning! Whether you talk about what you did that day, or literally making any sentences with the words you know how to say, this is a great way to apply what you've learned, create sentences that you may need to know or use, and is a fun way to track your progress!

For example, you can write in your journal once a day about something you're doing or something you hope to do that day, and continue to write more and more each day until you are comfortable enough to write full journal entries! You can also practice your speech and pronunciation by reading your journal entry back. Plus, if you want to write about stuff you don't want others to know about, writing it in a language your friends and family don't understand can be very, very useful.

NUMBER 9: Failure Is Normal.

Learning an entirely new language is hard! It's a challenging thing to do, especially if you have very little experience in learning other languages. So don't be afraid to fail! If you're quizzing yourself and can't remember a word, don't worry, it's not the end of your language-learning career. Be prepared to get things wrong, to forget some words, and to feel like an idiot when trying to pronounce new words because It's all part of the process!

For example, taking some quizzes can be a very good way to study, but don't give up just because your quizzes aren't resulting in 10/10. Failure is just a part of learning new things, so don't let a few wrong answers discourage you! Instead, look at your failures as a learning opportunity, and as an opportunity to work harder. Acknowledge the fact that failing reminds you that you're actually trying to do the thing you wanted to do! Be encouraged by it!

NUMBER 10: Seek Real-life Opportunities.

Putting what you've learned into practice is crucial. When you feel like you've got a good foundation under you and feel ready enough to try to speak to someone in your new language, try to find opportunities to speak to someone who already speaks that language!

For example, try to order your food in the language you're learning (if your server or restaurant owner speaks the language), or maybe call a friend or family member that also speaks the language and talk with them! Buying some books that are written in the language can also be a great way to get some extra practice in! 

So, those are my tips for anyone planning on learning a new language. As stated before, I am certainly no expert, but felt that sharing the things I wish I knew before I had started learning a new language would potentially save some confusion for the next person. If you are starting to learn a new language, good luck and don't forget these tips. And if you do get to travel to the home country of your new language, make sure you write about it in your journal! 💛🌍