How to best learn a new language.
Easy steps to better fluency
Why do you want to learn a new language?
That is the first question you should be asking yourself. What are your motivations?
When I first came to Japan. I didn’t speak the language at all but like many people, I have always had a fascination with Japan. I came here on a tourist visa and started looking for work. I had a license to practice chiropractic work back in Seattle so I thought maybe I can use that to get a job in Japan. I was lucky enough to find a job using my skills as a chiropractor.
But I soon realized that I couldn’t understand what my customers wanted to be done. None of the staff spoke any English and would point to their own body to let me know where the customer was talking about. I took mental notes on the words that were used when customers came in for a message.
Soon after I was able to do basic communication with the customers and that not only made me happy but the customers as well.
My motivation to learn Japanese was extremely high. I felt embarrassed that I got a job but couldn’t speak the language. I decided to find how I could best learn a new language and communicate with other people in work and personal life.
Your motivations are very important when you are about to learn a new language. Here are the ways I found to best work for myself but I truly believe that it can work for you too.
Conversation is key!
The more and more you converse with other people in that language, the better you will become at speaking that language. One of the best ways to do this is to find a partner.
A partner can be your study buddy or a person that speaks the language fluently/natively. A study partner can help push you and can be a perfect person to practice with.
A fluent/native partner is also a great choice. You will learn how to really speak in that language, not how a book teaches you to speak. It can be difficult for beginners to communicate but if you can find someone that is willing to help you then there is no better choice. I would suggest doing a language exchange if they are also looking to learn a new language such as your own.
If you have trouble finding a partner then you should try talking to yourself. It might be embarrassing but it can really help to re-enforce the vocabulary you are studying and even help with the smoothness of how you talk.
A great way to do this is to record yourself talking. That way you can hear yourself speak that language and understand how you might sound to others. I know most people hate hearing their own voice but trust me it really helps.
Be creative
If your goal is conversation than put it to good use. Find creative ways to practice conversation other than talking to yourself. Having conversations with other people is one of the best ways to learn the language you are studying. Keeping it relevant to you.
You have to think of creative ways to use your new language skills so that you can improve them. Reading short stories out loud, singing along with a sone, or even going abroad and using it to communicate with the local people.
There are many creative ways to practice the language you are learning and part of the fun is to find what works best for you.
Remember to have fun
Learning a new language doesn’t have to be stressful or tedious. Have fun with the language. Think about what you did as a kid. Did you ever play rock, paper, scissors? I guarantee you that there is a version of that game in the language you are learning.
Read books/comics, listen to music, play games and anything that you yourself finds fun. One thing that I found fun is proverbs in other languages.
Más vale pájaro en mano que cien volando.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
What you already have at the moment is more valuable than what you don’t.
Fail, fail and fail some more
Failing might sound negative but it is far from it. Failing at anything you will learn from your mistakes and be better the next time you try. No one is perfect and you should not expect to be perfect either.
When words can’t seem to come out of your mouth. GOOD
When say the wrong word but think its the right word GOOD
When you embarrass yourself in front of someone because you said something completely wrong. GOOD
You get the point. Never be afraid to fail. That part of the learning process.
Have you ever watched a child when they are learning something new? They don’t care at all when they make mistakes! They have fun with everything they are doing. Act like a child in the way of not caring about failure.
Mistakes make us who we are today. I guarantee you that if you let go of your adult inhibitions you will learn the language at a much high rate and have fun with it.
Listen
Every language sounds strange at first. But the more you hear it the better you will be able to speak it. Exposure to a language is key. You can hear how things are pronounced and the rhythm they have.
Once you become familiar with the sounds of the language you can start speaking the language with better pronunciation. Try to listen to something every day.
Listening to different dialects is also good. For example, the word for heart in Spanish is corazón. In Spain, the Z sound is said like a Th, but in Latin America, it is said like a Z. Both are the same language but because of the different dialect, the pronunciation is different.
Go for it!
Now that you have some advice on how to proceed. Jump in and enjoy the swim.
You will have your ups and downs but as long as you learn from them and don’t let them get you down you should be all right.
A few tips:
- Watch other people talk
- Don’t be afraid of failing
- Have fun with it
- Talk as much as you can
If you noticed I didn’t mention textbooks or apps for your smartphone. These are not bad ways to learn a new language at all. You can refresh your vocabulary, learn grammar, and always have a dictionary app on hand. If you choose to use apps and textbooks please remember if you don’t practice the language by speaking, you won’t be able to speak to other no matter how many words the apps say you know.
Last, don’t worry about speaking their language poorly. Most people will understand if you tell them, “I am still learning” or “please speak more slowly”. They might even give you more help than you asked for. Most people have patience and a respect for someone trying to learn their language.
Good luck! 頑張れ！ Buena suerte!
