Want To Become Bilingual?
How I Learned 2 Languages At Work — 6 Methods To Make It EASY.
Almost 2 years ago I decided to get a second job to help fund my lessons.
I ended up at a place close to me where about 80% of the people there were foreign and spoke either Romanian, Polish or Hungarian.
In a bid to try and learn something before I left, I started taking up the languages my colleagues spoke.
While I didn’t get fluent in these languages, it did make my job easier and I learned a lot before I left.
In the following points, I’ll provide you with the tactics and methods I used to learn what I did.
1. Sign up for a language learning program (online or in person).
When I started learning another language, I chose to use a couple of different language-learning programs. The two I chose were Pimsleur and Memrise (both online).
The reason why I chose these is that not only were there no language learning programs near me, but it was easy and efficient to access.
I could listen to these on the go, at the gym, or even at work to advance my skills.
I wasn’t restricted to one specific place or time when I could learn. I had no restraints.
I’d read online that these resources were good, so I used the free trials to experiment with them. They suited me so I kept them up.
The best thing I can recommend is to try out different apps. Use the trials or subscribe for a month. Find resources that suit you. There are hundreds online so don’t settle for a course you’re not comfortable with.
2. Immerse yourself. Talk With The Natives.
The reason why I was able to progress so quickly was because I was constantly around native speakers 5 days a week for almost 8 hours a day.
I could talk to them, use what I had learned and get feedback, learn new words and even pick up the slang from their homeland.
It was almost like being in the country itself.
And to make it even better, most of them spoke English too, so even if I struggled to understand something, they would change to English and break it down for me.
Finding natives will help your journey immensely and help you progress 10-fold.
That’s what you’re learning it for, after all, to communicate with others.
The only tip I would give for this is don’t be nervous when you first start talking with others.
They will be happy to help. They’re appreciative that someone is trying to learn their language.
3. Find Pen Pals.
The next best step if you can find natives local to you is to find pen pals.
This isn’t a method which I have followed personally, however, it’s definitely an avenue that you can benefit from.
Just by going online, you can find different websites and apps that can connect you with thousands of people around the globe who are all trying to achieve the same goal as you.
Websites such as InterPals, Conversation Exchange and PenPal World are all great places to start.
However, I would still proceed with caution when doing this as you still have to remember you are talking to strangers online and you never know who you’re talking to. Remember to be polite and respectful.
4. Practice Regularly, Use Apps.
As mentioned earlier, I started using two online apps; Pimsleur and Memrise.
It is important, however, to stay consistent. The app is there for you to access the language easily and use it daily.
Consistency is the only way to get fluent in a language.
On certain apps, there are reminders that you can set so that you get notifications at certain times of the day to remind you to learn. There are also goals that you can set too.
Even if you can only pick up a new word or two a day OR even go over your old stuff, do it. It will all pay off in the long run.
5. Watch Movies Or Shows In The Language.
When I started learning Portuguese, I looked online for methods to help me learn more quickly. The one repeated method I kept seeing was to watch things in the language.
I tried taking this up and it was hard at first.
But after a while, you do start to get used to it.
When I would stretch at home I would watch short movies in Portuguese on YouTube.
I would also do things like listen to podcasts or music to help to try and grasp different aspects of the language that I wasn’t picking up through the app such as word speed, pronunciation, and accent.
The tip that I would give for this method is when watching things, first, start with English subtitles so you can understand what certain words translate to and then transition on to using subtitles for the language you are learning.
When you make this change, you will teach your brain subconsciously what written words sound like.
6. Practice Writing.
The last recommendation that I would make is to practice writing.
When I started learning words, I would write them onto flash cards.
On one side, I would write the English version of the word, and then on the other side, I would write the translated version.
It would help the word stick in my head as I wouldn’t only know what the word was translated, but I would know how to spell it.
I have made hundreds of flashcards since starting. There is a lot to get through, so the best way to do this is by cycling the cards.
Don’t go through them all in one go, make piles of the cards and do one set today and a different set tomorrow.
This’ll make sure you’re constantly learning different words and keep you on your toes with the change.
Conclusion:
Learning languages IS hard, but that’s what makes it so valuable. It can’t be brought, it’s the hours that you put in that you get out.
Even if you fall off, never give up…
Thank you for taking the time to read my article. If you found it helpful and think someone else could find it helpful too, please share it and 👏🏽👏🏽.
A writer mainly on self-development. I occasionally write on personal experiences, interest and other topics too. If you are interested in self-development, then please read some of my other articles (linked below). Enjoy.
