My Polyglot Language Learning Routines: Here’s How I Do It…
Never forget: Effective strategies for language maintenance
I speak 6 languages (more or less fluently) and understand two more. The technical term for someone like me who has mastered more than three languages is a polyglot.
Being a polyglot isn’t about burying your nose in a dusty textbook on some foreign language, nor does it mean I have some genetic advantage that just makes me good with languages.
Instead, it’s about communicating, embracing, and being passionate about other cultures.
But how do I do it?
Most people argue that they don’t even have time for a facial, much less the time available to learn a new language.
And once you’ve learned that language, how do you maintain it and remember it?
You need some healthy language learning routines.
Here are a few of my routines and how they help me live life as a polyglot and continue learning more languages.
My Language Mastery Routines
My whole day is structured around healthy language learning routines, which help me remain fluent in the foreign languages I speak and am currently learning.
My family gets in on the action and participates in the language routines with gusto.
They really enjoy participating, and we all have fun with languages.
#1. Listening to Language as Music
I love music, and I am forever singing along with the music I am listening to. I use this to my advantage by listening to German, English, and Italian music.
The rhythm and repetition of music help me perfect the pronunciation and tonality in these languages.
Using music as a regular routine can help you learn any language (as long as you like music in that language).
Listen, sing, and start making up your own little verses.
This makes language learning fun.
#2. Talk Radio for Conversation Training
Radio Italia has proven a real asset in improving my Italian and keeping it “rust-free.”
The presenters and guests converse in Italian, often at crazy fast speeds, which makes for an intriguing way to brush up on conversational skills.
If there aren’t any talk radio or radio stations presented in the languages you are learning, you can find podcasts and vlogs to follow to help keep you up to date.
#3. Regular Breaks to Keep Motivated
My kids come home from school between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., which is when I give language learning a break and focus on things like cooking and being a mom.
The breaks help me keep touch with my family and reflect on my learning journey.
#4. Scheduled App Time
When the kids get busy with homework, I dive into my more formal learning time.
This is when I use my language apps to learn specific things. By using more than one app, I can also focus on different things and work with what energy I have to offer that day.
I like to use Duolingo when I am not feeling very “worky,” as it’s gamified and the lessons are really short.
Babbel is my go-to for grammar learning, while Mondly helps me with vocabulary and detailed learning.
#5. Language Reading on Social Media
In the evening, I like to choose one or two of the languages I am revising or learning and find a Reddit thread about or in those languages.
I read and follow the comments, which is a great way to also pick up language nuances; plus, it’s fun.
#6. Language Entertainment
Finally, my family and I settle in with some Netflix, Disney+, or Prime with the shows set to the audio of the language I am learning.
Since English is a foreign language to me and my husband (but not to my children, whose native language is English), we currently listen to English audio and may add subtitles in a different language.
My husband and I are enjoying Dexter at the moment, and the suspense makes language learning a blast.
Best Language Routine Ideas
Perhaps you want a few language learning routines of your own? Here are a few great routine ideas:
- Use recipe books in the language you are learning. I love cooking in Italian.
- Shop at a shop where they speak the language you are working on. Try to have a conversation with the shop owner in their language.
- Start writing your own short stories, shopping lists, journal entries, and more in the language you are learning. Never stop learning so the language doesn’t become lost to you through lack of use.
- Discover the culture behind the language you are learning, as this will make it much more relatable to you. If you have the funds for it, take a holiday in the country where the language originated and really get to know the locals. If you are an armchair traveler, you can also use Google to help you discover and explore.
- Read a book you know well in the translation you are learning. You could start a collection of fiction books that you’ve read and that are available in various translations.
Agatha Christie is a popular choice, and it’s widely translated. If in doubt, the Bible is available in every language on earth, including Klingon (if you’re into mythical languages).
Why Language Routines Work
Learning should be about the journey, not the destination.
I loathe when people ask me how many words they should know to speak a language fluently.
It’s not about the words, and the languages you speak should become part of your life, not some yellowed certificate on a wall.
Habits make for memories, and language routines become healthy habits that make you a true polyglot.
The brain loves habits, and when those habits are routines you do daily, you will find that language learning isn’t a chore — it’s who you are and what you enjoy most.
Want to hear more from me? Check out my articles on language learning over on Medium:
- My Love of Languages: What Being a Polyglot Actually Feels Like
- My Language Learning Adventure: How Short Stories Enhanced My Progress
- My Language-Learning Rule: It’s About Phrases, Not Just Words
Final Routines
Finally, one of the main reasons why language learners fail at learning and mastering a new language is a lack of motivation.
With habits and routines in place, you will find your motivation soars and you’ll look forward to your language learning routines.
Because I speak so many languages, my routines make up most of my day, but you may find that a short routine of 20 minutes to an hour per day per language is all you need to keep learning and retain what you’ve learned.
Make language learning routines that work for you.
Happy learning!
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Thank you for reading! Share your own experiences of how the beauty of languages goes beyond communication in the comments below.
