Chinese people have a wise saying: to learn a language means to have one more window out from which you can observe the world.
Indeed, the more languages you know, the better you can understand the world and its different cultures. However, to learn languages effectively, one has to rely on a specific technique or even a couple of them.
To help you learn a new language faster, here are some solid pieces of advice to help you out.
1. Make mistakes
Some people say that you have to make at least two hundred mistakes every day to learn something new. This is especially true with languages. Perfectionism and the fear of committing mistakes are your key enemies while you’re learning.
Instead of criticizing yourself for your errors, you should use the language to the maximum extent possible. This will help you learn to notice mistakes and get them out of your system naturally, instead of just studying them out.
Once you know the basics, you’ll be able to say what you need to say without stuttering. You’ll be able to make expressions that are more advanced and complicated.
In short, give yourself a room for mistakes because they can help you learn better.
2. Learn something new every day
Learning a new language is a process. It’s something you can’t learn quickly. Pushing yourself hard will only burn you out.
To keep yourself moving forward, you need to make it a point to learn and read something every day. Gather a number of texts and read at least one of them.
It can help if you can read different types of texts on a wide range of subjects to expand your perspective. For example, if you are learning English, try reading texts composed by native English speakers.
Visit StudentShare to get some good and clear texts on different topics in English. This resource is of particular assistance in language learning if you are an international college student.
See Also: 4 Things Experts Do to Learn Faster Than You
3. Surround yourself with the language you’re learning
Do it, even if it means listening to a foreign music or podcast while you’re driving, cleaning your room, or just relaxing at home.
Try using a website called Linguistica to get access to foreign news. They offer Italian, French, and Spanish news episodes that can be useful for language learners of all levels.
The episodes are delivered in perfect timing. They are slow, but not extremely slow. Moreover, those are current news, which means that it’ll be easier for you to understand what they’re all about.
Listening to the radio, news, or music in a foreign language will help you broaden your vocabulary on recent events. It can also help you talk to native speakers and find a common topic which you can talk about.
4. Watch cartoons
Allow yourself some fun learning sessions and watch your favorite cartoons in a language you are learning. For example, there is a number of Disney cartoons available online in different languages.
Spending time watching cartoons will leave you with pleasant memories and keep you energized you to learn more and more each day.
5. Read jokes
Understanding humor in your target language is not that easy. The reason is that most jokes aren’t just products of words. They can also involve a region’s historical and cultural background, traditions, stereotypes, and other aspects of life.
Despite that, reading jokes and trying to understand them is crucial for you to evaluate your mastery of the language. After mastering a language, you can translate a joke and then invent one.
See Also: How to Learn a Language in 90 Days or Less
Learning languages should be interesting and fun. You’ll experience a lot of difficulties and frustrations along the way, but don’t push and kick yourself as these are only parts of the process. You have to constantly practice your tongue, despite the hardships, so that you’ll be able to learn a language faster.