Learning a foreign language helps to expand your horizons. For instance, you may decide not to study in another country or apply for a job there because you don’t know the language.
According to language experts, it is possible to master basic communication skills quite quickly. You may not be fluent in a few months, but you can pick up enough to hold a basic conversation and make yourself understood.
Speak with native speakers
Online tutorials and apps that help you to learn a language are very helpful when first learning another language. They are structured in a way that helps you to learn, and you will often have to repeat words and sentences.
However, the best way to learn a foreign language fast is by conversing with native speakers. You can start with very short, simple dialogues once you have picked up some basic vocabulary.
Best advice for language learners
Learning a foreign language takes plenty of practice. The professional writers at EduBirdie provide a large selection of essay examples for inspiration. If you’re a student on the foreign languages list – French, Spanish, etc. – you can get help. You don’t have to compromise your learning when you travel to another country in an attempt to learn other languages.
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Progress is slower when you don’t speak for fear of making mistakes
Having the courage to speak is essential if you want to make progress. Progress will be much slower if you don’t open your mouth. You shouldn’t have a fear of making mistakes or taking risks. If you regularly speak with native speakers, you can achieve basic conversational literacy in much less time.
Total immersion is key
The more you immerse yourself in a foreign language, the quicker you will learn. Reading illustrated children’s books, listening to videos, and speaking to people will all help. Volunteering, working at restaurants and attending functions expose you to situations where you can practice and improve your language skills. The idea is to speak to as many people as you can and get as much input as possible through listening and reading.
Focus on pronunciation
You need to ask native speakers you converse with to offer you feedback to help you with your pronunciation. Let them know you want them to correct you. You can always improve your grammar later on, but it’s harder to fix incorrect pronunciation.
Mirror native language speakers and repeat words over and over until they start to feel natural in your mouth. Use YouTube videos or other tutorials that focus on pronunciation and listen to every word carefully to master speaking it like natives.
Concentrate on material just above your level
At every stage of learning, it is important to find material that is just above your level. Don’t try to watch a whole movie at first, or you will probably just get discouraged. This may be as simple as learning to read street signs or read a menu in a restaurant. Before long, you will find that you understand more than you realize. You need to go at your own pace and look up the words you come across that you don’t know.
Learn through stories
Learning through stories is much easier than learning grammar on its own. Stories will engage your right brain and left brain. Studying grammar engages your left brain. Stories will get your attention and make you more motivated to learn. Try to find reading material that isn’t too difficult, and that relates to your hobbies or interests. If you enjoy painting, a simple book about painting could include words you are likely to want to use in real life.
Be comfortable being a bit lost
When learning a new language, you have to be comfortable with the feeling of being at sea in certain situations. If you get caught up checking every single word in a text, it takes up too much time and spoils your fun. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to try to know everything. You can stick to the fundamentals and stay open to learning more. You need to enjoy the process of learning and celebrate your small triumphs along the way.
Go for popular media
This one always works as it takes you close to the culture of the people who speak that language. Watching dramas, stage shows, movies, or anything that tells stories in that language does wonder to your language learning abilities. It has been used by business process outsourcing companies in various countries.
The native companies teach their language to the locals so that business processes run smoothly. It is both written and verbal training. You can enroll yourself for a job in such a company for some time and enhance your language learning process.
Watching movies and shows in the language you are learning will give you real-time exposure to popular slang, common phrases, vocabulary and dialect. With it, your pronunciation and fluency will get better in a quick time. Almost all the movies and tv shows come with subtitles, so that will make the process even easier.
Conclusion
The fastest way to learn a new language is to have the confidence to converse with native speakers and have consistent exposure to it. You can quickly master basic conversational skills and learn correct pronunciation this way. Learning grammar can always come later. You can’t be afraid to take risks and make mistakes in the process of learning a language.
Author’s Bio
Helen Birk is a premium writer and editor working for a leading content agency. With outstanding work quality and a high level of professionalism, she has quickly climbed the success ladder and is regarded as the best writer. Her free time is for taking walks, listening to peppy songs and reading science books.