With an extra bit of time on your hands, perhaps you’ve decided that it’s finally time you tried to learn a new language. And with the global outbreak of Coronavirus creating so much fear, there really are no excuses for not learning a new language this winter. And after all, knowing another language can be one of the most rewarding experiences in life.

Language learning can present a lot of challenges; the complex grammar, memorizing the words and phrases, and understanding how to fit them together. But it’s worth it – learning a language builds new neural connections and makes brain regions more efficient. Plus, knowing multiple languages gives you a mental advantage when it comes to problem-solving and creativity. German, French, Spanish, Japanese, and Italian are some of the most common foreign languages people opt for learning. Because of their wider usage throughout the world, they prove to be beneficial in professional as well as educational purposes.

Choosing the right language to learn is the first step to mastering it. That’s why you have to choose the one that matches your interests, motivations, lifestyle, or career. How do you begin to learn a language? Which methods to use, resources to find, and tips and tricks to apply. The process is as difficult as learning a new language itself, but it can be broken down into steps.

In order to learn a language, you have to know what skills are the most important to focus on! While grammar is a fundamental part of a language, you should also focus on auxiliary vocabulary and pronunciation. What’s more, if you want to learn a particular dialect, you have to give it more attention!

Know Your Purpose

For the right reasons, learning a new language can be a life-changing experience. No one knows what will stick until you click with a particular method – and it depends on how long you have to invest. All language learners fall off the wagon at some point, but if you figure out why you are learning the language, this is very helpful in keeping your motivation up.

Consider How Much Time You Can Invest

The easiest languages to learn and fully operate in are ones that are structurally and linguistically similar to your native tongue. If studying isn’t something you have a lot of time for, then choose a language that is similar to your native language. An excellent choice is something in the same language family or one that shares vocabulary with your native tongue.

Set Clear Goals

Setting long and short-term goals for your language learning journey is an important part of staying motivated. Setting clear and attainable goals will add focus and structure to your language learning journey while breaking them down into feasible steps will help you plot an actionable roadmap to success. Once you’re hitting your milestones, get ready to take on even more with a specialized side trip!

Find Out Proper Resources and the Right Study Method foy You

The best thing you can do to get started quickly is to make sure you choose the right learning method. Take some time to work out how you want to study. Do you prefer to learn new words by making flashcards or videos? Or would learning with children’s books or apps work better for you? Is having the teacher present best, or is learning over Skype better for you? Agreeing on personal learning goals can help focus your decision on which resources are right for you.

The best way to learn a language is to include a mix of the four key language learning skills: writing, reading, listening and speaking. Practice these regularly in realistic situations to make sure that you are becoming fluent in your new language.

Learn the Alphabets and the Rules of Pronunciation

Once you have mastered the basic sounds of your target language, the next step is to put them together into words. Pronunciation rules can be a bit boring to memorize at first, but once you start learning how to apply them, you will begin to notice big improvements in your pronunciation and how other people hear you. With a little practice, these rules will help you communicate more effectively.

Acquire the Right Vocabulary

There are several new words that you need to learn when learning a new language, and you’ll encounter them in nearly every lesson. By focusing on learning these core vocabulary words first, you can get started and improve your skills, while also building a solid base to move forward with. If you learn the right vocabulary, you’ll find yourself surprised at how easy it is to have conversations.

Learn the Basic Grammar

Grammar is important. You need to carefully understand the nuts and bolts that make up the language you’re learning before you can go about speaking it fluently. Like learning a musical instrument, there is a huge amount of work involved with mastering any new language – perhaps even more so, because languages are living things with tweaks happening all the time! Although grammar is often boring, it makes it far easier to understand why things are done in a certain way. 

Communicate with Others

Practicing a language can be a bit nerve wracking at first, but remember that the people you’re talking to are probably nervous too. The best way to get over this early ‘itchiness’ around strangers is to practice! Find people who speak the language you’re learning and introduce yourself. Then just ask them how they say certain words or phrases, and slowly ease your way into having a simple conversation. There isn’t much better than interacting with someone in-person when it comes to practicing a language!

Don’t forget to have fun! There will be plenty of mistakes. but that’s OK. Learning a language is quite a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be a chore. During your first few lessons, you may feel overwhelmed or insecure. Relax. These feelings are normal and will pass. Enjoy the ridiculous moments, don’t get discouraged by mistakes, and keep on experimenting.