Last time I met lots of people who are crazy about languages. To be honest I am one of them too. New language always mean new undiscovered world, new people in your life. So at the moment in my own language list are: Lithuanian,English,Russian and Spanish.
It is very hard to learn new languages, but there are some tips what can help you ( I hope ). So here we go!
Set a goal & sometimes don’t keep it!
Before you start to study something new, you need to know how much you need that. Is it ok to know just basic words like ‘Hello, my name is … How are you?’ or you need something more?
But don’t stick to your plan. If you prefer study colours or kitchen’s stuff to things what you should do… DO THAT! Fly with that and enjoy your time with new language!
If you study new language just for yourself ( not for school/UNI), don’t be afraid to change your goal.
Speaking
This part all the time is tricky one. DON’T PRESS YOURSELF. I like to make monologue before I start to speak with other people. Till then try just listen. If you have chance try to watch movies, listen to music.
You will see, after time words just comes out of your mouth all by itselfs…without any effort.
Learning style
Everyone should find it by themself. Maybe you prefer listen learning CD, making notes… I love to sing new words sometimes if I find it worth for it. I like doing charts.
What I want to say is you must do what you think be helpful to learn.
Conversation
I don’t know what’s about you, but I study other languages for communication with other people. That’s why it is very important to learn how to express yourself ( e.g. How do you feel? What makes you happy? ) So try to learn things what you are really interested in.
Celebrate your language day
So you’re learning French? Do a French day! Listen to French radio, watch French films, cook French food, read a French newspaper and search for your newest vocabulary on google.fr. Don’t worry if you only understand a fraction of what’s going on
by Anne Matthies
Makes mistakes!
Yeah yeah I know, most of us are perfectionist.But you must to let do mistakes to yourself. Don’t be affraid of your accent… most of time it sounds really lovely when people speaks with it!
Top 100 words
Every language has most use words. E.G. there are top 100 Spanish words . Look at them. You can make lots of sentences with them. Sure, simple ones, but it just beggining… Even children starts to speak only word by word… isn’t it?
And last, but I think most important:
Never give up
It is hard to learn new language. You must to learn not only language… but and customs, culture.Don’t let mistakes to get you down! One day you will giggle of all these mistakes. Yeah, maybe you will want to kick someone or scream,but never give up. NEVER!!!
New language is a new world. Never forget it.
There are some facts about languages:
* At least half of the world’s population are bilingual or plurilingual, i.e. they speak two or more languages.
* In their daily lives Europeans increasingly come across foreign languages. There is a need to generate a greater interest in languages among European citizens.
* Many languages have 50,000 words or more, but individual speakers normally know and use only a fraction of the total vocabulary: in everyday conversation people use the same few hundred words.
*Due to the influx of migrants and refugees, Europe has become largely multilingual. In London alone some 300 languages are spoken (Arabic, Turkish, Kurdish, Berber, Hindi, Punjabi, etc.).
More facts you can find THERE