How to start learning a language

Written by Anna Redford, Founder of Multilingual I AM

Before I started my degree in languages, my course mates and I always expected to be fluent once we had finished the course. However, 2 years after graduating, I am still learning every day. But if I knew what I know now, I believe my journey would have been much quicker. Now, I am getting closer and closer to my goal and my realisation has been very simple: Make language-learning your hobby. If the activity bores you, simply don’t do it. Choose activities which excite you, interest you and inspire you to study every day.

There are unlimited resources out there when it comes to learning a new language. Some of them you will find engaging and interesting, others you will find dull and tedious. So it’s important to choose the ones you will enjoy. Below, I have listed a few fun activities which will help you succeed with language-learning. I always preach that language-learning should be a hobby, and if it isn’t, then you are not doing it correctly. You should only choose activities which you genuinely enjoy in order to stay motivated.

1. Listen to music. Personally, music has always been a huge part of my life and I have always been that person who can sing every lyric to a song. Therefore, songs provide me with a great way to learn a language and I can study the lyrics and listen to the songs effortlessly and with enjoyment. However, music is not for everyone and if you really can’t relate to this, then this is not the right method for you. If you do enjoy music, then find a singer or band who sing in your target language, study the language and listen to only songs that you love.

2. Watch films. I have mentioned this one because many friends of mine who are completely fluent in their language swear by this method. So, if this is something you think you will enjoy, then this is the one for you. Try with the subtitles on if you are new to the language and if a word comes up that you don’t know, casually google it on your phone. You don’t have to google every single word that you don’t understand. Keep it fun and easy-going so that it doesn’t become a chore.

3. Find the right teacher for you. I highly recommend finding either an online language teacher or a language school to help you to learn your target language. I personally prefer online teaching as it is requires less time and effort as you don’t need to leave the house, you can connect with language teachers from all around the world and I find that many language schools can be old-fashioned in their methods. Additionally, you should find the perfect teacher for you. The perfect teacher is someone who tailors the lesson for your needs and interests, makes you feel comfortable, and someone who makes you feel excited about booking your next lesson.

4. Learn grammar. Making grammar fun, is not an easy task. However, learning grammar will speed up your process of grasping a language. My advice here is to learn grammar with your language teacher. Even if it is just for 10-15 minutes, I personally love talking about the intrinsic differences in our languages to my teacher and for me I really benefit with this approach and it makes grammar learning all the more interesting. Alternatively, if you can find a fun activity or game which you enjoy, that’s great!

These are my top tips. If you have any more suggestions or if you want to receive any guidance during your language journey, then please get in touch!