It's back to school! Time for good resolutions... What if one of them was to learn a foreign language? Sound familiar? Discover our tips for learning a foreign language easily.
Learning a foreign language is good for your CV, but not only…
You thought learning a language was only useful to earn points with your boss? Nay! Studying a new language is also:
The top 5 most spoken languages in the world
Against all expectations, it is Chinese that comes out on top. Indeed, there are 1.4 billion Chinese[3] and 40 million Sinophones around the world. Second position:Spanish. The language is spoken in thirty countries and has 400 million more native speakers than English, which comes third. Hindi and Arabic come fourth and fifth respectively.
Learning a foreign language easily:tips
Who said you have to travel thousands of miles to speak the language of your dreams? Here are twelve ways to learn a new language without leaving your home, or almost.
Take advantage of new technologies…
Whether you want to learn English or Swedish, the Internet is THE place to be! YouTube, in particular, is full of instructional videos that will get you up to speed in no time. Grammar, vocabulary, learning tips… there is no shortage of themes. A great way to put your knowledge into practice. To combine learning and fun, consider language apps like Duolinguo or Babbel. The principle ? You learn a new language in a fun way, without the fuss. At the end of the lessons, you are able to form beautiful sentences and make yourself understood.
But don’t forget the basics
Even if learning 2.0 is a good way to learn a language while having fun, traditional means are still in order. So a word of advice:invest in some good books and some language lessons. They will work on your visual and auditory memory to progress even faster.
Don't be alone
Let's be honest:it's easier to get motivated together. Meet native speakers to discuss with them, within local associations or on the Internet. Because yes, there are sites to chat in a foreign language. Awesome, right? And if your correspondent learns French, he will be all the more motivated to help you. Also get closer to your friends or colleagues who speak or learn the same language as you. Finally, open your ears wide! Hear someone speaking English on the street? Meet him and practice your irregular verbs.
Did you know?
There is not one Chinese language but seven:Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese (or Yu), Min, Xiang, Hakka, Gan. Which one will you fall for?
Our unexpected tips for learning a language
To learn a language well, there is nothing like daily practice. Here are some tips stolen from polyglots:
How to keep your motivation intact?
Above all, no unnecessary pressure. Learning a language should be fun. To keep your grammar lessons fun at the end of the summer, find your source of motivation. It could be a future trip or those neighbors who just moved in near you. It doesn't matter, it's all about keeping in mind that it's fun and it opens your mind.
How's the organization going?
For more efficiency, it is better to work less, but regularly:thirty minutes a day rather than three hours on weekends. Stash "language appointments" in your calendar, just like you would with your workouts. After two months you will already see the difference!
Learning a foreign language is a good idea! For learning to rhyme with pleasure, mix the sources of learning. And above all, one watchword:have fun !
[1] https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2018/02/13/2741715-etre-bilingue-reduit-l-impact-d-alzheimer-sur-le-cerveau.html
[2] https://blog.santelog.com/2016/02/18/bilinguisme-il-favorise-le-developpement-de-la-concurrence-cognitive-aaas/
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population
