{"id":876,"date":"2024-05-10T09:56:23","date_gmt":"2024-05-10T16:56:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linguamonium.com\/?p=876"},"modified":"2024-05-10T09:56:23","modified_gmt":"2024-05-10T16:56:23","slug":"the-top-9-tips-for-learning-a-new-language","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linguamonium.com\/?p=876","title":{"rendered":"The top 9 tips for learning a new language"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you planning on learning a new language? If so, don\u2019t trust anything you find online that says you can become fluent in a flash \u2013 like days, weeks, or even months (barring one or two uncommon scenarios[1]<\/a>).<\/a> Getting past the beginner stage with a new language takes considerable time and effort. However, there are<\/em> tricks to using your time much more efficiently when tackling such a worthy project.<\/p>\r\n

This article details my top 9 tips for learning a second language. It\u2019s a doozy of a post \u2013 likely the longest in Linguamonium\u2019s 7-year existence. I incorporate insights from nearly 20 articles on foreign language learning, coupled with my own advice \u2013 which is based on linguistic principles and my personal trials with French, Japanese, German, Turkish, and Norwegian.<\/p>\r\n

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The tips below are ordered in terms of importance, with #1-4 being the most crucial.<\/p>\r\n

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I hope you\u2019ll read to the end, but for those wanting the TL;DR, here\u2019s a very high-level summary:<\/p>\r\n

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  1. Start <\/strong>with the basics (Pareto principle)<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Start by learning the most common 500-1,000 words in your target language, pronunciation, and minimal grammar.<\/li>\r\n
  2. Seek immersion<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Go live in the target country if you\u2019re able, and if that\u2019s infeasible, create your own immersive experience by surrounding yourself with the target language as fully as possible.<\/li>\r\n
  3. Set strong, realistic goals<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Understand how long it takes to learn a language. Make specific, measurable, and realistic plans.<\/li>\r\n
  4. Find content you enjoy<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Find interesting books, music, podcasts, and TV\/film to digest in your target language. Also learn about the target country and culture.<\/li>\r\n
  5. Learn about memory, learning strategies, and learning research<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Learn vocab in context and multimodally (using different senses). Know about the best learning strategies (e.g. retrieval, repetition), and learning myths (like \u201cfind your learning style\u201d).<\/li>\r\n
  6. Stay positive and motivated<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Maintain a good attitude toward your language learning. Be optimistic, persistent, creative, and open to frustration.<\/li>\r\n
  7. Don\u2019t forget audio and pronunciation training<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Train your ears and voice on the sounds of the new language by devoting a lot of your learning time to listening and speaking.<\/li>\r\n
  8. Conquer your fears of being judged<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Practice privately, with other learners, and with AI language tools. Remember that being wrong actually helps us learn.<\/li>\r\n
  9. Learn (some) grammar<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Depending on your personality and background, learn some basic grammar (word order, present tense verbs, word roots and affixes). Try to learn grammar in context.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Alright, ready to dive in? Here we go!<\/p>\r\n

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    \"\"<\/p>\r\n

    1. Start with the basics (Pareto principle)<\/h2>\r\n

    Focus on the most basic stuff first. Learn only what you need to start understanding and communicating quickly.<\/p>\r\n

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    The Pareto Principle<\/h3>\r\n

    Multiple resources I read mentioned the Pareto principle<\/strong><\/a> (a.k.a. the 80\/20 rule<\/strong>). Applied to language, this means that 20% of your practice will get you to 80% fluency \u2013 if you\u2019re strategic about what you\u2019re practicing. That\u2019s because:<\/p>\r\n

    \"\"<\/p>\r\n

    (Higher estimates come from Steve Rubens\u2019 Quora answer here<\/a>.)<\/p>\r\n

    Do you see the diminishing returns after several thousand words? In most languages, very few words (between 500 \u2013 1,500) are used on a regular basis. This is especially true for conversation, versus written material like newspapers or literature.<\/p>\r\n

     <\/p>\r\n

    The basics, categorized<\/h3>\r\n

    There are a few ways to break down the basics.<\/p>\r\n

    Vocabulary<\/h4>\r\n

    \"\"Learn 500-1,000 <\/strong>of the most common words<\/strong> in your target language.<\/p>\r\n