Learning a new language is not only a valuable skill for business but also a crucial tool for survival. If you think about it from a broader perspective, you will realize that being bilingual can open many gateways in life for you. Regardless of whether you are studying a new language for romance, prosperity, travel, intellectual curiosity or as a tool for secret communication, it pays off in the long run. Is learning a new language easy?
Well, learning a new language is easy only if you commit and put in a concerted effort to grasp the underlying features and words involved. Below are some tips to get you started:
- Converse consistently
Get time to talk to people who are more fluent than you. It may be strenuous (and perhaps awkward) at first, but this is the secret to success. In fact, an hour spent conversing with people who are well-versed in the language is equivalent to 10 hours spent alone studying or 5 hours in class.
- Motivate yourself
It goes without saying that you must be motivated and possess some self-drive to succeed. Even if you have the best teachers and massive resources but you do not have the motivation to learn, you will not succeed. To overcome this, learn in a manner that you enjoy and get other people to study with.
- Start with common words
Vocabulary varies from one context to another. For instance, if you live in a foreign country, it makes sense for you to learn vocabulary related to directions and conversing with people rather than focusing on kitchen or house products. This way, if you need directions to some place, you will know what to say.
- Have pocket-size dictionary
You will be surprised at your pace of learning if you carry a dictionary around with you at all times. This means that every moment you get to read or even take a glance at it, it is an opportunity to learn. Your phone contains downloadable apps such as the dictionary and this can prove to be very useful.
Lastly, forgive yourself if you mention a lot of stupid and meaningless words. It is a process of learning.