6 Effective Ways to Learn a New Language by Irfan Ak

Whether you want to travel to a foreign country or want to add another bow to your résumé, learning a new language is always a unique experience. Gone are the days without access to resources and being unable to learn even the basic words of a language. It's easy now thanks to the technological advancements. If learning a new language is on top of your To-Do list then, then this article is for you.

In this article, we have 6 effective ways to learn a new language.

1. Make New Friends

If you are interested in learning Spanish, then you should look to join a community that people who speak the language. Don’t miss out on any events or special functions organized by that community as it can help you learn a lot. You can also physically meet someone you've befriended on social media in a bar or a café and have a casual chat with them. It'll be a great learning experience for you.

2. Travel

"Learning a foreign language, and the culture that goes with it, is one of the most useful things we can do to broaden the empathy and imaginative empathy and cultural outlook of children." - Michael Gove

There is no better way to learn a new language than visiting a country where the language is spoken. Like kids, you can learn a lot by hearing other people talk. You can learn to pronounce different words better and hear which words the locals use in their day to day conversations. More importantly, you also get a better idea of what each of these words means.

You learn about the culture, history and art of that particular country as well when you travel to that country. Talking to a native or learning from a native speaker is also a great way to master a new language.

3. Study Smart

“Work smart, not hard.” How many times you have received that advice? Countless, right but how many times you have followed this advice? Very few, right? 

If you want to learn a new language then, you should set smart goals, to begin with. Setting goals won’t be enough if you're not tracking your progress towards that goals. This is where a task management software can come in handy. Use best study techniques that not only speed up your learning process but also makes it easier for you to learn a new language.

Here are a few examples:

• Use flashcards to learn new words and boost your vocabulary. See the translation in the dictionary then try to visualize and vocalize the word.
• Incorporate gestures into your learning as your brain tends to learn faster when you use actions.
• Use the word in your native language as it will make it easy for you to see the term in context.
• Form a sentence including that word to help you integrate language learning into your daily life.

4. Use Mobile apps and the Internet

As mentioned before, technology has made it easier to learn new languages. Use apps like Duolingo and Memrise and other websites that learning languages a breeze. The simple and easy-to-use interface makes it easier for you to learn new languages. With flash cards and visuals, you'll never get bored of learning a new language with these apps.

5. Watch A Movie

Want to learn a new language from a comfort your room? Watch a movie in that language! Make sure that you watch it with subtitles turned on. When you see movie characters speak their native language and you see it translated into the language you know, you'll understand the meaning of words and learn new vocabulary. You'll also get a sense of how to string different words together to form a sentence. You should always consider watching a movie when it comes to learning a new language.

6. Listen to the Radio

Just like watching a movie, listening to a radio station in the language you want to learn can prove to be of great help in your quest to learn a new language. What’s great about listening to a radio station is that you can do it anywhere thanks to podcasts and radio broadcasts,  whether you're in your car or traveling on foot.

Write down new words spoken during a radio broadcast. You can also listen to the news in the language you want to learn. Nothing can give you a boost in vocabulary like listening to news does! This will really help you achieve a conversational level in your new language.

How do you go about learning a new language? Feel free to share it with us in the comments section below.

Irfan Ak is a digital marketing manager at Branex, a web design company in Toronto, and a guest blogger on various websites. He has created brand value for various brands.