5 things you need to know before learning a new language

No matter if you already speak five languages, or you just recently found a new one you got interested in, there are some things you should know before starting. Let me show you the five most important ones that you should keep in mind. 

Let's dive in:

1) Learning a new language takes time - it doesn't happen overnight ⌛

No matter how much you want to speak or understand the language, you have to go through the learning process, just like you learn any other skill. It takes time and constant effort and there's no magic formula, app or hack to be able to speak it in 14 days, as you may see online. However, there are ways to spice up your learning so that it excites you, rather than makes you feel like you're just studying, which brings me to point number two.

2) You don't have to study with books and long vocabulary lists 📺

Think about the way you once learned your native language. Starting with the alphabet, associating objects with pictures, watching Spongebob on TV. You didn't use a textbook to learn how to create the past tense. It's good to use a textbook in the beggining, but the best way to learn the actual spoken language is through immersion: podcasts, videos or books are great way to learn while having fun. If you have a favorite movie or show that you know word for word, try to turn off those Czech subtitles or dubbing and instead aim for subtitles in your target language.

3) Don't forget to practice speaking and writing 🗣

Not all of us have the option to practice speaking with natives. But there are many alternatives. 

The first I want to recommend to you is the app called Tandem. It's almost like a dating app, but for people of all ages, who want to make friends from abroad and practice. You can chat or phone call and it's a great way to learn while getting to know more about the culture. 

The second option is something most of you have already heard of: ChatGPT. Did you know you can turn on your mic, have a conversation and ask it to practice and correct your mistakes? It can prepare you for language exams too! 

Third (and in my opinion the best tip) is keeping a daily journal. It can be just a few sentences a day, because that way you can learn new vocab that you actually use in your everyday life. You can also see your progress over the time. 

4) Set clear goals 📅

Most of our new year's resolutions fail because of the lack of organization and clear goals. Instead of saying you want to learn French, try to aim for a specific goal such as completing an online course, understanding a movie or passing a language exam. Make sure to also be consistent, because a few minutes daily is always better than an hour once a week.

5) Don't give up 🏆

Sounds cliché, doesn't it? But it's really important. Make sure to find a thing that's gonna motivate you to push forward. For me, it's being able to understand what tourists say while I pass by them on the street, understanding movies without subtitles and being able to know the meaning behind the song lyrics.

Learning a new language can be challenging, but it's one of my biggest hobbies. I wish you the best of luck in your studies, enjoy the holidays and see you in the next article ♡.

SM