I guess nowadays, nobody needs to be explained how important it is to have at least a basic knowledge of the English language and how many benefits it adds to work, education, hobbies, travel, personal life, and health.
Yes, even to health, as studies have shown that learning a new language in adulthood can delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's disease by 4.5 years, which is significantly more than the potential of modern medications.
Additionally, learning a foreign language improves knowledge of the native language, enhances attentiveness and creativity, and stimulates logical and cognitive processes in the brain.
However, the main reasons why people hesitate to deepen their knowledge of English or start learning a new language from scratch are:
- Lack of motivation
- Belief that it is "expensive, time-consuming, and difficult"
- School lessons engraved in their minds that it is incredibly boring and, of course, "London is the capital of Great Britain"
By the way, the last point was decisive for me to choose to study the less demanded French language in college instead of English, which had already been hammered into my brain for 10 years. And I have never regretted it for a single day because, as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, 'the more languages you know, the more you are human'.
And even though I don't work directly as a translator or a teacher every day, knowledge of two foreign languages is constantly beneficial to me.
Also, from my own experience, I can assure you that learning a foreign language can be a very organic, interesting, and inspiring process. I would be delighted if this blog inspires you to start or continue language learning!
Below, you will find 10 life hacks from the renowned American writer Mark Manson (author of the bestseller "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck"), who also has extensive experience in mastering three foreign languages - Russian, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese variants.
1. Talk, talk, and talk again
If there is any secret or life hack to quickly learn a language, here it is: hours and hours of awkward and strenuous conversations with people who are better at the language than you.
An hour of such conversation (with correction of your mistakes and the use of a dictionary to find the right words) will be as beneficial as five hours of foreign language study in a classroom or ten hours of self-study.
And it's quite easy to explain why.
First and foremost, motivation. No matter how cool and modern your foreign language textbook is, you're unlikely to exert the same effort as you would during an interesting and lively conversation with a person in front of you.
The second reason is that language requires comprehension, not just memorization.
Practice shows that when you look at a new word in your textbook or flashcards a hundred times, it will be remembered much less effectively than when you manage to use it in conversation at least two or three times.
Most likely, the reason lies in the fact that our brain is more inclined to remember memories associated with real social experiences or emotions.
2. The intensity of learning is more important than the duration
This means that studying a language for 4 hours every day for two weeks will be more beneficial than studying for 1 hour every day for two months.
And this is the reason why a vast number of people spent years learning a foreign language in school and ended up with very little to show for it.
Language requires constant repetition, searching for references and meanings, as well as immersive and dedicated practice. It's better to set aside a specific period in your life, even if it's just 1-2 weeks, and concentrate 100% of your efforts on language learning, rather than spreading the process over months or even years.
3. Find your biggest motivation
Yes, this point may seem quite obvious, but having a clear understanding of why you need a foreign language is the key to successful mastery of it.
Surprisingly, many people start learning a language without any idea of how or where they will use it. And unsurprisingly, they eventually give up their studies.
So, ask yourself - what will the new language give you? How will it improve your life and what will it bring to it?
Are you planning to move to another country?
Are you passionate about a foreign culture and eager to dive deeper into it through language learning?
Do you want to communicate with locals during your travels without stumbling and be able to confidently place orders at cafes without feeling embarrassed?
All of these are excellent motivations for learning a language.
A motivation that will work much less effectively, for example, is "learning a few phrases in French to impress new acquaintances with the image of a refined intellectual" ;)
4. Start with learning the 100 most common words
Not all of the vocabulary we learn in language courses or self-study will come in handy later on. It's a common situation where after completing crash courses, a person travels to another country and can't put two words together in a store or ask for directions, but perfectly understands culinary shows because the course happened to cover the topic of "Food and Kitchen Utensils."
So, start by thoroughly mastering the 100 most commonly used words (English ones here) and learn how to use them in sentences with maximum variability.
5. After that, move on to practice
And not to learning the next 100 words))
According to research, the 100 most commonly used words in any language cover 50% of all communicative needs.
1,000 words cover 80%.
And a vocabulary of 3,000 common words covers up to 99% of communication topics.
In other words, as the size of your vocabulary increases, the quality of returns diminishes significantly.
If your goal in learning a language is not to teach at a foreign university or write best-selling novels in multiple languages, it's better to focus on fully mastering the minimum set of words you already know.
Practice their usage freely in slang, idioms, jokes, and proverbs.
Once you realize you can joke fluently in a foreign language, consider it a sign that it's time to move to the next level and expand your vocabulary ;)
6. Use the language every day
Unless you're the 'boy with phenomenal memory' from the joke, you're unlikely to start speaking a foreign language fluently without using it constantly and regularly.
Here are a few ways to do that:
- translate your own thoughts in your head or engage in imaginary monologues.
- change the language on your phone and browser from your native language to the one you're learning.
- find interesting TV series with subtitles, watch videos on YouTube, or listen to podcasts. The key word here is 'interesting' because, as we remember, motivation rules.)
- follow accounts of your favorite celebrities or foreign bloggers who write about topics that interest you. Don't hesitate to engage in dialogue in the comments or ask questions.
- start dating a native speaker of the language you're learning. Bonus: you can blame all misunderstandings and arguments on 'translation difficulties' ;))
- if the previous point doesn't suit you, you can simply find language exchange friends online for practice. Moreover, there are special platforms for this, such as the Bilingua app or the Conversation Exchange website.
7. You will make a lot of mistakes and occasionally embarrass yourself
Who hasn't, while learning English, said 'bitch' instead of 'beach' or 'shit' instead of 'sheet'?...
Everyone does it. Just accept it and work on your mistakes ;)
8. A personal tutor is the best investment in language learning.
Yes, it can be the most expensive option compared to group classes or self-study, but it is worth it!
During group language classes, the entire group progresses at the pace of the slowest learner. So if that's not you, your time will be spent inefficiently.
If possible, hire a personal tutor who can dedicate several hours to you every day. This is the recipe for the fastest acquisition of basic communication skills in a foreign language.
A few weeks of such intensity, and you can already invite foreigners on dates and engage in casual conversations with ease ;)
9. When learning a new word, try to use it immediately in conversation.
When you pause during a conversation to look up a new word in the dictionary, try to use it several times during that dialogue.
Research shows that the quality of memorization significantly improves when a new word is used within a minute of learning it, within an hour, within a day, and so on.
10. Try not to lose the enjoyment of the process.
A rule that can be applied everywhere: if you plan to add something new to your life, seek fun and pleasure in it.
Look for people with whom you can have interesting conversations.
Attend events where you can not only practice speaking in a foreign language but also have a good time.
Don't confine yourself to just textbooks; otherwise, you'll quickly get burned out and bored.
Engage in conversations on hot topics.
Make the language your personal tool, a means to gain life experience; otherwise, you'll face a long and unpleasant process that will likely end with you forgetting everything you've learned ;)
Based on the article "25 Tips For Learning A Foreign Language" and internet sources.
