HOW TO LEARN & SEEK ANY LANGUAGE

• Learning a new language can be tough, but if you follow certain techniques, soon you'll be able to learn any language. Although there's no magical way to go about it, with some hard work and practice you'll be fluent in no time.

 For Learn & Speak 

   

   

    
        

   

  Getting Down to the Basics:

1    Know your learning style:

                              This is the single most important thing you need to know when starting to learn a language. Everyone learns differently, especially when it comes to languages. You'll need to figure out if you learn best through repetition, through writing down the words or through listening to a native speaker.

•         Decide if you're a visual, auditive or kinesthetic learner. A trick to figuring out which you are is this: Pick a couple words from your language and read them over a few times. If you can remember them the next day you're probably a visual learner. If not, have someone else read the words to you several times without seeing them yourself. If you can remember them the next day, you're most likely an additive learner. If this doesn't work, read and write the two words, repeat them out loud, listen to them read by someone else, associate memories and feelings with them. If you can remember them the next day, you're probably a kinesthetic learner.

• ·         If you've learned languages in the past, go over what you learned then and try to figure out what worked best for you. What helped you learn? What didn't? Which parts of the process did you find easy? Which parts were hard? When you've sorted this out you'll be ready to start learning the language.

2     Learn pronunciation:

                Even if a language has the same alphabet as yours that does not mean the pronunciation is always the same. (Just ask a Polish person how to pronounce the letters "CZ.")

•          The Foreign Service Institute offers free online language learning materials, which include audio recordings which help with learning pronunciation and the Duolingo app and website offers various languages and useful pronunciation tips.

3     Pay attention to the grammar: 

                This is probably the most important part of the language besides the vocabulary. "Paul want Mary go store" may communicate an idea, but it is not at all correct English. If you do not pay attention to grammar, you can sound equally incomprehensible in another language.

• ·                 Look at the structure of the language and how the articles work (masculine, feminine, neutral). Getting a handle on the structure of the language will help you understand how it fits together once you start learning different words.

•           Ensure you know how to express questions, affirmative and negative statements in the past, present and future using the 20 most common regular and irregular verbs.

4    Memorize 30 words and phrases each day:

                    Within 90 days this means you will have memorized about 80% of the language. Start with the most common words. Memorization is half the battle and there are many different ways to memorize.

•               You can practice writing each word a dozen times, which will get you used to using the word itself. 

•                Try using the words in various and different sentences. This will help you practice the words and make it easier to recall the words when you need them. 

•                 Don't forget to keep practicing the words once you move on to memorizing other words. If you don't practice them you will forget them.

5     Practice the alphabet: 

                     Especially if you're learning a language which operates on a different alphabetical system, you will need to know what the letters look like and how they operate.

• ·                    Try associating images with each letter and sound, so that your brain will have an easy path to remembering the letter and the sound that accompanies it. For instance: In Thai the letter "า" is pronounced "ah." If you're a guy you can think of this as the path taken by your pee if you're urinating against a tree and the accompanying sigh you make as you relieve yourself. Associations can be as simple, or as silly as you want, as long as they help you remember.

• ·                     You may also have to accustom yourself to reading from right to left, or from the top of the page to the bottom. Start simple and work up to more difficult things like newspapers and books.