Saturday 21 January 2012

How Do I Learn a New Language?

Learning a new language can be fun, and easy, if you have the right tools to help you learn and practice the written, and spoken portions of the language. Being able to speak to other people in their own native language is beneficial to anyone who wishes to travel, travels for business, or for anyone who just wishes to learn something new or has an interest in languages.

It is not always easy to learn a new language because it is often difficult to learn something new, especially a language, unless you are fully immersed, and it also requires time and dedication. If, however, you stick with the language, you will find that your skills do improve and that you begin learning more as you master the basics.

So, how do you start to learn a new language?

Here is a list of sites, books, and resources that help you on your way to learning a new language and that you can use for any other languages you may wish to learn. While this list is not exhaustive, it is a great place to start, and a great resource to find information to help find other tools that will help you further your knowledge of the new language language.

  1. Buy a phrase book. Here is a list of companies that sell phrase books, and if you click on the link, it will take you directly too the book for the specific language you wish to learn:
  2. Buy a Dictionary. A great way to learn words you don't know, and handy to look up the correct spelling and conjugation of words in any language ("English to _____", and "_____ to English" language dictionaries listed below. Just click to go straight to the site).
  3. Watch YouTube video tutorials that are aimed at teaching language. Gives you a great opportunity to practice the spoken language.  
  4. Get a subscription to a newspaper that is in the language you are trying to learn. While some languages may be quite hard to find, online versions are just as useful. Its a great way to practice your reading skills and improve vocabulary. Here are a few sihts that have an extensive collection of foreign language news papers in their archive:
  5. Get a course that teaches you to learn the language. Two very popular companies that provide courses to many languages are:
    • Rosetta Stone
      • Indigo (Chapters, Coles), Amazon, McNally Robinson Booksellers, Barnes & Noble, AbeBooks, and eBay
    • Living Language
      • Indigo (Chapters, Coles), Amazon, McNally Robinson Booksellers, Barnes & Noble, AbeBooks, and eBay 
    • Also, you can check out Language Software Reviews to find other software you wish to use.
  6.  Download a podcast on iTunes so you can practice on the go.
  7. Use Google Translate. A great tool that Google offers to everyone free, and it is extremely easy and fast to use. Very useful if the word you are looking up is in a specific tense or conjugated format that makes a traditional dictionary more difficult to use. As with any translator, do remember, however, that not all words make a perfect translation, so meanings and definitions may vary across different languages.
  8. Register for a chat room or an online language learning community that facilitates and pairs users who wish to learn different languages from one another. For instance, if person wants to learn English, but speaks Spanish, and another speaks Spanish and wishes to learn English, then they would most often be paired. A good site to start with is Live Mocha
  9. Look for local schools in your area that may offer a course in the specific language you wish to learn.
  10. Go there! One of the best ways to learn a new language is to visit the actual location where it is spoken. While this option is not always possible, it does offer far more opportunity to learn and retain your new language than most other options.

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