4 Clever Tips to Help You Learn a New Language

Learning a foreign language is a challenge that some people are daunted by. But the truth is that, as the world becomes more connected, and people from around the world begin to spend more time traveling abroad — whether for school, work, or personal adventure — learning a foreign language enables us to effectively communicate our feelings and ideas with one another.

If you're planning on learning a foreign language, say, the national language of your study abroad country, there are plenty of ways to make the process not only more effective, but more enjoyable. Here are four tips for learning a new language, helping you to get started before studying abroad!

Make language learning more relevant — and fun!

When you were young, did you want to do something simply because somebody told you it was important? Probably not. The same holds true for learning a foreign language. It is unlikely for someone to be motivated to learn a foreign language simply because they were told to. In spite of having a longing to travel around, it can be difficult to grasp the amount of work it takes to study abroad, particularly when you have to learn a new language.

Getting started with your own interests is one of the best ways to learn a language. Making things relevant and fun when you're learning a foreign language is the key to staying motivated and sticking with it. Remember that every student has their own preferred way to learn a foreign language. If you're not feeling engaged by traditional learning methods, don't be afraid to think outside the box and try something unconventional — use props and puppets, or dance around and act out new vocabulary words as you learn them!

Test out a free language-learning app.

The free language-learning apps Duolingo, Hellotalk, and Vidalingua can be used to quickly learn a foreign language before heading out. Finding the right resources and utilizing them effectively are also helpful tips for learning a new language.

Basic words, phrases, and conjugations are the bulk of what you will use on a daily basis, so you'll be in good shape if you can get around 500 words under your belt. With these apps, you can easily grasp them. Duolingo, for example, is available for mobile and desktop, so you can learn a foreign language while on the go. With its interactive lessons, grammar lessons, and vocabulary building, you can easily learn new words whenever you want.

Correctly pronouncing words is also important when learning a foreign language. Using these apps is also great for getting the basic pronunciation down, so native speakers won't have any problem understanding when you speak. Hellotalk is another app that can help you learn a foreign language. You can practice what you’ve learned with native speakers using text, voice recording, video and voice calls, and correction tools. It is a great way to get to know some local slang while learning a new language.

Use mnemonics to improve your memory.

Mnemonics are memory systems — or, essentially, tricks — that allow you to retain and recall information more easily. This is also considered to be one of the most effective tips for learning a new language.

Say you want to ask basic questions to your host family over dinner — by connecting easy words and phrases to similar-sounding words, or even abbreviations, from your native tongue, remembering new vocabulary and terminology will be a breeze. For example, raupe in German means caterpillar. To remember this word, try to picture a caterpillar climbing on a rope!

Other mnemonic tips for learning a new language include using the first letter of each of the words in a list or sequence (think ROY G. BIV, the acronym used to recall colors of the rainbow) or funny phrases, like one of my favorites from my Spanish courses years ago:

"Every -ción sings like (Celine) Dion. This tells us that words ending in -ción tend to be feminine and use la!"

This method is also effective for learning a new language of the country you will visit, so you can remember it easily while you are there.

Practice, practice, practice!

As with any skill, learning a new language requires practice. One of the best ways to learn a language is to make it part of your everyday routine, so it will soon become second nature — just like brushing your teeth every night before bed!

To be more specific, a Post-It Method is one of the most helpful tips for learning a new language and incorporating it into your everyday life. In this method, you label rooms and items around the house with Post-It notes, which indicate what they're called in your target language.

While learning a new language, make sure you keep reviewing the stuff you've practiced before, and make it a point to revisit older materials from time to time. The tried-and-true method of learning a new language is to rewrite your notes and practice lessons from the previous day. The year 2022 is ideal for studying abroad and learning a new language. It's easier than ever to work, study, and travel at the same time.

While it’s true that people speak English in many places around the world, we strongly encourage you to learn a foreign language anyway. It will help you meet friends, get around your new city, and experience the local culture more fully.

So don't wait until you arrive to learn the local language. Make the most of our tips for learning a new language and get started on your journey — you'll be so happy you did!

About the Author

Tim Wenger writes for Live Lingua, the web’s first immersive online language school. The Live Lingua Project hosts the largest collection of free language-learning materials online, and offers over 130 different languages to choose from.