Advice For Learning A New Language

Do you have any advice for learning a foreign language (conversational level) in 30 days?

Practically it is impossible to reach conversational fluency (i.e. B1 level) with one month’s effortIn 1 month :If you are learning by sentence translation approach : You can just learn 500 to 600 common survival phrasesIf you are attending structured classroom training : like 20 hours per week or more : You can complete 60 to 80 hours in a month = That will help you to speak the foreign language at a beginners level. You can more or less do what Rafello has stated in his anszer

I'm learning a new language, can you give me some advice?

Thanks for the A2A. I don’t know how you are learning the language (in school, through an app, with a tutor?) or why (for fun, required in school, for work?), so I cannot tailor my answer to your situation. In addition, I don’t know which language you’re learning, which could also affect my answer.However, I can say that language learning is hard work. It requires quite a bit of memorization, something American students do very little of these days. If you’re American, what was the last thing you had to memorize? Your times tables? The rules of the road for your driver’s license? If you don’t have memorization techniques ready, I recommend that you start experimenting and practicing to see what works best for you.Secondly, learning a language generally works best when you practice and review every day. Go back and revisit old material from a week ago, a month ago, etc. Keep at it.Stay organized. Language learning involves reading, listening, speaking and writing. You have to practice all these skills, not just the easier ones for you. Make sure you hit all four skills.Keep an open mind. Learning a language means also learning about a culture. Accept and enjoy different customs.Ask for help if you need it; we’re talking about both help with understanding the grammar and also help with techniques for learning. Learning a language is unlike any other subject you may have studied at school. Ask the expert (your teacher, if you’re not working on an app) how to do it.Enjoy!

What is the best advice on learning a new language? How do you deep dive into fast learning?

I use the same approach to learning computer languages as the one I use to learn speaking languages.0.) Speak like a 4 year old. In both speaking and computer languages, there is the basic body of language needed to connect to higher language. Speaking languages I have a list of about 700 words. Computer languages I have groups of categories (logical expression, functions, classes). If you look at the table of contents of most programming learning books or courses….its pretty much the same. Polyglots have great tips that cross over for learning numerous languages.1.) Know my general intent. Speaking languages I decide if I am going to be speaking in combat situations or business situations (I have had both in my life) This dictates the areas of knowledge I should focus on in conjunction with basic2.) Start practicing. Start immersion. I will watch beginners courses on a single subject from 5 different sources, instead of trying to watch 5 successive courses once, one behind the other. I again use this technique when I travel. Instead of going to 50 places once when I go to a country, I go to the ten places five times each, or five places ten times each. By the time I have left, I have people treating like I am family, and when I return….someone knows my name. Go to the same places during your learning. You are better off (my opinion) doing 3 beginners courses on Scala or Groovy, then you are trying to do the beginner, intermediate, advanced line up in one weekend.

What's the best advice for someone learning a new language? And what are some tips, or "hacks" (if there are any)? I'm trying to learn Korean, Cantonese, and possibly Spanish.

I will give you what seemed to work for me for a few languages.Not that I am very fluent and really not a polyglot, but this is the procedure that I used: I get the Pimsleur audio language course for the target language on CD ROM and install it in my car. I fixed the player so that it came on whenever the ignition was on. I repeated the target language words, phrases, and sentences OUT LOUD!It was about a 40 minute drive to and from work. I did not listen to news or music on this drive, just Pimsleur program. And, of course I repeated everything out loud. I am sure, in slow traffic, the people in the next car thought I was some sort of a nut.There was a night school for my target language being taught nearby so I signed up. Due to my use of the audio program, I found I was one of the better students, even among those whose grandparents spoke the target language.If the target language is available on the internet, such as Duolingo, use it.Try to practice the language at every opportunity. In my case, for some languages it means eating at an ethnic restaurant. If you have a friend or neighbor who speaks the language, try to do so with him.Good luck!

What are some good tips to learn a new language?

The answer is actually more basic than most people expect: immersion. Language isn't acquired in a classroom, or through apps or textbooks - it's acquired in the real world through interacting with real people. This is while children often learn their mother tongue before they begin formal schooling, by virtue of the fact that it's being spoken around them. Their subconscious is absorbing everything they hear, and this will slowly develop into an active command of the language.Watch movies. Have English subtitles as well. This is often a good starting point as you can benefit from the experience even with no prior background in the language. Slowly, you vocabulary and understanding will build.Listen to music. This is helpful because songs get stuck in your head, which means you'll keep singing it over and over, and the structures/words used in the song will become ingrained in your memory. Of course, find a translation of the lyrics as well.Listen to the radio. Once your confidence and ability increases, start listening to longer readings of texts. I suggest this first since some people might not yet be comfortable interacting with other people, and this serves as a safer space to improve.TALK TO PEOPLE. This could actually be the first step if you're brave enough. Interacting with people face to face will let you experience the language in different environments and situations, adding to both your vocabulary and complexity of sentence structure. You will also learn how to better understand when someone else speaks the language (colloquialisms, speed, etc.). Usually, native speakers of a language are more than happy to teach, correct or advise you on the spot, so in some ways, it's a free lesson!Personally, I prefer going for classes, at the very least on top of all the above. This is because I tend to be a perfectionist, and so I like for my command of the language to be of a certain standard before I use it in public. Even in such a case, though, I recommend you try finding group classes, since it gives you a chance to interact with more people, rather than just one teacher.My emphasis on immersion is why I usually discourage the use of apps to study a language. While it provides you with a resource you can refer back to, it doesn't give you a chance to actually use the language in any useful way. By all means, download whichever apps you feel necessary. But make sure you complement them with the above methods.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start learning a foreign language?

My advice would be that if you are serious about it, make a commitment. Language learning takes a lot of practice and usually that equates to taking a lot of time. There are many ways you can go about learning a language and some take longer than others, but in many cases, the temptation to quit can become very strong. If you are trying to learn on your own through books or software, it can become somewhat tedious and there is the temptation to let it slide because there are other more pressing issues. If you take a class, you have more incentive to keep going but progress can still take a number of years and it’s easy to stop taking classes after a while because it seems like you aren’t getting anywhere. I have studied four languages and I have taught languages for 25 years. I have seen many people with good intentions drop out. I have also seen many people become successful but it took a while.

I want to learn a new language. What is a free online source?

Download the application Duolingo on your smartphone. It is an awesome application that lets you learn German, Spanish, Italian etc. The app is absolutely free. Duolingo: Learn Languages Free (For Android Users)Duolingo - Learn Languages for Free (For Windows Users)Duolingo - Learn Languages for Free (For iPhone Users)You can go to their website also to watch videos and learn online. https://www.duolingo.com/