How to learn a new language fast.

If you have a second language on your resume, it can really make your application of a job stand out from all the other applicants. Even if a second language isn’t required for the post, the fact that you have learned one, says a lot about your positive attitude to learning. With the world getting ever smaller, a second language can also help you when you travel, or talking to visitors from overseas when you are at home. A lot of people set out to learn a new language, but they give up too early. If you’ve always wanted to be able to speak another language, here are ten tips that will help you learn.

1. Find your motivation

The biggest hurdle to learning another language is that it is not something that you can do overnight. It takes time, it takes persistence, and it takes a lot of practice, so you will need to find your motivation if you are to be successful. Be clear in your mind what the benefits of learning a new language will be. It could be to further your career, to become a language teacher, or even just so that you can communicate with people better when you are on vacation. If you have a good reason to learn, it will help to keep you motivated.

2. Immerse yourself in your new language

This is another important tip on how to learn a new language fast. You will need to completely immerse in your new language if you want to become fluent in it and that means practicing every single day. Set aside at least one hour a day for practice and think about other ways that you can surround yourself with the language. You could watch movies in that language or read books. Even when you are talking in your native language you could be thinking about how you would say those words in your new language.

3. Make use of technology

You can make learning a language more fun by making full use of the resources that are available online. Web sites like Memrise and Babbel offer all kinds of fun ways to practice and learn. Thera are downloadable exercises, lessons, flash cards, and fun quizzes too. It means that you can log on anytime, anywhere, and get a bit of extra practice in the language you are trying to learn.

4. Talk to yourself

Next tip on how to learn a new language fast is to talk to yourself in your new language; it can be a very effective way to learn and you can do that anywhere. As you are walking down a street, for example, you could describe to yourself what you see. The more you use the words and phrase of a language, the more those words and phrases will sink in, so take every opportunity you get to use your new language.

5. Practice the core vocabulary

If you learn the core words of a language, you will be 90% of the way there. There are just three hundred words in the English language that account for more than 65% of what we say, so you can see that learning the basics of a language isn’t as tough as you might have thought it was. Practice your core vocabulary daily, and the rest will come much easier.

6. Listen to other people speaking the language

You learn your native language by just listening and you can do the same with a second language. The sounds of the words of a language that is foreign to you will sound strange, simply because you are not used to hearing them. Listen to audio lessons and online language lessons to hear people speaking the language and that will make it easier for you learn the correct pronunciations of words.

7. Use your gadgets as a teaching aid

Another way for you to fully immerse yourself in a new language is to use gadgets like your phone, tablet or PC. They have language settings that can be easily changed and that would force you to use your new language every single day. Virtual assistants like Cortana and Siri can also speak different languages and they can be a great, fun way to practice.

8. Find someone to practice with

Another tip on how to learn a new language fast is to find a language partner. If you can find someone that you can already speak the language that you are trying to learn, holding conversations with them will be a great help. Then, you’ll have a real live tutor who can put you right when you mispronounce something or get stuck for a word. Failing that, find a friend who also wants to learn a language and spend time together talking only in your new shared language.

9. Carry a pocket dictionary around with you

Always keep a pocket translating dictionary with you while you are learning a new language and then you will always have it to hand when you need to check something. It can be can useful for when you hear a word that you don’t understand, or for when you want to look the translation of words from your own language.

10. Practice, practice, practice

Practice your new language in your head, practice it with friends, and practice your skills on strangers who are native speakers of the language, if you get the chance. If you want to learn to speak a foreign language fluently, the main thing that you need to do is practice it as often as you possibly can. The more you speak a language, the more naturally speaking it will become.

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