We’ve all heard of Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, and similar platforms that help you learn a new language. These are all great, and I’ve used them myself, but there’s only one problem… These platforms can get boring.
The key to learning a new language (or anything in life) is to have fun with it! Recently, it’s been discovered that one of the least tedious and most enjoyable approaches to learning a new language is watching movies or TV shows in that language.
But wait, it doesn’t stop there! Depending on your approach, watching as a source of learning can get complicated. Let’s say you want to learn Italian by watching a show on Netflix with Italian audio and subtitles. You will have to pause the show to be able to look up words and translate them, which eventually will simply become too much work. Additionally, this will only help you learn vocabulary, but not the language at a conversational level, which is the main point of watching something.
Spanish is my first language. I was lucky enough to be introduced to English early enough in life to learn it quickly and to the point that it feels like my first language. Now, at 35 years old, I want to learn Italian, but it feels like such a big task! Also, my mom has had difficulty becoming fluent in English even though we’ve been in the United States for over 20 years (how about that!?).
We recently learned about Lingopie, which has transformed how we approach our language learning goals. I’m a lot more excited and committed to learning Italian, and my mom is now watching her Netflix shows in Lingopie rather than watching them directly on Netflix.
To circle back, the most significant difference between watching shows directly on Netflix, AppleTV, Amazon, etc., vs using Lingopie is the fact that Lingopie gives you instant translations, clickable dual subtitles, and vocabulary lists that you can customize, which in turn will make your learning experience an absolute blast! Learning a new language with TV using Lingopie helps you learn from context instead of focusing on words only. This is the only language learning system that enables you to learn as quickly as possible.
Even though Lingopie makes your new language learning experience much easier, also consider the following in this new journey of learning a new language.
Set goals that will keep your new language learning journey organized
When you get in a car, you know where you’re going and where you have to drive through to get there; if not, you’ll never get to your destination.
The same goes for learning a new language. Ask yourself how well you want to learn it. Naturally, you’ll want to dominate it, but just like babies learn to walk, you must take baby steps and gradually get there. This means starting with the basics, such as learning common phrases and simple vocabulary, before moving on to more complex grammar and sentence structure.
- Get comfortable with words and verbs: This should be your first goal! It will help you feel comfortable with the new language and set a good foundation for what’s coming.
- Get comfortable with complete sentences: After expanding your vocabulary, you can start putting words together. Now that you know in Italian, “house” is “casa,” “come to” is “venire a,” “to drink” is “bere,” and “coffee” is “caffè,” you can now practice saying “come to my house to drink coffee” which would be “vieni a casa mia a bere un caffè.” I know… depending on the language you’re learning, forming a complete sentence may change the original form of certain words, so using a platform like Lingopie becomes critical for learning how to form these complete sentences.
These two simple goals will help your brain gain the strength and retention capabilities to move on to the next level of feeling comfortable speaking those sentences and eventually becoming fluid.
Use your friends and family to practice
They don’t need to know the language. The whole idea is to have an outlet where you can practice speaking the language. Grab a family member or a friend for a few minutes during dinner. Have them open up Google Translate so they can talk sentences to you and you to them.
Read books written in the language that you’re trying to learn
You’ve been using Lingopie, and now you know many words, verbs and sentences. Another unconventional yet creative way to strengthen your new language skills is to grab a book written in that language and try to read through it. Chances are you will read much slower than usual, especially since you may have to translate words and whatnot, but it is a great “boot camp” way to dive deep into that new language.
Immerse yourself by speaking with those who know the language, regardless of where you are
If using friends and family who don’t speak the language doesn’t go too well, it’s time to go the extra mile and put yourself in front of the real deal!
Trying to meet someone who speaks your target language could be uncomfortable, but it can also be gratifying. If going out in public and finding someone at a cafe or a bar is not your cup of tea, the easiest way is through the Tandem Language Exchange App, where millions of people help each other learn their language through chat and voice communication.
Take notes so you can practice at any time
A great advice is to keep a notebook or somewhere on your phone dedicated to keeping notes. Doing so allows you to review and analyze what you’ve learned, key takeaways that you’ve found important, or keep practicing on words and sentences that you find difficult. Also, if you’re using the Tandem Language Exchange App, make sure to take notes about any piece of advice that your language friends may share with you.
The journey of learning a new language can be as easy or as complicated as you want to make it. Learning to speak another language is definitely not an easy task, but if you stay organized, remain patient, and stick to a learning routine, you will conquer even the hardest of languages.
Remember… Baby steps, patience, and practice practice practice.
