What are some tips for learning a language (or better yet, multiple languages)?

Hello,

1) Much will depend on your concept of fluency. For example do you just like light conversation saying would you like to dance, have a beer, say you are beautiful or would you like to achieve intelligent conversation, conduct a business meeting or give a 30 minute oration of the history of the culture or country in that language or defend yourself in a court of law.

2) You must attend classes at least 4 - 6 hours a week and spend a lot of time doing written assignments in order to retain and improve your vocabulary day by day. Without mastering the tedious grammar one will never progress very far in a language.

3) There is the field work. You must go out and socialize a great deal with people in the culture practicing your conversational skills. Even better as mentioned is to go and immerse yourself in the culture.

4) Don't fall for that BS about learning a language in 6 weeks. It takes most people about 3 years to be totally fluent in any of the Latin languages and perhaps 3 times longer to master a language with a different alphabet system like Japanese, Arabic, Russian etc.

5) Self discipline is very important in keeping up with the language in your studies.

6) Try to avoid taking two Latin based languages concurrently because you will become confused and cross threaded with them as many words and verbs are similar.

Cheers,

Michael Kelly

Everyone learns extraordinary, however listed below are a few matters that support me gain knowledge of German so, in no unique order: one million) attempt to learn plenty of French books (or web sites) for a laugh for your loose time at the same time you're finding out the language. You would possibly not appreciate plenty of what you're studying in the beginning, however that is good enough -- it is matters like sentence constructions and so forth that you are going to begin to opt for up clearly with time simply from studying them (and in addition an fine solution to introduce new vocab.) two) Write within the language; preserve slightly magazine or whatever. You will even seem for on-line diaries in French in which you'll get suggestions from others. Again, you are not going to do the whole thing accurately simply commencing out, however the factor is to jot down slightly bit daily to get extra conversant in the language, and it will also be a laugh in view that you'll categorical your self in a brand new approach. three) Listen to French song...virtually attempt to encompass your self with the language up to feasible...it does, after a at the same time, emerge as moment nature by some means. four) TRANSLATION -- I love this process, even though you will not be capable to most likely move very a long way with it till you may have discovered a semester or 2 of the language (approximately talking) however after you have a primary concept for a way the language works, looking to translate matters is an fine solution to move even deeper and gain knowledge of plenty extra. There's such a lot you'll translate...your favourite music, quote, poem, non secular verse, something. Try going from english to french as good as french to english. I certainly not in my view discovered flash playing cards and so forth to be very so much support (however you could.) To me it is simply too dry, and I discover that simply including just a little of time every day to a laugh pursuits within the language is extra useful in the end.

The best way to learn a new language is listen, and listen, and listen, word a word, phrase a phrase, every day.
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of course, the best way would be to live at that place and stay for a while if you want to learn that language.

before you do that, do some elementary to intermediate so you'll have some basic ideas what it's like. many language lessons are available online. you might like to see how it goes first before you commit to one, again! for example, i am crazy about italian but not greek.

it's an investment and time consuming process. some language companies offer 3 months you learn the language thing with cds and books. usually it means that you have to do it quite intensively. the result might not be very outstanding as you dont have interaction in the real language w/ someone.

i had tried getting international students from a university to start with. then you will have a private tutor and not having to pay a lot. otherwise, going to a class would be the more regular exercise.

hope this helps.

Know that fluency only comes with immersion.

You have to try to live in the country for a minimum of four, and preferably 8 - 10 months, in order to truly become fluent.

Once you know one foreign language, the next come increasingly easier...cause you have formed learning patterns for the task.

Latin languages become even easier.

For instance, if you already know Spanish, there are many things about German that are easier to learn, cause you already get it: the whole concept of completely inflecting verbs is all there, and learning about inflecting nouns, well, it's just an extension...but learning French or Italian or Portuguese...you'll find yourself going: Oh! I don't have to learn that...it's just like in Spanish! a WHOLE lot more! the sentence structure is much closer, word order and all, things like how they talk about weather, and such. All the same, slightly different words.