7 tips to read in original language and stay motivated

1. Choose books of your level

The book you choose to read in a foreign language should not be too complicated or too simple. For the beginner level (Beginner, or A1), it may be too early to move on to fiction - the knowledge of grammar and vocabulary is still too little. But if reading in the curriculum is not enough for you, try mastering short texts.

Starting at the Elementary level, when you have already learned the tenses and basic vocabulary, you can proceed to adapted literature. There is a huge list of such books in the public domain at (registration required).

Some are dismissive of simplified texts and in vain. The adapted book is not a summary, but the same work, but with more accessible vocabulary and grammar. After all, it is quite difficult to assess the originality of the author's language when you do not know most of the words and phrases he uses.

At the intermediate level, Intermediate, you can already start with the original texts, but with simple vocabulary and grammar. And in any case, especially if you do not know exactly your level of language, use the following rule.

One page of text should contain no more than 10 unknown words. Ideally, three to five.

It's good when you have the opportunity to flip through a book before buying and figure out how many words are unfamiliar and difficult for you. You can also select works that you have already read in translation or which you have watched from the film adaptation. Although there will be no intrigue, the content will be clearer.

2. Read contemporary literature

It's easier to stay motivated if you're reading a book that really interests you. But, if this is a 19th century novel with a set of historicisms or fiction with a bunch of incomprehensible words and definitions, reading will be too difficult to enjoy.

Give preference to modern prose with simple dialogues and spoken language. Moreover, in life, this vocabulary is clearly more useful to you. Pay attention to literary novelties and try to start with them.

3. Consider the volume of the book

A multi-page novel in a foreign language can really motivate: "If I master such a volume in the original, there will be a reason for pride!" But keep in mind that reading in a foreign language, unless you know it perfectly, is many times slower. And, if after a month you see that you have not read even half, you can be disappointed in the idea and abandon it.

With small books, things are a little different: after a week or two, you will notice that a significant part is already behind. This will give strength and inspiration to move on. For those who have just started reading the original, this can be very important.

4. Read fewer pages every day

The ability to quickly read books in a foreign language comes with experience and knowledge. In the beginning it is difficult, time consuming and tedious. Time is spent not only on writing out unknown words, but also on translation in the mind and comprehension of what was read.

Therefore, do not strive to master 50 pages in one evening. There is nothing wrong with starting with one page a day, gradually increasing the volume. Even 5-10 pages of self-reading a day is a great result. The main thing is regularity.

5. Give preference to paper

Electronic formats are very convenient. But they are not always suitable for teaching. Choose the paper version - it is easier to make notes and bookmarks on it, sign the translation, return to the marked places and look into the dictionary if there is one. Don't feel too sorry for the book: it's still a learning tool, and you need to make the most of it. Small texts and works can be printed.

Writing out new words and phrases is also better on paper. Here she has an even greater advantage over gadgets: by making notes by hand, we better remember information.

6. Use vocabulary sparingly

Try to look in the dictionary only in three cases:

The word is important for understanding, without it it is impossible to understand the meaning of the sentence.
The lexeme is very often found in the text.
You just want to know the exact meaning of this word (you've seen it somewhere, or it sounds cool).

And even in these cases, take your time. Trust in a linguistic guess - the ability to determine the meaning of a word in context. You can understand it, at least approximately, by the surrounding text. If it is not clear from the sentence what it is about, think about what the paragraph is about. If not clear from a paragraph, think about the chapter as a whole. Check your guess with a dictionary if unsure.

So, if you learn to look in the dictionary less often, reading will become easier and faster. In addition, even at a high level of knowledge of the language, you will encounter unfamiliar words both in texts and in speech. Therefore, the skill of language guessing will still come in handy. It can be very difficult to develop it at first, but the main thing is not to be afraid of mistakes.

7. Alternate reading with memorization

Tired of reading - switch to the spelled out words. You don't need to memorize them. Instead, turn on your imagination and start making phrases, sentences, small stories with them. Describe the main character, assess his actions, think of how events might develop further. Active work with new vocabulary is much more productive and interesting than the usual memorization of words.

Over time, you will learn from your own experience that reading in the original language enriches your vocabulary and it becomes easier for you to form sentences, handle grammar and conduct dialogues. This will serve as the strongest motivation to open a new book.