Good habits to help you learn a foreign language

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

A few simple tips to help you master your chosen language in the background, that is, without spending extra time and resources on it.

The usual system of teaching foreign languages raises its hands and suffers a complete fiasco. We learn English at school, then at the institute, and as a result of all these long years of study, we can hardly squeeze out the phrase “my name is Vasya”. Instead of correcting something in the techniques and methods, we are offered to mechanically extend the time of our useless torment. Now English is taught starting from kindergarten, and at school it displaces mathematics from the throne of the most important academic discipline. This, however, has no effect on the result.

However, there is another approach to mastering foreign languages. It manifests itself in those cases when a person falls into the appropriate linguistic environment. Here, even with an absolute failure, absolutely incredible things happen. After two months, he begins to understand everything, after another two he can speak, and a year later he knows how to quite tolerably express his thoughts on paper. All this is because in such conditions, training occurs almost constantly, in the background, automatically. Of course, not everyone can go abroad for a long time, but something similar can be organized at home. Here are some tips to help you learn a language on autopilot in your daily life.

Watch TV, films, series in original with subtitles

A very simple rule, which, however, is not so easy to follow. It can be difficult at first. This will only work if you use at least half of your TV time. The results will not appear immediately. However, after a while you will notice how you look less and less at the subtitles, and eventually turn them off altogether.

Chat with native speakers

Once upon a time, every conversation with a foreigner was regarded almost as a contact with a representative of an alien civilization. Today there is the Internet, which, as you know, has no boundaries. Therefore, finding a place, a reason and free ears to practice pronunciation and expand vocabulary is not at all difficult. By the way, foreigners themselves often do not mind at all, many are impressed by the desire to learn their language and they will help you disinterestedly.

Keep a diary or blog in a foreign language

Using a service such as, you can keep any notes that will later be checked and corrected by native speakers. As a result, you will get real practice in using the rules of vocabulary and grammar, which will help you better remember and use them correctly. And in the future, maybe you will be able to blog on your own in a foreign language.

Change the language of the operating system and the programs you are using

If you are comfortable with computer and mobile interfaces, then changing the language should not be a big hindrance to your work. At the same time, such a measure can become an additional touch in the general linguistic background that surrounds you. And it will gradually replenish your vocabulary with the necessary words that you will definitely never forget.

Play games in a foreign language

Many modern games, of a special role-playing genre, are real interactive stories with a complex plot, a huge amount of dialogues and additional materials. And if you prefer online multiplayer games, then to this will be added the possibility of direct communication with foreign players. As a result, we get a fun, interesting, not annoying textbook of a foreign language, which in a playful way will give you quite extensive knowledge.

Use mobile apps

We often spend a significant amount of time waiting. We wait for the bus, wait in line at the ticket office or at the doctor's appointment. It's time to open a foreign dictionary or a special language application on your mobile phone and learn a few words and complete the exercise.

Read the news

Reading news feeds from foreign sources will help expand your vocabulary and learn to instantly understand specific texts and phrases. In addition, it will allow you to find out opinions from the other side, broaden your horizons and give you an understanding of what our planet actually breathes.

Advanced level: reading books

Now for many it seems incredibly difficult and even incredible. But if you consistently followed all the previous recommendations, then reading books in the target language will be your next and completely logical step. Just one day you open the book and catch yourself thinking that you already understand something. And when you finish it, it turns out that you already understand almost everything.

What practical techniques for learning a foreign language in the field do you use?