How to quickly learn a foreign language on your own. How to learn a foreign language quickly

If you are learning English, then, of course, you have heard about polyglots who managed to learn 5/10/30/50 languages. Which of us doesn’t have the thought: “Surely they have some secrets, because I’ve been learning one and only English for years!” In this article we will present the most common myths about those who successfully learn foreign languages, and also tell you how polyglots learn languages.

A polyglot is a person who can communicate in several languages. Some of the most famous polyglots in the world are:

1. Cardinal Giuseppe Mezzofanti, according to various sources, spoke 80-90 languages.
2. Translator Kato Lomb spoke 16 languages.
3. Archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann spoke 15 languages.
4. Writer Leo Tolstoy spoke 15 languages.
5. Writer Alexander Griboyedov spoke 9 languages.
6. Inventor Nikola Tesla spoke 8 languages.
7. Writer Anthony Burgess spoke 12 languages.
8. Luca Lampariello
9. Sam Jandreau
10. Ollie Richards is a contemporary and speaks 8 languages.
11. Randy Hunt is a contemporary and speaks 6 languages.
12. Donovan Nagel is a contemporary and speaks 10 languages.
13. Benny Lewis is a contemporary and speaks 11 languages.

It should be said that basically all polyglots know 2-3 languages ​​at a high level, and speak the rest at the “survival” level, that is, they can communicate on simple topics.

Another interesting feature is that the first foreign language is always the hardest and takes the longest to learn, while subsequent ones are learned much faster and are easier. It is especially easy to learn languages ​​of one group, for example: Italian, French and Spanish.

7 common myths about polyglots

Myth #1: Polyglots are people with special abilities for languages.

Some people believe that polyglots do not need to strain at all: the languages ​​themselves are absorbed in their heads without effort or practice. There is an opinion that those who know many languages ​​have a different brain structure, they easily perceive and reproduce information, grammar is given to them without studying, on its own, etc.

Is it true:

A polyglot is an ordinary person who likes to learn several languages ​​and who makes every effort to do so. There is no such person who could not become a polyglot, because this does not require any special knowledge or mindset. All you need is work and passion.

Don’t be in a hurry to be fluent (you’ll frustrate yourself). Just enjoy the process. It’s slow and not always easy, but it can be enjoyable if you take the pressure off yourself.

Don't rush to fluency straight away (you'll only end up frustrated). Just enjoy the process. It will be slow and not always easy, but it can be fun if you don't push yourself.

Myth #2: Polyglots have unique memories

There is an opinion that all polyglots have a phenomenal memory, so any languages ​​are easy for them. People believe that polyglots remember the meanings of absolutely all unfamiliar words and grammatical structures from the very first time, so subsequently they can easily speak the language they are learning.

Is it true:

Polyglots do have a good memory, but many people confuse cause and effect: it is the study of languages ​​that develops memory, and not unique innate abilities that make it possible to learn a language. Indeed, there are people who can boast of a unique memory, but this does not make them polyglots. The fact is that simply memorizing words or phrases is not enough to fully learn a language.

Myth #3: Polyglots started learning languages ​​at a young age

Another popular myth goes something like this: “Polyglots are people whose parents took them to language courses since childhood. Children find it easier to study, so today these people easily speak several foreign languages.”

Is it true:

For the most part, polyglots are people who are in love with foreign languages. And this love came already at a conscious age. Those who learned foreign languages ​​as children do not have any advantages over adult learners. Most linguists and psychologists are convinced that languages ​​are even easier for adults, because an adult, unlike a child, consciously takes this step and understands why he needs to read texts or translate sentences. Read the article “”, you will see that adults have their own advantages over children in learning foreign languages.

Myth #4: Polyglots can learn any language in 3-5 months

The issue of the need to study English and other languages ​​is especially relevant today, so almost every day we read another article or watch an interview with a polyglot. These people sometimes claim that they learned a foreign language in 3-5 months. At the same time, many polyglots in their interviews or articles immediately offer you to purchase for money a language learning course that they themselves invented. Is it worth spending money on this?

Is it true:

In fact, polyglots rarely clarify what they mean by the phrase “I learned a language in 5 months.” As a rule, during this time a person has time to learn the basics of grammar and basic vocabulary in order to explain himself in everyday communication. But to talk about more complex topics, for example about life and the structure of the Universe, any person needs more than 5 months. Those who speak several languages ​​really well will tell you that they have been studying them for years and are constantly improving their knowledge. Therefore, if you plan to advance beyond the level of “reading, translating with a dictionary,” prepare not for 3-5 months, but for at least 1-2 years of studying your first foreign language “from scratch.”

Myth #5: Polyglots have a lot of free time

When we read articles about polyglots, it seems that all they do is give interviews from morning to night and tell how they managed to achieve success in the field of learning foreign languages. This is where the myth arose that those who don’t work learn languages; they say they mastered English simply “out of nothing to do.”

Is it true:

To confirm our words, watch this video by polyglot Ollie Richards, he talks about life hacks that will help even the busiest people learn a language:

Myth #6: Polyglots travel a lot

Many people believe that you can “truly” learn a foreign language only abroad, in the country of native speakers of that language. There is an opinion that abroad you can completely “immerse” yourself in the subject you are studying, create an ideal language environment, etc. It turns out that in order to become a polyglot, you need to constantly travel around countries.

Is it true:

In fact, most polyglots say that they communicate a lot with native speakers of the language they are learning, are interested in their way of life, culture, etc. However, this does not mean that people studying foreign languages ​​travel 365 days a year. Technologies allow every person to communicate with people from any country without leaving home. Visit the language exchange sites listed in this article. On them you can find someone to talk to from the USA, Great Britain, Australia, and any other country. Polyglots take advantage of this same opportunity and successfully learn new languages. In the article "" we provided 15 tips for creating a language environment for learning English in your native country.

You can recreate an immersion environment at home, by streaming movies, listening to podcasts, playing music, and reading in your target language... all you need is an internet connection.

You can immerse yourself in a language environment at home by watching movies, listening to podcasts and music, reading in your target language... all you need is an internet connection.

Myth #7: Polyglots have a lot of money

This myth is closely related to the previous two: people believe that polyglots do not work, but only travel. In addition, people think that polyglots constantly spend large sums on educational materials: they buy tutorials and dictionaries, take expensive lessons from native-speaking teachers, and travel abroad for language courses. People believe that polyglots have a lot of money and therefore opportunities to learn foreign languages.

Is it true:

At the time of writing this article, “millionaire” and “polyglot” are not identical concepts. As we have already found out, polyglots are not on a continuous journey and among them there are many who are just like you and me, ordinary working people. It’s just that those who want to know many languages ​​use every opportunity to gain knowledge. It should be said that we have a lot of such opportunities: from all kinds of courses to thousands of educational Internet resources. For example, you can learn English on the Internet completely free of charge, and to make it easier for you to find the sites you need, we constantly write articles with collections of tips and useful resources for developing certain skills. Subscribe to our newsletter and you won't miss important information.

Secrets of polyglots: how to learn foreign languages

1. Set yourself a clear goal

Learning a foreign language "because everyone else is learning it" won't last long, so decide why you need to know it. The goal can be anything: from serious, for example, to get a position in a prestigious company, to entertaining, like “I want to understand what Sting sings about.” The main thing is that your goal motivates you and in every possible way strengthens your desire to learn English. To strengthen your desire to learn a language, we advise you to read our articles “” and “”.

2. At the beginning of your studies, take at least a few lessons from a teacher

We've all read about how polyglots master any language on their own. However, many polyglots write blogs and often indicate that they started learning the language with a teacher, and after learning the basics they moved on to independent learning. We recommend doing the same: the teacher will help you lay a solid foundation of knowledge, and you can build subsequent “floors” yourself if you wish. If you decide to follow this advice, we suggest you try it with one of our experienced teachers. We can help you “promote” English to any level of knowledge.

3. Speak out loud from the first day of learning a new language

Even if you are learning your first ten words, say them out loud, this way you will remember the vocabulary better. In addition, you will gradually develop correct pronunciation. From the very first day, look for interlocutors to communicate with. For beginners, the ideal “partner” for developing oral speech would be a professional teacher, and at a higher level, you can look for an interlocutor on language exchange sites and hone your speaking skills with a native speaker. Please note: almost all polyglots claim that the most effective and interesting method of learning a new language is communicating with native speakers. At the same time, polyglots say that during communication, words and grammatical structures are easier to remember: you do not force yourself to study them, but remember them during an interesting conversation.

My absolute favorite language learning activity is talking to people! And it turns out, that’s pretty convenient, because that’s the whole reason we learn languages ​​anyway, right? We learn the language in order to use it. And since language is a skill, the best way to learn it is by using it.

My favorite activity in language learning is communicating with people! And it turns out that this is quite convenient, because this is the reason we learn languages, right? We learn a language in order to use it. And since language is a skill, the best way to improve it is to use it.

4. Learn phrases, not individual words.

Watch this video by Luca Lampariello, he talks about how to learn new words (you can turn on Russian or English subtitles in the settings).

5. Don't get bogged down in theoretical grammar.

But this advice must be understood correctly, because lately the opinion that English grammar is unnecessary knowledge has been actively discussed on the Internet. Allegedly, for communication it is enough to know three simple tenses and a lot of words. However, in the article “” we explained why this opinion is fundamentally wrong. What do polyglots mean? They encourage us to pay less attention to theory, and more to practical exercises, the use of grammatical structures in oral and written speech. Therefore, immediately after familiarizing yourself with the theory, proceed to practice: do translation exercises, grammar tests, use the studied structures in speech.

6. Get used to the sound of new speech

I love to listen to podcasts, interviews, audiobooks or even music in my target language while walking or driving. This makes efficient use of my time and I don’t feel like I’m making any particular kind of effort.

I love listening to podcasts, interviews, audio books, or even music in the language I'm learning while I'm walking or driving. This allows me to use my time effectively without feeling like I'm making any special effort.

7. Read texts in the target language

While reading texts, you see how the grammar you are studying “works” in speech and how new words “cooperate” with each other. At the same time, you use visual memory, which allows you to remember useful phrases. On the Internet you can find texts in any language for beginners, so you need to start reading from the very first days of learning the language. Some polyglots advise practicing, for example, reading text in parallel in Russian and English. This way you can see how sentences are constructed in the language you are learning. In addition, polyglots claim that this allows them to wean themselves from the harmful habit of translating speech word for word from their native language into the target language.

8. Improve your pronunciation

9. Make mistakes

“Get out of your comfort zone!” - this is what polyglots call us to. If you are afraid to speak the language you are learning or try to express yourself in simple phrases to avoid mistakes, then you are deliberately creating an obstacle for yourself to improve your knowledge. Don’t be shy about making mistakes in the language you’re learning, and if you’re so tormented by perfectionism, take a look at RuNet. Native speakers of the Russian language, without a shadow of embarrassment, write words like “potential” (potential), adykvatny (adequate), “pain and numbness” (more or less), etc. We urge you to take an example from their courage, but at the same time try to take into account your own mistakes and eradicate them. At the same time, polyglots remind us of how children learn to speak their native language: they begin to speak with mistakes, adults correct them, and over time the child begins to speak correctly. Do the same: it's okay to learn from your mistakes!

Make at least two hundred mistakes a day. I want to actually use this language, mistakes or not.

Make at least two hundred mistakes a day. I want to use this language, with or without errors.

10. Exercise regularly

The main secret of polyglots is diligent study. There is not a single person among them who would say: “I studied English once a week and learned the language in 5 months.” On the contrary, polyglots, as a rule, are in love with learning languages, so they devoted all their free time to it. We are sure that anyone can find 3-4 hours a week to study, and if you have the opportunity to study for 1 hour a day, any language will conquer you.

11. Develop your memory

The better your memory is, the easier it will be to remember new words and phrases. Learning a foreign language in itself is an excellent memory training, and to make this training more productive, use different ways of learning the language. For example, solving is a fun and useful activity for both learning and memory. - another good idea for training: you can learn the lyrics of your favorite hit by heart, this way you will remember several useful phrases.

12. Follow the example of successful people

Polyglots are always open to new ways of learning; they do not stand still, but are interested in the experiences of other people who successfully learn foreign languages. We have devoted several articles to some of the most famous polyglots; you can read about the experience of learning languages, or study.

13. Curb your appetite

The variety of materials allows you not to get bored and enjoy learning a foreign language, but at the same time, we advise you not to “spray yourself”, but to focus on some specific methods. For example, if on Monday you took one textbook, on Tuesday you grabbed a second one, on Wednesday you studied on one site, on Thursday on another, on Friday you watched a video lesson, and on Saturday you sat down to read a book, then by Sunday you risk getting “porridge” there is an abundance of material in your head, because their authors use different principles for presenting information. Therefore, as soon as you start learning a new language, determine the optimal set of textbooks, websites and video lessons. There shouldn’t be 10-20 of them; limit your “appetite”, otherwise scattered information will be poorly absorbed. You will find ideas for choosing materials that suit you in our article “”, where you can download a free list of the “best” materials for learning a language.

14. Enjoy learning

Among the famous polyglots there is not a single person who would say: “Learning languages ​​is boring, I don’t like to do it, but I want to know many languages, so I have to force myself.” How do polyglots learn languages? These people enjoy not just the understanding that they know a foreign language, but also the learning process itself. Do you think studying is boring? Then use interesting language learning techniques. For example, or is unlikely to seem boring to anyone.

Languages ​​are not something one should study, but rather live, breathe and enjoy.

Languages ​​are not something to be learned, but rather something to be lived, breathed and enjoyed.

Now you know how polyglots learn languages. As you have seen, everyone can learn foreign languages, regardless of “giftedness” and the number of banknotes. There is nothing complicated in the advice of polyglots on learning languages; all techniques are accessible to anyone and are easily applied in practice. Try to follow these recommendations and enjoy learning.

Today, many people strive to go abroad not only for vacation, but also for employment in a prestigious company or even for permanent residence. However, for this you need to know the foreign language of the country to which you are actually going.

Experts assure that if you study a language correctly, in just a few weeks you can master basic communication skills, and within a few months you can learn the basics of the language. Of course, you will not be able to read complex literature with ease, but it will be quite easy for you to express your thoughts, regardless of your type of activity. And everyone can do this.

Where should you start?

Many people wonder how to start learning a foreign language correctly? After all, it is from the first steps that the desire to move on and self-confidence should appear.

The worst thing at the initial stage is lack of self-confidence and self-confidence. Many people are afraid to simply say words out loud due to incorrect pronunciation or sentence construction. In order to learn a foreign language on your own, you need to take risks and not be afraid of mistakes.

Phrase books and online courses will be useful only at the initial stage of language learning, when you need to learn words and phrases that will help you navigate a new country and communicate with local residents.

The author believes that if you approach the process correctly, after 3 months you can own it in sufficient shape. The most important thing he emphasizes is to give up perfectionism, that is, not to focus on mistakes and correct pronunciation. Benny says you shouldn't strive for perfect language proficiency. Many people are so fixated on good pronunciation that, in the end, they never achieve this goal.

Here are his tips to help you learn a foreign language correctly:

• Don't chase perfection. Many are so fixated on perfect pronunciation that they end up disappointed and quit this activity, because they cannot achieve their goals, and this is most often what happens to beginners;
• first you need to learn simple phrases, such as “where is the metro?” or “what time is it?”;
• pay more attention to studying words and phrases, rather than grammar;
• Be sure to start speaking out loud from day one. This is the main barrier to learning a language, overcoming which you will achieve your goal;
• the author does not recommend taking courses, because the programs there are too general to be useful at the same time to both beginners and those who already speak the language at a certain level;
• spend maximum time on training. Benny believes that it is thanks to training for many hours a day that people learn foreign languages ​​in just a couple of months. If you don’t have the opportunity to study all day, even a couple of hours will help you achieve great results in the shortest possible time.

How to start learning English on your own?

Today English is the most widely spoken language all over the world. This is what they most often strive to learn.

It is worth remembering one important thing - there are no people in the world who are unable to learn a language. There are lazy people. If you have a goal, strive for it, forget about fear and shyness, and then you will definitely succeed.

Learning English on your own is quite easy. You can use any available tools - from phrasebooks to online training. However, you should not trust seminars that promise huge results in just a few weeks. Most likely, this is a regular money grab. Learning a language is a painstaking and long process. As mentioned above, in a couple of weeks you can achieve basic results that will help you express simple phrases that help you navigate the city and communicate with people.

Learning English correctly, like any other, is very important. Immediately limit yourself to time. For example, set yourself a goal that you will learn 1000 words in a month. This is quite small, only 30 words per day. The same rule applies to any other work: if you don’t do it on time, then most likely you won’t do it at all.

Another tip: there is no point in learning individual words. Learn phrases. It's much simpler and more efficient. After all, a word essentially does not carry the entire meaning that will be contained in a phrase or sentence. For example, leaving a train and sending mail are completely different things.

Think and speak in English. Try to immediately translate your thoughts, describe what surrounds you. You will soon notice that you have already memorized the names of the things you encounter every day.

Teaching a child a foreign language is much easier than teaching an adult. After all, everyone knows how developed the ability of children is to grasp everything on the fly. While playing or talking with you, the child instantly remembers information. Therefore, if you want your child to know a foreign language well in the future, help him master it from an early age.

Learn a foreign language? Easily!

I hope we have answered the question of how to learn a foreign language. The most important thing is not to forget that this activity will help you not only develop, but also achieve more in life.

How best to study is up to you. Today there are many available ways to help you learn any foreign language quickly and in a short time.

The secrets of polyglots are desire, desire, perseverance. Every person has these qualities, the main thing is to overcome laziness in yourself.

Polyglots are not uncommon today, because modern people adapt and adjust to new conditions much more easily, including when living or working in another country.

If you have a goal, go towards it. Forget about fear and embarrassment, and then you will achieve great success in life!

There are many ways to learn a foreign language from scratch on your own. The first thing you need to do is answer the question - why. Knowing the answer to this question is super important. Speech as a communication tool requires regular use - if knowledge and skills are not used, they are forgotten. Human memory is designed in such a way that it hides unnecessary knowledge as far as possible. Everything that you have learned well will quickly be forgotten - then you will have to start all over again.

Before you start cramming the alphabet, it is important to understand the goal:

• communicate with airport employees, store managers, service personnel during tourist trips and understand the interlocutor well (colloquial variety);
• conduct business negotiations with partners (business variety);
• have the opportunity to read scientific (or fiction) literature (technical and literary versions);
• communicate freely with residents of another country (read, write, speak).

Important tip! Motivation is important to achieve success. With the right goal setting, it is easy to acquire the necessary knowledge from scratch on your own and for free.

2 main ways to learn

There are two ways to quickly master someone else's method of linguistic communication.

The first is practiced at school: first they learn words, then they put them into sentences, and from phrases they construct a text. Phrases are constructed according to the laws of Russian grammar - this is a mistake. For this reason, high school graduates know a set of individual nouns and verbs, but it is difficult for them to quickly combine word forms into sentences; they have little experience in free communication.

The second approach teaches that it is better to study a foreign dialect in phrases, and to learn to speak immediately in full-fledged constructions. The fact is that the word in context takes on a new meaning - it is impossible to describe all the nuances with a set of strict rules. Any speech is phraseological: the meaning of an individual sentence is not equal to the sum of the meanings of individual word forms.

Illustration copyright Thinkstock

Imagine the situation: you want to go on a business trip abroad that you can only dream of. But there is a problem. You need to speak a foreign language that you don't know. And time is not on your side. I have prepared some tips for you.

The task may seem impossible, but according to linguistic experts, basic communication skills can be mastered in a few weeks, and the basics of a foreign language can be mastered in a few months. You may not quickly reach the level that will allow you to understand the great classics of foreign literature, but you will learn how to quickly formulate phrases and use the terminology required by your line of work, regardless of whether you work in the diplomatic service or in a leading multinational company .

It won't take long for most people to start discussing news with a native speaker in Rome or exchanging views with colleagues in Paris.

Where to begin

Sometimes traveling the world in search of work forces us to find our own ways of mastering languages. Engineer Benny Lewis learned enough seven languages, including Spanish, French and German, to use them on the job, and achieved near fluency in several others, including Mandarin, or Mandarin.

Learning Spanish, the first non-native language Lewis took up, took a little over a year, but with each subsequent language, including Mandarin, things moved much faster. His secret is this: when Lewis starts learning a new language, he creates a kind of script in which he must learn to answer simple questions from strangers. Gradually, Lewis even acquired the ability to work as a translator of technical texts on engineering.

Phrase books and online courses, experts say, can be a useful aid at the initial stage, as they provide the necessary vocabulary and a certain confidence that will allow you to carry out simple dialogue with native speakers. This is the most important first step in learning a foreign language.

“The biggest obstacle early on was a lack of confidence,” says Lewis, “but it became easier and easier for me to speak up.”

Indeed, as experts confirm, all it takes is courage to force yourself to speak if you want to succeed in mastering a foreign language.

"A lot of people don't get ahead unless they open their mouths," said Michael Geisler, vice president of the school of foreign languages ​​at Middleberry College in Vermont, USA. "If you're not willing to express your individuality, progress will be slow."

This means not being afraid to take risks and make mistakes. Lewis remembers that when he first started learning Spanish, he spoke like Tarzan - a man who grew up with wild animals.

"I was saying something like, 'I want to go to the supermarket.' But I reached an advanced level, starting from a beginner. My eureka moment came two weeks after I started learning Spanish. My toothbrush broke, and I managed to ask for a new one at the supermarket, Lewis recalls, “Everywhere you go, people are amazingly patient.”

Immersion in the environment

Geisler believes that total immersion is the key to successful and rapid mastery of a foreign language. The deeper you immerse yourself in a foreign language - by reading, listening to the radio or talking to people - the faster success in learning it will come to you.

Students at Middleberry College in the US state of Vermont are required to participate in extracurricular activities - from sports to theater productions - using the languages ​​they study. Middleberry offers undergraduate courses in ten languages, including French, German, Chinese and Hebrew.

Such immersion is actively encouraged at the Foreign Service Institute in Washington, where American diplomats and employees of US missions abroad study foreign languages. Experts in 70 foreign languages ​​work here. The duration of training courses can be up to 44 weeks. Their goal is to bring students to “level 3” language proficiency. This means that graduates will be able to read magazines like Time in a foreign language and have a substantive conversation on any topic.

Mastery of basic conversational skills is achieved in a much shorter time. Experts say it only takes a few weeks, especially with regular speaking practice. James North, director of academic affairs at the Foreign Service Institute, says students are encouraged to meet native speakers.

“You have to invest not only your mind, but also your heart,” says North. You can volunteer or get involved in your community, such as working in restaurants or organizing neighborhood events.

In large cities, meetings in “immersion groups” take place on a regular basis - several times a week. They involve people who master practical skills in a foreign language.

Let's go to the Internet

When you regularly communicate with foreign language experts or native speakers, you always have someone nearby who can check and correct, and this is very important for your improvement.

“Practice is the best method,” says North. “But if you practice without feedback, you may feel like you've mastered what you're practicing at. Naive students don't have the opportunity to gain outside perspective on what they're doing. It's important.” to have someone nearby who could say: yes, you are on the right path."

Be sure to ask those you speak to to evaluate your speech, and don't worry about offending you by correcting your pronunciation and grammar (though experts say there's no need to worry too much about correct grammar in the early stages of learning a language).

Start using the language, and then focus on the grammar, Lewis advises. When you feel like it's time to improve your grammar, use podcasts from resources such as radiolingua.com or languagepod101.com. According to Lewis, these are very useful tools for mastering grammar and organizing your knowledge.

“By this time, you already have enough baggage. And when I come across this or that rule, I can already say: this is why they say that way,” Lewis shares his experience.

As you learn a foreign language, pay as much attention to media in that language as possible. If you are a beginner, read children's books with pictures, experts advise, or watch films in a foreign language that you know well.

If you set yourself any specific goals, for example, to be able to communicate with a partner in a foreign language or use it at work, this can be a necessary and sufficient motivation for mastering oral communication skills.

But don't set yourself unattainable goals. If you say that you will be fluent in a foreign language in a few months, you will most likely be disappointed. And if your goal is to learn how to conduct a conversation, especially when it is required to complete a task at work, it is more than possible.

Would you like to know how to learn a new language quickly without spending money on expensive language courses or language learning software? There are no secrets or tricks to this - you just need to set a goal, be prepared to do hard work and, most importantly, not be afraid to make mistakes. Read on and you will learn more secrets that will help you learn a new language quickly.

Steps

Immerse yourself in the language environment

Meet a native speaker. The easiest way to learn a new language is to speak it. Very often, people spend all their time studying the grammar of a language and memorizing a lot of words, instead of putting all their learned minimum knowledge into practice. Start talking to a native speaker and it will give you more motivation to learn the language - much more than a book or computer screen.

• You may be able to find a friend or colleague who knows the language you want to learn and who can tutor you and help you practice the language. If you don’t have such friends, then you can advertise on local forums or in newspapers that you are looking for a teacher to practice a foreign language.
• If you can't find anyone who speaks the language, you can try meeting someone on Skype. Very often people from different countries would like to meet people from other countries and communicate. Another option is to create an account with Hellotalk.

1. Learn a language every day. Very often, many people complain that they have been studying a language for “five years” and still cannot begin to speak it fluently. But when they talk about five years, they most likely spend only a couple of hours a week learning the language. Let's agree on one thing - if you want to learn a new language fast, that is, in a few weeks or months, you will have to devote two hours to learning a new language in a day.

   • Learning a foreign language is based on repetition - just repeat something over and over again until it is imprinted in your memory. If you take too many breaks between classes, you are more likely to forget everything you learned and have to go back and forth to remember what you learned.
   • To truly learn a language in a short time, you must practice every day. There are no miracles in learning a language - to master a language, you need to learn it.

2. Always have a dictionary handy. Take a dictionary with you everywhere - this will help you avoid confusion (if you don’t know a word) and will save a lot of time, so we recommend that you spare no expense and purchase a good and convenient dictionary!

   • It may be more convenient for you to install a dictionary on your mobile phone - this way you can quickly look up the word you need.
   • If you have a dictionary with you, you can always look up the right word. This is especially necessary when communicating with a native speaker, when you do not want to interrupt the interlocutor because you do not know some word that he used. Plus, if you look up a new word and use it immediately, you'll remember it much better.
   • You can also look through the dictionary and select random words to memorize when you have a free minute - for example, when you are waiting in line, during your lunch break, or while stuck in a traffic jam. This way you can learn up to 20-30 additional new words a day!

3. Watch movies, listen to music, read and write in the language you are learning. Immersion in a language environment assumes that you will do all the usual actions that you usually did in your native language in the language you are learning, regardless of whether you read, write or listen to music, radio, etc.

   • It may be easiest to watch TV shows or movies in the language you're trying to learn. Try not to use subtitles, otherwise you will rely on them too much. To help you understand speech, try watching TV shows or movies that you already know, or something simple like cartoons or children's shows. Knowing the content will help you understand the meaning of different words and phrases.
   • It is also recommended to read and write in the target language. Pick up a newspaper or magazine and try to read at least one article a day. Try to check the meaning of words you don't know in a dictionary. Try writing simple sentences in the target language - it doesn't matter what it is, you can write a greeting card or make a shopping list.
   • Download podcasts or listen to radio stations in the language you're learning. This is a great way to immerse yourself in a language, especially when you're on the road. This will not only allow you to listen to speech, but will also help you remember the correct pronunciation of common words and phrases.
   • Change the language settings on your mobile devices - this will allow you to learn a few new words in a new language.
   • Listen to music in the language you are learning. Try to learn the lyrics, and then check what the song is about. Knowing the lyrics of songs very quickly helps expand your vocabulary.

4. Visit a country where the language you are learning is spoken. Of course, the best way to improve your language skills is to travel to a country where your target language is spoken. Just go there and spend some time there.

   • Try to communicate more with the local population - it doesn’t matter if you need to get directions or make a purchase in a store - just say hello and chat with people. Native speakers will welcome your desire to learn the language.
   • It doesn't matter how well you speak - just try to speak, and very soon you will notice an improvement not only in your speaking, but also in your vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation.

   Focus on what matters most

   1. Learn a few greetings before you learn the alphabet. This way, when you start learning the alphabet, you will already know a few basic words. For example, “Hello,” “Goodbye,” “How are you,” “I’m doing great,” “What’s your name,” “My name is...” and so on.

      If necessary, learn the alphabet. It will be much easier for you if you learn the alphabet and learn to read and pronounce words - this will also help you remember words more easily. In addition, it is much better to say words out loud by reading them in the target language, rather than looking at their transcription.

      Learn the words. Probably one of the most important aspects of learning a language is vocabulary. Even if you can't understand an entire sentence, being able to pick out individual words helps you understand the overall meaning of a speech or text.

      • Focus on the 100 most common words. Identifying the 100 most common words in a language and learning them is a great start. Next, you can select 1000 new frequently used words. It is believed that knowing 1000 frequently used words in a language allows you to understand 70% of any text.
      • Pay attention to the words that are most relevant to you. For example, if you are learning a language for business purposes, learn business vocabulary without wasting your time learning about different types of marine animals - which can be useful if you are going scuba diving.
      • You also need to learn words that relate to you personally so that you can talk about yourself, your life and the people you know.

   2. Learn how to count in your target language. Learn to count to ten because numbers are usually very easy to remember. Every day, add ten more numbers to this set. Continue studying numbers every day until you feel that you can count fluently in a foreign language. If you want a real challenge, try learning all the numbers up to one hundred in one day!

      Don't worry too much about grammar. The main reason most people never speak the language they spent years learning in school is that the school curriculum focuses too much on the grammar of the language and spends too little time on speaking and writing skills. It is grammar that slows everything down - if you want to learn a new language quickly, the first thing you must do is master the spoken language. The specifics of the grammar will come later.

      • There's no doubt that grammar is important - you need to know how verbs change and have an idea of ​​what the correct word order should be in a sentence.
      • The point is that you don't have to spend hours memorizing verb forms or thinking about specific cases when you should use a particular article or preposition. You will master all these nuances later - in the process of communication!

   3. Work on your pronunciation. Pronunciation is another aspect you should focus on. There's no point in memorizing hundreds of words and phrases if you can't pronounce them correctly to be understood. Therefore, it is very important that when learning a new word, you immediately learn its correct pronunciation.

      • Pronunciation is difficult to learn from a book - this is where communicating with native speakers or using interactive programs will be useful. You will need to say the word out loud to learn how to pronounce it correctly.
      • If you are practicing a language with a teacher or native speaker, ask him or her to feel free to correct you whenever you pronounce a word incorrectly. Otherwise, alas, your training will be of little use. Remember that pronunciation can make the difference good language proficiency from free.

   4. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Many foreign language learners are afraid of making mistakes. This fear will not allow you to go far enough.

      • It's possible that the mistakes you make while speaking a foreign language can lead to awkward situations, but is that a big deal? Native speakers will always forgive you for mistakes because they will most likely appreciate your desire to learn their language - in fact, they will always be happy to help you.
      • Your goal initially should not be excellence, but progress. Making mistakes (and learning from them) is what allows you to continually improve.

   Use apps to learn foreign languages

   1. Try Anki. Anki is a very popular application for computers and smartphones that helps you memorize new words and phrases using flashcards. You will be able to upload your own cards with specific words if you need to learn specific terminology, for example, or download any sets of cards from those offered.

      Try Duolingo. Duolingo is a free language learning tool. There is an online version of the application, as well as versions for Android and iOS. Instead of focusing on memorization, it helps you learn to read and speak a new language by allowing you to see, listen to, and translate words and phrases. Users earn points by completing lessons, which makes learning a language with Duolingo a lot of fun.

   2. Try Livemocha. Livemocha is a web product that offers online lessons and tutorials, as well as the opportunity to chat with a native speaker. And while most of the content on Livemocha is completely free, you can always pay for additional services, including personalized training programs and more advanced language courses.

      • Try MindSnacks. Choose any lesson you like to learn the language through various games.
   • Determine for yourself a specific amount of material (TV shows, radio, online newspapers or communication with foreigners) or the amount of time that you will devote to the language every day and do not deviate from the plan.
   • Write down new words and their meanings on a piece of paper and always carry this piece of paper with you, sometimes looking at it - this way you can easily remember everything.
   • Immersion in a language environment is the best way to learn a foreign language, but in most cases a person cannot simply give up everything and go to another country. However, be sure to try to communicate with native speakers - for example, using special sites on the Internet.
   • Google Translate is a good tool that can help you with correct pronunciation. But the translation of words and sentences obtained using it is not always 100% accurate.
   • Start by learning ten words (nouns, adjectives or verbs). Do this every day for three months. This may seem difficult, but it is actually very easy. Learning ten new words every day will greatly expand your vocabulary. The more words you know, the easier it will be for you to form sentences and express yourself in a foreign language.
   • Once you have mastered the basics of the language, you can start watching movies in the language you're learning. Start with simple ones - those that you have already seen and that you like. Watch movies with subtitles. If this seems difficult, leave the subtitles or audio in your native language.
   • Use sticky note paper to improve your vocabulary. Post them everywhere - this will allow you to create direct associations between a word in a foreign language and its visualization.
   • Don't worry about making mistakes at first. You will not be able to speak a foreign language fluently on the first day of training, be patient.
   • The main thing is don't give up!
   • Start reading funny books in the language you are learning - it is better if they are funny stories or jokes with pictures. For example, you can read anime, comics, magazines and anything else that interests you. This will motivate you to learn the language - especially if you don't understand what is written. It can also be helpful to start with children's books because they contain words that are easy to remember.
   • Some people prefer to listen to music. Find songs in the language you're learning. Listen to them several times, try to understand what the song is about. You can also find lyrics on the Internet and try to sing karaoke.