Have you ever wanted to learn a language, but didn't know where to start, or felt completely overwhelmed? Below is a quick guide to help you on your way.
1. Listen
It's never easy to jump right into reading a textbook, especially if your schedule is packed. Exploring music and TV shows that use your target language helps you become familiar with the sounds of that language.
2. Imitate
Try singing along with the songs or repeating what the characters in the TV shows say. Regardless of whether or not you know what you are saying, you will find that it becomes easier for you to pronounce the unfamiliar language by imitating the sounds and words you hear.
3. Making Connections
Can you notice any patterns or connections between words across the songs or TV shows? For example, is there one word that you always hear no matter what you are listening to? Try to guess the meaning of that word before searching up the definition.
4. Sentence Structures
Once you begin to build a base of commonly used words, pay attention to the sentence structure. What order are the words said in? Can you infer what the sentence structure is like?
In English, the basic sentence structure begins with the subject, followed by the verb, and ends with the object. Example: Jane kicked the ball.
Does your target language have a similar sentence structure, or is the order of the subject, verb, and object switched around?
5. Read
When you feel ready, tackle the textbooks. The information will feel less daunting because you have a general idea about how the language works.
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