Whether it’s for travel, an upcoming job interview, or an impending visit to those scary in-laws of yours — whatever your reason to learn a language — with Babbel you can hold a basic conversation in a new language in only three weeks!
You don’t need to chain yourself to grammar books for hours at a time in order to become conversational in a new language. You can fit your learning in around their normal work day. Polyglot Mira — who speaks seven languages — has some tips for how to learn any language.
1. Find your motivation
Attempting to speak a new language in three weeks requires dedication, but if you know exactly why you are learning a language you’ll be sufficiently motivated to persevere with each new lesson. That’s why it’s vital that you set out a concrete reason for learning your new language, and that you imagine how you would apply your new-found language.
If you’re learning for travel, envision exactly how you will use your new language skills in-situ. Do you want to become a confident traveler who can find the hidden back-street gems that a clueless tourist would never know about? If so, this will tell you which lessons to focus on when using Babbel, and it will motivate you to complete as many of these as possible before you fly!
2. Set realistic goals
You may be tempted to start off by studying for hours every day, but our polyglot Mira recommends starting small “30 minutes a day, tops.” This can help you avoid burning out, and you’ll notice you building your skills over time.
Learning enough to be conversational is less daunting if you plan in advance exactly which courses you want to learn, and then count the number of lessons found within those courses so that you can break down your learning into manageable chunks.
Even better, Babbel can help you set your goals, and will keep track of how many activities you do each week. That way, you can make sure you’re on track to learn what you want.
3. Base your studying on listening
It can be frustrating to not know what you’re hearing, but listening is a perhaps underappreciated part of the learning process. By listening to the language — whether in person, on TV shows or even in the Babbel app — you’re building up your exposure and learning pronunciations right off the bat.
4. Immerse yourself, even if it’s only virtually
As we said, it’s important to start small and not overwhelm yourself, but as you build up your language skills you should try to find little ways to “immerse” yourself. This can mean following social media accounts in your target language, or changing your phone’s settings, or listening to podcasts. These little ways of increasing your interactions with the language will keep your mind sharp and introduce you regularly to new vocabulary.
5. Find your perfect learning time (and make it regular)
Once you have settled on the scope of your learning plan, set aside a specific time each day which you can dedicate to completing these lessons. The morning could be the perfect time to learn, for example, as completing your lessons will give you a sense of accomplishment that will last the rest of the day. As Mira points out, the most important part is to make sure you’re learning regularly.
6. Perseverance pays off
Learning a new language requires time and perseverance. Polyglots emphasize that even moments of frustration are an integral part of the process. Stay persistent, be patient with yourself, and celebrate every small victory.
So what are you waiting for? It’s time to get started!