Tips to Learn Any Language Like a Native

lamarisabidilla:

If you’ve every tried to learn a language, you’ve probably had that moment where you realize that what you’ve learned in class doesn’t really translate to how natives use the language in day-to-day life. The vocabulary is different, the accents are hard to understand, and you struggle to come up with responses on the fly. These tips will help prepare you for real life conversations, and will make learning more fun along the way!!

1: Interact with one form of media in your target language each day

I can’t stress this enough. This can be anything from listening to a song you like, watching a movie, listening to a podcast, listening to the radio, check out Spotify for podcasts and playlists…. the options are endless, and it will expose you to the real use of the language and will help you perfect your accent!

2: Use children’s media

If you can find Sesame Street or in your target language, you’re off to a great start. Check out your local library and see if they offer children’s books in the language, or try to find an alphabet song on youtube. This is a simple way to hear vocabulary you’ve probably already learned, get exposure to the culture where the language is spoken, and learn vocabulary you won’t get in class.

3: Find a singer/band that you like, and learn the lyrics to their songs

Sometimes language is used differently in songs than it is in conversation, and that’s OK! Find something you like the sound of, print out the lyrics and translate what you don’t know. Learn the song well enough to sing along to.  This helps you with vocabulary and learning the culture, and is a great way to open discover new music.

4: Learn dirty words

You need to know when you’re being insulted, right? Slang and dirty words can vary region to region, but learning them for the area you’re most interested in is a great way to make sure you’re not left stranded when speaking with natives. 

5: Don’t neglect regions, find differences in accents

Being able to pinpoint where someone comes from while speaking your target language can be difficult, but it’s a great way to learn differences in culture and ways of speaking. It gives you practice understanding what is being said no matter who says it, and it lets you pick which accent you most want to imitate while learning.

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