Mastering New Languages

Moving to Germany was a difficult challenge in more ways than one for me, but the biggest above all was the gruelling task of learning a new language. If you’ve ever lived in a foreign country, you’ll understand the roller coaster of emotions it can entail: from head-banging frustration and sadness to overwhelming joy, from misunderstanding directions to proudly ordering a meal.

There are smiles, tears and then there is grammar (which is sometimes a totally new emotion altogether). But learning a new language doesn’t have to be all syntax and sentence structure – in fact, as cliché as it sounds, it can be a lot of fun. It’s also good for your health according to a recent study that says learning a new language can even slow brain ageing.

Here are a few of my recommendations on how to train outside of a classroom:

• Watch YouTube tutorials. When people start taking language lessons, they often start right from the beginning – Level 1, Lesson 1. But what many don’t realize is there are lots of good resources on the Internet for picking up the basics, particularly on YouTube. By watching YouTube videos and taking notes, I was able to start taking German at Level 2, saving not only time but a good wad of cash. The online tutorials could only take me so far, though and while I eventually knew I needed classes, it was still a good start.

• Get a tandem partner. One of the best ways to learn a new language is to find a native speaker who’s also interested in learning your own native language. There are Facebook groups and websites like Tandem Exchange where people put up ads looking for tandem partners. This companionship can be as easy as going for coffee once a week or finding activities to do, from going to art galleries or a walk through the park. But one thing is for sure; my German partner helped me improve in strides. He’s patient and we are on the same learning level, so I never felt afraid to make mistakes or try out new phrases.

• Read the newspaper. It may sound tedious, but picking up on the daily current events is actually a big help. Buy a real newspaper and make notes in the margins, highlight and mark it up – reading off a computer screen just isn’t the same. When you’re not sure of the meaning, you can always check back with the news in your native language.

• Find movies and music. One of the most rewarding moments of learning German so far has been being able to watch a movie front-to-back without English subtitles. Not only is it entertaining, but it’s a great way to pick up slang and get an ear for accent. My tip is to watch German movies and TV with German subtitles on, as sometimes the speech can go by pretty fast. Discovering German rap and indie rock has also helped enormously, especially printing out the lyrics and translating them for fun.

• Don’t rely on Google translate. It’s easy to get lazy with online translation just a button-click away. But I’ve learned that lesson the hard way, when the wrong translation has been split out completely. Always take the time to write your own emails, do your homework and think everything through – Google translate may be helpful in that moment, but it’s not making anything easier in the long run.

• Get an app. Instead of scrolling mindlessly through Facebook while sitting on the bus and train, these days I’m using that time to learn. There are lots of apps that make learning a new language fun, for example DuoLingo, which gives virtual rewards and allows you to compete with friends. I’ve found it way more useful than Rosetta Stone and it’s totally portable. DuoLingo is available in a few languages too: Spanish, Danish, Irish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese and Dutch.

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