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Some people learn a new language to gain a sense of personal satisfaction. Others do it to add a bankable skill to their professional resume. Some choose the informal method of picking it up as they go. Others go for the formal route of using an online tutoring service or language lessons. Whatever the reason and method, there are a few things to keep in mind if you want to achieve fluency fast.
1. Get comfortable making mistakes
Most likely, you’re going to make a few (or a lot of0 mistakes on your journey to language fluency. It’s best to accept this fact as early as possible. The sooner you do, the more comfortable you’ll become with using the language, making mistakes, and correcting them. That three-fold process is essential to picking up a language fast. If you disregard it out of a desire to be perfect, then your path to language fluency will take a lot longer.
2. Immerse yourself in the new language
If you’re living in a country where the language is spoken, then you’re in luck. Head to the market to try out (and learn) new food words, numbers, and basic greetings. Alongside that, make some local friends and begin talking about things with immediate relevance family, jobs, interests, and the like.
If you’re not living in a country in which your target language is spoken, then consider taking online classes with native speakers. Alternatively, you can attend language meet-up groups, sign up for volunteer opportunities with immigrants, or hang out in parts of town where your target language is spoken.
3. Learn the most commonly used words
It’s estimated that English has over 170,000 words currently in use (plenty more have faded away). That being said, most English speakers don’t know or use anywhere near that number in their day-to-day life.
Likewise, if you’re learning a new language, you don’t need to learn every word it contains. Instead, focus on the (much smaller) number of most commonly used words. In most languages, learning a hundred words or so will give you basic conversational skills. Building that up to 1,000 words or so will allow you to communicate with most people most of the time.
4. Find material that interests you
If you want to ensure that you’ll maintain interest in learning a new language, then it’s important to study things that interest you. Otherwise, it’s human nature to lose enthusiasm.
For example, if you’re studying Japanese and are a fan of anime, watching your favorite shows can be part of your study plan. If you love music, then sing along with your favorite tunes or translate the lyrics to English. Whatever your interests may be, it will be helpful to build a language learning plan around them.
5. Set SMART goals
The goal I want to learn Spanish is a bit too vague to measure. However, the goal I want to learn the 100 most commonly used Spanish words in the next 20 days is very measurable. It’s an example of a SMART goal one that is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based.
These kinds of goals are more likely to be achieved. To better define your language goals, it can be useful to check out the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). After identifying what level you’re at, you can pinpoint what level you would like to reach in the near future.
Keep these five tips in mind, and you will be on your way to language fluency in no time (or in a specific and measurable time).
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