Tips For Learning A New Language

I came into the new year wanting to finally grasp the concept of a new language. That language is SPANISH. I would assume it would come easy for me since it’s in my bloodline and I reside in Miami. Miami is a melting pot of so many cultures especially Latin cultures. So during the process, I have discovered some tips that I have been finding really useful in me learning a foreign language.

Below I will share some of these tips:

1. Practice with a native
Well, I have not been directly practicing with natives but now I listen more when I hear the native tongue. I listen so I can see if I actually understand some or all of the conversation. Sometimes I will try to answer with a little of the vocabulary that I do know.

2. Immersion

Immersion is basically the action of immersing someone or something. In this case, I am immersing SPANISH in my everyday life. So what I have been doing is implementing Spanish in my everyday life through apps like Duolingo on my phone. I also have been using sleep videos on you tube that plays common Spanish words or sentences etc. A great tip that was really helpful is changing your phone settings. It made my head hurt simultaneously but I started picking up on words quickly. Also, I have been listening to podcasts and radio stations as well.

3. Connect the dots

I have been trying to connect the English dialect with the Latin dialect. Basically, try to connect the commonality between them, 40% of all words in English have a related word in Spanish believe it or not. Connecting certain popular words in English to Spanish and constantly repeat over and over.

4. Learning the Culture

I have been really studying the Latin Culture and their habits. This is something I have attempted in the past. But now I am more active and more serious. I believe if you are leaning a new language you should definitely study the culture. Now with learning Spanish, there are different dialects depending on the specific Latin country. But overall this is the best tip I feel for anyone trying to learn a new language.