With the Coronavirus taking its toll all over the world, quarantining yourself is the best way to avoid getting sick. While stuck at home, boredom will easily creep up on anyone and can drive someone crazy. There are many ways to entertain oneself but learning another language can help you keep busy while also building your muscle memory which can be beneficial for the times we are living in now.
Anyone can learn a new language. It just takes patience and motivation. Most people say it is too hard or it takes too much time. With that kind of headspace, then it becomes very hard to learn a new language. Motivation is the key and being able to stay persistent with practicing every day is what makes or breaks someone. I have taught myself over five languages in the last ten years and all I did was practice. I wanted to learn as many languages as possible before the age of twenty and it was my main motivation. You can learn with youtube lessons, books, podcasts, or just google lessons for the language. With my personal experiences, I can guide you on how to teach yourself as well.
The best place to start is the alphabet of the language you aim to learn. Most individuals want to get straight into vocabulary and how to speak in full sentences but doing so can hurt you in the process of learning the language. It can get very confusing. With the alphabet, you can start recognizing words and phrases as you do learn vocabulary. There are some languages that learning the alphabet can be very difficult, like Japanese, Hebrew, or Chinese. With those languages, it is easier to start with simple vocabulary and memorize the words and how to write them. It can become an easy guide for harder words.
The easiest way to keep track of all of the new words and the alphabet, keep a journal for your language learning. You can start by writing down the alphabet and then the easier vocabulary words. It can be quite fun to decorate your journal and by writing everything down, your brain remembers more. Remembering all sorts of words can be overwhelming so I would write down the names to objects in my house onto a sticky note and put it on the physical object. For example, I would write down the Danish word for bed onto a sticky and then put the sticky note on my headboard. Your brain begins to associate those two things and then you have memorized it.
Once you begin to memorize a bunch of words and phrases, start watching movies in the language you are learning. By watching and listening, you can pick up words you have learned and you can understand the flow of sentences. Do not be afraid to replay certain words and say them over and over if you feel like it is a useful word. Watching movies and television shows is fun already but now you can learn at the same time.
Now that you have become intermediate in the language you are learning, the next technique to use is speaking out loud. Find some friends via Facebook, Omegle, Instagram or other social media modes to interact with native speakers. Feeling embarrassed to talk to native speakers is normal but they do not think you are anything but smart for trying to learn a new language. Have fun with your new skill and show it off!
