The How of Learning a Language

By Jacob Lumbroso

The most important aspect in learning a foreign language is the amount of time you commit to surrounding yourself with it. The more experience you have with a new language, the quicker you'll pick it up. This equates to hearing, seeing, using, and scrutinizing your new language.

It does not translate into sitting at some desk daydreaming out the window, nor getting advice from poor speakers, nor obtaining all the answers in your own tongue. It involves being connected to the language you are studying.

Rock out to language learning on your MP3 player. Read what you're hearing. Listen to and read items you have a particular interest in, items you can easily or mostly comprehend. As you continue at it you will grow more and more accustomed to the tongue. Just an hour of alone time is usually much more progressive than several of course time.

Beef up that vocabulary - you'll require droves. Pay close attention to how words merge into phrases. Acquire more vocabulary via your ears and eyes. Make your own word lists to quiz yourself on using online resources. Don't stress how well you can talk the talk until you've amassed a mountain of foreign words by listening and reading.

Let's face it, if you don't truly desire to learn a lingo, it won't magically happen on its own. If it actually is your desire, however, then seize power.

Select interesting things to learn, things that you will look forward to devoting time to. Then find the foreign equivalents that you will need to comprehend to do that.

Don't expect the language to be handed to you on a silver platter; you need to go it your own, like when you were a babe first learning to talk. Practice the language when YOU feel like it. Compose foreign messages when it strikes your fancy. Whether its Spanish, French, Chinese or Swahili, no one can get you to being fluent in another language but yourself.

Don't become stressed over the words you forget, can't comprehend, or can't say. What's important is that you are progressing and growing.

The language will ultimately become clear to you in your mind - it will happen on a time frame that you can't completely determine. Don't forget to spend enough time on everything. That's all you need to be sure of results.

Jacob Lumbroso is a world traveler. He writes articles on history and languages for and has used Pimsleur language audio courses to learn various languages.