If anybody says: Man, you know so many languages because you are just talented for it. Or, man, you know those languages because you grew up in a bilingual family. Don’t believe them. Yes, these are all big advantages of acquiring a language. If somebody is lucky enough to be in these situations, then great for them.
But these are certainly not requirements for knowing a foreign language. Everybody can learn a language without having a special talent, without having grown up in a bilingual family, or without studying in that special school.
I have learned 3 languages by myself and didn’t grow up in a bilingual family, nor did anyone encourage me to do so. I grew up in Slovakia (my native language is Slovakian), and I knew that I wouldn’t get anywhere without knowing languages. So I started with English, then learned German, and eventually Spanish. And I keep learning more languages.
You only need motivation, discipline, and a good plan to follow.
So, in this article, I’ll give you my proven tips on how to learn a language by yourself so you can finally learn your dream language, too.
13 Proven Language Tips To Learn A Language By Yourself
Here are my 13 proven steps for learning a language on your own. Follow each step and focus. They’ll help you learn the language you desire in a fun and effective way.
Scroll down to get an explanation for each process and more tips.
- Have a clear reason & your Why
- Choose exact situations when you want to speak the language
- Pick a situation/topic and write down new vocabulary
- Translate your topic specific vocabulary
- Learn your topic-specific vocabulary
- Create sentences & dialogues within the situation
- Use variety of language materials
- Practice speaking online with a tutor/friend
- Create a study plan
- Talk to yourself
- Watch Youtube Videos & TV Series/Movies
- Let it become an essential part of your life
- Celebrate every small win
β Language Resources For Your Learning β
Here are some of my favorite language-learning resources I use to learn foreign languages:
Practice speaking on iTALKI Listen to a podcast on COFFEE BREAK LANGUAGES Read 101 CONVERSATIONS IN SIMPLE ‘LANGUAGE‘ Get my LANGUAGE TRAVEL NOTEBOOK to keep track of new words Watch TV Series & Movies on LINGOPIE. |
1. Have A Clear Reason & Your ‘Why’
You need to have a strong reason why you want to learn the language. Usually, it’s pretty hard to stick to the learning process if you just tell yourself you want to learn Chinese because somebody told you it’s a good thing. If you don’t feel it inside and don’t have a bigger reason, you’ll give up on it. So have a clear reason why you want to learn the language.
My major reason for learning English, German, and Spanish was to be able to interact with the world, live in Salzburg, Austria (speak German), and live and work in Spain (Barcelona), and later, become a tour manager to guide groups in Europe.
These reasons kept me going even if I had zero motivation to learn the language or felt distracted. I just pictured myself being in those countries, enjoying my new life, and feeling so great.
It’ll help you overcome difficulties when you feel fed up and unmotivated and make you stick to your plan.
2. Choose Exact Situations When You Want To Speak The Language
The best way to learn a language by yourself is to learn new vocabulary in topics (specific situations) that interest you. It means you’ll pick up a few situations (topics) within which you want to speak a new language. Or topics in which you’re interested.
Example: Let’s say you want to learn a language for travel. In this case, your topics (situations) might be the airport, hotel, ordering food in a restaurant, booking a sightseeing tour, introducing yourself to your new friends, etc.
These will be the situations/topics within which you can learn new vocabulary and communicate later once you travel to the country.
Ask yourself a question: in which situation do you think you’ll mostly be using the language skills? When you’ll mostly be exposed to that language when traveling? You might think of a few situations/interesting topics to learn for now. So take a pen and paper and write the situations down for yourself.
β Travel-Specific Topics/Situations
Here is a short list of a few topics/situations within which you might want to communicate once you travel:
β
At the airport
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Getting a taxi/local transportation from the airport to the city center
β
Check-in at the accommodation
β
Asking for sightseeing suggestions within a place
β
Ordering food in a restaurant/ on a market
β
Talking about my hobbies with a stranger I met during my travels
β
Talking about food
β
Ordering coffee with snacks & sweets in a coffee shop
β
Shopping (souvenirs, clothes, etc.)
3. Pick A Situation/Topic & Write Down New Vocabulary
So you’ve already set the topics within which you’ll learn vocabulary. Awesome, you are one step closer to achieving your goal. Now, let’s pick up some words within this topic and create a list of useful vocabulary to learn.
Let’s say we want to prepare for the situations we face at the airport. Think about everything you have to handle every time you are flying to a new destination:
- Greeting the assistant at the counter
- Claiming your luggage
- Weighting your language and putting it onto the tray
- Getting your flight tickets β what is written on the ticket (aisle seat, window seat, gate, boarding time)
- Getting through the airport
- Taking off and landing
- Finding your luggage at the destination
- Getting out of the airport
These are all situations you usually go through when traveling to a destination and spending time at the airport.
Now, let’s break it down even more. Take one section and think in-depth:
- Greeting the assistant at the counter
Think about any words you might use to greet the assistant when checking in your luggage. Also, think about what she might ask you, what specific words she might use, and what words you would answer.
Write all these words in your native language into your language travel notebook.
4. Translate Your Topic-Specific Vocabulary
You have the vocabulary in your native language. It’s time to translate these words into your target foreign language. I recommend the following sources to translate the words:
- Google Translator – great only for translating words; don’t rely on it when translating sentences. It isn’t that accurate. The best thing is that you can also listen to the pronunciation of the words right away. It will help you memorize the words faster and get the pronunciation right at the beginning.
- Reverso Translation – another great tool to translate your vocabulary. I love it because it automatically gives you the words you translate in context and creates some sentences using the vocabulary. As with Google Translator, you can listen to the pronunciation of the words.
- DeepL – DeepL is great for translating words, but it will help you translate your sentences in the next step of our language learning journey.
- ChatGPT – can be a great resource to translate entire dialogues and sentences, and even a great language partner to communicate with.
However, bear in mind that neither of these translators is perfectly accurate. Still, they are great tools for language learning beginners to get the first contact with vocabulary and translate single words. They’ll help you a lot at this stage and it’s a lot of fun.
Write down all the new vocabulary again in your language travel notebook.
5. Learn Your Topic-Specific Vocabulary
Once you’ve translated all the words, look at what you’ve done. Read each word aloud for yourself and reflect. Then, it’s time to learn that vocabulary.
Try to memorize the words – imagine you’re in your specific situation. Be at the airport, and talk to that assistant in the country of your chosen language. Imagine the assistant being in front of you right now. Once you go through that vocabulary, you get an overview of what you wrote about that topic and know what you must learn now.
You can also create vocabulary lists to learn and work with new vocabulary. First, write all the words once again to the vocabulary list. Then, close your eyes and repeat the specific words in your head. After crossing out those words, you can remember and highlight the words you are still struggling with.
Use other techniques for learning new vocabulary, such as flashcards (create your own), play pexeso, visualizations, and do vocabulary walls.
6. Create Sentences & Dialogues Within The Situation
After you learn the words within one topic, it’s time to create sentences using these words. Again, imagine you’re at the airport and think about all the phrases and sentences you would use when checking in your luggage.
Think about what the assistant would tell you. Write all these sentences down in your native language. After, translate them using the topic-specific vocabulary you’ve selected in the first step.
As mentioned above, the DeepL translator is a great tool for translating sentences into your target language.
Write these sentences down in your language travel notebook. Again, when writing, think of every word you are putting down. Then, think about the sentence and try to memorize it at that moment. Finally, reflect on what you’re writing.
You can even try to create an entire dialogue with the assistant at the airport (using ChatGPT), which is even better than just creating sentences. Get creative.
π READ ALSO: Easy 100 Words & Phrases To Learn In A Foreign Language: Study Guide
7. Use Variety Of Language Materials
Once you have your topic-specific vocabulary and dialogue ready, incorporate more language materials into the process.
You need to involve all your senses when it comes to language learning. Solely memorizing words and sentences won’t help. You’ll also need to listen, speak, and learn some basic grammar to really understand the language and its complexity.
So now, I recommend finding a beginner-friendly podcast that is related to the topic you’re studying. I suggest Coffee Break Languages. They have amazing episodes. Listen to this podcast while commuting to work, cleaning dishes or your apartment, or walking. Try to spot words that you have already learned.
You don’t need to understand everything at first; it’s important just to listen; you’re still getting the language into your head.
Similarly, choose a beginner-friendly book from which you can read something. I recommend 101 Conversations In Simple ‘Language‘ or Short Stories In ‘Language’. Read a bit every day.
Again, you don’t have to understand everything; it’s important to be engaged with the language somehow. The best thing to do is to read something related to your topic again to see the words you have learned in context.
π READ ALSO: What Is The Most Important Skill Of Language Learning? Revealed!
8. Practice Speaking Online With A Tutor/Friend
This will be the most essential part of the process. You have started learning the language independently; it’s time to get extra help. You can keep learning by yourself and repeating the process of learning various topics. Still, it’ll be much easier and faster if you involve a tutor or a friend in your process.
I highly recommend finding a tutor online on iTalki (or any other platform, I use iTalki). Even better, if you have a friend who speaks the foreign language fluently,
Once you have a tutor/friend, schedule a call with him/her every week once or twice. During that call, focus on the dialogue you have created within your topic and go through it with him.
Ask him to correct your sentence grammar-vice and practice the dialogue with him. It helps you remember the words and sentences easier, and you’ll be sure to pronounce everything correctly. It’ll also give you extra confidence in speaking.
β‘ Find your tutor on iTalki here & get extra $10 credit for free.
9. Create A Study Plan
Great. Now that you know what your study will look like (learning vocabulary in specific topics/situations), create a plan. Take this language calendar or any other planning journal, and write down when exactly you will study each topic.
You can allocate 1 or 2 weeks of studying 1 specific topic. In the first week, you can focus on learning new vocabulary related to the topic. In the second week, you can focus on creating dialogues and, practicing speaking + using other materials like listening to a podcast related to this topic or reading a book.
It will help you set specific language-learning goals, and you’ll know that, e.g., in 3 months, you’ll be able to communicate on 6 different topics, so you’re ready to travel.
10. Talk To Yourself
Another great technique to boost your language learning is to talk to yourself. It might seem crazy, but it’s my favorite thing. And it’s so easy and free.
Once you have your dialogue within one topic (and you have practiced it with a tutor or a friend – it’s better because then you’re 100% sure you have it correct), talk to yourself. Repeat this dialogue in your head while walking or doing anything else that doesn’t require concentration.
Another way to talk to yourself is to just start talking about something. It can be anything, describing things you see around you or an activity you’re doing. You don’t have to talk out loud; just talk to yourself in your mind.
It’s a lot of fun. I like to practice this way when traveling and looking out the window.
11. Watch Youtube Video & TV Series/Movies
After about 3 months, once you have learned many words and sentences within at least 6 topics/situations, watch TV or series in your target language.
You can start watching right away, but I think it’s better once you have a bit of an understanding of the language. Watch any YouTube video related to your topic, or create an account on LingoPie and watch some series in the language.
Lingopie is one of my favorite platforms, as it’s like Netflix for language learning. It has many movies and series in different languages, enabling you to learn new vocabulary while watching, create vocabulary lists, practice pronunciation, and make language learning much more fun while watching your favorite movie. So it’s a win-win.
β‘ Check out LingoPie and learn your language while watching movies here.
12. Let It Become An Essential Part Of Your Life
Don’t stress yourself too much. Remember that the most important thing in language learning is to have fun. You have to enjoy the process. Don’t set too unrealistic goals.
Instead, let the language process become part of your life. You’ll soon see results. But you have to integrate it into your daily routine.
If you can watch TV or YouTube every single evening, then you can also establish a habit of learning a language for 45 minutes or 1 hour every day.
Let this activity become part of your life as everything else you do throughout your day. Then, you don’t have to force yourself to learn. It’ll come naturally. You’ll learn more efficiently, and you’ll see much better outcomes.
13. Celebrate Every Small Win
Last but not least, don’t forget to celebrate. Celebrate every small win, whether you have learned 10 new words in a day or mastered 3 dialogues in 3 different situations. Make it count.
Tell yourself that after a month, when you have learned to speak within 2 topics, you’ll go for dinner at a Mexican or an Italian restaurant. Or you’ll cook a meal from the country where your language is spoken.
After 6 months or a year of learning that language, plan a trip to the country where the language spoken. Reward yourself with those flight tickets. Celebrate every time; it’ll keep you going and help you achieve your goals faster.
BONUS: 7 Benefits Of Learning A Foreign Language
If you need some extra motivation, check out my article about the benefits of learning a new language. It’s specifically related to travel, but you can use these reasons in any area of your life.
Learning languages has changed my world and life, and I’m sure it’ll also change yours. So get some extra push for why you should learn the language by clicking on the image below:
FAQs
I’ve also answered some of the frequently asked questions about learning a language by yourself. Check out my answers below:
Is It Possible To Learn A Language On My Own?
Yes, it’s 100% possible to learn a language on your own. I have learned 3 foreign languages by myself and am continuing to learn. You need to have a good language learning method, set specific goals, make it interesting, and have a clear reason for why you’re learning the language. These things will help you keep on track.
What Is The Top 1 Easiest Language To Learn?
Spanish is the easiest language to learn. It gets easier once you learn any other Latin language like Italian or French. But Spanish is among the easiest to learn for most people worldwide.
What Is The #1 Most Learned Language?
Spanish and Chinese are the languages most commonly learned, apart from English.
What Are The 5 C’s Of Learning A New Language?
Communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities are the 5 C’s of language learning. These suggest that language learning goes far beyond just learning the 4 basic language skills; a language is also part of cultures and communities that create integrity in people around the world.
What Are The Four Key Language Skills?
Reading, writing, listening, and speaking are the 4 main language skills. It takes to work on all 4 skills to fully learn a language and reach fluency.
How Long Does It Take To Learn A Language By Myself?
It takes about 2 years to learn a language by yourself to become fluent. In the first year, you can learn a majority of the vocabulary to be able to speak in basic conversations and also understand what locals tell you.
In the second year, you’ll enhance your comprehension and be more flexible when using the language. You will also become more comfortable and confident in speaking it.
How To Learn A New Language By Yourself For Free?
The best way is to learn topic-specific vocabulary. Select situations in which you want to speak the language. After, write down all the words you’ll need to communicate within this specific situation. Then, practice creating dialogues and speaking to yourself or to a friend.
How To Learn A Language Fast?
Incorporate all 4 language skills and learn the language every day for at least 2 hours. If you want to learn a language fast, you’ll have to dedicate enough time every single day to make a progress.
How To Learn A New Language By Yourself Online?
Listen to a podcast, watch YouTube videos or movies in your foreign language, and find a tutor on an online language platform with whom you can practice speaking.
WRAP-UP: How To Learn A Language By Yourself
This is the method I follow to learn languages by myself. Follow each step carefully, use the language materials I’ve created for you, practice speaking a lot, and talk to yourself. You will achieve your language learning goals.
If you need some help with language learning or have more questions, contact me at info(at)voicesoftravel.com.
Happy Learning!
More Language Learning Tips
Looking for more language learning tips? Check out my related articles:
How To Learn A Language For Travel: Full Guide
7 Benefits Of Learning A Foreign Language For Travel
How To Set Achievable Language Learning Goals: 9-Step Guide
How To Learn Vocabulary Fast: 17 Practical Tips
How To Overcome Fear Of Speaking A Foreign Language: 9 Proven Tips
Easy 100 Words & Phrases To Learn In A Foreign Language: Study Guide
What Is The Most Important Skill Of Language Learning? Revealed!
What Is The Best Language To Learn To Travel Europe? Revealed!
About the author: Nicoletta is a travel enthusiast and passionate language learner. While traveling, she loves to connect with locals using her language skills to learn about new cultures. Look for her skiing, hiking in the mountains, or exploring new destinations as she designs travel itineraries for her clients.
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