Enchiladas!

Welcome to another edition of this, your Language Learning Newsletter! (I apologize for such cheesy opening. But cheese makes everything better)

For a long time, I though languages were about learning tons of verb conjugations, every tense possible, and having amazing vocabulary. But as I dove into learning on my own, I realized that Italians are sometimes right: you use less than 20% of any given language on a regular basis and it’s more than enough (this applies to your wardrobe too).

There’s a huge difference between being completely fluent and being able to communicate. To keep motivation up, I suggest we aim only for the latter, at least for now. (Remember, the scared mind and stuff).

Why is this important? Because now “it will take forever to learn” is no longer an excuse. You don’t need the widest of vocabularies or to out-write Hemingway. To get started, you just need to nail the basic elements that enable communication.

The first question is, then, but how? I have in mind a much more elaborate post about this, but for now I’ll just share a few basic ideas on how to filter stuff out because there’s more info I want to share and I’m also really hungry:

Learn only what you’re interested in learning: you don’t need to know how to conjugate “to whisk” unless you’re a cook. Go for what you’re most likely to use on a regular basis.

you don’t need to know how to conjugate “to whisk” unless you’re a cook. Go for what you’re most likely to use on a regular basis. Use cognates: or, in layman terms, English words that sound similar in other languages . There are PLENTY of them and they’ll give you a head start. Look them up.

or, in layman terms, . There are PLENTY of them and they’ll give you a head start. Look them up. Translate SIMPLE phrases you use daily: it’s the best way to learn the words you use the most.

it’s the best way to learn the words you use the most. Flash Cards: do I need to explain?

The next question is, but where? I’ve used a number of techniques and resources over the years to find information. I encourage you to try any and all of them as you see fit. It really depends on how much time you want to dedicate to this, what resources you have available and what is the best fit for your current schedule.

With that in mind, here are some useful ideas:

Free Interactive Online Courses: these are great to get you started and give you basic phrases in a very approachable way. My favorite one by far is Livemocha. Their lessons are short, simple and easy, and you get to interact with native speakers. You’re also asked to give feedback in your own language, which for some people is a drag. If you’re of the antisocial kind, go for DuoLingo or Fluent U. There are plenty of other options; these are just the ones I use.

Dictionaries: I’m a geek. It comes in handy sometimes. You need to have a dictionary available to figure out stuff. There are plenty of apps, or you can just get a pocket one, which is what I prefer because… I’m a geek.

Here’s a great way to use them: when I learned French, I used to carry a pocket dictionary and choose a random word everyday. Then I’d have to use it in a phrase with someone. Sometimes it was something simple like “dog”, but sometimes I’d get weird stuff like “erinaceous” (anything related to hedgehogs, if you’re wondering). Doing this will make you build phrases and find ways around things you don’t know how to say. It’s a great exercise.

As I got more advanced, I would ask friends to give me random words to use – that’s how I learned to say “lint”, for example. Now I can burst out life saving phrases like “can I borrow your lint roller to clean up my hedgehog?”

Online verb databases: I can’t speak for Asian languages, but for Romance and Germanic tongues this is very useful. Whenever I’m writing stuff, I keep one of these open. I use Conjuga-Me for Portuguese and Conjugation FR for French. There are plenty of similar sites for most other languages.

Private language lessons: If you absolutely can’t get started, I suggest you take a few lessons with someone. (Shameless plug: I can be your private tutor).

I prefer private to group or established well-known courses because (a) you can ask them to work on what you need and (b) you can cut them off as soon as you’re on track. If you use them wisely, they’re a great investment and can greatly improve your accent if you don’t have native speakers around. I did this with Portuguese at the beginning because I had limited time before going to Brazil. I explained the teacher what I was going for and it worked wonders.

Grammar books: This is a great alternative to the paid lessons. Find a basic high school textbook or something similar and keep it around. You don’t need to go through the WHOLE book – when you get stuck, just look up what you need and go practice it. I’ve found it to be great for learning conjugation.

Google: back to the basics. These guys will someday own our souls, but for now they’re really helpful. Be cautious, though: don’t make a habit of believing Google Translate because it’s just too literal and will often sound weird.

…

As you try these ideas, you’ll find that some resources work better than others. Follow that feeling. Find out what works best for you. You may notice that you learn better in the mornings, or that you can’t deal with books but need the audio, or maybe that you’d rather just sign up for a conversation course once a week. Explore these suggestions (or whatever else you come up with) and stick to what feels right. The best tool is the one we know how to use.

Ok, enough. Until next time!

Luis