7 secrets to learning a language fast

Always wanted to learn a language but think you are too old, not talented enough, or just too busy? Think again! 

Language learner extraordinaire and creator of Fluent in 3 Months – Benny Lewis – gives us his top tips on how to pick up the local lingo fast.

 

 

 

1. Studying grammar is for academics – communicating is king

 If you plan to use your language with human beings and not just for exams, then put aside the books and perfectionism. Grammar does NOT help you to speak a language – it helps you to improve your language skills. You MUST make mistakes and lots of them. Embrace this and you will learn quicker and get your point across more efficiently. When you are ready for it, and very comfortable using the language then it's a good idea to come back to such materials to tidy it up.

2. Speak the language from day one

No more waiting! People are always over-preparing until that day when maybe they'll be ready. This logic is faulty as there is always something missing, so you'll never, ever feel 100% prepared. The only solution to this vicious circle is to get out of it entirely. Speak right now – even if you have only learned a one or two words and phrases! It will be hard to begin with, but you will progress much quicker!

3. Start with a phrasebook, learn it quickly and use it

The one book I do find terribly useful when I want to speak a language as soon as possible is a cheap, pocket, travel phrasebook. Lonely Planet, Berlitz or any similar book will do the job. Read the phrases and learn them off by heart. If you sing along with phrases it becomes a lot easier to apply them to memory. Then use them immediately.

4. For vocabulary get repetition flashcards

There is a free program you can download to your computer called Anki. It allows you to download pre-made decks with the most common/important words of your target language. You can study on your computer or use a portable version of the app on your smartphone.

5. Meet up with people before you travel

While meeting people to practise in your target language country is relatively easy, did you know that you can do it before you travel too? Hit the ground running by already having had lots of practice in advance! Some great ways to do this include:

•  Searching meetup.com to see if there is a weekly or monthly gathering of those practising your target language
•    Use the site couchsurfing.org and instead of searching for a couch, simply search your home city with just the criteria of the language you want. Message that person to meet up for a coffee. People on this site are very open-minded to meeting strangers.
•    Ask your friends, local library, church, clubs or anywhere else you can think of to find a local community or speaker of that language. Then just take the leap and say ‘hi!’ to them.

6. Don't think so much – just do it!

One of the major issues so many people have when starting to learn a language is confidence. They dwell on the many ways things that can go wrong, and remind themselves how stupid they are. Clear your head and just open your mouth. You are exaggerating how badly things will go – just let the language flow, and use whatever techniques you are comfortable with for relaxing and feeling more confident. Remember – mistakes don’t matter; most locals love it when foreigners make the effort to communicate in their own language (rather than just barking English at them!).

7. Have fun and enjoy talking!

You are communicating with another human being in an entirely different language! That's what it is for after all. You can't go wrong with this – it's not like in school where a certain number of errors earns you a fail.

You are simply explaining your thoughts, asking questions and enjoying this wonderful new way to communicate. Mistakes and nervousness, and excuses that it's hard can't get around the fact that by simply saying the words, you ARE communicating in that language.

There will be many challenges, but you can find a way around them.

Good luck, and enjoy speaking!

Go to Benny Lewis website to learn more about the Language Hacking Guide

Benny Lewis is a language hacker and technomad, who has been on the road for almost a decade. He blogs about his language learning missions at http://speakfromday1.com to encourage others to learn languages quickly and efficiently, and wrote in greater detail about how he does it in his Language Hacking Guide, the sales of which help support his travels.

Source: http://www.skyscanner.net/news/articles/2011/10/011033-7-secrets-to-learning-a-language-fast.html

The Language Hacking Guide Review - How To Learn A New Language

You've probably come to this page because you’re looking for an honest Language Hacking Guide review right? Here’s what we’re going to discuss… Firstly, I’ll go ahead and explain why I write this review, then I point out why I would recommend the Language Hacking Guide. After that I’ll give you some details in regards what makes this program unique.

I decided to write a "Language Hacking Guide" review (by Benny Lewis) because I have read the book, and it deeply influenced the way I learn languages. This book is different than most other language learning books. Author claims that is possible to be fluent in a new language in 3 months time. He proves his claim in video where he is speaking fluently in 8 languages.

Since January 2012 Benny Lewis has updated his Language Hacking Guide course. He created video course called "Speak from day 1". At the moment you can buy both the Language Hacking Guide book and "Speak from day 1" video course as a bundle. This update makes this course even better because Benny Lewis demonstrates all of his learning techniques in videos. Now you can watch him and copy what he does to learn any language fast.

Why I would recommend the Language Hacking Guide

The Language Hacking Guide can be recommended for a great number of reasons. People who love languages, but have always struggled to learn them, will find in this work a mountain of tips that will finally move them forward. I personally use the knowledge from this book to learn new languages faster and easier. I only regret that I had no chance to read it before I started to learn my first foreign language - English. It would save me a lot of time and frustration.

Lewis is an admitted polyglot who has taken on and learned several new languages in only a few months each.  The author has a number of interesting tips for his readers, many of which are not traditional and are not covered in most other learning sources. They do work, however, and this is what makes his work unique. Benny Lewis thinks outside the box to come up with a fundamental framework that will provide the reader with the key to fluency.

What approach makes Benny Lewis' work unique?

The author focuses his work on a natural immersion process. No one learned his/her original tongue through careful study of vocabulary and grammar. Rather, conversational ability should be picked up organically, through speaking and listening. This is how small children learn their first languages, and we should copy them in the method. For those interested particularly in holding conversations with others, this is one attribute the book has that makes it so intriguing.

The book is a great motivator, even beyond the specific tips. Lewis emphasizes the importance of having a positive attitude and a willingness to overcome adversity. Learning languages does require a little bit of effort, but a good mental state is absolutely vital, as is the general knowledge that the task set forth is doable.

The Language Hacking Guide also makes it clear that people should stop speaking their native languages when moving on to second languages. Those people who attempt to remain with their old languages often find it hard to fully immerse themselves in the new ones. The old acts as a hindrance, preventing forward progress toward fluency.

Lewis runs through a list of tips that he has found helpful in his own studies. Many of them are simple but vital, such as avoiding speakers of one's own tongue, and making an effort to put oneself in situations where the prospective tongue can be practiced. In his video course "Speak from day 1" Benny explains and demonstrates the most vital tips and techniques making copy him much easier for average person.

The author also extensively discusses free resource sites, that make his book not only a guide "how" to learn a language, but also an excellent source of free learning materials of any chosen language.

Who will benefit from using the Language Hacking Guide

In this Language Hacking Guide review I recognize that the book is a great aid to learning languages. It will be especially useful to those who want to participate in conversations and speak naturally, and should lead to a new level of fluency. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to use new language in shortest possible time. After 2012 update the "Language Hacking Guide" book and "Speak from day 1" video course together make the perfect learning tool for anyone who dream about speaking foreign languages.

The Language Hacking Guide + Speak from day 1 video series package is available in two versions: English and multilingual. Even if your English is bad, you still can learn from Benny in your own language. Just pick your version and start learning with Benny Lewis:

CLICK HERE to go to the NEW official Fluent in 3 months website, where you can buy new and updated Benny Lewis' course