Tips and tricks to learn a new language

Learning Nepali is harder than I thought it would be. It’s not that the language is so difficult, but compared to mainstream languages like Spanish and French, there are so little aids to help learn. I guess that’s the downside of a more rare language, can’t just Rosetta Stone or Duolingo it. :P

I did some research today though about tips for learning a new language quickly. Here are 3 cool techniques that helped me get on track today!

1. Mind maps

Instead of the linear verb charts and dictionary-like vocabulary lists, learning with mind maps is much more similar to the way our brains process data. It helps to retain information and remember words faster, especially when pictures are used for association.

2. Music!

A really important part of learning a new language is to have fun while doing it. An enjoyable and effective way to improve vocabulary is to find a song you like in the foreign language and translate the words so you can understand the meaning. Then, you listen to the song, sing it, memorize the words, and Voila! You’re one step closer to fluency ;). Another tip is to make your own little song using words and phrases you learn, especially the more difficult ones for you. This is the song I chose to memorize, called Bistarai Bistarai, it’s a super cute acoustic nepali love song. :)

3. Specific Goals

This technique has really helped me, it came from Josh Kaufman who wrote the book “How to Get Really Good at Anything in 20 Hours or Less”. His first step to learning something new is to clearly define what you want to learn and why. For example, saying “I want to learn Nepali” is my goal, but it is so general and broad that it can be unclear how to achieve this goal. Instead, I should define specific reasons why I want to learn Nepali:

– I want to be able to introduce myself to people in Nepal

– I want to be able to order and buy food

– I want to be able to communicate my emotions

– I want to understand the sermons at church

– I want to be able to converse with fair trade producers

By breaking down the overall goal into specific targets, I have more direction of how to achieve my goal; this will help me to focus on what is important and be able to measure when I accomplish each goal. It is also a lot less daunting!

To all those learning something new, whether it be a language, a skill, or just studying for exams, I wish you the best of luck and encourage you to try out new methods that may help you achieve your goals!