8 steps to learn a foreign language quickly

Do you want to learn a foreign language quickly?

Do you dream of speaking English fluently and, if possible, without making too much effort? Yes?

Well! I have good news and bad news! I’ll start with the bad one:

“There is no miracle method!”

We all dream of the magic wand but it doesn’t exist! Have you ever achieved something without doing anything?

Learning a foreign language takes time and effort. But don’t forget that there is good news:

“Everyone can learn a foreign language!”

You are never too old or too stupid!!!

Just get started and follow a few tips. Indeed, there are effective methods to progress.

Here I give you some advice valid for all languages.

Those who progress quickly apply all these suggestions.

Here are 8 steps to learn a foreign language quickly:

1. Set a goal

You are learning English and you definitely have a purpose, a goal you want to achieve. Often this goal is very ambitious and you are right! To get there and not get lost along the way, this objective must be written and well defined.

Set yourself specific, concrete goals. “I want to be better” is not a specific goal! What do you want to be able to concretely achieve what you want and in what time? “Soon” or “as quickly as possible” are not specific enough. Instead, try a goal like: “In 3 months I want to be able to understand and respond to the emails I receive from my English colleagues”, “In 6 months I want to be able to understand a film in the original language without subtitles”. You see, these are precise and concrete goals.

Set the goal to achieve by putting a deadline. If you have a long-term goal, plan the steps. For example: “In one month I want to be able to understand a short film with English subtitles”, “in two months I want to understand a short film without subtitles”, etc.

Including the logic? We are moving forward step by step.

Achieving goals and reaching important goals is very important to gain self-confidence and keep motivation high.

2. Exercise regularly

Working on your English for a whole day and then not doing it at all for a week is not effective for making progress.

It’s like going to the gym, it’s not enough to go once a week, but regular practice to progress quickly in English minimum: twice a week.

If you want to progress quickly, English must be part of your daily life. The ideal is in fact to study or practice the foreign language every day. This doesn’t mean you have to spend hours and hours on it. 30 minutes of concentration can already be very useful. An hour a day is really effective!

Set study times.

This may seem rigid but it really is the best way to move forward. I remember that at university I used to set the stopwatch to study: 45 minutes of study and 15 minutes of break.

Without a plan, you will randomly find yourself aimless and it will be easy to get distracted by other things or time thieves and then say to yourself “oh man, I haven’t studied English in 5 days!”

It’s true isn’t it? Set realistic times with your schedule. If something unexpected happens to your English schedule, postpone this study time but don’t cancel it!

3. Diversify contacts with the language

Don’t always do the same thing! Reviewing grammar and verb conjugations every day is not the right method!

Diversify your contact with the language to make rapid progress. Watch, read, listen, write, speak. In your weekly schedule, try to balance activities. Don’t abandon an activity and tell yourself “it’s too hard!”.

If the activities are suitable for your level, you will be able to work every week on the 4 skills: oral and written comprehension, oral and written expression.

Think about the importance of oral communication. Often students feel comfortable writing because they have studied and practiced a lot, but they are not at all comfortable speaking and have difficulty understanding a native speaker or a film.

Listen to the foreign language several times a week!

4. Prioritize what is helpful to you

Each student has specific needs in relation to the foreign language they want to learn. It’s important to focus on what’s most helpful to you. You need to see the direct benefit of what you are learning.

Choose what is useful to you, to quickly progress in the foreign language according to your goals.

Think about the goals you have set for yourself and stay the course!

What doesn’t help you achieve your goals can be studied later.

If your goal is to converse in English with a friend who speaks fluent English, don’t spend all your time reading press articles.

Read but above all try to say what you have read, make an oral summary, express your opinion, work on pronunciation, etc.

Are you studying a foreign language for your studies? For your work? To travel? For your pleasure?

Adapt your learning! You don’t need to know all of nature’s vocabulary for your job as a corporate receptionist!

5. Choose activities that make you happy

Have you noticed that we remember better what we like? That we are more focused on a topic that interests us? It’s obvious, right? Nobody said English lessons had to be monotonous and boring!

Think about what you like and find a way to do it in English.

Do you love music? Study the songs!

Do you like following the news? Read the British press!

Replace usual activities with their foreign language equivalent. We often don’t have enough time to do everything and days only have 24 hours.

For example, if you like to cook, use recipes in a foreign language. Don’t read the news in your language anymore but in the foreign language!

Are you interested in fashion? Read fashion magazines in English!

6. Stay positive and patient

You remember that there is no magic wand! It’s sad but “this is life!”. This is no reason to be discouraged! You have the ability to progress in a foreign language!

Stay positive and patient to progress quickly in the foreign language. Look at your successes, your progress. For every step taken, for every goal achieved, congratulate yourself!

Celebrate your achievements! Listen to people who tell you that you are progressing. You may not realize it but you are making progress! Take stock of your progress from time to time.

Don’t underestimate yourself! There is no need to repeat “I don’t know…” “I don’t write well!”, instead say “I can’t yet… but I will succeed in x time!”

If you feel stagnant, adjust your schedule but don’t be discouraged! A learning journey always has its ups and downs. It’s normal !

Work, regularity and motivation bring results!

7. Have the courage to express yourself in a foreign language

We all know people who speak a foreign language with many errors but who really like to communicate.

These people progress rapidly because they dare! They don’t get stuck in thoughts like “they won’t understand me”, “they will make fun of me”. When someone speaks poorly in your language but makes an effort to communicate with you, do you make fun of them? Do you refuse to talk to him? I do not believe! What matters is communication!

Dare to express yourself to progress quickly in a foreign language. Express yourself, even if you are a beginner. Don’t say: first I have to study more and when I feel better I can talk! This is a terrible strategy! Speak, write and you will progress! You will make mistakes and you will learn!

The more you express yourself, the more you will get your brain used to thinking in a foreign language, constructing sentences and making connections between your knowledge.

Go meet people who speak English. Look for communication situations, in those around you or on the Internet. Be active! Forget your shyness!

8. Ask a teacher for help

If you have an important goal with a deadline to meet, it will certainly be necessary to turn to a teacher, for individual or group lessons. It’s an investment that will save you time and give you a better chance of achieving your goals.

A teacher is an accelerator and guide for rapid progress in a foreign language.

By following all these previous steps you can progress but it often takes a long time.

Experience shows that this advice is difficult to apply fully over time when you are alone in learning.

If you take lessons with a teacher, don’t hesitate to ask him questions or ask for advice. Knows the resources suited to your needs. He can guide and encourage you. It is a partner who will accompany you in achieving your goals in a foreign language.

Are you already following some of these tips? Do they seem useful to you?

Tell me what you think, what you have already tried to do to improve your foreign language.

If you have other ideas or suggestions, they are welcome! I await your reactions!