8 Ways to Practise a Language Every Day

Pushed for time but still want to get your language practice in? Have no fear! We have some tips and tricks up our sleeves to help you fit a little study time into your day, no matter how busy your schedule. Are you ready?

Change your language settings

Feeling pretty confident with your language skills? Why not change the language your phone, tablet, and all your other gadgets is set in, so you constantly have to think in that language? These are only small changes, but getting used to where everything is on your phone, or understanding the settings menu on your tablet, is a great first step.

 

Social media

While we’re talking about small but impactful changes, why not take advantage of all the languages Twitter, Facebook, and other social media is now available in? You’ll learn the words for things like favourite and like, and at the same time your recommended accounts might have a new language flavour, giving you new people to follow. Change the region on Twitter and see what is trending in your language of choice; the possibilities are endless!

 

Learning a new language? Check out our free placement test to see how your level measures up!

 

Music

One of the best ways to absorb a language is to listen to music. Search for some new artists in your target language and get them on your phone, iPod, or whatever listening device you use. That way you’ll get a little language in your ear for your daily commute, at the gym, or even while you’re walking around the supermarket trying to figure out what you want for dinner.

 

 

Lists

While we’re mentioning the supermarket, why not write your shopping list or even your to-do lists in the language you’re practicing, for a tiny bit of exposure to that language every day? This is a good memory jogger if, say, you’re wanting to refresh vocabulary for specific subjects, like all those ingredients for your dinner. And if your to-do list contains things that you don’t normally do, maybe you don’t yet have the vocabulary for that. What better time than now to learn that language and get it stuck in your mind?

 

Reading material

Maybe you like an ebook to keep you company when you are travelling. Or perhaps you prefer to skim through some of your favourite blogs. Well here’s a thing; why not look for either in the language you’re learning? Not only do you get to practise but you get to discover something completely new! Now, of course, it might be daunting to have an entire novel there in your lap in a foreign tongue; we get it. But even skimming through a page and picking up a few new words before you read properly is an amazing way to learn a language; even if it is one word at a time!

 

Follow

Use Instagram? Then there are millions of Instagrammers out there with incredible lives for you to learn about — and learn a language with while you’re at it. There are thousands of blogs specific to language learning on Instagram but if you don’t want to feel like you’re studying then how about finding some people to follow who share your interests? Be that fashion, photography, or even cats, there is an Instagrammer out there who will give you bite-sized opportunities to practise your language.

 

Netflix

Netflix and other streaming providers can give you an incredible opportunity to practise language. From series you would never have even heard of to films that you didn’t even know were being made, there are thousands of viewing opportunities sat there waiting at your fingertips. The only problem is which you are going to binge watch first.

 

Journal

Like to get your thoughts down at the end of a difficult day? Why not do that in the language you’re practicing? It doesn’t have to be anything lengthy, and can be scribbled in an Evernote or beautifully written by pen. Whatever works for you to get the words out and get you thinking in your target language. To begin with, you will probably need to look up phrases and words, but these will soon become second nature to you — and may inspire you to use more complex language. Journalling in another language might even help you untangle your thoughts better than usual!

 

There are just a few effective suggestions that help us when we are trying to learn. What works best for you?