Every aspiring polyglot should learn to read the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). It’s a powerful tool when learning any language. I taught myself to read the IPA alphabet, but it was tough at first. Wikipedia has tons of comprehensive information, but can be confusing to a beginner. So this article is my attempt to create […]
MOREHow to Make French Grammar Simple with French Songs
How many young children have you seen walking around with a dictionary or a grammar book to look up words or sentence structures in their native language? How many people have told you they learned their native language with flashcards or vocabulary lists? Here’s my guess: zero. If you’re anything like me, you learned your […]
MOREFood in German: Everything You Need to Know about Eating in Germany
German food is one of the best ways to get to know German culture. German dishes reveal a lot about the country’s history, the different regions, and what’s important to the German people. What’s more, German food is super tasty. Who can complain about getting to know a culture and its people whilst eating Spätzle […]
MORESpanish Irregular Verbs: The Ultimate Guide
Verbs are the biggest and most complicated topic in Spanish grammar. If you want to master them (especially if you want to master Spanish irregular verbs), you’ve got a lot to learn – but don’t let that put you off. This article will look specifically at irregular verbs in Spanish. If you don’t know what […]
MOREHow to Learn English Fast: The Language Hacker’s Method
If you want to get fluent in English, you’re in luck. It’s the second most spoken language in the world. So you won’t have to look very hard to find lots of English resources and lots of chances to practise both spoken and written English. What if you want to learn English fast? Then there […]
MOREHow to Practise Speaking a New Language… Without the Anxiety Rush!
I felt lost. I’d finished school, where I’d fallen in love with languages. And I wanted to keep learning. But I had no teacher to tell me how to learn. I tried a few different things, but nothing seemed to be working. So I turned to my trusty friend, Google. “How to learn a language”, […]
MOREThe French Alphabet: Why it’s Easier than You Think
In 1066, William (or Guillaume in French), the Duke of Normandy, invaded England and took possession of the crown of England. As a result of the Norman invasion, the French language began its own invasion of the English language (called Anglo-Saxon or Old English). That’s one of the reasons why English and French have so […]
MOREJapanese Video Games: 10 Awesome Games to Make Learning Japanese Easy
Think learning Japanese has to be boring? What if you could learn Japanese by playing Japanese video games? It’s totally possible to level up your Japanese from video games! Learning Japanese from games will engage your mind in a whole new way. In a moment I’ll show you some of the best Japanese video games […]
MORE25 Essential French Phrases for Travelers and Tourists
So you’re travelling to France, or another French-speaking country (or province). Is it true that English is all you need? Regular readers of this site will know my answer: of course not! Even if you’ll only be spending a short time in the country, learning a few basic French phrases can be very rewarding and […]
MOREMake the World Your Home: 7 Ways Language Learning Gives You a Global Mindset
What would we do without language? Such a scenario is almost too absurd to even imagine. Language is intertwined with almost every aspect of our daily lives. No matter where we live, language is the means by which we formulate and express our sentiments, wishes, thoughts, ideas and questions to the world and those around […]
MORELanguage Learners! Why Your Comfort Zone = the Danger Zone
A few years ago, I started out learning languages through self study. It’s an adventure! I’ve enjoyed the process, but things haven’t always gone as well as I’d hoped. So, I’d like to share one of most important things I’ve learned. My hope is that you can avoid the mistakes I made. How I Hit […]
MOREYou CAN Learn a New Language After Age 10! Response to Steven Pinker’s Fascinating “Critical Period” Research (and Bogus News Reports)
Up until what age can you become very fluent in a language? It’s a good question, and it’s one I’m going to answer, looking at some new research from linguist and psychologist Steven Pinker. First, I’d like to bust a few myths about the “critical window” for language learning that have popped up in the […]
MORE10 Ways to say ”Hello” in Arabic
Are you planning to go to the Middle East or North Africa and would like to know the different variations of “Hello” in Arabic? Or would you just like to show off in front of your friends that you know how to speak Arabic? Either way, you have landed on the right page! How do […]
MOREHow to Learn Cantonese: The Easy Way to Learn Cantonese in 10 Simple Steps
Cantonese has a very rich history and culture as a language, and is one of the most expressive and fun languages I have ever heard. On top of this, Hong Kong cinema is legendary with huge names such as Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Stephen Chow. As well as movies there are also countless TV […]
MOREWhy Language Learners Quit – The 7 Key “Motivation Killers” (Plus, How to Beat Them)
Have you ever met someone who speaks another language, and been amazed at what you hear when their mouth opens… You have no clue what they’re saying, but they’re having a real conversation – using sounds that make absolutely no sense to you. It’s like a small miracle, right in front of your eyes. It’s […]
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