How to Learn Any Language Quickly
Why on earth would you need to learn a foreign language? Well, for starters, the more languages you know, the broader your perspective will be. You can understand different people and cultures better, and it may even open up new opportunities in the future.
So, what is the best way to learn a new language? Here is how I would do it.
1. Grammar is necessary, but it isn't everything
It's an all too common mistake to spend too much time on grammar. This is not to say that grammar isn't important, because it is. I'm just saying that you shouldn't be obsessed with it. Always try to learn the most vital parts first and, more importantly, be very alert to patterns.
The more you study a language, the more you will notice all its different patterns. Just think about how native speakers learned their language in the first place. Most of them can speak it without ever having needed to study grammar. Why is that? Because the language is so deeply rooted in their lives, and they've absorbed all its patterns, they don't really need to "study grammar."
2. Always recite!
Recitation is the art of reading something out loud, whether it's a poet reciting poetry, a teacher narrating a story or a Muslim reciting the Quran. Why read out loud when learning a new language? First, because many learners find that they pick up words faster this way than when reading silently. Second, your pronunciation will sound much more natural if you recite words out loud.
3. Memorization is key
I know, this may be the most boring part, but I believe it's the most important one. Try to learn a fixed number of new words each day or week. Without a strong and solid vocabulary, you will never learn the language properly. There are no real secrets here, but you might want to read our article on how to memorize fast.
I would also recommend starting with the prepositions, question words, a few adjectives and some nouns. These are really the pillars of any language. With words like these, you can understand most sentences through context, even if they contain a few words you don't know.
4. Resources are very important
Make sure you have plenty of different resources to help you in this struggle, such as a good textbook, a dictionary and material written in the language itself. For a step-by-step plan, see our guide on how to learn a new foreign language.