Have you ever dreamed of packing up and moving abroad but get put off by the thought of not speaking the local language? When living in a country, it’s not enough to assume that everyone will speak English. You can just about get away with it on a fortnight holiday but immersing yourself in another culture does require at least a basic understanding of the native tongue. Here are some handy tips if you want to learn a foreign language:

  1. Realistic Goals

Think small to begin with. It’s no use expecting to read a great work of literature in the space of a few weeks. Learning anything is best achieved when broken down in easy to achieve chunks. Set yourself realistic goals that are manageable then you’re less likely to lose heart and instead get a feeling of achievement. An example might be to try to read a magazine article without needing a dictionary at the end of a month. The aim should not be to become fluent but to be functional.

  1. What do you want or need to learn?

Everyone will have a preferred method of learning, there is no right or wrong. Whether it be an app, an online course or a textbook. What is important is learning things that matter. It’s no good learning how to ask to get to the nearest hotel when you will be living in a country. If you’re going to work then tailor your learning to vocabulary you’ll need in the workplace, for example. Memorising lists of vocabulary is boring, reminds us too much of the classroom and might have no relevance or appropriate context for your individual situation. Things are much easier to remember if they have relevance to you and you can relate them to experiences.

  1. Enjoy it

Try not to look at learning a language as a chore. Reading for pleasure is one of the most satisfying activities as you’ll feel a huge sense of accomplishment and learn everyday vocabulary that might not appear in the textbooks. Keep a notebook and jot down every new word or phrase you encounter. Reading for pleasure will also get you used to the different sentence structures and grammar in a foreign language. We share many words with the French language, so if you’re looking to move to France or Canada, you will already know much more than you thought you did. For details of Property for sale in France, visit http://www.frenchpropertysearch.com

  1. The ‘F’ Word

Beware of focusing too much on the need for fluency. Experts in learning languages believe that there is no set point when fluency is achieved. Language is an ever evolving, organic thing and the learning of it never stops. It’s about culture, individual growth and a lifelong commitment to improving gradually all the time. Spend time in the place where the language is spoken and don’t be put off by people telling you it’s harder to learn a language as an adult. While adults learn in different ways to children, they can still learn.