Tips for Learning a New Language

Six Top Tips for Learning a New Language

Moving abroad can be daunting especially if you don’t speak the lingo so here are some tips for learning your new local language as quickly and easily as possible.

1. Befriend the Locals – When you move abroad making friends is an obvious step but many people tend to stick within expat communities and therefore end up speaking their mother tongue. Make an effort to befriend your neighbours and encourage them to speak to you only in their dialect.
2. Watch, Read and Listen – Turn off Netflix and IPlayer and pick up a local paper, switch on the TV and turn up the radio. Whether you have the TV on while doing the cleaning or listen to the radio while cooking, the words won’t be in your consciousness but your brain is still processing it and getting used to the flow of the language.
3. Join a Language Exchange – The key to mastering a new dialect is conversation. Language exchanges exist all over the world and allow you to partner up with people who speak your chosen language and in turn want to speak yours. Go online to find your local group.
4. Je Ne Parle Pas Anglais – Yes you read it, pretend you don’t speak English. This might seem radical but if you have ever spent any time abroad you will quickly realise locals like to practice their English on you. Turn this around and pretend you don’t speak English, even if you have to muddle through with some broken prose practice always makes perfect!
5. Download an App – Phone and tablet apps like Duolingo can be really helpful before you reach your destination country. As soon as you know you are heading overseas, download an app and use during any free time like whilst commuting and doing household chores.
6. Don’t be Afraid – Doing anything new is daunting and learning a lingo can be overwhelming. Accept from the start that you will make lots of mistakes along the way but don’t let this put you off; your new foreign friends will not mind correcting you and the more you try the better you will get.

Although we aren’t fluent in every language, we are experts at relocating individuals and families all over the globe. Wherever you are planning on moving to, Clockwork can take away the stress of moving so you have more time for the more important things.