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The Definitive Guide to Learn Another Language |
My first language is Dutch, which I still speak at home with my family. When I was 6 years old I was plonked into a totally English school. I did not know a word of English, but within a few months I had a reasonable understanding of the language. I had no choice but to learn the language to understand others and be able to communicate with others (this is the quickest way to learn any language). Today I can speak both languages fluently.
I did not write this post to brag about what languages I can speak. I love languages and all the different countries and cultures that are connected to them. I took French in high school as a third language and still spend time learning it. I don’t devote enough time to it to improve rapidly and am not fluent in it. My French is pretty average but I have a good basic understanding of it and can hold simple conversations about a number of topics. I want to improve slowly and not forget what I have learnt so I learn French by going to a tutor once a week for an hour and also by spending time with language software on my computer (more about this later).
It’s amazing to think that you learn to speak whatever language your are born into. If you are born in China, then you learn Chinese. If you are born in Spain then you learn Spanish, in Poland and you learn Polish.
We (being the amazing creatures that we are) are able to learn not just one language, but two or three or more.The younger you are when you start learning that other language, the easier it will be to beome fluent in it. Of course, if you apply yourself to learning a language, I think it is possible to become fluent in it at any age.
What Language To Learn?
Out of all the languages in the world that you can choose to learn, how do you choose the right one?
I don’t think there is a ‘right’ language. However, I think that if English is not your first language, it would be beneficial to you learning it as a second language and learning to speak it fluently. English is the most internationally spoken language in the world and you can get by almost everywhere with it.
Besides English, there is a choice of tens of different languages. Some of them are similar to one another and others are a world apart and use entirely different alphabets. The beauty is that right now, you have the choice to learn any language that you want like Spanish, Japanese or Russian.
Whether it be because you have family that speaks the language, or the country and culture appeals to you, or you heard someone speak it and thought it sounded really cool, the reasons are many. Personally the next language I would want to learn is Japanese. I have been fascinated with their culture for quite some time and that is the reason why I would want to learn their language.
Some Advantages of Another Language:
I thought about doing a list-type post of the benefits of learning and speaking another language but decided against it because I find list-type posts rather impersonal.
Learning another language is not just an ego thing or a trophy on the shelf. It is fun and practical too. It looks great on your resume and could help you get a job that was previously out of your reach. Any business with international clients or branches abroad now become a possibility of employing you.
You can travel to new countries and a whole world of opportunities and possibilities open up to you. Imagine being able to speak French on Reunion Island or Mauritus, lazing in the sun and at the same time learning from the locals. How about going to China and being able to speak their language? Imagine negotiating with the traders of a Souk (market) in Dubai in their own language.
With another language you can even impress your friends or impress that guy/girl you find attractive. A few seductive sounding words in another language can really win someone over. Of course you do not need to rely on another language to be able to get a girl / guy to date you but that is not a subject that I’m going to get into today.
How to Learn Another Language:
The best way to learn another language is to move to the country that speaks it. Take classes or lessons to learn the language while at the same time joining social activities like dancing, sports or arts. By surrounding yourself with people who only speak the language you are trying to learn, you have no choice but to learn it as fast as possible to be able to communicate.
If the above way is not a possibility (due to money, time or family) then there are two good alternatives that are best used in combination. Find a tutor, whether it be a friend, teacher or college class to attend. Besides a tutor, I highly suggest buying a software program to learn the language you want.The reasons why I recommend a software program to learn a language are the following:
It’s affordable ($99 for a Rocket Language Program)
It’s convenient – you can learn in your own time, as much as you want, when you want
It is 100% complete. Any questions you have are very easy to look up and if you are really stuck there are 24hr support forums where you can ask your question to a whole group of people who are there to help you out.
I personally learn French with a software program called Rocket French. It is part of the Rocket Languages Course and it costs just $99 to purchase. As you can see below, Rocket Language software is available for quite a few other languages besides French. Once you purchase it you are able to use it forever on any computer that you want. There are hundreds of different programs online that could teach you a language, but I have had a great experience with Rocket Language Software and that is why I recommend them to you:
Rocket Spanish
Thank You in 9 Different Languages:
I thought it would be appropriate to end this post with the words “Thank You” in 9 different languages. I hope I have encouraged and excited you to consider taking up another language. It really is fantastic!
| Merci Beaucoup | French |
| Gracias | Spanish |
| Dank Je Wel | Dutch |
| ありがとう (Arigato) | Japanese |
| Mahalo | Hawaiian |
| 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) | Korean |
| Obrigado | Portugese |
| Terima Kasih | Indonesian |
| Thank You | English |
Thanks for the recommendations! I’ve never heard of Rocket French before. I’d only heard of Rosetta Stone.
Of course, moving to the country would be great! I would love to live somewhere like Spain.
Hey Steven!
The Rosetta Stone is a very good program but expensive to buy, hundreds and even thousands of dollars. Rocket Language software does a great job of getting you to an intermediate level of the language for just $99, and from then it’s up to you to learn the language fluently by taking classes or moving to a country that speaks the language you are trying to learn 
Thanks for stopping by
salut !
Merci pour ton post! C’est vrai que les langues sont une super occasion de s’ouvrir l’esprit et de se faire plaisir.
Si tu veux écrire à quelqu’un en Français, je me ferais un plaisir de correspondre avec toi. !
Henri
Salut Henri!
Merci beaucoup pour ta reponse. j’espere que mon francais n’est pas si mauvais
Je suis content que tu as aime l’article et un jour je t’ecrirais.
Did you understand that?
Hey, Diggy.
Just a heads up. In the table where you say the “thank you” is Chinese, it’s actually Korean.
“Thank you” in Chinese is 谢谢 (xiexie).
Gordie ´s last blog ..Lifestyle Design Begins at Home.
Hey Gordie!
Thanks for pointing that out! My bad
Hi Diggy,
One of my dreams is to become polylingual. I hate the stereoptype that Americans only care to speak English and that everyone else must conform to them. On the flip side, it’s sometimes hard to practice another language with someone else because when they learn you speak English, they want to practice that on YOU.
Speaking of practice, the “thank you”(gamsahamnida) that you used for Chinese is actually Korean. In 2008, I had a weird obsession with learning the Korean alphabet. Now I’m stuck knowing how to read it, but not actually understanding what I read.
Just realized that Gordie pointed it out, lol!
Valerie M´s last blog ..More alone time isn’t the answer – it’ll just make you feel crappier
Hey Valerie!
Thanks for pointing out my little error. I mixed them up!
I used to know a little bit of Korean when I was doing Tae Kwando but now I’ve forgotten everything
Learning a few new languages is definitely on my to-do list…I’ve got a solid basic understanding of Spanish, enough that I can operate on my own in Argentina without too many issues, but I would really love to be fluent.
On the other hand, I haven’t been taking any classes, going with the idea that while I’m here I should BE here, interacting with locals and really experiencing the place. I’ll take some classes (or, more likely, work with Rosetta Stone, which I’ve had on my computer the whole time) when I leave. It’ll be interesting practicing my Spanish (and hopefully developing it further) in New Zealand
Colin´s last blog ..Demons and Water Fountains
Heya Colin!!
Cool that you have a basic understanding of Spanish! I think you have a good opportunity to learn other languages since you travel so much and can surround yourself with people who speak the language that you are trying to learn
Enjoy New Zealand!
Cheers buddy!
Hi Diggy,
Wassup?
I speak Dutch, English (with American accent
) and Russian fluently…haha proud of myself.
The next one on the list is Arabic. I want to speak that language really bad.
I will definitely check the program out.
Katya!
Maybe you can teach me some Russian! I have a little cousin who speaks almost fluent arabic, pretty cool to hear! 
Geweldig hoor
I wish I had learned another language (or two) when I was younger, but unfortunately I didn’t.
I’ve been using the Michel Thomas method to learn Spanish and finding it very effective.
Hey Dave!
I agree that it’s the best to learn another language when you are young, but you are never too late to start right now. Put in the energy and effort and you’ll go a long way!
No discussion about language can be complete without mention of the various sign languages (ASL, JSL, etc.)!
You’ll be hard pressed to find any software to help with them though, as they don’t transfer particularly well through 2D video.
Hey Christopher!
I agree about the sign language part, but I’m going to do a seperate post about that sometime in the future! Thanks for stopping by
Nice post. I took a couple of courses in a couple of languages in university and would like to add a minor point. Learning another alphabet can provide a very interesting challenge that can give one a slightly different perspective on things. Growing up in Ontario, Canada I grew up with a lot of English and a little French over the years. I took a couple introductory French classes and had a blast as it was a relatively easy A as long as I showed up to class and did really try to do well. For my third language, I decided on Russian as I knew a couple of classmates that could help me if I got into any trouble. Course that trouble didn’t happen at all and oy was it something to work with a 33 letter alphabet that we had as there was one letter that had some accents for us not familiar with the language. Learning how to print and write in another alphabet really did change my view on those that can look at a Latin alphabet and groan as I did pick up some of the Cyrillic alphabet. I could also use the Russian letters for variables in Math problems as the English and Greek alphabets can only go so far ya know.
Hey JB!
I totally agree, I have not yet attempted to learn another alphabet but I am planning to learn Japanese at some point. Respect for learning Russian! I think it sounds really cool! Sometimes I wish it was like The Matrix, where you could plug into a chair and learn another language in 5 minutes
Yeah, if only we could download into our brains like they do in the Matrix. Or do mind manipulations like on Dollhouse.
I love languages and one of my goals this year is to become conversationally fluent in at least two of them.
Rocket Spanish is something I have tried but I found the Coffee Break Spanish course better (mainly because the guy is Scottish and we British look after our own!). I’m currently using the Michel Thomas method though and it’s working really well.
Learning the actual words and phrases in another language is relatively easy. It’s when you have to break away and form your own sentences and actually remember what you’ve learnt when talking to a native speaker!
P.S. Am I the only one who has a strange fascination with swearing in foreign languages? Mierda!
Ian Nuttall´s last blog ..You Complain Too Much
Hey Ian!
I have heard about the Michael Thomas method but have never personally used it.
I’m happy to hear that you also have a goal of learning to speak another language fluently. haha, yeah the swearing part and dirty words is something that makes any new language fun
Hi Dicky,
I liked your article a lot:)
You’re right about French – I used to speak french, but now…let me think, a little:( I forgot because i didn’t have the opportunity to speak so often:(pitty
As long as I lived in Denmark ,I tried to learn Danish – a little:)It means that I have to come back to Denmark:))matbe I’ll buy a program…
When you’ll come to Romania – you’ll have the opprtunity to learn romanian language:)hm:)
bye, take care
Heeey Sabina!
Ahh, you should start practising your french again! It’s a beautiful language! haha, yeah maybe one day you can teach me some Romanian 
Glad you enjoyed the article
I grew up speaking Enlgish and then went to my first year of school in France where I spoke French. Unfortunately, never really used it again. I then moved to Congo speaking Lingala for 4 years, and Kenya speaking a bit of Swahili. I have forgotten a lot of my past languages due to lack of maintenance. However, there are still some vocabulary, like funny phrases or words that I remember and can much better relate to people I meet nowadays from those countries, just like you pointed out in the advantages section. Wish I had a better grasp on these languages still.
Great advice in this article. I have never heard of Rocket Language either, so will check it out.
Goodday Sire!
Pretty cool that you got to learn all those languages when you were younger, and it is indeed a pity that you have forgotten most of it already. At least you still have the base so it should be easy for you to pick up again if you start to learn them!
Cool post Diggy. I often feel us UK peeps don’t make as much effort as other nationalities as English is so widely spoken (not all of us of course, and I include myself in this). Myself and my husband have talked about moving somewhere warmer, maybe France or Spain so that would be a good opportunity to learn a new one.
Heya Jen!
Yeah I guess it’s ignorance. If you can already speak English, why bother to learn another language? I just enjoy it. Hope you learn some French or Spanish!
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Hey Diggy,
Knowing how to speak other languages can really help us when we travel to other countries that speak different languages from us. Being able to communicate in their language will definitely let us enjoy our vacation better.
Cheers,
Vincent
Vincent´s last blog ..Are You Frustrated About The Lack Of Results In Life? Maybe You Are Missing Out On This
Hey Vincent!
Thanks for stopping by!What language do they speak where you live?
Diggy – Very nice web-site. You are wise beyond your years! That is a compliment, from a very old man! LOL!
Gordie is correct, when he says that in Chinese, xie-xie means thank you. It is pronounced “shay-shay” although, depending on where you are from, regionally, it could also be “she-she.”
Good-bye is (phonetically): Bow-Zhong. But, that really means “take care.” “How-How-Bow-Zhong” means take really good care of yourself. And, if you have a Chinese “friend” it is proper to refer to their name twice. If your friend’s name is Ling, you would call her Ling-Ling. It means you like her as a friend, twice as much, as not! Also, in most Asian countries, people of the same gender and of any age hold hands in public. In China, in the old days, boys and girls were forbidden to hold hands in public, but boys and girls who did it, did so to show their friendship. It was not a showing of homosexuality, which most westerners still believe, today.
I have a personal opinion about languages. The best way to learn is by doing. Forget all the alphabets, punctuations, etc.
The best way to learn a language, is how you learned English. Remember being 6 and you will remember that other children, as you played with them, taught you how to speak it, before you learned how to understand the alphabet, etc.
Example. What do people do when they pass each other in the street. In some countries, they say “Hello.” You may not know what “Hello” means, how it is spelled, etc. But, you will know that when you pass someone on the street, all you need to know, as an example for English, is to say “Hello.” Later, you will also learn other places and circumstances where “Hello” is appropriate. This tactic also allows you to learn about the culture, as well as the language.
Don’t confuse saying “How are you” or “What’s happening,” because those are questions and not a greeting. (In Guam, which is an Engish as well as Guamese speaking part of the United States, it is considered rude and a form of aggression to say Hello or to even look into someone’s eyes when you pass them on the street! Also, if you see a neighbor, there, having a party (bar-b-q) and you do not know who they are, because you have never met them, all you have to do is bring some food over to them and introduce yourself. They will invite you to stay for their party and make you a “part of the family” forever, unless you are rude or insulting!) Look and listen, and you will always learn faster. Taking conversational classes, to me, is more important than taking classes to learn the proper placement of letters and punctuation. You can learn all of that later. French, as an example, is spoken differently all over France, as well as in Belgium, Canada and even in New Orleans! But, it is still the same language. The French, are the only people I know of, who really and truly become personally offended if you pronounce their language, incorrectly.
I grew up in Northern New England near the Canadian border and was “forced” to learn French as a foreign language, starting in middle-school. I haven’t spoken French since high school, and because I haven’t used it since then, I would be completely incapable of even asking someone for a key to the toilet!
Because you said you are paying to learn French, I have another suggestion. Purchase some music, newspapers and magazines that are in French. See if you can understand what the newspapers or magazines are talking about. Can you read and understand them? Don’t throw them out. Keep them around until you can read and understand every word. It will also give you an idea as to the sense of humor and slang of the language, as well as to show you the proper placement of words and punctuation marks. Something that will help you with your learning and not get you into trouble when talking to a girl. LOL! It will also give you the opportunity to ask your tutor questions to items you don’t understand. Also, with music, the French love American jazz music, as well as their own music. If you know a song in English and then find the same one in French, it will give you better insight. Remember the Indiana Jones movie (sorry, can’t remember which one, where the girl is singing “Anything Goes” in Chinese? Also, as a bit of trivia, if you watch the movie, (just remembered, “Temple of Doom,” look at the faces of the Chinese girls who are dancing. None of them are Asian! HaHa!
Also, (I will go soon), if you can’t afford to go and live in a country that has a language you enjoy or want to learn, consider taking a vacation there each year. As an example, there are great cities all over France, that you can visit for 5 to 10 days each year for your yearly holiday. You can always find French classes at each location, and I am sure that if you “pick the brain” of your instructor, you can find places to go to where people have the same interests as you do, where you can make friends, besides your foreign classmates, and learn more about the language and culture. Go to museums, take walking tours, or even go to church. Go to where the locals go, and don’t get stuck where the tourists go.
(Also, go visit a bookstore and get French primers, music, and DVD’s that are used by French school-children, who are being taught French in their early school years.)
Consider renting a short-term apartment. Even if you have to pay by the month, for one month, it will be cheaper then a hotel for those 5 or 10 days. So, you pay for the month, but leave after ten days. It will still be cheaper then a hotel. In some countries, widows and families rent rooms to tourists and they will be a great source of information as to what to see and where to go. AND, by living with a family, you’ll be able to “practice” your language skills with them, as well as to taste real French food, prepared by a French family. Always offer to help in the kitchen, preparing foods and helping to clean-up, afterwards! It gives you the opportunity to see how tings are done! It might also give you a discount when your payment is due! LOL! Remember, hostels are for tourists. The key is to get out with the locals and stay away from the tourist traps!
Sorry this was so lonhg, Diggy, but I felt compelled to compliment you on your web-site and share some of my life experiences.
Hope everybody had a nice holiday this holiday season. I also would like to convey my very best wishes you and all of your friends, here, that 2010 will be a better year than 2009 and a healthier, happier and more prosperous year then in the past.
Take care, all!
Sir Dusted Eagle!
).
I thank you for your kind and detailed comment (which is longer than my own post
I am happy to hear that you like my articles and my site, I never thought myself to be a writer. Slowly I am honing my writing skills and one day I’ll write my own book about something, I think that would be really cool to do.
It sounds to me like you have seen a lot of the world and enjoyed all it has to offer you? That is fantastic! I’m learning french because I love the language. I pay somewhere around $20 per week for a one hour lesson, still with the same lady who was my french teacher in high school. I admit that I’m not actively learning, if I really had a use or motivation for it I would probably spend 1-2 hours a day with it but I have other things to focus on (Like building up an income on the internet with websites so that I will be able to live freely without having to work for a boss.).
I hope that you have a wonderful and healthy 2010 too, and really enjoyed reading your comment
Have a fantastic weekend!!!
Diggy
Diggy – Hope is all well. Thank you for our mutual compliments! LOL!
Save 10 to 25% of your income each month, and by the time you turn 55-60, you will be a millionaire! (Find a financial calculator on-line, and work it out yourself. Just don’t ever spend your retirment savings!)
Live a frugal life. Spend on what you need and not on what you want.
Fix everything until it disintergrates.
Keep a savings emergency fund, that equals six month’s or more of your income, that you need to survive on each month, should things turn down for you.
Don’t get scammed on financial schemes promising to make you money. Use your common sense.
I was self-employed for 40 years and retired 10 years ago! I started saving my money when I was 5 years old (I am 60 now. Always do work that you know and enjoy. Unfortunately, being self-employed with something you enjoy usually burns you out to where you don’t find enjoyment doing it anymore! LOL!)
My mother took me to the bank so I could open a Christmas account. What you did was, put your money in during the year, and then you emptied it for Christmas.
This is my financial tip of the day posting.
I’ve owned several businesses, but as soon as I got them up and running and had comfortable employees, I designated managers, and then I moved on. I paid my managers well, and told them that if they ever stole from me, I would make sure they went to prison! It was not a threat, it was a prmoise.
If you try to micro-manage your business, you will go mad (crazy). That is why you have employees. Let them stay up at night worrying! They know if they continue to do well, you will reward them, and don’t forget to do it! Most people won’t steal from you, and if you treat people correctly, they will treat you correctly, also!
Remember, when you are the boss, your job is to create, not to manage. So, let others manage, while you spend your time creating!
Eventually, I owned 3 different retail establishments. My managers dropped the receipts off to my accountant, who paid the bills and put my money (profit) into my bank accounts.
Any legal paperwork was sent to me by over-night courier (FedEx, UPS, etc.,) and I just ran away from home and used my ATM to get to my money.
Yes, I travelled the world and when it came time to retire, permanently, offered the managers for sale, outright, (each of my businesses) or through my own financing of holding the contract, sales for those businesses. I also did this with my last house. I am doing the financing!
So, now, I get 4 checks a month from various sources, and spend my time seeing what kind of trouble I can keep myself out of! LOL! I don’t have much money now, but I have income for life, and that is what its all about!
If you are still in Amsterdam, stay out of the red light district and coffee-houses! HaHa!
Take care, my young friend! And, best of luck in all that you do!
very interesting post
why do i feel korean is the most difficult to learn !!
Farouk´s last undefined ..If you register your site for free at
Haha, my friend spent a few months in Korea and he says it’s not so hard. It helps if you get a Korean girlfriend
I just started learning german about 7 months ago and study for about a 6-7 hours a week. I know a lot of words and basic grammar and can even speak a little. I just have problems with the “r”. Should I put much emphasis on learning it, or just build my skills and learn it later? I am very patient so I can wait for it to finally click. It is really annoying to me that I can’t correctly pronounce words with the “r”.
Hey Jamaine!
Thanks for leaving a comment!
Sounds like you’re putting some serious time behind you study, congrats for that. Stick with it and you will see good results over a few months. ust keep learning, the more you speak, the more you will come in contact with that ‘r’ and one day you will just be able to say it:)
If you want, download some tapes or clips where the ‘r’ is used excessively so that you can understand and learn it better.
Hope that helps
Diggy