If you’re one of the people that say this often:
- I want to learn languages but it’s hard!
- I want to learn languages but I don’t have anyone to talk to!
- I want to learn languages but I’m too young/too old!
Then this is the right article for you.
It’s normal for anyone to feel discouraged when learning a new skill and it seems like they’re not going anywhere.
Let’s take a look at how to resolve common concerns whenever someone says, “I want to learn languages but”…
What keeps you from learning languages?
You might be language hungry, but if you don’t have a clear set of goals to learn a language, you might find even memorizing basic conversations a complicated issue.
If you can relate to this situation, then you should check out which affects the way you learn and perceive your studies.
Here are some of what we’ve rounded up for the common issues that will settle down your worries in learning a language.
Fear of not completing a language course
Language acquisition as an adult is not as easy to learn as when you are a child.
That’s why children that have different native languages from birth make them better at studying and picking up techniques they’re already familiar with
I want to learn languages but I think I’ll fail
That sentence itself is not motivating is it?
Our first suggestion is to find the source of this fear.
Many people fail because of their language teachers that do not teach properly.
Some issues include not knowing how to pronounce that target language like a native speaker.
If it is your dream to study popular languages and achieve a high level of proficiency, motivate yourself to daily practice
That fear itself must be quenched by facing it; starting from day 1.
I don’t have anyone to practice with
You have all the digital tools to learn German idioms or Spanish conjugations but…
What happens if you don’t have someone to practice with?
I want to learn languages but I don’t have a native-speaking partner
That’s where online teaching platforms come in. Many of them encourage you to find a native speaker for language practice.
You can even find a native speaker online by going to language forums or meeting someone from free chatting platforms.
On that note, many today will consider scamming you and even get your private data.
Just know how to be safe and know how to protect your information online.
Online languages are expensive
It’s not a good introduction to language learning if you’ve experienced having to pay thousands of dollars just to not retain the phrases and vocabulary you’ve learned.
You’ll often find these language courses ranging from 100 USD per month on a full subscription or probably around 30-50 USD for a “lite” version.
I want to learn but it’s too expensive for me.
Online language courses are almost always expensive. At the same time, many language schools and universities also have high tuition fees that can discourage you.
On top of that, many language learners complain about meeting online professors on language teaching platforms and having their rates too high.
Yet, you must expect this kind of rate since these professors are native speakers of your target language and may have a bachelor’s or postgraduate degree and even a certificate for language teaching.
Though one thing’s for sure, even if you pay for these expensive prices, you’ll have different results with no guarantee of being fluent in just 6 months to 1 year.
I don’t have time to learn
Another concern that is probably the biggest among all learners, no matter if they’re on the beginner, intermediate, or advanced level.
If you always speak your dominant language, then you’ll have a hard time adjusting.
So most language teachers will give you a lesson plan and schedule to work out your week to achieve A1 to C2 level.
I want to learn but I don’t have time
As easy as it sounds, not everyone has the time to learn a language consistently.
But, it is a great practice to find creative language learning if your time is very limited.
Many language classes today have podcasts that you can listen to while you’re on the road.
If you can set 15 – 30 minutes of your time to pick up new vocabulary and study intently, you’ll definitely memorize any of your target languages.
One best way to maximize your time is to listen to audio books during your lunch break or before you go to sleep.
Our quick tips to motivate you in language learning
The first thing to make sure of when studying any subject is to know what you want as an outcome.
For that reason, a language learner must be sure to know which foreign language is their target language.
It requires lots of practice, so it sounds wise to plan your learning techniques and adjust to what works best for you.
Especially if you’re learning a difficult language, it is best to find out language learning strategies as early as you get an introduction to language learning.
Focus on small goals throughout the day or week
You know where you lack, and that’s often in memorization.
Honestly speaking, not everyone is gifted in memorizing words, objects, or colors quickly.
A good practice from language experts advice creating smaller goals to accomplish per day or per week.
It may be memorizing a conjugation of a specific verb for that week and then practicing a few sentences with someone.
You may even include a challenge question to motivate yourself to really think in your target language.
Only spend money if you’re a serious learner
Signing up for a foreign language class costs not only your money but also your time.
So if you’re committed to learning a new language, you must take care of your budget and schedule.
Make sure that you have the right budget for one month, three months, or one year of learning, and then adjust
On the other hand, you don’t need to really spend a lot of money just to learn a language.
Need help with the resources? You can start by searching for free online dictionaries.
For example, if your target language is French, you can search for online dictionaries with conjugation tables for free.
You can even find polyglots and language teachers that give away free bundles of how they learn languages on their own.
Speak while learning
While we don’t promise anyone to really change their techniques after reading this article, there’s one language skill that you should develop and one we’re confident about.
Speaking is the best way to immerse and train yourself on how to come up with sentences.
You should learn another language if you want to sound smart. You should practice speaking as much as possible.
You should also learn the music of that language you want to master.
People who speak more than one language seem to have more than a single tone and accent.
Language learners should not be afraid of imitating the sound of the language they want to learn.