Are you like my friend who has been learning a language for years but is nowhere close to speaking it, leave alone fluency?!?

Just like everything else in life if you don’t have a method to act upon and just aim in the dark you aren’t going to get far.So what is the plan you need? Language learning is no rocket science; it is as simple as you make it!

Speaking from my personal experience, (I am a fluent Spanish speaker and near fluent in Portuguese as well) I started conversing in Spanish within 8 weeks of classes living in a city of no Spanish speakers; and I have not taken any classes since.

I wasn’t fluent after those 8 weeks but those 8 weeks laid a foundation and an excellent understanding of how the language worked, all with just 2-2.5 hours of study each day.

1. Understand the thought process behind the language.

You need to understand that any language is a thought process and you need to be able to understand the thought process. Once you understand it you will easily be able to think in the language. And trust me when you do that you will be able to understand your native tongue also in a better manner. For being able to speak in your native tongue also is nothing but that thought process embedded into you, which you recall subconsciously.

“Those who know nothing of foreign languages, knows nothing of their own.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

2. Learn and practise the 20% of the words that are used 80% of the times.

Being fluent in a language does not mean having a huge vocabulary. Being fluent means being able to converse well. Now, answer this question for me; how many verbs can you think of, just of the top of your head in your native language; if you really strain yourself about a 100. Now pick out the verbs that you use in everyday conversations.I bet it will be a list of about 30 or possibly less. So why stretch yourself to what you don’t need? Just learn those 30 and for the rest use a dictionary. Simple?

“Use the 80/20 rule. In a language 20% of the words are used 80% of the times. So learn the 20%.”

3. Know how to put your vocabs/ammunition to use.

Knowing just vocab is not enough. You need to know how to use this ammunition you’ve successfully acquired. I have encountered several friends with a brilliant vocabulary,which is simply limited to knowledge and not utilization. Learn the way verbs and vocabs are to be used. All languages have a definite way of doing so (by conjugating verbs or using pronouns). Let me tell you something; Hindi and Spanish as far as they may seem to be from each other have the same method of putting verbs to use.

4. It’s the small things that make a difference.

Take time out to learn properly the conjunctions and prepositions. Words such as in, to, for, and, with and but are simple but that is where most beginners get stuck when it comes to making conversations.

5. Start conversing! It will keep you motivated. (and make you all the more interesting)

A lot of people think they need to have an intermediate level to go out and converse. That’s not true at all. You can start conversing from day 1. The conversation may not be the most meaningful, but you still can! Even when you try to converse as a beginner, people still appreciate your efforts and that’s where the fun of language learning is, isn’t it? That is also the answer to the question “How do I keep myself motivated?”

I am sure you never thought language learning to be this simple but with just these 5 tips, you are now on your way to being one more language richer.

If you want to learn languages using a method that puts the above 5 points to use try LingosMio. The courses are designed keeping these very simple things in mind and yes LingosMio will show you how you can start conversing from day 1!