Learning how to learn is something everyone needs to do. We might like to think that’s something we covered in school and don’t have to worry about anymore, but all of us are learning how to learn every day of our lives. For some, it’s subconscious, where you take into account what you’ve done and see whether it worked or not. Every college student, for example, can discover on their own that pulling an all-nighter to study for a test might not be the best method for getting good grades. But why struggle to figure everything out on your own when there are experts out there who have done the hard work for you? When you’re learning how to learn a new language, you have countless resources available to you.
In that spirit, we’ve collected everything we’ve ever written about language learning and put it all in one place. No matter where you are in the process of learning, there’s bound to be something here for you. Want to know how to learn a new language? Just scroll to the section that seems the most interesting and get started.
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Most of this article is advice for learning any language, but it’s also good to find resources for the specific language you’re learning. Here are our language-specific resource hubs.Â
French Basics: Resources For Language Learners
Everything weâve ever written about French, all in one place.
Spanish Basics: Resources For Language Learners
Everything weâve ever written about Spanish, all in one place.
Italian Basics: Resources For Language Learners
Everything weâve ever written about Italian, all in one place.
German Basics: Resources For Language Learners
Everything weâve ever written about German, all in one place.
Russian Basics: Resources For Language Learners
Everything weâve ever written about Russian, all in one place.
Portuguese Basics: Resources For Language Learners
Everything weâve ever written about Portuguese, all in one place.
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Here’s all the tips, tricks and methods for how to learn a new language that we’ve put together, from the very basic (using sticky notes) to the very complex (designing a memory palace). We split them up into a few different categories so you can choose which ones best meet your needs.
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4 Learning Methods From 4 Language Masters
We challenged four polyglots to learn Romanian in one hour. Here are four tips we picked up from observing the different ways they each approached learning a new language.
The First 5 Steps You Should Take When Learning A New Language
No matter what language youâre learning (or why), youâll set yourself up for success by laying the groundwork correctly.
The 3 Steps To A New Language Learning Habit
Language learning is all about forming a daily habit, but how do you do it? The studies are in, and three steps is all it takes.
7 Tips For Learning Languages On Vacation
Donât take a vacation from learning! Here are some tips to learn while traveling, without taking away from the fun of your trip.
Reddit Learning Roundup: The People Of The Internet Share Their Strategies
The world wide web isnât just for wasting time at work! We found some of the best ways people on Reddit are using to learn.
Strategies For Making Language Learning Less Boring
We’re not saying language learning is boring, but we’re also not saying it’s always going to be a raucous good time. Work hard, but play even harder.
23 Ways To Immerse Yourself In A Language Without Going Anywhere
You can surround yourself with your target language without having to pay for a plane ticket!
7 Strategies To Learn A Language At Home
Are you thinking of studying a language on your own but donât know where to start? Weâve compiled seven of our best strategies to make sure you can succeed.
8 Ways To Keep Learning And Developing New Skills While At Home
Being stuck inside doesnât have to mean an end to personal development. Hereâs how to keep learning new things while staying at home.
Hereâs Why Learning A Language Shouldnât Be About Fluency
Becoming fluent is a noble goal, but sometimes it can discourage you from reaching your potential.
How To Make Your Own Self-Directed Language Learning Plan
Every personâs plan is bound to look different, and you should try to make a plan that fits with your current lifestyle and interests.
10 Tips To Learn Any Language From An Expert
Hereâs some advice from Matthew Youlden, a polyglot who speaks nine languages.
5 Tricks To Learn Any Language
Polyglots Matthew Youlden and Luca Lampariello team up here to give you five tips and tricks or learning a language.
How To Start Speaking A New Language In Just 3 Weeks
We know, we’ve included a lot of tips on getting into your language journey, but here are eight more that happen to pair well with Babbel.
How To Set (And Keep) A Language-Learning New Yearâs Resolution
It’s a clichĂ© at this point that resolutions are hard to keep. With that in mind, weâve put together a guide to creating actionable language learning goals, and also sticking with them.
How To Learn Vocabulary According To Your Learning Style
Maybe youâre not bad at flashcards. Maybe thereâs just a better way for you. Here are some tips for visual, aural, reading & writing, and kinesthetic learners.
Learn About The Army Method
While it’s not in use anymore, the Army Method of learning a language has a long legacy and many of its features are still present in language classes today.
The One Thing Every Successful Language Learner Knows
Each learner chooses their own path, but is there one thing that they all have in common?
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How To Figure Out Grammatical Gender In A New Language
When your mother tongue is English, grammatical gender can be one of the toughest challenges in a new language.
What Are The Subject And Object Of A Sentence?
Weâll also cover subject and object pronouns, as well as a quick look at word order.
How Does Word Order Work?
English puts the subject first, then the verb, and then the object, but thatâs not the case in every language.
How To Use Prefixes, Suffixes And Infixes
When youâre learning a new language, it can always be helpful to break words down into parts.
What Are Grammatical Tenses And Aspects?
Having trouble conjugating verbs in another language? This might help.
What Are The Differences Between Accent, Pitch, Tone And Stress?
Turns out when someone says âdonât use that tone with me,â they really mean âdonât use that intonation with me.â
What’s A Cognate?
Hereâs what it takes to be a cognate, how to skillfully use cognates to your advantage, and what to remember when you invariably get them mixed up.
What Are The Grammatical Cases?
Donât let the words nominative and ablative intimidate you.
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How To Remember A Language You Forgot
Think all is lost? Think again â and then, most importantly, start retraining yourself.
5 Tips For How To Memorize Vocab When Learning A Language
Committing new words to memory can be a challenge, but weâve got some helpful methods for you to try.
How To Use A Memory Palace To Improve Your Language Learning
You may have heard of a memory palace before, but have you ever considered using one? We’ll tell you how to get started.
Why You Forgot Everything You Learned In School (And How To Change That)
Tired of forgetting all that vocabulary you just crammed? Here are some memory training techniques to help you actually remember what youâve learned.
What To Do When You Forget A Word In A Foreign Language
Forgetting a word (or not knowing it in the first place) doesnât have to lead to a communication breakdown. Here are some tips to keep the conversation flowing.
How To Use Spaced Repetition In Your Language Learning
Itâs a simple enough idea, but itâs one of the most important concepts for retaining information.
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How To Fit Language Learning Into Your Day When You Barely Have Time
Who isnât busy these days? Hereâs how you make headway on a language if you only have 1, 5, 10 or 15 minutes to spare.
23 Times You Could Be Learning A Language On Your Phone
Youâre already glued to your phone 24/7. Why not learn a language at the same time?
How To Fit Language Learning Into Your Work From Home Schedule
We promise itâs not nearly as overwhelming as it sounds.
42 Things You Can Do In 5 Minutes To Improve Your Language Skills
Much like a baguette, language learning is easier to handle if you break it into pieces.
5 Simple Language-Learning Exercises You Can Add To Your Routine
Here, we have some exercises that can inject a little extra language in your day-to-day life or help you explore a language more deeply.
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How To Involve Friends In Your Language-Learning Journey
Your best language-learning resource could be one phone call away.
How To Use Video Chatting To Practice A New Language
You donât have to leave your home to fine-tune your speaking skills in another language.
Finding A Language Learning Community Online
Just because youâre learning a language on your own doesnât mean you have to learn it alone.
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20 Ways To Use Sticky Notes For Language Learning
If youâve never used sticky notes to learn a foreign language, this article will change your life.
How To Turn Auto-Translation Into Your Language-Learning Friend
Tools that translate for you automatically might be hurting your ability to learn a new language, but they donât have to be!
How To Make Your Own Language-Learning Journal
Need a fun, creative idea for your language-learning endeavors? Look no further.
How To Use A Dictionary When Youâre Learning A New Language
You may already have a foreign-language dictionary lying around that you havenât touched in years. Hereâs how to get your moneyâs worth out of it.
How To Use Flashcards For Language Learning
There are so many high-tech options for language learning these days. But have you considered the flashcard?
6 Language-Learning Tools To Put On Your Shopping List
Whether youâre still in school or just want to recapture the magic of learning, you can indulge your nostalgia for back-to-school shopping.
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6 Bad Habits To Avoid When Learning A New Language, And How To Break Them
Are you a binge-learner? Or maybe youâre a rut-walker? Have no fear, whatever your bad habit is it can definitely be broken.
Debunking The Learning Styles Myth (And How To Learn Instead)
Thereâs some irony in it, but learning how to learn a new language is perhaps the best thing to do before learning anything else.
5 Popular Myths About Language Learning, Debunked
There’s a lot of bad information about language learning out there. Letâs clear the air on these oft-repeated myths, once and for all.
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6 Ways You Can Take Your Language Learning To The Kitchen
Cooking is the perfect time to multitask, and it can help you combine delicious food, language learning and cultural exploration.
How To Improve Your Learning By Stimulating Your Senses
Did you know that engaging with multiple senses at once makes learning something easier? Hereâs how to learn a new language efficiently by stimulating your senses.
How To Use Your Right Brain For Language Learning
New research suggests your creative mind may play more of a role than previously thought in your language studies.
How Improv Can Help You Learn A Language
Believe it or not, theater techniques have a place in foreign language learning.
How To Passively Learn A Language
Also, is passive language learning even a thing?
4 Ways To Learn A Language While Exercising
Did you know studying while exercising is linked to more effective language learning?
Improve Your Accent With These 5 Simple Tricks
Here are some practical tips to improve your accent in another language, no matter which language youâre learning.
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One of the best ways to supplement your language learning is using the movies, books and other media all around you. Here are our guides on how to find what’s out there and how to learn a new language using media as a supplement.
How To Use Movies To Learn A Language
Netflix and chill? More like âNetflix and drillâŠyour vocab.â
How To Use TV Shows To Supplement Your Language Learning
Letâs be honest, you were gonna watch Netflix anyway. Here’s how to make that time a little more productive.
How To Use Music To Help You Learn A Language
Jamming to Shakira or Andrea Bocelli can help make your new language stick.
How To Improve Language Learning With Podcasts
Youâll want to do more than just press play on your podcast app. Here’s a guide to learning with podcasts, along with recommendations on which ones to listen to.
How To Use Video Games To Learn A Language
Tips for how to learn a new language with video games, whether youâre a hardcore gamer or like to dabble on your phone from time to time.
A Guide To Foreign Language Reading
Whether youâre starting out or are an advanced learner, here are tips for making the most of reading books in another language.
5 Games To Help You Learn A New Language
Whether youâre a board game afficionado or donât know Monopoly from Clue, we rounded up five language games to help you learn a language.
6 Comics To Read When Youâre Learning A Language
Foreign-language comics are a fantastic resource when youâre learning a new language. Here are a few famous examples from around the world!
How To Use The Internet For Language Learning
Thereâs more ways to learn a language online than you probably think! Here’s how to learn a new language on the internet.
Why Poetry Is Useful For Language Learning
As the poet Paul Engle wrote, âPoetry is ordinary language raised to the Nth power.â
Learning A Language While Sleeping: Just A Dream?
In this article, we look at our relationship to sleep and the notion of hypnopaedic learning. Is it really possible to learn a foreign language while sleeping?
How To Use The News To Learn A New Language
Using the news to learn a language can be a little tricky at first, but itâs ultimately very rewarding.
How To Use Social Media To Help You Learn A Language
Using social media for language learning can be a great way to supplement your studies and to test out your skills in the âreal world.â
How To Use Quora To Learn A Language
A question-and-answer site could be the perfect place to fill in the gaps in your language learning.
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Perhaps the most common roadblock for learners is losing motivation. Here are our articles that will keep you inspired to learn, even when you’re hitting a momentary plateau.
The Many Benefits of Being Bilingual
Looking for some motivation to learn a new language? Look no further! Hereâs your complete guide to the benefits of being bilingual.
How To Get Past Your Language Learning Plateau
Does it seem like youâre making no progress in learning a language? Youâre definitely not alone.
How Learning A Foreign Language Makes You Richer
Among the many benefits of learning a second language: cold, hard, cash.
Can Learning Languages Get Rid Of Our Prejudices?
We all have prejudices in one way or another, but we can work on getting rid of them. Hereâs how learning a language can help.
How Learning A New Language Can Help You Learn About Your Native Tongue
It may sound counterintuitive, but one of the best ways to understand your native tongue better is by learning an entirely new language.
How Learning A Language Helps You Stay Mentally Sharp As You Age
Concerned about dementia and other mental symptoms of getting older? Bilingualism could be the solution.
Can Language Learning Help You Relax?
Drilling pronunciation may not be everyoneâs idea of a relaxing time, but hear us out.
How Learning A New Language Makes You A Better Person
Looking for another reason to start speaking a new language? As it turns out, language learning can positively influence your personal growth!
Sharing Everything, Even Language: Stories Of Couples Learning For Love
Love makes us do crazy things. And not so crazy things, like learning a language.
10 North American Polyglots Who Will Inspire Your Language Learning
Polyglots learn languages for all kinds of reasons, but they all love sharing their passion for language with others.
5 Ways Learning A Language Can Make You Happier
Weâre all on the pursuit of happiness, and language learning may help us get there. Hereâs a look at how you can boost your mood, according to psychology.
How Learning A Language Benefits Your Brain
This is your brain on a new language.
7 Language Learning Excuses Debunked
You have no time, no money and isnât the language you want to learn too hard anyway? Nope! These are just excuses getting in your way. Letâs demolish them!
Does Learning A Partnerâs Language Increase Your Odds Of Staying Together?
Will the lifespan of your love hinge on your ability to learn a new language? Also, at what point in the relationship does it make sense to download that language app?
18 Unexpected Perks Of Learning A New Language
Sure, youâll become more worldly. But you probably werenât expecting to get better at saving money.
How To Reignite Your Passion For Learning A Language
We have some tips for translating your burning-hot desire to learn into a more sustainable relationship with your target language.
Why Encouragement and Positive Reinforcement are the Keys to Language Learning Success
Have you ever wondered why your teachers always made a point to congratulate good work? We sit down with two of our learning experts to dive into the psychology behind positive reinforcement.
6 Ways Learning A Language As An Adult Is Different Than Learning It In School
Donât let memories of the dreaded conjugation tables hold you back. Learning a language as an adult might actually be easier â and more fun â than you think.
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Not sure how to start learning? Maybe a quiz could help. Personality tests are definitely fallible, but they could at least point you in the right direction. Here are all of our learning quizzes â some of which are slightly less scientific than others â along with how to learn a new language based on your Myers-Briggs type, Zodiac sign and Hogwarts house.
Quiz: What Bad Learning Habit Have You Fallen Into?
The first step to breaking a bad learning habit is to recognize what it is. This handy quiz might be able to point you in the right direction.
Quiz: Who Is Your Celebrity Language-Learning Soulmate?
Sure, the person you match with might be unattainable, but you should still find out who your language-learning soulmate is.
Quiz: What Should You Reward Yourself With After Your Language-Learning Milestone?
One of the most important parts of learning anything is rewarding yourself for a job well done.
Quiz: Which Dog Breed Should Be Your Language-Learning Partner?
We already know dogs are our best friends, so it only makes sense that we would learn with them.
Quiz: Discover Your True Motivation For Learning A New Language
When the initial buzz wears off, youâll need a reason to keep going. Understanding your real motivation will be the key to following through on your language goals.
How To Tackle Language Learning Based On Your Myers-Briggs Type
Whether youâre ENFJ, ISTP or somewhere in between, hereâs some advice on how to learn a new language based on your personality.
How To Learn A Language Based On Your Enneagram Type
A good way to get started on a new language is figuring out what method works best for you.
How To Approach Language Learning Based On Your Hogwarts House
Are you a Gryffindor or a Slytherin? A Hufflepuff or a Ravenclaw? Hereâs how your sorting hat placement can guide your approach to language learning.
What Your Zodiac Sign Can Tell You About Your Language-Learning Habits
Do Geminis approach language-learning differently than Leos? You may or may not think astrology is dumb, but admit it: these things are fun to read.
Quiz: Which Foreign Language TV Show Should You Stream?
There has never been a greater quantity and quality of TV shows and movies available for you to watch than there are right now.
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