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10 Steps to Becoming Fluent in a Language in 6 Months

matadorstudy.com — Even if you don ’t feel linguistically-inclined, it’s possible–with patience, diligence, and a sense of humor—to become fluent in a language in six months or less.

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  • BennyGreenberg, on 07/06/2008, -1/+27A few years back I NEEDED to learn spanish and these tips are right on! If you want to learn as quick and thorough as possible Watch movies, listen to music, sing songs, and browse newspapers and magazines. It’s fun and helps improve your pronunciation and comprehension. Immerse yourself - the same way you learned your native language
    • yuanzhoulu, on 07/08/2008, -0/+6this list is just about everything i do and it works. when i was young i was living in a city with a lot of chinese speakers and began to understand a few things. later on i decided i would just learn it and started taking classes, but found them to be slow and annoying other than making sure i got the grammar right. later on i just quit class, since the dormitory i live in here in boston is over 50% chinese-speaking. as social life here is rarely in English, i learn a lot more here than in class.

      i have one more tip of my own to add:
      11. once you reach an intermediate/basic functional level, switch your computer's OS and web browser to that language, and use that language as your default on any multi-lingual website.
    • lewhich, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2read comics ... they kind of help you understand the language from a child's perspective.
    • banieldowen, on 07/08/2008, -1/+1Needed to learn? I assume she was saying pull out and you interpreted it as faster?
  • smitas, on 07/06/2008, -0/+156 Months!. Isn't that more?
    • trumpcard, on 07/06/2008, -0/+8I think its better than those books claiming "Teach yourself a foreign language in 7 days"
      • Iztikeit, on 07/06/2008, -0/+3LOL! Super genius savants can't even learn languages that fast.
      • relic180, on 07/06/2008, -0/+13@Iztikeit

        I saw something on discover or TLC or one of those with a savant who learned Icelandic in something like 4 days. Of course, they were saying he was probably the only person on the planet who could have done it.
      • Rotzooi, on 07/07/2008, -0/+9And he wasn't fun to hang out with, despite speaking 67 languages fluently.
      • das0408, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3his name's daniel tammet, and i think he did it in a week
      • thePTS, on 07/08/2008, -0/+5@relic180

        His pronounciation was horrible, autists can't immerse the same way, but they associate much better. This guide is about learning the language "naturally", and I completely agree. This is how I learn languages too.
    • Stupidumb, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3It's more the 5 months...
  • earthandeconomy, on 07/06/2008, -1/+19I want to learn Hungarian so I can communicate with my wife's side of the family, maybe this will help...
    • Narcism, on 07/08/2008, -0/+14I don't think you'll want to know what your mother-in-law is saying.
      • tigerglebe, on 07/08/2008, -0/+4Or want to know what she is saying.
    • Frostek, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2I'm learning Polish which I thought was tricky, but Hungarian is really tough-looking. Most other European languages have some roots in Latin, but not Hungarian... Best of luck!
    • rpgmaker, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2So the Mail Order Wife thing really worked for you then?
    • Mattarang, on 07/09/2008, -0/+2I want to learn Hungarian so I can communicate with your wife.
  • HuskyPuzzle, on 07/06/2008, -0/+36One thing I'd add to that list is when you're living in foreign city and you're hanging out with locals and speaking 100% in their language, there will inevitably be things you miss as they speaking fast with their other friends. If you don't understand something that was said, it's tempting to play it off like you did understand, but if you stop them and ask for an explanation every time you don't get something, you will double your vocabulary and pick up tons of slang terms that may not be found in the dictionary.
    • Iztikeit, on 07/06/2008, -1/+6That's the definitive way to learn a language. Approach it like a kid, ask a bunch of questions and repeat the funny sounding tones emitted from your foreign friends mouth.
    • yuanzhoulu, on 07/08/2008, -0/+7sometimes asking everything may have two negative effects:
      1. it can annoy them
      2. it will cause them to switch to English
      you need to use this with caution.

      in my case, when learning languages, i like to pick them up largely with movies, and resist using them until i have heard them in conversation to know the proper context. i do ask a few things in conversation but only enough to understand and not every last word, just to make sure it doesn't spoil the social occasion.
      • clutchperformer, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2It only annoys the Swiss when attempting their completely screwed up version of German (read idiosyncratic). Everyone else in the world I've met are completely fine and infinitely patient with questions. The French (Parisians), despite their haughty reputation, I found downright cool about helping you out without insulting you.
      • yuanzhoulu, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2yeah, i've lived in switzerland.

        but it can still annoy others. if you're really trying to get work done with a Chinese speaker and you insist they speak Chinese and then ask them questions all the time, when both of you could get the work done in English, it can be annoying when work is the priority... as goes for any language. social situations where you are relaxed are much easier.

        as for the French, the reputation goes that they mostly want you to learn their language, so of course they will help you.
  • ianmack, on 07/06/2008, -0/+10When attempting to speak the language, I find confidence is key. If you mumble a word because you're embarrassed if you're saying it right, it's that much harder for the other person to understand you.
  • kataztrophy, on 07/06/2008, -1/+12In six months, I will be able to annoy people in Swahili!
  • Benjamin10, on 07/06/2008, -1/+7I've been trying to learn Spanish for years and these tips are money. Immersion is the only way and it's definitely possible in six months if you don't speak your native language and dive head first into the one you are trying to learn.

    • DephexTwin, on 07/08/2008, -2/+7It is strange that you describe yourself as a person who has "been trying to learn Spanish for years", and then go on to endorse these methods as though you have some sort of authoritative opinion. I want to hear that this stuff works from someone who "tried and succeeded at learning Spanish in six months".
      • CircleFusion, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1I don't think it's strange at all. He has probably tried various methods during those years and then eventually found out which methods actually work. I have had a similar experience. I've "tried" to learn Japanese on and off for years. I found that there are certain techniques that work better than others.
      • DephexTwin, on 07/09/2008, -0/+1Again, no matter whether you have dabbled in various strategies, you still wouldn't know firsthand that this works to become fluent in six months unless you, for starters, have actually become fluent.
    • Auxon, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3"...it's definitely possible in six months if you don't speak your native language ...." Well, that would pretty much limit it to toddlers and mute people wouldn't it?
    • PabloIV, on 07/08/2008, -1/+2O que puedas contestarle a este mensaje en un párrafo coherente y conciso que hiciste este verano.
      La asignación es para la próxima hora.
    • whorunbartertwn, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1I don't believe becoming fluent is possible for most in six months. You may be conversational and be able to function in an immersion environment after six months, but fluency requires a larger vocabulary and better grasp of subtle language nuances.

      Think of how many objects you can point to and easily rattle of what they are since you are fluent: a praying mantis, a circuit board, a marshmallow, a sewer cap, a splinter, a can of mace, etc.
  • spookyttws, on 07/06/2008, -1/+4I'm entering the restaurant business in Southern California and my Spanish is crap. I'm going to take these terms to heart.
  • relic180, on 07/06/2008, -0/+20So the Rosetta Stone commercials are lying to me?
    • davidmiller72, on 07/07/2008, -0/+8yes
    • koreth, on 07/08/2008, -0/+7Rosetta Stone is not totally useless but it certainly isn't everything they say it is. Though I suspect it might work better for European languages than it does for Chinese, which is the version I have.

      The structure of the lessons seems to me to be based around some assumptions about grammar that apply to Spanish and English (the other two languages I am familiar with) but not to Chinese.
    • unfilterthought, on 07/08/2008, -0/+4Rosetta Stone tries to get you to think in a new language. But it isnt the same as having someone speak it and explain it to you and you really see how their mouth moves, their emotions etc.
    • gbarger, on 07/08/2008, -2/+1Actually Rosetta Stone isn't very good, if you really want to learn, try the "Tell Me More" line of software. It's really fantastic. My fiancee speaks French, and I've been using it to learn, so we can have conversations in front of other people without them knowing what we're talking about.
      • josephbloseph, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3Of course, having conversations in front of other people in a language that they don't understand is going to be rude in most cases, especially since it isn't your first language.
      • jj2me, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2@josephbloseph,
        French ... rude ...
        Get it now?
    • Vagari, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3Well compared to many language courses the Rosetta software at least _tries_ to be more like what's described here. A lot of earlier lessons revolve around creating new associations with pictures as opposed to direct word translations.

      Regardless it's ridiculously expensive.
  • socialwebtools, on 07/07/2008, -1/+8You could try http://livemocha.com too......
    • Kythas, on 07/08/2008, -1/+1Thanks for the link! Looks like a great site. Can't wait to sprechen sie Deutch.
      • manitoba98xp, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Lesson 1: "Sprechen Sie Deutsch?" means "Do you speak German?"
    • koreth, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1I just looked at their Chinese lessons and even the first lesson of their 202 course is riddled with errors. For example, they translate "现在已经是两点四十五分了" as "It was 2:30 15 minutes ago" which is totally wrong -- there is no "2:30" in that sentence nor is there a "15 minutes," but there is an "already" which their translation ignores. If I were using this as a learning tool I would be totally confused by this material. (The sentence really says, "It is already 2:45," with added emphasis on the fact that the time in question has arrived.)

      Good idea, lousy execution from my brief look. Maybe if you just use the "interact with other members" part of it it's okay.
  • novoare, on 07/07/2008, -4/+1I can't wait to try these tips to learn a new language!
  • davidmiller72, on 07/07/2008, -3/+3think baby.
  • Matchoo2, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2Exactly right. Immersion is key.

    Good job.
  • ZenGlen, on 07/07/2008, -2/+4Just what I needed here in Thailand. I've been living here for a year and have been struggling with the language. Great work!
  • GramarNazi, on 07/07/2008, -0/+471. Immerse yourself
    --Immerse yourself with the locals, their music, culture, media, politics, sports, family, etc.

    2. Forget translating: think like a baby!
    --Copy these expressions and sounds just like a baby would.

    3. How do you say?
    --Besides common greetings, the one phrase you should memorize and always have at the ready is the phrase is “How do you say that / what is that called?”

    4. Write it
    --After having conversations, jot down the things you remembered hearing but didn’t quite understand.

    5. Use cognates and draw links
    --Ever noticed how some words appear exactly the same across various languages? These are called “cognates.” Unlocking the usage of cognates instantly gives you several hundred more words to your vocabulary.

    6. Local TV, movies, music
    --Watch movies, listen to music, sing songs, and browse newspapers and magazines.

    7. Non-verbal cues
    --Beyond words, observe locals when they talk. Be it the Gaelic shrug or a slight tilt of the head, combining body language with a new tongue helps you communicate better.

    8. Get emotional!
    --Emotive experiences often etch impressions onto our memory. Make full use of embarrassing / funny / angry experiences by linking them to the new language.

    9. A world of friends / then going solo.
    --While individual classes can be highly beneficial for unsurpassed attention, group classes with friends can greatly aid learning.

    10. Practice at every opportunity before and after you travel.

    **Everything else in the article is just a personal anecdote, and not very helpful at that.
    • AndrewJC, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2That emotional one is something that I've used before:

      When I was a music student in college, all us voice majors had to sing in foreign languages. Students were great at learning the notes and dynamics and such, but not so hot, generally, at learning the nuances of the pronunciation.

      The problem is, you can really embarrass yourself by singing the wrong consonant, and just like this writer's analogy of having 24 anuses instead of being 24 years old, I would point out that when people sing in German and sing the word "nacht" (a pretty common word in German song) without the soft "ch" sound, thus singing the word so it sounded like "nakkt", they were really singing the word "naked" instead of "night." Oftentimes it would create some really funny translations.
    • dolemite01, on 07/08/2008, -1/+1I hear by proclaim you as the TL;DR summarizer of all things digg, you are now beckoned to summarize all articles to which tldr will apply and post the minutes.
  • chaos7, on 07/08/2008, -11/+6i'm just gonna stick with english
    • sjmulder, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3Me too. Two languages are more than enough. ;)
    • PabloIV, on 07/08/2008, -2/+4i speak 4 and I'm still trying to learn more.
      Get off your insularist high horse and start mingling with rest of the world
      • Beevo, on 07/08/2008, -1/+1I speak 3 myself but never use 2 of them. When you live in a part of the world where English is spoken 99% of the time it's really not worth it to learn more. It'd make more sense if I lived in Europe where people who spoke different languages lived only a few hours drive away...but in America not so much.

        I spent 2 years in South Korea, and I learned the language. I've not spoken a word of it since moving back to the states. It's just not something you need.
    • koreth, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2You're missing out.

      Here's some motivation for you: Foreign women who are living abroad totally dig guys who speak some of their native language. (Probably foreign men do too, but I can't say that from experience.)
      • smacksaw, on 07/08/2008, -0/+5The true oral skill that foreign women enjoy isn't linguistic.
  • mrzack, on 07/08/2008, -11/+1is this how James Bond learns his languages? except in real life James Bond works for the bad guys. 7/7 = INSIDE JOB
  • , on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Practice makes it perfect.
  • crazyjake, on 07/08/2008, -3/+1After i master Japanese, here comes Xhosa!
  • Rudegar, on 07/08/2008, -3/+0i had good exp with following locals repeating whatever they say in a high squeaky voice
  • iBlinkalot, on 07/08/2008, -0/+5Spot on tips, but the writer's definition of "fluent" is clearly loose.
  • ineptsavant, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3Of all those things, I'd say immersion is the most important. I've been living in China for a few months now... and I can finally hear the seperations in the words when people speak and I can put the sounds into roman characters (pinyin) in my head in realtime. I can read a little too... but reading chinese doesn't help you speak it much as the character system is not phonetic. I think within a year I will speak workable Chinese. Thanks submitter for the other tips in the article.
    • magamiako, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Yeah learning Eastern languages can be a real pain for people that are used to phonetic writing. This is why I prefer Japanese. A lot of the younger-targeted things such as books, kid shows, and children's anime have things written out phonetically. So it makes it easier to learn how to read and speak.
  • magamiako, on 07/08/2008, -0/+17This website is kind of useless. All of these tips are given, but many are only applicable in situations where you "have" to learn the language. When traveling, finding yourself in a place where they don't speak your language--Immersion is of course key, but you learn these habits out of the situation.

    That said, not many of these tips will help a person who is sitting at home trying to learn a new language.

    And as was stated above, the author's definition of "fluent" is very loose. But then again, you don't have to be 100% fluent in a language to be able to get around. You don't need to understand every single context, every single slang term, every single statement. You won't learn every single pronunciation and there are almost always going to be things you get wrong.

    This is a biproduct of having to learn a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th language. However, at the very least you will be able to get around, move, get food, a room, and maybe have some light conversation.
  • CHANNELOCK, on 07/08/2008, -2/+1still have those Spanish language CDs in my truck..unopened.
    Maybe the time is right as the economy is in the tank and basic Spanish would sure be a plus on a resume when competing against someone that is bilingual since birth.
  • liuite, on 07/08/2008, -0/+8i am surprise consuming alcohol is not on the list. sometimes what holds people back from trying to speak a foreign language is self-consciousness...a bit of alcohol might loosen up your tongue and lower your inhibition to help you get started.
    • dethkultur, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2I agree, I don't think alchohol gets enough credit for the learning boost it can provide. It gets a bad rap and that's not fair, because alcohol has helped me get through a lot of things in my life, and still does every day.
    • secrity, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2Ein Johnny Walker mit mineral wasser bitte.
    • MikeEnIke, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Completely agreed. I went to Germany for 3 weeks and was taking German classes so I knew the basics and had a decent vocabulary and such, but I never wanted to use the language because I thought it would be embarrassing, but you got a couple drinks and me and I was practically fluent... and what I didn't know I just found a way to act out/use other words. Yay beer!
      • CosmicJustice, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1"but you got a couple drinks and me and I was practically fluent"
        It looks like you may have had a few drinks already.
    • whorunbartertwn, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Yup. When giving a presentation (or wedding toast) there is definitely a sweet spot of having had a few drinks but not too many where things just flow easily.
    • c4sh, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1I find alcohol is also useful for loosening up before a job interview or cross-country flight.
  • koreth, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1These bits of advice are pretty spot-on, though a couple of them don't really apply so much depending on what you already speak and what you're learning.

    The biggie on the list is immersion, and I can say from experience that that's critical to becoming fluent. My Chinese speaking was so much smoother after just 6 weeks on my own in China last year (after studying in the US for two years or so) that it was like I'd added a whole year of classes back at home. And my listening comprehension skill probably doubled the first week I was there.

    Making an embarrassing mistake or two is a very fast way to learn, too. I will never again mispronounce the word for "strawberry."

    On the other hand, there aren't too many cognates between Chinese and English (there are *some* but your time is probably better spent doing something else than looking for them.)
  • Thrilltone, on 07/08/2008, -0/+5I lived in Panama for about 7 months. When I was with a girl who didn't speak English, I was always studying my Spanish/English dictionary and asking friends how to say certain phrases and making a list of all the words that I was adding to my vocabulary. Whenever I switched to a girl who spoke English, I completely forgot about learning any Spanish.
    Motivation and Immersion were the keys for me.
    • koreth, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2Yeah, that's true. I just got back from a trip to China with my fiance (who is fluent in both English and Chinese) and I don't think my Chinese speaking improved at all. It was too damned easy to just switch to English when I didn't quite know how to say something in Chinese, and for her to immediately repeat herself in English when it looked like I didn't understand what she'd said rather than sitting there waiting for me to figure it out or look it up.

      Next year I'm going to have to go back by myself if I want to improve my language skills; having no choice but to figure out how to get my point across with the vocabulary I had was a really good motivator when I was there on my own before.
      • Thrilltone, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Chicks always seem to dig foreigners too. In South and Central America, if you're a tall blond guy, they treat you like you're some kind of God!
    • yodasama, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2What were you trying to immerse yourself in, again?

      *Whom*?

      ;-)
      • Thrilltone, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1I was immersing myself in Strange.
        Good stuff!
  • mattmollysdad, on 07/08/2008, -1/+3get a girl friend
    • Icetype, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2I agree. But it has to be one that doesn't speak your language as well as you speak hers, or you'll just end up speaking English. I dated a girl in Japan that didn't speak English at all, it was awesome.
    • secrity, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2When I was in stationed in Korea, a number of GI's married Korean women. Most of the Korean wives spoke little or no English and the GI's spoke no Korean; "Yobo sayo, me numba hanna GI" doesn't count.. I can't figure out how somebody can get married to someone who they can't have a conversation with.
      • Frostek, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1The International Language of Love? (I'm an old romantic...)
  • dafragsta, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2You know... I think I figured out a way to learn a new language I'd like to try, and I have all these misheard lyrics videos on Digg to thank for it. ;)

    I bet if you memorized what the word could be mistaken for in your native language, you'd MUCH more quickly link objects, phrases, etc. with their foreign counterparts because it would be funny. Granted, you'd have to work hard to not pronounce the words that way, but the hardest part is the correlation. Pronounciation is probably the most universal part of any language. Once you get the commonalities down you can apply it to how you remember the word.

    /eyein' up down that sappy nun.
    • thugzilla, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1There's a Japanese blessing that some say before they eat. I think it means, "I will receive." Phonetically it would go something like "ita takimas" but some of the exchange students from school would jokingly pronounce it "eat a taco mouse," and so I've always been able to remember it.
  • julianrod, on 07/08/2008, -2/+2Este artículo es una mierda.
  • nypix, on 07/08/2008, -0/+11. Fall in love with someone FOB
  • blackdude, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2This site needs to be written in another language or just written better.
  • CaptainShaun, on 07/08/2008, -2/+1I can speak a number of languages, but only because I picked them up. English is my first language and the only language I find useful. Unless you're going to become fluent (actual fluent, not the fluent the author of this article discusses), there's virtually no need to divide your attention to learning another language. Focus on something like math or economics instead.
  • nullcodes, on 07/08/2008, -0/+13This should be useful for many american diggers who can finally become fluent in English.
    • clyde2801, on 07/08/2008, -1/+1You mean 'merican', don't you?
    • bubba9999, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1I became effluent in English a long time ago.
  • davemnak, on 07/08/2008, -0/+0These are pretty awesome immersion books as well. I highly recommend:

    http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=htt ...
  • Punisher2K, on 07/08/2008, -0/+6My Klingon has never been better!
  • orchidee2, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2I had the idea to fresh up my French after not having spoken this language for 12 or 13 years. So, each night, when I went to bed, I tried to recapitulate the most important events and experiences of the day only in French (looking up the missing vocabulary!). When I woke up in the morning I also had my first thoughts not in my mother tongue German, but in French. After two month or so, I realized that not only all my competence had returned, but when I really took lessons, I was able to speak more fluently than ever! Besides, it doesn´t really matter what you think about in bed ...
  • Phearce, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2For what it's worth: combine (1) immerse and (2) "think baby" by reading basic children's books. This will give you a solid handle on basic sentence structure. Plus, seeing common words spelled out can help improve pronounciation. I've employed this twice on extended stays in Denmark and Germany with good results.
  • suttercain, on 07/08/2008, -2/+5How do you say "Can a ***** get a table dance" in Slavic?
  • willywong, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3I've found youtube is good for learning languages. You get to hear people speaking in a different language and comment with them. Not ideal for speech but it's the closest thing you can get to immersion without travelling.
  • bigsteve3OOO, on 07/08/2008, -7/+1I do not see the need to lean a third world tribal language like French or German. Let the savages learn English.
  • raarky, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1try picking up a local comic book.

    the pictures give you a hint about what is in the speech bubbles.

    context and emotion can really help when trying to learn a new language.



  • Sabretou, on 07/08/2008, -2/+2FORBIDDEN TO WOMAN
  • 101phones, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3I know a lot of people that are very fluent in dumbass and it most certainly didn't take them 6 months to learn the language.
  • clyde2801, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2Step 11: Foreign porn. Lots and lots of foreign porn.
  • hypertension, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2As someone who's lied in Costa Rica for a year, I'd like to make one additional recommendation:

    While somewhat lame, start with very young children's TV shows. The language is often cleaner, clearer, and slower, providing an important base for improving from then on.

    Of course, getting a hot Tica girlfriend who only speaks Spanish works wonders, too.
  • yodasama, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Just take your cues from Bruce Banner on this one.
  • vjlenin, on 07/08/2008, -2/+0Here is some other similar post. Ten surefire ways to promote your book: http://cutewriting.blogspot.com/2008/07/ten-sure-f ... Please check it out and check out the blog. Comment and digg the post if possible thanks all.

    Lenin Nair
  • papastout, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1I spent a month in central Mexico with Habitat for Humanity with absolutely NO prior Spanish speaking experience. After that two months I was coming along pretty good and could understand and speak with all the other teenage kids in the mission I was staying in. Which seemed appropriate towards gearing your learning as though you were an infant.

    So go build a house or five for someone in a country where you would like to learn the language.
  • nepidae, on 07/08/2008, -0/+0"10 Steps to becoming fluent in a language in 6 months for people without real jobs"
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