Ask HN: Advice for Learning a New Language?
Context: I am a beginner/intermediate speaker of Korean and I'd like to take things further this year. I have come up with a roadmap and basic study plan for daily study sessions. Are there are tips or routines you have found to help take a new language to the next level?
5 comments
You probably know this, but anyways:
- Lots of reading, both extensive and intensive. Find sources of comprehensible input: sentences that you understand 60-80%, and will help you infer the rest by context. You will need lots of these. For instance twitter accounts in Korean, newspapers, etc.
- Watch shows with subs in your L1, or watch them 2 times: first time in L1, right after in L2.
- Use spaced repetition, but creating your on cards (active study vs passive study). Sentences better than words, bring context.
- Do some writing. Perhaps a journal, or something about your job / field of expertise. Notice the gaps (things you want to say but don't know how). Get it reviewed by a native.
- Have regular 1:1 sessions with a tutor / teacher, eg. on Italki.
If it is important to you, it is worth to spend a some money on it IMO.
Good luck!
- Lots of reading, both extensive and intensive. Find sources of comprehensible input: sentences that you understand 60-80%, and will help you infer the rest by context. You will need lots of these. For instance twitter accounts in Korean, newspapers, etc.
- Watch shows with subs in your L1, or watch them 2 times: first time in L1, right after in L2.
- Use spaced repetition, but creating your on cards (active study vs passive study). Sentences better than words, bring context.
- Do some writing. Perhaps a journal, or something about your job / field of expertise. Notice the gaps (things you want to say but don't know how). Get it reviewed by a native.
- Have regular 1:1 sessions with a tutor / teacher, eg. on Italki.
If it is important to you, it is worth to spend a some money on it IMO.
Good luck!
I haven't personally used LingQ, but it seems to be the best way to pick up new languages. It provides a feed of news in other languages with a neat vocab tracker! I haven't learned a language with it yet, but I'm very interested. There's also an excellent interview with LingQ's creator.
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[1] https://www.lingq.com/en/
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKg23ZFURX0
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[1] https://www.lingq.com/en/
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKg23ZFURX0
Just tried it out-- it's a neat concept. I wish the "free" version was more giving... I'll have to try more to see if it's something I'd want to pay for. Overall, it seems fairly useful.
Following up-- for anyone that wants to try it, if you use a referral link (plenty on Youtube if you look for lingq reviews) you can get like 120 lingqs upon signing up. That's a much better trial.
So far I'm liking it.
So far I'm liking it.
I haven't tried this but I've heard good things about the Middlebury immersion programs: https://www.middlebury.edu/language-schools/
Seek actual conversations.
Maybe Korean Associations, travel, find an online chat buddy you can facetime if nobody locally.
Weird side story, when I lived in Mongolia many people would pay me not to learn English but just to have a conversation with a native english speaker. They were motivated to not just learn but also to get better.
Maybe Korean Associations, travel, find an online chat buddy you can facetime if nobody locally.
Weird side story, when I lived in Mongolia many people would pay me not to learn English but just to have a conversation with a native english speaker. They were motivated to not just learn but also to get better.
Thanks-- I am in a lucky situation where I have no shortage of Korean people to speak with so that's not an issue. I can listen and understand pretty well, but producing Korean feels slow and difficult. It's a plateau I'm trying to overcome and feel like there's no good practice/thing that has helped much.
One recommendation has been to spend more time writing in Korean (like blogging) to better put my thoughts into the language and I guess in theory, means I would become quicker in conversation.
One recommendation has been to spend more time writing in Korean (like blogging) to better put my thoughts into the language and I guess in theory, means I would become quicker in conversation.
Change all of your YouTube content to Korean.
Having a Firefox container for "Korean mode" is pretty nice.