Do you dream of learning a foreign language? You might not think you have time to learn a language, but it’s easier than ever to organize your time to learn French, Spanish, or any other language. Here are five ways to learn a foreign language, and how to organize the time to do it.
As an adult, learning to speak more than a few key phrases is hard if you don’t have a way to practice your foreign language skills. These days, there are so many great ways to hear and experience other languages. Most are free. You can make progress in just a few minutes a day. Here are my five favorite ways to learn a foreign language.
Just a note, NOW is the time to schedule your holiday decorating and holiday takedown/undecorating appointments.
Please click here to request your appointment, and we’ll call you to schedule.
Want to get the car back in the garage? Organize the pantry? Freshen up your decor?
Check out our Insta for recent projects. Then call to schedule yours.
Five Ways to Learn a Foreign Language (And Ways to Organize the Time to Learn)
Listen to a foreign language podcast
Everyone has a favorite podcast. I’ve subscribed to podcasts that are at or beyond my current skill level. Some are on current events, some on culture, and some that are just verb drills because, uhg, French verbs! One of my favorites is called “News in Slow French,” because the French talk way too fast…and I’m used to New Yorkers!
Organize time for foreign language podcasts
Some podcasts are just ten minutes long, perfect for listening while brushing teeth. Setting the podcast app so the last three downloads are automatic means you always have one for a commute. You don’t have to finish a podcast to learn from it, and I love that you can rewind to listen to a tricky phrase.
Watch foreign language TV
The best way to watch a foreign language program is with both the audio AND subtitles turned on in the native language. Your eyes will understand what your ears might miss. Find a French program and turn on the subtitles in French, if that’s an option.
Second best is watching a native program with English subtitles. Third best is watching an American TV show or movie with a storyline you are already familiar with, and listening to it dubbed into the native language.
Some shows have a slower pace with clearer diction. Astrid, a French crime drama on Amazon Prime (affiliate link) is good for learning because the main character has autism and speaks in French very clearly and repeatedly.
TV shows also use more slang or what the French call “parole.” They will shake their head and tsk, tsk about the sloppy slang that you won’t find in most textbooks, but they use them all the time in daily conversation.
Search for foreign language shows on the major streaming services, including Amazon Prime and Netflix. My favorite is the PBS Passport, which is a benefit to PBS members. Favorite French serial shows I’ve found there include Paris Murders (aka Profilage), Munch, and Origins. When I can’t be in France, I can still enjoy the scenery on TV.
Organize time for foreign language TV
I think that watching a TV series, no more than one episode each day, teaches the cadence of common speech better than a foreign film. You don’t always have time for a film, but you can easily swap a TV show you are already watching with a foreign language TV series. If your housemates don’t like watching sub-titled shows, you can watch online. PBS Passport shows run without commercials, so they run less than an hour and are easier to fit in than watching regular TV.
Practice with DuoLingo
If you already know a little bit of another language, the DuoLingo app is an amazing way to build on top of that knowledge…in just three minutes a day! Seriously. The app is free. You can play on a computer or mobile device. It gamifies learning. You earn points for lessons. You earn gems for reaching levels, keeping daily streaks alive, and watching ads. You can compete with friends and earn badges. If you’ve tried it before, it’s definitely worth another look. They’ve improved and expanded the learning paths. Did I mention that DuoLingo is free?
Organize time for a foreign language app
DuoLingo isn’t the only language learning app out there, but I do think it’s among the best for those willing to put in at least 3 minutes each day. I’m currently on a 340-day streak, which is worth exactly nothing except the discipline I hadn’t been able to develop the last time I tried to study French. It was hard to keep the streak going for about the first couple of months, but now I go to great lengths to keep that streak alive. I used to do my lessons at night, but now I do them during breakfast. It’s 3 minutes, people! I mean, you’ve got at least 3 minutes on the toilet every day, if nothing else. If that feels like multi-tasking to you, then try another time in your day. 🙂
In truth, I’ve gotten a little caught up in the DuoLingo levels lately. This might be why you haven’t seen quite as many articles from me. I went from doing a single 3-minute lesson each day to doing about a half hour in the morning and again at night. I just broke into the Diamond league, the highest level. If you had told my high-school self that my adult self would be compulsively doing an hour of French homework every single day, I would have said you were crazy!
Even though I hate online games, without a doubt, my French is improving with the gaming feel of DuoLingo. On my recent trip to France, not one person asked me to switch back to English, as the multi-lingual French are apt to do when a visitor struggles. So, I’ll take the win and give Duo his due.
Take a foreign language class
I started taking a local weekly French class with my kiddo about nine years ago. We found an adult night school class with about ten other Francophiles and a native-speaking teacher who has the patience of a saint.
When you pay for a class, you are much more likely to show up, whether or not you have time to do the homework. So if you need more motivation, definitely invest in a paid language class.
Our classes often veer off to discussions about a slang phrase, current events, or a particularly thorny aspect of grammar. I’ve enjoyed getting to know a whole new group of friends, all at about the same level of learning. There is just no substitute for talking with other live people in real conversation on a regular basis. We also like getting together for French treats now and then.
Organize time for a foreign language class
During COVID, my class and every other language class in the world went online, and we’re still meeting there. You can now join a language class wherever you live in the world. Start by searching for adult classes in your area. You might also have a language or culture club, like the Italian club or the Polish clubs I’ve seen in some areas. If you don’t have anything in your area, look for a class online that works for your time. Night classes work for me, but a friend of mine takes his French classes during the day. Some native speakers teach from their home country but in your timezone. Trust me, there’s a class out there for you.
Plan a trip
You don’t have to speak a foreign language to travel abroad, but language can add richness to your travels and get you off the beaten path. Just recently I was treated to a stunning view of Paris’ skyline at a little known rooftop cafe above Le Printemps department store with two French organizing colleagues, Eliette Barrier (L) and Julie Jaffray (R), below. I’m just a little proud of being able to enjoy an entire afternoon of conversation in French with colleagues. I stopped off for a few days in France on my way to teach a business building class in Amsterdam. It’s been nine years since my first trip to France with my daughter, when I was terrified to use my very poor high school French, but now I can have entire conversations, as long as my host is patient and doesn’t talk too fast.
Organize time for a trip to a foreign country
You might not think that you have time for a trip to practice your new language, but as I mentioned in my article about visiting Montreal earlier this year, your trip can be closer than you imagine. Montreal is just an hour flight from Philly, if you need a quick getaway. I love going to France for a couple of weeks at a time, but you can fly to Paris for a long weekend. People do it every day, so why can’t you???
I’ve always found that the best way to make a trip happen is to plan it far enough in advance that it seems like it’ll never happen. Plan a year in advance, and you’ll have your pick of hotels, flight, and events. You’ll also have something to look forward to. All the details come together effortlessly with a long planning timeline. Planning a trip will make listening to foreign language podcasts and TV, practicing on DuoLingo, or taking a class more motivating and more fun. Or go on a whim if you get the chance…and I hope you do.
Bonus tip to learn a foreign language: Talk to the Cat
When we adopted our kitty, I told my kiddos that all cats speak French. I mean, look at her. Doesn’t she look like she’s been to French finishing school?
My bonus tip for learning a foreign language is to talk to your cat. Or maybe your dog, and not just the poodles and French bulldogs. One of my clients has a dog that only responds to Italian commands.
The point is, your pets don’t care if your accent is great or if you conjugate verbs perfectly. Practicing on your pets means that you are practicing, and that can only lead to better conversations with real people who speak the foreign language you are learning.
Go beyond folding and pantry organizing. Organize your time to learn a foreign language. I promise, when you look back, you might not care about how organized your closets were, but you’ll always enjoy being able to have a conversation or order your favorite meal in a country that you adore visiting.
