What to keep in mind while learning a language
Hannah Scott- Laziest Workaholic
Learning a second, third or fourth language once you are older is considered one of the toughest challenges you can undertake. Since moving to HK, I’ve started Mandarin lessons. Here are 5 things I think everyone (including myself) should remember while learning a new language.
It took you years to learn your first language
It’s easy to forget you spent years just listening to your native language before you spoke and then spent more than a decade in school learning to perfect it.
It won’t happen overnight
As much as you wish you could go to sleep one night and wake up with a new language, it just isn’t going to happen.
It is ok to get frustrated
You can’t remember words or how sentence structures are supposed to work like you can for your native tongue. That is normal especially if it’s a language where nothing is the same. Wanting to quit is normal (at least it is for me).
There are apps that can help you
Every language has multiple apps that can help you learn. If you’ve got a long commute to work, spend 5 minutes looking at the app. Keeping the language fresh in your mind helps overall. Just 5 minutes whenever you have the chance can make a big difference.
You don’t have to do it alone
There are speaking groups, online communities, language exchange classes you can attend to help you learn. Even just having the support of family and friends can be enough to keep you motivated to learn.
Sooner or later you’ll see some progress. Just stick with it. It’s worth it.
Hannah Scott is a former journalist now based in Hong Kong working in Marketing and Communications. She grew up in Australia with a passion for travel. Taking a chance and moving countries for a new job now you can’t pry her out of the concrete jungle of Hong Kong that she calls home. Follow her adventures on Instagram @HannahRPScott.