How To Speak Any Language Fluently In 3 Months — 5 Lessons From A Language Expert
Lessons From “Fluent In 3 Months” by Benny Lewis
Disclaimer: By “fluent” I mean having a knowledge of the language that allows you to communicate in a basic way with people. In no way this article mean that you will learn a language perfectly in 3 months (as this depends, first of all, on how close your native language is to the language you want to learn and many other variables).
If you are learning a language or looking for new ways to improve, I wrote this article for you.
What would you say if I told you that you could learn a language in just 3 months?
I thought it was crazy when I first heard the Benny Lewis story a few years ago. He is an Irish polyglot, author and content creator who has dedicated his life to learning languages. He has learned multiple languages, including Spanish, French, German and Mandarin Chinese.
In “Fluent In 3 Months” he tells us how he and everyone can learn a language in 3 months. My native language is not English, so in learning English and other languages, the techniques the author explains in his book were really useful to me.
In this article, I will share with you 5 lessons I learned from it.
#1 Learning At Home Is Better
Exactly. You don’t need to be in France to learn French.
We are usually taught that to learn a language, the most efficient way is to travel to the country. However, in the book the author challenges this.
When we go to a country, although the main task is to learn a language, there are many other tasks that distract us from this objective, such as integrating into the culture, the stress of moving, looking for a place to live, among many other things.
Also, it is very common that as foreigners, when we move to another country we tend to hang out with people who speak our language instead of connecting with locals, which makes learning more difficult. Even if you move, you may never speak the language of that country.
It is much easier to stay focused and learn a language from home.
#2 Speak From The Beginning
Real progress is made through daily practice.
Speaking from the beginning helps you practice and improve in a more active way, building confidence and gaining fluency faster than you would otherwise. Also, it helps overcome the fear and anxiety associated with learning a language due to speaking, making learning more enjoyable and fun.
But what about grammar? Isn’t it important?
Yes, it is. We will talk about that in the next point.
#3 Grammar Is Necessary (Later)
If you want to become fluent, you need to learn grammar.
It’s a difficult truth to accept, because many people are not huge fans of grammar (including me). However, it is not at the beginning — as many believe — the time when we should learn grammar. It is only when we are able to have a conversation that we should learn grammar, remember:
“Grammar is useless without words.”
Once you can have conversations, you will have a vocabulary you can start working with, so the grammar will make much more sense to you.
#4 Be Consistent
This is one of the things we struggle with the most when learning a language.
Learning a language is a long journey that can sometimes be exhausting and frustrating. Either because you have spent too much time studying or because you have not obtained the results you wanted. The most important thing here is: Keep learning.
When learning a language in 3 months, 1 day is only about 1% of the journey. So if you feel tired, don’t just think about that specific moment, think also about what you are going to achieve.
Here are some tips that you can use to be more consistent:
- Set daily tasks
- Set realistic long-term goals
- Find ways to enjoy learning
If you are motivated and having fun, you will be more likely to continue and achieve your goals.
#5 Learn Languages Once At A Time
Although learning more languages would be nice, it might be a bad idea in the long run.
After you have reached the intermediate level (B1), it is common to feel confident with the language and want to learn another one. However, it is important to keep in mind that at this level it is easy to forget things quickly and get confused.
Also, learning one language at a time not only reduces confusion, but also allows you to be more focused and progress faster.
Therefore, the one rule that every language learner must follow is simple:
“Think about learning another language when you have reached an upper-intermediate level (B2).”
Conclusion
Although many people think otherwise, learning a language can be a fun and enjoyable process if you follow the tips above.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced language learner, by following these five lessons, anyone can benefit and learn a language faster than they think.
So remember:
- Learning at home is better.
- Start speaking from the beginning.
- Grammar is necessary (but only after you reach a conversational level).
- Motivation and setting goals are essential for success.
- Learning a language at a time is the best idea in the long run.
Thanks for reading!
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