Learning a Language

Does anyone have any tips on the best ways to learn a new language?

-Learn about the language and how it works.
-Take your time.
-Take a break whenever you feel like it.
-Practice regularly by speaking to others.
-Focus when learning and don't distract yourself or you'll forget everything.

Personal subjective advice: don't use Duolingo, because Duolingo stinks, and use IRL lessons instead of lessons in a device.

Learn His Majesty’s language of English.

@ReallyLowELO said in #1:
> Does anyone have any tips on the best ways to learn a new language?

Check if you can find "comprehensible input" for your desired language. It's basically how we learn language when we are kids. Simple sentences by a native speaker supplemented with visual aid. You only need to understand the meaning. No memorizing, no grammar, no reading (you can but will probably end up with wrong accent because you are teaching yourself the wrong pronunciation in your head). Apparently the results are better than traditional school learning in all aspects.

Duolingo

- Getting a basic grammar book and rolling through that while learning basic vocabulary (usually introductory textbooks will contain a combination of the two).
- Making digital flashcards with free software like Anki to practice vocabulary
- Creating a study plan with the two above points and sticking to it (consistency is everything, so even if you study only 10 minutes a day, make sure you do it every day)
- Have some place where you can practice speaking the language and go there regularly.
- BONUS: Court a romantic partner who speaks this language (easier said than done but seriously you will get good fast lol)

@potionsmeller said in #6:
> - Have some place where you can practice speaking the language and go there regularly.
Do you have any advice if this is completely impossible? I’m from the UK (well renowned centre of cultural acceptance) and no-one I know of speaks the language I want to learn.
> - BONUS: Court a romantic partner who speaks this language
Also, I’m on a chess site, this is not remotely realistic lol.

Just say things with increasing amounts of volume in one's own language, incorporating accompanying gesticulations with the naively optimistic hope that the recipient understands you eventually. :).

@ReallyLowELO What language are you learning? If you are in a major city there may be more native speakers than you expect. For example, I have been learning Serbian and I found that here in Chicago there are many native speakers of Balkan languages. If there is truly no one there, then there are online sites to use to talk to people like italki and mobile apps like tandem which are great for doing regular language exchange. You can do text message, calls, voice message, video chat etc.

As for finding lover, yes I agree Lichess is not your best bet. Perhaps somewhere in-person ;-)

@potionsmeller Good luck learning Serbian! I want to learn Danish, which doesn’t have many speakers outside Scandinavia. I feel like this is the exact thing Omegle used to be good for...