12 Wicked Fun Ways to Learn Any Language

12 Wicked Fun Ways to Learn Any Language 12 Wicked Fun Ways to Learn Any Language Looking for minimum stress and maximum fun?Too many fun ways to learn  are just typical study tactics in disguise.Cmon, flashcards are never going to hold a candle to video games.It may sound strange, but you cant learn everything by  studying.As it turns out,  you may have to totally  stop studying to really become fluent.Im dead serious.So, blow off your work.Procrastinate that assignment.Put your textbooks back on the shelf.I promise it isnt too good to be true! Why Learn a Language the Fun Way?Say goodbye to  making  excusesIm the guiltiest of this. No time, no energy, no money, no resources. You dont need any of that anymore. Dont join the pity party, wondering however will I learn my target language? You wont ever have to force yourself to stay motivated again, cause I know youre always going to be down for a little fun time.Manipulate your brains rewards centerWith fun methods, your brains pleasure system is triggered constantly. Its why we can scroll through dozens of funny cat pictures without getting bored, even though were doing nothing beneficial for our brain or body (except for absorbing cuteness).Now, your brain will start to connect that positive feedback and pleasure with language learning.Remove roadblocksSometimes you study so much that you actually start getting  worse.  Has this happened to you? This is a major complaint from near-fluent learners living abroad and encountering their target language in the real world for the first time.They get paralyzed and dont know what the heck they should even study.How do you study things like understanding fast-talkers, low-talkers, mumblers, obscure colloquial expressions, little-known dialects and slang that became popular last month? You cant learn that stuff by studying in the traditional sense.Train your brain to live  using your target languageRight now, your brain knows that it should be using your target language in specific situations, like when reading a textbook, watching a subtitled movi e or chatting with a conversation partner.  Now its time to train your brain to use that target language constantly in everyday life. Thats the next big step from student to fluent speaker.Keep language fresh and current in your mindLanguage is always evolving, along with popular culture, current events and more. Cultural references are constantly embedded in peoples language.Its not a guilty pleasure anymoreâ€"to be fluent you  need  to know about modern entertainment, leisure activities and humor found in your target languages country. Any language learner knows: It royally sucks to miss out on jokes and references.Transform everyday activities into language learning opportunitiesDont just wait for designated study time to roll around. Some fun learning methods are based on things you already do regularly, like cooking and browsing the internet. Other methods help you redirect spare time to fun language practice time.  By using these fun activities, youll be able to inject a littl e language learning into normal, everyday activities.How to Integrate Fun Activities into Language LearningPepper your daily schedule with funLittle bits of fun language learning can fit nicely even into the busiest of schedules. Whenever you have a few minutes, like when youre in the bathroom and browsing the internet on your phone (like I know you do), you can be practicing your target language. Let no spare moment go to waste!Dont burn your books just yetYoull still need formal learning and periods of focused study time. The idea is to incorporate more  fun learning methods into your daily routine. You can certainly cut down on your more intense study sessions, but overall youll still need these to succeed.Take breaksPlenty of research on human motivation has shown that were more productive when we take lots of frequent, little breaks. Try the following patterns to structure your study time and keep your brain refreshed:Study for 20 minutes, take a 5-minute break.Study for 30 min utes, take a 10-minute break.Study for 50 minutes, take a 20-minute break.During the study period, use your more formal study methods. During the break period, use one of our suggested  fun  language practice methods.12 Wicked Fun Ways to Learn Any LanguageThe first five items on this list will get you connected online, showing you how to use the internet for some fun new ways to learn.  1. Browse  RedditReddits my go-to place for language learning.Make an account, explore and subscribe to subreddits (pages that are thematically-oriented to one specific region, interest, etc.) where people speak or study your target language. For example, if youre learning French you might want  to subscribe to the subreddits  reddit.com/r/learnfrench, reddit.com/r/french or reddit.com/r/franceâ€"that last one being bilingual.There, youll find great articles in your target language, along with comments from users. Youll also come across  memes, gifs and fun images. Not only will you learn how  other countries and cultures use these mediaâ€"which is kinda fascinating all on its ownâ€"but youll also learn about a societys favorite types of humor, plus ongoing jokes related to  popular culture, current events and social issues.You can also filter Reddit search results to only pull up posts in your target language.Youll just feel like youre browsing away on Reddit, but youre actively connecting with  communities of language learners and native speakers.2. Use region-specific social mediaYeah, Facebook is popular pretty much everywhere. But you may have also noticed that certain areas of the world have their own social media sites with intense regional followings. See what native speakers of your target language are using, then sign up and start chatting!For example, WhatsApp  is popular in Europe and Latin America, while Kakao Talk is what Koreans use to chat. Hi5, despite being based in the U.S., could not be more latino,  while many in  Spain still use  Tuentiâ€"the Spanish Face book.3. Play online video gamesComputer-based games like Minecraft, World of Warcraft and Team Fortress 2 let you join group conversations and work cooperatively with others.To get an idea of what gameplay will be like in your target language, check out the videos on Twitch. Id recommend either  searching the site by language (for example, type German into the sites search bar) or by video game titleâ€"or both. Listen to how French trolls berate other players and work the word n00b into their sentences.As for other popular games like Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto and so on, Google party up threads for speakers of your native language. Search for this using your target language! They often look to recruit more game companions on online forums, since gaming is always more fun when youve got buddies to chat with.4. Find friends onlineDont just stop at language exchange sites. You may find it fun to use chat messengers and video conferencing to converse with native speakers, but that o ften involves stiff, formal conversation, awkward pauses and corrections. That adds a different level of pressure to the situationâ€"youll still be in learning mode, trying to watch your words carefully and improve your speaking.Want some more chill interactions? Try making friends in real life!To get started, try Meetup. This is ideal if youre living abroad and looking for more opportunities for casual interaction with native speakers or fellow learners. Its also great while living in a country that doesnt speak your target languageâ€"simply search for conversation nights and cultural activities related to the language, and youll be sure to find some like-minded peeps  to hang out with.5. Date in your target languageSingle and ready to mingle? Okay, Im notâ€"I got into something committed before the inglorious rise of Tinder and Grindrâ€"but I know there are a lot of language learners out there looking to hook up. There are a few ways to go about finding matches who speak your targ et language.Set your region to a place where your target language is spoken.Change your application interface to your target language.Include your spoken languages in your profile, and attract native speakers like flies.For sites and apps offering  this option, filter potential matches by  languages spoken.Want to arrange a hookup in your destination before your plane even touches down?  Tinder Plus, the next level of Tinder, is working overtime to market to us international, jet-setting, traveling types. If youre hoping for something a little less casual,  Match  has separate pages specifically for seeking partners internationally.Were leaving web pages for now and heading to our phones! These next two tips will show you how to use your phone for good, not evil. Your phone usually distracts you from anything and everything, but now  it can help you learn while you waste your life away!6. Set your phone interface to your target languageEasy as cake. Navigating your phone in your tar get language forces you to use your target language every time you pick up that mesmerizing little device. Eventually, youll learn all the key words you need to get to text messages, contact lists, emails and Facebook, and youll find that youre swiping and tapping your device as quickly and easily as you did in your native language!7. Use only the most entertaining appsSkip the flashcard apps for now. Try out fun  apps that aim to deliver instant gratification.Duolingo  gets you learning  through cheerful, addictive games. You choose game content based onthemes (food, animals, etc.) or linguistic points (present tense, gender, etc.) and play a round of three-strikes-youre-out. Get the answers correct to advance and earn points. You can use these points for rewards, like bonus lives and health elixirs to store for extra-challenging rounds.FluentU has  collected tons of real-world video clipsâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news, Disney movies and childrens showsâ€"and turned the m into personalized language learning lessons.  Start using FluentU on the website  with your computer or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the  iTunes  or  Google Play  store.Free City Maps and Walks  is great for iPhone users who enjoy playing with the first-person street view on Google maps. Take walking tours of nearly 500 cities worldwide! Look at street signs, billboards and more as you go to learn about language, culture, architecture and more.World Lens Translator  is about to blow your freaking mind. The future has officially arrived. Simply point your smartphone camera lens at a text (or look at it with your Google Glass if youre so lucky) and have it translated before your eyes, in real time.*Bonus: Download your favorite smartphone and tablet games in your target language! For example, did you know that all those silly little game that you just cant stop playingâ€"take, for example, Plants vs.  Zombiesâ€"are frequently available in Spanish, French, Japanese and many, many more languages? For some, youll need to do the initial download with the different language indicated. For others, you can simply change the interface language in game settings.Finally, well be eating our way to fluency in these  last five ways to learn a language while having a seriously fun time.8. Seek out recipes in their native languageCan Paula Deen really make authentic fried plantains  as good as any  Ecuadorian  mamita? Does Martha Stewart secretly have a Korean mother who taught her how to make that ultimate kimchi? Um, probably not.If you want recipes that are authentic down to every last step of preparation, youre better off searching for them in your target language. For example, few English plantain recipes will suggest you grab a rock from outside to smash em down after frying. Thats one beautiful little cultural detail you miss out on if youre not finding recipes directly from their country of origin!9. Watch step-by-step culinary instruction videosStep right into an authentic kitchen, and let a native speaker of your target language take  you to culinary heaven. Quality, step-by-step cooking videos are absolutely everywhere on the internet. Just search for your desired recipe in your target language on YouTube!Youll find everything from beautifully-lit and organized walkthroughs by  professional chefs to normal people filming their home  food preparation. Each type of video has its own advantages. The best part about any cooking video is that it was created for you to follow carefully. That means theyre usually very detailed. The cook will speak clearly, slowly and explicitly, which is perfect for language learners.Cook along with them, or simply binge watch these videos when youre hungry and daydreaming about delicious food.10. Shop in ethnic grocery stores with imported goodsAs a lifelong dawdler, I love leisurely strolling through grocery store aisles and mulling over the different items. This is even more fun when w andering around an ethnic grocery shop.Any major city is bound to have Japanese convenience stores akin to those found on the streets of Tokyo. Latin grocery stores are arguably the most cost-efficient places to stock up on bulk bags of rice and beans. Most or all of the items in these kinds of stores will have labels written in your target language. Its a language learners goldmine.Make a shopping list based on the recipe youve found online in your target languageâ€"and write it out in that language too, of course.Head  to Google maps and see whats in your area!Even if you live in a rural area, like myself, the nearest large town or small city should still offer plenty of options. Visiting one of these stores is really  worth the occasional drive if you can swing it.11. Order imported food onlineIf you enjoy shopping online and get a rush of excitement when an Amazon box appears on your doorstep, trying browsing online for foreign products related to your target language. What do n ative speakers order while theyre abroad and feeling homesick? Is there a particular product their country is famous for?Look for products with stellar reviews that offer little tastes of local cuisine.12. Eat out in an authentic restaurantIf youre learning abroad, eat where the locals eat. Avoid tourist-packed restaurants like the plagueâ€"theyre usually overpriced and serve food  watered down to foreign palettes anyway.If youre in your home country, track down where native speakers of your target language own restaurants. This will introduce you to authentic food, and often the menu will be partially or fully written in their home language. You can chit-chat with the hosts, waiters and busboys to your hearts content, allowing you to try out your language skills and maybe even make friends.See? I told you these were seriously  awesome ways to learn a language without studying. Now go have some fun and get started today! And One More ThingIf youre digging these fun ways to learn a l anguage, youll love using FluentU. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.