5 Tips For Learning A New Language While Traveling

Five tips to learn any language

1. Keep it simple
2. Say what you can say
3. Speak slow
4. Listen slow
5. Relax and have fun

Keep it simple

Do you remember your high school English class? Yea, I don’t either. But my traveling has forced me to use some of those basic high school English concepts. The most useful has been the Subject – Verb – Object combination. Most languages use this concept exactly as we do in English or in a different order. All languages (that I’m aware of) have these three components.

I’m no fan of grammar but for this lesson, it will actually help a little. So here is a quick review,

• Subject – the person or thing doing the action
• Verb – the action
• Object – what or who the action is done to

Here is what it looks like

I (subject) walk (verb) store (object).

That’s all you need.

“I am walking to the store“ is correct but all of those extra words are unnecessary to get the idea across. And the point of communication is communicating not grammar.

I’m going to add one more part that I’ll call ‘other’. You can add other items, like today, where, please. Usually ‘other’ comes at the end.

There are A  LOT of things you can say (incorrectly) and be understood using this system.

Say what you can say

Speak slow

• Take a deep breath,
• Relax
• Speak slowly
• Put in a placeholder to slow down.

Taking a deep breath does two things. It calms you, especially if you take a long exhale. Secondly, it gives you a moment’s pause to think instead of freeze.

Putting in place holders such as: so, umm, hmm, maybe, or just pausing gives you a moment to slow down and think about what to say.

Listen slow

Most people speak fast in their native language. It sounds normal to them but can be impossible to understand when you are just learning the language.

Learn a few key phrases to so the speaker will slow their speech

• “Please speak slowly”
•  “Please, say again.”

You will find two things that will happen here.

1. The speaker will slow down for you.
2. Often they will restate and simplify the sentences.

Both of these things will make it much easier for you to understand what they are saying.

Relax and have fun

When you are first learning a language, you will make far more mistakes than you will make correct sentences. Realize that this is part of the learning process and it’s to be expected. Don’t be hard on yourself or frustrated. It’s how you learn a language.

You will say ridiculous things that make people laugh, go with it and just have fun giving people a good laugh.

Unexpected things will happen too. That’s part of the fun of traveling. In Bangkok, I once ordered a coffee with cream (I thought). I got a coffee with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and a cherry. No complaints there.