What is the best way to learn a language, quickly?

Question

For example Spanish or French.

Answer 1

Here are some ideas many second language learners don't realize.

FIRST: Completely eliminate English idioms when you speak. We use a LOT of phrases that are not understood in other countries, and they use ones we don't understand. Examples: Get to first base. Flip the switch. Hitch a ride.
Even between England and North America, for example 'knock someone up'. In North America it means get a girl pregnant. In England it means knock on their door. So you can see how embarrassing it might be should you stumble on an idiom that means something else.

SECOND: Realize that it is not ALWAYS a one-for-one word exchange when translating. Some languages can express an idea in as little as one word compared to a few, and vice-versa.
Hand in hand with this, understanding that the idea being expressed is what's important, not the way it's said. Just because the sentence wasn't constructed the way we would have said it doesn't make it wrong.

LAST: I cheated. I learnt the worlds easiest language first and now I find I understand English better and I'm in a better position to learn more languages.

That language was ESPERANTO. It is designed such that you MUST understand sentence structure, which helps to understand other languages. Plus you end up with a multitude of Esperanto friends; oh the burdens we bear.

Oh sorry. I forgot to mention, listen to and read as much as you possibly can, whenever you can. Immersion, immersion, IMMERSION!

Gxis!

Answer 2

Move to a community where nobody speaks your language and only the language you want to learn is spoken. You will be fluent in the new language in three months. And I'm not kidding. Pronunciation may not be perfect, but there is no language institute or courses on line that can offer you this.

Answer 3

Take a class and on your own, get the book the First Thousand Words in French and learn about 20 words a week.

Answer 4

The F. S. I . method . . . Foreign Service Institute. Given to Military, Peace Corps and Diplomats. I learned Spanish in six weeks. Listen to the tape while you read the info and pronounce it. . over and over and over. . .
I went from Zero to 2.5 out of 5.0 in six weeks and could converse, classes are eight hours per day.

I would not waste my time on French,where are you going to use it, however, English, Spanish (if in the Americas), Mandarin Chinese will get you there.

Answer 5

The best way to learn a language is by listening to their music, buy the movies in theat language, and meet people from that language to practice with.

Answer 6

It's a great adventure! It may be done by learning by heart. Learning spoken sentences by heart. Redundantly learning sentences by heart the way you would learn religious prayers. Translating, translating, translating texts of subjects that you really like, from that language into your own language and then the other way round, subjects that you really like from your own language and to that language. Learning poems by heart - learning a beautiful poem by heart by carefully listening to a taped version and reading, reciting aloud the written text of the poem. Learning songs by heart - standing in your own room and listening to a song in that language and singing repeating the words and sentences as precisely as possible. Here having the written text of the song you are working with would be kind of necessary. So you might find a beautiful song in a clear crisp language, a song you really like and then find its text and then dedicate much of your free time to learning the song by heart.

In any case it would be really good for you to have a friend or friends that have that language as their native language and that would love to try to help you to learn their language. Good luck!

Answer 7

Buy some "resource " books on the language or buy some dictionary that could translate the language and study 2~5 words a day -.-"

Answer 8

Well ...that depends of your brain! There are lots of ways you could learn a language quickly :audiotapes,by practicing regularly...but the best way is to integrate in their culture and to be there where the language you chose to learn is spoke!

Answer 9

Any class that combines grammer, learning vocabular with extensive listening and talking practise.

It is fairly easy to learn to read a language, but listening and talking it are very hard.

Practise thinking in the language, and translating your everyday conversations.

Answer 10

The best way to learn ANY language is to spend time in a country that speaks it. The best way to learn is when you HAVE to learn. Its like 'sink or swim'.