Are you currently studying a foreign language? Do you feel like your level is pretty good but it has hit a plateau and isn’t quite getting to where you would like it? Follow my advice, send me a writing sample, and you will already begin to improve!
Tengo unos TIPS for you !!
Something I did when I started getting about learning French was I began writing letters to friends about what’s going on with me currently. But what REALLY helped me improve was creative writing!
Write something raunchy in the foreign language you’re studying. Write a short story, write what ever. It doesn’t even have to make sense.
-Find a buddy who is willing to go over your writing. Make sure it’s someone you trust and feel comfortable being silly and nasty with. Obviously, it’s much more beneficial when your partner in crime is a native speaker. If they are not a native speaker then someone who is more advanced than you.
-Consult http://www.wordreference.com when looking up words. This website is great because it often times gives you a translation with context. But you are not only limited to this website.
-Get creative. Don’t only write about logical things. The more imaginitive you get the more new vocabulary you will pick up.
-Watch foreign films in the language of study to help inspire you.
-DO NOT TRANSLATE YOUR STORY FROM ENGLISH, this will only hinder your grammar. When learning a foreign language we cannot translate literally.
-If you have a grammar doubt ask a friend or Google it!
-Ask your language buddy for equivalents of expressions or phrases in their foreign language.
-Look up profanity and slang in your foreign language, it will make learning that much more fun! If studying Spanish search country specific because slang changes from one Spanish-speaking country to another. Ejemplo/Example: “I’m feeling naughty” (in the sexual sense) could be translated into Spanish as: “Me siento traviesa”
-Join a Meetup group at http://www.meetup.com. There are plenty of foreign language groups with people dying to do language exchanges!
Even if you are not a writer, I GUARENTEE that writing a nasty, funny, or ridiculous story in a foreign language will improve your level. Ofcourse reading and practicing in person helps too, but when we write we realize that we might be less precise than we thought!
Spanish, English and French learners, feel free to send me one of your silly stories and I’ve love to help you correct it. If you want me to post your story on my blog for laughs I’m also open to that!
Find your language buddy today!