How to Make a Second Language Second Nature

Can’t remember more than “¿Cómo estás?” or “Parlez-vous français?” from a few years of high school classes? That doesn’t mean all hope is lost for picking up another language, if you’re feeling inspired by the K-pop crooning of the girl group TWICE or iterations of “Love Is Blind” from Sweden and Japan.

Thomas Sauer, assistant director of resource development for the National Foreign Language Center at UMD, grew up in Germany and has taught and consulted on language acquisition for two decades in the United States. The center develops resources for a wide range of people, from K-12 teachers to government officials, and has created its own app, Lectia. Sauer shares his tips for jumping back into language learning:

Want to chat with your in-laws in Chinese? Your Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach in Portuguese? “Learn language based on things that are interesting and relevant to you,” says Sauer. Beginner classes often start with rooms or colors, but memorizing boring things won’t stick.

Try a TV show in another language or pull up a YouTube video about a hobby like cooking, exercising or fashion in your target language. “You’ll pick up things just by watching it.”

Popular apps like Duolingo can be an addictive place to start because they turn studying into a game, says Sauer, encouraging you to earn prizes by learning lots of vocabulary. “The problem is, they have only taken one aspect of language learning and put it into a device.”

“You can drive a car without being a mechanic,” he says. “Why do you need to know the mechanics of a second language, if most people don’t know a past participle in English?”

Don’t get bogged down in conjugating every form of a verb—if you know enough to talk about yourself or ask questions, you can learn more grammar in context.

Use the words you’ve learned in conversation. Seek out native speakers, such as a peer mentor, Sauer advises. “There’s lots of websites where you can connect with someone who will teach you their language if you teach them yours.”