Tip #16 - pimp your phrasebook

A greatly underrated language learning tool
We normally buy phrasebooks at airports or on impulse. They are not normally part of our planned language learning programme. However, language phrasebooks are really good concentrated, basic and directly applicable introductions to a language and for developing your speech.

Digestible chunked up language
Travel phrasebooks have all kinds of chunks of language and they give you the situation to use the language in as well as what your conversational counterpart might say. It really prepares you for each situation. They also normally have great overviews of grammar in non-specialist language as well as lists of vocabulary. Whenever I start on a new language I always buy a phrasebook first. It gives me a feel for how it works and if I like the sound of it.

An exercise
The next time you are going on holiday buy a phrasebook about 6 weeks before. Then highlight the sections you think are most interesting and drill yourself in them for 15 minutes a day until the day you travel. Bring the book with you so you can review before you encounter each situation on holiday. I guarantee you will get more out of your holiday, feel more confident using the language and get a quick start. You can buy phrasebooks in practically all bookstores or also online at Ephisto store.

Tip #7 - make stuff interest you

A no-brainer?

This seems fairly obvious but often people try to learn a language by stuffing themselves full of grammar books or exercises that tell you that this man's name is "Tom" and the woman's "Mary". Needless to say many times people stop learning a language after the first few exercises. Could there be a connection here maybe?

Well, while this is okay as a start for people driven by other motivating factors such as, they need the language for work or to function in everyday life, it isn't very motivating for most ordinary learners. So you have to find two or three powerful motivating factors to keep you at the grindstone. For instance, after a grammar exercise. think to yourself "Right, and this piece of grammar I can now use for ......" And then you have confirmed the usefulness of it. Then it's easier to grind through a grammar exercise.

Somthing I normally do is read something I'm interested in anyway. this might mean that the text is at a higher level than I am, but then I'm stretching myself in the language and for me this is motivating.

What's motivating for you?

Tip #6 - Talk to yourself on the bus

No time is dead time

Just because you don't happen to have your course book or language exchange partner there with you, doesn't mean that you can't practise the language.

Do you see what you are reading now? Well, what's the word for "sentence" in your target language? Look around you. Can you name everything around you in that language? If not, then start thinking.


If you can't extract what things are called just now, then instead start to practise conversations. Go through them in your head from greeting a person to saying goodbye or making plans for dinner. Imagine what the words feel like on your tongue.

Or apply grammar rules you have just learned to some sentences in your mind and see if they seem to work. Decide in what situation later you can try that out and then do it.

Yes, even sitting on a bus there's a lot of room for language learning :)

Enjoy yourself,