8 Language Learning Hacks For Busy People

Are you too busy to learn a language? Do you always find it hard to make time to study?

Me too.

In this video, I lift the lid on a typical day and let you look over my shoulder as I study languages in all kinds of different places over the course of 24 hours. I want to show you my language learning hacks.

There are eight “techniques” in the video. The point here is not to show you any groundbreaking new language learning techniques – in fact, you'll notice that all of these are pretty simple!

The point is to demonstrate just what's possible if you use a variety of studying hacks, techniques and mediums.

If you're busy (and who isn't!), you probably find it hard to sit down and study for a whole hour in the evening.

Studying regularly throughout the day is the easiest language hacking solution for this. Use the 5, 10 or 15-minute blocks that inevitably crop up during the course of a day to get a short “language fix”!

15 minutes might not sound like a lot, but they really start to add up over the course of a week, month and year.

Also, many language learners find that studying regularly is more effective than studying in a single block because your brain gets used to jumping back into gear at short notice!

By the way, if you want to be a successful language learner, using the right method is key.

My courses teach you through StoryLearning®, a fun and effective method that gets you fluent thanks to stories, not rules. Find out more and claim your free 7-day trial of the course of your choice.

Language Learning Hacks For When You're Too Busy

Techniques and resources mentioned in this video:

1. Listening To Music

You're never too tired to listen! It's the easiest way to use your dead minutes while travelling or waiting in a queue. Listening to music can help you learn more about the culture where they speak the language you are learning.

In music, there is often colloquialisms and dialects. Use your music listening to pick up phrases you'd never see in a textbook.

Check out music in your target language on:

• Spotify
• YouTube

2. Flashcard Apps

Flashcards are an easy and simple way to check what you've learnt while you're on the go. Using an app can make it an accessible way to go over your vocabulary while you're waiting for a meeting to start or sitting in a cafe.

Why not try out:

• Flashcards Deluxe

Once you've set up your flashcards, you can use the app to check them wherever you are. It's a great memory testing exercise that you'll always be able to find 5 minutes to complete.

3. Listening To Dialogues

Listening to dialogues is ideal for when you're on the go. You can immerse yourself in the language and pick up phrases and structures used in context. There's no point studying a bunch of words if you don't know how to use them.

Why not try:

• Glossika Mass Sentences

Listening to your chosen language in context helps you absorb it better, as well as understand how the pronunciation works.

4. Self-Talk

This may seem like a strange one, but self-talk is a great way to check in with yourself about what you've learned. There is no point spending hours listening to your language if you don't practice what you've learnt.

The easiest thing about this hack is that you only need yourself! It may not be a substitute for real conversation, but it helps cement your learnings in your mind.

5. Instant Messaging

We all love sending messages, so why not do it in your target language? You can use instant messaging apps such as:

• Lang-8
• Hello Talk

Use these platforms to find a partner who wants to chat with you in your target language.

It's a very simple way to sprinkle some practice in throughout the day. Just be careful not to get carried away and let messaging hinder your productivity at work!

6. Speaking Sessions With A Tutor Or Language Partner

Speaking practice is one of the most important parts of your language learning journey. You can read, write and listen all you like but if you don't practice speaking, you'll not make much progress.

Schedule time with a tutor each week so you guarantee you'll get your speaking practice. Even if it's only 30 minutes, it's better than no practice at all!

Try finding a tutor on:

• iTalki

Not only will you get to practice a live conversation, but a tutor will also be able to correct your pronunciation.

7. Foreign Language TV!

Watching movies or TV in your target language isn't the most effective way to learn a language. However, it's a useful bit of exposure at the end of a long day when you're too tired to do anything else!

• Advice for watching movies

If you commute to work or travel a lot, download some movies in your target language so you always have something to entertain and educate you!

8. Language Videos

You want to enjoy the language learning process so intertwine your language learning with something you enjoy. Want to watch history videos on YouTube? Why not watch them in your target language?

Check out topics which will entertain you on:

• FluentU
• YouTube

Watching videos may be passive learning, but it's an easy way to relax AND get some study in at the same time!

Don't Overwhelm Yourself

Doing all 8 hacks in one day sounds like a lot! But, once you get used to them, it will become routine and not a struggle.

Start small, even just 10 minutes of one of the ideas from this list. Then gradually build up your daily language learning activities as you get more confident.

Which of these language learning hacks can you take and fit into your routine?

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.