Nowadays it is very important if not necessary to know a second language, especially if it is English which is considered the most international and spoken one today. I also think that Chinese and Spanish will soon be added to this category.
So let’s start to study them too hehehe…
But how to learn a new language? Do you know any interesting tricks or tips to follow in order to have a good level in that language in a short period?
I can tell you what I did and what I do to learn and improve the languages I speak:
I began with English: I studied it at school but what I did most was to translate English songs especially those of my favourite singers; I always watched Mtv or Cnn or Fox news channels and thanks to the Exchange programs with United States my school had, I also started some communication by letter at that time with some american guys. One time we received some Austrialians too and I am still friends with one of them, after 17 years…
Then I studied Spanish and Portuguese at University. What helped me most was the Spanish and Portuguese telenovelas and in the case of the Spanish language, moving to Spain has been, of course, the best way to improve this language till I got the proper accent from the city where I lived. I also worked as a receptionist there and that helped me to keep speaking them and improving them day by day with the customers.
And finally I moved to Norway so I had to learn Norwegian to integrate myself more to the society and here I met two wonderful Brazilian girls who help me practicing and improving my Portuguese. Today I work at a hotel as a receptionist so I speak all of them day by day and it is challenging and funny!
But which tips or tricks could I recommend you guys in order to learn fast and well a language?
First of all read a grammar, do exercises, watch foreigner channels, read articles or even books and listen to music! Just to cover grammar, listening and comprehension fields. You just need half hour per day, not more, if you have a busy life.
About the speaking I suggest you to search for an international exchange program in your city: I know that there are exchange languages programs where you can have a coffee with a person who speaks the language you are learning and vice versa, it helps a lot! Then if you are social and you move in an international environment of course it is helpful to make international friends… Try also to use the new words you learn as much as you can in order not to forget them and most importantly take the risk to speak, even if you are making some mistakes, it doesn’t matter, because the person you are speaking to will correct you for sure, I hope, and this is a good way to remember your mistake and not doing that again!
The most interesting tip is to travel to the place of the language you are learning, just stay there few months, if you move there better! Listening to that language 24h helps you in a very fast way to learn it and it is the most challenging and funny way to live with it!
Good luck!
Gregorace Translations 
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