Learning a Foreign Language

If you plan on traveling internationally, it’s important to learn the language and the culture of the country you will be visiting. Below you will find a collection of resources to help immerse you in the language and the arts. 

French

  • Best French Websites – A collection of websites that will help teach you learn French.
  • Beginner French Lessons – French lessons for beginners.
  • French Online – Learn basic French letters, numbers, and phrases.
  • Learn French Online – All lessons are free, and this website provides unique quiz questions and exercises.
  • French Podcasts and Lessons – Learn French through online podcasts.

Italian

  • Italian Lessons Online – These lessons are not free, but this website provides 22 complete online Italian Lessons for $20 US dollars.
  • Free Downloadable Italian Lessons – Hundreds of different Italian lessons to choose from.
  • Italian Software – From grammar to pronunciation, this Italian software will have you speaking the language in no time.
  • Italian – English dictionary – Translate words you do not understand for free.
  • Interactive Italian – Learn Italian with voice chats, text chats and discussion forums.

Portuguese

  • Free Portuguese Lessons – Offers interactive online lessons, quizzes, and more.
  • Portuguese Online – This website offers lessons and helpful Portuguese resource pages.
  • Portuguese Made Easy – This website offers many Portuguese lessons, including audio files to help you learn.
  • Introduction to Portuguese – This website not only offers the basics to learning Portuguese but advance lessons.
  • Online Portuguese Courses – All of these courses are free.

Spanish

Slavic

  • Slavic Simplified – The Slavic language, simplified. Many useful tips to learn the Slavic language.
  • Slavic Software – Slavic learning resources including software, games, and more.
  • Slavic Translators – Slavic translators online
  • Slavic Dictionaries – Incorporates all of the Slavic languages

Hebrew

  • Learn Hebrew – This website has over 1700 Hebrew words and phases.
  • Hebrew Lessons – Free Hebrew lessons online, including audio lessons.
  • Hebrew Verbs – This website translates verbs for gender, tense, and plurals.
  • Learn the Hebrew Alphabet – This website teaches you the Hebrew alphabet, step by step. It also teaches you how to write in Hebrew.
  • Hebrew Podcasts – Learn to speak conversational Hebrew through this website’s podcast lessons.

Quechua

  • Quechua Learning Applications – This website offers the best websites for Quechua learning software and products.
  • Quechua Basics – While this website helps you learn a few words of Quechua, it gets in depth with the history of the language.
  • Free Quechua Lessons – This website offers the best websites for Quechua lessons online.
  • Quechua Language – This website offers live Quechua help.
  • Quechua Alphabet – This website teaches you the Quechua alphabet.

Cultures Internationally

  • French Studies – A wonderful page of resources about the French culture.
  • Italian Culture – This website links to pages about popular Italian culture.
  • Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture – One of the best collections of Portuguese information.
  • Spanish Studies – Learn about Spanish language and culture.
  • Hebrew – The history of Hebrew and its culture.
  • Quechua Culture – Learn about the Quechua language and the people who speak it.

Best Practices for Learning Foreign Languages

Learning foreign languages is a tough task to complete. You may feel that you have tried everything possible to understand and learn the language. Yet when you have the opportunity to read or speak the language amnesia sets in and everything is forgotten. Or, after study time, you cannot remember what you studied through. Follow these best practice tips for learning a foreign language.

One thing to do is to try and study though some vocabulary every single day. Without vocabulary a person cannot learn the language. Carry a ring of vocabulary cards in your pocket and if you find yourself standing in a long line pull them out and study them for a little time. Studying small bits every day the language stays fresh in your mind from one day to the next.

Another idea is to try and find a way to speak what you know. People can study grammar and vocabulary every day but, unless you have a way to speak the words you will never learn to articulate them to other people. Find a friend who may be learning the language or who can speak it fluently and ask for them to speak to you in it. This allows your mind to get used to hearing and processing the language.

If you have been studying a foreign language for a long, time take a few days off to allow the information to absorb into your life. After two days start studying again and you will find that it is a little easier.

Try playing a game that is written in the foreign language you are learning. By engaging in an activity that is not book work you are teaching yourself to learn in other ways. When people learn to talk as a child the language they are being taught literally surrounds them 24 hours a day 7 days a week. A student of the languages must find ways to immerse themselves in the language. This includes ways that are different from classroom and books. Learning a language as a child should be the model by which adults learn a new language.