How to Learn a Language When You Don't Speak a Word

How to learn a language is not as difficult as you might think - if you apply a few simple rules and scale back your ambition.

This isn't about becoming fluent but about getting by.

While some people are natural linguists and pick up languages as easily as catching a cold, they're in the minority.

Most people struggle with learning a foreign language, and only want to know enough to get their message across.

How will you make yourself understood if something goes wrong?

Knowing a bit of the language can revolutionize your trip! It can help you meet local people (which is why you're on the road, right?), sample 'real' cuisine in restaurants, or simply end up in the right place for a change.

Where are you going?

When planning your trip, try to stick to countries where a single language might get you by. In West and Central Africa, you'll be fine with some French. In most of East and Southern Africa, English is spoken.

If you're headed to South America, you'll get by in Spanish in just about every country (Brazil is the only large country that isn't Spanish-speaking but some Spanish will still help).

Can't make up your mind? How to Learn Any Language might be just the place.

How to learn a language - or at least part of one

The idea isn't to learn a language fluently - but there are plenty of little things you can do to learn just enough.

1. Before you go, find someone at home who speaks the language.
Just ask for a few basic pronunciations. In Russian, M is pronounced T and U is pronounced I. Languages are full of these differences - it'll make your life a lot easier if you know what they are.

2. Learn just one phrase.
And that phrase is... "What is the word for...?" Then point. It's a great way to build your vocabulary. You'll probably only point to things that interest you, so there's a good chance the word might stick. In Thailand my first word was 'pineapple'. Then I learned 'please'. Then 'one'. Before I knew it, I had a sentence! And a lot of smiles from pineapple street vendors. One phrase isn't enough? Learn a few more.

3. Learn some basic words.
If you're a little more ambitious, try a few key words: please and thank you, of course, but also bank, restaurant, right, left, straight, up, down, 1-2-3... I got by for months in Bangkok with those few words in Thai, all of them mispronounced, too!

4. Watch TV or listen to radio.
Lucky you if you have access to global television, often in languages you didn't even know existed. Listen a bit just get used to the sound. Don't even try to understand. No world TV in your neighborhood? Then try radio broadcasts online.

5. Read out loud.
That's right - even if you don't understand a word you're reading! It'll make the language more familiar and less bewildering. Get a celebrity magazine - the pictures will tell you what it's about.

6. Take a free language course.
And if you're up to it and a few words just won't do, there are plenty of free online language courses you might dip into! Or try one of the excellent free online learning sites, like Livemocha or My Language Exchange.

7. Get a phrasebook or pocket dictionary.
This may seem like a no-brainer but you'd be surprised at how many people leave home without it! Just look up the word you need, and then hand your phrasebook over. Do this a few times and you'll actually be having a conversation without even knowing the language. Any good bookstore will have them in their travel section and they exist in many languages, even unusual ones. Get one of these for the region you're visiting - they're invaluable!

8. Use your iPod or MP3.
Download some beginners' lessons from iTunes education podcasts, or search for 'language podcasts' directly on the Internet. Instead of listening to music all the time, replace an hour or two with basic language training.

9. Carry a pocket translator.
If you find a phrasebook too cumbersome and are really unable to learn a bit of the language, you could try a portable electronic translator. Just type in the word in English, press Enter, and presto, there's the translation. It's relatively accurate, although it can at times produce an erroneous - and at times hilarious - translation. Most times, though, it's just fine for basic conversation or to ask for directions.

How to learn a language in greater depth

Do you want to learn more?

You can always study language abroad, by taking grammar lessons, conversation classes or going for total immersion.

Do you want to know how to learn a language in under an hour? You could try the approach developed by Tim Ferris, author of the Four-Hour Work Week. His blog shows you how to 'deconstruct' a language to see how it is built, and how to learn a language (badly of course) in under an hour.

If you're really interested in learning a language but don't know which one, How to Learn Any Language might be just the place.

Whatever you decide, you'll enjoy your travels so much more if you can share even a little slice of life with the people you meet along the way.