When I first moved to Budapest I thought my chances of learning Hungarian were between “in a few decades” and “when pigs fly”. But against all odds, I’ve picked up more than enough to get by! I never made time for a formal language class, but good news! There’s many ways to learn a foreign language (especially when you’ve thrown yourself into an immersive situation). If you’re intimidated by the language of a new destination, here are five tips to help learn a new language abroad.
1. Go Grocery Shopping
Why not turn your chore into a vocab building exercise? Challenge yourself to memorize at least one new food item each time you shop, or use your receipt as a quiz.
Ready to take it up a level? Leave the supermarket behind and head to a local market. Watch your knowledge of quantities, greetings (and incredibly expressive body language) soar! (I can’t tell y’all how satisfying it is to have my own dairy lady.)
If you don’t feel like leaving your apartment, ordering takeout is also a vocabulary lesson. When I first started using the NetPincér app, I needed Google translate to lead me to my favorite butter chicken and garlic naan. But now I can say vajascsirke és fokhagymás kenyer faster than I can finish eating it…
2. Get Talking at a Language Exchange
If anyone’s ever described you as a Chatty Cathy, a language exchange might be a good place for you. People are there with the intent to talk and connect!
Don a name tag with your native and in-progress languages, grab a drink, and get talking! Not only is a language exchange the perfect opportunity to get in practice with a native speaker, but you might end up leaving with a few new friends–or at least some local tips to see your new city!
(The Budapest language exchange event on Meetup.com hosts monthly gatherings in different venues across the city.)
3. Get Reading
Textbooks and lessons can be helpful (I loved my Hungarian lessons at Ulysses language school), but there are other resources you can use for free! Billboards, menus, ingredients on that back of the milk you bought that may or may not be soy, new vocab is all around you. If you catch a matinee at the cinema, pay attention to the subtitles! Or maybe you’ll go to a bilingual church service or university lecture. And don’t just keep it in your head! Some of my best impromptu practice has been trying to pronounce things as I’m on my way around the city. Sure, I may look like a girl who’s just talking to herself, but if it’ll help me eventually talk to other people in Hungarian, it’s worth it!
4. Work with children
Sure, this is easy for me to recommend seeing as I teach kindergartners every day. And trust me, you will learn survival vocab like “quiet” and “sit down” and “please have mercy I stayed up too late lesson planning and can’t deal right now” really quickly. The great thing about working with kids is that you’ll repeat yourself…a lot. So you’ll definitely firm up some vocab!
But you don’t have to make working with kids your full time job to get some of the benefits. Find a quick and meaningful opportunity by volunteering at an after school program or finding a babysitting gig! Working with little ones not your style? Look up the popular kids’ shows or songs for some entry-level language study!
5. Get a Manicure
Any person-to-person service like this makes you a captive audience–and gives you ample opportunity to learn a language abroad! I mean, it’s a great chance to learn how to describe colors, patterns, and shapes, right? My manicurist is so friendly, and even though it was a struggle for me to string together enough Hungarian to have a conversation, by the end of my appointment I had a huge sense of accomplishment (as well as a killer set of nails!).
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Whether you’re studying, relocating, or just passing through, unlocking the language of your new land can help you make the most of your time there! So be gracious, be patient, and good luck! You’ll learn a language abroad in no time!
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