Learning a new language used to be a rigid process. Log in to your course, memorize vocabulary lists, repeat drills, and hope it all sticks. However, this method feels disconnected from real life. Once you log out of your course for the day, the language tends to stay behind as well.
Then you go ahead and spend months recycling the same, barely practical approach.
But what if you could keep the learning wheel turning even when you’re not actively studying? The truth is, your daily routine tasks present numerous opportunities that can significantly shorten your language learning curve and make learning easier if utilized effectively.
In this article, we’ll share some of these tasks and how to turn them into everyday learning moments.
Listen to podcasts and read ebooks in another language
Listening to podcasts or music in a language you barely understand but have an interest in is a unique kind of flex. You might not catch every sentence, but over time, you’ll start connecting words and meanings naturally.
To make this work:
Make sure you’ve heard the podcast or song in your fluent language first
Get a translated version of the lyrics or paste them into ChatGPT for a quick interpretation
Don’t only listen and internalize. Sing along and out loud. Keeping it in your head won’t improve your speaking skills
At first, you might miss dozens of meanings but you’ll get better with each listen. Every lyrics heard will also expose you to a number of vocabularies you can add to your catalog.
The same applies to reading ebooks, whether downloaded or online. Pick a copy you’ve already read in your proficient language, then find the translated version in your target language and read. Gauge your progress and note down which words or sentences you find challenging to understand.
Talk to yourself while doing house chores
“We’ve all been there. Saying our thoughts out loud, whether subconsciously or intentionally, while washing the dishes or cleaning the house. It’s often a mental habit our brain adopts to pass the time during tasks that might not be very enjoyable”, Jarrod Epps, CEO at CPR Certification Labs, says.
You can leverage this habit to incorporate language learning into house chores.
Those simple questions, quick task plans, and random thoughts you mumble while sweeping. Do them in your target language. Let’s say English is your native language and you’re learning Spanish, say “¿Qué debería hacer a continuación?” instead of “What should I do after cleaning?”
Write daily to-do list in your target language
If you like planning your day with a to-do list, turn that habit into a learning tool. For every task you write in your usual language, write the Spanish translation right beside it. For example:
Morning: Take out the trash – Sacar la basura
Afternoon: Reply emails – Responder correos
Night: Give a call to Hermes – Llama a Hermes
Besides personal and home to-dos, you can draw up a translated chart for your work schedule or assignments, too. For instance, imagine you’re an SEO specialist and your task for the day is to use an SEO keyword research tool to build keyword lists for two of your clients while also finding link opportunities for them.
Your side by side tasks in both languages should like this:
Build keyword list for Client A – Crear lista de palabras clave para el Cliente A
Build keyword list for Client B – Crear lista de palabras clave para el Cliente B
Search for link opportunities – Buscar oportunidades de enlaces
Prepare report – Preparar informe
This helps to build vocabulary around things you already do.
Watch shows and movies with subtitles
Most people watch movies in their native language, with both the audio and subtitles matching what they already understand. To make it a learning opportunity, reverse the approach. Keep the audio in your native language, but turn on subtitles in the language you’re learning.
Or listen to the audio in the language you’re learning and read subtitles in your known language. As you follow the story, your brain starts linking familiar phrases with their foreign equivalents. You can rewatch the same movies to cement the newly learnt vocabulary before moving on to another.
Use quick study apps during short breaks
In between your daily tasks, switch to quick study apps like Lingualift to review vocabulary or complete one or two short exercises. Fit these bite-sized sessions into coffee breaks, transit time, or any short pause in your routine.
Alternatively, use your waiting time to read short articles on topics that interest you from financial advice like savings and regional debt consolidation process in places like California to economic news on the global impact of tariffs. The more variety you expose yourself to, the more well rounded your vocabulary becomes.
Flashcards can also help you build your word catalog. You can create them using digital platforms like flashcards.world, or make physical cards you can pull out anytime for quick review.
Practice simple phrases with friends or language partners
Find an online group where people are interested in language exchange or casual conversation. Inside these groups, look for one or two language partners whose learning journey is at the same stage or slightly ahead of yours, and build a consistent relationship with them.
You can also involve your existing friends, even if they’re not learning the language. Teach them simple phrases they can use with you during daily conversations. It’s a win win. Over time, they pick up the basics, and you create a friendly environment where you hear and speak the language every day.
Change your phone and apps to the language you’re learning
If you’ve already gained some level of proficiency, you can turn things up a bit by switching your phone language into the target language. Just to be safe,
First, screen record and map the steps you’ll take from the homepage to the language settings section
Share the video to another device that’s still in your native language
Anytime you’re unable to navigate your device or unsure how to switch back to your default language, simply pull up the video to guide you through it.
Do the same with your apps, including social media platforms and websites. For example, if you’re trying to schedule a quick medical consultation with online doctors using the Chrome app, you can use Chrome’s built-in translation feature to switch from your default language to your target language.
Once you visit the booking page, go ahead to book in the language you chose. Double-check by switching back to the default page language to ensure you entered the correct scheduling details. This will help integrate what you’ve learnt into more practical instances.
Also note that Chrome usually resets to your original settings once you close the page, so there’s no need to worry about making permanent changes.
Label things around your home with their names
From jelly cans, bookshelves, kitchen utensils, to even bread jams, give everything an alternative name in your target language. However, make each name as short and straightforward as possible. It needs to be something you can easily remember, share with others, and provide an explanation for.
If you have house pets, you could go a step further. No need to rename them. Just take their original names and translate them into your target language whenever you call or talk to them. Do the same with your friends and family, if they’re comfortable with it.
Repeat what you hear on TV or in videos
Don’t just watch your favorite TV shows in your target language’s subtitles and audio. Repeat the sentences word for word and let your brain start to anticipate what comes next. Try to mimic the emotions, tone, and gestures too.
Also, you don’t necessarily need to know the meaning of all the words you repeat. Once the tone and rhythm begin to stick, you can switch your subtitles to a language you understand to confirm the meaning and connect it with what you’ve been repeating.
Wrapping up
Adding a new language to your set doesn’t have to be rocket science. To shorten your learning curve, incorporate it into daily tasks. For instance, listen to podcasts or music in the target language. Do same with movies and their subtitles.
Talk to yourself while doing the dishes, write daily to-do lists in the language you’re learning, and practice simple phrases with your friends and family. Switch things up by labelling things around your space at home, using quick study apps like LinguaLift during short breaks from work or activities, and finding a language partner for day-to-day exchanges.
