Learning a language isn’t an easy task, the thought of starting from the very beginning and having to relearn what you spent years acquiring as a child can be daunting. But don’t despair, learning a language can be a lot of fun and is very rewarding. Communicating with people in a language that is not your own is very satisfying experience and well worth the effort. However, it is worth remembering that it is a long road, you won’t be fluent over night. It is a good idea to spend some time in the country of the language you are learning. This will make you appreciate the reason for learning the language as well as exposing you to native speakers.

Before embarking on your language learning journey it’s a good idea to set realistic goals. Your goals will depend on your situation, if you are living in a country that speaks the target language your goals will be different than if you’re studying the language at school. However goal setting is important for everyone as it lets you see how you’re progressing and allows you to appreciate the progress you have made.

Over the last ten years technology has been constantly improving, learning languages outside classes has changed from using sets of tapes or CDs you bought from infomercials to much more creative and interesting methods. This is largely due to the ever improving internet. There are now hundreds of websites that will help you learn a language, some are better than others; some charge and some are absolutely free. Below are some of the websites I use and that I recommend to help you learn a language. All of the below are free of charge!

Busuu

Busuu is like facebook for language learners. Members span from across the globe and most languages are catered for. It works by giving you exercises to complete, these exercises can be grammar vocab and written. The more exercises you complete the more your “language Garden” grows. Written exercises are corrected by native speakers of the language you are learning. You can also help out students of your language (English in this case) by correcting their work. There is a lot to this website, more than I can explain in this paragraph, so check it out and let me know what you think.

Myhappyplanet

This website allows you do online language exchange with other language learners. You basically sign up to the website name your native language and your target language and organise online language learning lessons. You help some one in Barcelona with their English whilst they help you with your Spanish. You can also do lesson plans created by members and watch videos in your target language.

BBC Languages

This is probably one of the most entertaining ways to learn a language online, and is great for beginners. These lessons are in the form of a TV series shot entirely in your target language, don’t worry the characters speak slowly and there is an English voice over that helps you understand what’s happening. It’s like watching your favourite show and learning at the same time. It also gives you an insight into the culture of the country the language originates from.

The above are just some of the best options I have found, there are many others especially in the area of grammar. If you’re a student of Spanish I highly recommend notes on spanish online podcasts, these are a great way of improving your listening skills. For the more advanced students a good idea is to find an online radio station in the language you are studying, listenlive allows you to access public radio stations in the EU and allows you to choose regionally and based on music preference.

These are just some of my favourite websites for learning languages if you know of any other websites for learning languages please post the link below in the comments box. Thanks!