How to learn a new language in 2023

The prospect of learning a new language can be exciting and daunting — especially when you don’t know where to begin.

Maybe you’re planning a trip in the new year and you’re looking to order lunch without Google translate. Or you’re hoping to have a conversation in Urdu with your Pakistani grandmother. For Center City polyglot Liat Hasenfratz, it’s adding Spanish to her language belt. “We moved to the states six years ago, and I decided that I would learn the second language of this continent.”

She grew up in Jerusalem with family speaking Romanian and Yiddish. She learned English in school and then German and Italian during her time living in Germany. And for the last two years, she has been working with language coach and Washington Square West resident Ana Atach to become fluent in Spanish. Hasenfratz picks up languages because “every language is like a door to an entire world of its own. When you speak someone’s language, you can meet them more directly.”

Navigating the learning process can be tricky, but there are resources out there — whether that’s with Google Chrome extensions, apps, group classes, or private tutors.

The Inquirer spoke with local experts on where to start your language journey and what learning practices to adopt.

“When you speak someone’s language, you can meet them more directly.”

Ask yourself why you want to learn a language. Maybe it’s to speak with people around you and understand their cultures in a deeper way like Hasenfratz. Once you know the why, identify your goals. Language comes in two parts: basic interpersonal communication skills and cognitive academic language proficiency — think writing an essay or reading a textbook. The first takes three to five years to acquire, while the latter can take seven-plus years. “The time of getting (to your goal) is going to very much depend on what (you’re) trying to achieve,” Atach said.

While online programs are great first steps, they don’t give you the opportunity to apply what you learn. Atach finds many of her students come to her after one to two years of Duolingo or Rosetta Stone looking to speak the language to a real person. You need a balance of what Atach calls the four domains — speaking, reading, writing, and listening. “If there’s an imbalance, then (you’re) not getting the full experience — (you’re) gonna get stuck,” she said.

Group classes are a good way to grasp the basics — and Philly has plenty, like the Spanish conversation group or the Mandarin and music program at the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Languages and Learning Center. “You’re all doing it together and there’s some camaraderie and you can learn from each other,” Atach said.

Then, private lessons will take you to the next level, like classes at Español & English Private Tutoring. Tutors like Atach engage you in activities that will get you comfortable using the language. “I tell my students everything you can do to immerse yourself in the language, do it,” she said.

When you’re not in the country where the language you want to learn is spoken, you need to make it as immersive as possible, Hasenfratz said. Read books, watch TV shows in the language, or visit an area where the language is spoken — this helps you see and apply the vocabulary you’ve learned. For instance, NPR’s Radio Ambulante, a Spanish-speaking news broadcast, comes to life in the accompanying Lupa app, which helps intermediate Spanish learners become more fluent by listening to real radio stories produced for native speakers.

Hasenfratz also suggests reading on a Kindle. The device lets you translate words you may get stuck on — just press and drag to highlight the text you want to translate, tap More, and tap Translation. Or try the Language Reactor, a Chrome extension (for computers running Windows and MacOS) that adds two language subtitles, a pop-up dictionary, and video playback controls as you watch on Netflix or YouTube websites, with more than 20 languages.

Learning a language is “just like exercising any other part of your body,” Atach said. You have to keep at it to build that skill. She advises her students to practice 5 to 10 minutes a day for three to five days a week (three to four times a week for 15 to 20 minutes a day for those without instructors) if they can fit it into their schedules.

Having a teacher is a good way to stay motivated, Hasenfratz offered. “I have a very intense job and there are many weeks in which I can not study. But eventually you say to yourself, ‘You have to have the grammar ready for next week. You have to have practice,’ so that you don’t leave your teacher in weeks of stagnation.” They will keep you accountable.

The Languages and Learning Center within the Education, Philosophy, and Religion Department on the second floor of the Free Library of Philadelphia has a calendar of online and in-person classes, group conversations, culture exchanges, study groups, and more. Fill out a form to be added to the interest list. If there is space available, you will be emailed to confirm your interest and register you for the program.📍 1901 Vine St., 📞 215-686-8664, freelibrary.org

Español & English Private Tutoring provides private, semi-private (max of five people), and group classes (max of 10 people) for Spanish as a second language. The main office will be closed until Jan. 12. Email contactus@espeng.net.

Alliance Française de Philadelphie has French courses for all levels of speakers from children to adults with four sessions of group language courses per year, full-day immersion courses, and private lessons.📍1420 Walnut St., Suite 700, 📞 215-735-5283, afphila.com

Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture offers adult Arabic courses for beginner levels, Arabic literature, percussion ensemble, and adult choir.📍3645 Lancaster Ave., 📞 267-809-3668, abustanseeds.org