#langblr tips

[meichenxi]

Tip for anyone with Microsoft Edge browser learning a foreign language:

If you right-click on any word or highlight some text online, you can open it in 'Immersive Reader mode'.

It simplifies absolutely everything on the page for you, providing only text, for a distraction-free reading environment! You can copy individual paragraphs or sentences, or whole articles.

I'm showing the side of the margin to show how wide the narrow one is!

You can then control the size of the text, from small to very large, how wise the column of the text is, the background colour (helpful for those with dyslexia or limited vision or just tired eyes - mine is pink for the fun of it), the font, the spacing between characters, and loads more.

You can also try out a mode called 'Line focus', where it only focuses on one line, three lines, or five lines!

Despite being able to read in Chinese for more than three years, I am still sometimes psychologically challenged by the terror-inducing sight of a massive wall of text in a tiny font on a computer screen. This makes it a lot easier!

Here's the five-line option. Please note that my screenshots aren't of the whole page, because for some reason all photos on tumblr that are horizontal don't upload...who knows.

You can also look up anything to the dictionary with just a click. Best of all, however, you can get the text to be read aloud!

There are multiple different voices, many very natural sounding, from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. If you're learning another language, there are at least two options even for smaller languages (for example, two for Azerbaijani, two for Bangla and so on - I assume one is male and one is female). I've found the voices to be very good for Chinese, ranging from sajiao-pouting-douyin-girl to formal male newsreader. Listening to the ones from Taiwan is also a good way to get some listening practice for different accents!

Of course, you can change the speed of the reading under 'read aloud'.

Finally, you can add each page to your 'collections' list - this would be a useful way of keeping useful articles together.

I came across this utterly by chance today, and I think it's a great tool for practicing reading speed and character recognition. Hope this helps someone else! meichenxi out

[literaryvein-reblogs]

words for when your characters ______

Agree

accede, acceptance, accord, acknowledgment, acquiescence, align, avowal, bear, cohere, compromise, consent, contract, draft, enlist, give in/give up, go along/go along with, grant, negotiate, unanimous, yield

Deny

abjure, abuse, affront, attack, backstab, bad-mouth, belie, blacken, blemish, confront, curse, darn, defamation, defile, demur, denigrate, detract, dig, disclaim, discountenance, disgrace, disown, disparagement, downplay, explode, flout, fulminate, gainsay, gird, invective, jeer, lament, lecture, malign, minimize, mouth, needle, oppose, protest, put down, put-down, rebuff, refute, remonstrate, renunciation, run down, satirize, scold, show up, sit-in, slander, smear, snap, snub, squeal, sully, swearing, taunt, tirade, turn, underestimate, vituperation, write off, yammer

Explain

account for, admit, apprise, cite, clarify, come clean, concede, confirm, corroborate, defense, demonstrate, dilate, elucidate, enlighten, evidence, expand, explicate, gloss, illustrate, itemize, let on, palliate, plea, prove, recite, simplify, speak out/speak up, spell out, translator, warrant

Fabricate

aspersion, belie, disprove, profane

Inform

acknowledge, address, advertise, allow, allusion, apprise, bare, betrayal, blab, breathe, briefing, broadcast, chronicle, clue, come out with, confession, convey, debunk, define, detail, dictate, divulge, expose, feature, furnish, give, gossip, hint, intimate, issue, lecture, newscaster, orate, out of the closet, pass, post, proclaim, promulgate, publication, publish, release, reveal, show up, speak, spill, squeal, talk, tip, uncover, unveil, weatherperson, whisper

Instruct

bar, educate, prescribe

Persuade

advance, argument, bend, budge, carry, coerce, convince, discourage, draw, drum up, elicit, entice, forward, goad, hammer away/hammer into, induce, influence, invite, lobby, motivate, negotiation, pitch, prevail upon/prevail on, prompt, reason, spur, sway, urge, win/win over

Promise

assurance, avow, commitment, ensure, go back/go back on, oath, portend, vouch, warrant, word

Suggest

advice, advocate, ask, come up with, connote, drum into, exhort, fish for, get at, guide, imply, insinuate, moralize, move, nomination, pontificate, preach, propose, recommend, urge

Praise

accent, acclamation, accredit, adulation, apotheosis, applause, benediction, bless, champion, citation, commend, compliment, congratulations, credit, dedicate, deify, elevate, endorse, eulogize, exalt, extol, flatter, flattery, glorify, homage, laud, lionize, obsequy, plaudits, puff, salute, thanks, tribute, worship

Warn

admonish, alert, caution, caveat, defy, enjoin, exhortation, foreboding, foretell, page, remind, warning

NOTE

The above are concepts classified according to subject and usage. It not only helps writers and thinkers to organize their ideas but leads them from those very ideas to the words that can best express them.

It was, in part, created to turn an idea into a specific word. By linking together the main entries that share similar concepts, the index makes possible creative semantic connections between words in our language, stimulating thought and broadening vocabulary. Writing Resources PDFs

Source ⚜ Writing Basics & Refreshers ⚜ On Vocabulary

[nightlystudying]

My study sessions of late are more reading for fun and less reading for study than I’d like to admit but the cozy season is here

[adhd-languages]

Found a new language practice app!

Polygloss has you describe an image in your target language so another player can guess it. It encourages creative answers. The game works for people of all levels — you can describe simple pictures or try your hand at wordplay.

It has plenty of options and will let you add any language you’d like — tho it’ll probably be more difficult to find people to play with.

[jaeffry]

i'm afraid my study session has been hijacked!

⋆｡‧˚ʚ🍓ɞ˚‧｡⋆

~ haru

[yeoubbi]

accommodations i’ve had approved as an autistic college student

helloooo today i finally had a meeting with the disability office and have accommodations after 2 years of being in college without them. im autistic and have cptsd/dissociative issues and had a hard time finding what was even available to me to request for accommodations so i wanted to make a list to help anyone else who might be having trouble.

• Priority registration

i get to register for classes earlier each term to make sure i can create schedules that’ll work for my routine

• Extended time on assignments

self explanatory i think? was also offered extended time on tests or a separate room to take them but testing isnt where i struggle

• Flexible attendance

as long as i email beforehand i dont have to stick as strictly to professors attendance policies

• Alternative formats

if i buy a physical textbook i can request the ebook/pdf/audiobook for free to have multiple methods of studying depending on what works for me on a given day

• Note taking

allowed to audio record class and send to a service called messenger pigeon who will give me a transcript of the class and professional notes based on it

• Access to lecture notes

able to access professors lecture notes prior to class/instruction

• Devices

allowed to have phone/ipad/laptop for social buffering and notes in classes that may have policies against electronics

• Flexible participation

no cold calling, option to work alone for group projects/assignments, not required to present in front of class

if anyone has any questions lmk these are just what i have been able to get at my school so far! hope it helps

edit: this is blowing up so fellow autistics, students, language nerds, etc pls be my mutual i want friends lol my dms are also open any time !!

[helenstudies]

Look, I knew five languages by age 19 and now I am learning like 3 more. I work as a language instructor and a consultant. If I can give language learners only one advice, this is it.

STOP LEARNING WORDS ON THEIR OWN.

You're doing yourself a disservice by learning lists of "30 words you must know!" "100 most common words!" like it literally means nothing if you cannot use those words in an appropriate context with proper grammar. So what you actually need to do is learn those words via example sentences.

Of course, sentences have more words so you may think you're learning less but you're actually learning the way to use it in context. That's what's important.

Language is about communication, which also means if you want to learn languages, you have to observe how people communicate with each other universally. Native speakers never have a list of words they know and they don't count every single new word they've learned. So why are you doing it to yourself? What native speakers do is listen to the new word, remember the context they're spoken in, and keep using that word in that context. And that's why people go "wait, you can use that word LIKE THAT?" all the time. So you, a language learner, are also allowed to do that. I'm not even saying those word lists are useless but they're the most useful AFTER you've known most of them and are trying to go over them for practice etc. Native speakers do click on those word lists to check out how many words they don't know or to remind themselves of those words or to learn some facts about each word. That should be your goal as well.

Learn sentences. Learn them in context. Do not fall into the "I must know xx amount of words or I'm a failure at language learning" trap perpetuated by bloggers or youtubers or whatever. Have fun with it!

[vivicantstudy]

30 Of My favorites Compliments in Japanese to Praise Artists and Their Work

I love complimenting artists; I like them to know that their work is always amazing, and I enjoy motivating them. Since I started creating pixel art, I have become very close to Japanese artists and realized that it is much easier to compliment them in Japanese, as it seems to make them feel more comfortable! That’s why I put together a list of compliments! Feel free to use them and correct me!

1. 素晴らしい作品ですね。 (Subarashii sakuhin desu ne.)

“It’s a wonderful piece of work.”

2. とても感動しました。 (Totemo kandō shimashita.)

“I was very moved.”

3. あなたの才能に驚かされます。 (Anata no sainō ni odorokasaremasu.)

“I am amazed by your talent.”

4. 色使いが本当に綺麗ですね。 (Irozukai ga hontō ni kirei desu ne.)

“The use of colors is really beautiful.”

5. 細部まで丁寧に描かれていますね。 (Saibu made teinei ni kakareteimasu ne.)

“The details are drawn so carefully.”

6. ユニークなスタイルですね。 (Yunīku na sutairu desu ne.)

“You have a unique style.”

7. 本当に才能がありますね。 (Hontō ni sainō ga arimasu ne.)

“You truly have talent.”

8. 見ていてとても楽しいです。 (Miteite totemo tanoshii desu.)

“It’s very enjoyable to look at.”

9. 構図が素晴らしいです。 (Kōzu ga subarashii desu.)

“The composition is amazing.”

10. こんな作品を作れるなんて信じられま��ん。 (Konna sakuhin o tsukureru nante shinjiraremasen.)

“I can’t believe you can create such a piece.”

11. とても独創的ですね。 (Totemo dokusōteki desu ne.)

“It’s very creative.”

12. あなたの作品はいつもインスピレーションを与えてくれます。 (Anata no sakuhin wa itsumo insupirēshon o ataete kuremasu.)

“Your work always gives me inspiration.”

13. 表現力が豊かですね。 (Hyōgenryoku ga yutaka desu ne.)

“Your expressive power is remarkable.”

14. 見るたびに新��い発見があります。 (Miru tabi ni atarashī hakken ga arimasu.)

“I discover something new every time I look at it.”

15. あなたの作品には心がこもっていますね。 (Anata no sakuhin ni wa kokoro ga komotteimasu ne.)

“Your work has so much heart in it.”

16. あなたの作品には魂が宿っています。 (Anata no sakuhin ni wa tamashī ga yadotteimasu.)

“Your artwork has a soul in it.”

17. 発想力がすごいですね。 (Hassōryoku ga sugoi desu ne.)

“Your creativity is amazing.”

18. あなたのスタイルはとても独特です。 (Anata no sutairu wa totemo dokutoku desu.)

“Your style is very distinctive.”

19. 作品に強いメッセージ性を感じます。 (Sakuhin ni tsuyoi messe-ji sei o kanjimasu.)

“I feel a strong message in your work.”

20. この作品を見ると、何かを感じずにはいられません。 (Kono sakuhin o miru to, nanika o kanjizu ni wa iraremasen.)

“I can’t help but feel something when I look at this piece.”

21. あなたの作品を見ていると、とても幸せな気持ちになります。 (Anata no sakuhin o miteiru to, totemo shiawase na kimochi ni narimasu.)

“Looking at your work makes me feel very happy.”

22. どの作品も心に響きます。 (Dono sakuhin mo kokoro ni hibikimasu.)

“Every piece of your work resonates with my heart.”

23. この作品の雰囲気がとても好きです。 (Kono sakuhin no fun’iki ga totemo suki desu.)

“I really like the atmosphere of this piece.”

24. あなたのアートはとても洗練されています。 (Anata no āto wa totemo senren sareteimasu.)

“Your art is very refined.”

25. この作品からインスピレーションをたくさんもらいました。 (Kono sakuhin kara insupirēshon o takusan moraimashita.)

“I received a lot of inspiration from this piece.”

26. あなたの技術は素晴らしいです。 (Anata no gijutsu wa subarashii desu.)

“Your technique is superb.”

27. これからの作品も楽しみにしています。 (Korekara no sakuhin mo tanoshimi ni shiteimasu.)

“I’m looking forward to your future works as well.”

28. 色彩の使い方がとても巧みですね。 (Shikisai no tsukaikata ga totemo takumi desu ne.)

“Your use of colors is very skillful.”

29. こんなに素晴らしい作品を見たことがありません。 (Konna ni subarashii sakuhin o mita koto ga arimasen.)

“I’ve never seen such an amazing piece of work.”

30. あなたの描くキャラクターはとても魅力的です。 (Anata no kaku kyarakutā wa totemo miryokuteki desu.)

“The characters you draw are very captivating.”

Some observations made by my Japanese study friends!

1. あなたの作品には魂が宿っています。

This phrase is correct, but it’s quite poetic. If you want a simpler expression:

あなたの作品には力強さを感じます。 (Anata no sakuhin ni wa chikarazuyosa o kanjimasu.)

“I feel strength in your work.”

2. 発想力がすごいですね。

Correct and commonly used.

3. あなたのスタイルはとても独特です。

Correct, but for a softer tone, you could say:

あなたのスタイルはとても個性的ですね。 (Anata no sutairu wa totemo koseiteki desu ne.)

“Your style is very unique and individual.”

4. 作品に強いメッセージ性を感じます。

Correct, but slightly formal. You could also say:

作品から強いメッセージを感じます。 (Sakuhin kara tsuyoi messe-ji o kanjimasu.)

“I feel a strong message from your work.”

5. この作品を見ると、何かを感じずにはいられません。

This phrase is fine, but can be made simpler:

この作品を見ると、心が動かされます。 (Kono sakuhin o miru to, kokoro ga ugokasaremasu.)

“When I look at this piece, my heart is moved.”

6. あなたの作品を見ていると、とても幸せな気持ちになります。

This is correct and conveys the intended meaning well.

7. どの作品も心に響きます。

Correct and natural.

8. この作品の雰囲気がとても好きです。

Correct and natural.

9. あなたのアートはとても洗練されています。

This is fine, but “アート” (āto) is a bit casual. Using 作品 (sakuhin) might be better for a more formal tone:

あなたの作品はとても洗練されています。

10. この作品からインスピレーションをたくさんもらいました。

This is correct. Another way to say it:

この作品にとても刺激を受けました。 (Kono sakuhin ni totemo shigeki o ukemashita.)

“I was very inspired by this piece.”

11. あなたの技術は素晴らしいです。

Correct and natural.

12. これからの作品も楽しみにしています。

Correct and natural.

13. 色彩の使い方がとても巧みですね。

Correct and suitable.

14. こんなに素晴らしい作品を見たことがありません。

Correct, but sounds slightly dramatic. A softer version:

こんな素敵な作品を見たことがないです。 (Konna sutekina sakuhin o mita koto ga nai desu.)

15. あなたの描くキャラクターはとても魅力的です。

Correct, but can be shortened for a more natural tone:

あなたのキャラクターは魅力的ですね。 (Anata no kyarakutā wa miryokuteki desu ne.)

16. あなたの作品には魂が宿っています。 (Anata no sakuhin ni wa tamashī ga yadotteimasu.)

Correct, but it’s quite poetic and intense. A simpler alternative could be:

あなたの作品には強い感情を感じます。 (Anata no sakuhin ni wa tsuyoi kanjō o kanjimasu.)

“I feel strong emotions in your work.”

17. 発想力がすごいですね。 (Hassōryoku ga sugoi desu ne.)

Correct and natural for complimenting creativity.

18. あなたのスタイルはとても独特です。 (Anata no sutairu wa totemo dokutoku desu.)

Correct, but “独特” (dokutoku) can be interpreted neutrally. For a more positive tone, use:

あなたのスタイルはとても個性的です。 (Anata no sutairu wa totemo koseiteki desu.)

“Your style is very unique and individual.”

19. 作品に強いメッセージ性を感じます。 (Sakuhin ni tsuyoi messe-ji sei o kanjimasu.)

Correct, but it can be simplified:

作品から強いメッセージを感じます。 (Sakuhin kara tsuyoi messe-ji o kanjimasu.)

“I feel a strong message from your work.”

20. この作品を見ると、何かを感じずにはいられません。 (Kono sakuhin o miru to, nanika o kanjizu ni wa iraremasen.)

Correct, but it’s a bit formal and literary. A simpler alternative could be:

この作品を見ると、心が動かされます。 (Kono sakuhin o miru to, kokoro ga ugokasaremasu.)

“When I look at this piece, my heart is moved.”

21. あなたの作品を見ていると、とても幸せな気持ちになります。 (Anata no sakuhin o miteiru to, totemo shiawase na kimochi ni narimasu.)

Correct and natural. No adjustments needed.

22. どの作品も心に響きます。 (Dono sakuhin mo kokoro ni hibikimasu.)

Correct and natural.

23. この作品の雰囲気がとても好きです。 (Kono sakuhin no fun’iki ga totemo suki desu.)

Correct and natural.

24. あなたのアートはとても洗練されています。 (Anata no āto wa totemo senren sareteimasu.)

Correct, but the word “アート” (āto) is a bit casual. Using “作品” (sakuhin) might be more appropriate for a formal tone:

あなたの作品はとても洗練されています。

“Your work is very refined.”

25. この作品からインスピレーションをたくさんもらいました。 (Kono sakuhin kara insupirēshon o takusan moraimashita.)

Correct. Another way to say it:

この作品にとても刺激を受けました。 (Kono sakuhin ni totemo shigeki o ukemashita.)

“I was very inspired by this piece.”

26. あなたの技術は素晴らしいです。 (Anata no gijutsu wa subarashii desu.)

Correct and natural.

27. これからの作品も楽しみにしています。 (Korekara no sakuhin mo tanoshimi ni shiteimasu.)

Correct and natural.

28. 色彩の使い方がとても巧みですね。 (Shikisai no tsukaikata ga totemo takumi desu ne.)

Correct and suitable.

29. こんなに素晴らしい作品を見たことがありません。 (Konna ni subarashii sakuhin o mita koto ga arimasen.)

Correct, but it sounds slightly dramatic. A softer version would be:

こんな素敵な作品を見たことがないです。 (Konna sutekina sakuhin o mita koto ga nai desu.)

“I’ve never seen such a wonderful piece.”

30. あなたの描くキャラクターはとても魅力的です。 (Anata no kaku kyarakutā wa totemo miryokuteki desu.)

Correct, but can be shortened for a more natural tone:

あなたのキャラクターは魅力的ですね。 (Anata no kyarakutā wa miryokuteki desu ne.)

“Your characters are captivating.”

This list was quite a bit of work to make, but it was very fun! I would appreciate it if you shared it! Thank yoooooou!

[babooshkaa]

btw everything is an aesthetic if you make it one and that's the secret to romantisizing your life. you know those posts that describe an aesthetic in details? notice that those details are absolutely mundane. throw a bunch of details from your daily life together, call it an aesthetic and you got it. just try right now and see how easy it is

[linghxr]

Advice I would give my past self about studying Chinese

Recently I've been reflecting on my Chinese learning journey and how far I've come. If I could go back in time, these are 10 things I would tell my past self. A few are specific to Chinese, but most can apply to any language

It will get so much easier to learn new characters. I remember feeling overwhelmed because learning new characters was a painful process. Now when I encounter a new character, I can remember it with relative ease—it’s just a new combination of familiar components.

Don't feel bad about having uneven development in different skills. My listening and reading are significantly stronger than my speaking and writing. It’s super common and nothing to be ashamed of.

The best way to get over being too embarrassed to speak is to experience some embarrassment and realize it’s not a big deal. I used to be so afraid of making mistakes that I would avoid speaking in class. It was only by being forced to speak that I got over it. I'm much better for it!

It’s impossible to learn everything, and time is limited. You have to prioritize. You probably don’t need to know how to say “pawnshop” in Chinese, and trying to jam your head full of 100 words you saw once won’t work. They won’t stick.

It will actually be harder to read pinyin than to read characters at some point. When I helped a friend with a script for her Chinese class, I really struggled because she had written it entirely in pinyin. I had to write out the characters to read without stumbling! I know characters are daunting for beginners, but trust me, you will get used to them.

If you haven’t practiced or learned something, of course you won’t be good at it. I remember feeling so frustrated trying to navigate Chinese websites for the first time. In retrospect, obviously, I was going to struggle with something completely new to me!

If something isn’t sticking, move on. Why waste time on a word that’s not clicking when you could be learning five new ones? It will only result in unnecessary frustration. So unless you need to know it for your class or a proficiency test, drop it and move on.

Don’t beat yourself up when you have trouble understanding music, literature, different accents, etc. These can be challenging even in your native language. Of course you’re going to struggle more in a new language.

It's worth it to pay attention to things like stroke order and tones from the start so you don't form bad habits. Don’t stress about get it perfect, but it’s easier to do it right the first time than to have to correct your bad habits in the future.

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by all that you don’t know, learn how to express yourself with what you do know. It’s truly its own skill that requires practice. After all, in life you can’t always stop and pull out a dictionary.

I started learning Chinese a really long time ago, but I became more serious about it in 2018, so 5 1/2 years ago. I'm very proud of how far I've come, but I still have a long way to go! I look forward to revisiting this post in another couple of years 😊

[ros3ybabe]

First Impressions 🎀

I've had 4 of my 5 classes so far (one doesn't start til october) and I definitely have some thoughts on them, so I thought I'd share my first impressions!

Principals of Accounting II:

the professor seems a bit disorganized, nervous, and semi chaotic but I like his energy

so many people in southern attire, I was a bit surprised

might take a decent amount of study time and energy to keep my grade up in the class, but I'm always up for a challenge and I definitely know I'm capable

gotta figure out a time efficient study routine for this class

Learning (Psychology)

professor has an accent, no idea where he's from, but it's a cool and thankfully understandable accent

feels very content heavy. I definitely want to buy the textbook for this class

need to find a way to stay awake, that's one of the classrooms that make me sleepy

that professor likes to talk for sure (1 hour and 15 min of just the syllabus? man's can talk)

Integrated Survey of Organic and Bio Chemistry

the professor is definitely a science guy, him being the professor makes perfect sense

i really like how he explains and teaches

appreciate that all the content needed is already posted to our class online and all the slides are available already

I love science based classes because I know how to succeed in them and this one seems no different

I have a friend in the class so that's nice!

Intro To Business (Online)

lots of content

lots to do

I gotta make sure I time manage for this class cause otherwise, I'm gonna fall behind

an introduction video?? why not just a discussion post?? ahhhhh

Overall, with working full time, this is going to be an incredibly stressful, incredibly busy semester, but I'm so up for the challenge, and I know I can do it. I just gotta study efficiently, time manage properly, and keep disciplined. I WILL be successful.

til next time lovelies 🩷

[nenelonomh]

learning languages study guide

daily: ♡ vocabulary and grammar practice ♡ lessons (i have four lessons per week at school. if you don't already take lessons, look into free language courses on alison, coursera or 101 languages)

once per week: ♡ translate a short text (i like to translate my journal entries)

one per fortnight/month: ♡ watch a movie in your target language, preferably animated movies as the language used is easier. you can watch with subtitles

additionally: ♡ talk to yourself; your friends; your pets in your target language ♡ text with someone in your target language ♡ repeat what you hear (in a podcast, lesson or movie)

luck with your language learning❤️

(images are from pinterest)

[nightlystudying]

Oh Vienna how pretty you are

[expiationist]

study days + pastel desk setup

[jaeffry]

about me ⭑.ᐟ

i wasn't originally planning on making one of these, but today i realised i have fifty followers and while it may not seem like much, it is exhilarating to think fifty strangers would like to help me keep up with studying and trust me to support theirs.

i'm haru (any pronouns!) it is not my real name, but it is my cat's name so please feel free to imagine a little orange tabby deliriously typing into a computer.

i post pictures of my study space, notes, general progress with the curriculum and absolutely no pinterest sourced images. i'm here to look at you and your work, not some inauthentic curated collage of romanticised academia.

as of today i am twenty-one years old- i recently graduated film school but there isn't a degree or profession i'm pursuing. i simply study whatever i feel like that day, just for the heck of it.

currently, i'm studying french & japanese languages, as well as film theory

i'm an entp, i love reading books, eavesdropping conversations at coffee shops and watching films. i like the sound of opening soda cans, the smell of alcohol markers and watching trains at the metro station. i dislike dirty kitchens, having damp hair and the way queue is spelled.

i love watching everyone's updates and quietly cheering them on. if you are a studyblr/langblr and think we might make good study buddies, please make friends with me ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧

[adhd-languages]

Keeping up your Languages when you’re Busy

Confession: I’ve been slacking on Japanese recently because my life has been so hectic recently. So here are some of the ways I’ve been trying to keep it in my brain when I can’t dedicate a lot of time to studying.

CHANGE YOUR PHONE LANGUAGE

This applies to computers as well! This is the easiest way to ensure you see at least some of your target language every day. It’s good for any level, even beginners.

If you haven’t already done this, do it now. I understand that some things are important and you need to be sure you understand them — in that case, you can always change individual apps to have different languages, just look up the app name in settings.

Podcasts/Music

Find some podcasts in your target language and listen to them before bed, during your commute, whatever. There are lots of podcasts made specifically for learners, or you can look up topics in your target language to find a podcast you might enjoy.

Music is also an amazing way to hear your target language being used. If you find an artist you like, that’s another good way to study your TL! Follow them on socials, look up interviews with them, etc.

Talk to Yourself

Any spare minute you have, talk to yourself in your target language. It doesn’t need to be out loud. You can have a conversation with yourself, try to express how you’re feeling, make up stories, or just describe the things around you in your target language. This is also a good way to see what kind of vocabulary you’re missing.

Apps

Duolingo has fired a ton of translators and started using crappy AI translations — so they’re probably not the best choice.

I’d recommend dictionary app that has some sort of flash card feature is also good, or an anki deck. Drops is good, and has a lot of languages, but keep in mind you’ll need audio. Anything that’s easy to get out and do for even just a few minutes is perfect.

Apps won’t teach you a language on their own, but doing a little every day helps remind me the language exists and keeps it in my mind.

Texting/Writing/Posting

Whether your friends know your TL or not, force them to experience it by randomly messaging in Japanese! Or, if you feel fancy, download an app like “HelloTalk”, “Tandem”, “Speaky”, “Tabee”…there are a lot.

If you keep a digital journal (like I do…inconsistently), try to write some entries in your TL.

If you have a blog, which I assume you do, post in your TL. Even if you’re a beginner, you can make a sideblog dedicated to saying stuff like “I’m hungry” and “Green is my favourite colour” in your target language.

Open your notes app and just write random words you can remember or sentences you can string together.

I know it’s really difficult, and don’t beat yourself up because you aren’t studying as hard. A language can be a lifelong companion — you’ll have phases of studying constantly, and sometimes it’ll take the back seat, but there’s no rush to learn it. Have a great day :)!