So you think you’re too busy to learn a new language… we get it. From work, to school, to doing the laundry and even eating a healthy dinner, things can get hectic. But we can’t stress enough the many benefits of expanding your horizons and learning something new. Luckily, we have some good news. We’ve been reading up on a few studies, and it seems like even if you don’t have the time to sit down at a desk and practice conjugations, you can still learn a lot.
So, what is passive learning? Passive learning is a type of learning that you can do with little effort and is perfect to do while multitasking. We want to help you implement learning into your everyday schedule, so we made this guide to show you exactly how you can go about it.
Morning
When you first wake up, it’s go time. If you start your day with some music, your first step is to switch those tunes to another language. If you’re looking to learn Spanish, we already have the perfect playlist ready for you.
Once you’re out the door, you can totally change your commute by downloading a podcast beforehand. Instead of spending 30 minutes mindlessly scrolling through your phone, you’ll be identifying words and learning new phrases in no time.
Afternoon
Maybe you’ve spent about 4 hours at work so far, and you’re ready for a break. Whether you head out for lunch or sit at your desk you’ll be able to take a quick few minutes to watch a video in the language you’d like to learn. Just like any vlogger, you can look for new recipe directions, daily routine tips or even a makeup tutorial in another language. Pro tip: if you’re not sure what words to look up, simply head to google translate and search the basics in youtube, like “my favorite recipe.” You’ll be searching through famous Italian or Arabic bloggers in no time.
Night
You just got home, and you have some errands to do. Laundry can be done, trash can be taken out, and dinner can be made all with foreign language films playing in the background. We’ve already made a list of our top movies in Spanish and French for you to check out. Plus, we can assure that you’ll never finish a foreign-language movie with that feeling of Netflix-binge guilt.
Learning a new language is a process—that’s for sure! But studying doesn’t have to be a chore. It’s often said that immersing yourself into the language is the best way to learn, and you don’t have to leave your country or even your own city to make that happen. By adding just a little bit of passive learning to your everyday routine you’ll make language a fun part of your life, instead of a burden.