How to Practice Languages at Home

There’s a misconception that you need to move abroad in order to learn a language. Of course it helps to do so, but sometimes that’s just not possible. We know that work, family, and other obligations can make travel a challenge. Not to worry though, just because you can’t live abroad doesn’t mean you can’t become fluent in a language. Check out Lizzie’s top tips on how to practice languages at home!

How to Practice Languages at Home (Transcript)

Today we’d like to talk to you about how you can really improve your speaking skills from the comfort of your own home thanks to the use of language tandems. These can be a really valuable tool for getting exposure to your target language without needing to take time off work, or dip into your savings for a big trip.

How to practice a foreign language without moving abroad

It’s really important that you practice the language orally so that you can get comfortable speaking it. It doesn’t do you any good if you only know the language on paper. The truth is that speaking a language is a skill, so the more you practice at it, the more you get better at it. In the past it was very hard to learn a language, and often people had to travel or move abroad just to progress in their language skills. But nowadays with the use of the internet, all you need to progress in a language is a little motivation and a computer or a smartphone.

How can you practice? Just use one of the many language exchange websites. These are great tools you can use to build relationships with people who are native speakers in your intended language. On these websites, you can find people who are willing to speak to you in their native language. In return, you help them practice speaking in your native language. (This is why we call it a language tandem.) You can also sometimes find tutors through these sites.

We’ve already done a bunch of the legwork for you: have a look at our article that compares several popular language exchanges sites.

All you have to do is:

1) Pick a person who is willing to teach you their native language in exchange for you teaching them yours, or a tutor;
2) Make weekly appointments with them;
3) Repeat Step 2 until you achieve fluency.

There are two other interesting possibilities you might consider if you’re trying to improve your languages skills at home. First is self-conversation. When you’re first learning a language, you can practice speaking to yourself to help you gain confidence and prove to yourself that you can do it. Second is artificial intelligence. Did you know that if you have a MosaLingua Premium subscription, you can access MosaChat-AI and speak to an AI-powered tutor 24/7?

WATCH: How to Practice a Foreign Language Without Moving Abroad (Video)

Watch our English instructor Lizzie’s video below or on YouTube. The video is in English, but subtitles are available in several languages. You can also slow down the playback speed by clicking on the Settings wheel in the bottom right corner.

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