Last updated on August 13th, 2022 at 10:26 am
Friends tend to make things easier on us. Socializing is simply an important part of our world. From the time we’re born and brought into various community settings, to the time we reach adulthood, the role of socialization plays a massive part in shaping the emotional and mental landscape in a person. This is part of the reason that our friends hold such a special place in our hearts. From making travelling and vacations more enjoyable to being a shoulder for us to cry on in a time of need, a true friend can be an extremely powerful staple in someone’s life. A good friend can even make learning a new language a lot more fun, entertaining, and fulfilling. If you’re wondering how to learn Chinese with a friend, there are a myriad of tactics, practice exercises, and even games that you can work on together in order to learn Chinese or any other language that you may want to speak!
When it comes to learning any language, it can be really difficult to get the pronunciation exactly right, especially if you aren’t practicing the speaking aspect relatively regularly. This is something that a lot of beginners struggle with when learning a new language for the first time. Because we’re so used to keeping silent until we’re sure about something, kids who learn to speak a language are completely fearless when it comes to trial and error, and making mistakes.
This is an important difference to call out in the learning perspective, as it partially plays into why adults find it harder to learn a second language than kids do. Additionally, this emphasizes the value of having a regular practice partner so you can work on speaking the new language. In fact, here are a few ways that you can approach learning a new language, like Chinese, alongside your bestie.
Study Together
This may sound like a no-brainer, but studying together can make a world of difference. Sometimes quality time just means being in the same room together. Even if you’re being productive independently, it’s just about the act of even spending time together at all. Plus, it can be hard to always be self-motivated to study or to put in the work that’s required to learn something as complex as a second language. Having a partner-in-crime, so to speak, to help keep you on track when it comes to your educational goals can make the entire studying experience a lot more enjoyable.
Company, friendship, and fun aren’t the only reasons that studying together can be helpful. Sometimes new information sits with us slightly differently than it does others. Having someone around whom you feel comfortable asking questions during the educational process can be a major influence in your ability to continue pursuing that educational endeavour.
All-in-all, having a study partner can completely change the way you look at studying in general.
Work on Conversation Together
One of the best reasons to include a friend in your language-learning journey is that it gives you someone with whom you can regularly practice conversation. This is one of the areas in which language students struggle the most. Pronunciation and sentence structure can be extremely difficult to get the hang of. As such, having someone around you to practice with on a normal, or even daily basis, can elevate your language-learning-ability and take your talent for linguistics to the next level.
Help one Another With Flashcards
Another super easy way to learn a language with a friend is by integrating flashcards and other memorization tools into your study routines. Flashcards can become a little bit boring and repetitive when you’re just quizzing yourself all the time. Having a friend in control of the deck of flashcards can always make things a bit more fun, exciting, and even rewarding when you’re showing off how much you’ve learned.
You can also play educational games together that promote creative thinking, entertainment, and a good time.
Go out to a Chinese-Speaking Restaurant or Neighborhood Together
In the same way that having a conversation partner to study and practice with can completely elevate your ability to learn a new language, remember that if you’re learning together, you’re likely both beginners. As such, even vetted by one another, your speaking and conversation skills may have room for improvement.
Finding a Chinese neighborhood or restaurant to patron won’t just fill your bellies with warm and delicious food, it’ll also give you a chance to practice your Chinese with native speakers who may be able to give you a tip or two.
Final Thoughts
Friendships are an important part of life, and they can enhance just about any journey as they can offer support, love, and encouragement. This is especially true when it comes to learning a second language, which can also bring you and your friend even closer together.
