So you've decided that you're going to learn a new language. Congratulations!Making the commitment to start is the first step that most people get stuck in. The next most common obstacle is deciding which of the best ways to learn a new language one should choose.This is the question we'll be helping you resolve today.

Lack of time is not an excuse

If you happen to live a busy life that's always on-the-go, you're not alone. Lack of time is one of the biggest excuses that people make for not being able to learn a language. But here's what we must keep in mind: the majority of the people that successfully learned a language didn't do it full-time.Like you, these successful language learners have full-time jobs, families, and other hobbies they're trying to pursue. Instead of wishing you had more time, you have to create more time. To get you started, we recommend you check out our article creating more time in your schedule to learn something new.

Find the right method for you

Now we're going to share the 7 best ways to learn a new language if you're busy. Many of these tactics you may be hearing about for the first time, and some you may have heard before. Each of them have their advantages and focus on specific areas of learning a language, so pick the one that fits you best. Let's get started.

7 Best Ways to Learn a New Language Online

1. Watch movies and TV shows in a foreign language

If you happen to be a Netflix addict like the most of us, why not score two goals with one ball? The platform now translates nearly all of their movies and TV shows into popular languages like Spanish, Italian, German, and more. Depending on how comfortable you feel with your target language, you can choose whether you want to learn with subtitles or challenge yourself by watching it with foreign audio.

2. Live 1-on-1 Video Lessons

Private language lessons with professional teachers has proven to be the best way to learn a new language. Speaking with other people was how we learned our first language, and it's how our brains are wired to retain information. As studies from the National Training Laboratories show, we retain only 10% of what we read, 20% of what we see, and 90% of what we learn through immersion. Rype allows you to learn a new language around your busy schedule by booking lessons online anytime of the day, wherever you want in the world.

3. Interactive language learning apps

Language learning apps have been the rage in the past few years. You can use it on-the-go, and it can be an entertaining and useful way to spend your time when you're waiting in line or commuting to work. PS - we created a complete guide of free language learning tools for you to check out.

4. Listen to Language Podcasts On Your Commute

Podcasts are another one of the best ways to learn a new language on-the-go. When it comes to learning a language, you can leverage podcasts in several ways. The most popular way is to simply subscribe to a language podcast that focuses on teaching your target language. Another way is to listen to a regular show that's in your target language, and adjust the speed based on your current proficiency (i.e. 0.5x speed).

5. Children audiobooks

What better excuse is there to revisit your favorite children books than when you're learning a new language? With children books now being available in audio format, you can browse through hundreds of thousands of audiobooks on Audible (owned by Amazon). Most will have the option to change the language you're listening it to. You can also check out our complete list of language books.

6. Combine language learning with a fun activity

As Tony Robbins often quotes, the first step to shifting your mindset is to change your state. Instead of following the traditional routes of learning a language (i.e. textbooks, classrooms), why not take

 
• Cooking classes
 
• Acting classes
 
• Yoga lessons

And find one that only uses your target language to teach the class? There are many diverse communities that will organize activities and classes in their native language that you can attend. Here's an example.

7. Memorize the most common words everyday

Lastly, you can sign up for challenges like our Learn a Language Challenge. It delivers 10 of the most common words in your inbox every morning, for any language you're trying to learn. As simple as this sounds, the research behind this is worth mentioning. Linguists and researchers have found that by understanding 1,000 of the most common words in any language, you'll familiarize yourself with over 80%+ of the oral language.

Which of the 7 best ways to learn a new language did you resonate with the most?Share below which one you want to try out in the next 30 days, and why you chose it!