How to start learning
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The tips contained in this article are as follows:
Goals and motivation
Before you start learning a language, it's good to know why you want to learn it. Do you need to speak Czech at work or at school? Is someone in your family from Czechia? Do you live or want to live in Czechia? Or do you just enjoy learning languages and Czech is a real challenge for you? You can also write down somewhere why you want to learn Czech. But it's important to at least be aware of it and think about it. It will help you stay motivated while you study.
Having specific goals that you want to achieve will also help you stay motivated while studying. It is important that the goals are specific and realistic and that it is possible to evaluate or assess them. For example, you could define a goal of being able to understand A2 level texts, being at a certain level on a Czech language learning app, or being able to write a short text about yourself and things that you like.
After some time you can evaluate your goals. Check if you have achieved your goals. Once in a while you can write a short text or record a short video of you speaking Czech. When evaluating your goals, you can compare older texts and videos with current ones to see your progress. Seeing concrete progress will also help you stay motivated while studying.
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Resources
We already have our goals. But now, where do we start the real learning? The next step is to find the right resources and materials to learn Czech from. What resources and materials are good for learning the language? Various texts and articles, books, podcasts, series, videos, movies, songs and of course textbooks or learning apps are good for learning. If you are a complete beginner, there are a lot of simplified materials.
On our website, there's a podcast and a blog available for Czech learners where you can practice reading and listening. There's also a special app that teaches you Czech from scratch. In addition, we'll post tips on other materials such as music, movies, TV shows, books and videos.
Careful, one resource or material won't be enough. Even two or three resources won't be enough. Our app can help you a lot with grammar and vocabulary, but it won't be enough on its own if you don't use other materials. You'll also need to do a lot of listening and reading in Czech in different situations. On the other hand, if you only read and listen, you may have problems with grammar. That's why it's good to have lots of different resources and to combine them.
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Learning style
There are many different styles, methods and ways to learn a foreign language. There are flashcards, learning apps, traditional textbooks, tutoring, chatting, reading, audiovisual resources and materials, native speaker imitation and many more. It is important to try different techniques and use the ones that are best for you.
For studying, find the learning style that is best for you and that you enjoy the most. For maximum effectiveness, combine different techniques that improve different abilities and skills.
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Native speakers and imitation
When studying, it is important to learn from native speakers. This is the only way to gain the ability to speak correctly and naturally. How to learn from native speakers? What if I don't live in Czechia? Don't worry! There is always a way.
Do you remember the materials and resources we talked about? All of these materials are created by native speakers of Czech. By watching movies, TV shows and videos or listening to podcasts, you are learning from native speakers. By reading books or articles in Czech, you are also learning from native speakers.
Imitation is related to learning from native speakers. How to imitate? The first step is to listen. When you listen, you get used to what individual sounds and words sound like. You learn how we join words together when we pronounce them, how we inflect words, where we put the stress, and how we combine words into sentences and phrases. Plus, your brain does all this unconsciously. That is, without you actively thinking about it.
The second step is to imitate. Imitate means to repeat what the other person says. Repeat words or whole sentences. Imitate intonation, stress and pronunciation. You can focus on specific things when you imitate. For example, you can practice inflection, the pronunciation of š vs. ž, or the intonation that Czechs use when they ask questions. If something is giving you trouble, you can focus on it when you imitate.
Imitation is the method by which every person on our planet has learned their native language. Every person spends the first months of their life listening to their language. Then they start repeating simple words and sentences. You don't have to wait a whole year before you start imitating native speakers, definitely use this method from the beginning. It's the natural way our brains learn.
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Mistakes
The advice I'm about to give you may surprise you. Make mistakes! Mistakes are very important when learning. Why? Every mistake you make gives you the opportunity to learn something new. That's why it's important not to be afraid to make mistakes. Czech is such a complex language that mistakes are commonly made by every native speaker of Czech. It's normal!
How to use mistakes to learn more effectively? When you make a mistake, write it down. Look at what was wrong and how the thing should be right. Why is it wrong? What are the differences between the right and the wrong version? You can consult your mistakes with a native speaker or on the internet. The important thing is not to avoid making any mistakes, but to learn from them.
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Have fun while learning
One final piece of advice. Learning should be fun! Use materials and methods that you enjoy. It is very important to make learning a process that you enjoy. It is necessary to use materials that you find fun, funny or interesting. Find articles and videos about things you like or enjoy. You don't need to spend a lot of time with a textbook. You may learn more grammar at the beginning, but you will lose motivation faster. And without motivation, it's impossible to learn.
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Conclusion
That was all the advice for today's episode. Are you still not sure what material to start with? If you're reading this in a language other than Czech, you can listen to it in Czech now, and read the transcription at the same time. Even if you don't speak any Czech, you will certainly learn a few words and learn how to read Czech. Plus, you can click on a word you don't understand in the text and the app will show you the translation.
You can also sign up on our website czeched.cz and work in the app, where there is a special Czech course starting from scratch. The course will help you learn the most important words, sentences and grammatical constructions and then keep improving your skills. You can also check out the Podcast section of our website for more podcast and blog episodes.
That's it for today. I hope our advice has helped you get clearer about how to get started with learning Czech. If you have any questions, email us at info@czeched.cz or on social media, and we'll be happy to answer you.
Have a great day and we wish you a lot of luck and joy while studying Czech. See you next time!
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