Language-Learning Tips for Your Next Big Overseas Adventure
Travelling to new destinations opens up a world of exciting experiences, and learning the local language is just one way you can enhance your journey.
Whether you’re (re-)visiting your favourite holiday destination or stepping foot into hidden gems off the beaten path, being able to communicate in the native tongue can help you navigate more easily, connect with locals, and fully immerse yourself in the culture and history of a place.
While overcoming language barriers can be challenging, with the right approach it can become an enriching part of your adventure. Join us for some beginner tips and advice for learning a new language and taking the first step to brave the unknown with confidence.
1. Start with the Basics
Starting your language learning journey with essential phrases and greetings is key.
Knowing how to say "hello," "please," "thank you," and "goodbye" can go a long way in demonstrating politeness, which is appreciated in any culture. For travellers, phrases like “How do I get to [place]?”, “Where is the [toilet/amenity/attraction]?”, or “How much is this?” are just as useful and applicable in your day-to-day interactions.
Apps like Duolingo, Babbel, and Rosetta Stone are excellent resources for travellers starting their language learning from scratch. These platforms offer a variety of engaging and interactive practical language lessons tailored for beginners, making it easier to grasp the basics.
If you prefer something hardcopy, pop into your local bookstore and pick up a travellers’ phrasebook that’ll list the useful phrases and words you’re most likely to need to turn to. These books tend to be bilingual—providing both English and native translations—to make it easier for you to build a solid foundation for more advanced language skills as you progress.
2. Immerse Yourself Digitally Before You Go
Digital immersion is a powerful tool in language learning. Simply hearing a language regularly can increase your familiarity with it, and over time, you might find yourself recognising certain words, phrases, or even idioms here and there.
Follow social media accounts, podcasts, and YouTube channels in the target language to familiarise yourself with its sound and structure. This can include local influencers, language learning accounts, or any type of account in your target language even if it’s not travel-related.
If you’re not on social media much and don’t want to be, watching movies and listening to music or shows in the language can be just as useful. This not only aids in understanding but also provides insight into cultural contexts and colloquial expressions. Platforms like Netflix and Spotify offer a plethora of content in various languages, helping you learn in an entertaining and engaging way.
3. Use Technology to Your Advantage
Modern technology offers innovative solutions for language learners, making the language learning process immersive, efficient, and enjoyable.
Our advice for new learners? Embrace it. Apps like Google Translate and Microsoft Translator can translate visual or audio input in real time, assisting you in navigating new places, reading signs, and understanding menus. Language exchange meetups and apps such as Tandem or HelloTalk enable you to practise with native speakers, gaining confidence and fluency even before you leave for your destination.
4. Embrace Mistakes as part of the Learning Process
Mistakes are an inevitable part of learning a new language, but they are also opportunities for growth.
When choosing a new language, it’s important to consider your personal goals and the language's difficulty level. Some of the easiest languages to learn for English speakers include Spanish, French, and Italian, which have similar alphabets and numerous resources available for learners. Conversely, difficult languages to learn, like Mandarin, Arabic, and Japanese, may require more time and effort due to their unique scripts and complex grammar structures.
Don’t be afraid to speak and make errors; it's through these experiences that you learn and improve. With dedication and the right tools, mastering any language is achievable.
Engaging with locals can help you overcome the fear of making mistakes. Remember, everyone (or almost everyone) appreciates the effort travellers put into speaking their language and bridging the communication gap, and most people are patient and willing to help when you’re struggling.
5. Engage with Locals
Interacting with locals is one of the most effective ways to enhance your language skills. Simple conversations can provide valuable practice and deepen your understanding of the local culture. Consider joining short language courses or workshops available for travellers. These immersive experiences can accelerate your learning and make your trip even more memorable.
6. Keeping the Momentum Post-Trip
Returning home for travels doesn’t mean your language learning journey has to end.
Continue practising to keep your skills sharp and prepare for future adventures, expeditions, and explorations. Join language clubs or online communities to stay connected with the culture and maintain your proficiency – and you might even make some penpals along the way! These activities not only enhance your language abilities but also keep the excitement of your travel experiences alive.
Prepare and Protect Yourself through All Your Overseas Adventures
Just as learning key phrases prepares you for novel interactions in a new country, travel insurance is important as it protects you from unexpected travel disruptions such as travel delays, trip cancellations and more. By having this financial safety net, you can travel worry-free.
Comprehensive single-trip or annual travel insurance plans, like those offered by Income Insurance, cover medical emergencies, trip cancellations, lost belongings, and more, so you can focus entirely on your adventure even when mishaps or misadventures occur. Benefits such as up to S$2,0001 travel delay coverage, up to S$2,0001 baggage delay coverage, coverage for adventurous activities2, and more.
If you’re planning for the voyage of a lifetime, consider purchasing travel insurance so you can protect your adventures abroad.
1 For Preferred Plan. Policy Ts&Cs apply.
2 This policy does not cover claims for loss or liability directly or indirectly caused by or arising from extreme sports which involve speed, height, danger, a high level of physical exertion, highly specialized gear or spectacular stunts, whether they are played competitively or noncompetitively, in a team or individually. Adventurous activity means any recreational activity commonly available to the public that is done overseas during your trip for leisure or as part of the tour and which:
- is undertaken while complying with all safety procedures, such as wearing safety equipment and following rules and regulations; whether specifically advised or generally expected of a reasonable person,
- where guidance and supervision of licensed guides or instructors are available, the recreational activity must be carried out under the guidance and supervision of licensed guides or instructors of the tour operator or activity provider, and
- is not excluded under the general exclusions listed in part 4 of the general conditions of the policy.
This article is meant purely for informational purposes and should not be relied upon as financial advice. The precise terms, conditions and exclusions of any Income Insurance products mentioned are specified in their respective policy contracts. For customised advice to suit your specific needs, consult an Income Insurance advisor. This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
These policies are protected under the Policy Owners’ Protection Scheme which is administered by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation (SDIC). Coverage for your policy is automatic and no further action is required from you. For more information on the types of benefits that are covered under the scheme as well as the limits of coverage, where applicable, please contact Income Insurance or visit the GIA/LIA or SDIC websites (www.gia.org.sg or www.lia.org.sg or www.sdic.org. sg).
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