There are many resources on the net that focus on learning foreign languages.
However, I have not found most of them too helpful when it comes to getting really consistently good results.
So it was nice to discover the work of Luca, an Italian polyglot featured on youtube.
Luca puts out his own videos describing his approach and also is interviewed by Richard, a British polyglot, in the following video which, if you are interested in Luca’s approach, I highly recommend to you.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn2Uhq1wP6c
Essentially, he uses an approach which I have long found really helpful.
It comes down to having material in your native language or a language that you know quite well as well as really colloquial material in the target language that was composed by a native-speaker.
One then translates the material from, say, English ( my native language) into the target language.
After you have done this, compare your translation with that of the original target language text. Take note of anything that you have done differently.
While there is a lot of room for correct expression of the same idea in the target language, you will find that by rigorously following the colloquial piece you have, you will begin to get the way native speakers express themselves. With time you will note various ways of doing this.
One of the most challenging aspects of learning a language is to really begin to express yourself exactly as a native-speaker would.
This is very exciting once you get it.
And this approach will definitely enable you to do this in a way that will astound native-speakers.
What I have just described is only a part of what Luca says he does. However, it is a part that I have found particularly helpful
