In order to learn a new language, you may be thinking of buying a course, taking classes, having a tutor, or traveling to a foreign country for immersion.
There’s just one problem: All of these cost money.
You’re short on budget and have better things to prioritize spending on.
But what if you could learn for free? What if you don’t need your wallet, yet still be able to progress in your desired language?
Is it possible to rely on free stuff and actually acquire good language education? Can it take you through the higher levels as well? Even fluency?
It’s Not Just About Spending Money, EFFORT Matters As Well
Money can give you access to better materials and opportunities.
Even so, the fact remains that you must use whatever you’ve bought.
Money, combined with time and effort, is what moves the needle in learning a new language. Otherwise, you’re no different from someone who doesn’t spend at all and not exert effort.
Personally, I’m an example (and victim) of this spending mindset.
I bought a 1-year subscription of JapanesePod101 on New Year because it was on sale. But after a month I stopped using the course, realizing that my motivation to learn didn’t last long.
As a Korean learner, I actually learned way more from free stuff than with what I’ve purchased. For instance, I bought TOPIK Guide to prepare for TOPIK 1, which I barely used other than for the exam tips and a little bit glossing over the grammar and word list, which are readily available on YouTube at no cost.
Another example, I’ve already binge listened to the podcasts of Talk to Me In Korean (TTMIK) for free before spending any money on them. Yet after upgrading to their premium membership, the time I spent on their course didn’t increase much.
The lack of time and effort spent on paid materials, as you may guess, did not translate into a significant improvement in my target language. This of course, is only my personal example.
What I could have done instead, which I would suggest for language learners facing the same struggle, is to just use whatever resource you have.
Free stuff or paid, learning only happens when you work on the materials you have.
In fact, the more effort you spend on a tool or resource, the more you would cling to it as your chosen method. There exists the IKEA Effect, where people put more value on things they took part in creating, whether it’s spending more time and/or effort.
Try it – increase your efforts on the material you have, give it time and routinely use it. You’ll naturally tend to like what you’re doing and you’ll notice the progress.
Need Help Finding Free Stuff? Use The Internet
If you’ve been using the Internet all this time, why not search for free content in your target language? Depending on your level, you can surely find resources to fit you, and they’re within minute’s reach.
1. Gaming Apps
If you’re starting out with a new language, why not play with games first for free? Apps like Duolingo and Memrise help you test the waters and see if you’ll be interested in the language for a long time.
Games are mostly free and will prevent making studying a chore. The longer the time you spend on the app, the more you tend to use it for longer hours (given the app is excellent).
One usually purchases or subscribes to memberships in order to unlock the full course or use the app offline or to eliminate ads. These aren’t issues if you’re relatively new to the app, so staying as a free user will suffice.
2. YouTube Channels
Consuming videos on YouTube is another free thing to do online. Thanks to language YouTubers who make learning fun in their respective languages, you can insert a video or two in your playlist and enjoy learning new knowledge from them.
Sure, these influencers make a living so they might promote on you some course or program or app. But you don’t have to watch those promotions and follow their recommendations.
Effective channels usually teach you the basics of the language, or they make the explanation so clear you won’t have trouble grasping even a hard topic. It’s a bonus if they provide entertaining content while simultaneously educating the viewers. But any video that can help you learn something creates progress nevertheless.
There are several types of content I consume:
- Language-specific lessons – for example, I might watch Korean language videos to learn a particular grammar rule that I’m confused about
- Immersion Content – I could look for pure Korean shows or videos with Korean subtitles to practice my Korean comprehension on
- Cultural knowledge – culture can influence language, so I tend to learn it (if I have to) while focusing on the language I’m learning
- Learning How to Learn – concepts like how to memorize better and doing active recall are important as a language learner
- Linguistics – sometimes I encounter experts like Stephen Krashen who talk about key principles and give me a foundation towards learning any language
You can try any of these content for free on YouTube and get you very far in the target language.
3. Websites
At some point, you will discover the different resources in your target language, including websites to go to for further information. You might come across an interesting blog (like this one, Multilingual Journey) or a language-specific website that will further advance your learning. You might come across a polyglot and her blog, a native speaker sharing his perspective, or a language coach giving free advice.
You may find your target language available in Innovative Language as a course, allowing you to sign up an account there for free. Or even download some interesting infographics which you can use for reference (say, an infographic for prepositions or adverbs). Or pre-made flashcards and decks for you to start learning vocabulary.
4. Language Exchange
The Internet gives you access to lots of language learners wanting to get some speaking practice. You can find them on HelloTalk, Tandem, MyLanguageExchange, hilokal, and countless other places.
You don’t need to upgrade to a paid membership right away, since you can meet new people and get along with your target languages. Offer them your native or fluent language in exchange for the target language which they’re good at – nothing in there costs money because you’re both benefitting.
Learn Outside the Internet and Go Offline
Language learning had existed way before the Internet was even born.
But doing it offline without spending money? I think it can be done.
Can you find resources in your house or at your local library about your target language? Textbooks can give you a head start if ever you manage to obtain one. Then some foreign language books or stories if you’re lucky.
Do you have a friend, acquaintance, or mutual friend of yours who is either a native or a learner of your target language? Maybe now is the time to show interest in practicing languages with them.
How about some place that’s conducive to learning a specific language? Think Chinese while walking around Chinatown and hearing some Chinese conversations.
Lastly, there’s the classic notebook and flashcards that you can do manually with your hands. Take whatever you’ve learned online for free (or from your friend) and write them down in your notebook, or design flashcards which you can review later. You may not realize it, but there’s something special when you spend some effort to create your own resources.
The IKEA Effect kicks in – you tend to value your work and use it more often, especially if you created it well.
How Effective Is Language Learning Using Free Resources?
Given that paid resources have been created and tested to deliver results, can we say the same for free content?
This calls for the specific language goals you have. Learning vocabulary, for instance, can well be covered by free apps like Memrise. Reading and listening in the target language can also be supplemented by free translations and videos online, which don’t cost money.
Learning to speak, however, would heavily rely on feedback from a native speaker or teacher if you want to get it correct. If you don’t have a native friend nearby, a tutor would definitely make you spend money.
The chosen language can be an issue at times. Some languages lack in resources online, so if you’re unlucky and don’t have a nearby friend to practice with, learning can be an issue.
In short, effectiveness is goal specific, especially taking into account your budget. It also depends on the quality of feedback you need, because at times you might need feedback from a native to learn better, but other times you could already get away with free content (say you asked and got replies from a forum).
Overall: Free Language Learning Can Take You a Long Way
I’ve spent many years not spending a dime on the languages I wished to learn. For the most part, my motivation for these languages didn’t last long to be worth spending on.
That’s probably what you should ask yourself first: Are you actually motivated to learn your target language? What’s the reason you’re doing it anyway?
While you ask this question, put your wallet and credit card away.
Take action first – start learning, then decide later if you’ll continue.
