Lack of time – this is the most frequently repeated excuse by people who delay learning a language indefinitely. “I have so many things to do that I don’t know what to put off first!” 🙂 Nowadays everyone is busy. We have a million responsibilities on our hands. A few hours a week to study a language seems completely unattainable for many people. So learn these 5 methods of learning English when we don’t have the time!
How to learn English when we don’t have time?
Zen Buddhists say it’s good to meditate half an hour a day. Well, unless we don’t have that much time. Then an hour!
Lack of time is a state of mind, not a fact. Hence the saying “the less time we have, the more time we have.” It’s only when we’re short on time that we need to get organized, and it turns out that there’s more time than we previously thought.
Somehow, over time, I think it’s a bit like rubber. It can be stretched.
You just need to know your priorities.
And using time to achieve our priorities is a bit like filling a pot.
First you need to put stones in it, then sand, and only at the end pour water. If we confuse our priorities, it will seem to us that nothing will fit into the water pot anymore.
So let’s assume that English is already our priority.
How long does it take to learn English?
(And since I have so little of it, is it even worth getting started?)
The Internet is full of offers of phenomenal English courses that promise sensational results even after two weeks. Or even without learning, through sleep!
My advice – stay away from illusion peddlers. Learning is a process and, sadly, it must take time.
Nor will anyone reasonable tell you in how many days or years you will learn to communicate fluently in a foreign language. This depends on a number of factors. Everyone develops differently and goes through different stages.
One Spanish language school put it amusingly:
However, one thing is certain – the more time we spend on language exercises, the more knowledge we will have!
On the other hand, whether we catch on in a flash or learning is going rather reluctantly, the most important thing is regularity.
It’s better to spend 15 minutes studying each day than to spend an entire afternoon once a month on conversations. No matter how busy you are every day. A few minutes should not thwart your activities.
Motivation is the key
With motivation to learn English, it’s not at all about having a coaching and motivation session before each learning session. As with brushing our teeth, it’s best to make learning English part of our daily or weekly routine.
And somehow it is so with habits that while it is difficult to form them (or at least the useful ones…), then things take their own course.
Interestingly, it is said that you need about three weeks to form a habit. After this time, all repetitive activities will come naturally.
Cool, isn’t it?
So set yourself a clear, easily measurable goal. For example, learn English for 15 minutes a day for 21 days. You don’t have to start on Monday. Start in a moment, right after reading this text.
Or not even – already here and now!
5 methods to learn English when we don’t have time for it
I hope the following five methods will help you learn English even if you have very little time.
1. Learning English phrases, not vocabulary words
The best results in language acquisition come from learning complete phrases in English. If we don’t have the time (or the inclination!) to repeat more useless grammar rules and hundreds of new vocabulary words (which we won’t necessarily use later in the right context!) let’s bet on learning complete sentences. They are the ones that contain both. The brain learns associations the fastest. If you connect the right phrases with the context, it will be easier to return to the remembered meanings.
Research confirms that learning only vocabulary words will not take many steps forward. Grammar alone won’t do us much good either.
The most important thing is to use complete phrases and sentences, so that we acquire both vocabulary and grammar in a balanced way, naturally like a child learning his native language.
2. Speak English 15 minutes a day
If our level of language proficiency allows basic communication in English with another person this method will bring great results, in a short time. We assume that you spend a minimum of several hours each day with other people. Whether at work or at home, look for an interlocutor who agrees to practice language with you.
Returning to your household in the evening, you probably still recount what happened to you that day. Determine that from now on the exchange of information will be in English. In this situation, you won’t even spend an extra minute on learning, after all, you exchange a few words with others every day anyway. Fast English without sacrifice, which is what we like best.
3. Quick English with Speakingo online English course
If you don’t know what to get behind, and no one at your house wants to be persuaded to get together for conversations, remember the possibility of learning with Speakingo’s online English course. The computer is a great conversation partner!
On a Speakingo course, you talk to your phone or computer, which understands you, praises you, even corrects you if necessary. He never loses patience or cancels classes.
You decide how much time you will devote to learning. You can learn briefly, regularly, and the knowledge you acquire is very varied. The phrasebook is at your level and all the grammar and vocabulary you need is included.
If you’ve never heard of the course before – be sure to catch up! 🙂
Apply for a free trial week!
4. Surround yourself with the English language
If you want to see the results of learning English quickly, go on a frontal attack! Change the language on your phone, install SPEAKINGO English language app on it.
Start reading only English-language news from the world. Listen to English-language radio and music. Cook from the recipes of British and American chefs. Turn your world upside down!
Even if you don’t understand half of the vocabulary at first – be persistent. This way your brain will understand that English is important for your “survival” and will start to absorb it at full speed.
It is also very useful to weave learning into our daily pleasures such as watching movies or even cartoons in English, listening to radio broadcasts and reading interesting books.
However, don’t forget to linguistically reinforce your skills in a regular online or offline English course or meetings with an English teacher, because somehow things “melt away” without this.
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5. Learn what you need most
Start your learning with what you will use most quickly in your daily practice.
Do you leave often? Focus on phrases that you will use in restaurants and hotels. You happen to write emails in English at work, and so far you have had to resort to a dictionary – start by acquiring knowledge of business correspondence, etc. Pay the most attention to what will be useful to you the fastest. The results will mobilize you to take the next steps in learning.
A quick “self-paced” English is a good excuse to begin regular and advanced study.
Super fast English abroad
Unfortunately, there are no miracle pills that would allow us to learn a foreign language in a few hours.
However, if you want to achieve very fast results, try a combination of all the methods mentioned above. And preferably move out to an English-speaking country…. But of course, everything is the art of the possible, the important thing is to take the first step and move forward with a smile on your lips!
When we approach learning with the right amount of enthusiasm and commitment, put a premium on communication and don’t worry about so-called mistakes, we may see the first results after just a few/some days.
And one last trick. Since the most important thing is regularity, to support it, you can also install on your phone the so called “habit tracker“.
It is a cool mobilization for those who like to act on tasks. I recommend the solution especially to those who, in addition to complaining about the lack of time, accuse themselves of forgetfulness. 🙂
Speakingo Method
And finally, the icing on the cake which is, in my opinion, the best way to learn English when we don’t have time for it. Of course, this is learning on the Speakingo English course!
- you learn when you want and for how long you want
- without commuting
- any time of day or night
- you can interrupt the lesson, and they last several minutes
- learning is easy and fun so you’re always up for it
In a Speakingo English course, you speak in full sentences of English with your phone or computer, which understands you, praises you, and corrects you if necessary. These sentences contain all the grammar and vocabulary you need. You look at the pretty pictures, listen to the velvety voice of a native speaker…. and the knowledge enters your head by itself!
Unbelievable?
Find out for yourself or on your own. Sign up with two clicks below to try this method of learning English for those with little time to spare for free and without any obligation!
If you know of other ways to make English fast, be sure to share them with the rest of the blog readers in the comments!
