Throwback Thursday S1 #28 - 5 Effective Tips to Jumpstart Your Polish Studying

Number one, limit your native language use when practicing.

The idea here is that when you practice with native speakers, you do your best to refrain from using your native language.

This is generally harder the less you know, but if you can manage to stick to this rule, you'll reap some huge rewards.

If you commit to a no native language practice session, it's not going to be easy.

Most likely, there will be some frustrating, if not painstakingly difficult moments where you either have trouble understanding the person you're talking to or you can't say what you want to say.

It's precisely in these moments that your language learning muscles are built up to capacity.

The process really isn't all that different from working out in the gym.

Just replace the physical burn of lifting weights for the mental burn of thinking in a new language.

In the end, if there's no pain, there's no gain.

Obviously, this no native language rule doesn't have to be written in stone.

There are times when it's more beneficial to break out of the target language box and have something explained to you in your native language.

However, this should definitely be the exception rather than the standard.