Who said that learning Polish has to be too serious, complicated and even boring? If you still believe that the whole process boils down to monotonous cramming of grammar rules and endless lists of new words, we are ready to convince you otherwise. Try to add a little creativity and language learning will turn into your new hobby! And the results will come soon enough. Are you ready for some language experiments? Zaczynajmy!
A culinary adventure
Taste the Polish language! Find recipes for traditional Polish dishes, make a list of the ingredients you need (in Polish, of course!), and learn some new verbs related to cooking. While cooking, comment on each of your actions, and when the dish is ready, try to describe the taste and aroma. This way of learning gives a concrete and practical dimension to your efforts. You will also learn useful everyday words and expressions quickly and easily.
Emotional painting
This method of learning Polish is based on the concept of emotional memory. Psychologists believe that this is a much easier and more effective method of memorising information than traditional learning methods. So, take a piece of paper, coloured pencils or markers and draw a picture. Describe what it represents in Polish. Your creativity is not important, just focus on the words. This approach will make learning vivid and exciting.
Lists and planning
Going to the shops? Write a shopping list in Polish. It may seem like an asterisk task at first, but it will help you master the most popular topics: vegetables, fruits, stationery, clothes, etc. The main condition is that you rely only on your knowledge in the store, and don't give in to the temptation to look up a dictionary. Of course, you run the risk of buying something completely different from what you planned, but you will remember the difficult words 100%. That's what you need to learn, isn't it?
Interests and hobbies
To make learning Polish fun, find something that inspires you. If you are a sports fan, listen to commentators on Polish broadcasts. Do you dream of travelling? Explore blogs and podcasts in this language. Interested in video games? Try voice acting in a foreign language! This way of learning will help you combine business with pleasure and expand your vocabulary at the same time. Even if you don't have any specific interests yet, simply looking at memes or reading jokes in Polish will speed up your learning and improve your mood at the same time.
Role-playing games
This is an interactive method of learning Polish that involves modelling various communication situations. The technique is relevant when learning new material or consolidating what you have already learned, helps you overcome the language barrier faster and develop self-confidence. If you have friends, relatives or acquaintances who are also interested in learning Polish, you can practice this approach with them. Otherwise, you can even practice in front of a mirror or record your monologues on a dictaphone to analyse them in detail later.
You can start with easy games. For example, the story ‘In a shop’ is played out in the roles of ‘seller-buyer’, ‘In a restaurant’ - ‘waiter-diner’, etc. With the expansion of knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, games can be made more complex.
- ‘If I was/were...’. Imagine yourself as a famous public figure: a musician, politician, actor. How would your life change? What would you do? What would you dream about? How would you change the world? Now try to explain all this in Polish, start with the phrase ‘Gdybym był...’. If there are several participants, you can also practice building interrogative sentences, which are often difficult for Polish learners.
- ‘Journey’. Prepare cards with the names of cities in Poland or other countries. Pick one at random and try to explain in Polish why you should visit this city. The main task is to convince your interlocutor (or yourself) that it is a good idea to travel. This game improves and expands your vocabulary, builds your ability to build grammatical structures correctly, and develops your argumentation skills.
Remember that success depends on you! Learning Polish can be a unique experience and an incredible adventure if you combine benefit with pleasure.
