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So with all the best intentions, your decision to learn a new language has fallen by the wayside. You’re not alone – it’s right about now that most people tend, realistically, to give up on their New Year’s resolutions, and start dreaming of the summer. Given the cold weather, I don’t blame them, but to pack it all in after two weeks is a meagre effort and getting back on the right track might be simpler than you think…

When you decided you wanted to learn a language, you probably envisaged yourself being fluent, holding your own in a conversation, the words flowing freely from your mouth. Reality check – this takes time, and dedication. The worst thing you could do is abandon this end goal, but you should definitely set yourself smaller targets to get there.

You also probably thought that it’d require some work, but ultimately it’s turned out to be harder than you thought. Well guess what? It might not be easy, but you can make it fun – watch foreign films, listen to the radio, find silly sounding words, and challenge yourself each day. Learning a language doesn’t have to be a chore!

Perhaps time is weighing on your mind, or rather lack of it. You just can’t seem to fit it in. If you want it, you’ll make time. It could be 5 minutes here and there. Just a word a day to start with, or even 15 minutes before you go to bed. You don’t have to sacrifice every waking moment to learn a language, you just need consistency.

You’ve already broken your resolution, what’s the point? Resolutions are a great kick-starter, be they aren’t the be all and end all. If you want to learn a language and you’re willing to put in the effort, it doesn’t matter when you started, so long as you continue.

And, if all else fails and you’re still dreaming of the summer, book a holiday. Anywhere, so long as they speak the language you want to learn. Wouldn’t it be great if you could speak to the locals, and order food without anyone feeling the need to ‘put you out of your misery’ and reply in English…