As someone who’s tried and tested dozens of methods to reach a C1 level of French in just three years, I’m often asked which techniques are most effective– and if a certain popular ‘language learning’ app is worthwhile.

Carina Otero reading in a park in Paris France

I don’t personally use Duolingo to try to learn French because I’ve heard enough bad things about it to know not to waste my time, but I’m familiar enough with it to know why it’s not an effective method. Duolingo is essentially a vocabulary game– and doesn’t do enough to provide context, create simulations, or encourage long-term memory, which are all essential to retain your knowledge and be able to apply your skills in the real world. Of course Duolingo is convenient and can be fun, but there are other techniques you can start practicing today that will actually improve your comprehension and understanding of a new language.

These methods are all convenient and most are free or low-cost, and I’ve found them to be personally helpful in my experience learning French quickly. Continue reading to discover some effective methods for learning or practicing a new language on your own time.

Creative Methods You Can Practice at Home to Immerse Yourself in a New Language

1. Watch YouTube videos about your favorite hobbies

If you are already an expert in a specific subject or are passionate about a particular hobby, you can immerse yourself by consuming content in that subject, but in the language you are trying to practice. One practical and free way to do this is on YouTube, where there is a seemingly-endless stream of video content about every subject imaginable. Simply searching for content using the terms and vocabulary of the original language will grant you access to free learning material.

For example, if you are already well-versed and passionate about gardening, you can search for content about gardening in French. You can type “astuces jardinage” (French for ‘gardening tips’") into YouTube’s search bar, and it will populate hundreds of videos. Because you’re already interested in gardening, you won’t be totally lost when watching the content even if it’s in another language. Immersing yourself in a subject in which you already have context and reference points will set you up for success, as your brain will more easily draw the connections between the vocabulary and the situations that you are observing. You will also be more likely to retain what you’re consuming because you are more engaged in the content.

2. Re-watch your favorite movies

This was one of my favorite methods to “immerse” myself when I was first starting to learn Spanish many years ago, and again when I was starting to learn French more recently. I preferred to watch animated Disney movies because I was familiar with the storylines, the concepts were not difficult to follow, and I wouldn’t be distracted by live-action scenes that were ‘dubbed’. I would watch these movies without subtitles, and the practice really trained my ears to listen for specific details in the conversation– not only the dialogue and vocabulary but also the inflection, pace, and rhythm.

I noticed that this practice of re-watching familiar movies in another language really improved my listening comprehension skills, and it’s one of my favorite methods to recommend. Most streaming platforms will allow you to change the language of whatever movie you are watching, but they sometimes may be limited to commonly spoken languages like French, Spanish, and German.

3. Listen to Podcasts

If you are looking for a passive way to immerse yourself in another language that’s still effective in improving your comprehension skills, I suggest listening to podcasts. For commonly spoken languages, you can find plenty of options that specifically address themes like learning as a beginner or more advanced formats for improving conversational comprehension skills.

One of my favorite podcasts I would listen to when first starting to learn French was called Little Talk in Slow French, which would discuss current events at a slow, digestible pace, before repeating the whole episode in a normal, conversational pace. I found this format to be especially helpful because I was training my ear to listen closely while also learning about topics I was interested in. This method is much more effective than simply listening to the radio in another language, because the subject matter is not random, the pace is easy to follow, and you can pause and replay as you wish. If you try to passively listen to the radio in another language, you may find yourself quickly getting lost as the hosts tend to jump from one subject to another to keep native-listeners engaged.

Changing the language settings in your phone is a creative way to immerse yourself when learning

4. Change the language settings on your phone

One creative (and free!) way to immerse yourself in another language is to change the settings on your phone. You will be ‘forced’ to familiarize yourself with the terms and vocabulary necessary to accomplish everyday tasks– and while it may feel difficult at first, you will surprise yourself at how quickly you will become accustomed to the changes. By training yourself to successfully manage something in another language, you may also notice a shift in your mindset and a boost in your confidence. This is an effective practice that closely replicates what it is like to live abroad and have to navigate simple tasks that had otherwise become thoughtless or second-nature in your native language.

5. Participate in Lingoda’s Sprint or Super Sprint

If you love the gamification and gratification of maintaining streaks on Duolingo, participating in a Lingoda Sprint or Super Sprint may be the best and most effective learning method for you. While it does require a considerable amount of effort compared to the quick vocabulary lessons on Duolingo, the biggest difference is that taking classes on Lingoda will actually teach you the language you are trying to learn. In fact, Lingoda’s live online classes have been one of my favorite methods for learning French quickly. Their Sprint or Super Sprint is a learning challenge that gives students 50% of their money back in cash or 100% of their money back in the form of credits if they take 30 classes (for the Sprint) in 60 days, or 60 classes (for the Super Sprint) in 60 days. The rules are a little complex but the reward is definitely a big motivator, and after the 60 day challenge is over, you will notice a measurable improvement in your skills. I completed the Sprint for French and successfully won my reward of 50% cash back, and highly recommend the experience.

Take 20€ off your Lingoda Sprint or class subscription by clicking here, or click here to read more about my experience.

6. Try private online tutoring with Preply

Preply is a great platform for learning and practicing a language because you can find a private tutor for any language, at any level, and for any budget. The biggest benefit of using Preply is that it’s flexible and you can sign in to your sessions from anywhere in the world, and you can request custom lessons from your tutor to work on exactly what you need help in. I love using Preply for conversational practice, but my experienced teacher is also wonderful at designing exercises that help me with grammar, pronunciation, and comprehension.

You can click here for a 50% off discount your first lessons on Preply, or you can read a more detailed review of my experience and recommendations for using Preply by clicking here.

7. Re-read your favorite books

This method is one of the most intensive of all the ideas I’ve included in this list, but it’s an effective way to immerse yourself in a language that you’ve already reached a relatively advanced level in. Similar to the concept I’ve described above of re-watching a familiar movie in a new language, re-reading your favorite books is a creative way to to sharpen your comprehension skills while also exposing you to new vocabulary, spelling, and sentence structures. Because you already know the storylines and themes of the books, you won’t be lost when reading them in a new language– in fact, I’ve found that re-reading my favorite books in French have also deepened my overall understanding and allowed me to approach the material from a new perspective.

You can find translated copies of most books on Amazon if you are not able to locate or order them from your local independent book store.

Click here for a list of some of my favorite books that I’ve re-read in French

If you’re tired of wasting your time with language apps that make big promises but don’t actually help you make real improvements, consider any of these methods I’ve mentioned and see if you notice a difference. In just the last few years I have reached a real level of fluency in French, and was able to pass the DELF B2 exam even though I was a total beginner just three years before taking it. I love sharing my tips for learning language quickly, so if you’re interested in discovering more about my favorite methods and techniques, then check out my other articles below or leave me a comment with any questions!