How Food is a Recipe for Success in Language Learning
There are many entertaining methods to learn a new language, but what funnier approach is there than to include it with one of our favorite things in life—food! Learning a language through food is fascinating since it's a standard, approachable, and delectable topic that appeals to all of us.
The most effective technique to start learning vocabulary in a new language is to use it in a frequent context that you are familiar with. And eating is one of our most frequent activities!
You may learn a new language via cuisine, but you can also gain a deeper understanding of the local speakers' history, culture, geography, and customs.
More than merely selecting items from a bilingual menu may be done to teach a language via cuisine. Continue reading for more suggestions on utilizing food to practice and learn a language pleasantly.
Order food at a restaurant using the language you are studying
In addition to providing the ideal justification for a night out with your significant other or pals, seeking out different places and putting your order in the local tongue will also benefit your practice of the language in a natural setting, assuming the waitstaff is fluent in that language.
If you are visiting a nation where the language you are studying is spoken, this is an excellent practice for you. Along with sightseeing, you can fully immerse yourself in the local culture, improve your language skills, and sample some of the region's delectable cuisine.
Want to improve your fluency even more? Attempt calling in a takeout or delivery order in the language! You can improve your listening comprehension by avoiding face-to-face interactions because you won't have access to body language, lipreading, or other contextual cues. You may write up a "script" of possible lines to say, questions they might ask, and various replies before making the call. You'll feel more confident and won't experience phone stuttering. Never hesitate to request a slower pace or a repetition from the person on the other end so you can comprehend.
Watch your favorite cookery program in a foreign language
You have undoubtedly already encountered someone who learned a new language by watching television content produced in that language. You may further this fantastic learning strategy by incorporating it into your culinary entertainment.
Cooking competitions with well-known chefs are popular right now. This is not a coincidence since the primary reason for their renown is the delicious food they produce that leaves everyone drooling. Observing the techniques these culinary experts employ to create these fantastic delicacies is also intriguing.
By using subtitles in the language you are studying instead of your native tongue, you may improve both your reading comprehension and your listening comprehension with this activity.
Take a shopping list in a different language to the store
Making your grocery list in the language you are studying is another simple and enjoyable exercise. When looking for the products on the shelves, this can help you pick up new vocabulary words and improve your recall.
But while you're at the store, don't lie! If you must have your phone, leave it in the car and uninstall the translator app. Try your best to cross off everything on your list. Refrain from worrying if you are puzzled and select the wrong thing. Make advantage of it as a justification to experiment in the kitchen.
To complete this activity, remember that you might need to allocate more time in your schedule for shopping, but if you combine it with your "study" time, it will be well worth it!
Join a language-native person in the kitchen
This was one of my favorite methods for learning my grandmother's original tongue. She had yet to share the recipe for her special chocolate cake with anybody else, so I assisted her in making it. She carefully described the preparation and procedure in her native tongue while I read the components out loud to help her.
If you need a partner to cook in the language you are studying, practice speaking the words from the recipe aloud as you prepare the food. This includes the items' names and phrases describing the cooking procedure. And be sure to select a meal from a nation where the language is spoken! This could inspire you to try out all the dishes you have bookmarked on Pinterest.
You Are Welcome! Give your loved ones a "cultural night"
It would be a blast to throw a dinner party for your family or friends with dishes from the region whose language you are learning. AND by giving it to them in that language, you may win their respect. You may make them a personalized menu and serve the delectable local cuisine while describing it in their language.
Don't overthink it if this makes you anxious. You can create menu cards or place cards that list the foods and their translations to practice writing in the language. You will make valuable memories, and the evening will undoubtedly be remembered for the lovely experience you created and for your inventiveness in going outside of your comfort zone and trying something new.