
Introduction-
There’s no foolproof way to learn a language, but we can offer you some tips.
1. IDENTIFY YOUR GOALS
What do you actually want to do with the Kannada language? If your aim is to speak with the Kannadiga side of your family, then you’ll need to hone in on your speaking and listening skills. It will also make sense to learn some of the vocabulary specific to the topics your family likes to talk about.
So, if discussions over politics typically break out, start reviewing phrases for talking about politicians and taxes. Or if your family likes to talk about the movies instead, drill up on genre-specific vocabulary.
Perhaps you’d actually like to use Kannada for work emails. Practice your reading and writing, and make a list of the business-specific phrases you’ll need to know.
Or maybe you’re planning to go on vacation in Karnataka. (Count us jealous: Hampi is awe-inspiring and the food is mouthwateringly good.) You probably won’t need as great a mastery of political or business phrases, but you’ll want to learn a lot of basic travel, hotel, and directions-based vocabulary.
2. CREATE A STUDY PLAN
Now you know what you want to study, decide how and when you’re going to do it. But be realistic! If you’re a busy person, you’re unlikely to have two hours a day, seven days a week to study.
Go at a manageable rhythm. You don’t want to dread your study sessions. And if you’re struggling to fit them in, try to study for less time but more frequently. It will be more effective than a long, intense session of cramming once a week.
If you get busy, re-evaluate your schedule. And if you fall off the wagon and skip a week? Relax, it happens. Just start again. Perhaps try doing a quick refresher of the most recent material to ease your way back into it.
3. DECIDE HOW YOU’RE GOING TO STUDY
We’re going to explore a huge number of courses, textbooks, apps, podcasts, YouTube channels, online classes, and more in this article. We’ll tell you our honest opinion of them, and for many of them, you can click through and read a more detailed review along with a rating.
But not every resource is well suited to every learner. You might prefer visually attractive worksheets and grammar-based explanations. Or you find you learn best by speaking and or listening. So, take this into account when choosing between resources, and don’t be afraid to try a few out to see what works best.
As well as the resources we’re about to cover, you can also:
- Journal
- Follow Kannada-language vloggers, influencers, and hashtags
- Find Kannada-language Facebook groups or forums related to your hobbies
- Write book/movie reviews, a blog, or short stories in Kannada
- Attend comedy shows or poetry readings (you’ll find virtual ones online)
- Write a letter to the editor of a Kannada-language newspaper or site
- Change the settings on your search engine so that it shows you Kannada-language results first
- Create flashcards
- Label things around the house in Kannada
No matter what methods you choose, try to do a bit of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. And look for a certain degree of balance between grammar, vocabulary, and culture.
4. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
It can be hard to see your progress on a day-to-day basis, and this can make learning a language demotivating. Some days, you’ll feel like your listening ability has deteriorated. Other days, you’ll struggle to remember the “basic” vocabulary that you learned and drilled five months ago, only to never use it again. (After all, how often do you say the words “mouse,” “accountant,” and “ice” in everyday life?)
First, don’t feel bad about this: it is a normal part of learning a language and doesn’t actually mean your Kannada knowledge has decreased. In fact, if you track your progress, you will still see an overall improvement.
So, instead of beating yourself up because you didn’t understand someone, reread something you read or wrote a few months ago, rewatch a TV show, or relisten to a podcast. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by just how far you’ve come.
5. REWARD YOURSELF BY DOING FUN THINGS IN KANNADA
We’re not talking about reading a level-appropriate book to practice your reading. Sure, it’s a great way to study – but we want you to actually reward yourself, not just add to your homework list.
Try watching a movie because the trailer looks amazing. Don’t worry about whether you have subtitles on, pause to look up what a word means, or do any “good” language-learning tricks: this is fun, not studying.
Read a comic even though nearly all the communication is visual, not verbal. Trawl through forums dedicated to your hobbies. Add terrible puns to your shopping list because they’ll make your housemates giggle. Buy these Kannada fridge magnets and use them to create witty (or silly) messages. Bake a delicious dessert, not to challenge your cooking vocabulary but because you really want to eat bread halwa.