Learning Romanian is a fun and unique experience. But, there are always tricks you can do to make your Romanian studies faster, easier, and better. Use these tips and advice to learn Romanian easily, and reach fluency in record time. Here are the 15 best tips for learning Romanian on your own.
Can I Teach Myself Romanian?
The short answer is yes. You don’t need a teacher or a classroom to reach Romanian fluency. All you need is enthusiasm and the best language learning method. Learning Romanian the right way is crucial to reaching fluency fast and effectively. Find the learning method that works best for you, and then use these tips for learning Romanian even better.
Is it Hard to Learn Romanian?
This depends on you. But, if you’re a native English speaker, Romanian won’t be a hard language to master. The US Foreign Service Institute ranks Romanian as a Category I language. Which means that it’s one of the easiest languages to learn. But it’s different for everyone. How long it takes to learn Romanian exactly depends on only you.
Tips for Learning Romanian
These are the best tips and tricks you can use for learning Romanian faster. Language learning secrets like these can ensure your success. Reach Romanian fluency faster with these 10 tips:
1. Find Motivation to Learn Romanian
Every language learner studies for a reason. Whether it’s for travel, a job, or just a hobby, you have to have a strong motivation to study Romanian. There are plenty of reasons why learning Romanian can benefit you.
Once you know what your motivation is, make sure you set an achievable goal. For example, you can say that you want to learn Romanian in 6 months, so you’ll learn 20 common phrases every week. These SMART goals can help get you to Romanian fluency faster.
2. Create a Romanian Learning Schedule
Being well organized is a very useful tip for learning Romanian. Create a language learning schedule. Plan your journey, and know when you achieve Romanian fluency. You can take your current daily routine, and adjust your Romanian studies according to that. Learning Romanian doesn’t have to take a lot of time out of your regular day.
3. Practice Every Aspect of Romanian
The four pillars of language learning are mastering reading, writing, listening, and speaking. If your language learning method prioritizes one aspect over all of them, it’s probably not the best. If you’re comfortable with all of these skills, then you can reach Romanian proficiency. Make sure you practice them all.
Speaking is often postponed by language learners. They don’t start speaking until they feel comfortable with the language. But, that’s a mistake. The only way to reach Romanian fluency is to speak it regularly.
4. Choose the Best Romanian Resources
This is a crucial tip for learning Romanian. Having the right resources will make language learning a lot easier, especially if you’re learning on your own. Make sure you choose one that’s fun to use, but also progresses your fluency.
Some language-learning resources you can use to make the best of your Romanian studies are:
- Buy a textbook: Textbooks explain grammar well. If you want a guide that make Romanian clear, consider investing in a Romanian textbook. But, they may be a little boring.
- Hire a private tutor: Private tutors can give you the personalized attention you need. Their expertise can guide you to fluency fast, but it can also be very pricey.
- Download a language learning app: This is the cheapest and most fun alternative you have. And language learning apps can also be very effective. They can guide your lessons well and make you come back for more.
5. Build Romanian Vocabulary From What You Know
Nobody likes studying vocabulary. But, luckily, with Romanian it won’t be hard. There are a lot of loanwords from English in Romanian. You can use these loanwords and cognates to enhance your vocabulary quickly. Cognates are words that sound similar in English and Romanian, and have the same meaning. There are quite a few cognates in both languages thanks to their shared Latin roots.
6. Beware of False Cognates in Romanian
Cognates are great for language learning, but there are false cognates too in Romanian. These words sound similar, but their meanings are very different than in English. Make sure you know what these are so you can avoid potential embarrassment.
Here are a few false cognates in Romanian:
- actual (real, true) – actual (current)
- arm (limb, weapon) – armă (only weapon)
- cap (hat, bottle seal) – cap (head)
- fabric (cloth, material) – fabrică (factory)
- lack (absence) – lac (lake)
- pat (tap, touch) – pat (bed)
9. Tips to Immerse Yourself In Romanian
It would be amazing to learn Romanian in Romania. Soak up the culture while you reach fluency in the language. But, it’s a luxury many of us can’t afford. But, you can always soak up the culture. Create your own immersion experience from the comfort of your home. Bring a piece of Romania with you with these tips for learning Romanian:
- Listen to Romanian Music: You may not realize, but you actually know a few Romanian songs. The popular international hit “Numa Numa” from the early 2000s is by a Moldovan band, so it’s in Romanian. But Romania has its own musical culture. Discover songs and artists from Romania that you enjoy, listen to their work, and sing yourself to fluency.
- Learn About Romanian Culture: Romanian culture is rich in traditions. Learn about their customs, and fall in love with the people of Romania.
- Watch YouTube Videos: YouTube is a very popular language learning resource. And it’s also free. Follow Romanian YouTube channels to learn more about the culture and the people. Listening to real Romanians can also be a very useful listening exercise for you.
10. Change Your Smartphone’s Language
You don’t have to travel to take part in immersion. One of the best ways to create an immersive experience for yourself is to use your smartphone. By changing the operating system’s language on your phone, you’ll be able to read all of your phone’s basic keywords and commands in Romanian.
This language change is extremely beneficial when using social media. As you scroll through you favorite social media platforms, you’ll be able to read captions, dates, and buttons in Romanian. Though these are very simple things, they will help you train your brain to always think and read in Romanian.
11. Learn High-Frequency Words in Romanian
Fluency isn’t about the number of words you know. It’s about knowing the right words. And the best tip for learning Romanian in record time is to learn the most common words and phrases. That’s how you learn to speak like a local.
Because Romanian locals only use 20% of their vocabularies for 80% of their conversations. It’s called Pareto Principle. So, if you want to be part of that majority, you only need a handful of the vocabulary to succeed.
If you’re wondering where you can find this vocabulary list, look no further. OptiLingo’s language learning app has identified a list of the most common words and phrases in everyday Romanian, so you can start learning the most essential expressions. Find out how fast you can learn Romanian when you download OptiLingo!
12. Make Comprehensible Input Part of Your Romanian Studies
How do babies learn languages so well? Their method is quite brilliant, it’s called comprehensible input. And luckily, adults can use the same technique to acquire a foreign language easily. The key to comprehensible input is reaching a balanced level of difficulty. If your lessons are too hard, you give up. If they’re too easy, you don’t learn anything new. Keep your material at optimal level to keep you engaged, and progress with Romanian quickly.
13. Use Spaced Repetition to Learn Effectively
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a simple way to hack your brain and make it remember your lessons instantly. Well, there actually is. This tip for learning Romanian will do wonders for your long-term memory.
The brain is actively trying to forget. It needs only the most relevant information to keep you alive. But, when you’re learning a language, that’s not really helpful. You need to convince your brain that your target language is crucial information. And you can do that best with spaced repetition.
Spaced repetition is periodically going back to review your materials. With these reviews, you reinforce your knowledge, and it sticks to your long term memory like superglue. Use this tip to learn Romanian effectively.
14. Don’t Be Afraid to Make Mistakes
It’s ok to make mistakes when you’re speaking Romanian. Every language learner does. But, if you let your language learning anxiety limit your studies, you’ll never reach Romanian fluency. You need to be brave and try to speak a lot. And with enough practice, you’ll be confident enough to speak Romanian fluently. And don’t worry, Romanian locals won’t judge your accent. They’ll appreciate your efforts to learn their language and try to help you.
15. Use the Best Language Learning App
Ultimately, this is the best tip to learn Romanian. Use a convenient and effective app to guide your lessons and take you to fluency fast. And that’s exactly what OptiLingo offers.
OptiLingo combines all of the best practices to learn Romanian. It features a list of the most common words and phrases. Its structure has built-in spaced repetition. And most importantly, it’s fun so you don’t even realize you’re learning. Develop your Romanian fluency with trustworthy methods when you download OptiLingo!
