5 ways ChatGPT can be your foreign language instructor
In an increasingly globalised world, it is only natural that every other person you meet would be a polyglot. Growing up in the 90s, we have all been hearing that life would be radically different if you chose to learn at least one foreign language. Whether it’s French, Spanish, Korean, or Russian, learning a new language not only helps you get acquainted with a new land, culture or heritage, but it can also broaden your worldview and improve your career prospects.
A few years ago, learning a language meant a big investment of time and money. But with the emergence of artificial intelligence, especially chatbots like ChatGPT, language learning is like a walk in the park. Although there are language learning apps that can help you learn faster, most of them would require you to pay. ChatGPT is free and could prove to be a game changer for those looking to learn a new language.
If you are an avid ChatGPT user, here are a few essential tips on how to use the chatbot to master a new language. Before we go any further, it is important to note that ChatGPT has limitations, and it is advised to cross-check specific questions related to grammar with credible sources.
Set a plan
No new skills can be acquired if you don’t have an action plan. This is where one can use ChatGPT to act as their personal language learning plan creator. For starters, users can try a prompt like this one below:
Prompt: Create a three-month language learning plan for French for a beginner to gain intermediate fluency. It should feature daily activities, time schedules, milestone tracking, and learning resources. Focus on speaking, listening, and writing. Include specific textbooks, apps, and other learning methods.
Build your vocabulary
Words are the building blocks to learning any language. Without words, grammar, and punctuation, one is as expressive as a sitting duck. Knowing words even with minimal understanding of grammar, can help one communicate their essential needs. However, if your agenda is to comprehensively learn a language, you can try this:
Prompt: Create a list of 50 everyday phrases in (insert languages) spoken by residents of (country). The list should include casual expressions, slang, and idioms with literal translations, actual meanings and situations. The list should be sorted in order of difficulty.
Practice grammar
No matter what language you wish to learn, grammar pattern practice is vital. Understanding and practising grammar patterns let you communicate with clarity, write effectively, and make sense of what you read and hear. Overall, practising grammar improves your understanding of a language.
Prompt: Help me understand some of the most difficult grammar patterns in (insert language) in simple words. Give 20 practical example sentences in order of difficulty. You should include common mistakes to avoid and compare with English grammar, underscoring the differences.
Cultural immersion
Perhaps, the easiest way to get a wholesome understanding of a new language is to become familiar with the culture. Learning about customs, beliefs, and values of the culture can help you develop a deeper understanding of the language. Not only does it let you learn language faster, but can also prove to be beneficial in fostering new connections. For cultural learning integration, try this:
Prompt: Create a cultural immersion plan with language learning along with (language/country) culture. This should include literature, music, cinema, YouTube channels, podcasts, and prominent social media accounts. Help me understand cultural nuances in communication and come up with ways to practise them with ease.
Personal pronunciation trainer
Language learning can be more efficient when you get to practise it with native speakers. However, it is not easy for everyone to meet and greet a monsieur or waltz with a senorita. With ChatGPT, the need for someone to help you pronounce words in real-time is taken care of. The chatbot can essentially act as your personal pronunciation trainer. Try the prompt below to accelerate your learning.
Prompt: Explain the most challenging pronunciation rules in (insert language). Help me create a practice routine focusing on tough sounds and tones. It should include rhythm exercises, tongue twisters, and homonyms. Also suggest techniques to self-evaluate.
Bonus content
Recently, OpenAI released ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode for web users, as it was previously only limited to mobile and desktop. The feature is currently available only for paid subscribers of ChatGPT Plus, Team, Enterprise, and Edu Plans. With the advanced voice mode comes greater scope for personalised and interactive learning. For example, anyone who wishes to learn or revisit a language they learned in their childhood, the voice mode offers advanced conversational practice.
ChatGPT can now correct sentences, suggest improved alternatives, and continue discussions with fluency like native speakers. The latest feature comes with a remarkable ability to understand incomplete or mixed-language sentences. Based on the preview we have seen, the chatbot has impeccable pronunciation and intonation. However, some users have claimed that the accent occasionally leans toward American. For beginners in French, it can be a challenge to control speaking speeds, but plugins like Speak can address this issue. ChatGPT can also role-play with industry-specific jargon.
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