How to Stay Motivated While Learning Serbian Language
Tips for learning Serbian
People always ask me how I stay motivated while learning Serbian. Today I want to share with you some tips for learning Serbian that can help you stay on track with your Serbian.
My name is Cam and I started learning Serbian when I met my Serbian wife who was then my girlfriend. Learning Serbian is a wonderful journey and definitely worth it for me as I get to talk to my wife in her native tongue. I continue to learn Serbian every day and I find inspiration and motivation in many different ways. I hope some of my tips will help you on your learning journey.
Motivation in our everyday lives
I’m fascinated by the role that motivation plays in our everyday lives. As people, we possess infinite capabilities (even though it may not always feel this way) and have the ability to choose what we want to devote ourselves to.
Making a decision to devote time to the study of Serbian language is a big step, and one you should be proud of. The fact that you have taken this step, or are interested in taking this step, means you possess a global awareness and cultural curiosity. This speaks volumes about who you are at present and who you aspire to be in the future.
This concept of growth is what all journeys are about, but no journey is continued absent motivation and so equally important to your decision to learn Serbian is your ability to stay motivated along the way. Here are some tips on how you can stay motivated while learning Serbian.
Start small
The most important step you can take is your first one. Find a good resource for learning Serbian that you really enjoy and start using it. Start by learning Serbian every day for at least 10-20 minutes a day and increase the time as you go. I encourage you to check out the Serbian Language Podcast and their Serbian Online Course with Grammar Tools, Lesson Videos on Serbian Declensions and Verb Conjugations. Their engaging videos will teach you a lot in a short amount of time and you’ll enjoy the variety of learning tools they offer.
Check out Serbian Language Podcast .com
After signing up, devote 10-20 minutes per day to simply exploring the resources. I recommend beginning with the Serbian Alphabet Series and the Beginner Dialogues to get the feel for the language and to learn useful phrases and expressions in Serbian.
Then I would recommend you move onto some Video Podcasts and Lesson Videos, which explain how the Serbian language works from absolute beginner to advanced. Most important of all, after you have signed up and spent your first 20 minutes on the site, treat yourself to a celebratory glass of wine.
You are on your way to learning Serbian and celebrating victories, no matter how big or small, is critical to building and sustaining your motivation, which will ultimately lead you towards the achievement of your goals.
WATCH VIDEO: Getting Started With Serbian
Manage Your Expectations
Okay, so your journey has begun. Now it’s time to take a deep breath and remember that language learning is a gradual process. It isn’t like learning how to use a new app. There are multiple layers to language learning and the easiest way to demotivate yourself is to set unreasonable and arbitrary expectations.
You will not be fluent in one month. It simply won’t happen no matter how many hours you devote to studying the language. That’s simply not how it works. You should rejoice in the fact that journeys such as language learning build and shape the character and transform everything we think we know about who we are, what we want, and what we are capable of.
Learning Serbian will teach you persistence, patience, consistency, resilience, and commitment…etc. All virtuous characteristics that will positively impact your life and how you approach learning and relationships.
You should expect to struggle in the beginning, and you should appreciate your joys and woes because they are making you a better learner, thinker, global citizen, and person. So do not despair, rejoice…and know you are not alone.
Be a part of a community
How else can you stay motivated while learning the Serbian language? I would say, it is easier to learn and stay motivated if you are a part of a community. Language learning communities can be a great resource to you. Find an active and thriving community for Serbian language and join it. People in language learning communities are going through the same thing as you. They are trying to find a better way to learn and to stay motivated, they are sharing their struggles and best practices for language learning and they can help you find the answers you are looking for.
I recommend the Serbian Language Podcast Community – their Facebook Group and their YouTube Channel. It’s an active community of people from all over the world and if you have a question, there is always someone there to help you. Join today!
Have a Goal
In order to stay motivated while learning Serbian over time, you need to have a goal. What is your long-term goal? Is it fluency in Serbian? Or do you just want to be able to order food at a Serbian restaurant? I highly recommend shooting for the stars and making “fluency” your goal. A lot of people sell themselves short because they don’t believe they can do it. They underestimate what they can do and settle for smaller goals…and this becomes a theme throughout their lives.
Be courageous, be bold, and be reasonably ambitious with your goal-setting. The higher you set your goals, the more you can accomplish. But be careful as to not put too much pressure on yourself. Once you know your goal it’s time to organize and mobilize towards it.
Make a Plan for Learning Serbian
Make a plan for how you will approach the language. Make sure all the bases are covered – writing, reading, speaking, listening and most importantly grammar.
With the Serbian Language Podcast, everything is assembled for you to start speaking the Serbian language with accuracy, fluency, and style. In short, they have made a plan for you…but where to start? The answer: It depends on your goal. All things considered, you can’t go wrong by starting with the Beginner Dialogues, Video Podcasts and Lesson Videos. Engaging with these simultaneously will get you speaking useful Serbian and learning the mechanics of Serbian grammar at the same time.
Again, this is a great way how you can stay motivated while learning Serbian language since you will be working on short and long-term goals at the same time. For example, the Beginner Dialogues and Video Podcasts will teach you practical, useful, everyday Serbian sentences and expressions and the Lesson Videos will teach you the foundations of the language so you can start making your own sentences. Watch the Vlog in Serbian with the subtitles in both Serbian and English for some additional easy learning and fun. Read the Serbian Language Blog for more tips on how to stay encouraged on your Serbian language learning journey.
Strategy aside, a part of your plan should also be a daily amount of time set aside for practicing Serbian. Like I said before, start small 10-20 minutes a day. You can set that aside, trust me!
WATCH VIDEO: The Best Study Plan For Serbian
Be Consistent
Now that you made your plan…stick to it! A great tip is to calendar your study time and study Serbian at the same time every day. This will help you build the habit of studying Serbian and make it a part of your life. Remember, motivation will get you started, but good habits is what makes it happen. Consistency is the key! Once this happens over time fluency is just around the corner.
If you stick with learning Serbian you will fall in love with the journey and put all of your focus and emphasis on the process rather than any desired final result. And this will propel you to higher heights as relates to your proficiency in the language.
Appreciate moments of progress
s mentioned above, make sure you are celebrating even the smallest moments of progress. Listen to an Audio Story, in the beginning, every time you recognize or understand one word, pause the audio and give yourself praise for the achievement. Eventually, you will be understanding so much of what you hear you’ll have to go longer periods without pausing the video. And this will serve as further evidence that the learning process is well underway.
In essence, the way how you can stay motivated while learning Serbian language is keeping your eye on your end goal while appreciating the journey that is before you. Celebrate this moment now that you have finished reading this blog post and remember that each small step you take, including reading this blog post, is taking you closer towards your goal of speaking the Serbian language.
I really hope these tips help you and I wish you a pleasant and fruitful journey.
Sve najbolje! (All the best!)
