The best way to learn new alphabets

How many times did you struggle in the process of learning a new language because of the alphabet?

I did it, more than once. My first experience with new characters was 1,5 years ago, when I decided to study Russian. It is normal that we feel some hard point with the first different alphabet, but, I almost killed my brain to catch it.

To be honest, I spent almost an entire month just learning the characters, and then, after a long time, I could read! What did you think I could read? Nothing! I knew how to read but I didn’t know the meaning of nothing. It was very annoying and I was very upset.

I almost quit. The only reason why I didn’t, was because I really love this language and I couldn’t live without learning it, so, I keep fighting, now I can read, write, speak I am maintaining Russian, but I love different alphabets.

Then, I started with Hebrew. New characters! I know them, but I am still improving, At the same time, I am learning Greek (Other Alphabet) and I came back to Arabic (Jordanian Arabic)  aaand, I am still learning the Japanese writing system. I am not quitting and I am not struggling.

So, why I had trouble with one alphabet and now I learn 4?

I was doing it with a bad method. I was using massive repetitions for memorization. It is not the best way.

First, I have different feelings for each one of this languages, what makes me to not mix up them. I don’t have the same level in all of them. Which I think is a helpful thing.

What do I use?

Memrise. Yes, a lot. It is very cool and it is the best way of learn a new alphabet. If you try to learn entire words at once, you can fail, but Memrise teachs you character by character and them you start to learn the words.

I spent 20 – 30 minutes each day just practicing writing/reading skills for each language. It is not all.

I love Memrise, but there is a last trick.

Musics for children. I am not lying! It is not a joke. Go to youtube and search for (My target language) Alphabet song. Listen until you got the lyrics. I am sure you know a lot of lyrics of musics which you like. If you learn this one, the lyric will be the alphabet you want to learn!

 

Some examples: