One of the way to lazy way to learn a new language is Passive Listening.
Just putting on something in the language you learn like podcasts, news or movies when you’re doing your things like housework or even going to the toilet can help your brain subconsciously learn it.
I also do it through watching anime WITHOUT trying understand the movie lines because I can’t . (And also because I want to focus on the movies. )
Believe it or not. You’re learning while being lazy!
P.S. My favorite anime are The Monsters, Attack on Titans and all Ghibli movies. Anybody with me?
I like doing this too. Just listening to a Spotify podcast whilst I work or even just watching a TV show and absorbing the way sentences are built and the words used.
You start to notice commone methods.
I’ve always been a believer of imitating native speakers and doing as they do, so this is a great way of doing just that.
I guess many people learn this way, but it seems it doesn’t work well for me. When I listen to a random show or podcast without understanding what they are saying, I feel bored quickly. Sometimes I find it very sleepy.
How can you keep yourself engaged in the show or podcast?
For me it’s definitely either watching Chinese TV on YouTube (doesn’t feel like studying at all!) or eavesdropping on people around me in Taipei especially in cafes!
@Ha_Nguyen I use it more for just listening and trying to pick out words and structures. My goal is never to understand everything, otherwise I’d go crazy. Just picking up on how it sounds, intonation, and how locals speak is enough for me to just relax and enjoy in the background.
If I actively sit and watch something, I’d want to know a bi more context so would use ENG subtitles or something that my level caters to.
For Mandarin: watching dramas
For Japanese: watching anime
The only problem is a lot of Chinese dramas I like are historical, so the language is outdated or extremely formal. Then in anime it can be super dramatic/exaggerated
So overall, better for additional listening practice rather than a primary language learning resource!