The Rocket Languages Blog

Looking to explore the fascinating world of language learning and find inspiration? Check out this collection of articles from the Rocket Languages team and our very special guest bloggers.

Rocket Languages Blog

The 2022 Edition has arrived!

Bonjour tout le monde !We are all very excited and proud to announce the launch of the 2022 Edition of Rocket Languages.This Edition represents a lot of hard work from the whole team, with more than a few late nights, plenty of caffeine and several long d...

116 replies - Last post by Scott_C - May 3, 2023

The Rocket Languages 2022 Edition is coming soon!

Bonjour tout le monde ! Hello everyone!I hope the start of 2022 has treated you all well.Some exciting news from the team at Rocket Languages...Within the next couple of weeks, we will release our 2022 Edition, and of course, if you are a current member, ...

6 replies - Last post by Maxie - February 28, 2022

Is it Possible to Learn Two Languages at the Same Time?

Maybe you've been studying German for years, but now need to know Spanish for an upcoming business trip to Mexico. Perhaps you're a college student studying French, but an interesting Arabic class has caught your eye. Or maybe you're just impatient and wo...

13 replies - Last post by Maxie - January 16, 2022

9 Hacks to Improve Your Writing Skills in Your Foreign Language

We all want to communicate well, no matter what the language, and writing is an integral part of this.Naturally, writing in our native language feels easier and less awkward compared to writing in our foreign language. This becomes pretty obvious the seco...

1 reply - Last post by Maxie - December 6, 2021

5 Native American Languages You Should Learn

What do you think of when you hear the words “Native American”? There isn’t a singular Native American identity — the US alone has 574 federally recognized tribes, as well as hundreds more unrecognized ones, each with their own history, culture, and in ma...

4 replies - Last post by La gouttelette - December 8, 2021

The Best Languages for Americans to Learn (Besides English!)

Before starting to learn a new language, one of the first questions on everyone's mind is which language is the best to learn. By "best" language, they're usually referring to the most practical language, and by "most practical" language, they're talking ...

3 replies - Last post by Vani219 - January 1, 2022

The 15 Most Spoken Languages in the World [Updated]

A while ago, we looked at how many languages there are in the world today. While many of the world's endangered languages have increasingly fewer speakers, the world's largest languages continue to grow.So what are some of the world's most spoken language...

5 replies - Last post by Tony-S10 - January 2, 2024

The 10 Most Useful Business Languages for English Speakers

While English is the most widely used language for business, academia and tourism, speaking only English can be a major disadvantage in today's competitive and globalized job market.What does this mean for the job-seeking English speaker?Well, not only do...

0 replies - Last post by jason-oxenham-ceo - August 9, 2021

The Three Easiest Languages for English Speakers to Learn

Let's face it: learning a foreign language isn't easy! From vocabulary to pronunciation, language learning can be frustrating. Luckily for you, we break down the easiest languages to learn!There are some languages that are believed to be easier for Englis...

5 replies - Last post by ClaudiaR27 - September 27, 2021

The Languages of Love: The 5 Most Romantic Languages

Summer is just around the corner. All those spring flowers and warm, sunny days will soon transform into a very romantic season. Think of a cozy picnic in the park, a relaxing day at the beach, or a trip to a romantic destination.Summer is the perfect tim...

1 reply - Last post by ClaudiaR27 - September 27, 2021

The 20 Most Beautiful and Untranslatable Words In Other Languages

There are thousands of untranslatable words. Today we're going to take a look at 20 of the most magical ones, each from a different foreign language. None have a direct translation in English.These beautiful foreign words provide a fascinating glimpse int...

0 replies - Last post by jason-oxenham-ceo - June 9, 2021

How Much Time Does It Take to Learn American Sign Language?

You shoot your friend a thumbs-up to let her know she did a great job. You hold up two fingers at a noisy bar to signal to the bartender how many drinks to bring. You clap at the end of performances to show your appreciation, you raise your hand when you’...

4 replies - Last post by Maxie - June 28, 2021

The 10 Best Languages to Learn

Perhaps you’re dreaming of backpacking through South America. Or maybe you’re hoping to do business in Beijing. Perhaps you’re planning to study spirituality in India or have your eye on becoming an interpreter. Whatever your goal, there’s a language for...

0 replies - Last post by jason-oxenham-ceo - February 4, 2021

How to Learn a Foreign Language in 5 Steps

Post by guest blogger Jamie McGhee: Jamie McGhee is a novelist, playwright and aspiring polyglot. With 6,500 languages in the world, life is way too short to speak just one. Or two. Or three.   Whether you need to pick up basic Mandarin for a Beijing ...

4 replies - Last post by ClaudiaR27 - October 10, 2021

What Are The Hardest Languages To Learn?

Discover the 6 Hardest Languages to Learn in the WorldWhat is the hardest language to learn? And what makes it so hard? Is it hard because of irregular verbs, or because its spelling has nothing to do with pronunciation? Is it hard because of throaty cons...

7 replies - Last post by ClaudiaR27 - September 28, 2021

The Launch of the Rocket Languages 2021 Edition

Hi there,We have exciting news! We have just released our brand-spanking-new 2021 Edition on desktop/browser. This edition is the result of a year-long project that involved updating our courses' user interface, functionality, and code base – all with a v...

103 replies - Last post by Peter--252 - March 26, 2021

Language Learning Blogs: 20 to Inspire You

Even though language exists in order to facilitate communication, learning a language can feel a bit lonely sometimes.   But when you’re struggling to motivate yourself over a plateau, or when you’re cramming vocabulary alone in your room for the third n...

0 replies - Last post by jason-oxenham - July 20, 2020

How to Learn a Language Online

The best way to learn a language online: A step-by-step guide Set your own goals Take stock of your resources Get creative with your learning Keep track of what works Be consistent Unless you grew up bilingual, your earliest memory of learning a ...

7 replies - Last post by Jo Maynard - January 4, 2021

The Most Romantic Untranslatable Words

Love is in the air, and your vocabulary flashcards are in your pocket. Maybe you have a crush on the cute newcomer in your German language exchange. Maybe you’re looking for a sweet way to show your partner how much you care. Or maybe your true love is Ru...

3 replies - Last post by sfpugh - June 15, 2020

Exciting news! New Rocket Languages design just released!

Bonjour tout le monde (Hello everyone) I hope that you are all safe and well in these unprecedented times.  If you have been in lock-down then I hope you have taken advantage of the opportunity to hone your language skills! New desktop members area A ...

45 replies - Last post by RobS49 - July 6, 2020

How to Determine and Prove Your Level of Proficiency

“What is your language proficiency level?”It’s easy to freeze when someone asks you this question. Maybe you’ve been learning German or Japanese for ages, but you’re not quite sure how good you are. Or maybe you grew up speaking Polish as a second languag...

8 replies - Last post by Margaret-RocketLanguages - October 10, 2021

The Most Popular Language to Learn in the World

There’s something wonderfully challenging and wickedly fun about learning a rare language--about wading through vocabularies and grammars spoken by just a few thousand people (like Kujarge, 1,000), or a few hundred (like Satawalese, 460) or even just a fe...

6 replies - Last post by ClaudiaR27 - January 4, 2021

Which Language is the Easiest to Learn?

Spanish is easy; Russian is hard. Mandarin is a headache, and French is supposedly a breeze. At least, that’s what you’ve probably heard before. If you tell someone you’re learning Italian, you might not receive the same impressed reaction as if you casua...

1 reply - Last post by ChrisM108 - March 18, 2020

What’s the difference between a dialect and an accent?

Dialect vs Accent: What's the difference?French accents are romantic. German accents are harsh. Irish accents are musical. When you hear the word “accent,” you might think about the way that non-native speakers sound - but accents are so much more complex...

2 replies - Last post by Matthew-H68 - March 8, 2020

More Members Area Changes for 2020!

Hi All,I hope that 2020 is going to be a big year for you, particularly with respect to your language learning!Recent changes:As we are already finished with January, I thought I would update you all on some recent changes to the Members’ Area and what's ...

47 replies - Last post by jason-oxenham-ceo - September 19, 2020

20 Useful Podcasts for Learning a New Language

You take the train to work every day. You go on long drives to visit relatives. You walk your dog. You hike. Why not multitask?  One thing that you can do to improve your language learning is to listen to podcasts about - well, you guessed it - learning ...

6 replies - Last post by MorganK8 - April 2, 2021

9 Useful Websites for Learning a New Language

Sure, you could thumb through an old textbook - or you could binge your favorite Netflix show with interactive subtitles. You could struggle to stay awake in a classroom full of students, or you could receive direct tutoring from teachers around the worl...

5 replies - Last post by Alice101 - November 20, 2019

Learning a Language Through Music: 12 Tips for Learning Songs

In our last blog post, we started looking at how to use music to master a new language. Specifically, we answered two questions: Which types of songs should you choose when studying a language? And where can you find them? Now that you’ve filled some Spo...

4 replies - Last post by ClaudiaR27 - November 16, 2019

Learning a Language Through Music: Songs to Listen to

Have you ever gotten a song stuck in your head? Without meaning to, you’ve memorized one or two lines that just play, and play, and play on repeat, refusing to leave you alone. If only your vocabulary list would get stuck too! Why can you remember the ch...

8 replies - Last post by ClaudiaR27 - October 13, 2019

Learning a New Language - 7 Tips for Your First Trip Abroad

I landed in Berlin with two things: a year’s worth of German and a whole lot of arrogance. I proudly held my own during the cab ride to my sublease, and I chatted jovially with my new roommate while she explained the twelve-tiered recycling system. So ei...

9 replies - Last post by ClaudiaR27 - October 10, 2019

8 Mistakes Most Language Learners Make

You just saw Anastasia and are dying to learn Russian. You desperately want to read In Search of Lost Time in its native French. A friend invited you to Kyoto and you plan to pick up some Japanese before you go. Whatever your reason for learning a new lan...

12 replies - Last post by ChrisM108 - October 9, 2019

The 8 Best Language-Learning Tools for Your Toolkit

Learning a language is like setting out on an adventure. You will face ups and downs, you will weather unexpected twists and turns, and at the end of the day you’ll be so glad that you did it. Everyone’s language-learning adventure is a little different....

5 replies - Last post by ClaudiaR27 - October 4, 2021

How to Improve your Vocabulary (6 Fun Ways: Without Flashcards!)

Index cards. Memory palaces. Pneumonic devices. Face it: You’re tired of learning vocabulary the traditional way. If you have to see another flash card or word list, you might even scream. Let’s look at how to improve your vocabulary with 6 methods that ...

9 replies - Last post by Peter--252 - July 18, 2019

What is a Polyglot, and How Do You Become One?

What is a polyglot?Have you ever dreamed about speaking two languages? What about four? What about six?It’s not impossible. In fact, there’s a word for it - polyglot.A polyglot is a person who speaks multiple languages. "Polyglot" originates from the Gree...

6 replies - Last post by Yugesh - May 9, 2019

7 Ways to Improve Your Business Language Skills

The world is global, interconnected, and rapidly changing. Knowing more than one language is the way to get ahead.Maybe you’re starting an online company and want to reach out to investors across the world. Maybe you’re a new hire tasked with an internati...

2 replies - Last post by SheffieldLass - March 1, 2019

10 Easy, Everyday Language-Learning Tips

Learning a new language can feel daunting. Everywhere you turn, you’ll find a thicker textbook, a faster course, or a more comprehensive set of flashcards. How on earth are you supposed to keep up if you get overwhelmed before you even begin? But if you ...

5 replies - Last post by ClaudiaR27 - February 14, 2019

Discover What Type Of Learner You Are And Which Language You Should Learn

Some people pick up foreign vocabulary words from songs, while others need to draw diagrams in order to remember grammar concepts. Everyone has a different learning style!In fact, there are four major types of learners—visual, auditory, linguistic and kin...

6 replies - Last post by Rachel1597 - January 26, 2019

9 Ways How to Stay Motivated and Have Fun when Learning a New Language

Life gets busy, and your new language-learning app falls to the wayside.   You hit a language-learning plateau, and no matter what you do, you can’t move forward in Russian.   You accomplish your biggest Spanish learning goal and can’t find the motiva...

21 replies - Last post by Enxhi-Rocket-Italian-Tutor - August 6, 2023

Can you Learn Multiple Languages at Once?

You’re dating a man who speaks Turkish, but you’d like to visit your best friend in Malta. T-Pop has inspired you to learn Thai, but you’ve always wanted to speak enough Navajo to understand your grandmother’s stories. You plan to master Japanese before t...

11 replies - Last post by SLUG-CAT624 - September 12, 2019

Recent Members Area Changes

Bonjour tout le monde ! As part of our philosophy to provide the most effective language courses that we can, we are always looking at different elements of the learning experience and trying to improve them. A lot of the time these are relatively small ...

32 replies - Last post by Tony-S10 - December 10, 2019

Easy Tips for Mastering a New Alphabet

You’ve always dreamed of mastering the delicate curves of Arabic calligraphy. You visited Ethiopia and gazed wistfully at the sprawling Amharic. You stumbled across Elfdalian in Minecraft and now you’re ready to carve out letters like you’re in Lord of th...

0 replies - Last post by jason-oxenham-ceo - November 19, 2018

How to Master a Language… By Playing Video Games

Textbooks. Lectures. Homework.What if you could just throw it all away?What if you could pick up a PlayStation controller instead—and your grammar would actually get better?It sounds crazy, but it’s true.Give it a try with our top tips for learning langua...

15 replies - Last post by Gabrielle-D - July 6, 2019

Can You Learn a Language the Same Way a Child Does?

When it comes to languages, babies are so talented that it’s not even fair. They seem to just absorb whatever is being spoken around them—without flash cards, memory palaces or even spaced repetition! Not to mention that their accents are flawless. Sure, ...

13 replies - Last post by ClaudiaR27 - March 9, 2020

How to Use Social Media for Full Immersion

Ping! Two new likes. Beep! Cuatro nuevos commentarios. Tweet! Achthundert neue Tweets.   If you’re anything like me, you stay plugged into social media no matter where you go, tweeting and liking, uploading and swiping. Your thumbs are permanently attach...

1 reply - Last post by JeffreyL8 - August 21, 2018

Tips for Improving Listening Skills

I was ready to conquer Spain.   I had nearly a decade of Spanish lessons under my belt. I’d brushed up on slang in both Castillian Spanish and Catalan. And I’d dog-eared my copy of Folger’s so many times the pages were falling out.   I stepped off the p...

11 replies - Last post by Erubar - July 23, 2019

How to Optimize Language-Learning with your Learning Style

In college, I was an Arabic major. I was also, hands down, the worst one in my Arabic class.My first semester, I struggled even though I studied the same way my classmates did. I slogged through Arabic news broadcasts. I toiled over worksheets. I made onl...

0 replies - Last post by jason-oxenham-ceo - May 24, 2018

How to Beat a Language-Learning Plateau

You’ve always wanted to learn French. You dream of strolling through Paris at midnight, you’ve watched La Vie en Rose twelve times, and you can tell a 2003 Cabernet Franc from a 2004 Cabernet Franc just by smell. So you decide to learn. You enrol in a c...

9 replies - Last post by TwilaT - April 26, 2018

New Rocket Languages release!

Bonjour tout le monde, We are excited to announce a reasonably substantial new release/upgrade! So, what are the main changes? 1. Play it! Our conversational trainer, Play it!, has been upgraded and improved. You will see that it is now positioned towar...

46 replies - Last post by sfpugh - April 23, 2018

How to Improve Your Foreign Language Pronunciation

I love writing in new languages. Whether it’s a text message or an essay, I love putting words to paper, and I pride myself on my ability to communicate almost like a native speaker… until I open my mouth.To me, the most terrifying part of learning a lang...

1 reply - Last post by KellyMJara - March 30, 2018

Word Etymology: You Already Know More Foreign Words Than You Think

“English doesn’t just borrow words from other languages. English follows other languages down dark alleys, beats them unconscious and goes through their pockets for loose vocabulary.” —James Nicoll, writer. Word Etymology: The study of the history of word...

1 reply - Last post by Matthew-H68 - March 2, 2018