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New Year New Language: Asian Languages Edition!

Last week we discussed different things you could do in 2021 to learn languages at home with a focus on European languages. This week we wanted to create some tips for people interested in Asian languages because so many of you have gotten in touch with us over social media to tell us about your interest in studying Chinese, Japanese and Korean!  

Chinese 

Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world, with over 1.3 billion speakers! It is now also a Leaving Cert subject here in Ireland and Languages Connect offer free Leaving Cert classes for students in Cork and Dublin who wish to take Mandarin. Registration will open for 5th year students during the summer, so what can you do until then? Music is a great way to introduce yourself to a new language. You’ve probably heard of K-Pop but have you heard of C-Pop? We have compiled a playlist of Chinese music so you can give it a try. You can check it out on Spotify here. 

During the summer we did a whole week dedicated to the Chinese language that included basic phrases, cultural info and more. You can find our posts here and you can test your knowledge with our quiz here. 

Japanese 

Anime and manga enthusiasts, you should think about converting your hobby into a marketable skill by learning Japanese. Cartoons can be a great way to start learning the basics of any language because of their simplistic dialogues. If anime is not your thing, don’t worry. We have put together a list of the best Japanese shows you can watch here. In our blog post last week, we also talked about the Language Learning with Netflix plugin which you can use to help you retain the new vocabulary you encounter while watching the shows. 

If you’re thinking about taking Japanese for the Leaving Cert, Languages Connect also offer free classes in Dublin and Cork! Registration will open early in the summer so make sure you keep an eye on our socials! 

Korean 

Korean is gradually becoming more and more popular in Ireland as of late with the rise in K-Pop stans. We have a Korean music playlist that you can check out here, but since we already discussed music as a language learning tool let’s focus on something else for Korean. How about organising a K-drama night with friends over Netflix Watch PartyWe have already made a list of Korean dramas with everything from horrors to romance so you won’t have to spend an age scrolling through Netflix! 

If you’re interested in studying Korean in college, check out the World Languages course at UCC. 

We hope these tips help you to discover new ways of engaging with you target language and inspires you to use 2021 to improve your language skills! Music lovers make sure you follow our Spotify for playlists in your target language!