LingQ is an incredible language learning platform, but it can be intimidating for those who are new to it or have only used mainstream apps like Duolingo. I personally discovered LingQ several years ago, but it took me a while to fully understand how to use it effectively. Now that I do, I want to share some tips on how to get the most out of LingQ and maximize your language learning experience.
To use LingQ effectively you need to understand the method behind the platform. Also you need to know what materials and features are available in the app and how to best use them. Finally, you need to know how to set up the app so it won’t get in the way of effective learning.
Let’s discuss all 3 aspect in more detail. In the end of this article you will know how to use LingQ most effectively.
Understand LingQ method
LingQ was develop by Steve Kaufmann, a Canadian polyglot who speaks 20 languages. He developed and used a particular method to learn many of the languages he speaks now.
This method is based on extensive reading and listening which is a great way to get exposed to the language.
You don’t study the grammar or try to speak early on.
You get used to the sounds of the language, you learn to understand simple sentences, and most importantly you start to notice different facts of the language like grammatical structures, or particular phrases and expressions.
This method proved to be effective for him and numerous other language learners (particularly polyglots).
LingQ app made this method available to the language learning community. It is constantly improving (it is on version 5 at the time of writing).
Currently, I am using LingQ to learn Spanish. And I love it!
LingQ materials and features
At the core of the LingQ are so called mini-stories. They are available for many of the 40 supported languages.
1. Mini-Stories
These mini-stories are a great spring board into the language of your choice. They are short, and contain simple language that builds up in difficulty. Every story introduces different vocabulary as well as progressively more difficult grammatical structures.
Each story is accompanied by the text that you can read as you are listening.
Steve recommends listening to the mini-stories dozens of times.
My experience with mini-stories
The way that worked well for me was to listen to the story once following the text and looking up every word.
Once I understand the story I can listen and read to it couple more times. Perhaps once later that day, and once the following day.
I can always look up the words I forgot with just one click which is great.
I then move on to the next story and do the same: listen and read looking up all the unknown words and phrases.
While you can study as many stories as you want I’d advise you to study no more than 1 new story a day. If times allows you can always review previous stories.
2. Creating LingQs
As you read the stories you can quickly look up every word, and you can save familiar or known words to create so called LingQs.
Saved words will be marked differently from the rest in current and all the other documents you read on LingQ. So you can tell by looking at the color if you encountered this word before.
By the way, LingQ allows to save not only words but also phrases. Which is a great way to learn chunks (words that are commonly used together). The app will show known chunks as well.
Get free LingQs
You can get a 100 free LingQs if you subscribe using this link.
You will need to purchase a premium subscription to save unlimited number of LingQs. I’d recommend buying a yearly subscription. This way you are saving the most, and a year is a good timeframe to commit to when learning a language.
Just to be sure, you don’t need to have a premium subscription to listen and read mini-stories but you do need one to save LingQs.
3. Flashcards
You can also use other features of LingQ like flashcards to review words and phrases that you learned. Sometimes it is much more challenging to recall the meaning of the word outside of learned context.
Steve rarely does flashcard reviews. He finds that the best way to review words is by seeing them in new contexts again and again. I agree, I found that learning words in context is much more effective and engaging.
4. Material of interest
You might get a bit bored of mini-stories after studying a dozen of them (many languages have as many as 60 mini-stories). I won’t blame you. If that happens to you can explore other material available on LingQ or you can import your own.
LingQ has a free browser extension that can be used to import news articles and blog posts, Youtube and Netflix videos.
It works really well. It provides a great way to explore material of interest! The challenge would be to find material that is suitable for your level.
5. Maintaining Streaks
One of the most motivating features of LingQs is Streaks.
You can set your daily goal in terms of how many coins you want to earn, and you have to hit that goal everyday to maintain your daily streak.
Coins are earned by saving LingQs, as well as advancing saved links from to higher stages, also listening to stories.
I’d recommend figuring out a daily goal that is attainable but not too hard. You want to be in it for a long run. But you don’t want it to be too easy.
I recommend setting a goal that you know you can achieve on daily basis. You can always exceed your goal.
That’s what I do. My goal is set to Steady (100 coins). It is estimated to take about 20 minutes of study time. In reality, if I work with a new lesson with lots of unknown words I can hit that goal very quickly… sometimes only in 5-7 minutes.
Set up LingQ for success
LingQ will suggest to go through tutorial lessons first. You can do that to get to know the app and the method a bit more but it is not really a beginner level material.
You can’t really skip the suggested lesson so just go along and use this as a learning opportunity to get to know LingQ.
1. Turn off “Paging moves to known“
LingQ is set up to break each lesson into a number of pages. Frustrating part is that by default it would create LingQs for all the words on the page as soon as you flip the page…
You can turn off that feature in the Reader settings. Open Reader settings and scroll down to the General section, and uncheck Paging moves to known checkbox:
You can access same settings on the phone as well (in case you are using LingQ mobile app).
Turn off “Auto LingQ Creation“
I’d also recommend checking off Auto LingQ Creation setting. I find that it is best to create each LingQ manually. This way you can choose the translation that you like best. Otherwise LingQ will choose a translation for you, and it doesn’t always do a good job at that.
This is one of the more striking features of LinqQ is that it doesn’t do as much hand holding as apps like Duolingo.
In a sense with LingQ you are on your own. You have to choose your course of action. Also you have to pick your own translations, and decide what you want to save.
This appeals to a certain kind of proactive learner and it might turn away more passive learners who just want to follow the program.
If you are a kind of learner who enjoys taking endless tests LingQ might not be for you.
Take care choosing translation
Speaking of translation you should take extra care choosing correct translation for the context.
Same word might have a number of different meaning that change depending on the context. You should figure out which meaning applies to the current context, and choose the translation accordingly.
LingQ allows you to save as many translations for the same word as you want, so you can add more meaning as you discover them.
Choosing correct translation becomes especially important if you want to use flashcards feature as the app will show you translation that you picked.
Now you know a bit about the LingQ method as well as best material to start your learning journey. Also with the adjusted general settings (disabled Paging moves to know and Auto LingQ Creation) you should be in a perfect position to start using LingQ effectively.
I have to say that LingQ is one of the very few apps that meets the Language Learners Manifesto so I highly recommend it as the mean resource for any language learner.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about using LingQ in specific or language learning in general.
And remember to take advantage of the free 100 LingQs offer and use my link to subscribe. This is an affiliate link so I will get a 100 LingQs too.
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