When you first study a language’s vocabulary, you’ll normally start with the often-used words and phrases, such as greetings, body parts and other common things. Most every language program will have a structure for the categories of words you’ll be learning and, if you want to follow your software’s lesson plans, it’s usually best to stick with that.
However, if you’re looking to speak a language as quickly as possible, you may want to make additional arrangements. If you’re in the foreign country now and will need some of the language to use when you go out to eat tomorrow, then foregoing the lesson plan to do your own vocabulary training might prove necessary.
In such instances, the best thing to do is narrow down your vocabulary learning. If you need the language so you don’t end up ordering mashed crickets and fried alligator tail, then turn to your vocabulary reference material’s section on food and start practicing the dishes you’ll want to have instead. Same goes when you need the language for any purpose: shopping, commuting or finding your way around the city.
Along with that, try learning the kinds of filler language people use to string words together. If a foreigner went to an English restaurant and said, “Good afternoon…hamburger,” the waiter might be confounded by what he’s saying. If the same guy learned some filler words like “well,” “ummm” and “and,” he could have said “Good morning…well… hamburger” and it would have made just a little more sense. Not so much, but just a tad more understandable than the first one.
By the way, that foreigner in an English restaurant, well, that will be you tomorrow in the restaurant in the foreign country. Just so you know.