Many people rely on phrasebooks when they’re learning a language or traveling in a foreign country. If you’re a student of a particular foreign language, we highly recommend writing your own phrasebook as one of your language learning activities.
Packaged Phrasebooks
We have nothing against buying a phrasebook off the shelf. In fact, we’ve all done it many times. However, phrasebooks can be very limiting, as they’re rarely personalized to your own needs and requirements for the language.
A Personalized Phrasebook
Making your own phrasebook means creating a personalized reference that’s specifically tailored to your own needs. Are you learning a language for business use? Fill it with phrases and terms that will serve you for that end. Do you enjoy dining in fine restaurants or bargain shopping when you go abroad? Yes, you can customize your phrasebook to focus on those activities.
Beyond having a phrasebook that’s been suited to your needs, the very act of writing down useful phrases (whether you hear them from a native speaker at a bar or from your favorite foreign language software) also helps you train your writing and listening skills. Plus, writing things down tend to make them more difficult to forget – a fact that will benefit your language training immensely.