Many people believe that in order to learn to understand a foreign language, it is enough to learn a couple of thousand words. This is a very common misconception that leads to disappointment and beliefs about their own inability to language.

In fact, meaningful speech in any

language, first of all, consists not so much of words as of expressions, and it is the knowledge of expressions that leads you to understand the language. So, if you want to learn to understand a foreign language fluently, you will have to familiarize yourself with several thousand expressions in addition to several thousand words.

Why is language composed of expressions?
The fact is that our brain prefers not to analyze information, but to extract a ready-made meaning from memory. At the same time, he seeks to get away from details as far as possible, and to associate as large a piece as possible into one concept, which allows him to significantly increase the speed of reaction to the environment.

In the language, this leads to the formation of well-established expressions, which are mastered by most na

tive speakers, and the meaning of which, at times, is very difficult to understand through analysis. People unconsciously strive not to go beyond

the established expressions, which allows them to be understood and easily understand others. Such expressions turn into something like words, and their meaning needs to be memorized.

Where to get expressions for memorization?
Expressions are not collected in dictionaries like words. Practice shows that the best way to learn expressions is by reading. And not just reading a textbook for 5 minutes a day, but enthusiastic reading, commensurate with how we read fiction in our native language. Thick bestsellers with interesting plots are best suited for such reading.

How many pages do you need to read to get the result?
I would like to lie so as not to upset, but for a good result, you need to read at least 3-5 books of 300-500 pages. It is like a distance that you need to go and which you will not deceive. You can purposefully run it in a couple of months, or you can walk on it occasionally for many years. It’s up to you 🙂