If you've always wanted to speak another language, or just want to understand your Spanish boyfriend, then you're in luck.

如果你想学会说一门外语，又或者仅仅是想听懂你西班牙男朋友说的话，那么恭喜你了。

Thanks to the internet, it's become easier and easier to learn a new language - and you don't even have to pay a penny.

有了互联网，学外语变得越来越简单，甚至还不需要花钱。

You can watch foreign films on Youtube or streaming sites, order books from every country in the world and chat online.

你可以在Youtube和其他流媒体网站上看外语片，上网订购外语书籍，和外国人网上聊天。

Millions of language learners now also use Duolingo, a free app which treats learning like a game. Practicing earns you points and unlocks new levels of vocabulary.

现在数百万语言学习者都在使用“多邻国”（Duolingo），一款免费的应用软件。用它学外语就跟玩游戏似的，用户要通过不断的练习赚得点数来解锁新词。

We asked one super user, Matthias Salzger, about his experience and what tips he has for beginners.

马蒂亚斯•萨尔泽格是其中一位超级用户。在我们的采访中，他谈到了自己的学习经历，并为初学者提供了些小窍门。

'Thanks to my online Spanish, I was top of my class'

“多亏我在网上学习了西班牙语，现在我是班上的第一名。”

I started using Duolingo in June 2013. After seeing it in a Youtube video I thought: “It would be cool to speak some Spanish.” Soon I was hooked.

我是在2013年6月开始用“多邻国”的。那时我在Youtube上看到一个介绍“多邻国”的视频，心想：“如果会说点西班牙语，那一定很酷。”很快我就沉迷其中了。

I learnt all of my early Spanish on Duolingo. In fact, I switched schools in the autumn of 2013 and found out I had learned in three months on Duolingo what my new classmates had in three years. I passed a test the school required me to take with flying colours and quickly was at the top of my class.

我用“多邻国”完成了西班牙语入门。2013年秋我转学了，然后我发现我在“多邻国”上仅仅用了三个月就学会了同学们三年才学会的东西。我出色地通过了学校安排的测试，很快就成了班上的第一名。

Besides Spanish , I learnt some Italian on Duolingo, what I believe to be almost conversational Esperanto , and a good chunk of my French.

除了西班牙语，我还在“多邻国”上学了一些意大利语。我认为意大利语是日常对话中使用最多的语言。我的法语也有很大一部分是在在“多邻国”上学的。

Duolingo can only get you so far. After you've got the basics, read. And then read some more. Skip the children's books and start with the stuff that you're actually interested in. Other than that, try watching a movie or a TV series.

但“多邻国”的帮助也是有限的。在“多邻国”上只能学到基础知识，以后就要靠阅读了。要在这一过程中逐渐扩大阅读量。阅读时跳过那些儿童书籍，直接找你感兴趣的东西来读。此外还可以试着看看外语电影或电视剧。

The most important tip in my opinion is to do what's fun for you.

在我看来学外语最重要的一点就是，要用你感兴趣的方法来学。

I guess my level in Spanish now is around B1-B2 (intermediate). I didn't get there with Duolingo alone. I also read quite a bit, watched some cartoons in Spanish and attended a language school in Spain for two weeks.

我估计我的西班牙语水平在B1和B2级左右（中级水平）。这不完全是在“多邻国”上学的。我还阅读了很多文章，看了一些西班牙语的动画片，还在西班牙的一所语言学校学了两星期。

But you don't need expensive programs like Rosetta Stone, a private teacher or even language classes. The really important factor is that you stay motivated and stick with it.

你不必花很多钱购买“如师通”软件（Rosetta Stone）、请私人老师或是报班上语言课，但最重要的是你要一直有动力，要坚持学下去。

Matthias' 7 tips for learning a language:

马蒂亚斯学外语的7个小窍门：

1. Set yourself a goal

给自己设定目标

This goal could be finishing the Duolingo tree, or being able to speak with your friend in their native language. Work every day at it!

目标可以是完成“多邻国”的任务树，也可以是达到能与外国朋友对话交流的水平。每天向着自己的目标迈进吧！

2. Team up with other learners

和其他学习者相互促进

When using Duolingo, don't forget to use the sentence discussion and read the grammar notes too. The discussion boards are also worth taking a look at (only available in the web version).

在用“多邻国”的时候，别忘了看讨论区和别人的语法笔记。讨论区真的很值得一看（这个功能只在网页版上才有）。

Ask questions, look for people to learn alongside with and if you're already there check out Lingots For Stories, a weekly writing challenge managed by myself and other great Duolingo members.

记得多多提问，还可以和别的学习者结伴学习。如果你都做到了，不妨参加一下“写故事赚点数”（Lingots For Stories）的活动吧。这是我和其他优秀学习者一同发起的写作比赛，每周举行一次。

3. Start reading

学会阅读

Check out your local library or the internet (a lot of books can be found as pdf downloads). Now here comes what might seem like a bizarre tip: don't use a dictionary!

去你所在地的图书馆看看，或者直接在网上阅读（很多书可以以pdf的格式下载下来）。我还有个建议，可能听起来会有点奇怪：阅读时别查字典！

Instead, try to understand the word from its context. This might be incredibly hard in the beginning, but I promise it gets easier. You won't forget the words, as you might if you just look them up. And don't worry about getting it wrong as you'll encounter the word again and correct your mistake.

别用字典查词，而是根据上下文理解单词的意思。可能刚开始会读得很艰难，但是我保证到后面会变得越来越容易。如果你只是查字典的话，很容易就把这个单词的意思忘了，但是用这种方法就不会。你也不必担心判断错了词义，因为你还会在下文里遇到同样的词，到时可以纠正自己的错误理解。

4. Watch films

看电影

Try watching a movie or TV series. You can stream it online. If you can't do that legally, see if the movies you own have an audio track in your language of choice. Youtube is also a great source for foreign language material.

试着看看外语电影和电视剧吧。你可以直接在网上观看。如果没有正版片源，就找找这部片有没有那门语言的音轨。Youtube上也有很多外语学习的资源。

5. Follow your interests

根据自己的兴趣去学

I've tried reading children's books in Spanish but found them so boring that I never got past the first few pages. Then I read Ficcionesby Jorge Luis Borges, which is quite a difficult book, and I loved it. As a rule of thumb, if you wouldn't read or watch it in your native language, you also shouldn't in your second language.

我曾经尝试阅读过西班牙语的儿童书籍，但这实在是太无聊了，我看了几页就看不下去了。后来我看了《博尔赫斯小说集》（Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges），虽然阅读起来很难，但很对我的口味。一般来说，对一本书或一部电影如果你连母语版都提不起兴趣，那么就别尝试外语版了。

6. Chat

和外国人聊天

If you know somebody who speaks the language you're learning you should definitely try to get them to talk with you.

如果你正在学一门外语，又刚好认识说这门语言的人，那么你当然得想办法和他们说说话。

7. Be patient

保持耐心

The cost of learning a language isn't money but your time. It can take years.

学一门外语不一定要花钱，但一定要花时间。有时甚至会花上几年。

Don't expect a language course to just shove the knowledge into your mouth. You have to earn it.

别以为报外语班就一定能学到知识，一定得有自己的努力才行。