Tis the season of “New Year, New Me,” which, in the world of language learning can have us reaching for the latest habit-tracking app or resource, from smashing your Duolingo streak, to bullet journalling yourself to death, in order to achieve that lofty goal to “become fluent by the end of the year.”
Yet many of us give up on our goals before January ends… How do we fix this?
Well, what if I told you there’s a way to stay motivated, keep things fresh, and actually enjoy your language-learning journey? Say hello to Language Bingo!
Why language bingo works
My advice to language learners is always: “don’t make goals, take action.” Instead of vowing to “reach B1 by December,” follow Nike’s advice and “Just do it.” Set yourself concrete challenges and reward your wins.
How to play language bingo
It’s simple: break your learning down into activities instead of goal posts, and reward yourself upon completion. Follow the steps below:
1 Pick your activities: the activities you choose to complete are completely personal to you, as are the amount you set. Check out my list below for ideas. Whether you decide to learn a song, complete the Lingoda Language Sprint or have a 5-minute conversation with a native speaker, it’ll move you closer to fluency.
2 Set your timeframe: decide how long you’ll give yourself to complete the whole card; three months is the sweet spot for me, but it’ll depend on how sizeable your chosen activities are. Six months or a year may suit you better.
3 Print your bingo card: download my ready-to-go A1-2 Bingo card or create your own using my blank template on Canva.
4 Display it where you’ll see it: keep your card visible and cross off completed activities as you go, to keep yourself motivated.
5 Reward yourself: set small rewards for each row completed and a bigger one for a full card!
Why you’ll love it
✅ No pressure, just progress – Pick activities when you feel like it, no rigid schedule required.
✅ Keeps learning exciting – Variety prevents boredom and burnout.
✅ Tangible results – Seeing your card fill up keeps motivation high.
✅ Customisable for all levels (and languages) – Whether you’re a beginner or advanced learner, you choose the challenge level.
Ready to play?
Download my Language Bingo card now and make 2025 the year you actually stick with your language goals—without the stress.
Ready-to-go A1-2 bingo card
Final thoughts
If this feels somewhat childish to you, lean into it! Life gets so serious sometimes and it’s nice to have something whimsical pushing us towards our goals, that isn’t an irritating little owl.
The bottom line is that if you complete 10/12/16 activities centred around your target language, your skills will improve. So there’s no reason not to try this. Every step counts.
So, grab your bingo card, start crossing off those boxes, and enjoy the ride!
When you complete a full card, share your wins in the comments!
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