I'm here to tell you about language learning and re-reading your favorite novels in translation. It may sound intimidating at first, but unlike reading a new novel, there are plenty of benefits to having a book that you've read before!

Say you're re-reading a fantasy novel. Rather than trying to figure out new vocabulary, new structures, and the plot on top of it all, you can focus on how the author uses words and sentences to set scenes and describe characters. 

Instead, you have your work cut out for you. You can focus on the ways that specific phrases are used throughout different parts of the book—for example, "Bellatrix agitó la varita . . . " (Rowling, 2012, p.152). In this sentence, you might be unfamiliar with agitar as a way of saying to wave, but using context clues it won't come as a surprise what Bellatrix might be doing—not the first time and certainly not the last—right?

In the last example, maybe you went to the dictionary (I recommend WordReference above any other dictionary—save maybe a visual dictionary) to figure out just what it is that Harry was doing in that example. Still, you won't need to resort to a dictionary every time you come across a new word. Context is key to understanding, and you're already familiar with the scene, the motivations, and the characters. The result? The catchy and memorable phrases of your favorite characters will likely make sense to you, even if you're unfamiliar with the vocabulary.

It's very likely you've never had to (and may never have to) use the word lindes, but you'll be well acquainted with the meaning of Profesora McGonagall's words, being the avid fan you are.

Going from Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal to Juego de tronos might be a bigger leap than you were expecting and may end up being more demoralizing than starting off small. Similarly, I wouldn't recommend just anyone try to take a bite out of El ingenioso caballero Don Quijote de la Mancha unless you're armed with a surplus of footnotes, time, and patience! Medieval Spanish novels are no joke!

Reading a book in one sitting might be your favorite way to spend una tarde lluviosa—with a big cup of tea y un suéter cálido. Still, in the spirit of being patient and not becoming overwhelmed, set reasonable goals for yourself. For one person, reading a chapter a night might be something reasonable rather than all afternoon. For another, maybe it's a page. Once you reach your goal, celebrate!

If you start off with a book that is a cinch to read and read quickly, count that in your victory pile! Move on to the next one. What's great about series like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson is that they increase in difficulty and length with the ages of the characters! They're a great introduction to reading in your new language!

According to Pichette (2005), language learners who benefit most from reading are students who have an intermediate level and above in the language. If you are still working on the fundamentals, maybe a book is more than you want to take on. 

Don't take this to mean that you should throw reading to the wind, however! There are still plenty of benefits to reading at every stage of learning, but too much vocabulary can overwhelm you and is more likely to prevent you from making progress in language learning (Pichette, 2005; Smith, 1994; Clarke, 1980). If you are still learning the fundamentals, I would recommend more interactive media, such as movies or series that can help you connect the words with imagery and actions on screen. 

So, if you’re looking for something to do while you wait out your next flight delay or have a few minutes before work, why not pick up an old favorite and read it in a new language? 

Clarke, M. A. (1980). The short-circuit hypothesis of ESL reading—Or when language competence interferes with reading performance. Modern Language Journal, 64, 203–209.

Nation, P., & Wang, K. (1999). Graded readers and vocabulary. Reading in a Foreign Language, 12, 355–379.

Pichette, F. (2005). Time Spent on Reading and Reading Comprehension in Second Language Learning. The Canadian Modern Language Review/La Revue Canadienne Des Langues Vivantes, 62(2 (December/décembre)), 243–262.

Rosszell, R. (2006). The role of Extensive Reading in second language vocabulary acquisition. Japan Association for Teaching Language, Shizuoka—Sharing Our Stories(2005), 394–407.

Rowling, J. K. (2012). Harry Potter y las Relíquias de la Muerte (G. Rovira Ortega, Trans.). Pottermore. 

Smith, F. (1994). Understanding Reading (5th ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum.