What if I told you, that the only thing holding you back from learning another language is yourself? I learned Brazilian Portuguese to a conversational level from my bedroom in just a few months, and I’m going to discuss some common misconceptions about language learning and give you tools you need to start your language learning journey.
1. “I just don’t have the time.”
There are 24 hours in a day. 1,440 minutes. 86,400 seconds. Do we really have no time, or are we making excuses? Sure, we have work, relationships, life goals, etc, but have you ever noticed how much time you spend waiting? Watching Netflix? Browsing social media?
On a 10-minute break at work? Bust open your smart phone and listen to a language podcast. Using the bathroom for a few minutes? Do some quick vocabulary review on memrise.com or duolingo.com. Driving to a friends house? Listen to your favorite artist in your target language.
2.“Grammar is too complicated, and there are so many rules.”
Ok, I’ll admit that there are a lot of rules and that grammar can be a beast, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn it! You learned your native language’s grammar and you use it every time you speak or write; you just don’t have to think about it because its a part of the rhythm of a language. Besides, you don’t start by learning grammar, you learn it through inductive reasoning, and then you can study it after having a grasp of the language.
3.“Kids learn languages better than adults.”
Total lie. How long did it take you to learn your native language? Probably close to two or three years to be able to communicate effectively with your parents? As adults, we can learn languages way faster, more efficiently, and in the way that we enjoy most. Kids learn out of necessity and constant exposure over a long period of time.
An adult learner can understand the complex concepts of a language, study the vocabulary and grammar, infer the language’s structure and make educated guesses -- go watch a movie in that target language all in an afternoon, and then take a break if needed. We can go at our own pace, study what we want, where we want, and truly enjoy the journey!
4.“I can’t afford classes or expensive software.”
You can learn a language entirely for free, or pay a small amount per month and learn even faster. You don’t need Rosetta Stone. All you need is the Internet. Websites like verbling.com or italki.com provide cheap tutors and free conversation practice online with native speakers. Watch YouTube videos for listening practice. Read a blog in your target language and use Google Translate for words you don’t know. Find a friend in your target language who wants to learn your native language and teach each other!
The Irish polyglot Benny Lewis, who is basically my language learning hero, stresses to speak from day one. So open a new tab on your browser and start learning a language today.
Tchau! (Goodbye!)
