“Por vs. para?” is a common question from Spanish learners. That makes sense, as one of Spanish’s more difficult aspects is the difference between the words por and para. Most (not all) of the time, both words translate to the word “for” in English. There are a few other translations, which I’ll get to later. […]
MOREReading, Writing, Speaking and Listening: The 4 Basic Language Skills, and How to Practise Them
Reading, writing, speaking and listening – the four foundational skills of language learning. You can’t build a house without a strong foundation (well, that’s if you want the house to stay upright in all weather!). Similarly, you won’t become a well-rounded speaker of a language without building upon the four foundations of language learning. It […]
MOREConversational French: 25 Ways to Start a French Conversation
When you’re learning French, what are some good ways to start a French conversation? Whether you’ve just been introduced to someone new, find yourself sitting next to a French-speaker on the bus, or end up walking beside a French tourist while visiting an attraction, I’ve got a French conversation starter for you. Before we dig […]
MORELearning Two Languages at Once: Can You Learn Multiple Languages at the Same Time?
Is it possible to learn two languages at once? Yes! Learning two languages at once is certainly possible. That said, it’s not a mission I’d recommend taking on lightly. I’ve been learning languages for over 10 years. In that time, I studied over seventeen languages and became fluent in 10. And I’ve never tried to […]
MOREHow to Use the Teach Yourself Language Hacking Community
How to Use the Teach Yourself Language Hacking Community Several months ago, I published four Teach Yourself Language Hacking Courses: French, Spanish, Italian and German. Many people don’t know that my Language Hacking courses Teach Yourself come with free access to the italki Language Hacking community. As you work through a Language Hacking course, you’ll […]
MOREConversational Spanish: 88+ Spanish Conversation Starters and Questions
How can you speak Spanish in a more conversational, everyday way? Textbooks can be surprisingly unhelpful in this regard. They might teach you useful grammar and vocabulary, but it’s often presented in an unnatural, forced way that doesn’t reflect how people actually speak in real world, conversational Spanish. “What are the days of the week?” […]
MORE16 Free Online Portuguese Language Classes
Are you learning Portuguese, and you want to find the best free online Portuguese language lessons? You’ve come to the right place! I’ve searched far and wide to find a variety of quality, fun, and free resources to boost your Portuguese skills. Learning European Portuguese? Overwhelmed by the number of Brazilian Portuguese resources out there? […]
MOREFluent in 3 Months: All Language Missions
So you’d like to see my Fluent in 3 Months language missions? You’ve come to the right place! I set up Fluent in 3 Months to share language hacking tips and to tell the real, gritty stories of how language hacking works for me. For over a decade I travelled around the world, and whenever […]
MORE16 Must-Know Words and Phrases For Any Language
You can achieve incredible results by learning just a few basic phrases when travelling to another country. Often, native English speakers believe that everyone speaks English. So when they travel, they don’t bother learning the language of the place they’re visiting. After all, it’s fine to get by in English, right? Well, maybe. But there’s […]
MORELearning a Third Language: An In-Depth Guide
I know lots of people who speak their second language at a very good level, and yet hesitate to jump into learning a third language. Why is this? Well, some people are perfectly happy stopping at one foreign language. That was their goal, and they reached it. That’s all good. On the other hand, too […]
MOREHow to Say “Hello” in 29 Different Languages
What’s the first word you learn in any language? “Hello”, of course! “Hello” is the way you’ll meet new people, make new friends, and start conversations. Even if you’re not aiming for fluency in a language, just learning this one little word will endear you to any native speakers you meet at home or abroad. […]
MORE12 Fun Grammar Games to Help You Learn a Language
Grammar. To many people, the word is almost synonymous with “boredom”. Does that make “grammar games” a contradiction? I’m going to say not. More on that in a moment. True, the average grammar book is more useful as a cure for insomnia than it is as a tool for language learning. And in school you […]
MOREGerman Noun Genders: Hacks to Learn them Faster
Learning German? You’re going to notice one major difference between English and German grammar right away: German noun genders. All German nouns are one of three genders: masculine, feminine or neutral. For someone who is just starting out with German, this can be really confusing – especially as the genders don’t necessarily seem logical. Take […]
MORELearning a Language Through Music: Here’s How It’s Done
Can you learn a language through music? Of course you can! From slow, crooning love songs to the latest boy band hits, music is a really useful tool for language learning. Pop music isn’t the whole story, though. Any style of music, by any artist, as long as it has lyrics, can be useful in […]
MOREHow to Use Systems (Instead of Goals) to Get Results in Language Learning
What’s your language learning goal? Perhaps you’re aiming to reach A2 level in French in the next 3 months. Maybe you’re looking to gain basic knowledge of Italian before your trip to Rome in a couple of weeks. Or perhaps you’re aiming for German mastery. Whatever your goal, setting a goal is the natural thing […]
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