I felt lost. I’d finished school, where I’d fallen in love with languages. And I wanted to keep learning. But I had no teacher to tell me how to learn. I tried a few different things, but nothing seemed to be working. So I turned to my trusty friend, Google. “How to learn a language”, […]
MORELanguage Learners! Why Your Comfort Zone = the Danger Zone
A few years ago, I started out learning languages through self study. It’s an adventure! I’ve enjoyed the process, but things haven’t always gone as well as I’d hoped. So, I’d like to share one of most important things I’ve learned. My hope is that you can avoid the mistakes I made. How I Hit […]
MOREWhy Language Learners Quit – The 7 Key “Motivation Killers” (Plus, How to Beat Them)
Have you ever met someone who speaks another language, and been amazed at what you hear when their mouth opens… You have no clue what they’re saying, but they’re having a real conversation – using sounds that make absolutely no sense to you. It’s like a small miracle, right in front of your eyes. It’s […]
MORERapid Learner Review: An In-Depth Look at Scott H. Young’s Rapid Learner Program
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I first discovered Scott H. Young’s work several years ago when he shared a post on his blog about how to overcome plateaus. At the time, I was experiencing a significant plateau in music and I was desperate for advice to help me work through it. Scott’s article gave me the inspiration I needed to […]
MOREChristmas Food Traditions Around the World
When it comes to the winter holidays, food traditions are an important part the celebrations in countries around the world, even if the foods are different from country to country. (Likewise, Santa is different too, depending on where you live). You might indulge in mince pies, or perhaps ham is more your style. For others, […]
MOREYoyo Chinese Review: Learn Conversational Chinese
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When I first started learning Chinese, there was a lot about the language that was brand new to me, even as an experienced language learner. I scoured the web for resources that would help me tackle some of the more challenging aspects of Chinese, like tones. In my search, I stumbled across Yoyo Chinese and […]
MOREMimic Method Review: Will You Sound More Like a Native Speaker?
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The Mimic Method is an approach developed by language trainer Idahosa Ness to teach language learners the sound system of their new language. Idahosa has learned Spanish, French, Portuguese, German and Mandarin Chinese – all as an adult – and he’s found that the most effective way of learning a language is “by ear”. The […]
MOREHow to Get Over the Fear of Rejection
Rejection hurts. It’s painful. So it’s no wonder so many people are afraid of rejection. But how can you get over the fear of rejection? Let me tell you a story about one time I was rejected. It seems small, but it really hurt. While doing my fieldwork for my Master’s degree, I traveled through […]
MORE24 Time Hacking Tips from Language Hacker Benny Lewis
For busy language learners, it can feel like your constant thought is “I don’t have enough time!” I’d like to share some simple shifts you can make in your life so you can manage your time – and have more time available for language learning. Many of these we’ve shared on Fluent in 3 Months […]
MOREDead Languages: How (and Why) to Learn a Dead Language
What is your “why” for learning a new language? Maybe it’s because you want to feel a greater connection with people around the world. To have improved travel experiences or immerse yourself in a different culture different from your own. But what if you find yourself looking for a greater connection to history? To a […]
MOREBilingual Baby: How to Teach Your Baby Two Languages
This past year, my husband and I welcomed a new addition to our family. While we were awaiting his arrival, we discussed whether or not we’d raise him to be a bilingual baby and speak multiple languages. For this article, I’ll call the little guy our “Little Linguist”. First things first: Is it beneficial to […]
MORE35 Free Online Korean Language Classes and Resources
Learning Korean doesn’t have to empty your pockets. But it can be tricky to find the right resources that work for you on a budget. There are countless resources online that teach you Korean. The only problem is how do you know which are good quality, without wasting hours weeding through them? The good news […]
MOREHow to Find a Language Exchange Partner
What is a language exchange partner – and what’s the best way to find one? In this article, I’ll answer both these questions to help you understand what language exchanges can do for you, where to find language exchange partners, and how to choose the best ones for you. Language exchange partners are a fantastic […]
MOREAssimil Review: An Honest Look at the Assimil Language Learning System
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Assimil is a dialogue based learning course popular amongst language learners. This is clearly illustrated by the 4+ star reviews on Amazon for the majority of the available courses. Assimil has a range of courses available in a variety of languages, but is geared primarily towards French speakers. Dubbed “The Magic Books” by NPR, Assimil […]
MORECEFR Levels: What They Are, Why They Matter, and How to Test Yourself
CEFR levels: what are they? And do they matter? In the language-learning community, we often hear other learners throw around certain terms when they’re talking about their level in a language. “I speak German at a B1 level” or “I’m an A2 in Russian.” But what do B1 and A2 mean? These descriptors are skill […]
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