When I first started studying languages on my own, I felt a lot of pushback from friends and family. They didn’t get why I was so into this language thing. Why I wanted to spend so much time doing it or why I wanted to learn so many different languages. I heard things like: No […]
MOREHiragana vs Katakana: What’s the Difference?
Struggling to grasp how to write in Japanese? It’s not as hard as it seems! Sure, hiragana and katakana, two of the key systems in Japanese writing, look so foreign and intimidating, but they can actually be quite simple. The characters don’t represent unique meanings the way Chinese characters do. They’re more like a Japanese […]
MOREHow to Learn English Fast: The Language Hacker’s Method
If you want to get fluent in English, you’re in luck. It’s the second most spoken language in the world. So you won’t have to look very hard to find lots of English resources and lots of chances to practise both spoken and written English. What if you want to learn English fast? Then there […]
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 […]
MOREPassion Power! How I Learned English (and Spanish) by Sharing My Art With the World
During my first year at my Italian university, I dropped my language degree course in English and Spanish after just three months. Back then, in addition to studying English and Spanish at university, I was also studying at an art academy in Rome to become a professional cartoonist (cool, right?). As you may imagine, doing […]
MOREHow I Met Japanese Language Partners in a Small Town (and So Can You!)
When I was 4 years old, I discovered Sailor Moon. To say I had an obsession was an understatement. Ever since, I’ve loved Japanese culture. The delicious food, the rich and crazy unique culture, the wacky shows, the cherry blossoms. But more than anything, I fell head over heels in love with this beautiful language. […]
MOREAzerbaijani: The Language You Never Thought of Learning (and Why You Should)
So you’d like to speak Azerbaijani? Good call! Never thought about studying Azerbaijani? Keep reading, because there are plenty of reasons why it’s a wonderful language to learn. In a moment, I’ll show you how to get started learning Azerbaijani. But first… Grab Your Suitcase — Azerbaijani Is Your Ticket into Another World Azerbaijan is […]
MOREVolunteer and Learn Spanish: How to Learn a Language by Volunteering Overseas
Can you volunteer and learn Spanish? I did, and here’s my story, plus the lessons I learned along the way. Most of these lessons can be applied to learning any language while volunteering overseas. How I Decided to Volunteer Overseas and Learn Spanish Shortly after graduating from university, I decided to take some time out […]
MOREHow Children Learn Languages – and What You Can Learn from Them
It’s often said that children learn languages more easily than adults, but is that really the case? Do children have a special advantage, or can adults learn languages just as well as children? Some academics say that childhood is the critical period for language learning. Is there any truth in this idea, or is it […]
MORELearn a Language By Reading: 5 Easy-to-Follow Steps
Are you tired of learning a new language’s vocabulary from boring lists and sentence structure from dry grammar books? Do you want to get that excitement and interest you had when you first wanted to learn that foreign language back? The answer is simple… Read Interesting Content By reading interesting content in the language you […]
MOREI Messed Up Learning Spanish… and Now I Speak Chinese
“I’ll never learn Chinese. Spanish was hard enough for me and that’s an easy language. Learning Chinese would be impossible.” I felt defeated by my attempts to learn Spanish. I had just come home to Michigan after three years of living in Latin America. I was preparing to move to China when my brother asked […]
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 […]
MOREHow to Use Visual Memory Techniques to Build a Conversational Vocabulary
Here’s something that used to frustrate me: When I travel through a country where the native language isn’t English, I miss a lot of the culture because I can’t have a conversation with the locals. All I can do is read about their customs and experience them through activities, food, and drink. Research tells us […]
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 […]
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