“People expect to reach a point in their learning when they’ll be comfortable speaking. They put off their speaking until that moment arrives. It never does.” – Lýdia Machová What a thrill to have interviewed Lýdia Machová for our Language Mentors series! Without ever living abroad or in a multilingual environment, Lýdia has learned nine […]
MORELearn Any Language Faster: 6 Easy Steps to Falling in Love with Your Mistakes
A big challenge for people learning a new language is failure. Who wants to be wrong? I know that I hate feeling I’ve messed up. Yet you can’t learn a language if you can’t accept failure. Falling in love with your mistakes is the key to confident conversations in a new language. Follow these easy […]
MOREStop Wasting Your Life Saying “I’ll Speak a New Language When…”
It’s so easy to give yourself reasons to “not” speak a language. Maybe you tell yourself: “I’ll start talking to others in my target language when… “My accent is perfect” “I understand the grammar” “I’ve got the money to travel the world” “I’m feeling more confident” “I’ve reached the intermediate level” “My acne has cleared […]
MOREHow Bilingual Kids Get Ahead: 7 Benefits of Learning a Second Language
You’re wondering if you have the time and motivation to help your child learn a second language. And you’re not 100% convinced the effort will be worth it. What benefits can a kid get from learning a second language? With the internet and other technology making the globe seem smaller with each passing year, knowing […]
MOREHow I (Finally) Learned French after 10 Language Fails
How to fail at languages? Let me count the ways. At one of our summer parties this year, I said three sentences in French and the crowd broke out into a unison song of “Ohhhhh. Ahhhhh!” My monolingual friends are often amazed when they hear me speak a foreign language. It’s a reaction that I […]
MORE“I Learned This Language Just for You”: How to Save the World One Language at a Time
To learn a new language, you need a fire inside you. My identity as a language learner was forged by a spark that left me in tears. I made a little girl cry. Now, I actually started “learning” languages when I took French my sophomore year of high school. I thought it would be fun […]
MOREThe Rule of 80%: How to Curb Your Expectations and Reach Sustainable Success
My language learning philosophy is “always give 80%”. Wait. What? Let me explain. Yoga class helps keep me sane. Mostly, I think it’s because of my yoga teacher, Marie. She’s a very hip thirtysomething small business owner, mom, yoga teacher and part-time voice of the universe all rolled into one. I’d like to share one […]
MOREHow to Learn a Language by Self-Study
You’ve decided you want to learn a language. Good call! When you start a new language, you can find yourself with a lot of questions about where to start. Should you buy a textbook? Enrol in classes? Sign up for Skype classes via italki? Should you get help – for example with the Add1Challenge – […]
MORE47 Funny, Inspiring and Motivational German Quotes To Help You Learn German
Are you looking for German quotes? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re looking to use quotes to help you learn German or you want some beautiful words to brighten up your day, you’ll find them right here. Below is a list of 47 funny, life-affirming and motivational quotes from some of our […]
MOREHow Rodylyn had a 15-Minute Conversation in Japanese — After Just 90 Days of Study
One of the inspiring things about working at Fluent in 3 Months is all the success stories we see in the Add1Challenge. You may already know that in the Add1Challenge, language learners aim to have a 15-minute conversation with a native speaker after just 90 days. It sounds like a big goal, but we know […]
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 […]
MOREMy Add1 Story: Caitlin’s Intensive 90-Days of Japanese
I thought I had good study habits. I’ve studied Japanese for some time. I took it in college, then continued to study it after I graduated. I studied most days and even met with Japanese language exchange partners. But… I had stopped growing in my Japanese ability. I wasn’t sure why. I kept doing the […]
MOREThe Shy “Delusion”: Stop Being Shy and Just Start Speaking!
This is another post that is going to ruffle some feathers, but it has to be said. Unless you suffer from a social anxiety disorder or experience severe, constant shyness, YOU ARE NOT SHY. Stop describing yourself as such. If you do suffer from severe shyness or social anxiety, then this blog post is not […]
MORE“You’ve Got a Friend in Me” — Here’s Why Friends Are So Important in Language Learning
Having a friend by your side as you learn a language is the best (and most fun) way to succeed. Do you know the Hank Williams classic “I’m so lonesome I could cry”? Studying a language can be a bit like that — especially when you’re learning on your own. It’s weird when you think […]
MOREHow to Practise Speaking a New Language… Without the Anxiety Rush!
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”, […]
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