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 […]
MOREYou CAN Learn a New Language After Age 10! Response to Steven Pinker’s Fascinating “Critical Period” Research (and Bogus News Reports)
Up until what age can you become very fluent in a language? It’s a good question, and it’s one I’m going to answer, looking at some new research from linguist and psychologist Steven Pinker. First, I’d like to bust a few myths about the “critical window” for language learning that have popped up in the […]
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 […]
MOREWhy Learn a Language? Here’s What 8 World Class Polyglots Said
Why learn a language? It’s a good question! In the last couple of years I have had the honour to interview some of the most popular polyglots in the world, and I had the opportunity to ask them about why they learn languages. I am a polyglot myself. I speak six languages fluently and I […]
MOREHow I Got a $7,000 Raise by Learning Spanish
Within six months of starting your first real job, you get a $7,000 raise. How cool would that be? I can tell you first hand that it’s an awesome feeling and it only happened because I learned conversational Spanish in one month. In this post, I’ll share exactly how I did it (and how you […]
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 […]
MOREThe 5-Second Rule for Language Hackers
Feelings play a much bigger role in language learning than they’re given credit for. This isn’t something that’s often talked about, so let me clear the air and say it straight up: Whether you succeed (or fail) at learning a new language has a lot to do with how you manage your emotions. Perhaps that’s […]
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 […]
MOREMinority Languages: The Bliss of Learning Languages Less Spoken
“If you live with people and you share a life with them and you speak their language, they trust you.” – Peter Rohloff, MD, Wuqu’ Kawoq (Maya Health Alliance) I have always found languages to be beautiful. Having learned to speak seven languages – some of them fluently, and others at a more basic level […]
MOREHow to Learn Swedish: 37 Lessons from My 6 Months Living in Sweden
When I realized I was going to have the chance to spend six months working in Sweden, I naturally got interested in the Swedish language. More so, when I started getting work emails I needed Google Translate to read. Even more so when I landed and couldn’t read the signs around me or understand anything […]
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 […]
MOREThe Language Learning Curve: What’s the Best Way for You to Improve Your Language Skills?
Becoming fluent in a new language is a journey… and in my research with language learners I’ve discovered a “language learning curve” that most people follow. Before I share that, here’s how the language learning journey went for me. After 5 years of learning Spanish at school, I was only able to remember the bizarre […]
MOREHow Speaking from Day One Helped Me Conquer Love and The Spanish Language
When you think back five years ago, did you ever think that you would be where you are now? Maybe so, maybe not. However, I most certainly didn’t. Five years ago, I never in my wildest dreams would have thought I would be living in Colombia with my wife, speaking Spanish. But here I am […]
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