Good language learners notice what is happening in a language. They notice the sounds of the language, and the structure and the vocabulary. They notice as they listen and read. They notice when they use the language. How can we train ourselves in the ability to notice, in order to become good language learners?
Over the years, I’ve heard the same question over and over again: “Do we all learn languages the same way?” The quick answer? Yes. However, this is worth further explanation. In this…
I decided to give Pimsleur a solid try while learning Romanian. Pimsleur is quite popular with many learners. I myself have Pimsleur courses for Portuguese and Russian. However, in both cases, I…
Language learning is a personal journey. But over time — and across more than 20 languages — I’ve noticed certain habits that consistently waste time or drain confidence. Confidence is critical to…
Today I want to share how I approach the very beginning of learning a language. First, let’s make an important distinction. The goal should not be to learn a language in three…
Italian is a language that has always appealed to me, as Italy is such a lovely country. I have traveled and hitchhiked through Italy and, at that time, I didn’t speak Italian,…
I think Spanish is one of the most attractive languages to learn. We can all be motivated to learn a specific language like Mongolian or Finnish because we have a friend or a particular interest. Spanish is different: there are a number of real big advantages to learning Spanish.
If you are going to learn Japanese, you need to decide why you are learning the language. I learned Japanese for work in 1971. I lived in Japan for nine years, mostly during…
When we think about language learning, many of us immediately focus on vocabulary lists and grammar rules. In theory, with the right set of memorized words and structures, we should be able…
Comprehension is key. Communication is possible without perfect grammar or the richest vocabulary. However, to achieve a level in which it is possible to have meaningful conversations, comprehension is non-negotiable. Communication…
