In my opinion, Speakly is the best app for beginners because it actually teaches the principles of language learning alongside teaching the language, which sets you up for success straight away. Get 40% Premium using the code in the description, try the app for free here: play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.owlab.speakly&hl=en_US&gl=US apps.apple.com/ee/app/speakly-learn-languages/id1255478968 Which language are you going to learn in 2022?
Hi~ I actually purchased the lifetime subscriptions last year for Speakly and Drops because of you haha I am learning Spanish right now, and I’m having a difficult time narrowing down the resources and apps that I’ll use. The paradox of choice is overwhelming me haha Can you please help me and suggest a 1-hour language study routine for a total beginner that includes Speakly and Drops? I can only spare an hour every day because of work but I can do 3-4 hours on weekends. I also don’t know how often and how long my passive/active listening sessions should be. I hope you can help me. Thank you!!! Merry Christmas to you as well!
I was going to put this! Many times I watch videos, telling myself I will eventually learn a language. :-D Anyways, I wish you all the best in your language learning!
1:10 (1) Time based goal for the year 2:07 (2) Use the 1st month to smash your goal 3:22 (3) Comprehending the language as top priority 6:13 (4) Use a mixture of familiar and new material 8:28 (5) Just relax Figured this might help somebody! 😁
AH MAN, I always forget my timestamps! Thank you! I used these properly so now they actually appear in the video, like they should have the first time! Thanks!
4.) Has to be the most important at least for me. I've been stuck at a plateau and have been losing motivation with no progress with new material. Going back to old material was really surprising. I once had an audiobook that took me 2 weeks to complete because I kept playing it in slow motion and repeating it because I couldn't understand the Italian being said. When I tried it again after a couple of months, I finished it in a day or two. My years really adapted and the vocabulary/grammar was already ingrained in my brain. Really boosted my confidence because this showed me how much progress I made.
My take on no needing to rush: you're going to be with your language till the end of your life, so, if you stay consistent you are actually DESTINED to become fluent.
Exactly!!! I usually say. If it takes you 10 years to learn a language (which is a huge overestimation), after 20 years, you would speak two foreign languages. Imagine you are forty and when you retire, you can speak two foreign languages e.g Chinese and French. You will have a lot of interesting experiences in your retirement.
I have been learning French for roughly 10 years. Still not got past the A2 level because I am surrounded with English. Going to try to put more effort into using Glossika daily. I can use other apps for comprehension but speaking is hard to do. I often use it occasionally. Going to go for their summer challenge.
@daysandword As a Spanish and English language teacher, I could add that speaking a new language may not be necessarily your goal. You may want to be able to read it or to understand a movie or a song in which cases you will need to practice your listening and reading skills. The writing skill, in case you just wanted to interact in, say, in chat conversations, does neither need the speaking skill. Having said that: do NOT feel demotivated by not "speaking" a language, that maybe something you don't even need nor truly pursue!
Just started the diamond league in Russian. I needed 60 days to be there. And I learned more words than after living in Russia last year for 6 months. Of course most of my friends there speak English, German or French, so I was rarely forced to speak Russian. But sometimes yes. Anyway. I was again in Russia last month. And this time I had a much better start than last year. I could express quite a lot and new words suddenly were easier accepted and kept in my old brain. My Russian is of course still extremely chaotic but people understand me. And I understand a little bit. So I think duolingo is a great app to get some vocabulary and start. Later of course, you‘ll need friends in your target language.
In 2022 I plan to spend at least 10 minutes a day listening to Swedish. This worked wonders for my Italian, so I hope it will for Swedish too. The key to it is that it is a "very easy" goal and most days I will end up doing more (up to 30 minutes, maybe an hour some days?). But if I am having a bad or busy day, I will still make it. For me "the strike" component is very important, so I prefer having "easy goals" that I can stick to 100% to be sure I do not give up :)
Sounds great! But what level are your Italian and Swedish? And how soon do you recommend starting just listening to the languages that you're learning?
That friendship analogy is beautiful, it is such a wonderful way to think about languages and language learning. It’s even a fantastic way to think about your relationship to your native language.
I agree whole heartedly! The more fluent I become in my first foreign language - I’m sitting pretty at upper intermediate level Italian - the more I see the truth in these principles. Having never learnt a second language before, I went into this 17 months ago with a lot of doubts and a lot of ‘you’re going to have trust the process’, which the part of my brain that likes structure and defined methods found really jarring. Now I spend 90% of my time either listening or reading in my target language and it has completely transformed my language. I feel like Neo from the matrix seeing all the green code. It still blows my mind that I can watch a video and understand almost everything. From spending time with the language every day, not from spending time in a classroom. Such a game changer. Thanks for thr great video!
This is the most entertaining "How to learn a language" video ever Lamont. I might just watch it again right now because it was just that enjoyable! Ha
And once you’re a good ways into the language, it’s ok to take a break. Not too long, but we all get frustrated and tired out. Forcing yourself is just gonna make your hate your language, and you might find, when you come back, that you progress more/faster
Awesome tips! Totally agree!!! Immersing yourself in the language is soooo vital! Something beginners too often dismiss. Let's make 2022 the year of a new foreign language for everyone!!!
When I started learning Chinese, I had a friend who would help me practice my chinese, even though my level was really low. I think if I hadn't had that immersion and follow up, I would have given up on Chinese. Just having a friend who is a native can be a huge source of immersion.
My goal for 2022 is to watch one French TH-cam video and to read something in French every single day. Basically, I'm just gonna focus on immersing myself in the language.
Thumbs up simply for that last crucial observation: you should be relax and treat your languages as friends that you want to hang out with. Wise words.
I actually love that stage when you listen to a new language just for the music of it, and it goes from a wall of sound to words that jump out because you understand them. It's like watching salmon leap up waterfalls. I get really excited about what I do understand rather than frustrated by what I don't.
mostly commenting for the algorithm. but i will say, i'm one of those clowns who is horribly guilty of clocking a million hours listening to people talk about language learning, meanwhile i've been picking at the edge of my own target language for YEARS. it's ridiculous and i'm making 2022 my year. thanks for the video!
Sound advice as always Lamont. I’m doing a BA in French at Canterbury, and I’m currently around B2/C1 level. I find that the Uni study has been great for writing and the technical aspects of the language, but for speaking and aural comprehension I do conversation classes at our local Alliance Française, and I make heavy use of French youtube and Netflix. Actually one of the best things I’ve found, and which I strongly encourage language learners to do more of, is reading. It was tough going in the beginning but now I’m reading Jules Verne and other novels, and I have a subscription to a French science magazine. Anyway, now I’m getting into Russian…and back at square one :) The goal is to sit (and pass) the Uni placement test at the end of 2022 and gain admission to the 200-level Russian course. One final thing: I discovered Lingvist via your recommendation and it has been terrific for boosting my French vocabulary, so thanks! Пока!
Mate you’re absolutely spot on with everything here, I’m fluent in Italian (and like yourself I have high standards for fluent), and I’ve been doing German for a few months but with so much listening and comprehension, all of a sudden I can speak incredibly well.
2021 was my first learning languages intently. I can’t wait for 2022. Thanks for your videos, Lamont. You are one of my favorite language-learning TH-cam channels. I hope to do have a chat with you at some point. One of my goals is to reach B1 in at least 9 of my languages by April 1. Here’s to another amazing year!
I think it's your best video yet. I like the idea of a language being like a life partner. The new year is the perfect time to renew your commitment to each other. You've had good days and bad days, but you make each other happy, you make each other a better person. Let's keep this going.
Step 1: Select a language you are interested in learning. Step 2: Find a variety of audio visual material and books and apps to help you learn. Step 3: Stick at learning in a more or less systematic way for an hour or so each day. Step 4: Keep this hard work up for the next year and try to speak with native speakers on a platform or in the target language country. Step 5: Take an official language course with the aim to sit an exam in the CEFR. Probably B1. Step 6: Master B1 well enough to proceed. Step 7: set a goal of passing B2 at the end of year two. That's at least 800 hours and by this time you should be able to speak in the target language without the need to resort to your native language, but the conversation will not be as smooth as you'd like it to be. Step 8: Set a goal of achieving C1 level in the target language. Here you'd want to read and listen a lot in your target language. You'll be consuming native content by this time. So, three years from nothing to being able to qualify to study at university if that's your goal.
@ Days of French 'n' Swedish, 1:51 min. mark. Excellent! Yes. To understand the BIG difference between a *motivator (ex.: *Learning how to order a meal in a restaurant) and a clearly-articulated *goal (ex.: Achieving A, B or C-level *proficiency) is a savvy, time-saving insight!
Great advice! I am an American English teacher currently living in Brazil. Now that my eight year old son and I are sufficiently fluent in Portuguese, we are trying to learn Spanish. Your video sheds new light on how we should approach that. Thank you!
I would love to do what you are doing! Currently learning Brazilian Portuguese and would say I'm finally breaking into an intermediate level. I eventually want to live in Brazil teaching English. Would you say that's fairly achievable with a degree unrelated to teaching/no prior teaching experience (I would like to gain some via italki first at the very least)
@@thistimtalks absolutely! My degree and experience are both in business. Full disclosure: My wife is Brazilian and she lived with me in the US for 15 years before we moved to Brazil.
Your videos have really helped me. Im finally making progress. I’ve been reading short stories and listening to podcasts, netflix and youtube channels in my target language(Spanish). I think it is so much easier engage with a language, when you consume compelling content for native speakers. I have also been supplementing my learning with both Speakly and Busuu which I find helpful to round things out for different reasons. Speakly is great over all. However, I like that with Busuu native speakers can give you tips on pronunciation, grammar and style. Obviously, you need to take some feedback with a grain of salt (not all native speakers are grammar experts), but overall I really like that aspect of Busuu.
Yeah, it's not just that they're not experts, it's that they have goals for you that might not be yours, like they might say "Your pronunciation is off here and here..." but you are only working on grammar/structure at the time, or something.
Thanks. That all makes a lot of sense. I'm in neglect mode, generally, these days, but you've got me thinking, and it's probably going to be a good idea for me to try and do certain other subjects in German, occasionally, if I remember to. (I'm subscribed to TH-camrs who started out in German, decided English has a more global reach, so now either don't do German any more, or do both. Have just tried two videos, and understood more than half of something one either understands entirely or not at all. Oh well, it's progress. And it kills two birds with one stone. Doing things in German makes me concentrate better, and the repetition it would take to completely get it - as I'd have to do if I got regular with this - would help with both.) Good news to anyone else here who is "half way through German" or any other language: What you learnt before, you still have. It doesn't decay away all that fast. So the effort you put in today will be repaid to you over an entire lifetime - or to some extent at least. I like the idea of the languages we meet being "friends". And some of them become the other people we sometimes are. Quite handy. I'm only a serial killer in Shona, for instance, so to be a less horrible person, all I have to do is not think too many Shona thoughts. (And I'm only really a compulsive liar in English. Honestly!)
It's awesome that you joined refold! I'm interested in hearing your take on all the great stuff refold has done. I'm curious to hear how your multiple language experiment goes this year. I have a hard time balancing exploring new languages while making progress on my primary ones (Norwegian and Russian).
I’ve watched hours worth of videos, this video made my mind go through and figure out how to actually start! being frozen and not being able to find the right way to start learning a now language is a tedious process, thank you so much you’ve saved me some time and your idea is straight to the point.
I'm trying something new for 2022. I'm writing down what I'm doing each day for each language. I want to only write down things I've done at least once, so it is a I have done this list, not an I should do this list. I'll be able to see what I'm getting the most use from amongst books, apps, websites, comics, etc. This will help me decide with more reason what I should put money and time towards next. I've been too laid back this year, and started over many times, and was super inconsistent. I'd like to do something in at least one of my languages in 2022 each day, even if it's just listening to a song or two and calling that good enough for the day. Showing up is the hardest part I think. Hopefully the gantt charts will help.
I've never heard an Australian say "err" before. Fortunately, my massive amount of exposure to the English language gave me enough context to understand what was happening.
Haha yeah, Australian Rs are essentially silent unless they come before a vowel, which "err on the..." does, but yeah that is where the Australian accent can confuse people. Also that was sped up by 20%.
My goal in 2022 is to watch all videos of Hikaru, a Japanese TH-camr, which sums up to around 1500 hours of immersion. This is a challenge a smaller TH-camr by the name Aussieman has come up with in the last 2 weeks. It might sound crazy to spend that much time immersing but to me it's nothing considering, if my calculations are correct, I've spent around 25000 hours immersing in English in the past 8 to 9 years. Yeah, by "immersing", I really did immerse in the language, everything I do online is in English and has been since I started, I really went that far. Now this is still a subgoal compared to my general goal of reaching a point where I can happily use the internet, read books and watch stuff without the help of anything besides a monolingual dictionary. But I believe I'll be able to reach such a level by the end of 2022 if I manage to first finish that hikaru challenge in the first half of the year and then move on to reading a lot in the latter part.
While I am hardly a beginner, your video still was very informative Two things I would like to add: 1. Be interested in what language has to offer you. It may be a fun challenge to learn a new language, but that won't get you far. For my work I learnt a bit of Haitian Creole, some Indonesian/Malay/Philippino. I used them every day for multiple hours a day. I forgot them in 2 month after quitting the job. I never learnt French. I hammered my Spanish and European/Angolan Portuguese until my French coworkers understood me. I still speak with weird accent, but fluently enough to be a speaking coach, just because there is so much content I get to enjoy almost daily. I am even planning on learning to write it 2. Don't skip the grammar. Learning grammar is often dismissed as useless nowadays. How you should speak and watch movies, not learning which cases mark what and what is the proper way of using gerund. That's wrong. Languages (even unrelated) work in stunningly similar ways. Accusative case behaves almost the same in Russian, German, Turkish, Japanese and Arabic. You can skip a lot of pain by applying that knowledge. Perfect tense is formed the same across all Romance and Germanic languages. If you know how it is done (in terms of auxilary verbs and participles, not just "use 'to have' and add 'ed' to the verb"), it will be a great crutch for you until you learn simple past. You can basically start speaking on day one by transferring knowledge from languages you already know. It won't be perfect, but, hey, it's a good start
9:51 Sounds like the best kind of relationship, one that deepens with intimacy and time. It also doesn't get annoyed or passive-agressive when I forget to put the toilet seat down 🤣
1. Use Lingodeer to learn grammar and syntax. 2. Build up your vocabulary with Drops. 3. Improve your speaking and listening skills with Italki and HelloTalk. 4. Congratulations, you are conversational.
I’ve been switching languages because I’m not sure what language I want to study but i think I want to do Korean so let’s see if one year from now I stuck with it
@@unscripted3209 I started with Italian for like 4 months but at my peak I was studying like for 1 hour and then 4 hours of listening on top of that then I did Japanese for 1 month and irl stuff got me busy so I stopped then I did Russian for like 2 days and now imma start Korean I think I will stick with this one tho or at least longer than I did with the other ones
The skill of listening and instantly comprehending meaning has almost nothing to do with how "easy" the language is and much more to do with how much of it you've heard.
This video resonated with me on another level, from the 'quitting after 6 days' part, to the part where you say there's no need to rush, I also agree with watching entertaining content as it will take away some of that uncomfortable feelings of not being able to understand, I like to watch Japanese comedy bits and although at times they speak fast and mumble, I still find myself getting slightly better at hearing certain sounds and words, and understanding a few!. I've attempted learning Japanese twice already, each time spending hours a day learning everything from Kanji, to listening comprehension, to speaking, to learning new words, to learning grammar rules. I just started with Japanese again a few days ago and am mostly just taking in Japanese content. My goal for this year is to have a good grasp on understanding what is said, I'll worry about speech, then writing and reading after learning to comprehend Japanese. Thanks for the video btw, it just further motivated me in my approach and I'm enjoying it so far, I also don't feel as overwhelmed or burnt out as I did when I was trying to learn it previously so thanks. I definitely feel like this is a possible method as this is how we learn English as a second language around the world, mainly by watching content in that language.
This is really helpful, thank you! I’ve been an avid duolingo learner for about 4 months now (and found you through the ‘how to win diamond league’ video (😂🙈) … THANK YOU for helping others find the ways to TRULY learn a language - I’m excited to see if it works. I had started watching movies and shows in Spanish (while in Spain), but for the reasons you mentioned (jarring, not believing there was much benefit), I stopped. I’m now excited to resurrect that practice knowing how much benefit it provides. Thanks again! This advice makes a lot of sense. I also feel excited about the journey again, and I was beginning to lose steam because I could tell I wasn’t able to create my own sentences and compose thoughts ‘in the moment’ … i.e. IRL, where it ACTUALLY matters! 🙏✨
This video was very helpful. On the shorter side and also includes straight to the point interesting, practical information that I definitely need. I got super excited when I saw that my favourite show is available in Swedish so I will be enjoying that later
Merry Christmas to you too! :) As the year draw to its close, I’ve been reviewing how was the year, what I’ve learned and what I wanna achieve in the coming year :)
I am hearing the video at x2 and when he started speaking fast it was actually perfectly clear. I wasn't expecting for it to be that easy. I would have thought x3 or x4 would be really difficult. This is my second language, I am native in Spanish.
Well yeah that would be 3x then because 1.5x 2 = 3. At 4x it becomes difficult not so much because it's too fast but because the audio clips out too much detail. I find that about 3.6x is my limit, and that's if I have the text to read along with. But yeah 3.0x in your non-native language is very impressive.
1: concrete achievable goals 2: reasonable daily study time goal 3: make comprehension main goal 4: re-watch things in target language and watch new stuff 5: don't stress too much Your "weird Australian accent" is light at worst. Study from a Scotsman if you really want to be incomprehensible. 😅
Nice to see an individual with a more rational approach to language learning... There are too many who walk around trying to sell the "learn Chinese in 24 hours" method - with the look at me go.... Whee! mentality... This puts languages in the realms of talent, when the overwhelming evidence is of language acquisition being related to skill... In some countries, school education is based on the first belief, which is why, with so much money spent, the failure rate is high... Hopefully, there would be more and more people like you, to ensure that pursuits remain rational... With individual effort being advertised as the magic pill... Thank you...
This sounds good. I will come back to it as there is so much going on in the world at the moment but I am xcited about this as I can see the links between different languages. Namaste 🌿
Also, for people who use spaced repetition cards like Anki, creating decks about vocabulary interesting to you in your native language helps reinforce the new language. I memorize Anki decks I made for myself much faster than the ones I got from other people. Writing the translations in your native language is also helpful as many people understand their own language better than English even if they use English a lot.
Your accent almost stumbled me with the way you pronounced “pattern” in your speed talking. But my brain caught it quick enough that I kept up after that. lol!
I can't tell if your comments are talking to ME or just writing your thoughts here... But I agree with you that learning a language IS a process, however you are most definitely wrong about the "for most of us" thing. 80% of language learners are still in the phase where they think it's a goal.
Thanks for making 2021 more bearable with your language-learning videos! I'm much better with my Spanish thanks to your motivational and funny vids. Have a great holiday and I'm looking forward to more great stuff from you in 2022! P.S. If you decide to become a basetballer and decide to do basketballing in 2022, I'm rooting for you! 🙂
@@stevencarr4002 It's a joke in one of his previous videos where he talked about how people corrected his English. He used the term "basketballer" as he didn't realize that wasn't a word, and because he wasn't super familiar with basketball, he used the word and people started to correct him. Now it's an ongoing joke.
@NtateNarin - yes, Steven knows the video, but also, you realise that you did actually miss the K? So he's right, there really IS no such word as basetballer haha.
8:19 😂 Dark season 3 is incomprehensible in *any* language, native or not. Thank you, this was a great video. Both encouraging and realistic. In your second to last tip, I'm trying to find the right ratio of - pausing the movie and looking up the meaning of a words I don't understand (which is most of them). vs - letting the unknown words go by, and just try (paying attention) to pick up the little bits I do know, even if it's just an adjective or a simple 3-5 word phrase here or there. And from this video it sounds like you suggest more of the latter. Maybe do more pausing on later rewatches of the movie?
Yeah it depends on your preference, and how much you're OK with not understanding. I tend to go until I can't bear it anymore, and then I'm really intered in looking it up and more likely to make a meaningful connection once I do.
wow i was listening to teh black and white in x2 speed and it was faster than the other parts on the video.Im from Spain so yeah that confirms your point
please make more vids about real hardcore science of language learning, without any simplifications. teach us the real deal master🙏 great vid btw, i wish you best in your new year
How do y'all track your time studying a language? I tend to watch 10 minutes of videos here and there, listen to a podcast as I drive but with frequent interruptions. I read some here and there. I get newsletters in foreign languages and read them. Basically I have constant interruptions (I'm a Mom and also caring for my elderly parents so there is never a dull moment). I do actually study languages a lot.. it adds up. I'm trying to figure out how to track my time.
Yea its the same for m i have no seclude i think i study a lot because i try to whenever i can but with all the micro breaks and me getting distracted i am not sure like the last few days i did not study much because of xmas and visitors.
¡Hola! Lamont, I am so happy to discover your channel & understand your Aussie accent advice (my native is Japanese). ¡Gracias! Can someone suggest a few fun kids movies in Spanish please? I do have Netflix. I am still A1 but near A2. Cheers
Happy Boxing Day Lamont. Thanks for laying out this method. This method is much like Assimil. I’d be interested in your thoughts on Assimil for Swedish or French or just for language learning in general. Throughout the books they will introduce you to grammar as you need it but will tell you not to memorize it and to just relax, as you have said. Thanks for cutting through the BS of language learning and providing useful content.
I might try the Swedish from French book, except I'd use it to learn French rather than vice versa. I'm not sure if they can be used like that but yeah, that's a bit of a bigger video.
Great tips as always, gonna try harder to stick to my language plans, I love learning languages, but have never made a real commitment to it, and I have realized it has taken a toll on my learning process as a whole. I've lived in Australia for a whole year and I really miss the ozzie accent :)
Even though I've been learning Swedish on and off over the last year, I really want to REALLY get focused this year and get to an upper intermediate level by the end of 2022. I know I can do it. Now that I'm not focusing on Spanish so much these days after moving from Mexico, I feel I can really put all of my language efforts into Swedish (...and a bit of Georgian and Russian... 😅) Looking forward to what 2022 will bring!
In my opinion, Speakly is the best app for beginners because it actually teaches the principles of language learning alongside teaching the language, which sets you up for success straight away.
Get 40% Premium using the code in the description, try the app for free here:
play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.owlab.speakly&hl=en_US&gl=US
apps.apple.com/ee/app/speakly-learn-languages/id1255478968
Which language are you going to learn in 2022?
Hi~ I actually purchased the lifetime subscriptions last year for Speakly and Drops because of you haha
I am learning Spanish right now, and I’m having a difficult time narrowing down the resources and apps that I’ll use. The paradox of choice is overwhelming me haha
Can you please help me and suggest a 1-hour language study routine for a total beginner that includes Speakly and Drops? I can only spare an hour every day because of work but I can do 3-4 hours on weekends. I also don’t know how often and how long my passive/active listening sessions should be.
I hope you can help me. Thank you!!! Merry Christmas to you as well!
I will study Japanese.
Improve my English and start learning French
I will give italian a new try.
Tack för bra innehåll. Många goda råd 🙂
Mostly Japanese and possibly small bits of other languages for fun
As an expert in procrastinating by watching videos about language learning, this is great advice.
Haha
Do you have the gift of telepathy? I had the same reflection about procrastination and me!
I was going to put this! Many times I watch videos, telling myself I will eventually learn a language. :-D Anyways, I wish you all the best in your language learning!
@@ntatenarin you too!
Exactly
1:10 (1) Time based goal for the year
2:07 (2) Use the 1st month to smash your goal
3:22 (3) Comprehending the language as top priority
6:13 (4) Use a mixture of familiar and new material
8:28 (5) Just relax
Figured this might help somebody! 😁
AH MAN, I always forget my timestamps! Thank you!
I used these properly so now they actually appear in the video, like they should have the first time! Thanks!
@@daysandwords Oh don't worry, it was no bother for me!
4.) Has to be the most important at least for me. I've been stuck at a plateau and have been losing motivation with no progress with new material. Going back to old material was really surprising. I once had an audiobook that took me 2 weeks to complete because I kept playing it in slow motion and repeating it because I couldn't understand the Italian being said. When I tried it again after a couple of months, I finished it in a day or two. My years really adapted and the vocabulary/grammar was already ingrained in my brain. Really boosted my confidence because this showed me how much progress I made.
My take on no needing to rush: you're going to be with your language till the end of your life, so, if you stay consistent you are actually DESTINED to become fluent.
Exactly!!! I usually say. If it takes you 10 years to learn a language (which is a huge overestimation), after 20 years, you would speak two foreign languages. Imagine you are forty and when you retire, you can speak two foreign languages e.g Chinese and French. You will have a lot of interesting experiences in your retirement.
Beautifully said and exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you!
I have been learning French for roughly 10 years. Still not got past the A2 level because I am surrounded with English. Going to try to put more effort into using Glossika daily. I can use other apps for comprehension but speaking is hard to do. I often use it occasionally. Going to go for their summer challenge.
That line about being in the Diamond league but not being able to speak the language... It hurts :(
It literally applies to me right now with Russian haha.
@daysandword As a Spanish and English language teacher, I could add that speaking a new language may not be necessarily your goal. You may want to be able to read it or to understand a movie or a song in which cases you will need to practice your listening and reading skills. The writing skill, in case you just wanted to interact in, say, in chat conversations, does neither need the speaking skill. Having said that: do NOT feel demotivated by not "speaking" a language, that maybe something you don't even need nor truly pursue!
Just started the diamond league in Russian. I needed 60 days to be there. And I learned more words than after living in Russia last year for 6 months. Of course most of my friends there speak English, German or French, so I was rarely forced to speak Russian. But sometimes yes.
Anyway. I was again in Russia last month. And this time I had a much better start than last year. I could express quite a lot and new words suddenly were easier accepted and kept in my old brain. My Russian is of course still extremely chaotic but people understand me. And I understand a little bit.
So I think duolingo is a great app to get some vocabulary and start. Later of course, you‘ll need friends in your target language.
I'm not quite a beginner, but its still nice to hear such common sense advice.
In 2022 I plan to spend at least 10 minutes a day listening to Swedish. This worked wonders for my Italian, so I hope it will for Swedish too. The key to it is that it is a "very easy" goal and most days I will end up doing more (up to 30 minutes, maybe an hour some days?). But if I am having a bad or busy day, I will still make it. For me "the strike" component is very important, so I prefer having "easy goals" that I can stick to 100% to be sure I do not give up :)
Sounds like a good plan! I am Swedish, so if you have any questions I might be able to help 🤔
@@michellesmirnova4471 Tack så mycket, det är trevligt :)
Sounds great! But what level are your Italian and Swedish? And how soon do you recommend starting just listening to the languages that you're learning?
Got svensk är underskattad.
That's a really interesting goal. I think I should try that too. I have been neglecting listening to Chinese a lot.
That friendship analogy is beautiful, it is such a wonderful way to think about languages and language learning. It’s even a fantastic way to think about your relationship to your native language.
I agree whole heartedly! The more fluent I become in my first foreign language - I’m sitting pretty at upper intermediate level Italian - the more I see the truth in these principles. Having never learnt a second language before, I went into this 17 months ago with a lot of doubts and a lot of ‘you’re going to have trust the process’, which the part of my brain that likes structure and defined methods found really jarring. Now I spend 90% of my time either listening or reading in my target language and it has completely transformed my language. I feel like Neo from the matrix seeing all the green code. It still blows my mind that I can watch a video and understand almost everything. From spending time with the language every day, not from spending time in a classroom. Such a game changer. Thanks for thr great video!
This is the most entertaining "How to learn a language" video ever Lamont. I might just watch it again right now because it was just that enjoyable! Ha
And once you’re a good ways into the language, it’s ok to take a break. Not too long, but we all get frustrated and tired out. Forcing yourself is just gonna make your hate your language, and you might find, when you come back, that you progress more/faster
Awesome tips! Totally agree!!!
Immersing yourself in the language is soooo vital! Something beginners too often dismiss.
Let's make 2022 the year of a new foreign language for everyone!!!
When I started learning Chinese, I had a friend who would help me practice my chinese, even though my level was really low. I think if I hadn't had that immersion and follow up, I would have given up on Chinese. Just having a friend who is a native can be a huge source of immersion.
My goal for 2022 is to watch one French TH-cam video and to read something in French every single day. Basically, I'm just gonna focus on immersing myself in the language.
YOu still want to have a course or step by step that you are ALSO following for best effect!
Boone chance.
Thumbs up simply for that last crucial observation: you should be relax and treat your languages as friends that you want to hang out with. Wise words.
I actually love that stage when you listen to a new language just for the music of it, and it goes from a wall of sound to words that jump out because you understand them. It's like watching salmon leap up waterfalls. I get really excited about what I do understand rather than frustrated by what I don't.
"Learning a language is a long-term relationship." - > I couldn't agree more!
mostly commenting for the algorithm. but i will say, i'm one of those clowns who is horribly guilty of clocking a million hours listening to people talk about language learning, meanwhile i've been picking at the edge of my own target language for YEARS. it's ridiculous and i'm making 2022 my year. thanks for the video!
Sound advice as always Lamont. I’m doing a BA in French at Canterbury, and I’m currently around B2/C1 level. I find that the Uni study has been great for writing and the technical aspects of the language, but for speaking and aural comprehension I do conversation classes at our local Alliance Française, and I make heavy use of French youtube and Netflix. Actually one of the best things I’ve found, and which I strongly encourage language learners to do more of, is reading. It was tough going in the beginning but now I’m reading Jules Verne and other novels, and I have a subscription to a French science magazine. Anyway, now I’m getting into Russian…and back at square one :) The goal is to sit (and pass) the Uni placement test at the end of 2022 and gain admission to the 200-level Russian course. One final thing: I discovered Lingvist via your recommendation and it has been terrific for boosting my French vocabulary, so thanks! Пока!
how is your russian now?
Mate you’re absolutely spot on with everything here, I’m fluent in Italian (and like yourself I have high standards for fluent), and I’ve been doing German for a few months but with so much listening and comprehension, all of a sudden I can speak incredibly well.
2021 was my first learning languages intently. I can’t wait for 2022. Thanks for your videos, Lamont. You are one of my favorite language-learning TH-cam channels. I hope to do have a chat with you at some point. One of my goals is to reach B1 in at least 9 of my languages by April 1. Here’s to another amazing year!
I think it's your best video yet.
I like the idea of a language being like a life partner.
The new year is the perfect time to renew your commitment to each other. You've had good days and bad days, but you make each other happy, you make each other a better person. Let's keep this going.
Step 1: Select a language you are interested in learning.
Step 2: Find a variety of audio visual material and books and apps to help you learn.
Step 3: Stick at learning in a more or less systematic way for an hour or so each day.
Step 4: Keep this hard work up for the next year and try to speak with native speakers on a platform or in the target language country.
Step 5: Take an official language course with the aim to sit an exam in the CEFR. Probably B1.
Step 6: Master B1 well enough to proceed.
Step 7: set a goal of passing B2 at the end of year two.
That's at least 800 hours and by this time you should be able to speak in the target language without the need to resort to your native language, but the conversation will not be as smooth as you'd like it to be.
Step 8: Set a goal of achieving C1 level in the target language. Here you'd want to read and listen a lot in your target language. You'll be consuming native content by this time.
So, three years from nothing to being able to qualify to study at university if that's your goal.
@
Days of French 'n' Swedish, 1:51 min. mark. Excellent! Yes. To understand the BIG difference between a *motivator (ex.: *Learning how to order a meal in a restaurant) and a clearly-articulated *goal (ex.: Achieving A, B or C-level *proficiency) is a savvy, time-saving insight!
Great advice! I am an American English teacher currently living in Brazil. Now that my eight year old son and I are sufficiently fluent in Portuguese, we are trying to learn Spanish. Your video sheds new light on how we should approach that. Thank you!
I would love to do what you are doing! Currently learning Brazilian Portuguese and would say I'm finally breaking into an intermediate level. I eventually want to live in Brazil teaching English. Would you say that's fairly achievable with a degree unrelated to teaching/no prior teaching experience (I would like to gain some via italki first at the very least)
@@thistimtalks absolutely! My degree and experience are both in business. Full disclosure: My wife is Brazilian and she lived with me in the US for 15 years before we moved to Brazil.
Your videos have really helped me. Im finally making progress. I’ve been reading short stories and listening to podcasts, netflix and youtube channels in my target language(Spanish). I think it is so much easier engage with a language, when you consume compelling content for native speakers. I have also been supplementing my learning with both Speakly and Busuu which I find helpful to round things out for different reasons. Speakly is great over all. However, I like that with Busuu native speakers can give you tips on pronunciation, grammar and style. Obviously, you need to take some feedback with a grain of salt (not all native speakers are grammar experts), but overall I really like that aspect of Busuu.
Yeah, it's not just that they're not experts, it's that they have goals for you that might not be yours, like they might say "Your pronunciation is off here and here..." but you are only working on grammar/structure at the time, or something.
Great work, mate!
I love the advice to treat a language like a friend, not a chore
Such a great advice about “overworking” in the beginning of the year. Thanks for that, haven’t thought of it, and it actually makes sense!
Thanks. That all makes a lot of sense. I'm in neglect mode, generally, these days, but you've got me thinking, and it's probably going to be a good idea for me to try and do certain other subjects in German, occasionally, if I remember to. (I'm subscribed to TH-camrs who started out in German, decided English has a more global reach, so now either don't do German any more, or do both. Have just tried two videos, and understood more than half of something one either understands entirely or not at all. Oh well, it's progress. And it kills two birds with one stone. Doing things in German makes me concentrate better, and the repetition it would take to completely get it - as I'd have to do if I got regular with this - would help with both.)
Good news to anyone else here who is "half way through German" or any other language: What you learnt before, you still have. It doesn't decay away all that fast. So the effort you put in today will be repaid to you over an entire lifetime - or to some extent at least.
I like the idea of the languages we meet being "friends". And some of them become the other people we sometimes are. Quite handy. I'm only a serial killer in Shona, for instance, so to be a less horrible person, all I have to do is not think too many Shona thoughts. (And I'm only really a compulsive liar in English. Honestly!)
It's awesome that you joined refold! I'm interested in hearing your take on all the great stuff refold has done. I'm curious to hear how your multiple language experiment goes this year. I have a hard time balancing exploring new languages while making progress on my primary ones (Norwegian and Russian).
You made a good point when you said that we should measure how many hours we spend in the language. Good video
I’ve watched hours worth of videos, this video made my mind go through and figure out how to actually start! being frozen and not being able to find the right way to start learning a now language is a tedious process, thank you so much you’ve saved me some time and your idea is straight to the point.
I'm trying something new for 2022. I'm writing down what I'm doing each day for each language. I want to only write down things I've done at least once, so it is a I have done this list, not an I should do this list. I'll be able to see what I'm getting the most use from amongst books, apps, websites, comics, etc. This will help me decide with more reason what I should put money and time towards next. I've been too laid back this year, and started over many times, and was super inconsistent. I'd like to do something in at least one of my languages in 2022 each day, even if it's just listening to a song or two and calling that good enough for the day. Showing up is the hardest part I think. Hopefully the gantt charts will help.
2:52 The timing of Po's face with the voiceover was on point :D
I'm not a beginner but this is a lot of good advice all in one place!
Haha yeah I spent a good 40 seconds lining that up exactly.
I've never heard an Australian say "err" before. Fortunately, my massive amount of exposure to the English language gave me enough context to understand what was happening.
Haha yeah, Australian Rs are essentially silent unless they come before a vowel, which "err on the..." does, but yeah that is where the Australian accent can confuse people. Also that was sped up by 20%.
Dude your channel ha grown so much
My goal in 2022 is to watch all videos of Hikaru, a Japanese TH-camr, which sums up to around 1500 hours of immersion. This is a challenge a smaller TH-camr by the name Aussieman has come up with in the last 2 weeks. It might sound crazy to spend that much time immersing but to me it's nothing considering, if my calculations are correct, I've spent around 25000 hours immersing in English in the past 8 to 9 years. Yeah, by "immersing", I really did immerse in the language, everything I do online is in English and has been since I started, I really went that far. Now this is still a subgoal compared to my general goal of reaching a point where I can happily use the internet, read books and watch stuff without the help of anything besides a monolingual dictionary. But I believe I'll be able to reach such a level by the end of 2022 if I manage to first finish that hikaru challenge in the first half of the year and then move on to reading a lot in the latter part.
While I am hardly a beginner, your video still was very informative
Two things I would like to add:
1. Be interested in what language has to offer you. It may be a fun challenge to learn a new language, but that won't get you far. For my work I learnt a bit of Haitian Creole, some Indonesian/Malay/Philippino. I used them every day for multiple hours a day. I forgot them in 2 month after quitting the job. I never learnt French. I hammered my Spanish and European/Angolan Portuguese until my French coworkers understood me. I still speak with weird accent, but fluently enough to be a speaking coach, just because there is so much content I get to enjoy almost daily. I am even planning on learning to write it
2. Don't skip the grammar. Learning grammar is often dismissed as useless nowadays. How you should speak and watch movies, not learning which cases mark what and what is the proper way of using gerund. That's wrong. Languages (even unrelated) work in stunningly similar ways. Accusative case behaves almost the same in Russian, German, Turkish, Japanese and Arabic. You can skip a lot of pain by applying that knowledge. Perfect tense is formed the same across all Romance and Germanic languages. If you know how it is done (in terms of auxilary verbs and participles, not just "use 'to have' and add 'ed' to the verb"), it will be a great crutch for you until you learn simple past. You can basically start speaking on day one by transferring knowledge from languages you already know. It won't be perfect, but, hey, it's a good start
Thankyou
Great video. I've been off and on learning Spanish for too long, time to just really get more consistent with it.
9:51 Sounds like the best kind of relationship, one that deepens with intimacy and time. It also doesn't get annoyed or passive-agressive
when I forget to put the toilet seat down 🤣
Watching shows or my favorite shows in the target language is exactly what I thought I should do. Thanks for confirming that
It's a life time relationship
Great tips as always Lamont. Merry Xmas to you and the family over there in the east coast! Cheers from locked up WA!
1. Use Lingodeer to learn grammar and syntax.
2. Build up your vocabulary with Drops.
3. Improve your speaking and listening skills with Italki and HelloTalk.
4. Congratulations, you are conversational.
I'm gonna say... not exactly.
I've also found that Pimsleur and Michel Thomas courses are really good for picking up the basics.
4:00 hhh easy, sometimes I don't even realize that I am watching a video in english 😂
I’ve been switching languages because I’m not sure what language I want to study but i think I want to do Korean so let’s see if one year from now I stuck with it
Same here, switched between Chinese Korean and Japanese lol
But know I'll stick to Japanese for good
@@unscripted3209 I started with Italian for like 4 months but at my peak I was studying like for 1 hour and then 4 hours of listening on top of that then I did Japanese for 1 month and irl stuff got me busy so I stopped then I did Russian for like 2 days and now imma start Korean I think I will stick with this one tho or at least longer than I did with the other ones
@@whatsbehindu Good choice, let's do this 👍
Protip : Start putting in the hours before 2022 comes
I’m in Spain right now and my biggest constraint isn’t my vocab or grammar but my listening. Then again, Spanish is a relatively “easy” language.
The skill of listening and instantly comprehending meaning has almost nothing to do with how "easy" the language is and much more to do with how much of it you've heard.
I like the friend analogy. I always felt like I was a creepy stalker who wouldn’t take a hint that Japanese didn’t have any interest in me 😆.
This video resonated with me on another level, from the 'quitting after 6 days' part, to the part where you say there's no need to rush, I also agree with watching entertaining content as it will take away some of that uncomfortable feelings of not being able to understand, I like to watch Japanese comedy bits and although at times they speak fast and mumble, I still find myself getting slightly better at hearing certain sounds and words, and understanding a few!. I've attempted learning Japanese twice already, each time spending hours a day learning everything from Kanji, to listening comprehension, to speaking, to learning new words, to learning grammar rules. I just started with Japanese again a few days ago and am mostly just taking in Japanese content. My goal for this year is to have a good grasp on understanding what is said, I'll worry about speech, then writing and reading after learning to comprehend Japanese. Thanks for the video btw, it just further motivated me in my approach and I'm enjoying it so far, I also don't feel as overwhelmed or burnt out as I did when I was trying to learn it previously so thanks. I definitely feel like this is a possible method as this is how we learn English as a second language around the world, mainly by watching content in that language.
Happy New Year and best of luck with your goals for 2022 everyone!
Thanks for the little pep talk mate, I needed that.
This is really helpful, thank you!
I’ve been an avid duolingo learner for about 4 months now (and found you through the ‘how to win diamond league’ video (😂🙈) …
THANK YOU for helping others find the ways to TRULY learn a language - I’m excited to see if it works.
I had started watching movies and shows in Spanish (while in Spain), but for the reasons you mentioned (jarring, not believing there was much benefit), I stopped. I’m now excited to resurrect that practice knowing how much benefit it provides. Thanks again! This advice makes a lot of sense.
I also feel excited about the journey again, and I was beginning to lose steam because I could tell I wasn’t able to create my own sentences and compose thoughts ‘in the moment’ … i.e. IRL, where it ACTUALLY matters!
🙏✨
That nailed it.
Awesome. Just sat done for the plan
Thanks
Honestly, I think setting a time goal is such a good idea! It sounds like it has tons of useful applications outside of language learning.
Happy whatever the date is to you too....you are lovely. Such a helpful video since I’m trying not to die learning basic Cantonese here
This video was very helpful. On the shorter side and also includes straight to the point interesting, practical information that I definitely need. I got super excited when I saw that my favourite show is available in Swedish so I will be enjoying that later
I'm learning swedish for about two years now and I took a few notes from this video :)
Search "Swedish" on my channel and some videos that will help you should come up.
Merry Christmas to you too! :) As the year draw to its close, I’ve been reviewing how was the year, what I’ve learned and what I wanna achieve in the coming year :)
Great advice, not only for beginners but for all learners. SMART goals approach is one of the best ones.
Man, you're such a great person and language learner! I'm impressed!
Just trying to give more feedback to the video I've liked a lot lol
Thank you!
I am hearing the video at x2 and when he started speaking fast it was actually perfectly clear. I wasn't expecting for it to be that easy. I would have thought x3 or x4 would be really difficult. This is my second language, I am native in Spanish.
Well yeah that would be 3x then because 1.5x 2 = 3.
At 4x it becomes difficult not so much because it's too fast but because the audio clips out too much detail. I find that about 3.6x is my limit, and that's if I have the text to read along with. But yeah 3.0x in your non-native language is very impressive.
@@daysandwords Thanks :)
1: concrete achievable goals
2: reasonable daily study time goal
3: make comprehension main goal
4: re-watch things in target language and watch new stuff
5: don't stress too much
Your "weird Australian accent" is light at worst. Study from a Scotsman if you really want to be incomprehensible. 😅
Oh my accent is very light I know, but at that speed it can catch foreigners off guard.
Nice to see an individual with a more rational approach to language learning...
There are too many who walk around trying to sell the "learn Chinese in 24 hours" method - with the look at me go.... Whee! mentality...
This puts languages in the realms of talent, when the overwhelming evidence is of language acquisition being related to skill... In some countries, school education is based on the first belief, which is why, with so much money spent, the failure rate is high...
Hopefully, there would be more and more people like you, to ensure that pursuits remain rational... With individual effort being advertised as the magic pill... Thank you...
Motivation is my principle and your last principle is a really good one.
Great advice as always! And yes, I'm learning German with Dark!
I love what you said at the end, finally I have a long term relationship. As the Owl told me, spanish or vanish
yeah!! can totally support these recommendations) know nothing about that app, but all the rest - that's the way to go.
That makes sense, babies learn to understand a language long before they can speak or read it
This sounds good. I will come back to it as there is so much going on in the world at the moment but I am xcited about this as I can see the links between different languages. Namaste 🌿
Thank you for posting! It really was encouraging to me to continue my classes...😛🤣😍
thank you so much for tell us about language reactor it is a life saver
I'm here chiefly BECAUSE of the Australian accent. :)
Then I’d recommend “Economics Explained” to you. Disclaimer: sometimes he uses American English words.
Also, for people who use spaced repetition cards like Anki, creating decks about vocabulary interesting to you in your native language helps reinforce the new language. I memorize Anki decks I made for myself much faster than the ones I got from other people. Writing the translations in your native language is also helpful as many people understand their own language better than English even if they use English a lot.
Your accent almost stumbled me with the way you pronounced “pattern” in your speed talking. But my brain caught it quick enough that I kept up after that. lol!
Remember, for most of us, learning a new language is a process rather than a goal, so enjoy the journey 😃.
I can't tell if your comments are talking to ME or just writing your thoughts here...
But I agree with you that learning a language IS a process, however you are most definitely wrong about the "for most of us" thing. 80% of language learners are still in the phase where they think it's a goal.
Funny and informative! Thank you for the video. Picked up some good tips and loved your take on language learning at the end.
My goal next year is to read 500,000 words in Spanish. I've done 120,000 words in the last there months so it shouldn't be a problem.
I love these techniques! 太谢谢了！
Great educational value.
Thanks for making 2021 more bearable with your language-learning videos! I'm much better with my Spanish thanks to your motivational and funny vids. Have a great holiday and I'm looking forward to more great stuff from you in 2022!
P.S. If you decide to become a basetballer and decide to do basketballing in 2022, I'm rooting for you! 🙂
There is no such word as 'basetballer'.
@@stevencarr4002 It's a joke in one of his previous videos where he talked about how people corrected his English. He used the term "basketballer" as he didn't realize that wasn't a word, and because he wasn't super familiar with basketball, he used the word and people started to correct him. Now it's an ongoing joke.
@NtateNarin - yes, Steven knows the video, but also, you realise that you did actually miss the K? So he's right, there really IS no such word as basetballer haha.
@@daysandwords LOL! I just noticed that. Now to relearn my English. 😃
YOU ARE AWESOME!
Haha thank you.
I've been spending too much time on Anki, turning it into an end in itself. Time to hit the books, and maybe get speakly.
Lithuanian! Great video btw :)
Hope I do more with my Dutch than I have but I am not holding my breath knowing myself.
8:19 😂 Dark season 3 is incomprehensible in *any* language, native or not.
Thank you, this was a great video. Both encouraging and realistic. In your second to last tip, I'm trying to find the right ratio of
- pausing the movie and looking up the meaning of a words I don't understand (which is most of them).
vs
- letting the unknown words go by, and just try (paying attention) to pick up the little bits I do know, even if it's just an adjective or a simple 3-5 word phrase here or there.
And from this video it sounds like you suggest more of the latter. Maybe do more pausing on later rewatches of the movie?
Yeah it depends on your preference, and how much you're OK with not understanding. I tend to go until I can't bear it anymore, and then I'm really intered in looking it up and more likely to make a meaningful connection once I do.
That's me. Diamond league of Duolingo, but can't listen to French at normal speed and understand anything.
Loved it! Thanks for sharing!!
wow i was listening to teh black and white in x2 speed and it was faster than the other parts on the video.Im from Spain so yeah that confirms your point
please make more vids about real hardcore science of language learning, without any simplifications. teach us the real deal master🙏 great vid btw, i wish you best in your new year
Thanks a lot for all your great, well thought-out videos. Keep it up
How do y'all track your time studying a language? I tend to watch 10 minutes of videos here and there, listen to a podcast as I drive but with frequent interruptions. I read some here and there. I get newsletters in foreign languages and read them. Basically I have constant interruptions (I'm a Mom and also caring for my elderly parents so there is never a dull moment). I do actually study languages a lot.. it adds up. I'm trying to figure out how to track my time.
Yea its the same for m i have no seclude i think i study a lot because i try to whenever i can but with all the micro breaks and me getting distracted i am not sure like the last few days i did not study much because of xmas and visitors.
I put a piece of grid paper on my wall and every square represents 30 minutes.
¡Hola! Lamont, I am so happy to discover your channel & understand your Aussie accent advice (my native is Japanese). ¡Gracias!
Can someone suggest a few fun kids movies in Spanish please? I do have Netflix. I am still A1 but near A2. Cheers
Me gusta Condorito.
@@belstar1128 Gracias pero no puedo verlo en Australia😢
@@montymcphillips Viejo episodios estàn en youtube
@@belstar1128 😍😍😍
Happy Boxing Day Lamont. Thanks for laying out this method. This method is much like Assimil. I’d be interested in your thoughts on Assimil for Swedish or French or just for language learning in general. Throughout the books they will introduce you to grammar as you need it but will tell you not to memorize it and to just relax, as you have said. Thanks for cutting through the BS of language learning and providing useful content.
I might try the Swedish from French book, except I'd use it to learn French rather than vice versa. I'm not sure if they can be used like that but yeah, that's a bit of a bigger video.
Great video!
Great tips as always, gonna try harder to stick to my language plans, I love learning languages, but have never made a real commitment to it, and I have realized it has taken a toll on my learning process as a whole. I've lived in Australia for a whole year and I really miss the ozzie accent :)
You're the man, thanks man
Even though I've been learning Swedish on and off over the last year, I really want to REALLY get focused this year and get to an upper intermediate level by the end of 2022. I know I can do it. Now that I'm not focusing on Spanish so much these days after moving from Mexico, I feel I can really put all of my language efforts into Swedish (...and a bit of Georgian and Russian... 😅) Looking forward to what 2022 will bring!
If you can get your hands on one, a meeseeks box is even better for learning pretty much anything. Except golf.