u/er185er

Hey there,

I'm not having good experiences with Tandem. I don't know who is the problem, but everyone I text, they either are reluctant to communicate (they only reply with one word to every question and don't ask any) or they leave me on read. It is a language exchange app, but no one is willing to help or learn.

I am always told that in order to learn a language, you need to interact with native speakers. But as you see, it is not easy. I text many people, but they don't answer. I don't know, maybe I am the problem.

Anyway, just wanted to know if anyone has the same experience as me.

Preferably someone from Iran or Türkiye.

Hey there!

I really want to use Pimsleur courses for other languages. I have access to Pimsleur courses for some major languages, but I can't use the app version to get access to other languages and practices because it is too expensive. I really can't afford it. Do you know how can I get free access to other Pimsleur courses?

Hey everyone!

I incorporated shadowing in my language learning routine. According to my routine, besides other sources, I listen to a podcast and then I try to shadow another podcast. But when I was only listening to a podcast, my mind was constantly drifting from the content and couldn't focus on the podcast, so at the end, I couldn't remember what the podcast was about. But today, I tried something new; instead of listening to a podcast and then shadowing separately, I did both at the same time. I shadowed the podcast I was listening to as a CI practice and surprisingly, I understood the podcast perfectly because at the same time I was listening, then repeating what I heard, and also following the content of the podcast. But of course, it was delayed shadowing and not a simultaneous one.

I'd like to hear about your opinion on my experience and also your experience in shadowing?

Thank you.

Hey everyone!

I hear a lot about shadowing, but I never grasp what it really is. Can someone please explain it comprehensively, or can anyone tell me what exactly they do, step by step, with every detail.

Do you know any YouTube channel to practice shadowing?

Thank you.

Hey everyone,

I've been using Duolingo for more than two years now, and my opinion about it has changed a lot over time. I no longer see it as a complete language-learning method, but I still think it has its place. Here's how I currently view it.

1. Duolingo shouldn't be your main resource

Personally, I don't think Duolingo can teach a language on its own. If someone relies exclusively on it, reaching even an intermediate conversational level could take years—and even then, it's uncertain whether they'll be able to hold natural conversations comfortably.

For me, Duolingo works much better as a supplement than as the foundation of a study routine.

2. I use it differently now

When I first started learning languages, I used Duolingo as my main learning tool.

Now I use it for something completely different.

If I know I'll study a language seriously in the future, I start a Duolingo course months—or sometimes even years—in advance. I don't expect to learn the language through it. Instead, I use it simply to become familiar with basic vocabulary, sentence patterns, and the overall feel of the language. That way, when I finally begin studying it seriously, it feels much less intimidating.

3. One of its strengths is sentence building

Many people say Duolingo only teaches isolated vocabulary, but I don't completely agree.

One of its biggest strengths is exposing learners to complete sentences. Instead of memorizing individual words, you're constantly seeing how words fit together.

I even try to get more out of each exercise by mentally translating every sentence in both directions before selecting my answer. That forces me to actively produce the language instead of simply recognizing the correct option.

4. Pronunciation is one of its weakest points

One thing that has always bothered me is the pronunciation.

The text-to-speech voices often sound unnatural, and I don't think they're reliable enough to use as a pronunciation model. For that reason, I prefer getting my pronunciation from native speakers through podcasts, YouTube videos, TV shows, or apps like Pimsleur.

5. No app can replace immersion

I don't think this applies only to Duolingo. No single app can develop all four language skills equally well.

To make real progress, I think learners eventually need lots of listening, reading, and exposure to content created for native speakers. Apps can build a foundation, but they're only one piece of the puzzle.

Overall, I still like Duolingo. I just think it's most effective when people have realistic expectations about what it can and cannot do.

What do you think about Duolingo?

Do you use Duolingo as your main resource or just as a supplement?

At what stage of learning do you think it's most useful?

Has anyone here reached an upper-intermediate or advanced level while using Duolingo as a MAJOR part of their routine?

Bonjour à tous!

Je m'appelle Erfan, j'ai 22 ans et je viens d'Iran. Aujourd'hui, je connais et je comprends six langues. Je dis volontairement je connais et je comprends plutôt que je parle, car parler est une compétence à part entière. À mon avis, connaître une langue ne signifie pas forcément être capable de la parler couramment.

Ma langue maternelle est le turc azerbaïdjanais, et je parle également le persan (farsi), qui est la langue officielle de l'Iran. En plus de cela, je regarde des séries et des films turcs depuis mon enfance, ce qui m'a permis d'acquérir le turc de manière naturelle. Ces trois langues me semblent complètement naturelles et j'en comprends toutes les nuances.

Mon véritable parcours d'apprentissage des langues a commencé avec l'anglais. J'ai suivi des cours dans des écoles de langues, mais je n'ai jamais trouvé cette méthode particulièrement efficace. Après avoir atteint un niveau d'environ A2, la pandémie de COVID est arrivée et je suis resté presque deux ans à la maison.

Pendant ces deux années, je me suis totalement immergé dans l'anglais. Je regardais des vidéos, j'écoutais des podcasts, je lisais et je pensais en anglais tous les jours. Mon exposition à ma langue maternelle est devenue si faible qu'il m'arrivait parfois d'avoir du mal à m'exprimer avec ma propre famille. Avec le recul, je pense que c'est à ce moment-là que j'ai réellement acquis l'anglais au lieu de simplement l'étudier.

Juste avant d'entrer à l'université, j'ai décidé d'apprendre le français. Après l'anglais, j'ai compris que je n'avais pas forcément un talent particulier, mais surtout une véritable passion pour les langues. J'apprends parce que j'aime le processus lui-même.

La plupart des personnes que j'ai rencontrées apprennent une langue pour immigrer, trouver un emploi ou réussir un examen. Il n'y a absolument rien de mal à cela, mais j'ai remarqué que lorsqu'une langue devient une obligation, on finit souvent par se décourager. On remet en question chaque règle de grammaire, chaque prononciation et chaque exception.

Ma motivation est différente. Je n'apprends pas une langue pour atteindre un objectif précis. Je l'apprends pour lire des livres, regarder des films, découvrir d'autres cultures et simplement profiter du voyage. Cet état d'esprit rend l'apprentissage beaucoup plus agréable.

J'ai étudié le français dans une école de langues avec les manuels Tendances jusqu'au niveau B1.

Mon plus grand point faible est l'expression orale. Mes compétences en communication n'ont jamais été très développées, même dans ma langue maternelle. Je suis naturellement introverti et je parle peu, en dehors des conversations avec ma famille ou des échanges du quotidien. C'est pourquoi mes compétences de compréhension sont bien meilleures que mes compétences d'expression. Par exemple, je comprends plus de 95 % de ce que je lis en français, mais parler reste difficile.

Pendant que j'apprenais le français, j'ai aussi essayé d'apprendre l'allemand. Finalement, j'ai arrêté parce que je le trouvais beaucoup plus difficile, même si je ne l'ai jamais complètement abandonné. Je continue parfois à lire de petits textes pour garder un minimum de contact avec cette langue.

Ensuite, j'ai commencé l'italien, mais j'ai dû le mettre de côté à cause de problèmes personnels.

Aujourd'hui, je me concentre sur l'espagnol tout en continuant à améliorer mon français.

Plus important encore, j'ai découvert une approche qui me correspond mieux que toutes les autres : l'input compréhensible. Au lieu d'essayer d'apprendre consciemment une langue, j'essaie de l'acquérir naturellement, comme le fait un enfant.

Voici ma routine quotidienne :

1. Pimsleur (30 minutes) : principalement pour travailler la compréhension orale, la prononciation et développer des automatismes à l'oral.

2. Michel Thomas (30 minutes) : c'est l'une de mes méthodes préférées, car elle enseigne la grammaire de manière implicite. Au lieu de mémoriser des règles, on développe progressivement une compréhension intuitive de la langue.

3. Vidéos en input compréhensible sur YouTube (45 à 60 minutes) : je regarde simplement des vidéos où des locuteurs natifs parlent lentement et naturellement. Je ne prends aucune note et j'évite les vidéos qui enseignent explicitement la grammaire. Je profite simplement du contenu.

4. Podcast (25 à 30 minutes) : davantage d'exposition à la langue parlée.

5. Lecture : je lis des livres ou des articles dans la langue cible.

6. Expression orale (2 à 3 minutes) : j'essaie de raconter ma journée ou de parler d'un sujet au hasard.

Pendant toute cette routine, je ne prends aucune note. Je ne fais pas de listes de vocabulaire. Je n'essaie pas de mémoriser des règles de grammaire. Je me détends, je fais confiance au processus et je profite simplement du temps que je passe avec la langue.

Je fais cette routine pour l'espagnol le matin, puis une routine similaire pour le français le soir. Le fait de les séparer m'aide à ne pas mélanger les deux langues.

Lorsque j'aurai atteint un niveau B1 ou B2 en espagnol, je reprendrai l'italien, puis j'apprendrai l'allemand, le portugais, le néerlandais et bien d'autres langues.

Mon objectif à long terme est simple : acquérir autant de langues que possible tout au long de ma vie.

Je sais que ma routine peut paraître intense, mais pour le moment, j'ai beaucoup de temps libre. Plutôt que de le gaspiller, je préfère le consacrer à quelque chose que j'aime réellement. Étonnamment, je ne m'en lasse jamais. La seule chose qui me rend encore anxieux, c'est le fait de parler.

Si vous avez lu jusqu'ici, merci beaucoup. Je sais que ce message est un peu long, mais j'avais envie de partager mon parcours et la méthode qui fonctionne le mieux pour moi.

J'aimerais beaucoup découvrir votre propre parcours d'apprentissage des langues ainsi que les méthodes qui vous ont été les plus utiles.

Merci de m'avoir lu !

Herkese merhaba!

Ben Erfan, 22 yaşındayım ve İranlıyım. Şu anda altı dili biliyor ve anlayabiliyorum. Bilerek "biliyorum ve anlıyorum" diyorum, çünkü konuşmak başlı başına ayrı bir beceri. Bana göre bir dili bilmek, onu akıcı bir şekilde konuşabildiğiniz anlamına gelmiyor.

Ana dilim Azerbaycan Türkçesi. Bunun yanında İran'ın resmî dili olan Farsçayı da biliyorum. Ayrıca çocukluğumdan beri Türk dizileri ve filmleri izlediğim için Türkiye Türkçesini de doğal bir şekilde edindim. Bu üç dil bana tamamen doğal geliyor ve bütün inceliklerini anlayabiliyorum.

Dil öğrenme yolculuğum aslında İngilizceyle başladı. Dil kurslarına gittim ama bu yöntemin benim için çok etkili olduğunu hiç düşünmedim. Yaklaşık A2 seviyesine ulaştıktan sonra COVID-19 salgını başladı ve neredeyse iki yıl boyunca evde kaldım.

O iki yıl boyunca kendimi tamamen İngilizceye maruz bıraktım. Her gün İngilizce videolar izledim, podcast dinledim, kitap okudum ve hatta İngilizce düşünmeye başladım. Ana dilimle olan temasım o kadar azalmıştı ki bazen ailemle konuşurken bile kendimi ifade etmekte zorlanıyordum. Geriye dönüp baktığımda, İngilizceyi gerçekten o dönemde öğrenmekten ziyade edindiğimi düşünüyorum.

Üniversiteye başlamadan hemen önce Fransızca öğrenmeye karar verdim. İngilizceden sonra fark ettim ki belki de özel bir yeteneğim yoktu; asıl sahip olduğum şey dillere karşı gerçek bir tutkuydu. Ben dilleri sonuç için değil, sürecin kendisinden keyif aldığım için öğreniyorum.

Tanıdığım insanların çoğu bir dili göç etmek, iş bulmak ya da bir sınavı geçmek için öğreniyor. Elbette bunda yanlış bir şey yok. Ancak şunu fark ettim ki bir dil zorunluluk hâline geldiğinde insanlar kolayca hayal kırıklığına uğrayabiliyor. Her dil bilgisi kuralını, her telaffuzu ve her istisnayı sorgulamaya başlıyorlar.

Benim motivasyonum ise farklı. Ben dilleri belirli bir hedefe ulaşmak için öğrenmiyorum. Kitap okuyabilmek, film izleyebilmek, farklı kültürleri tanıyabilmek ve bu yolculuğun tadını çıkarabilmek için öğreniyorum. Sanırım dil öğrenmeyi benim için bu kadar keyifli yapan da bu.

Fransızcayı bir dil kursunda Tendances kitaplarıyla yaklaşık B1 seviyesine kadar öğrendim.

En büyük eksikliğim konuşma becerisi. Aslında iletişim becerilerim ana dilimde bile çok güçlü değil. Doğası gereği içine kapanık biriyim ve ailemle yaptığım konuşmalar ya da günlük hayattaki kısa diyaloglar dışında pek konuşmam. Bu yüzden anlama becerilerim üretme becerilerimden çok daha iyi. Örneğin Fransızcada okuduklarımın %95'inden fazlasını anlayabiliyorum ama konuşmak hâlâ benim için zor.

Fransızca öğrenirken Almancaya da başlamayı denedim. Ancak bana çok daha zor geldiği için bıraktım. Yine de tamamen vazgeçmedim; ara sıra kısa Almanca metinler okuyarak dille bağımı koparmamaya çalıştım.

Daha sonra İtalyancaya başladım ama kişisel sorunlarım nedeniyle ona da ara vermek zorunda kaldım.

Şu anda ise bir yandan Fransızcamı geliştirirken diğer yandan İspanyolca öğreniyorum.

En önemlisi de bana en uygun yöntemin Anlaşılabilir Girdi (Comprehensible Input) olduğunu keşfettim. Artık bir dili bilinçli olarak öğrenmeye çalışmıyorum; tıpkı bir çocuğun yaptığı gibi onu doğal yollarla edinmeye çalışıyorum.

Şu anki günlük rutinim şöyle:

1. Pimsleur (30 dakika): Özellikle dinleme, telaffuz ve konuşma alışkanlığı geliştirmek için.

2. Michel Thomas (30 dakika): En sevdiğim kaynaklardan biri. Çünkü dil bilgisini açık açık ezberletmek yerine, fark ettirmeden ve doğal bir şekilde öğretiyor.

3. YouTube'da Anlaşılabilir Girdi videoları (45-60 dakika): Ana dili konuşan kişilerin yavaş ve anlaşılır şekilde konuştuğu videoları izliyorum. Not almıyorum ve doğrudan dil bilgisi öğreten videoları tercih etmiyorum. Sadece içeriğin tadını çıkarıyorum.

4. Podcast (25-30 dakika): Doğal konuşma diline daha fazla maruz kalmak için.

5. Okuma: Hedef dilde kitap veya makale okuyorum.

6. Konuşma pratiği (2-3 dakika): Günümü anlatmaya ya da aklıma gelen herhangi bir konu hakkında konuşmaya çalışıyorum.

Bütün bu süreç boyunca not almıyorum. Kelime listeleri hazırlamıyorum. Dil bilgisi kurallarını ezberlemeye çalışmıyorum. Sadece rahatlıyorum, sürece güveniyorum ve dille vakit geçirmekten keyif alıyorum.

Sabahları bu rutini İspanyolca için uyguluyorum. Akşamları ise benzer bir rutini Fransızca için yapıyorum. İki dili günün farklı zamanlarına ayırmak onları birbirine karıştırmamamı sağlıyor.

İspanyolcada yaklaşık B1 veya B2 seviyesine ulaştığımda yeniden İtalyancaya başlayacağım. Daha sonra sırasıyla Almanca, Portekizce, Hollandaca ve diğer dillere geçmeyi planlıyorum.

Uzun vadeli hedefim oldukça basit: Hayatım boyunca edinebileceğim kadar çok dil edinmek.

Biliyorum, rutinim biraz yoğun görünebilir. Ama şu an bolca boş zamanım var. Bu zamanı boşa harcamak yerine gerçekten sevdiğim bir işe ayırmayı tercih ediyorum. İşin ilginç yanı, hiç sıkılmıyorum. Beni hâlâ biraz kaygılandıran tek şey konuşmak.

Buraya kadar okuduysanız gerçekten çok teşekkür ederim. Biraz uzun oldu ama hem kendi yolculuğumu hem de bana en çok fayda sağlayan yöntemi paylaşmak istedim.

Sizin dil öğrenme hikâyenizi ve size en çok fayda sağlayan yöntemleri de duymayı çok isterim.

Okuduğunuz için teşekkür ederim!

I could be gone in any day soon. The thought's been strong these last few days.

I struggle to find good podcasts for Spanish. I listen to Español con Juan and I understand it really well. I need to find podcast like Español con Juan, where the explicit teaching does not take place, but people speak about everyday life. Do you know any like that?

Hey, I'm Erfan, 22M, from Iran. I know and understand 6 languages. I don't say I SPEAK because speaking is another skill that you possess, and knowing a language does not necessarily mean you can speak it.

Anyway, my mother tongue is Azerbaijani Turkish and I know Farsi because it is the official language in Iran. I also know Turkish; I've been watching Turkish series and movies since childhood. So that means, I have acquired these three languages and I can understand every nuances; I can consider myself as a native in them. Then one day I decided to learn English. I went to language institutes but I couldn't learn better, so after reaching a certain level (A2), the COVID pandemic broke out, and I was cooped up at home for two years. In those two years I surrounded myself with English, to the point that I partly forgot my own native language and I couldn't talk with my family; I was exposed to English for two years with near to zero contact with my native language. So I can say I both learned and acquired English.

Just before university, I decided to learn French. After English I found out that I had a talent or better to say, a desire to learn language that made the learning or acquiring process much easier compared to others. I think one of the main reasons is that I learn languages for fun and accordingly enjoy it. Because everyone I have known (friends, classmates, relatives, and other people who learn a language), they set a strict goal for learning, for example one of the main reasons is migration. And almost all of them struggling through learning because they don't WANT or DESIRE to learn, they just see the langauge as an obligation. So they start questioning every structure, pronunciation and other aspects of the language. Whereas, I, do not set a goal. I just learn for fun, for being able to read books, for being able to watch different contents. I just enjoy. So I learned French in a language institute with the textbook Tendances until level B1.

But the problem is I cannot speak. My communication skills are generally weak and that's mainly because I am an introverted and unsociable person. I don't even talk much in my native language except for some small talk with my family or basic communication in public places, nothing more. But I understand more 95% of what I read.

While learning French, I tried to learn German at the same time, but I couldn't because German is much difficult for me, so I quit but not completely, I kept reading small texts in German and I tried to maintain contact with German, so I just have some basic knowledge of the German language. After that, I started learning Italian but again I quit because I couldn't concentrate due to personal problems in my life. Now it's been nearly half a month that I learn Spanish and improve my French. This time I found out something special regarding learning approach: It is Comprehensible Input. Now I don't try to learn a language, but instead try to ACQUIRE it like a baby. My current routine for langauge learning is like this:

1. I listen to one recording from Pimsleur course for 30 minutes. It improves speaking (more accurately, pronunciation) and listening. But how much? That is debatable.

2. Then I listen to Michel Thomas recordings for 30 minutes. It helps you to get familiar with the language. Since I can't completely rely on acquiring without any knowledge of the grammar or structure, I think Michel Thomas is the best choice for me because it teaches grammar IMPLICITLY and in a way that you don't even realize you are studying grammar. That's the main reason I especially like Michel Thomas courses.

3. Then after a little rest, I watch Comprehensible Input content in YouTube for 45-60 minutes. I don't take any notes or I don't watch content that EXPLICITLY teaches the language. I simply watch contents where natives speak relatively slowly and clearly, just like I watch a normal video to enjoy my time.

4. Then after a little pause, I listen to a 25-30-minute podcast.

5. After podcast, I read in the target language.

6. And finally I try to speak for around 2-3 minutes.

Throughout this routine, I don't take any notes. I just relax and try to enjoy.

Then I do the same routine for French in the evening. I separate the two languages (one in the morning and one jn the evening) to avoid mixing them up.

Once I reach B1 or B2 in Spanish, I'll start acquiring other languages. The next ones are Italian, German, Portuguese, Dutch, etc. respectively.

I will try to acquire as many language as I can for as long as I am alive.

So this is my journey so far. It may seem that I blend everything, but for now, I have time all the day and instead of spending my days doing nothing, I try to get the most out of my time as effectively as possible. Furthermore, I enjoy doing all these stuff and I don't get bored at all, except for some anxieties regarding speaking.

Anyway, if you read all the way here. I thank you sooo much. Sorry for keeping it too long. I just wanted to share my experience.

I look forward to hearing your journey as well, and I'd like to hear about different methods.

Thank you.

Hey, I'm Erfan, 22M, from Iran. I know and understand 6 languages. I don't say I SPEAK because speaking is another skill that you possess, and knowing a language does not necessarily mean you can speak it.

Anyway, my mother tongue is Azerbaijani Turkish and I know Farsi because it is the official language in Iran. I also know Turkish; I've been watching Turkish series and movies since childhood. So that means, I have acquired these three languages and I can understand every nuances; I can consider myself as a native in them. Then one day I decided to learn English. I went to language institutes but I couldn't learn better, so after reaching a certain level (A2), the COVID pandemic broke out, and I was cooped up at home for two years. In those two years I surrounded myself with English, to the point that I partly forgot my own native language and I couldn't talk with my family; I was exposed to English for two years with near to zero contact with my native language. So I can say I both learned and acquired English.

Just before university, I decided to learn French. After English I found out that I had a talent or better to say, a desire to learn language that made the learning or acquiring process much easier compared to others. I think one of the main reasons is that I learn languages for fun and accordingly enjoy it. Because everyone I have known (friends, classmates, relatives, and other people who learn a language), they set a strict goal for learning, for example one of the main reasons is migration. And almost all of them struggling through learning because they don't WANT or DESIRE to learn, they just see the langauge as an obligation. So they start questioning every structure, pronunciation and other aspects of the language. Whereas, I, do not set a goal. I just learn for fun, for being able to read books, for being able to watch different contents. I just enjoy. So I learned French in a language institute with the textbook Tendances until level B1.

But the problem is I cannot speak. My communication skills are generally weak and that's mainly because I am an introverted and unsociable person. I don't even talk much in my native language except for some small talk with my family or basic communication in public places, nothing more. But I understand more 95% of what I read.

While learning French, I tried to learn German at the same time, but I couldn't because German is much difficult for me, so I quit but not completely, I kept reading small texts in German and I tried to maintain contact with German, so I just have some basic knowledge of the German language. After that, I started learning Italian but again I quit because I couldn't concentrate due to personal problems in my life. Now it's been nearly half a month that I learn Spanish and improve my French. This time I found out something special regarding learning approach: It is Comprehensible Input. Now I don't try to learn a language, but instead try to ACQUIRE it like a baby. My current routine for langauge learning is like this:

1. I listen to one recording from Pimsleur course for 30 minutes. It improves speaking (more accurately, pronunciation) and listening. But how much? That is debatable.

2. Then I listen to Michel Thomas recordings for 30 minutes. It helps you to get familiar with the language. Since I can't completely rely on acquiring without any knowledge of the grammar or structure, I think Michel Thomas is the best choice for me because it teaches grammar IMPLICITLY and in a way that you don't even realize you are studying grammar. That's the main reason I especially like Michel Thomas courses.

3. Then after a little rest, I watch Comprehensible Input content in YouTube for 45-60 minutes. I don't take any notes or I don't watch content that EXPLICITLY teaches the language. I simply watch contents where natives speak relatively slowly and clearly, just like I watch a normal video to enjoy my time.

4. Then after a little pause, I listen to a 25-30-minute podcast.

5. After podcast, I read in the target language.

6. And finally I try to speak for around 2-3 minutes.

Throughout this routine, I don't take any notes. I just relax and try to enjoy.

Then I do the same routine for French in the evening. I separate the two languages (one in the morning and one jn the evening) to avoid mixing them up.

Once I reach B1 or B2 in Spanish, I'll start acquiring other languages. The next ones are Italian, German, Portuguese, Dutch, etc. respectively.

I will try to acquire as many language as I can for as long as I am alive.

So this is my journey so far. It may seem that I blend everything, but for now, I have time all the day and instead of spending my days doing nothing, I try to get the most out of my time as effectively as possible. Furthermore, I enjoy doing all these stuff and I don't get bored at all, except for some anxieties regarding speaking.

Anyway, if you read all the way here. I thank you sooo much. Sorry for keeping it too long. I just wanted to share my experience.

I look forward to hearing your journey as well, and I'd like to hear about different methods.

Thank you.

Hey, I'm Erfan, 22M, from Iran. I know and understand 6 languages. I don't say I SPEAK because speaking is another skill that you possess, and knowing a language does not necessarily mean you can speak it.

Anyway, my mother tongue is Azerbaijani Turkish and I know Farsi because it is the official language in Iran. I also know Turkish; I've been watching Turkish series and movies since childhood. So that means, I have acquired these three languages and I can understand every nuances; I can consider myself as a native in them. Then one day I decided to learn English. I went to language institutes but I couldn't learn better, so after reaching a certain level (A2), the COVID pandemic broke out, and I was cooped up at home for two years. In those two years I surrounded myself with English, to the point that I partly forgot my own native language and I couldn't talk with my family; I was exposed to English for two years with near to zero contact with my native language. So I can say I both learned and acquired English.

Just before university, I decided to learn French. After English I found out that I had a talent or better to say, a desire to learn language that made the learning or acquiring process much easier compared to others. I think one of the main reasons is that I learn languages for fun and accordingly enjoy it. Because everyone I have known (friends, classmates, relatives, and other people who learn a language), they set a strict goal for learning, for example one of the main reasons is migration. And almost all of them struggling through learning because they don't WANT or DESIRE to learn, they just see the langauge as an obligation. So they start questioning every structure, pronunciation and other aspects of the language. Whereas, I, do not set a goal. I just learn for fun, for being able to read books, for being able to watch different contents. I just enjoy. So I learned French in a language institute with the textbook Tendances until level B1.

But the problem is I cannot speak. My communication skills are generally weak and that's mainly because I am an introverted and unsociable person. I don't even talk much in my native language except for some small talk with my family or basic communication in public places, nothing more. But I understand more 95% of what I read.

While learning French, I tried to learn German at the same time, but I couldn't because German is much difficult for me, so I quit but not completely, I kept reading small texts in German and I tried to maintain contact with German, so I just have some basic knowledge of the German language. After that, I started learning Italian but again I quit because I couldn't concentrate due to personal problems in my life. Now it's been nearly half a month that I learn Spanish and improve my French. This time I found out something special regarding learning approach: It is Comprehensible Input. Now I don't try to learn a language, but instead try to ACQUIRE it like a baby. My current routine for langauge learning is like this:

1. I listen to one recording from Pimsleur course for 30 minutes. It improves speaking (more accurately, pronunciation) and listening. But how much? That is debatable.

2. Then I listen to Michel Thomas recordings for 30 minutes. It helps you to get familiar with the language. Since I can't completely rely on acquiring without any knowledge of the grammar or structure, I think Michel Thomas is the best choice for me because it teaches grammar IMPLICITLY and in a way that you don't even realize you are studying grammar. That's the main reason I especially like Michel Thomas courses.

3. Then after a little rest, I watch Comprehensible Input content in YouTube for 45-60 minutes. I don't take any notes or I don't watch content that EXPLICITLY teaches the language. I simply watch contents where natives speak relatively slowly and clearly, just like I watch a normal video to enjoy my time.

4. Then after a little pause, I listen to a 25-30-minute podcast.

5. After podcast, I read in the target language.

6. And finally I try to speak for around 2-3 minutes.

Throughout this routine, I don't take any notes. I just relax and try to enjoy.

Then I do the same routine for French in the evening. I separate the two languages (one in the morning and one jn the evening) to avoid mixing them up.

Once I reach B1 or B2 in Spanish, I'll start acquiring other languages. The next ones are Italian, German, Portuguese, Dutch, etc. respectively.

I will try to acquire as many language as I can for as long as I am alive.

So this is my journey so far. It may seem that I blend everything, but for now, I have time all the day and instead of spending my days doing nothing, I try to get the most out of my time as effectively as possible. Furthermore, I enjoy doing all these stuff and I don't get bored at all, except for some anxieties regarding speaking.

Anyway, if you read all the way here. I thank you sooo much. Sorry for keeping it too long. I just wanted to share my experience.

I look forward to hearing your journey as well, and I'd like to hear about different methods.

Thank you.

Hey, I'm Erfan, 22M, from Iran. I know and understand 6 languages. I don't say I SPEAK because speaking is another skill that you possess, and knowing a language does not necessarily mean you can speak it.

Anyway, my mother tongue is Azerbaijani Turkish and I know Farsi because it is the official language in Iran. I also know Turkish; I've been watching Turkish series and movies since childhood. So that means, I have acquired these three languages and I can understand every nuances; I can consider myself as a native in them. Then one day I decided to learn English. I went to language institutes but I couldn't learn better, so after reaching a certain level (A2), the COVID pandemic broke out, and I was cooped up at home for two years. In those two years I surrounded myself with English, to the point that I partly forgot my own native language and I couldn't talk with my family; I was exposed to English for two years with near to zero contact with my native language. So I can say I both learned and acquired English.

Just before university, I decided to learn French. After English I found out that I had a talent or better to say, a desire to learn language that made the learning or acquiring process much easier compared to others. I think one of the main reasons is that I learn languages for fun and accordingly enjoy it. Because everyone I have known (friends, classmates, relatives, and other people who learn a language), they set a strict goal for learning, for example one of the main reasons is migration. And almost all of them struggling through learning because they don't WANT or DESIRE to learn, they just see the langauge as an obligation. So they start questioning every structure, pronunciation and other aspects of the language. Whereas, I, do not set a goal. I just learn for fun, for being able to read books, for being able to watch different contents. I just enjoy. So I learned French in a language institute with the textbook Tendances until level B1.

But the problem is I cannot speak. My communication skills are generally weak and that's mainly because I am an introverted and unsociable person. I don't even talk much in my native language except for some small talk with my family or basic communication in public places, nothing more. But I understand more 95% of what I read.

While learning French, I tried to learn German at the same time, but I couldn't because German is much difficult for me, so I quit but not completely, I kept reading small texts in German and I tried to maintain contact with German, so I just have some basic knowledge of the German language. After that, I started learning Italian but again I quit because I couldn't concentrate due to personal problems in my life. Now it's been nearly half a month that I learn Spanish and improve my French. This time I found out something special regarding learning approach: It is Comprehensible Input. Now I don't try to learn a language, but instead try to ACQUIRE it like a baby. My current routine for langauge learning is like this:

1. I listen to one recording from Pimsleur course for 30 minutes. It improves speaking (more accurately, pronunciation) and listening. But how much? That is debatable.

2. Then I listen to Michel Thomas recordings for 30 minutes. It helps you to get familiar with the language. Since I can't completely rely on acquiring without any knowledge of the grammar or structure, I think Michel Thomas is the best choice for me because it teaches grammar IMPLICITLY and in a way that you don't even realize you are studying grammar. That's the main reason I especially like Michel Thomas courses.

3. Then after a little rest, I watch Comprehensible Input content in YouTube for 45-60 minutes. I don't take any notes or I don't watch content that EXPLICITLY teaches the language. I simply watch contents where natives speak relatively slowly and clearly, just like I watch a normal video to enjoy my time.

4. Then after a little pause, I listen to a 25-30-minute podcast.

5. After podcast, I read in the target language.

6. And finally I try to speak for around 2-3 minutes.

Throughout this routine, I don't take any notes. I just relax and try to enjoy.

Then I do the same routine for French in the evening. I separate the two languages (one in the morning and one jn the evening) to avoid mixing them up.

Once I reach B1 or B2 in Spanish, I'll start acquiring other languages. The next ones are Italian, German, Portuguese, Dutch, etc. respectively.

I will try to acquire as many language as I can for as long as I am alive.

So this is my journey so far. It may seem that I blend everything, but for now, I have time all the day and instead of spending my days doing nothing, I try to get the most out of my time as effectively as possible. Furthermore, I enjoy doing all these stuff and I don't get bored at all, except for some anxieties regarding speaking.

Anyway, if you read all the way here. I thank you sooo much. Sorry for keeping it too long. I just wanted to share my experience.

I look forward to hearing your journey as well, and I'd like to hear about different methods.

Thank you.

I've studied French with Tendances until B1 but when it comes to speaking, I struggle, both due to weak speaking skills and personal features (like being an introvert). How can I improve my speaking skills overall?

I just want to pour my heart out to someone without being judged. I just want to get it off my chest. Someone to listen.

Hey guys, I wanna open my pineal gland and find out about THE TRUTH. I'm asking those who know the RIGHT and HEALTHY techniques to achieve the ultimate consciousness. I'd much rather if you described the whole process meticulously with all the details. I really believe that anything we know – and I mean ANYTHING – is all but a LIE. I sincerely want to get access to the truth. Also I want to experience astral projection and get access to Akashic Records. I really do want it. It excites me. I wanna know the REALITY. So, please if you have achieved this power in a healthy and right way, please let me know about your experiences and techniques.