Now, this may sound strange to you. If you’re a long-time reader of this blog, you’ll know that I usually recommend against learning two languages at the same time, let alone three.
But this is different. I haven’t changed my stance on learning multiple languages; I’ve just found one of the very few ways to make it work.
And it all has to do with how I alter and adapt my learning style according to my skill level in each language I’m learning.
Learning multiple languages at the same time may seem daunting but it can be done with the right strategies and mindset. As someone who loves languages I understand the insatiable desire to take on more than one at a time.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share my best tips and tricks for learning multiple languages simultaneously, based on my own experience and extensive research By the end, you’ll have actionable steps to start your exciting polyglot journey
Why Learn Multiple Languages at Once?
Here are some of the biggest benefits of learning more than one language concurrently:
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It enhances your cognitive abilities. Juggling multiple languages actually boosts skills like problem-solving, memory, and overall brain function.
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It saves time in the long run. You can reach fluency faster by doubling up.
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It prevents boredom. The variety keeps things interesting and motivation high.
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It opens opportunities. Being multilingual gives you a competitive edge in careers and life.
Debunking Myths About Learning Multiple Languages
Before we dive in, let’s clear up some common misconceptions:
- Myth: It impairs your cognitive abilities.
Truth: It actually enhances skills like memory and problem-solving.
- Myth: There’s an age limit for language learning.
Truth: While younger brains pick up languages easily, adults can still learn multiple languages well with the right methods.
- Myth: You’ll mix up the languages and get overwhelmed.
Truth: With proper strategies, your brain is equipped to handle multiple languages.
How to Learn Multiple Languages Successfully
Follow these best practices from language experts and polyglots for optimal results:
1. Pick Languages That Are Very Different
Choose languages with different origins, scripts, sounds, and grammar. Spanish and Mandarin Chinese make a great combo. Avoid picking similar languages like Spanish and Portuguese.
2. Pair a Familiar Language With an Unfamiliar One
Take advantage of transferable grammar and vocabulary. If you know Italian, learn French plus Russian.
3. Give Each Language a Separate Identity
Use different colored flashcards, study materials, and reasoning for learning to distinguish them. Get immersed in real cultural contexts.
4. Designate a Priority Language
Devote 60-80% of your time to master one language first before dividing your time more evenly. Even starting with a slight imbalance prevents overload.
5. Set a Study Schedule and Stick to It
Plotting weekly study plans and tracking hours prevents organization struggles. But be flexible to adjust as needed.
6. Cultivate an Equal Relationship with Each Language
Have a genuine interest and purpose related to each language, whether it’s media, travel, or family.
7. Alternate Flashcards and Topics
Mixing flashcard decks and learning the same topics (pets, family) in both languages improves retention through psychological priming.
8. Translate Between Languages
This builds flexibility translating quickly between tongues and gets you thinking in your new languages.
9. Immerse Yourself
The more you live, work, and play in an authentic environment, the more input your brain gets. Study abroad if you can.
10. Maintain Multilingual Social Circles
Surround yourself with native speakers for practice in relaxed social settings without the pressure of formal classes.
11. Have Language Hobbies
Pursuing cooking, music, art, or other interests in your languages makes them more ingrained in your life.
12. Be Adaptable
Stay open-minded. Test different methods like apps, books, podcasts. Adjust your plan based on progress.
Helpful Resources and Tools
Take your learning to the next level with these handy resources:
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Apps: Duolingo, Babbel, Anki flashcards, HelloTalk
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TV shows: Language learning sites like FluentU provide immersive, native video content.
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Music: Find pop songs in your target languages. Singing along improves vocab and pronunciation.
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Books: Read bilingual books or novels at your level in each language.
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Tutors: iTalki and Verbling connect you with affordable native tutors for conversation practice.
My Experience Learning Multiple Languages
I’m currently learning Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese all at once while working full time. It’s challenging but rewarding.
Here are some tips from my experience:
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I have clear reasons to learn each language, like communicating with in-laws or reading literature. This motivation keeps me going through plateaus.
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I devote 20 hours a week total to language learning and split it 60/30/10 between Spanish, French, and Chinese. Having that hierarchy prevents burnout.
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I alternate studying by topic. I’ll learn colors in Spanish one day and colors in French the next. The priming effect makes my brain subconsciously relate them.
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I surround myself with native speakers by taking conversation classes at cultural centers and following language Instagram accounts.
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On busy weeks, I just do 30 minutes a day per language. Consistency is key even when you can’t do lengthy sessions.
Learning several languages at once is an ambitious but attainable goal with diligence and the right techniques. Choose distinct languages you’re passionate about, create a balanced study plan, immerse yourself, and adapt as needed. Patience and consistency are vital.
The cognitive and social benefits of being multilingual are immense. Take the first step and get started – your polyglot future is bright! What languages will you conquer?
Starting New Languages vs. Maintaining Old Languages
In the life of any polyglot, there is a never-ending struggle between wanting to begin learning new languages, and wanting to maintain and improve older languages.
There are benefits and drawbacks to both approaches:
- As you learn new languages, it becomes easier and easier to pick up additional ones in the future. However, as the number of learned languages grows, your average skills in each language will decrease.
- As you maintain and improve old languages, you become more effective at using the language and making authentic connections with native speakers. However, as you spend more time maintaining languages, you will have less time to pick up new ones.
For most learners, myself included, the best route forward requires finding the correct balance between new languages and old languages.
If you can find this balance, you’ll have also discovered one of the few ways you can learn multiple languages at the same time.
Why? Because even though all language learning requires practice, the type of practice you need depends on whether a language is a new language, or a maintenance language.
Today, I’d like to share how I’ve organized my learning routine around my three newest languages—Hungarian, Greek, and Danish—and give you a glimpse of deliberate practice, the exact type of practice I’m using to learn them.
Scheduling Learning Three Languages at Once, Every Day
The key to fitting three languages into my daily learning schedule primarily comes down to one thing: time management!
To give myself the best opportunity to learn three languages and have a normal social life, I do my language practice first thing in the morning, every day, starting around 6:15 to 6:45.
Danish always comes first. As the “newborn” of the three languages, it requires large amounts of attention and active learning.
Currently, I am using my Bidirectional Translation technique to improve my Danish. This method involves reading, listening to, and translating a variety of short texts, typically from the Assimil series of language courses. Through this process, I build a set of solid foundational skills that I refer to as my “language core”.
(If you’d like to follow along with my daily Danish progress using this method, click here to view my online logbook, where I keep an updated record of all of my Danish learning activities.)
After spending anywhere from half an hour to an hour on Danish, I usually switch directly to Greek.
As I mentioned earlier, I have two years of Greek learning under my belt already. Because of that, I no longer need to use my Bidirectional Translation method for Greek, and can instead engage in other learning activities.
Nowadays, I do any of three things to improve my Greek:
I typically start by listening to and reviewing one podcast episode for about twenty minutes, then I move on to watching YouTube videos. Once a week, I practice my speaking skills with a tutor. I do all these activities in “deliberate practice mode” (More on that in a future article).
For Hungarian, I do the following:
- 1Read texts in a series of magazines called Magyarul Tanulok.
- 2Complete lessons with two different Hungarian tutors, Anita and Petra.
- 3Review the sessions within 48 hours
When reading the magazine articles, I often employ my own methods for intensive and extensive reading, which allows me to grow my vocabulary while also enjoying the texts I’m reading.
With my tutors, my goal is usually speaking practice. Though we often talk casually about a variety of topics, I also make an effort to prepare myself before each lesson, so I always have something ready to discuss.
Recently, I’ve also began reviewing select articles from Magyarul Tanulok with my tutors as well. Specifically, my tutors help me extract new and interesting vocabulary and grammar patterns for each article, which I then try to incorporate into my own speech.
how i *successfully* learn multiple languages at once
How to learn multiple languages at once?
One effective strategy for learning multiple languages at once is to consume media in all the languages you are studying. This could mean watching movies or TV shows with subtitles in one language, listening to podcasts or music in another language while commuting, or reading books and articles in different languages during your free time.
Is learning multiple languages a good idea?
There’s a long-standing consensus among language learning enthusiasts that learning multiple languages simultaneously is more difficult than learning multiple languages sequentially. When asked, most people who have learned to speak one language at a time reply that they don’t think it’s a good idea.
Can you learn more than one language at a time?
At first, you may only be able to say just a few words, but your vocabulary and your confidence will grow exponentially with regular practice. If you’re interested in learning multiple languages you might also be interested in how to learn two languages at once. Before you do it, first, think hard if you really want to.
How many languages can you learn at once?
It can be a challenge to learn multiple languages simultaneously, but the experience can be very rewarding. While there is no set limit on how many languages one can learn at once, it’s important to consider time and motivation as key factors in the learning process.
