Language-Learning Tips from a Polyglot

One ice breaker I like to tell people is that I can speak eight different languages — and flirted with two others. After all, it’s a feat I’m proud of and required over a decade of study and reflection. The fact that I’m multilingual has also encouraged my friends and coworkers to ask me for tips on a regular basis. So, instead of giving ad hoc advice, I decided to write a small list.

Whether you’re wanting to pick up a new language or are on-track to becoming a polyglot yourself, here are a few tips I’ve picked up on my language-learning journey.

Tip #1: Master the rhythm and sounds early

One of the most frequent questions I have been asked is about how to improve pronunciation. This question has been posed to me by a range of people, from those who are just beginning to study a language to those who are fluent.

I feel silly typing the phrase, “not every language sounds like English” — and yet, I’ve found that university classes and language apps alike overlook the importance of mastering a language’s sounds as early as possible. Specifically, there’s not enough emphasis on learning the cadence of speech and phonemes.

A phoneme (from Ancient Greek φώνημα) is the ‘atomic’ unit of speech that we use to build words or, in some cases, distinguish one word from another. Every language has a set of phonemes that are used to build words. While some phonemes overlap, there are many that are peculiar to a specific language.

I learned that it behooves a newbie to practice listening and reproducing the sounds of a new language early and often. Why? Because it helps you form good habits. If you come out of the gate speaking clearly and like a native speaker, then you’ll have an easier time building fluency. After all, you won’t have to unlearn incorrect pronunciation down the line.

I hadn’t grasped the importance of this when I began to learn Italian and I paid the price. While I had memorized complex grammar and vocabulary, my spoken Italian sounded very… American. Studying abroad in Italy helped me correct my accent, but I still make a number of repeated pronunciation mistakes to this day.

So, when I moved on to study Mandarin, I committed to learning the sounds upfront. I used an interactive site like this one to practice the Chinese phonetic transliteration system (注音 or zhuyin). The website had slow and clear pronunciations of Mandarin phonemes, which made it easy to practice hearing and recreating them.

Another strategy that works is to identify approximations. When I was struggling to learn a new sound, I would try to identify a similar sound in my native language. For example, Mandarin has this sound: ㄘ. When I first started learning the language, I really struggled to form this sound in my speech, even though my teachers corrected me over and over again. That changed when I realized that ㄘ sounded a lot like the “ts” at the end of “cats,” but was an initial sound in Mandarin rather than a final sound like it is in English. I’ve used this trick not only across multiple languages but when trying to emulate different accents of a language.

Speaking of accents, the other key to improving your pronunciation is to mimic a native speaker’s rhythm. Listen to a native speaker having a conversation on YouTube or some other platform. What is the tempo of their speech? Do they stress a certain part of the word or sentence? Try to recreate what the speaker is saying, whether it’s making an exact imitation or humming the rhythm of the sentence with your mouth closed.

You can really enhance your speaking ability by paying attention to the sounds and rhythm of your target language, even at the start of your journey. For me, these strategies paid off when I first used them to learn Mandarin. Just as an example, my boss (who is Taiwanese) thought that I was Taiwanese when she first heard my voice over the phone for an interview and later told me that my Mandarin sounded native (which it most certainly is not!).

Tip #2: Learn the culture, not just the words

Many language teachers caution students from using direct translation as a method for picking up a new language. I’m not opposed to translation (more on that later), but I do think their caution is warranted. Not only are words and syntax different between languages, but also how people use them.

So, what do I mean by this? Let’s look at a few examples:

In English, it is common for a speaker to use the phrase “I’m sorry” to express either, 1) regret for having committed some wrongdoing, or 2) sympathy for the listener. In Italian, “I’m sorry” is translated as mi dispiace, which coincidentally functions similarly to the second usage of the phrase in English; however, mi dispiace cannot be used to express regret for your own wrongdoing. The word scusa or scusi is used instead. Similarly, in Mandarin, the words 不好意思 (buhaoyisi) and 對不起 (duibuqi) are often translated as “sorry,” but neither word is analogous to the English word. 不好意思 could be translated as, “excuse me,” in English, while 對不起 is used to express regret for your own wrongdoing. You cannot express sympathy in Mandarin using either word.

I think the former example illustrates the way people communicate is significantly shaped by their culture, but it doesn’t capture the entirety of why it’s important to study culture alongside language. There are some cases where words and expressions in one language simply do not exist in another due to unique cultural concepts. An example I can think of is the following Japanese phrase:

よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu)

This phrase is commonplace in Japanese conversations but is inconceivable in English without cultural context. Some English texts will translate this as “nice to meet you,” or some other variant of a greeting; however, the phrase is much more nuanced and flexible than that. While it’s true that Japanese speakers often use this phrase when first meeting one another, it can be seen in other situations, such as at the end of business emails. This is because if you are asking someone for a favor or their consideration, you use よろしくお願いします to acknowledge the other person’s labor and time. It is respectful and shows the listener that you value them. While respect is certainly not foreign to English-speaking cultures, there is no such concept in the language like よろしくお願いします.

Furthermore, this expression can range in levels of formality, from the informal よろしく (yoroshiku) to the highly-formal どうぞよろしくお願いいたします (dōzo yoroshiku onegai-itashimasu), which reflects the Japanese cultural emphasis on respect for hierarchy. The phrase and use of Keigo, or honorific speech, is foreign to a native English speaker unaware of Japanese cultural norms, but misuse of either could severely offend a native listener. So, it pays to know about Japanese culture before charging into the conversations!

The easiest way to learn about how culture shapes a given language is research. (This may sound boring, but stick with me!) The internet has an ocean of content about languages and cultures. You can look up videos on YouTube that introduce you to cultures, or read language blogs. If you have friends who speak the language natively or are at least very familiar, ask them questions. It’s easy to make learning about culture fun!

Tip #3: Don’t avoid translation like the plague

Cultural differences complicate direct translations between languages, especially languages as disparate as English and Japanese, so many language-learning sources discourage them. Businesses such as FluentU or Rosetta Stone swear by immersion-based language learning, where the student intuits language through real-life contexts instead of direct translations (e.g., identifying the Greek word κουζίνα (kouzína) by associating it with the correct image, which would be of a kitchen). I have also found immersion-based language learning to work for me, especially when I’ve been lucky enough to surround myself with speakers of a given language in my everyday life.

That being said, this aversion to translation is a bit unwarranted. I have found that there are cases where using translation is easy shorthand for building a large vocabulary quickly.

For example, the Japanese word for “umbrella” (which is not a high-frequency word where I live in Southern California) is 傘 (kasa). I suppose you could learn this word through hearing it in an immersive experience, like in a FluentU video, but wouldn’t it be faster to just memorize that 傘 means “umbrella”? And that question could be posed for thousands of other words: train, tree, talon, pigeon, plaza, city, town, green, and blue, to name a few.

In saying that, I am not taking a stance against the FluentU-style immersive learning — after all, I have used their videos and blog myself! I would, however, caution language-learners from adopting a black-and-white view on the matter. Sometimes, finding translations of concepts you know in your native language is an efficient use of your time, especially if your goal is to become fluent in multiple foreign languages. However, you should also keep in mind that learning how native speakers use their language is paramount for communicating effectively and using translation is not the safest or most effective way for doing so. Perhaps the best strategy to adopt here is to simultaneously employ immersion- and translation-based approaches so you get the best of both worlds.

Tip #4: Ritualize practice and practice what you already know

This is advice that is often overlooked, but crucial for maintaining learning momentum: study often, and review what you’ve learned. I am guilty of neglecting this pointer, but when I adhere to a schedule, I notice a rapid improvement in my learning.

Here are several language-training habits I have that work well for me:

Use a flashcard application like Anki (which allows you to build your own decks or download pre-built ones) to study vocabulary. Set aside 5–10 minutes a day to review vocabulary. I recommend pairing new words with either an image or with a translation in a language you already speak.
Find and watch YouTubers speaking or teaching concepts in the target language. For instance, this is a good YouTube channel for learning Japanese. Write down the key takeaways from the videos.
If possible, have a conversation with friends, coworkers, or a partner who speaks the target language. Most people are happy to help you practice!
Create a few post-it notes per week with a word in the target language and place them on objects that correspond with their meaning. (e.g., writing 咖啡機 on a post-it note and placing it on a coffee machine). Practice saying the word aloud when you see the device.
If using a textbook to learn in a class-like environment, set aside 15 minutes a week to review previous weeks’ lessons. Sometimes you will discover concepts or rules that you forgot about.
Lastly, if you can afford it, use language-learning services like Preply to connect with tutors who can provide you with guided, structured lessons.

All of these plans involve some form of self-accountability. I have found that when I ritualize good habits (e.g., buying classtime on Preply, putting time in my calendar to review a textbook or flashcards), I have the impetus to keep at my studies. While I studied Spanish, Korean, Greek, and Italian in a traditional classroom environment, a lot of my Mandarin and Japanese learning was done on my own accord. Achieving high proficiency in Mandarin was only possible through the foundation of regular practice.

I would also recommend using this reserved time to review the material you have studied in the past. Learning an entirely new language is a slow process, especially if it’s a language very different from your native tongue or from other languages you already know. If you’re studying your second Romance Language, perhaps this advice is less crucial to you. For instance, having studied Spanish, there were many related concepts in Italian that felt familiar to me. However, now I am learning Japanese and find myself returning to concepts I’ve already studied to ensure I’ve committed them to memory. My existing knowledge of Mandarin and Korean has helped me very little in my efforts to learn Japanese, so the time I’ve spent reviewing old lessons has been time well spent.

The last piece of advice I have for habit-forming is aimed at those who are shy or introverts like me. The best way to practice a new language is to speak it as often as possible! When I first started learning new languages, I did so in relative isolation. I would go to class, learn some Spanish vocabulary words, leave, and then shove everything I had learned into the back of my mind until the next class (and then cram for exams). As a consequence, of all the languages I speak, Spanish is by far my poorest.

It wasn’t until later when I discovered that producing the language as often as possible sears it into your brain. Use your target language when talking to friends, coworkers, supermarket cashiers— anyone, really— and you will have a much easier time retaining what you’ve learned. If you struggle to converse with strangers, then no worries! Practice speaking to yourself. Repeat words and phrases you hear on a YouTube video, try musing aloud in your target language when you’re taking a shower or thinking through what to make for dinner. As long as you’re speaking, then you’re reinforcing what you’ve learned.

Tip #5: Follow your gut and make it fun

The final piece of advice I have is most important for longevity and burn-out prevention: pay attention to what’s working in your language-learning journey and whether you’re having fun.

I have never liked the traditional classroom setting for learning languages. I knew that languages interested me from a young age, but I kept burning out after a time — first with Spanish, and then with Greek, and then with Korean. In hindsight, I know why I didn’t stick with these languages: it was because I didn’t enjoy the method I was using to learn them. Even if the instructor was great, I would often zone out in class and found the exercises tedious.

Eventually, though, I discovered that I really enjoyed one-on-one instruction, online interactive media, and studying abroad. I first attempted these methods with learning Italian in Italy and then repeated them learning Mandarin in Taiwan. I even took up a chance to work in Taiwan, which was certainly an immersive experience.

Perhaps the options I had aren’t feasible for you, though. No matter, they may not be what would work for you (only you will know that)! That is why I encourage you to try many different formulas — look for times when you’re having fun or are engaged with learning your target language. Odds are, those will be the best methods for you to keep the gears turning and learn a new language.

Conclusion

I hope you found these tips helpful. While I’m not a linguist or a professional teacher, I think the observations and methods I’ve picked up through trial and error are worth sharing. I wish you luck in your quest to learn a new language!