Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann

We need to be patient when learning languages. We will learn and forget, learn and forget over and over again. This isn’t a sign of failure but rather the natural way we learn new things. Relax into it and you will be successful.

I have always been interested in the origins of languages and the differences between languages. In my latest video I explore some world languages that share a lot in common and try to answer the question “what is a language?“.

Beginner material needs to contain lots of high frequency words and these words should repeat many times within one lesson. There should also be many lessons. The Mini Stores at LingQ check all these boxes. Watch my latest video to find out more about this fantastic beginner course and why I use it when I start out in a new language.

It’s easy to get caught up in negative thinking when learning a new language: I make so many mistakes, my speaking is so unnatural, I don’t understand when people speak to me, etc. What if we chose to break away from that thinking and believe instead that these things are part of the process and nothing to worry about? What if we chose to focus on the good instead of the “bad”?

Should seniors pay more taxes? We are, generally speaking, a bigger burden on the health system. My answer might surprise you…

To succeed in learning foreign languages, we need to be resourceful, taking advantage of people around us, and what the internet offers us. Iclal of Istanbul is an inspiring example.

Language learning isn’t easy, but it doesn’t have to made more difficult. In this video I go over the 10 most common mistakes language learners make that I have noticed over the decades. Would you add any?

Many people are put off learning languages because they think it is difficult to do. Language educators often don’t help, but instead complicate the process with jargon, seeking to describe the minute details of the natural and enjoyable process of language acquisition.

It is so important to stay curious and keep learning new things as you age. I have most certainly found this to be the case. I don’t just learn languages, I am curious about many topics and I feed this curiosity every day.

Learning a language means leaving the comfort of your native language and confronting the challenges of a new language and its uncertainty. Call it the learning zone. How do we make it more comfortable?

People often ask me which language they should learn and my answer is always the same: learn the language you are keenest to learn. Even if you learn for a few months then move on to another language, you don’t lose what you gained. Enjoy the language buffet!

Feli is from Germany but lives in the US. She talks a lot about cultural differences on her YouTube channel “Feli from Germany”. There are things she prefers about the US, and some things, not so much, like “ghosting”, a term I had never heard of before this chat.

When I learn a language, I also learn the history of the country. I am transported to that area. I gain a new outlook on the world. It’s a process I always enjoy and am in no hurry to end. In fact, in language learning, the process is the reward.

For a long time I have been convinced that the simplest and most reliable indicator of our potential and our level in a language is how many words we know. Learning words ought to be a pleasant task at the heart of language learning.

There are various ways ChatGPT can assist in language learning: Duolingo seems to have enlisted ChatGPT mostly for error correction and role playing. These are not areas of interest to me. However, these activities could help lessen the workload of teachers.

Elon Musk apparently believes that Neuralink, a computer chip that can be implanted in the brains of animals and people, will make language learning and even language obsolete. Here are my thoughts.

I will visit Denmark, Sweden and Poland, from May 17 to June 2. I’m working on my Danish, Swedish and Polish to prepare. Travel is a great motivator and stimulating, but we don’t have to leave our home country to travel. Hope to see some of you there.

When I want to improve my Italian, Davide’s Podcast Italiano channel is where I will go. The content is interesting and Davide speaks clearly and not too fast. In this my latest video I chatted with Davide about his channel and the Italian language.

To become fluent in a language takes time. It’s important not to be discouraged. Make the time you spend with the language as enjoyable and meaningful as possible and you will reach your goals.

In this video I have some fun with the hugely popular ChatGPT. Is it helpful for language learning? How can it be used with LingQ, the app I use to learn languages?

Using slang too early in your language learning can backfire. I never make slang my focus. Instead I let any slang words or phrases come naturally as I gain more and more exposure to the language.

When I start a new language, I sometimes know a related language and that helps. This is a video of me starting two languages that are not related to languages I know, Finnish and Indonesian.

Mayu has a YouTube channel called Mayu E Room. She helps Japanese people learning English. We talk about the language education system in Japan and also Mayu’s experience in the US. She studied language acquisition at Middlebury College. We speak in English and Japanese.

Do you think quizzes and tests are essential for language learning? Traditional language instruction certainly has many of us believing this to be true. In this video I explain why I don’t do quizzes, drills and tests and why you shouldn’t either.

As Aristotle said “well begun is half done”. Laozi said “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”. This is true for language learning. Just getting started is half the battle, but you need to make sure you get started in the right way.

It’s not enough to have a lofty language learning goal like “I want to be fluent”. What matters more is that you focus on what you are going to do every day with the language. Find activities that give you enjoyment and satisfaction, every day. This will ensure constant improvement.

No better person to talk to about chatGPT, AI, and language learning, than my friend and outstanding polyglot, Luca Lampariello. We are of the old school. Will a younger generation learn languages differently?

Numbers, colours, days of the week, family members, body parts, greetings, etc. I have never understood the need to focus on such vocabulary when we start learning a new language. In fact, I find it more difficult to remember these words as there is no meaningful context.

The plateau is a concept that comes up often in language learning. We have some initial success in acquiring new words and gaining a sense of this new language, then we come to that period where there are lots of low frequency words that we need to learn.

I spend most of my time listening. Listening comprehension is where the action is, in my opinion. If you can understand movies, podcasts, conversations, the other end of the conversation, you can eventually get to where you can hold up your end of the conversation.

Improving in a language, especially in pronunciation, is a matter of technique, practice and attitude. Hadar knows this from her experience learning English, and becoming an actress in New York, as a non-native speaker.

Reading is a vital activity in language acquisition. It’s how to build vocabulary. In today’s video I talk about my experience with both intensive and extensive reading and why I like to do a mix of both.

I enjoy every stage of my language learning; when I start to explore a new language; when I go back again to something familiar that I don’t understand; when I start to understand more; when I understand most of it; and when I no longer feel I need to learn it.

Throughout his book, Atomic Habits, James Clear makes the point that small actions can, over time, have a major impact on outcomes. Developing good habits is more important than focusing on long term goals.

Some people say we need to “focus on the basics” when learning a language. However, we acquire various aspects of a language naturally, in an order that we don’t control. It is futile to try to master the basics, some of which will elude us for a long time.

YouTuber Veronika Mark speaks excellent English and now she is studying Spanish in Mexico City. I caught up with her and discussed her studies and how her English has improved since we last spoke.

There may be many reasons why language learning, or bilingualism, is associated with a delay in the onset of dementia. Obviously, it is a form of exercise for the brain, creating new neural networks, but it also gives older people a strong sense of purpose.

Do you enjoy answering comprehension questions about content in your target language? Many teachers and writers of language learning textbooks seem to think these questions are vital. I couldn’t disagree more.

Challenge yourself in 2023 and start a LingQ Language Challenge. We have a 30-day and 90-day challenges as well as the Streak with Steve challenge. Stay on track, motivated and learn from content you’re interested in and you will make a breakthrough in your target language.

In the coming year I want to follow my own advice and make sure I enjoy my language learning activities without worrying about how much I am improving. That’s my major New Year’s resolution.

We shouldn’t penalize people for getting things wrong in language learning. Maybe we congratulate them instead and encourage them to keep on getting things wrong, because eventually, with enough exposure, they’re going to get it right.

I find it easier to learn things that are different from each other in a new language. Take colours for example. If I can space the colours or connect them to something else, like a plant or a shirt, and I come across them in different situations, then eventually I assimilate them. I start to learn them. But if I try to learn them as a list, I find that very difficult to do.

Stefani is fluent in five languages, intermediate in three others and learning two more. She is yet another outstanding polyglot who proves that you can grow up in a monolingual family and become an accomplished speaker of many languages.

To speak well in a language we’re learning, we need to speak a lot. This requires strategy. We need to first build up our comprehension and vocabulary. Then we need to find or create environments that are familiar, comfortable and meaningful.

Writing is a great way to improve your skills and comprehension, but particularly your ability to output, to speak. To write you need to look words up, so it’s an assist to get to speaking. Do you agree?

Aristotle's Metaphysics begins: "All men by nature desire to know". Languages are among the most useful and rewarding things we can learn and get to know. I discuss this in this video.

Ksenia, from Russia, learned Ukrainian in Ukraine. I asked her how much Ukrainian a Russian speaker, with no previous exposure, understands. Answer: 40%.

Someone sent me a few video clips recently of Joe Rogan discussing language learning with his guests. There is something in the attitude in these clips that bothers me as a language learning enthusiast.

I recognize that writing can be a way of improving your ability in the language, a way of getting to more output. For some people it’s important to their academic and professional aspirations. So what do I have to say on the subject of writing?

Emotion is an important part of learning languages. Cognitive research has shown that we learn better when we have positive feelings towards what we are learning. This is particularly true when it comes to the culture of the language we are learning.