Is it REALLY possible to learn 2 LANGUAGES at once? - Ask Ethan

We've got a treat for you today - an excerpt from our latest Q&A with the one and only Ethan, where he tackles the age-old question: Can I learn two languages at the same time?

We know this is a burning question for many of you. Believe it or not, there is a lot of nuance to this topic, and there isn't a simple yes or no answer. From your personal goals and the languages you choose, to your level in each one, the answer can vary for everyone.

Tune in as Ethan breaks this down and goes over these factors to help you decide if adding another language to your language learning routine is right for you.

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[SassyStudies]

As someone who took 5 languages in college and experienced first-hand the inherent problems with the skill-building system, I ❤ the Refold approach. However, I disagree that you can necessarily learn multiple languages faster if you do them one at a time. If you have, for example, 4 hours a day to learn, I’d argue (especially as someone with ADHD) it’s a lot easier to work on 2 hours in each, or even 1 hour each in 4, than focus for 4 solid hours on one. I simply couldn’t and wouldn’t do it, whereas studying multiple languages I can study as much as 4-6 hours per day without getting bored with language learning and moving on to something else. So I don’t think the debate over learning multiple languages has a “one size fits all” solution. For some, one-at-a-time may be better, but in my experience I am able to sustain a greater total hours of language immersion in my day if I study multiple languages, and, as an added bonus, I’m less likely to get bored with the process and quit. Plus I get to use all of your great Refold 1k decks 😉

[vforvalorant]

My own experience with this is that there's nothing that works better than "I can't tell you how, just try a few ways and figure out what works for you"

Personally I find I'm actually *more* efficient learning 2 languages at once than just one (the ADHD might be at work here). Being able to go back and forth gives me an easy way to manage natural ebbs and flows in my interest and energy without taking a bigger break, and whenever I've turned my active mind to a different language for a while, I always find going back to the first one that my brain has done some handy background processing in the interim. I find I actually *must* take (short) breaks from a language in order to let that processing happen or I plateau, and switching to a different language lets me keep up the habit of doing language learning activities while still giving myself that break.

[thedavidguy]

I wanted to learn both French and Italian, but for the reasons you mentioned I decided to start with one language, French. I didn’t start learning Italian until I reached about a C1 level in French. Now I’m maintaining my French while focusing on Italian. I continue to spend at least a little time on French daily and I do find that I’m learning Italian more slowly because of that split time, but I also want to maintain my French at a very high level so that’s a conscious sacrifice. I have found that it’s much better to not go back and forth between the two languages. For example I was listening to a podcast in Italian and then one in French and then going back to Italian and that was causing me mass confusion. Now I just do French and then Italian with no alternating.

[ektube]

The idea of learning one skill at a time as opposed to splitting your time between two, is there a study you could please link me to that notion? It is a really interesting notion.

[糖浆饼]

Studying mandarin now for a few years, but finding myself in Korea for the next 6 months. What would be the recommended balance if I wanted to not let my mandarin decay over this time, but also trying to make the most of the Korean environment (starting from scratch with Korean Comprehensible input)

[vaxrvaxr]

Once you have solid bases in both, you may want to study two similar languages at the same time, e.g. Spanish and Italian, in order to differentiate them better.