Which Language Should You Learn?

CC subtitles available in multiple languages.

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!

0:00 Sometimes we have no choice but to study a certain language.
1:09 If you do have a choice, this is the most important thing to consider.
2:33 Some things that can motivate you to learn a language.
3:49 One time I got language learning motivation wrong.
5:12 It's okay to spend a short amount of time with a language; you won't lose what you learn.
7:47 "Language is the one thing worth knowing even poorly." - Lomb Kato

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My Podcast:

#languagelearning #languages #polyglot

[Thelinguist]

How did you decide on your current target language?

[FearlessRefactoring]

i'm 16 months into learning German, my first motivated attempt at learning a second language. I haven't missed a day. I've taken your approach and to say it feels like magic is an understatement. It is fun everyday to learn and it doesn't feel at all like a grind or work. My language tutors are amazed at the progress I've made in such a short time. Thanks for everything Steve!

[ahmedfadhil]

Language is the only thing worth knowing even poorly. This quote really motivated me.

I am going for French and Arabic.

[zahrababygarl]

Thank you for mentioning Swahili I’m from Tanzania I’m happy to see my language going to the world God bless you Steve ❤

[tedc]

Thanks. I couldn't decide, so I started the LingQ mini-stories, one per day, in several languages. It really helped. Some languages I rejected after just a few days, and some others after 20 days. I still have Turkish and Japanese. I might add Persian (not Arabic, not Korean). Thanks for the "you can always switch later" idea. It helps remove any "must decide now" pressure.

[robertoliveira]

i'm learning english alone sence last year but some days i don't study, see you're videos make me more motivated to learn leanguages, thank you 👍

[JM__]

Muchas gracias por el video. Aun no lo veo completo pero se que será de gran ayuda como siempre!!

[reasonablyserious]

It's times like this that make me really grateful for the ability to adjust the speed of youtube videos

[PolyglotSecrets]

As always, a great video, Steve! I relate so much to what you are saying. Perhaps the biggest reason I study several languages at once is to keep the interest and motivation going. It's more exciting that way.

[Daniel-wisk]

I’m surprised not to see literature as a strong motivator to learn a language. I can read books in 4 languages (including my own - French), but even for languages I know without being able to read directly in them, I always try to have the original text with me when I read the French translations. Especially for poetry of course : I cannot really understand entire poems in German or Russian, but I can feel, I can taste Hölderlin or Rilke in German, and I can cry with Akhmatova : перед этим горем гнутся горы… For me, that’s worth a lot !

[zachscully]

I’m finding motivation sags after a while on the most different languages for me (Korean, Mandarin, Japanese), but when I take a break and return, not only do I find fresh motivation - I also find I improved my comprehension!

[seykai]

Steve! Your videos and your passion for learning languages is fantastic!! Thank you for sharing with the world your love for languages. I myself love to study languages and have been learning Japanese since I was twelve years old. Eleven years later and I am now fluent in the lanugage (still learning of course!) and now, I have been interested in learning Russian for the past couple of years. I feel like I am now at the beginning stages (in Russian) I used to be at back when I was learning Japanese when I was around 14/15. Really cool to see so many lovers of languages!
Good luck everyone!!!

[anonymoustaiwan]

I majored in English at the only one college of languages in Taiwan 🇹🇼. Back then, the college forced us to learn the second foreign language, I chose Japanese as my second major simply because I was the Top 10 student who pass the exam of higher education system in the nation. Only the best ones had the privilege to choose Japanese. Japanese was hot here.🔥 Now, after twenty years, I have to say I was wrong. I shouldn't choose Japanese instead of Spanish.😭I was not even had resources from families to gain master degree over there or immigrate to Japan. Now I just realise how much I love Spanish songs and cultures. And speaking Spanish would be an advantage to relocate in Spain or Latin America for a middle age female. Now I am on my way of pursuing my dream for the rest of my life.✍️

[annafrancesfoz]

I’m learning now Swedich. It sounds so beautifuly! And it’s pretty easy if you already know English

[Nehauon]

So far I’ve been learning Spanish for a year, and I am pretty confident in it, but not fluent, so I feel like it’s time to study a language alongside it

[SirJack-lrvm]

I think that adding galician to lingq might be a good idea. You should try it someday it is like portuguese and spanish at the same time. I say this because i just met a spanish guy from Galicia he explained me about his language and i picked up most of what he was talking about, so i got interested on it.

[polylangh]

Very helpful! Thank you so much for the video, Steve! It's just what I needed

[Liz.]

I like your videos Steve, thanks. I'm learning English yet and sometimes is hard for me understand to the peoples talking, but I'm studying every day, I'm trying and I hope to win this hard fight one day. I know that I can do it!

[honey]

I hope to learn more of the Hawaiian language in the future, the main one I mean from what I know there are a few, I think we should preserve all the languages and document them so they are not forgotten.

[AlexCod-poyf]

Very informative and helpful tips. Thanks so much sir.