10 Language Learning Mistakes You’re Probably Making (And How to Fix Them)

CC subtitles available in multiple languages.

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?

0:00 Mistake 1: Expecting to learn fast.
1:23 Mistake 2: Thinking we won't forget words and phrases.
2:09 Mistake 3: Trying to master the grammar.
3:29 Mistake 4: Expecting the language to become clear instantly.
4:06 Mistake 5: Staying with easy content for too long.
5:19 Mistake 6: Thinking we can get by with a few words.
6:43 Mistake 7: Expecting to speak well without speaking often.
7:43 Mistake 8: Being afraid of making mistakes.
8:24 Mistake 9: Not speaking with native speakers.
9:21 Mistake 10: Expecting native speakers to reply in the language we are learning.

__

My Podcast:

#languagelearning #languages #polyglot

[Thelinguist]

Do you make any of the mistakes I mention in this video? If so, what are you doing to ensure you don’t continue to make those mistakes?

[NaturalLanguageLearning]

Biggest one is spending a lot of time watching polyglot videos and not enough actually learning the language.

[e-genieclimatique]

in brief:
In this video, Steve Kaufmann discusses 10 common mistakes in language learning that can hinder progress:

1. Unrealistic expectations: Don't expect to learn a language quickly; it takes time and dedication.

2. Expecting not to forget: Forgetting is a natural part of the learning process; accept it and keep moving forward.

3. Focusing too much on grammar rules: Learning grammar is important, but expecting to master it upfront is a mistake.
Exposure to different contexts will help internalize rules.

4. Expecting immediate clarity: The language will become clearer over time; don't get frustrated if it doesn't happen right away.

5. Sticking to easy content: Push outside your comfort zone and challenge yourself with more difficult and interesting content.

6. Relying on a limited vocabulary: To have meaningful conversations and understand complex content, you need to expand your vocabulary.

7. Expecting to speak well without practice: In order to speak well, you need to speak a lot;
don't be too hard on yourself if you can't speak as well as you'd like.

8. Fear of making mistakes: Don't be afraid to make mistakes when speaking;
it's a natural part of learning.

9. Only speaking with non-native speakers: While this can be helpful, try to find opportunities to speak with native speakers to improve your language skills further.

10. Getting upset when native speakers reply in your language: Understand that they might feel more comfortable using their own language;
focus on improving your skills to make them feel comfortable speaking in the language you're learning.

By avoiding these mistakes, language learners can increase their chances of success.

[KarlShreeves]

Thank you, Steve. Especially when it comes to not remembering what you "know, " or suddenly having to recheck what you "already knew well, " it's reassuring to know that those are normal. It makes it easier to avoid mistake #1 -- unrealistic expectations.

[GMRaphi]

Can't get over how Steve makes it so that, even while he's explaining that the journey is even harder than we already know it to be, his words fill you with hope and energy to continue your learning. 1A motivational content. Thank you Steve!

[housecaad]

I was 6months ago to studied english and 2 days i started with portugués, steve kaufmann you are my model for keep going! you are a good inspiration thank you!

[attilavarga]

This was me. I've understood everything from movies and podcasts. I've been able to learn new words from movies, and I didn't need to look them up. 500 pages long books? Easypeasy. But speak. No.... Nobody here knows english in my neighborhood or my colleges at my workplace. So never talked with anybody. My writing was good tho, thanks to various forums sites. Anyway... Somebody told me once, or saw this tip in a video... Read your texts and books loud. And this helped me a lot. Not so long ago a truck driver came to us from Poland. And he didn't spoke Hungarian, so we talked, about Poland, and my latest trip there, and more. Man that was so refreshing, but he was just one swallow....

[pauleff]

This is good advice - it takes a very long time to get absolutely soaked when you go out in a rain shower intentionally without a brolly

[E_swi]

Gosh, there are things in English that I don’t even remember and it’s my first language. I couldn’t even remember what a predicate or preposition was. I don’t always remember the rule in regards to using commas either 😬

[valentinaegorova-vgtb]

MANY THANKS! I WATCH YOUR VIDEOS EVERY MORNING. YOU HELP ME TO START A DAY INSPIRED AND VERY MOTIVATED ! BRAVO!!! PLEASE CONTINUE

[ЕвгенийСкалич-фж]

1. Unrealistic expectation
2. Thinking we won’t forget words or phrases that we learn
3. Trying to master the grammar
4. Expecting the language to become clear instantly
5. Staying with easy content for too long
6. Thinking we can get by with a few words
7. Expecting to speak well without speaking often
8. Being afraid of making mistakes
9. Not speaking with native speakers
10. Expecting native speakers to reply in the language we are learning

[helgastegh-thomeczek]

great and everything put in a nutshell this is all that can be said and simple enough for all to grasp

[clockchoker]

I wish more YouTube videos were like this. No annoying intro music, straight to the point, concise. You are a real influencer sir.

[yana_]

A must-watch for everyone who's struggling with a foreign language!

[ariohandoyo]

It's very commond when people reply In English not in in the languange that we are learning because simplely they don't know how to write a sentence in the languanfe that we are learning, but i'm learning English so, it's an advantange for me because many people online will reply me in English.😂

[amymills]

Your videos are so encouraging, thank you!

[n.hemavathi]

Thanks for your video. It was beneficial to me. I watched your video at the right. I can not overcome from my mistakes. I understand what you are saying the whole video. Sometimes I thought l want to change my process.
I have been learning English for four years. I stuck the same problems. I can not overcome from my grammar.

[Lexi-egyj]

Hey Steve, I’ve recently had the opportunity to free up time and space to finally dedicate effort into serious learning. My personal learning style might differ with some points you mention a little but the input stuff truly mirrored how I accidentally absorbed English. I felt the need to say thank you for all your time and effort making these videos and sharing them with us. Your channel has helped me be more confident in letting go of familiar languages and techniques into embracing my own tendencies. dove headfirst into the deep end of the far-fetched things I like and since then- it’s been night and day! I even got my own dad interested in xianxia by accident. My motivation to grow continues to surprise even me now, the harder things get!
Thank you very much for everything.

[benaffanamohamed]

Hi Steve, we want a vlog to
See your daily routines to learn languages.

Thank you Steve, I watch every video, it 's very wonderful.

I am from Tunisia

[rubentriana]

Hace unos meses tenía la expectativa de que solo tenía que aprender 1000 palabras de una lengua extranjera para enterder y hablar lo suficiente. Qué equivocado estaba. Sin embargo, llevo un mes leyendo y escuchando contenido en LingQ y he mejorado de una manera que no creí que fuese posible en un mes. Ahora soy consciente de que debo aprender mucho vocabulario, leer y escuchar simultaneamente el mismo contenido todos los dias durante mucho tiempo. A pesar de ello me siento motivado y con las expectativas adecuadas, sé que lograré mi meta de aprender un nuevo idioma. Por último, les deseo a todos que está aprendiendo un nuevo idioma que disfruten del proceso y del progreso.