Polyglot Speaks 20 Languages & Makes Mistakes

CC subtitles available in English.

I wanted to do a trailer for my YouTube channel using all my languages. It's a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. It made me realize how in language learning the important thing is to communicate and not worry too much about one's mistakes, especially if we aren't constantly immersed in the language we're learning.

0:00 Mandarin
3:03 Japanese
3:12 French
3:28 Spanish
3:36 Swedish
3:47 German
4:07 Cantonese
4:13 Portuguese
4:39 Italian
5:05 Portuguese and French
5:19 Russian
5:28 Ukrainian
5:40 Persian
5:49 Korean
6:24 Czech
6:45 Polish
6:55 Turkish
7:09 Greek
7:18 Romanian
7:22 Arabic
7:47 English

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My Podcast:

#languagelearning #languages #polyglot

[khalilahd.]

This makes me feel so much better about learning Japanese. Often times we want to be perfect but it’s not realistic and it’s nice to see someone I look up to say the same thing 💜

[azdajajeanne]

I think this makes a good trailer, actually. It can be so daunting to learn a new language and make mistakes you haven't made in your mother tongue since you were young. I think dispelling the illusion that polyglots are wizards who acquire languages through the magic of genius might encourage people to consume content like yours, that can help them learn, because seeing there's no secret trick to make it easy—that you have to look silly sometimes and yet keep practicing, because everyone does that to make progress—will embolden them. And I think a friendly trailer like that will invite people to see what your channel offers. It's a good representation of what it's like. :)

[anthony]

Whenever Steve speaks Cantonese I get surprised, I know he speaks a lot of languages but when I suddenly understand him, that whiplash is indescribable, I am humbled that he spent time to learn my language to such a degree and thanks for the video.

[APlusRussian]

5:19 - I am HERE for the *age-friendly* content!! never too late (or too early) to learn a new language 🤓🤓

[pedrolucasaguiarmessias]

Como você entende o meu idioma, eu vou escrever em português.
Você ganhou o meu respeito com esse vídeo, é realmente incrível a sua capacidade de falar diversos idiomas.

[THATGUY]

It's hard as adults to learn languages because of fear of mistakes. Children brush it off so easily because they dont know any better. Videos like this are a wonderful example of how language learning should be experienced, as determination to learn a foreign language and to experience other's culture is a beautiful and enjoyable thing.

[champagne.future]

I like the realism and naturalness! It’s very inspiring, more so than a fake perfection. I almost got a headache on your behalf listening to you switch from one to another. What a journey you’ve been on!

[martncoz]

10 out of 10, Steve! Because of you I have started to learn Brazilian Portuguese. It’s daunting, but so enjoyable. Never new it could so much fun learning a language. Thanks for all you’ve done.

[Ewan_Smith]

I tried to make a similar video, I also just spoke all my languages with plenty of mistakes, even accidentally mixing languages and having to resort to English for certain words. Great video Steve and it's encouraging to see your different levels!

[zbrobinson]

Thank you! I've had so many people tell me that because I had trouble understanding something or made mistakes speaking that I am not multilingual. There are things in my mother tongue that I don't understand, don't that mean that I don't have native fluency in my language? It's discouraging because you feel as if you have to be 100% perfect. I'm more like 75% accuracy and have always been and still get hired to do multilingual jobs. A lot of individuals who make these videos are reading directly off a script. And then the realities aren't seen. I'd prefer to see a multilingual make mistakes. It proves that perfection is not the definition of understanding and fluency.

[sadhbh]

Lovely to hear. Would love to learn Mandarin as it sounds really nice here but I think I will be tied up with Arabic for the next 40 years. You're so right that it doesn't matter if you don't speak perfectly, if anything that often adds charm.

[omotoshom.t.a]

Of course I’m your fan already. As I’m approaching 40 years of age, I’m becoming more and more fascinated with learning languages. I have started learning Arabic now. What advice can you give me so I can start speaking it in a short period of time? Thanks for taking learning a valuable part of your life.

[Whizzer]

This is incredible. Anyone who criticises your ability to speak whichever language should first attempt to do better at speaking as many languages in only a few minutes.

[BumbleBauz]

I love this video so much! Thanks for sharing Steve. I really enjoyed watching it. It's super important you are showing the reality of language learning and using language as a joy and not with focus on errors. That's a way which embody all the beauty of language learning. 😊🌸
By the way you have a beautiful French accent while talking German.

[pzg]

I could tell you were struggling with some of those (at least the languages I speak personally- Greek, Italian, and Czech) but it’s very motivational and inspiring that you have managed to learn all these languages, even if they’re on different levels. I speak 4 fluently, 1 just basic conversations, and understand a bit of two others, but I’m hoping to become fluent in all 7 one day.

[mintammdata]

So impressive. I used to feel embrassed cuz I can't speak english fluently, sometimes I want to give up. But after following for a long period, I fall in love with English. Thanks so much for useful content. I appreciate it. Hope u have a great day!

[noiZtheartist]

I loved this wholeheartedly and I think he seems so sweet:) Also I was freaking out because I've been studying Spanish for awhile and thought it was a flop but when he was speaking Spanish (and amusingly also during Portuguese) I could understand pretty much everything pretty easily...mind blown!!!!

[Zep]

This is so genuine. You are making some mistakes, neither the accents nor the grammar are perfect. You struggle to produce some expressions. Don't matter, this is what makes your method endearing, you seem like a normal person.

The best part is that even though you have appeared in the channels of other polyglots, you manage to keep it real. You are genuinely outside their ego-stroking sphere.

[harrycslau]

Completely no problem for the Cantonese part, I love it!
欣賞你嘅努力！

[tinal]

Humble and inspiring ! Ça se sent à travers le langage corporel et les mots employés que tu t’es immergé dans la culture et la psychologie de chaque langue
Ich hoffe dass ich in Zukunft auch verschiedene Sprachen sprechen werde ! Спасиба за твои видео Стив :)