Learning Two Languages at the Same Time

[zaneisdayton]

I am currently studying German in college at the moment, but having a strong interest in learning languages, I strive to learn more everyday. My knowledge of German is quite well, yet I haven't taken any placement tests (i.e. A1, B1, C1, etc.). Yet, looking online and throughout duolingo, I constantly am seeing other languages that I am interested in, such as Dutch, Swedish, French, Danish or maybe even Russian. Is this a wise idea to attempt to learn two languages at the same time or should you strive for a greater understanding in one language until these "C-" levels, or would it be wise to learn two languages at the same time? I know that there are individualistic characteristics to consider, but when learning a language, if you decided to choose to learn two, you should probably stay in the same language families, or would that ultimately confuse people in mixing up elements between the two languages?

[Atinkoriko]

I am currently studying German in college at the moment, but having a strong interest in learning languages, I strive to learn more everyday. My knowledge of German is quite well, yet I haven't taken any placement tests (i.e. A1, B1, C1, etc.). Yet, looking online and throughout duolingo, I constantly am seeing other languages that I am interested in, such as Dutch, Swedish, French, Danish or maybe even Russian. Is this a wise idea to attempt to learn two languages at the same time or should you strive for a greater understanding in one language until these "C-" levels, or would it be wise to learn two languages at the same time? I know that there are individualistic characteristics to consider, but when learning a language, if you decided to choose to learn two, you should probably stay in the same language families, or would that ultimately confuse people in mixing up elements between the two languages?

Studying multiple languages at the same time seems to be the rule here.

[blaurebell]

Opinions on this differ, but I believe that trying to improve more than one language at a level below comprehension is inefficient at least for me. I tend to wait until I can read extensively and watch TV in my latest language before I start a new one. As for which language to learn: I find interference between similar languages more of a problem. I get interference from Spanish in my French, but don't get Spanish interference with Russian. If your German production isn't quite solid yet, I wouldn't learn Dutch yet, you're likely to mix them up a lot, but once you're past the comprehension barrier with German it wouldn't be a bad time for learning French or Russian. The most important question is however which language you really want to learn. Learning a language takes a lot of effort and time and you're more likely to succeed if you're really interested in the language.

[Xenops]

There's two philosophies to consider:

1. Study multiple languages at once, because you'd rather make slow progress in many languages at once then having to resist studying them.

2. Study one at a time extensively, because you can't stand being a beginner for years at a time.

I recently decided I'd rather be in the second camp.

[outcast]

As Blaurebell and you yourself mentioned, opinions vary and also each learner is different.

The general consensus in the community (consensus not from conscious agreement but just from having read dozens of opinions over the years), is a compromise approach: study a brand new language along side another that is well-rooted already in your system. What does well-rooted mean is the 60 million dollar question.

I would dare to say, as a very general definition, that is when you can watch and read things for over an hour and you get the main ideas and some of the details, and you get enjoyment from the content in that language. A further touchstone is that you are definitely no longer anchored to actual language learning material, but you are free to venture into native content. Upon arriving at this junction, you can start another language where your brain will be "taxed" because everything is new and hard to remember again, and listening and reading are exhausting tasks. Then you can use the much stronger L2 as a relaxation activity that still doubles as maintenance and in fact, further progress in that stronger language.

A slight complication is language relationship. The closer your new language is genetically to the old one, the higher the risk of interference, thus as a general rule the higher your level in the stronger L2 should be. Typical examples are Portuguese after Spanish, or Dutch after German. In those cases your stronger language should be quite strong indeed. If on the other hand your stronger language were Esperanto and were starting Burmese, well then your Esperanto probably could be much more rudimentary without posing a threat to your fledgling Burmese.

[Atinkoriko]

Opinions on this differ, but I believe that trying to improve more than one language at a level below comprehension is inefficient at least for me. I tend to wait until I can read extensively and watch TV in my latest language before I start a new one. As for which language to learn: I find interference between similar languages more of a problem. I get interference from Spanish in my French, but don't get Spanish interference with Russian. If your German production isn't quite solid yet, I wouldn't learn Dutch yet, you're likely to mix them up a lot, but once you're past the comprehension barrier with German it wouldn't be a bad time for learning French or Russian. The most important question is however which language you really want to learn. Learning a language takes a lot of effort and time and you're more likely to succeed if you're really interested in the language.

Now that I think about it, I don't get interference between French and Spanish

[jeffers]

One advantage you'll have once your German gets up to B1 or so, is that you will be able to use German-based learning material for another language. Langenscheidt makes a lot of really good stuff for other languages.

[TrioLinguist]

Well, first of all, you should ask yourself if you've really got a reason to learn Dutch, Swedish, French, Danish or Russian - those are five languages. Almost all of us here are language enthusiasts, so it's normal to be curious about other languages, but I find if you randomly learn a language "just 'cause", the affair doesn't usually last all that long anyway.

Personally, I wait till I reach a high level in a language before moving on to another, because as far as I'm concerned, learning just one language is an enormous task, and learning two at once would mean that it will theoretically take twice as long to learn each language, in practice probably longer - the limited progress in the face of a doubly enormous task would be a motivation killer for me. However, you say your German's already quite good. Why don't you read up on the criteria for each CEFR level and find out what level you fall under. If you're convinced you're a solid B2 or higher, then you won't have to worry about interference when it comes to a new (Germanic) language, nor time constraints, since it's safe to focus mainly on the new language at that point.

[YtownPolyglot]

I'm one of those unusual language-learners who finds it best to start with a class in my target language to get me started. It helps me with feedback, and it gives me the structure and discipline that my temperament requires. Your results may very well be different. I find it all too easy when I'm stuck at a plateau in one language to let it go for a long time and then start forgetting what I have learned. But maybe that's just me.

When I was in high school, I started French in my first year. Language-lover that I was, I got curious about what other students were learning in their Spanish classes. Despite the concerns of my guidance counselor, I picked up Spanish in my second year of high school and ended up with four years of French and three years of Spanish. Concerned bystanders asked what I was going to do with those languages. I'm still not sure, and I'm still adding languages.

Decades later, I have decided to learn some Portuguese, but there are no classes around. One of my problems is that I try to speak Portuguese, and Spanish or Italian will come out of my mouth. I managed to order a book to help English-speakers who already know Spanish to learn Portuguese. That is one thing that helps.

[zaneisdayton]

Well, first of all, you should ask yourself if you've really got a reason to learn Dutch, Swedish, French, Danish or Russian - those are five languages. Almost all of us here are language enthusiasts, so it's normal to be curious about other languages, but I find if you randomly learn a language "just 'cause", the affair doesn't usually last all that long anyway.

Personally, I wait till I reach a high level in a language before moving on to another, because as far as I'm concerned, learning just one language is an enormous task, and learning two at once would mean that it will theoretically take twice as long to learn each language, in practice probably longer - the limited progress in the face of a doubly enormous task would be a motivation killer for me. However, you say your German's already quite good. Why don't you read up on the criteria for each CEFR level and find out what level you fall under. If you're convinced you're a solid B2 or higher, then you won't have to worry about interference when it comes to a new (Germanic) language, nor time constraints, since it's safe to focus mainly on the new language at that point.

I plan on working overseas (fingers-crossed), so hopefully that should help immerse myself in the language a bit more. I thought maybe French would be beneficial and interesting because they are neighboring countries and traveling tends to be easier in Europe, also Dutch because of the similarities and my interest in the Netherlands. Also, is there an official test that determines your level that you take for these A1-C2 levels??