Can I learn 2 new languages at the same time?

General discussion about learning languages
paulcal
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Re: Can I learn 2 new languages at the same time?

Postby paulcal » Mon Dec 20, 2021 1:49 pm

This really depends on your situation as a learner. Can you systematically and regularly study both of the languages every day over a long period of time? If so, then you certainly can study and make progress in both. I study about four languages every day and have studied several languages a day for a number of years, making progress in all of them.

The key is that you need to study regularly using good materials. If you find this too difficult, you may want to start one for a month, and then begin another next month. In 2022, I plan to incorporate several other languages into my study agenda, but I am going to introduce them at different times so I will be at different places in each of them.
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Re: Can I learn 2 new languages at the same time?

Postby CardiffGiant » Mon Dec 20, 2021 4:08 pm

Jean-Luc wrote:I am learning two languages at the same time but :

Avoid languages with too many similarities, like Spanish/Italian or Russian/Croatian
Easy if already studied languages but prefer to focus on one when a language is from scratch
More than two languages for a review of sentences with special tools. Images on my blog :https://labdeslangues.blog/2018/01/30/apprendre-les-langues-etrangeres-en-meute-en-meme-temps/


I am doing exactly this right now with Spanish and Italian, but I would say that it is crucial to be at a solid level, maybe at least b1, before starting to learn a second closely related language. I cannot imagine learning both languages at the same time from zero. There are other good recommendations for trying to avoid interference, Luca L suggests studying each language in different place, and I would also not do the same type of learning task at the same time(eg studying verb tables on the same day). It is doable but I would also say that I think progression for both languages will take place at a much slower pace.
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Re: Can I learn 2 new languages at the same time?

Postby lingua » Mon Dec 20, 2021 7:04 pm

Last year I tried to do German and Portuguese as a false beginner at the same time. Since I'd worked with them both in the past (especially German) I thought it would work out okay. For me it was too much so I ended up putting German on hold until I could get my Portuguese at a more solid A2 level. However, I'm an older person and my memory is noticeably poorer than it was when I was young. I believe I could have pulled it off more easily 20 years ago. Going forward I'm only going to concentrate on one beginner language at a time.

I'd agree that doing two languages from the same family is probably a bad idea. Part of the reason I thought German and Portuguese would work together was because they were so different. My Italian level is probably B2 (and C1 reading) at this point and I still get a lot of interference between it and Portuguese.
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Re: Can I learn 2 new languages at the same time?

Postby reineke » Mon Dec 20, 2021 8:08 pm

It is interesting how these threads intersect with problems and worries of the "I" that always feels this need to be firmly in the driver's seat.

Maintenance - oh no, we're forgetting what we've learned! You better show up every day or else!
Interference - oh no, the languages are getting all mixed up! Ewww! They're contaminated! Ruined!
The technique - It's all in the technique, see... Hi-yah! Like that scrawny guy pointing to a mountain of muscle, saying: but it doesn't mean he's strong... MMA, ju-jitsu, Krav Maga...

Let's strategize! Where are the gurus?! I don't know, but I think they may be missing something too.
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Re: Can I learn 2 new languages at the same time?

Postby Teango » Mon Dec 20, 2021 9:29 pm

Try...

Everyone's thankfully different and motivated by different things, so why not give both scenarios a short tryout (e.g., 3 days with 1 language, then 3 days with 2 languages), and see how you personally feel about it. By the end of a week, you'll have a better idea what to do next.

The most important thing is to start - anything at all - especially anything that gets your feet wet in the language, and while using and studying it, brings you happiness, progress, confidence, and rewards.

The second step, depending on how you feel from day to day (and this can be as temperamental as tropical weather), is to continue.

Personally, I love languages of all shapes and varieties, and don't sweat perfectionism anymore. For me, it's all about the journey and spending time on what I love to do; I know I'll get these things right in the end, and the rolling lush valleys from atop that hill will be beautiful and full of potential, and stretch far into a lifetime's horizon. For others, there may be a more compelling and immediate need to learn a language right now, for instance, to pass a job interview, get into college, or as has been the case for me in the past, ask someone wonderful out (Dr Pimsleur would be proud!) As I said, we're all different and want or need different things. For example, for the past few months, I've been soaking up Russian and enjoying more conversations with native speakers. But who knows, this week I might dive back into New Zealand Sign Language and up the game with my son (daddy needs to learn more signs!), or perhaps find a detective novel in German to cosy up to over Christmas. I've even been guilty of learning 25 languages at a time in the past, and you know what...I had a blast, learned something new, and found it very rewarding.

Whatever works for you and you decide to do, I wish you the very best of luck and happy holidays!
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Re: Can I learn 2 new languages at the same time?

Postby PeterMollenburg » Wed Dec 22, 2021 9:32 am

The only person that really knows the answer to your question is your future self who has already tried learning the two languages...

I don't mean to be cheeky, but realistic in fact. We can offer our advice based on our experience and even hypothesize as to how you might do even if it contradicts our experience but it's all roughly calculated guess work, since there are too many variables.

Let's use an analogy as a question: Can I drop my camera (or phone) and will it be okay? Well, that depends. From what height? On what angle will it connect with the 'surface'? Onto what surface? Is it shock proof? Is it in a case? Etc etc

I don't mean to be condescending nor haughty, but to illustrate with the above question the vagueness of your query. This suggests that you don't have a lot of experience in language learning. But that's okay, we were all beginners at some point and we've all failed at certain things, often language learning itself until we found a method that works.

So, which languages do you want to learn? What is your experience in language learning? How much time will you be putting into them? What materials or methods will you use? The answers to these questions won't necessarily be right or wrong as the biggest variable is the learner themselves. In other words, you need to find what works for you.

I used to learn more than two languages simultaneously years ago. I thought I didn't do so well because years later I compared my progress to studying just one language at a time. I've come full circle now and maybe that's because I've got lots of experience under my belt now (compared to the old me) and feel that I could learn two or three languages at a time without issue..... provided I had enough time. Time is the biggest factor alongside motivation and perseverence.

So yes it is possible and even if it is the wrong decision to make, I advise you to have a go at learning them both together. You'll soon find out if it is going to work for you or not. For some of us it does work, for some of us it doesn't, for others it works then it doesn't or it does for a while and then it doesn't.

I would advise 30min to 60 minutes a day of the language you're more relaxed with and 1.5 to 3 hours/day for the one you are more serious about. But again there are variables. This advice is no good if you need to reach your goals in six months. It could conversely be adjusted downwards (in terms of daily learning time) if you are happy to take several years to get to your goal.... unless of course you're considering Arabic and Mandarin?

Good luck, have a go and see how you go! You'll figure it out.
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Re: Can I learn 2 new languages at the same time?

Postby rdearman » Wed Dec 22, 2021 2:16 pm

firewheel wrote:Hi Members,

I have a query to ask you all.

Is it advisable to learn 2 new languages at the same time?

The intent for both languages are different.

I intend to learn language A (only conversational) just to know some common words and phrases used in everyday life so that I can roughly understand what the native people are speaking about.

As for language B (both conversational and written), I intend to learn it to advanced level because I want to apply for jobs which require proficiency in language B in the future.

Thank you.

You've already got 3 languages under your belt. So I'm going to say yes you can. With the stipulation that the two languages are sufficiently far from each other not to interfere, Arabic & Korean, or Spanish & Japanese, etc.
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Re: Can I learn 2 new languages at the same time?

Postby s_allard » Wed Dec 22, 2021 3:32 pm

There is a lot to unpack here. I would like to make the distinction between on the one hand studying and on the other hand learning two (or more) languages simultaneously. Actually, I think most people here are learning multiple languages at the same time because we never stop learning our other languages. After all these years of working on Spanish and passing the C2 exam, I still feel there is so much to learn. Just this morning, I had a tutoring session and came away feeling that I had learned something.

This is probably more like maintenance mode or low-intensity learning. On the other hand, studying a language formally or intensively, especially from scratch, is another thing. To do this with two languages simultaneously seems to me very difficult and rather counterproductive. And if the languages are closely related, then you are asking for trouble. But I’m always an optimistic chap. There’s one way to find out, try it.
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Re: Can I learn 2 new languages at the same time?

Postby Le Baron » Wed Dec 22, 2021 5:45 pm

TSS42 wrote:In the last 11 years, I have never NOT learned multiple languages at the same time.

Do what pleases you the most.

But only one of them is rated 'high' by you. Isn't that a clue?
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Re: Can I learn 2 new languages at the same time?

Postby einzelne » Wed Dec 22, 2021 6:09 pm

You can but you won't be able to.
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