The secret to effective language learning from a 35-year-old man who speaks 11 languages

Sharing from Luca Lampariello - 35, who can speak 11 languages ​​fluently, will be the "guideline" for everyone who dreams of becoming a "multilingual" dream: Simply start learning . Let's see how this man seeks motivation and what secrets he learns.

Most people when they meet someone who speaks many languages ​​fluently, their first reaction will often be a little confused, confused. Because, "multilingual" is often seen as something that is difficult to achieve, even learning the second, third and fourth languages ​​other than mother tongue for many people takes a lifetime. Like them, I'm sure that learning is fun, but I doubt people think that learning a language is a challenging process.

My name is Luca Lampariello . Here, I will share with you how I learned 11 languages ​​and why I learned these languages. You all know that dynamics is fundamental, but the problem is where to find motivation and how to turn it into a morale in learning?

I agree that learning language is really interesting, but I don't believe what they claim is difficult to learn.

Learning a language does not stop at stuffing a lot of knowledge and spending hours studying. It is also an adventurous journey to many beautiful places, meeting inspiring people, enjoying delicious food and embarking on countless adventures that I myself must discover. . These experiences are my motivation, which makes learning language to me possible.

Video interview "multilingual people" Luca Lampariello

English

Lesson learned : Language cannot be taught, they can only be learned. Having someone or something to assist in the learning process is a great advantage. Find a guide, not a teacher.

English became the global language exactly when I was 10 years old (1991). Studying at that time is compulsory. From the beginning, I encountered many obstacles. I don't like teachers, grammar lessons make me confused and learning materials are nothing new. I thought that I would never learn this language. After that, my parents decided to hire a professor to teach me. At that time, I was 13 and the teacher was great. She did not simply guide me but also helped me discover many interesting things about the language. She put me on the right path to conquer English and most importantly teach me how to love it.

I started reading many books in English. At the same time, the combination of reading, watching movies every day and talking to tutors once a week for 2 consecutive years made me remarkably improved. By the age of 15, I was fluent in English and possessed a "true" American voice.

Learning is a kind of treasure that will lead its owner anywhere - Chinese Proverb.

French

Lesson learned : Language is the doorway to the whole world that is worth exploring. So be open and learn how to love it. With that language, with that country, with that person or even food. No type of motivation can be bigger than them.

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I started learning French close to the time I started learning English and also faced similar difficulties. However, everything changed when I was 14, I realized that I could watch TV in French. Since then, I spend 2 hours a day after dinner to watch TV. At the age of 15, I fluent in French.

Taking a few hours a day to watch TV has helped me a lot more than the previous 3 years of high school. In 2010, I came to Paris and 3 years living there helped me to gain the incomparable feeling of French culture: history, tradition, jokes, customs, norms and joys. Pride of the French for their cuisine and language.

Language is a cultural map. It will tell you where people are from and where they are going - Rita Mae Brown.

German

Lesson learned : If you find a method you like and is right for you, start learning any language you want. There is no best way to learn a foreign language. Find something that works for you and, above all, experiment!

German is the first foreign language that I fully studied myself. I don't remember exactly why I was interested in this language, but I remember exactly that time, I didn't know anything about how to learn German. I spent a few months using the dusty grammar book I saw from my grandmother's bookcase. However, Gothic letters filled from the top of the page to the bottom of the page forced me to repeat grammar repeatedly without any benefit. Soon, I was bored.

After that, I watched a TV commercial on a 4-language foreign language series and decided to try again. While applying it, I came up with a method for myself: a special technique ( listening, repeating, writing and translating ) that helped me to access the basic knowledge of all languages ​​gently, Natural, interesting and I find it effective.

After using this method for about 1.5 years, I met many Germans on vacation. I always remember their faces when they were puzzled asking me "Wie kannst du so gut Deutsch?" (How are you good at speaking German?) Their reaction to talking with many people is enough to add "fuel" to my passion for improving my German speaking ability. From that moment, I began to devour books . Language has become an integral part of my life.

If you talk to a person in the language he understands, those things will be remembered with his head. If you speak in his language, those things will be engraved in his heart - Nelson Mandela.

Spanish

Lesson learned : Learning a foreign language will help you gain more profound feelings about your mother tongue. If learning a second language is similar to your mother tongue, learn to speak from the beginning. It will be easier than you imagine.

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Spain and Italy are like two sisters, just like the other. A very common misconception in Italy is that Spanish is very easy: that you only have to speak Italian and then add "s" at the end of each word. The overall structure of these two languages ​​is the same but there are still some obvious differences in pronunciation, tone and usage of idioms.

In 2007, I participated in a student exchange program in Barcelona. Despite being overwhelmed by an environment where the Catalan people occupied the majority, I was fortunate to be able to live with a Spanish girl from Malaga who was very active and often went out with other Spaniards. We exchanged languages ​​for each other and when I returned to Rome I was fluent in this language.

Those who do not know foreign languages ​​will not know about themselves - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Dutch

Lesson learned : Language that is not used is of no use. Sooner or later you have to learn so it's better not to let anyone else determine what you want to learn. Find your way by your excitement and beliefs.

I met Lotte - a Dutch girl in a camp in Northern Sardinia. She doesn't speak English so both of us start to feel confused when we can't communicate with each other. Although there are still pleasant conversations, sometimes there is trouble. It was this urging me to learn Dutch soon after.

Many people think that Dutch doesn't seem to help at all - everyone speaks English - and this makes me feel stuck. I read books and magazines that my friends brought from the Netherlands. I know I will use this language sooner or later and belief has proven that I am right. My roommate was later a Dutch and thanks to the hard work of studying before, we communicated with each other very easily. Obviously, the idea of ​​going to a country to learn a simple language is not the truth.

Learn anything, anytime, from anyone, sometimes you'll feel grateful for that - Sarah Caldwell.

Swedish

Lesson learned : Start learning pronunciation right from the beginning to avoid developing bad habits. Be flexible. If the language has something specific, then learn it more from the beginning.

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I thought about learning a Scandinavian language quite a lot. Swedish sounds like melodious music in the ear because it has a very special intonation. However, to start learning is really quite difficult. In 2014, I went to Stockholm for the first time and was immediately fascinated by Swedish culture. I learned to speak, mostly to Norwegians, watching movies, reading books - mostly sensational films because Scandinavian people are very good at the genre. And what's the best thing? If you know Swedish, most Scandinavian people will understand you and immediately, you can explore the wonderful culture and way of thinking of the people on this peninsula.

Knowing a language is more of a soul - Charlemagne.

Russian

Lesson learned : If you can lose faith in a foreign language, take the initiative to look for something that can make you passionate about learning again. Go to another country, meet someone, watch movies, make YouTube videos. Anything is fine.

After getting quite a bit of German and Romance, I want to learn something new. Russian seems quite strange: rich, elegant but also full of complexity. Thinking about Russian is like solving a math puzzle for every sentence and I wonder how can Russians say them every day?

I had no one to help, and after 8 months, I began to realize that I might have made a mistake. Rarely do I track progress. I didn't achieve much in the long 3 years and after that, I posted a Russian-speaking video on YouTube . The surprise is that many people have left very enthusiastic comments. Russians think that their language is difficult and not easily accessible, so when they hear someone say something, they feel extremely interesting. After that, I began to speak Russian as a daily activity and gradually improved my ability to be more confident by correcting grammar properly.

The language constraint made my life narrower - Ludwig Wittgenstein.

Portuguese

Lesson learned: You can learn two languages ​​simultaneously as long as you can manage time and energy effectively.

I started learning Portuguese (Portuguese) at the same time as learning Mandarin. I have never studied two foreign languages ​​at the same time so I have made a specific learning path. Like Spanish, I learned Portuguese very naturally. I focus on pronunciation and the difficulty is that the non-accented vowels are rarely pronounced and the sentences are like a series of interrupted consonants. I used to wonder why I didn't choose Portuguese (Brazil) because it was so much easier, but the fact is that I don't usually choose language. I let the language choose me.

Knowing a language is more of a soul - Charlemagne.

Polish language

Lesson learned: Tourism is a really great learning motivation. Travel the most you can, whenever it will open new doors and motivate you to continue exploring the language.

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I visited Poland in 2012 for the second time in my life and I was quickly caught up in love with this country and its people. Without using bilingual translation tools, I learned the language right from the start by setting up a weekly language exchange with Michal - an indigenous guy I met that summer. If you are in another country, want to learn a language and you are fluent in a foreign language, then use this form of exchange because you will have a lot of benefits. After a year, I was quite fluent in Polish and I made a YouTube video myself with Michal.

Knowing a language helps you prepare for your life. Knowing the two languages ​​will open every door you meet on the road of life - Frank Smith.

Mandarin (Mandarin - Chinese)

Lesson learned: Don't be afraid even if the language is said to be difficult to learn.

I have heard people say that Chinese is extremely difficult and that is why I have never planned to study this language. However, looking back on the unexpected successes through some of the first YouTube videos I made, I decided to embark on a new challenge. I started learning my own Mandarin and it was no surprise that I had to face a lot of trouble.

If someone tells me that Chinese can't learn by itself, I can guarantee that this is not entirely true. Recognizing that it has certain complex aspects, however, on some sides it also has fresh points. If you know how to handle tones and words properly, in the long run, Chinese is not difficult to pursue. Once you are determined, it is great to speak fluently. At this point, you can discover everything related to China you want.

You will never understand a language until you know at least two languages ​​- Geoffrey Williams.

Japanese

Lesson learned: Some languages ​​have completely different points so be flexible and change your learning method accordingly. If this technique doesn't work, change it. Do not give up. Don't be defeated.

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When I started learning Japanese, I still couldn't imagine how hard it was. I can't even put simple sentences because the structure in Japanese is more complicated than any language I've conquered. At first, I thought that this difficulty was only temporary and I could solve it by speaking more but in reality it was the opposite. However, I'm still confident that I will do it. I changed the method, persevered and finally I succeeded with the 11th language.

Knowing another language is another vision of life - Federico Fellini.

Discovering a method of learning a foreign language is one of the most wonderful things for me. It was an experience that made me extremely excited. However, my success is not simply to spend time at home "glued" to verb tables. I succeeded because I went out and actually lived with that language.

Speaking multiple languages ​​is not and should not be a mental manipulation activity. It is love for yourself and for those who help you discover the diversity of human nature as well as the different aspects of your personality. If someone asks me why I like learning a language so much, I always say, "I don't live to learn a foreign language, I study a foreign language to live better".