Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann

Of course there are objective factors when it comes to being a successful language learner, but there are some subjective factors too. In this video I discuss the characteristics I believe set language learners up for success.

As well as enjoying the process, learning another language means I get to discover a new culture and people. What is your “why”?

Writing is an effective way to improve language skills. You have time to look things up: words, verb and noun forms, conjugations, declensions, phrases, etc. You have more time to work on your output than when you’re engaged in an oral conversation.

Learning is about much more than schools. This is especially true for language learning. A major ingredient for success is enthusiasm, on the part of the learner and the teacher. My chat with Alberto of Italiano Automatico.

Language learning is not about performing or being judged. It's about communicating, understanding, expressing our thoughts and ideas and feelings, however imperfectly, in the language we're learning.

Grammar or correct usage is usually the first goal of language instruction. For me it’s the fifth goal, after acquiring words, reading, listening, and speaking with mistakes. It’s only then that I focus more on grammar.

Vocabulary growth is key to acquiring a language. In this video I show I do this. Spoiler, I'm not a big user of flash cards. I learn words in context, or occasionally using lists.

Compelling input is increasingly recognized as the sine qua non of language learning. So where does grammar instruction or grammar learning fit in? Olly and Steve discuss this.

Olly Richards of storytelling.com and I compare notes on the technology we use to set up for our videos. Language learning has become more easier through technology, but making videos for YouTube has become more technically demanding.

The goal of language learning, for most people, is speaking. But, for me, it isn't the first goal. A strong passive vocabulary, good reading skills, and good listening comprehension are earlier goals that enable to become a good speaker of the language.

Though listening is the third goal in my hierarchy of language learning goals, in many ways it is the most important. Listening is easy to do and it is the best preparation for speaking.

Ukrainian was my third Slavic language after Russian and Czech. Relationships between languages of the same language family are interesting. Discovering the individual histories and cultures behind these languages is a major motivator.

Reading helps enormously in acquiring new words, and in achieving some level of comprehension for what you hear in a new language. It is harder to for me remember words just by hearing them. Seeing the words written gives them form, definition.

The number one goal in language learning is to acquire words. The number of words you know is the simplest measure of your knowledge of any language. We acquire words mostly incidentally, not deliberately. That is at the core of LingQ.

My 7 language learning goals: 1. Acquire words. Passive vocabulary is the best measure of my potential in a language. 2. Read a lot. Reading is easier to understand than listening. I may read new material or re-read old material, but I read every day. 3. Listen everywhere. I listen every day, either repeatedly as a beginner, or more extensively as I progress in a language. 4. Speak when I have the...

Francesco’s story is typical. A passion for languages and a passion for the culture of his homeland, Italy, took him from his background in economics to creating an online presence helping people learn Italian via videos and podcasts.

Listening is the easiest language learning activity to do, anywhere, any time. To be effective, there should be some ability to understand at least some of what you hear.

When I was 17 I essentially spoke only one language, English. Today I speak 20 languages, six of them quite well, six fairly well, and the rest are work in progress. How did that happen?

We don't need to be perfect to communicate in a foreign language. John Cena doesn't speak perfect Mandarin Chinese, far from it, but he communicates effectively from the heart.

I love French for its history and cultural influence. For English speakers, or speaker of other Romance languages, the amount of familiar or recognizable vocabulary is a major advantage to learners, despite the occasional "false friend".

Will John of Goluremi Languages is an American polyglot and professional soccer player, who has played in many countries. He grew up in the "heartland" of America. He credits his mother for his interest in languages.

I hear people say their level in English isn’t good. Many have unrealistic expectations. English is an international language of communication. If you can communicate you’re doing just fine.

LingQ has been rewritten from scratch. Mark & I discuss new features which make it easier to learn languages and easier for the LingQ team to add additional functions and features to meet member requests.

Ancient Greece and Rome had an outsized influence on the culture of Europe, and even the world. We may call their languages dead today but they were living languages for much of recent history.

In language learning, the obsessive pursuit of perfection can be an obstacle to achieving a comfortable ability to communicate in the language.