The Actual Fluency Podcast for Language Learners

Kris Broholm and guest Anthony Lauder explore Anthony's transformation from "polynot" to "polyglot." Anthony shares his distilled wisdom from learning Czech and other languages, drawing on insights from his Fluent Czech channel and Polyglot Budapest presentation.

Kris Broholm interviews Andrew Williams, who discusses his father's suggestion to learn a language a year for life. They explore Andrew's perspective on maintaining many languages, treating them as tools, and emphasize usage for proficiency. The conversation also covers common language learning challenges and solutions.

Kris Broholm welcomes Robert Bigler, an Austrian polyglot, to discuss his 18 years of experience as a translator and interpreter. They explore career opportunities in translation and interpretation for polyglots, along with Bigler's personal language learning strategies.

Kris Broholm interviews Simon Ager, founder of Omniglot. They discuss learning languages, specifically focusing on strategies for mastering minority or obscure languages. The conversation provides practical tips for language learners.

Kris Broholm interviews Jan van der Aa, who has spent five years traveling the world and learning multiple languages. They discuss how Jan combines location-independent work, travel, and language acquisition, exploring his journey and tips for this lifestyle.

Kris Broholm interviews Chuck Smith, an organizer of Polyglott Berlin. They discuss the Polyglott Berlin gathering, the constructed language Esperanto, and various aspects of general language learning.

Kris Broholm recounts his personal language learning journey, explaining how it provided purpose during a difficult period including depression and family hardships. He also reflects on the language community's positive impact before interviewing special guest Richard Simcott about language learning.

Kris Broholm welcomes Sonja Lang, creator of Toki Pona, to the podcast. They discuss the process of creating a conlang like Toki Pona. The episode also explores broader philosophical themes, including the meaning of life.

Kris Broholm welcomes Brian Kwong to discuss the Add1Challenge. They explore how the challenge helps people add new languages and offer practical tips for succeeding in language challenges. The conversation highlights the benefits of learning languages collaboratively.

Kris Broholm interviews Nils Iversen, who shares his unique low-tech approach to language learning. Nils details his method of using pen, paper, and dictionaries for vocabulary acquisition, achieving impressive results. Kris explores this alternative to digital tools, even adopting the Goldlist method for his own Russian studies.

Kris Broholm hosts Lauren Cutlip and Benny Lewis to discuss Lauren's recent Esperanto challenge. They explore her struggles as a new foreign language learner and how Benny coached her. The conversation also covers dynamics for couples learning languages.

Kris Broholm interviews Gavan Fantom, a native Esperanto speaker. They explore Gavan's unique upbringing, speaking Esperanto as his first language. The discussion also covers the language itself and the Esperanto community.

Ben Whately, COO of Memrise comes by the podcast to talk about Memrise, including the science behind and future initiatives such as premium memberships!

Kris Broholm interviews Bill Price of howtolanguages.com about his insights as a language learning blogger. Kris also shares details about the Actual Fluency June giveaway and his plans for the Polyglot Conference in Berlin.

Kris Broholm welcomes Olly Richards from IWillTeachYouALanguage.com. They discuss language learning strategies, focusing specifically on Chinese and Japanese. Olly shares practical advice for listeners interested in learning new languages.

Kris Broholm and guest Robin MacPherson conclude their discussion on language learning. Robin shares his specific methods for acquiring new languages, including how he integrates daily audio courses for incremental progress. He outlines routines for starting a new language from scratch without disrupting focus.

Kris Broholm welcomes Robin MacPherson to discuss the emotional and psychological journey of living abroad and learning languages. They explore the deeper aspects of finding home, happiness, and loneliness, including the often-overlooked negative experiences of expatriate life. This episode focuses on the human side of living in a foreign country.

Kris Broholm and Lindsay Dow discuss language learning, motivation, and optimizing tutoring experiences. They also explore TEFL certification, Lindsay's experience teaching English in Costa Rica, and how to pronounce Italki.

Kris Broholm interviews Austrian polyglot and blogger Dani Maizner. They discuss lessons Dani learned over 15 years of studying nine languages, including her "aha moments" in language acquisition. Kris also outlines his new format featuring experienced but lesser-known language learners.

Kris Broholm shares his "language trifecta" for independent language learning. He outlines three essential components: an introduction to the language, a method for vocabulary acquisition, and opportunities for speaking and writing practice. Kris also provides specific resources and tools for each aspect.

Kris Broholm interviews Steve Kaufmann, a Canadian superpolyglot and entrepreneur. Steve shares his language learning journey, offers best tips, and discusses his 90-day Korean challenge. They also explore the LingQ language learning platform.

Kris Broholm interviews Seán Young, an experienced language teacher, to discuss effective language teaching methods. They explore what defines a great teacher, critique traditional school instruction, and share Seán's personal strategies for language learning.

Kris Broholm hosts Judith Meyer, who shares her inspiring language learning journey and general tips. They discuss motivation, goal setting, and Meyer's experience learning Indonesian. Meyer also reveals a special secret for attendees of the Polyglot Berlin conference.

Kris Broholm hosts Ellen Jovin, who has studied over 17 languages. They discuss her unique philosophy of language learning for pure enjoyment, focusing on motivations and methods for diverse linguistic acquisition.