Speak a Foreign Language Like a Native
If you’re a regular to our blog, you know we love languages. And we’re not alone.
More than half of high school students in Europe study two or more languages.
Statistics on world figures are a little hazier, but it’s estimated that 43% of the world’s population are bilingual, 13% are trilingual, a narrow 3% are multilingual (four languages) and a tiny slither (1%) are classed as Polyglots (five or more languages.)
But why do people learn new languages in the first place?
According to the hundreds of people that took our survey… Spanish isn’t just hard to learn.
Spanish is the hardest language to learn.
I know they say that French is the language of love – but really, any language is the language of love if you’re speaking it to someone you like.
Whether you’re new to a language or feel competent in it, flirting for the first time in a new language can feel a bit daunting.
So, in true Mimic Method style, we’ve done the hard part for you. Here are 10 phrases in each of the languages we teach that’ll help you chat with that lovely man or woman sitting across from you in the cafe…
[Read more…] about 10 Flirty Phrases You Need in Every Language
“Should I learn two languages at once?”
It’s a question I get asked all the time. And I understand where it’s coming from.
You see me online, speaking 6 languages. You see other polyglots around the world who have command of seven, eight, nine languages – and you think, hey! I want some of that action. I want to speak all of these languages.
And I want to do it all at once.
So then you think to yourself – how hard can it be? If this guy speaks six languages, why can’t I learn two at the same time?
Well. I get it. I really do.
But learning two languages at the same time usually isn’t a good idea. Unless you just want to practice hearing and pronunciation in multiple languages.
Let me explain.
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Imagine you could stick something in your ear and instantly be able to understand any language you hear.
That’s the concept of a Babel Fish, from “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” It’s a small, yellow fish that hacks your brain waves and acts as a universal translator.
But while Babel Fish may be science fiction, the future is already here. Google has just come out with Pixel Buds – head phones that offer real-time in-ear translation.
And while the technology may not be perfect yet, you might be wondering:
Am I spending thousands of hours learning a new language when soon enough all translation will be instant?
Is language learning obsolete?
[Read more…] about Why Learn A Language When We have Google Pixel Buds?
Starting a new language can be daunting.
With all of the competing priorities in our lives, it’s hard to find time for anything new.
Plus, so many unknowns can cause fear and frustration:
At the same time, there are so many language learning resources out there, you’ll likely suffer from information overload.
So how do you get the greatest return on investment in a short period of time?
According to guru Josh Kaufman, you can a good start on learning anything in just 20 hours!
[Read more…] about 4 Steps to Get Proficient in A Language Fast