How I learned Spanish in less than a year FAST (self taught)

Summary

This video script narrates the speaker's personal journey of learning Spanish in less than a year, emphasizing the non-linear and emotional aspects of language acquisition. After mastering German, the speaker leveraged existing language skills and academic approaches to achieve fluency. The script also discusses the impact of external validation on self-worth and the importance of self-compassion in the learning process. It concludes by highlighting the uniqueness of each learner's journey and the need for adaptability in language learning routines.

Takeaways

• 🚀 Learning Spanish in less than a year is possible but requires a lot of work and consistency.
• 🌐 The speaker's prior knowledge of German and Italian gave them an advantage in learning Spanish due to language similarities.
• 📚 A structured approach using textbooks and online resources was key to the speaker's language learning process.
• 🎯 Setting clear goals and timelines was crucial for the speaker's progress in learning Spanish.
• 🔍 The speaker emphasized the importance of finding the right learning methods that work for the individual.
• 🧠 Language learning can have emotional impacts and affect one's mental state, which in turn influences the learning process.
• 🤔 Self-reflection on learning preferences, such as focus duration and dealing with setbacks, is part of the learning journey.
• 🗣️ Speaking from day one, even if it's just to oneself, is a strategy the speaker used to overcome discomfort and improve fluency.
• 📈 Leveraging language similarities and differences, such as between Italian and Spanish, can accelerate learning.
• 📚 The speaker used a variety of resources, including Coursera, IIE languages, and YouTube, to enhance their learning.
• 🌍 Immersion through travel and real-life usage of the language was a significant boost to the speaker's Spanish proficiency.
• 💡 The speaker's success with Spanish led to internal struggles with self-doubt when learning other languages with fewer resources and validation.
• 🌱 Self-compassion and recognizing individual circumstances are essential for a healthy and sustainable language learning journey.

Q & A

Is it possible to learn Spanish in less than a year according to the transcript?

Yes, it is possible to learn Spanish in less than a year, but it requires a lot of work, consistency, and it's not a linear journey.

Why did the speaker choose to learn Spanish after German?

The speaker chose to learn Spanish because they noticed many Germans wanted to speak Spanish, and they already had a good grasp of German and wanted to connect with different people through multiple languages.

What was the speaker's strategy to learn Spanish efficiently before spring break?

The speaker set a deadline for themselves to study as much Spanish as possible before spring break, using their previous knowledge of French and Italian, as well as organizational skills acquired while learning German.

How did the speaker's background in German help with learning Spanish?

The speaker's background in German was advantageous because they already knew their preferred learning methods and could apply language laddering, using their stronger language (German) to learn their weaker language (Spanish).

What resources did the speaker use to learn Spanish?

The speaker used a Coursera course for Spanish, IIE languages blog, Espanol Con Juan on YouTube, and Lingo two slides for Spanish. They also bought textbooks for B1 and B2 levels to be overprepared.

Why did the speaker start speaking to themselves in Spanish?

The speaker started speaking to themselves in Spanish to push through the discomfort and impatience, knowing that they would have to speak Spanish in class and wanting to practice forming sentences.

How did the speaker use their knowledge of Italian to learn Spanish faster?

The speaker noticed the differences between Italian and Spanish, such as letter replacements and spelling patterns, and noted these differences in a separate notebook to learn more quickly.

What was the impact of the speaker's success in learning Spanish on their mental health?

The speaker's success in learning Spanish led to internal struggles and self-doubt when learning other languages, as they compared their progress to their Spanish learning experience and sought the same level of external validation.

How did the speaker's life circumstances contribute to their ability to learn Spanish quickly?

The speaker was young, single, financially supported by their family, had a good safety net, and was emotionally supported by language learning friends. They also had the opportunity to go abroad and access to language learning resources.

What advice does the speaker give for maintaining self-compassion during language learning?

The speaker advises to keep evolving, adjust language learning routines according to life circumstances, and remember that each person's language learning story matters, emphasizing the importance of self-compassion and not solely focusing on speed of learning.

How did the speaker's experiences with language learning and mental health affect their approach to learning other languages?

The speaker's experiences led them to place their self-worth on the speed of language learning, which resulted in negative mental health when learning languages with fewer resources and different grammatical structures compared to Spanish.