How to learn 5 languages ​​simultaneously and do not screw it up

Hi, my name is Alena, I am 25 years old and I want to be a polyglot. According to my calculations, soon I will be good or very good to speak seven languages, not including Russian and Ukrainian. If you do not screw up. In this article I will discuss how to teach five languages ​​at the same time, because at the moment I only have this experience.

1. Not all at once

I'm now in English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Turkish.

Here at once is worth mention that all of these languages ​​have appeared in my life, not yesterday and not simultaneously. I suddenly learned English in school, after school, doing a little myself, to put myself British accent and "clean up" the grammar.

Spanish I teach myself to 13 years and to this day. Until about 2010, I taught him something like, sometimes 5-6 months could not open the notebook, but those days are gone, and in November last year, I successfully passed the exam DELE C1. And English, and Spanish I teach for almost seven years. That is, even when I do not do them, they're still here with me because I share them with others.

I made several attempts to learn Italian. The first was 14 years old and lasted for about three weeks, for which, however, I could fill a half notebooks to 96 sheets. Oddly enough, the knowledge gained in the few weeks almost completely recovered a few hours after 9 years old when I started to learn Italian again. However, the bulk of my work came in the summer of 2015, when I was three months rather intensively taught in the Italian language marathon Language Heroes. By the end of the summer I could maintain hour conversation with a native speaker, although, of course, I had mistakes and ispanizmy.

Turkish I know a bit from childhood. Well, "I know," I could always order a meal and orange juice and find their way in Turkey, she knew a lot of random words, but grammar is not known at all. In the spring of last year, I began to fix it, learned at last the moment, some affixes and a few new words. But by the summer I threw Turkish.

Brazilian Portuguese, I started to teach in January, the same language marathon. He appeared to me more difficult Italian, Portuguese because even more similar to the Spanish, and very difficult to control, so that the Spanish did not intervene.

Accordingly, we can not say that I teach all these languages ​​in the same way and with the same intensity. If I had not longed to C2, then English and Spanish would have only to maintain, but not to study. Now I'm preparing for an English exam at level C1, so I had to sit down again for textbooks. But, for example, Spanish is not me hang no exams, so lately I've been reading a novel by Mario Vargas Llosa (Mario Vargas Llosa) and write in a notebook everything new and interesting, and rap, along with Calle 13.

2. YouTube

Perhaps you think that I advise to watch a lot of videos on YouTube. This of course, but I want to say a little about another. An integral part of my development languages ​​became my channel on YouTube. I started to take him in 2013, posted a video in which I can speak Italian a week later study (actually, one week and three weeks for nine years before). I posted my first video in Spanish at the end of the year. He now has more than 20,000 views, a canal more than 700 subscribers, most of whom - Hispanic.

Now, as soon as I start to learn any language, almost immediately I write in this language video and spread at the channel. Even if the media does not come and did not leave a comment (it was, and probably will be the Turkish), after a while I'll take the other video, and then I'll be happy to compare the results and progress. I correspond with people in the comments, and then some even communicate in Skype and Facebook. One such friend, I recently went to Argentina postcard with snow, and he could not get enough!

3. TV series

The role of the series in my language learning can not be overemphasized. Thanks to "Sex and the City" for English, "Wild Angel" - for my Argentine Spanish, Las Aparicio - for Mexican Spanish, Avenida Brasil - because I mastered Brazilian Portuguese, simply watching one episode after another with the Russian subtitles.

Actually my circuit is very simple: if the language at the primary level, it is worth watching the show with Russian subtitles. If the average level of language (approximately B2) - without subtitles, if available. In any case, even with subtitles their usefulness is undeniable, because you are listening to an infinitely great number of real speech. The film - is also great, but the problem is that you do not have time to recover, as it has already ended.

The main thing here, perhaps, that the Spanish seemed to me at the hearing Mandarin Chinese before I looked over 80 series "Wild Angel" without translation and subtitling.

4. extensive reading

Extensive reading - this is when you are reading a large volume of literature interesting to you, which does not occur more than 5-10 unfamiliar words on the page. Reading for pleasure. That is, I want to say that if you're just starting to learn Spanish, then immediately take the "One Hundred Years of Solitude" - this is probably not the best idea. On most popular languages ​​can be found adapted the book for all level without difficulty, but in general, with the A2 and B1, it is possible to attend to the search of a writer who writes easily and interesting.

My English and Spanish would be very different if I had not read them pile of books.

This is despite the fact that I read very carelessly, I am too lazy to be picked in the dictionary: if the meaning is clear, that I was going on. Although now, after so many books were read extensively, I'm finally reading and intensive use notepad, pen and marker. Often, I write not just words or phrases, but a whole sentence or paragraph with those words and combinations, as well as allocate them in the book marker. In the same way I always work with the articles - they are not as long as the book, I do not have time to be lazy with them.

5. Culture and Context

If you ask me why I teach these languages, I answer that it is because I like them. And I like not only they, but also many of the countries in which they speak. And in these countries, I often enjoy food, literature, music - whatever. Therefore, I will always find, as I use the language, even if the possibility to go into the country do not. And any text, every podcast, every song for me would be several times more useful than poking randomly at the words on the Memrise. I mean, I really have nothing against Memrise, and if it is for someone to work, then that's fine. I even myself there sometimes create sets of hard to remember words. But for me, this approach is, unfortunately, does not work. I almost do not remember the words out of context. I need a dialogue text, the situation, and even better - a couple of exercises afterwards.

6. type of perception

It is very important. At the time, I realized that I did not audial. My speaking skills ahead of my listening comprehension skill. In order to memorize a new word to the ear, I have heard it a dozen times, and sometimes more. And not the fact that I remember it correctly. It is therefore absolutely did not work for me for learning Egyptian Arabic Pimsleur method.

On the other hand, I try from the very beginning of language learning to listen to podcasts and watch TV shows, to my ear getting used to the sound. And the best way of remembering for me - to see and to write by hand.

Spanish - a language that I am the longest-studied independently and consciously. So, for me it is now there is a fifth book on 96 sheets, and that's not taking into account any records on the A4. But here we must understand that if you audial, something for you this way can become a waste of time. But if you are a long time, almost no avail learn the language, without writing anything by hand, then think - maybe here and the reason lies.

7. Language for three months

The language can not be learned in three months, if you are not some genius. But you can create a very good basis or even go to B1 level (it depends on your source data).

In general, returning to the theme of the five languages ​​simultaneously. Ever since I have been involved in the Language Heroes, I actively engaged in one language three months: rather quickly pass a basic tutorial, learn the basic grammar, listening to a lot of podcasts, many write on sites like italki.com and polyglotclub.com, try several long talk with native speakers, watch adapted video. If yes, then I read the book adapted. And all this in large quantities.

Other languages ​​at that time I was doing in the background. If there is a tutorial, then slowly go through it, watch movies from time to time communicate with native speakers in Skype (when there is a mood), I listen to the radio, and podcasts. After three months, I'm trying the main language "issue in the field", ie begin to absorb it on the culture and just to chat. Then, after some time, I can take over for the language intensively, but in general I try to teach here such intervals.

In general, learning five languages ​​at the same time - it is very hard psychologically.

Therefore, in the summer I'm going to withdraw from active learning Portuguese and Italian, to make way for energy-consuming French. French I actively taught for several months in 2012, on their own, without being so experienced in the study of languages ​​(Spanish does not count - it really the most appreciative language of all that I have met, even Slavic me so not given), so the first time I'll be working on reading and pronunciation.

In the autumn the German added, which I taught for seven years at school, and on which I have something like the A1 level. In general, the trick is that this year I have decided to bring to mind all the languages ​​with which I have dealt with I do not need to spend time learning the rules of reading, conjugation of the verb "to be" and the theme of "My family". Of course, I can not read to the end of the year "Madame Bovary" in the original, but there is a chance that my main goal - to speak in German - will be achieved.

Why all this?

Well, firstly, it's beautiful. But seriously, I have a million reasons. For example, recently I read a detective novel class of two Catalan writers who have not transferred any English, nor Russian, and, most likely, will not be transferred. And I can not describe how I was glad his knowledge of Spanish during reading time.

And I'll never forget how the hostel in Vilnius, I went to the kitchen to make tea, saw a three Mexicans and decided to speak to them. It was hard to decide, because I have just heard that they spoke Spanish, but that it was said, was impossible to hear. However, my fears proved groundless. At first they were surprised and asked why I am studying Spanish. Considering that in those days I practice happens about once or twice a year, I was not very easy to say, but I quickly dispersed, and they with me trying to speak slowly and is not used slang.

You can imagine that a native English surprised that you speak their language, and to admire it? What do you say to him that you love Kasabian, and he's like, 'Wow, you know Kasabian, who would have thought! "And with Latin America I have this happen all the time. In Italian and Lusofonia (Portuguese-speaking) culture until I just sink, but in general everything is the same.

But the coolest - it is in Turkey to watch the reaction of the dining room staff or restaurant when you come and order all Turkish.