[2023-06-11] 300 days of learning

Today, I reached Day 300 of learning Brazilian Portuguese, largely through Duolingo.

Here's what I've learned in the past 300 days and over a lifetime of trying to acquire a second language (French) before working on my third (Brazilian Portuguese):
  • You can learn way more by using Duolingo (and likely any other language-learning app) than you might have thought possible.
  • Whatever approach you choose as your primary learning tool, it has to be fun, interesting or stimulating—preferably all three. You'll learn more using an approach that you can stick with over the long haul than one you abandon after a few weeks or months.
  • Many approaches are better than one. Use multiple strategies to learn a language: listen to it (choosing a slower speed if possible), read it (even if you start with children's literature), speak it (for example, by reciting a text to yourself), write it (even if just short sentences in a text).
  • Be patient: concepts you think you'll never understand, let alone master, will sink in and become natural over time. You'll get there. Just keep going.
  • You'll learn more from actually using your new language than simply studying it as a subject.
  • Conversing with someone in a new language is hard: your words won't come easily, you'll struggle to understand everything the other person is saying, and you'll feel self-conscious about your mistakes, your pronunciation and your stilted delivery. Just keep going.
  • Most people will care a lot less than you that you're not speaking perfectly.
  • Learning a language for fun or personal interest is way more enjoyable than learning it because you need it for a job.
  • It's OK to guess at a word you don't know. Sometimes, you'll be right; sometimes you'll be wrong but your listener will nevertheless figure out what you're trying to say; sometimes you'll be completely off base. That still puts your odds of being understood at two to one.
  • People who know multiple languages use words from one language when speaking another. You can too.
  • Note and celebrate those occasions when knowing a new language comes in handy. Perhaps you were able to give someone directions or to impress your partner's grandmother or to help a friend who is trying to learn your primary language. These successes (your "why") will help keep you motivated through the hard parts.
  • The more you speak your new language, the easier it will be to do so. It's like training for a marathon. First you rejoice that you remembered a new word, then you rejoice that you could string together an entire sentence, then you rejoice that you managed to hold a conversation. One baby step at a time.
  • The majority of people who are native speakers of the language you're trying to learn will be pleased that you are making an effort to learn and use their language. Focus on the ones who encourage you, and forget the ones who don't.
  • Be curious. If you don't know a word in your new language, look it up, write it down, share it with someone. If you don't understand a grammar concept, do a search online. Follow social media accounts that help people learn a new language. (There are a lot on Instagram, and most use visuals to reinforce vocabulary.)
  • Doubling up on activities makes it easier to find time to learn a language. Listen to content in the language you're trying to acquire while on a solo walk, cleaning your house or falling asleep. Do errands with your language-learning buddy, getting everyday stuff done while improving your vocabulary and comfort in your target language.
  • Don't worry about your accent. As one language teacher wrote, "Accents are exotic." In 3 Reasons You're Afraid of Speaking in a Foreign Language and What You Can Do About It, language teacher Trini Cannoot notes: "I love hearing people speak English with their accents, whether they be Italian, Spanish, Thai, Japanese, or any other kind of accent. It makes communicating interesting and gives conversations a special charm. I love being in a group of people from all over the world and listening to the different rhythms and music that they bring to English."
My motivation to learn Brazilian Portuguese hasn't waned since I started last August. If anything, it's increased as I have advanced in my studies. I'm still reviewing the various units in Duolingo, slowing but surely acquiring the legendary trophies. I'll be at it for several more months, but that's OK because learning a language is proving to be a joyous, worthwhile, lifelong pursuit.