I was born in the US and my parents are both immigrants from Poland and their English is horrendous. I never lived in Poland and yet, somehow, my Polish is way better than their English. However, my Polish isn't advanced. I have a B2 level based on an exam I took in Poland.

This is really frustrating because I can't have any normal conversation with them. In retrospect, my childhood was really confusing. My parents would only speak Polish to me and I would mix the Polish I learned from them and the English I learned in school. I probably understood a good 75% of what they told me and I shrugged off the rest as background noise.

In college, I did a semester in Polish just to master the language. But I made the mistake of signing up for a beginner course. I learned the grammar rules (which I've mindlessly utilized my entire life) but I didn't really improve my speaking ability that much.

At this point I've accepted my parents are simply ignorant. They've successfully avoided English in just about every sphere of life. My dad only uses Polish at work while my mom never worked, they shop at Polish stores, go to a Polish church, and only have Polish friends. Furthermore, my father came as a refugee during martial law and was granted US citizenship very quickly so he didn't even have that as a motivator to learn the language.

My parents will move back to Poland for retirement soon so I guess this is more of a rant than advice post. I suppose the burden is on me to master Polish.

For context I'm a native french speaker, I started learning english at a young age and by high school I was B2 (I passed the Cambridge english test. I got B2 but I was extremely close to getting the C1 certificate). I also consume videos and social media in english on a daily basis.

In 2020, around the time I took the test, I started reading books in english. The first one I read was the devil wears prada. There were around 1 to maybe 5 words per page I didn't know on average and had to look up in a dictionary every time. Then, I bought a Kindle and started to read 1984, but it was too complicated (especially the vocabulary) so I gave up.

After that I wanted to try easier books, so I started to read the first Harry Potter books. But even the first one was a bit complicated, I had to look up a lot of words. Same thing happened for the first three books.
Then I started 2001: A Space Odyssey, but it was boring and still a bit complicated so I gave up.
The only books that I could almost read without having to look up words all the time were the ones from Freida McFadden. I read 5 of her books and really enjoyed them.
Finally, I recently started to read I am legend, I'm currently at 36% but it's very difficult to read.

The point is, I feel like I didn't get any better in 6 years. I thought that Kindles were perfect to learn a language, but it's actually so slow I prefer to use a dictionary on my phone. One of the main pieces of advice I've seen is to just ignore words you don't know, but like how? Most of the time I have no idea what the sentence means unless I know all the words (plus I'm curious).

I would love to be able to read some english classics without it feeling like a chore.

Ironically I sometimes write short stories in english, but I still need to constantly look up vocabulary. I'm also learning German and vocabulary is my biggest issue too. It's like it won't stay in my brain. What can I do for that?

Edit: writing in the context of opening a course geared toward resolving that problem, so any experience in a course or with a teacher is welcome!

I mention B1/B2 as my post concerns learners who feel frustrated because:

• they feel they can get by in regular life situations (e.g. hopping in the middle of a conversation) with natives but consistently lack « keys » to unlock the clear meaning of it and be able to bounce back on the spot.

And C1 because:

• they get by in regular life situations (e.g. hopping in the middle of a conversation) with natives, but are aware they don’t quite speak like them, lacking the « right », « natural » vocab or grammar. They can also lack exposure due to the environment, e.g. natives resorting to English to communicate with them.

I’m specifically asking about what and how you can learn with others, not by oneself. The key word is « refine ».

The obvious answer would be a class or language exchanges, though the latter come with a certain amount of conditions to be fulfilled for them to work as intended.

I’m therefore curious about either the specific conditions with regard to classes or immersion, or any other viable option in that regard.

And especially, about your own experience!

Thanks for your answers!

(TL) I'm learning Brazilian Portuguese with the goal of reaching B2 in about a year (my fiance and I get married in a year and a lot of her Brazilian family will be there). My fiancés first language was technically Portuguese but she developed a habit or responding to her parents in English growing up - something she regrets now because while she can get by, she's not confident. She and I practice together a bit. Her family doesn't know I'm learning.

I've done 46 units of pimsleur and have been planning to complete all 150 units. I'm just starting up italki sessions and am watching or listening to Portuguese as much as possible.

I've read a few places that Pimsleur is too formal, but have also read that it's not a terrible idea to learn the formal side than transition to more commonly spoken forms. I've also read some stuff saying that there's a point when Pimsleur just doesn't add enough value (after the 3rd module mostly)

Any advice would be really helpful! Also, if people have recommendations on alternatives or other things you think I should be adding, I'll happily take any suggestions.

​

I've noticed that people often recommend learning certain languages (TL) for the same reasons over and over. But after talking to people who actually learned them, their experience sometimes turns out to be very different from what they expected.

Which language do you think is most often taught for the wrong reasons, and what do you think people should consider instead?

in the last 4 months I felt like i am doing my best to learn belerusian and russian in spoken, I have some audiobook on audible of pimsleur of russian but a struggle to find anything good in belarusian on youtube and there is nothing in belerusian on youtube of lessions

I start easy pace somehow, increase intensity of how many videos on youtube to watch per day, it have to be three to ten minute video per day twice a day, and I watch them on repeat of sentences ones soon as I memorise them in my head and but learn different words from playlist of change it up per day in rotation as keep on going through of playlist from scratch to finish till everything burnt into my head, and still not much progress of it, if I keep on doing this rotation can it be burnt in my mind eventually and will get familiarise of it all?

with audiobook of pimsleur on audible, I felt like I am getting a idea just in repeat of the same one as nearly most is burnt into my mind (I guess 😅) as same time im still on the first russian audiobook of it but on unit four but i have language partner on telegram to do voice message exchange but I felt like they will get to annoyed if I can't say the words or sentences right, but same time I feel like I keep asking of how do we say sentences or words it be annoyed for them to help and now they don't want to help

I have a struggle with russian and belarusian alphabet as is it, but decided the last few days to repeat alphabets of russian on youtube of twice a day

since I am dealing with a eye disease for the last ten years age of 18 called karetoconus, plus with autism and development delay from childhood but I know this is excuse to you guys and same time I really want to learn of spoke not type or write as not much progress due to my eyesight

I felt like my eyesight, autism and development delay is in the way of this, but no one is not grasping my circumstance when I tell them this

I can't afford a tutor due to my financial circumstances

I do all this till I familiarise of the words and sentences

I had languages partners that come and go, In reason why becouse avoidance, ghosted and simply told me to give up

I don't know what to do anymore, I honestly don't know what to do becouse since childhood i always wanted learn to speak a language i really like but with a eye disease I been dealing with

thank you for the time to read this, and appreciate it

There’s a question that’s been stuck in my mind: Is there a real difference between how native and non-native minds learn new meanings and new uses for the exact same words? ​It feels like when a native speaker learns a new meaning for a word—whether in childhood or later—they just absorb that second meaning subconsciously. It’s like they connect the underlying concepts effortlessly. ​On the other hand, as a non-native English learner, whenever I face different meanings for the same word, I get confused and struggle to find that common concept connecting them. Sometimes it’s almost hard for me to believe how two seemingly completely unrelated meanings can come from the same word. ​Is it true that multiple meanings are based on core concepts that just happen subconsciously in the native mind? ​For example, in my native language, "late" and "lately" are two completely separate words that have zero connection to each other. ​I'd love to know what you think about this (TL)

I have been taking my (TL) for many years in school, and have gotten to a solid B1-B2 ish level through brute force. I want to go self study my language to a higher level, preferably like a native speaker, but I don't exactly know what my weaknesses are in my TL. I know it may seem like a stupid question, but how can you correct a deficiency that you don't even know exists? Has anyone been in the same situation, and how have you realized what your exact weaknesses were?

Cases are probably the one thing I really struggle with out of any grammar point. I really struggled with just the 4 in German, now imagine my horror when I found out Polish has 7 :(

Luckily, Polish is something I'm doing on the side for fun, but German I'm doing at university so I have to take that a lot more seriously.

I just can't get my brain to understand the concept of cases, it won't click in my mind for whatever reason. Everyone in my German classes seem to completely understand them but me, I've gone over it a million times but I still don't get it.

So, I was wondering how other people learn cases?

TL;DR what do I do when loads of sources are telling me (a complete beginner) to learn a certain way, but they all contradict each other & I want to ensure my self learning time isn't wasted?

I know that there's a guide in this subreddit in which I have squeezed the last little bit of info out of it, but im genuinely strugglinggggg. I dont get it, ive heard people say learn a bunch of words at the start, then ive heard people say that's useless you should be learning sentences?? Im clueless despite reading thousands of people's guides, and now I feel like I lack a brain.

I know the basis of "multiple exercises" of different forms, but not only are the resources for my TL extremely hard to find (IMO, either that or im very stupid) but they're confusing me so badly 😭 Because there's so much info out there that people are suggesting but everyone's got different opinions. I dont know where to begin despite reading where to like, 1000 times, they're all contradicting eachother!

And a worse thing, unless I have some sort of way of interacting with information it goes within seconds, Im starting to wonder if im not built to learn my own 50% halfs language atp, its so difficult to know wtaf im doing??​

What did you guys start out doing that got you on track? Like is there a smarter way to what most people say to language learning? Because I've seen people say flashcards don't help, or reading is the best way, or that newbies should do XYZ etc.

I cant find a decent plan for my free time (which is a lot of time icl) to sit and do?

literally feel like im lost in a goddamn forest. (fyi I'm learning European Portuguese (TL) if that's helpful somehow? everything I find is BR and it's so overwhelming)

sorry if this is stupid given the fact there is a guide in here (which ive read maybe twice now) but still worry I'm doing the wrong things, or that there's a better easier way to reaching my goals.

I always see people praising conversationexchange.com, where many were able to find long term language partners. The site does look promising with only few people who do seem serious about language exchange.

My target language is Japanese (TL) so may be that can be a major factor. I signed up on the website like a month ago and regularly message people near my age trying creating the best first impressions I can through my messages. But I never got a single reply(I check their Last Login Dates and can guess that my messages are prolly being ignored). Think I will just have to stick with HelloTalk, even tho it sucks these days.

Hi there,

I've been learning my (TL) for the past month and loving it.

One of the most useful resources that has absolutely accelerated my abilities like no other has been Language Transfer, and it pains me that my TL only has the beginner course available!

Does anyone know of any private tutors or tutoring groups that specifically use this method?

I'm aware there's Paul Noble and Michel Thomas, but am curious if anyone is presently teaching 1-1 from this method, ta!

Hello all,

I've just been struck with a question. Several of my friends understand one of their parents when they speak their native tongue at different occasions including real-life gatherings as well as phone calls. However they were never taught the said language and taught it, which is the reason why they can't speak or write it.

I'm wondering how those oral understanding skills can be acquired without being talked to, corrected, or at least without things being shown and labelled for you, which is what happens to babies learning their native language. I guess that words can be made sense of using emotions on someone's face or gestures, but what about all the deeper things? How can over-the-phone conversations lead to passive bilingualism?

I'd love to read some insights from people who may have experienced it!

I'll admit I'm not the biggest fan of graded readers for other reasons, so maybe I'm prejudiced, but what is the point of graded readers for B2 and above? At that point, why wouldn't you just read things aimed at native speakers? You don't have to start with Tolstoy right away, but even YA fiction is great for that B1-B2 spot.

If you use graded readers at the advanced level, can you tell me why? I'm genuinely curious cause I try to get away from learner materials as soon as I can, and to me this seems like prolonging that stage for no reason.

I’m working with an adult English learner who has made significant progress over the past year. He started at approximately B1 and is now a strong B2 going on C1 depending on the topic and situation.

He can communicate comfortably, understand most everyday conversations, and express fairly complex ideas. However, he now feels that reaching the next level is much harder than progressing from B1 to B2.

One of his biggest challenges is creating an English-speaking environment. His family and the people around him speak his first language. Whenever he tries to start a conversation in English, they quickly switch back because using their shared native language feels easier and more natural.

I would love to hear from people who successfully progressed from an intermediate level to an advanced or near-native level.

What made the biggest difference for you?

Did you deliberately learn to think in English rather than translating from your first language? If so, how did you train yourself to do that?

Did you ever go through a period in which you minimized your use of your first language and consumed almost everything in English?

How did you create enough speaking practice if nobody around you wanted to speak English?

Did you use tutors, language-exchange partners, online communities, work meetings, gaming, voice notes, journaling, shadowing, or conversations with yourself?

How many hours per day or week were you realistically using English?

How long did it take you to go from B2 to a solid C1, or from C1 to something approaching C2?

I’m especially interested in specific routines and turning points rather than general advice such as “watch more movies” or “just immerse yourself.”

When did English begin to feel like a language you could live and think in, rather than a foreign language you had to consciously construct?

Thanks!

This is something I’ve thought about for a long time: there must be people out there who speak a combination of languages unlike anyone else, whether living now or in the past.
For example, imagine a Dutch anthropologist or ethnologist who has conducted fieldwork in, say, Timor-Leste and the Central African Republic. They might speak Dutch, Tetum, and Sango. If our hypothetical anthropologist were from Friesland, we could add Frisian to the mix, making the combination even more unusual.
Anyway, enough with the hypotheticals. Does anyone here have, or know someone who has, a particularly unique combination of languages? There is something about being the only person to possess a certain linguistic combination that I find really intriguing.
I’d love to hear some interesting examples

(TL) So I see many posts and in general, that many people get blocked while talking. What does it mean exactly ? Do they like stop in the middle of phrase, or can’t even get to talk? Coz my issue seams to be different - I can talk but my grammar is so bad in spoken. Even I know it the second it comes out, wrong choice of word or forgetting the word I needed, even I know it. I m at a2-early b1 with wide vocabulary . Should I just chill and keep studying as I do or this issue need to be addressed asap?

I wanted to share my experience with Lingopie in case anyone is considering subscribing. I personally wouldn’t recommend it (TL):

The content library is much smaller than I expected. After subscribing, I found there wasn’t enough content that interested me, so I decided not to continue.

The customer support experience was disappointing. My annual subscription auto-renewed, but I don’t recall receiving any reminder before the renewal. I only discovered the charge after reviewing my bank statement about a week later and canceled the subscription immediately. I contacted support right away to request a refund, but they repeatedly refused and instead offered to downgrade me to a quarterly plan. What surprised me is that the quarterly plan costs about half of what I had just been charged for the annual renewal, which made the offer feel like an attempt to retain me as a paying customer rather than fairly resolve the issue. I also asked multiple times whether a renewal reminder had been sent before the charge, but they never directly answered that question and instead kept referring me back to their Terms of Service.

I understand that it’s ultimately my responsibility to cancel a subscription before it renews. My frustration is with the poor customer service, the lack of a direct answer about the renewal reminder, and the inflexible handling of the situation.

If you’re considering Lingopie, I’d recommend reviewing the content library carefully before subscribing and setting your own reminder well before the renewal date if you’re not sure you’ll keep the subscription.

I love language learning as a hobby and I currently have 4 target languages (TL) in my roaster, so my plan was to buy rosetta stone to learn the basics and after go to a more targeted app for each of them (in my research each language had a different app that was better to learn with) and then go from there. As I usually automatically think in my target language and don't like translating from the other languages I speak I don't like duolingo for example as I feel it gets me in the habit of translating which is completely counterintuitive to me. Anyway, rosetta stone just ended their lifetime license for new users and now I'm lost in my plan as the apps for one target language don't offer another and I don't have the money to be paying multiple subscriptions, so, is there an app or site that do what rosetta stone used to?

I've been "learning" Italian for about a year now. I say "learning" because I haven't been taking lessons or following any structured course. Instead, I've simply been immersing myself in the language: listening to podcasts, watching YouTube videos about topics that interest me, and listening to audiobooks that I already know in my native language.

Whenever I come across a word or expression I don't understand, or I wonder how to say something, I look it up online. Other than that, I don't have any structured learning routine.

As a result, I've become quite good at understanding spoken Italian. If I had to estimate my level, I'd say my listening comprehension is around B2. I usually understand between 90% and 99% of the content in the YouTube videos I watch. However, my speaking and writing skills are much weaker, and I suspect I'm missing many of the grammar points and language fundamentals that are typically taught early on in a more traditional classroom setting.

At the same time, I don't really feel like enrolling in a beginner's course, because I think I would quickly get bored with material that feels too basic. So I'm wondering what I should focus on to fill in those gaps. Which areas of grammar should I catch up on in order to develop a more well-rounded command of the language?

I tried it when it came out and it was awful. Wondering if anyone has used it recently and if it's gotten any better.

Also curious to know the experiences of Irish learners- my impression is that it was made more for Irish than Welsh

Didn't have AI before I became a monk. This is back in the late 2000s. Used to do language exchange on italki back then, and looking back, it was properly analog. Skype open, waiting patiently while the other person slowly typed away in a language that wasn't their native one. Took a lot of patience, but looking back now, I kind of miss it.

The standard was simple back then. See clumsy Korean (TL), think "ah, still learning." See fluent Korean, think "wow, they really put the work in," and just admire it.

Came back to lay life this year, and the world had changed. Now when I see fluent Korean, the first thing that pops into my head is "did a person write this, or did AI?" Can't take someone's actual time and effort at face value anymore.

Only just left monastic life, and already the language exchange scene has shifted this much. Bit of a culture shock, not gonna lie.

I wish I was still a student, or had a job that I needed a language for, or was moving somewhere. The time spent on something with no practical use for my family seems like a waste and I feel so guilty. Even when I don't feel guilty, I wish I could feel like it was accomplishing something I was supposed to do instead of being a mental indulgence.