How to Speak Multiple Languages Without Mixing Them Up

I have recently been thinking of possible topics for my next post on this blog, and wanted to give some useful tips on a topic on which I have briefly touched up: speaking multiple languages and how to go about speaking them with ease. I recently watched the video that is down below by Langfocus, one of my favorite polyglot YouTubers who not only posts videos about language learning, but also about linguistics. Below, I will be giving you 3 tips that he gives in this video and will briefly expand on them to give you some concrete and practical ways on how to not mix up all of the languages that you speak. Make sure to read my previous posts about learning multiple languages titled “How To Learn Multiple Languages At A Time” in March 2016 and “Taking Classes in Multiple Languages: My Experience and Advice” in April 2016.

Tip #1: Refine your pronunciation

Although pronunciation may not be many language learners’ number one priority, especially when they are starting to get comfortable in another language, I believe that it is one of the most important aspects of a language. Pronunciation is ultimately what distinguishes one language from another, even languages that are very similar and belong to the same language family (ex: Spanish and Italian that are both Romance languages). If you speak many languages, whether they belong to the same language family, or are not related to each other whatsoever, in order to fluidly and quickly switch from one language to the next, you should be very comfortable saying the phonology and words as a native speaker would. This does not mean that having accents is bad, but should encourage you to continue perfecting your accent as much as possible. Even though it may not sound feasible, it is possible to eventually sound like a native speaker. In this case, practice makes perfect.

You may be asking yourself: “How do I refine my pronunciation? How should I go about doing so?”.  That is a very difficult question to answer, because everyone has different methodologies to go about doing so. I, however, will give you a few tips that have worked for me over the years. The first is to speak as early and as often as you can. I have an entire post devoted to this topic titled “Being Afraid of Making Mistakes in Another Language” in January 2016, so feel free to check it out for a more in-depth explanation about this. The more speakers (native and non-native alike) with whom you interact and speak, the more chances are that you will be kindly corrected if you ask them to do so, or if they want to help you improve.

Just as a baby mimics his parents’ mouths and the sounds that they make, you should do the same. By making mistakes, you will learn the difference between two words whose spelling is similar, but whose pronunciation is different, and will be able to distinguish right from wrong. Bad, or flawed pronunciation could lead to accidentally insulting someone, or to a frustrating miscommunication, so make sure to get as much exposure as possible. On the other hand, if you ever find yourself in either of these situations, do not panic, ask for clarification if possible, and laugh it off. Not saying something correctly can, in most cases, lead to more good than harm, because you are reminded about what you should have said differently. I also have an entire post devoted to improving your accent called “How to Improve Your Accent in a Language” in April 2016.


Tip #2: 100% commitment

The next tip is just as important as the first. If you are not 100% committed to each individual language, or have not put enough time into your studies, you can easily become discouraged. Just as professional athletes who want to eventual compete in the Olympics train for years, you should have a positive mentality when tackling more than one language. You should constantly remind yourself that you if you surpass a certain level, that you will eventually be able to read a short chapter book, or effectively communicate with your German friend. In other words, you should try to stay motivated. Feel free to read my post titled “How to Stay Motivated When Learning a Language” in March 2016.

When having to speak more than one language at a time, or instantly, you should close the door behind you. Whichever language you were speaking before is no longer as relevant as the language that you are now speaking. You should make a conscious effort to tell yourself “Now it is time to speak (language).” By doing so, you are mentally preparing yourself for what is next, and do not become as frazzled trying to make do with the few words that you can remember in the next language. This helps you turn on a signal in your brain that will make it easier for you to effectively communicate in another language.

3   Tip #3: Imagine scenes that remind you of that language

The third tip that he gives is by far the most abstract, and is the hardest to explain how to do, but I will try my best to give you a detailed explanation of this type of scenario. One of the most effective methods to not only learn vocabulary and improve your pronunciation in another language is by imagining scenes that remind you of that language. I have already watched countless videos of polyglots who have used this method, and who have learned much faster than the majority of their acquaintances by doing so. Associating scenes with a language is a great way to think about cultural nuances and norms that are different and that distinguish a language from another one.

The most classic example that he uses, and that I have heard many times, is imagining a café in Paris when speaking French. You usually picture the pouring of a coffee, and eating a fresh baked baguette. Many locals go to cafes with other friends, or alone and work on their laptops. Those who go with friends tend to discuss how their families are, and how their jobs are going, just to name a few common topics of conversation. If you personally have been to Paris, you may remember the voice of your waiter at the café, and you may distinctly remember his Parisian accent and talking to you so quickly that you had to ask for clarification. Whichever scene you can vividly envision will help you to be in the mindset of a local. In other words, you will no longer be, say, your American-self, but rather your French-self.

As I mentioned in my post “Personality Changes When Speaking Multiple Language” in February 2016, you become a new you for every language that you speak. You cannot roll your tongue the same way that you do in Spanish as you do for English, and you should pay attention to how you use your throat to pronounce words in an authentic French-sounding way. Getting in the zone and taking control of your perception can make you more excited to be a new you and pay attention to the world around you through new lenses. Your world perception can change remarkably by being culturally aware and willing to pay attention to different languages’ nuances.

I hope that all of you language-lovers found this post helpful in some way, and that you learned a few tips that could help you be a little less anxious speaking multiple languages.

Taking Classes in Multiple Languages: My Experience and Advice

Now that I have been keeping up with this blog for over three months, I decided that I would write a more personal blog post of what it has been liking taking advanced level courses in 4 different languages. I wanted to share my current schedule, so that I could inspire others to do so, showing that even busy, tired college students can successfully reach a high fluency and level in more than just one language. As a disclaimer, I had already taken 3 languages at once for 3 years in high-school, so it was not as hard of a transition for me as it could have been if had I not done so.

From 9:30-10:20 am, I have Russian 102, which helps me wake up in the morning. Since Russian is by far the most difficult language that I have ever studied, I love having it first thing in the morning five days a week. I have noticed that I have made leaps and bounds in terms of progress with Russian this semester. We have already reviewed all 6 cases and have slowly, but surely been hearing less and less English in the classroom. 

Since our professor is a teaching assistant from Russia, we have been able to gain a lot of insight about Russian culture, Russian norms, and about the Russian mindset. Our professor has been very patient with us when making mistakes, but expects that we put the work in in order to do well in the class. This has pushed me out of my comfort zone, making me want to truly understand what we have already learned and what we are learning in class. I love the emphasis that she has on speaking, especially because that is the skill that is most important to master when you are a beginner.

From 11:30-12:45 pm, I have Italian 231 on Mondays and on Wednesdays. The Italian course that I am currently taking is a writing-intensive course, but has also been vocabulary-intensive. We have already watched La Meglio Gioventù (a six-hour long Italian film) in clips and have had to memorize up over 100 words a week. I can now comfortably use idiomatic expressions, and more technical vocabulary when speaking and writing. Our class is also a hundred percent immersion, which has kept me in an Italian versus an English mindset, helping me not only to feel, but also to talk like an Italian. 

What has been most helpful about this course is the fact that we have learned a lot of idiomatic expressions and vocabulary that you cannot find in a textbook. We have learned how Italians truly think, feel, and speak, instead of only learning the grammatically correct way of speaking it. We have started mastering colloquial language and can more comfortably talk about historical and cultural events that happened in Italy, as well as talk about abstract and difficult material. From 3-4 pm on Mondays, we have an Italian lab, which has helped us review grammatical concepts from last semester, while expanding and deepening our knowledge about Italian grammar.

From 1:30-2:45 pm, I have French 246: Introduction to Francophone Cultures. Since I did not have the opportunity to take a French course last semester, I decided that I would communicate with a French professor and ask her if I could skip a few levels of French in order to take this course. After taking the placement exam, I found out that I could take this course, as long as I had the permission from the professor and got an override. Despite the fact that I did not take several courses that are required for the major and for the minor, I do not have any regrets taking the last 200 level French course offered at my college. 

I went from struggling writing 10 perfectly grammatically correct sentences in AP French as a senior in high-school to being able to write 7 pages of an analytical paper about colonialism in French. In this course, we have already watched over 5 films, have read 3 novels from three different countries, have had 3 presentations, but, most importantly, I have learned how to think critically, how to think outside of the box, and how to elaborately write about historical events in a language other than my other tongue. Another way of thinking about what I have been able to accomplish so far is that I no longer have to stop and think about every grammatical point in my head: I now know how to think in French and can easily switch into that mindset when writing, reading, speaking, and listening to my professor talk about controversial, yet important historical and cultural events in Francophone-speaking countries.

Lastly, from 1:30-2:45 pm on Tuesdays and on Thursdays, I have Spanish 295: Introduction to Latino Studies. This course has been extremely rewarding and has been the most personal course that I have taken so far. Before this semester, I had not had the opportunity to take a course taught completely in Spanish since fifth grade. I had not realized how much I missed having a native Spanish instructor and having to read and speak with others in my mother tongue. I am beyond blessed that I am in this course, because it has allowed me to meet several other students whose mother tongue is also Spanish, as well as students who are passionate about Spanish and Spanish-speaking countries. 

We have already talked about Hispanics in the United States and have extensively talked about Mexican-Americans, Puerto Rican-Americans, and Cuban-Americans in the American context. We have read 3 novels, have presented, and have had intellectual discussions and conversations about these topics. I have also been able to rekindle my love for my own culture, as well as learn about others who have similar, yet completely distinct experiences from my own. I have also been able to strengthen my sense of worth and my identity by taking this course.

Now that I have shared my experience taking 4 intellectually challenging courses, those who are currently taking, or who are planning on taking courses in more than one language (whether that be courses in your mother tongue(s), or in foreign languages), I have already written a post that gives you several tips on how to successfully learn multiple languages at once. Feel free to read my post titled “How to Learn Multiple Languages At Once” if you want to gain some words of wisdom about what I have personally noticed works and what does not when approaching language-learning.

The most important piece of advice that I can give you is to not let what others tell you that you cannot do get in the way. Besides my parents, I have had many people tell me that it would not be feasible or healthy for me to take courses in more than two languages, but have never let that affect me. Instead, I have surrounded myself with positive influences and with supportive friends and family members who are there for me no matter what. I try to be as involved in all of the language departments of which I am a part and have many international friends. There truly is no secret formula. The only secret is perseverance. Passion. Never giving up and following your dreams and never letting anyone, or anything, get in the way from achieving your goals.

How To Learn Multiple Languages At A Time

One of the most frequent questions that I get asked is: how can you keep seven different languages straight? Do you not get confused and mix them up? Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut, simple answer to this question, but there are some explanations that will hopefully explain why I am able to do so. I can assure you that is not only possible, but also very easy to study multiple languages at a time. You do not have to be enrolled in a language classroom, spend a lot of money, or even have native speakers of your target languages in your community in order to do so. In fact, you can do most, if not all of your language learning from the comfort of your home. This may sound hypercritical, considering that I have studied most languages in school; however, I have drastically improved my conversational, listening, and reading skills in my spare time. Below, I will give you a few tips on how you can learn more than one language at a time.

1. Do not overwhelm yourself

This tip may sound self-explanatory, and, in many ways, it is, but I will expand on it, so that you can see why I think that it is so important. Whenever you are learning more than one language at a time, the last thing that you want to do is make yourself feel frustrated, which oftentimes makes you want to stop learning a language altogether. You should never force yourself to review grammar for three different languages, or watch several foreign films without subtitles on the same day. Instead, I would recommend focusing on one language a time whenever you have spare time. This will help balance out your schedule, and will allow you to make more progress in a shorter amount of time.


2.   Create a schedule for language-learning and stick to it

Your brain works wonders when it focuses on one specific task a time. Keep in mind that if you did this, you should set specific goals for what you want to teach yourself, or review for each language throughout the week, and try to avoid not interacting with a language (especially one in which you are not advanced) for more than a week.

For example, you could set up a schedule, and study German on Mondays, French on Wednesdays, and Italian on Fridays. Your goal for German could be to watch a few YouTube videos for an hour, write down any new words, and then translate them into your mother tongue. On the other hand, you may want to focus on reviewing difficult grammar for French. What is key for you to remember is that you are not at the same level in each language. You should spend your free time wisely by primarily focusing on your weak spots, and by assuring that your language study is part of your daily, and weekly routine.

3. Do not start two languages from scratch at the same time

One mistake that many people make is that they try to juggle too much new information right away, and want to skip over what many would call the boring parts of language learning: the beginner stage. I can relate to that, now that I have studied four different Romance languages, and can easily give you grammatical explanations of how and why a language works the way that it does. However, I recommend that you rethink your thought-process and that you focus on mastering the basics of a language before moving on to a new language. 

After having had many years of study with French, I decided to start taking German as a sophomore in high-school. Since I had already taken French in school for three years, I had already surpassed the beginner stage, and was learning more difficult grammar and vocabulary. In other words, it was the perfect time for me to start learning a new language, because I could do more than just get by when speaking French. I waited another two years to start self-teaching Italian, and less than a year to start learning Russian, since Italian is close to my mother-tongue, which is Spanish (I had also self-studied it when I was eight).

Spacing each language out has made me more focused, and more excited to start picking up a new language. I have never overwhelmed myself to the point of wanting to give up, because I have waited to pass a certain level of each language before even seriously considering to start a new one. By never starting two languages from scratch at once, I have reached at least an advanced intermediate level in every language that I speak except for Russian. As many polyglots would say, there is no secret to the recipe. You simply have to act smart, and be smart when you decide to take on, what many would say, is a difficult task: language-learning.

4. Practice speaking as frequently as possible

In order to be able to say that you can speak multiple languages, you have to practice all of them. Although many claim that they speak Spanish, because they took it throughout high-school, oftentimes, this is not true. What separates exceptional language learners from others is that they are not afraid of making mistakes (feel free to read my post titled: "Being Afraid of Making Mistakes in Another Language" if you want to get tips on how to become less fearful when speaking another language). 

What I do is that I go to my college’s language tables, which are friendly and casual environments in which you can practice your conversational skills with professors of that language, with native speakers and teaching assistants, and with other students of all levels. I consistently go to Italian Table on Wednesdays, French Table on Tuesdays, and have also gone to German and to Russian Table on Tuesdays. Despite them only being once a week, I can now comfortably speak with native speakers, and can have complex conversations. I have gotten corrected in a respectful way, and can easily ask questions if I do not remember words in each language.

Aside from going to language tables, I attend many of our language departments’ film screenings, and have become closer with many international students who are native speakers of some of my target languages. Whenever I get the chance, I ask them if I can practice my speaking skills with them, and more than 99 percent of the time, they are willing to do so. If for some reason I cannot find someone with whom to practice, I speak to myself. This may sound odd, but many other polyglots have mentioned that this has helped them be consciously aware of what they know, and on what they can improve. Whichever words, or grammar you cannot remember when practicing, you can easily review and repeat as many times as you feel is necessary.

As you can probably tell, I continue to be amazed by my brain’s, as well as other polyglots’ brains’ capacities, but know that we are not geniuses. We were not born more capable or smarter than others, but we have learned how to continue to push our brains’ limits on a daily basis. Polyglots know how to effectively manage their time, and incorporate languages into their daily routines as much as possible. If you want to call yourself a polyglot, you should follow their footsteps, and follow their advice.