Benny Lewis | 28 of your language learning questions answered (See timestamp in description to go straight to a Q) @irishpolyglot | Uploaded April 2017 | Updated October 2024, 16 hours ago.
It's been a while, so today I opened up another video to tackle your general questions on language learning! Here are all the questions I answered or topics I discussed, and their many timestamps! So, click through and you'll see everything you want to see in this video :)
To make sure your question is asked next time, don't forget to click the 🔔 icon next to the subscribe button and you'll be notified of when I go live!
1:57 Can you recommend a textbook with lots of dialogue and audio for Egyptian Arabic?
2:59 How do you juggle learning multiple languages? Do you set aside specific days? How do you allocate time to each language to maintain skill and still learn to speak better?
4:42 Any specific recommendations for learning Korean?
6:03 What do you think about using texts with accents for learning Russian? I’ve heard it actually hinders progress in the long run and that it’s better not to use them.
7:08 I want to move and study in another country in 2 year’s time. And the problem is I’m not sure which country it’s going to be. So I need to reach a level good enough for studying at university. How would you go about this? Do you stick to your common advice of reaching B2 before moving on to the next?
9:04 Is it possible to learn Japanese completely free? Or any language, for that matter?
11:30 At what point or level can you include a language on a job application?
13:26 Is taking a language class easier than learning by yourself?
16:10 What’s the difference between French in Canada and French in France?
17:43 Buenas noches aqui en España. Any ideas on how to increase your level from B2 to C1? I’m trying to increase vocabulary for more complex things like art, food, technology, politics, economy.
19:48 For Spanish, how do you know the difference between using por and para? Where can you take the CEFRL test online?
23:08 Does watching subtitled films and shows work for learning languages?
26:11 How do you differentiate between maintaining and expanding languages?
27:49 Are you friends with Tim Donner?
29:08 Apart from your language hacking book are there any good textbooks to learn Spanish that you highly recommend to use?
31:33 Is Tagalog hard to learn?
33:18 Do you still study Mandarin?
35:15 Will you ever attempt to understand Scottish people?
35:55 Would you do any adjustment for learning the language for studying at university if they happened to be related? (Norwegian, Danish, Dutch)
37:55 Right now I’m trying to learn Spanish and Japanese. I can’t decide which approach I should take to learning. Focusing on one or the other or doing both at the same time. Lots of native Spanish speakers in my city, not so much Japanese.
41:13 I’m loving your book Language Hacking: Spanish. I’ve learned more in it than four semesters of college in Spanish.
44:36 What languages do you speak fluently?
47:09 How can I get people to take the time to talk to me in Spanish?
52:53 What’s your favourite language?
54:28 [not a question] Benny lists his upcoming appearances at polyglot events.
56:26 Will you ever learn Modern Standard Arabic so can read and write?
57:44 What should I do daily to learn Japanese, and how for how long should I do each thing?
59:58 How useful have you found being able to speak Irish in Ireland? I assume even fluent irish speakers from the gaeltacht would default to English unless they already knew you spoke Irish.
It's been a while, so today I opened up another video to tackle your general questions on language learning! Here are all the questions I answered or topics I discussed, and their many timestamps! So, click through and you'll see everything you want to see in this video :)
To make sure your question is asked next time, don't forget to click the 🔔 icon next to the subscribe button and you'll be notified of when I go live!
1:57 Can you recommend a textbook with lots of dialogue and audio for Egyptian Arabic?
2:59 How do you juggle learning multiple languages? Do you set aside specific days? How do you allocate time to each language to maintain skill and still learn to speak better?
4:42 Any specific recommendations for learning Korean?
6:03 What do you think about using texts with accents for learning Russian? I’ve heard it actually hinders progress in the long run and that it’s better not to use them.
7:08 I want to move and study in another country in 2 year’s time. And the problem is I’m not sure which country it’s going to be. So I need to reach a level good enough for studying at university. How would you go about this? Do you stick to your common advice of reaching B2 before moving on to the next?
9:04 Is it possible to learn Japanese completely free? Or any language, for that matter?
11:30 At what point or level can you include a language on a job application?
13:26 Is taking a language class easier than learning by yourself?
16:10 What’s the difference between French in Canada and French in France?
17:43 Buenas noches aqui en España. Any ideas on how to increase your level from B2 to C1? I’m trying to increase vocabulary for more complex things like art, food, technology, politics, economy.
19:48 For Spanish, how do you know the difference between using por and para? Where can you take the CEFRL test online?
23:08 Does watching subtitled films and shows work for learning languages?
26:11 How do you differentiate between maintaining and expanding languages?
27:49 Are you friends with Tim Donner?
29:08 Apart from your language hacking book are there any good textbooks to learn Spanish that you highly recommend to use?
31:33 Is Tagalog hard to learn?
33:18 Do you still study Mandarin?
35:15 Will you ever attempt to understand Scottish people?
35:55 Would you do any adjustment for learning the language for studying at university if they happened to be related? (Norwegian, Danish, Dutch)
37:55 Right now I’m trying to learn Spanish and Japanese. I can’t decide which approach I should take to learning. Focusing on one or the other or doing both at the same time. Lots of native Spanish speakers in my city, not so much Japanese.
41:13 I’m loving your book Language Hacking: Spanish. I’ve learned more in it than four semesters of college in Spanish.
44:36 What languages do you speak fluently?
47:09 How can I get people to take the time to talk to me in Spanish?
52:53 What’s your favourite language?
54:28 [not a question] Benny lists his upcoming appearances at polyglot events.
56:26 Will you ever learn Modern Standard Arabic so can read and write?
57:44 What should I do daily to learn Japanese, and how for how long should I do each thing?
59:58 How useful have you found being able to speak Irish in Ireland? I assume even fluent irish speakers from the gaeltacht would default to English unless they already knew you spoke Irish.
