Tips for Learning Several Languages Simultaneously

For a long time, I was strongly opposed to the idea of learning two languages at once. Honestly, this hesitation likely stemmed from my perfectionist mindset-I believed you should devote as much time as possible to mastering your chosen language.

However, learning two languages simultaneously isn’t impossible. I personally grew up bilingual, acquiring both languages as a child, which is somewhat different. It’s also worth mentioning that Spanish and Italian, for example, are both languages, so they share many similarities in vocabulary and grammar.

Example

Hola (Spanish) - Ciao / Buongiorno (Italian)
Gracias (Spanish) - Grazie (Italian)
Perdón (Spanish) - Scusa (Italian)
Escuela (Spanish) - Scuola (Italian)
Libro (Spanish) - Libro (Italian)
Mesa (Spanish) -Tavolo (Italian)

This shows how many common words in Spanish and Italian look and sound alike due to their shared Latin roots.

I began learning Spanish when I was still an upper-intermediate English student. I chose to study Spanish because I realized that not doing so would limit my opportunities for connection and new experiences.

Today, there are nearly 500 million Spanish speakers worldwide.

There are plenty of reasons to learn two languages at once. You might want to travel to different countries, or perhaps your field of study requires knowledge of several languages to access important literature.

The concern from learners has been mostly their ability to acquire multiple languages at once.

Don’t start 2 languages at the same time.

You might think this advice sounds contradictory, but it isn’t!

There’s a significant distinction between learning two languages at once and beginning them both from scratch. In other words, avoid being a beginner in two languages simultaneously. At the outset, it’s especially challenging for your brain to adapt.

The beginner stage demands a lot of mental energy.

Our brains need to differentiate between sounds, and the sounds of different languages can vary greatly. Even with languages that are quite similar, it’s still difficult to master two sets of phonetics at the same time.

Grammar poses another challenge. As discussed in previous articles, differences in sentence structure can be particularly tricky for beginners.

Then there’s vocabulary. While I don’t advocate rote memorization, it’s clear you need a foundational vocabulary to start speaking in your target language.

You may feel highly motivated to juggle two languages, but that initial energy doesn’t last forever. Sooner or later, motivation fades and mental fatigue sets in.

In fact, studies show that about 70% of people give up at the beginner stage, even when learning only one language online. Don’t let your early enthusiasm mislead you.

Don’t start learning 2 languages that are too similar.

By now, if you’re still considering learning two languages at the same time, make sure they aren’t too similar.

For instance, tackling Spanish and Italian together might not be the best idea. Both are languages and share a lot of vocabulary and grammar. If you’re learning Spanish, it’s better not to pair it with Italian as a beginner.

It might seem like a smart move because of all the cognate words that look and sound alike in different languages. For example, here’s how the word “library” appears in several languages:

• Biblioteca (Spanish)
• Biblioteca (Italian)
• Bibliothèque (French)
• Biblioteca (Portuguese)
• Bibliothek (German)

Recognizing similar words can help you guess their meanings, but it can also be misleading. You’ll likely encounter “false friends”-words that look or sound similar but mean different things.

False friends can trip you up unexpectedly. For example, in Spanish, “embarazada” means “pregnant,” while the similar-sounding Italian word “imbarazzata” means “embarrassed.” Or take “actual” in Spanish (“current”) versus “attuale” in Italian (“current”), but the English “actual” means “real.”

Here are some examples of true friends and false friends between Spanish and Italian:

True friends:

• Animal (Spanish) - Animale (Italian)
• Hospital (Spanish) - Ospedale (Italian)
• Familia (Spanish) - Famiglia (Italian)

False friends:

• Ropa (Spanish: clothes) - Ropa (Italian: not a word; “clothes” is “vestiti”)
• Sopa (Spanish: soup) - Zuppa (Italian: soup), but “sopa” in Italian doesn’t exist.
• Sensible (Spanish: sensitive) - Sensible (Italian: sensitive), but in English, “sensible” means “reasonable.”

So, while the similarities between Spanish and Italian can sometimes be helpful, they can also cause confusion, especially when you’re just starting out. That’s why it’s generally better not to begin learning two closely related languages at the same time.

Prioritize using the 80/20 rule.

If you’re still determined to learn two languages at once, consider prioritizing them. Devote about 80% of your study time to your main target language, and the remaining 20% to your secondary language.

You can be highly active with your primary language-immersing yourself with speaking practice, listening, extensive reading, and focused grammar exercises. Go all in and make real progress.

For your secondary language, take a more relaxed approach. Enjoy the language without pressuring yourself to match the intensity of your main studies. Instead of intensive drills, focus on activities you genuinely like.

Keep in mind, dividing your attention will naturally take time away from your primary language, so set your expectations accordingly.

Here are some enjoyable ways to make progress in your secondary language:

• Listen to music
• Explore the culture
• Use language apps like Duolingo.

Think of your second language as a hobby-something you’re learning for fun, without the stress of intensive study.

Final Thoughts.

As I wrote this piece, my aim was to show you that learning multiple languages at the same time is absolutely achievable.

I hope I’ve managed to inspire you to give it a try.

Above all, remember that enjoying the process will make everything much easier. Don’t underestimate the power of having fun as you learn.

Mastering even one language can be challenging, let alone tackling two or three.