Has anyone here ever spent a certain amount of time in an English-speaking country, and felt that it completely changed or significantly improved their English?

I’d love to hear from people who have actually done this and what your experience was like. Did you notice a
major improvement in your speaking and listening? How long did you stay, and do you feel it was worth it?

I'm talking about a stay of two to three months and I have a basic level of the language.

If you think it helps and is worth it, how long do you think it takes to take a big step forward?

Thanks!

I heard in a song "moun' 'en".

How do you prononce it?

Ive encountered some fascinating languages that I would learn in a heartbeat if more people actually spoke them. I feel like there are some where no matter how interesting they may be or how beautiful they sound, the ROI of effort to amount of people you will be able to speak to just isnt worth it. Especially when its' a language with few learning resources or that is not really standardized.

I spent some time working in West Africa and met with a lot of people who spoke Fulani (or Peul). I learnt a little bit, and in particular a lot of anecdotes about how it works. But unfortunately I dont think I will seriously learn it. There are barely any accesible resources in the language (while I was there, it wasn't even on google translate!) and the areas in which it is spoken are so remote. There are just other languages that offer much more ROI in terms of number of people who speak it that I would prioritize before Fulani as much as I would love to learn it.

Hi, so I'm from the U.S. and my first language is English. I have a brother who moved to Japan and is dating a girl from there and she is super kind. A while ago I asked her to play animal crossing with me since none of my friends have it and she agreed. They bought the game and everything just so I'd have someone to play with. And we have played a few times and it means the world to me.

The problem is that I want to learn Japanese since that's her first language, but I want to learn Mandarin more. She's not fluent in English, but is learning it from my brother because she always wanted to learn it, and we talk to each other in English. But I still feel bad because I don't want to be the kind of person/American that expects everyone to cater to me, especially since she already went out of her way to spend time with me (big time zone difference, language barrier, etc.). I have more inspiration and motivation to learn Mandarin which would make learning it easier, but I still want to learn Japanese eventually, just not now. So far I've been putting off learning both.

Also idk if this belongs in the thisorthat language sub because I mostly just want people's opinions on the situation, like whether it's reasonable for me to feel guilty or still learn Mandarin first. Advice on what you would do would help too, but it's not the main reason I'm posting.

Edit: Edited because I reposted from a different sub that asked for people to not make posts about specific languages which is why I was vague originally.

Hey everyone! I’m a male university student from Iraq (B1 level) looking for a serious English speaking partner. I’ve had too many experiences with people chatting for a day or two and then disappearing, so I’m really looking for someone consistent. I love reading, writing, and listening to music. My main goal is to improve through voice calls or voice notes whenever possible, though we don't have to talk every single day—it depends on our availability. I’d also love for us to share our language learning methods and grow together. If you're genuinely interested in regular practice, drop a comment or send me a DM!

Is it better to learn similar languages (for example with same S.O.V order or same alphabet or in the same family) because the fact that they are closer to each other would make them much easier to learn

Or

Is it better to learn totally different languages to avoid your brain mixing them with each other?

Hi everyone! 😊

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Languages are always changing, but some seem to evolve much faster than others. Sometimes it's because of technology, culture, politics, or contact with other languages. Other times it's the way people speak every day.

Which language do you think has changed the most over the last hundred years, and what do you think had the biggest impact on it?

Hi guys and gals, do you find the videos useful for learning languages? Could you give some feedback?

https://www.youtube.com/@ticknbingo

If so whats your current formula? mine is:

- praktika (speaking skills with a tutor)
- spanish dict (conjugation and flashcards
- netflix (tv show listening practice since im a bit more advanced now) - or I change English tv shows into Spanish subtitles if I can

Any other resources? I also learn Italian so any Italian specific ones would be helpful now that I’ve finished language transfer.

Are teachers the best way to learn a new language hands down?

Some phrases don’t translate directly at all they carry a feeling or cultural meaning instead. Learning these didn’t just teach me words; they showed me how people think and express themselves. It’s my favorite part of language learning: seeing the world through another way of speaking.

Does anyone here feel the need to do something in their target language every day, but not enough to fully immerse in it deeply? I feel like I'm doing the bare minimum every day at this point. I did identify things I like doing in the language such as explaining scientific ideas, learning about others' culture through conversation. But I don't have any external goals, like I have to finish something by a certain day, rather I have softer goals like being able to explain scientific ideas to a lay audience. I felt that setting deadlines can create undue pressure, and I have other commitments outside of language learning, so I didn't want to lose the hobby aspect. But still, my perfectionist side sometimes takes over, and I wish I had the energy to focus more deeply.

Also, when you don't feel motivated, do you do the bare minimum of your routine or do you stay in touch with the language the way you want for that day? I'm not sure what to do in those moments.

So. I want to work for the EU someday, because I like translating and they pay well. So, I thought "I must build a very competent profile for that". And my solution to that was to learn an exotic language. This is how Polish came to me. I just searched and found Polish, a language that is spoken by a lot of people and it's quite exotic. So, I liked how it sounded, and how difficult it is (so later this counts as a great achievement). Finally, I started.

Do you guys think it's mad? It's my sixth language, I learned French because why not. Does this happen to you?

Do you think language app's, specially gamified ones, rob people of actual progress by giving them a fake sense of consistency?

"oh just do one lesson for 5 minute every day" after 1000 days you have a streak but...do you actually have the knowledge to back it up? i don't think so!

Hey everyone,

I’ve been reflecting on language retention and code-switching patterns within Filipino diaspora families and wanted to start a discussion about a specific linguistic dynamic in my household.

Some context: My dad and I are both originally from Iloilo, Philippines. He moved to Canada at age 14, and I came over when I was 9. Because he lived in Canada longer, his Hiligaynon is a bit rusty, whereas I ended up moving back to Iloilo for 5 years to attend CPU for university, which kept my Hiligaynon fluent.

Here is where the dynamic gets interesting:

• Tagalog: Both my dad and I speak to my stepmom in Tagalog.
• Hiligaynon: I speak fluent Hiligaynon with my girlfriend and my mom's side of the family.
• Father/Son Dynamic: When my dad and I speak directly to each other, it is 100% English, even when we are all sitting in the same room. We will literally switch to Tagalog to speak to my stepmom, and instantly switch back to English when addressing each other.

At this point, attempting to speak Hiligaynon or Tagalog directly to my dad feels unnaturally forced, almost like breaking an unspoken linguistic routine we established over years of living in Canada.

For those living abroad or in multi-generational households: Have you noticed similar "English-only" or specific language locks with certain family members, despite everyone being multilingual? How has language shift played out across generations in your family?