# Fluent Forever Author: [[Gabriel Wyner]] ## Summary The best way to learn a language is to: - First learn the sounds of a language - Dont translate and learn to think in the context of the foreign language - Use spaced repetition systems Optimize learning by creating deep associations and connections with the words you are trying to learn. More connections to things in your memory will create stronger, longer lasting memories of the words you are learning. To maximize efficiency, we should be trying to recall words right before we are about to forget them. This builds a stronger memory. ### Learn the sounds first There are over 800 sounds across all languages. Languages can use between 12 - 100 of these sounds. English uses just over 40. If you don't learn the sounds first: - you will be left with bad pronunciation habits that will be difficult to unlearn later on. - It also creates a challenge by dividing the language into the written language and the spoken language. The problem with Dekart and Descartes. Learning the sounds first allows you to learn quicker and absorb more words and grammar from listening and writing. Use minimal pairs, words that sound similar to the non-native speaker (such as knees vs niece), in order to learn the differences in sounds. Learn to recognize the sounds, connect the sounds to spellings, and connect the sounds to actions in the mouth, tongue and vocal cords. Resources: - The Fluent Forever pronounciation tool on the website. - Forvo.com to hear words spoken by native speakers - Rhinospike.com to hear sentences by native speakers. - ### Don't translate This refers to the tendency of people who are first learning a language to try to take what they mean in their native language and translate the words and grammar into the target language. Although the sentence may be syntactically correct the meaning has been altered. The flip-side of this is to learn to think in the language you are trying to learn. Learn the most common 600-1000 words in the new language. This list of words will be different from language to language. Learn the what associations and connotations these words have in the language, they can often be different. Do this by by searching for pictures or interesting things to build a connection to your memory. Writing is important for internalising grammar. Use simple sentences with translations, write in the target language and put mistakes in the SRS. In most languages 1000 words make up 85% of spoken words and 75% of written words. 2000 = 80% written; 5500 = =90% written; 12,500 = 95% written. To increase comprehension, specialise your vocabulary to your areas of interest. Reading in the target language will increase your vocab. With each new novel you will encounter 300 new words. Listen to audiobooks to understand words used in sentences. Multilingualism brings cognitive advantages. It changes your brain and makes it healthier. ## Related [[Languages]], [[Learning]], [[Polyglots]]