80/20 rule: learn any language with the Pareto principle

[@Thelinguist]

📲 The app I use to learn languages: bit.ly/3ZmBUF9 🆓 My 10 FREE secrets to language learning: bit.ly/3TmblvF ❓How do you apply the 80/20 rule to your language learning? Share in the comments!

[@Swedishpolymath]

I've been wondering for a while. How much content do you have for Czech at the moment. I am in many ways like you. I am a history buff, I am an aspiring diplomat/businessman/writer/"future life partner of the daughter of an Old Money aristocratic family". I have studied a lot of languages in the past and would like to have a go at Czech. I'll be visiting Prague in November, I find the city fascinating with its history related to The Thirty Years' War, The Second World War, the Communist Era and I believe Franz Kafka lived there for most of his life. Also in case you don't have a lot of content for Finnish I think I could help you. I have applied for membership in the National Coalition Party (same party as Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen). I have a background in finance (education) and I have been working in retail for most of my life. Point is with the AI revolution I want to become some sort of businessman and use my connections and knowledge and interests to become some sort of "cultural/travel/financial ambassador".

[@Sciencezgi]

That's so sweet to come across an English teacher who has been trying to learn Turkish while trying to catch some tips to make my English much better :)

[@tedc9682]

Yes. It means I'm not stupid -- Turkish is hard!

[@thefeelingofunfair4052]

You cant do it

[@vrmartin202]

No one shares language learning insights better than Steve.

[@istivi-m4y]

I started studying English some time ago and i am not evolving as fast as I expected. I still need to translate many words, especially while I am reading. Speak is very hard too. however your videos are helping me a lot to stay motivated to learn ty.

[@Jackdkchannel]

Really interesting. By the way, a stand up comedian said that if he kept the funny punch lines from his text and removed the unfunny parts, no one would laugh at the funny parts anymore. Because the unfunny parts are actually a structure and a narrow linked relationship with the funny moments. It is the unfunny parts that bring the laughter. and that make it clear why the punch lines are funny.

[@Toddly2You]

Great point dude. I like it! 😎👍 It's true. Yep.

[@smockytubers1188]

Damn. That's deep. Reminds me of the analogy (from Thomas Aquinas I believe) that a stained glass window with only the most beautiful color and no other shades would be quite bland in reality. Only with the inclusion of "lesser" colors, including even what might be considered the ugliest color, does the window as a whole become beautiful.

[@modalmixture]

I think if your primary mode of engagement with a language is passive - reading and listening to media - then learning vocabulary is both your biggest challenge and something that reading is very good at improving. But if your main engagement is conversation, you don’t necessarily need a huge vocabulary - perhaps the first 20-40% will suffice. You are better off focusing on everyday words, getting really comfortable with outputting the colloquial register of the grammar, learning common colocations and little conversational fillers and topic markers, and studying expressions for functional tasks like expressing your opinion, making a request, talking about your day.

[@squaretriangle9208]

You're right, for me the proof to know a language will always be the written text, the most challenging in this regard is poetry as there is, in general, a lack of context. But it is oh so rewarding, learning Turkish and Czech parallel now, struggeling with both, but if/when you understand something so so rewarding😊❤, What I don't understand is why to go to Turkey in fall, isn't it quite rainy, planning my trip in spring. Selamlar Çok selamlar Viyana'dan/ mnoho pozdravů z Vidně

[@Eric-le3uu]

Great quality as always. Personally, 80% of the time I'm reading, listening and speaking. 20% I use for writing, journaling.

[@krazy11-YT]

I've been following you for the last 9 years and now you have grown to a million subscribers and have better audio and video quality. Nice to see people succeed in what they do

[@seenonyt2210]

Nice words! I wish you success in the things that you do.

[@inner_zen_peace]

Stay commited and when you get bored, change how you approach the language, keep it enjoyable..that"s my summary

[@felipejorqueracastro556]

Discorso davvero interessante. Avevo sentito sul Principio di Pareto, anche come utilizzarlo nell'apprendimento delle lingue concentrandosi nelle parole più frequenti, però, l'approccio di Steve è nuovo per me e mi fa tantissimo senso, assolutamente lo terrò a mente. Grazie mille per la riflessione!

[@Soulcap1818]

love the mix of big picture to small details, so true and such good advice.

[@GavrielAbrahams]

This literally just summarized the road block that I hit last June. I didn't realize it but I was spending a LOT of energy on very low frequency words. And I was getting frustrated because there were lots of higher frequency words that I still didn't know. I took some time off to reset and then coming back decided to take those low frequency words out of my flashcard rotation for now and focus more on high frequency words so that I can get to more immersive learning faster.

[@realpresjeff]

I've never heard of Pareto, but I do learn languages using frequency lists. Thanks for sharing!

[@coolbrotherf127]

Generally, people should focus on learning high frequency words, then learn domain specific words (vocabulary used in specific hobbies, work, sports, etc.), and then start reading lots of books to learn very specific, rarer words. Speaking and interacting with native speakers either in person or online often will help teach people slang terms as well.

[@Leo-54ly]

What you described is how I learnt English. But I'm still searching for better ways to learn a new Language.

[@marcelcharbonnier297]

I am French and I study turkish. I found that learning the wonderful modern or folkloric turkish songs is a good way to improve your vocabulary and understanding of this beautiful language.

[@barryhoffman9956]

Great topic, however once again the subtitles are out of sync with the audio. It starts off in sync but as the video progresses, the subtitles start going faster and faster and the audio is still on words that have already disappeared from the screen. Please fix!

[@Lanxinchao123]

Hi. I'm Vietnamese. I admire you very much ❤

[@ozlemaykac1135]

Çok güzel anlatmışsınız.Ben de aynı anda ispanyolca ve fransızca öğreniyorum.İngilizce biliyorum ayrıca .ana dilim türkçe.Size pratik yapın diye türkçe yazıyorum.Vvideoncuzu çok tesadüfi olarak gördüm ve türtkçe ile ilggilenmeniz ilgimi çekti.Ben türk oltmasam asla öğrenmezdim çünkü.İspanyada taşadığım için ispanyolca öğrendim .Kendi lendime öğrendim internxet ve duolingo yardımı ile.İspanyolcayı anlıyorum amva seri konuşamıyorum henüz.Ama çalışıyorum hala.Ek oklarak çok sevdiğim bir dijl olan fransızcaya başladım.Çocuklarım Fruansada Ünijversite okuyor ve ana dili gibi fransızca konuşuyor.İhngilkizce ve İspanyolca da bigliyorlar.Üç dil çoik ortak kelime içeriyor.Fransızca ve ispanyolca ise çok benzer.O yüzdenç şiaşırtıcı biçim de kolay öğreniyorum Fransızcayı.Size de kolaylıklar diliyorum.Çok memnun oldum videonuzu göurdüğüme.

[@محمود-ب9ق2د]

شكرا على مجهودك الرائع ❤❤

[@yusufemironan3442]

We'll be glad to see you in Turkey. We would like to see you on our event for english speakers. Ofc you can practice turkish with native speakers also.

[@parlormusic1885]

The 80/20 principal reminds me of a graph I saw in an Astronomy class years ago. It was a bell curve that described the size of stars and beside it was another bell curve describing models of cars. “So, most of us thought, what do stars have to do with car models?” My point is that simply because information can be presented in a pattern doesn’t necessarily mean that you can use that pattern in a practical way.

[@yogabija]

Nice video. Can you do a video on the "rearrange sentence feature", it looks interesting, but I couldn't find how to access it?

[@mjs28s]

What are your thoughts on splitting the difference on the 80/20 vocabulary? example - focus on solidly cementing the top 250 to 300 words to make reading elementary texts come quicker (graded readers) and also serving as a way of boosting confidence, and then shifting focus over to less common vocabulary after than and letting the rest of the "1000 most common" words work into your brain just by repeated exposure while you work on less frequently used words?

[@umutargn369]

Sir I'm very gratefully for about you're perfect ideas opinions 💯

[@bremexperience]

I'll be in Turkey in october as well! I didn't have time to learn it, so I do a crash course LOL Hope to see you there! Maybe.

[@nyanya6436]

First of all, thank you very much for the many interesting videos and tips for learning languages. My question is whether you think it is possible to learn Japanese to a descent level (my focus is on speaking and understanding) without learning the kanji? Because unfortunately I have no interest in or enjoyment to learn these characters.

[@VadimHemtsov]

Hi ! @Thelinguist Did you start your Turkish journey with the good old Assimil ? What do you think about using GPT to craft lessons in the assimil way after finishing the method ?

[@Toddly2You]

Oh yeah... I did subscribe.

[@jamakandi3092]

Great video! Ben de Türkçe öğreniyorum :)

[@thiagoxaviersoutricolor8260]

Hello Steve how's it's going? Good weekend Sir bye, see you next.

[@azathothdreaming9180]

For me listening and reading is the 20%, speaking, writing, grammar learning, pronunciation etc. is the 80%.

[@matthewcheungmatthewcheung]

実は勉強言語な増えた記憶優しい方法　そでた私の愛勉強言語　 Now I am progress learning or research for Japanese language because I want really learning the Japanese history or traditional culture I want make the Experience to learning different countries language So I don't care trying Speak the forage language communicat with different countries people this is why I before trying writing the Japanese reasons If My Japanese grammar have the wrong I hope Steve corrected me

[@garygreen5670]

I've accerated my Japanese aquisition by 80% - by spending 20% of my tme thinking up mnemonics.

[@paulwalther5237]

The 80 20 rule is interesting but I can’t say I take it into to account when studying. I spend a lot of time trying to learn the most common 5000 words and the more common grammar patterns through a variety of activities and it’s slow 😂

[@nachotapia8052]

Hey! Could you give me some advice on how to improve my pronunciation to speak more like a native speaker? Cheers from Argentina!

[@JotaSant-e5k]

Try the Shadowing (you have to try imitate the native speaker) use the websites naturalreader and Youglish while do this. For some people it works.

[@JotaSant-e5k]

Try to do Shadowing (it's to imitate the native speaker) while you do this use the websites natural reader and Youglish for you to see the correct pronunciation. For some people it works.

[@coolbrotherf127]

The best advice is to record yourself speaking the language, then compare it to someone who you want to sound like. Then try to change your speech to match the native speaker the best you can. Sometimes we can't hear our own mistakes so asking native speakers to help will fix the issues you cannot notice yourself can be helpful. As adults it is hard to change our accents, but it's definitely possible with enough patience.

[@nachotapia8052]

@@coolbrotherf127 Thanks bro! I'll try that👌

[@saidbenamara5886]

I wonder if you guys knows it but I have learned Portuguese and Spanish with the method harp Michel Thomas.

[@Salah_-_Uddin]

I'm learning English.

[@luisalfredowalker67]

How would you teach a language in classroom?

[@netlang]

🤭... it might by that classrooms are among the most unsuitable places for teaching/learning languages. Apart from that - as Steve points out - it's mainly about having pupils enjoy the whole thing, no?

[@luisalfredowalker67]

@@netlang 🚶

[@watching7650]

Hint: avoid stressing the initial syllable in "Havva'nın üç kızı" as the entire utterance is only stressed at "üç".

[@pinkfurryhat]

I just watched a video where he said he didnt believe in this principle so wondering what changed his mind

[@Jayenh]

If your strategy is to learn high frequency words, or if you feel that not knowing them is a roadblock: Focus on the verbs. :) For whatever reason, they are usually significantly more difficult than other words to learn, retain, and integrate.

[@derekfrost8991]

Sou Inglês mas adoro o fato que faz legendas em todos idiomas. Como assim posso baixar o som e enxegar em Português.. 😂

[@SUL-KSA]

Is it true that older people acquire new languages more difficult than young people?

[@Thelinguist]

sometimes yes and sometimes no. there are other more important factors like motivation.

[@lordgeyik]

Small tip: You pronounce the second a in Havva (in the second syllable) as a long vowel. Just pronounce it as twice long as the first one

[@jackbombay1423]

Los subtítulos en inglés no están sincronizados correctamente.

[@kemalyilmaz3420]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@Toddly2You]

I've never watched your videos before. I'm glad that it popped up. And as far as the 80/20 Rule, yep I can see that, but I have never heard it applied in this way, however I know that during my working years it was usually that 10% of the ACTUAL workers did 90% of the work and that the remaining, so-called, "workers" did jack. And being that I was one of the ones that was doing most of the work I'm the one who ended up hurt; and whereas I'm on Disability (because I did the work and got hurt), yet they schluffed off then and probably for the rest of their work life and they end up having the good retirement cash in the bank & 401k, with the money in their pockets and no health problems and no back problems or whatever... And I've got chronic pain and no money in the bank (I CAN'T stand lazy workers!). Has it been that way for some of you when you are or were working?

[@karenrogers9985]

Enjoyment promotes brain plasticity hence learning. Simples.

[@عبدكاظمالبصري]

good leasn

[@aSnailCyclopsNamedSteve]

I agree and disagree. I agree that thoroughly learning that 20% is a waste of time. Better to have a feel for it and let the constant repetition beat it into your head without memorisation. And then reread the grammar and loan word lists from time to time to catch whatever you missed or misunderstood. I disagree with the 20-80 divide. I think it is more like 10-90 or even 5-95. There is also an intermediary group of fairly common words and grammatical constructions. Take an ebook, copy the text into a doc, remove the punctuation, and replace the spaces with paragraph marks (so that each word forms a separate paragraph). Then copy that into Excel. When you sort alphabetically, you will see a few words are used very extensively, some are used commonly and most appear only once or twice. That school textbooks focus on the 20 (10 or 5)% really shows how worthless that education is. The problem is that those rare words are more likely reader specific, i.e., an athlete is going to have different ones than a horror fan. That means language learning needs to be individualised but testing is not set up for that. And a text using only the most common words will be senseless, like 'It will be here tomorrow.' (instead of 'The clippers will be delivered on Halloween Eve.')

[@andrewb5412]

Can you repost this in Spanish?

[@chadbailey7038]

There’s Spanish subtitles available currently

[@Bede-n6s]

I want to learn German language urgently.

[@daniel-vl6uk]

I appreciate that new generations like to consume content with a lot of camera movement and zooms, but I think it fits better for you not to adopt that editing style. It’s not adding anything positive - just my two cents ❤

[@AbellaLacroix]

I only watched 80% of this.

[@brahimaksasse2577]

Dear Steve, I'd like to make an observation regarding the map of the world that you used in this video. I protest against dividing my country, the Kingdom of Morocco, into two countries. It is one country-the Kingdom of Morocco-and the whole world knows this very well.

[@pepeguardiola4337]

Bueno, no todo el mundo. Sigue siendo tema discutido y actualmente ese mapa es el correcto

[@guybuysse7]

🙏👍🍀

[@Escape_The_Mundane]

Imagine you learn German, then you go all the way to india. I heard asian languages like Korean or Arabic very hard to learn.

[@RM-jb2bv]

The flip side of this strategy is to nail down the most common stuff and use that as a foundation to build on and add grammar structures, set phrases and vocab as you go. It does take me a very long time to learn the basics tho.

[@highchamp1]

80/20 Speaking Sentence structure and simple high frequency words. No real method for speaking other than repetition and modifying sentence meaning.

[@JohnPope-v9v]

I am sorry , u didn’t make anything easy.

[@mansionbookerstudios9629]

Anyone who do not know Jesus do not wait! Jesus died everyone could have life with him forever! His kingdom come get ready now! Anyone who knows can come! Do not wait you come him no matter what did are will do he want you forever near going to leave even! If you have questions ask

[@bertsanders7517]

Interesting mythology.

[@NihalTÜRK-l2b]

Hi🌼 LinqQ 'ten Takip Edebilirim🌼👋🌼 Aykut ERTUĞRUL Mümkün Öykülerin En İyisi Keyfe Kader Kahvesi Sabahattin Ali 🤔Seri İskender PALA Karte- i Matem Od Selim İLERİ I d🤔nt remember. It's been long time. İlber ORTAYLI You know Ekrem Buğra EKINCİ History Murat BARDAKÇI History K☺️koloji

[@JoBlakeLisbon]

To me this is just too slow. I want the fastest possible route to functionality in the language so I go for top ten verbs, top 200 phrases and top 500 words first. Big picture learning is just wishy washy time wasting. You don't actually learn anything. It shouldn't take five years to acquire a language.

[@MozhdeKurdi]

Hello steve , I want you to read Quraan and think about it deeply , cause learning all those languages and anything else without knowing Allah and the truth about life is just a waste of time … a human should have a purpose for anything he does and that purpose should not be mortal or inconcstant .

[@shamshadashayak2778]

Indeed true words

[@frenchy8894]

What is your purpose then ?

[@jasonbfhfj8132]

Another recruiter. Islam is evil. Dont believe me? Go to a mosque and show an image of their prophet and then go to a church and show an offensive depiction of their prophet. See who gets violent.

[@jasonbfhfj8132]

Islam is v iolent

[@dcoy8666]

Read surah 9:29, killing the unbelievers and such. Isn't it interesting how much terrorism comes from Islam?