How to learn languages from scratch | Zero to Conversational | Step by Step Tutorial

Are you trying to learn a new language and don't know where to start? In this video, I will teach you how you can learn a language from scratch efficiently. I speak 10 languages, and this is my system that I try to follow whenever I learn a new language.
My goal whenever I start learning a new language is to speak as fast as possible. So hopefully, this video can help you if you are trying to learn a new language from scratch.
I go through examples of what has worked for me and what I focus on.
I broke the video down into 5 steps. They are 1) Learning the basics, 2) Writing a story about yourself, 3) Preparing for your first encounter, 4) Start speaking/the first encounter, 5) Learning from authentic materials.
Language learning is an adjustable process, and everyone learns differently and prefers different materials. So I encourage all language learners to adjust the process once they find out what they like doing. For me, I like speaking, so I do a lot of speaking practice with friends and teachers. You might enjoy flashcards, reading a lot, watching lots of movies with subtitles, so do what works for you.
My goal with this video is for you to have a guideline you can follow to start your language learning journey.
My French Story: docs.google.com/document/d/1V...
Download the video transcript here: thaiwithgrace.com/wp-content/...
00:00 Introduction
00:54 This is what works for me
01:17 Step 1: Learn the basics
01:24 Where to find the basics
02:30 What are the basics?
03:14 Basics #1: Learn the question words
04:38 Basics #2: Learn basic verbs
05:33 Basics #3.1: Learn basic grammar structure: Sentence order
06:26 Basics #3.2: Learn basic grammar structure: past, present, future tense
08:00 Basics #4: Learn important words related to you
09:56 Basics #5: Learn conjunction words
10:30 How to combine your basic knowledge to make thousands of sentences
11:19 Tip #1: Study everything in context
12:01 Tip #2: Learn the Alphabet
12:44 Tip #3: Should you learn Chinese Mandarin characters
13:31 How long will it take me to get the basics down?
13:55 Step 2: Write your own story
14:25 What is the point of writing your own story?
15:25 Example of the story I made when I was learning French
16:03 Have someone record your story so you can listen to the audio
17:15 Step 3: Prepare for your first encounter
19:11 Step 4: Start speaking/First encounter
20:46 Step 5: Start learning from authentic material
23:05 Why learning from authentic materials is important?
26:17 How long will it take you to converse freely?
28:01 I challenge you to learn a skill through your target language.
30:28 Summary: Learning languages is an adjustable process
31:19 Summary: Don't spend all your time doing research instead of learning
32:01 Conclusion
⭐️ This is the website I use to talk with native speakers (referral link): bit.ly/italki-twg
⭐️ Lingq - Great website to improve vocabulary through reading (referral link): www.lingq.com/?referral=grace...
⭐️ Readlang - Chrome extension to facilitate when reading original text online: readlang.com/
Visit our site and get a free E book: thaiwithgrace.com
Twitter: / thaiwithgrace

[@polyglotgrace]

Here are some of the materials I talked about in the video. ⭐️ This is the website I use to talk with native speakers (referral link): bit.ly/italki-twg ⭐️ Lingq - Great website to improve vocabulary through reading (referral link): www.lingq.com/?referral=gracesito ⭐️ Readlang - Chrome extension to facilitate when reading original text online: readlang.com/ Feel free to ask me any questions.

[@monbangngu3584]

@thaiwithgrace mabk grace minta IGny.. boleh MAKASI. SALAM KENAL DR INDONESIA

[@snehagupta8877]

Ma'am I have check the websites there is no option of learning Thai language.. After watching your vedio I realise that there are many things i missed it in my own concept of learning Thai from now onwards I will save all this points/ steps( Khop Khun Ka ). But one problem this I don't have any friends or anybody to practice the speaking skills. So, I use to watch Some Thai series and movies with English subtitle.

[@polyglotgrace]

@@snehagupta8877 Thanks Sneha, I'll keep making more videos too

[@marciadurlinger]

Obrigada!

[@EsraaMohamed-zt7iq]

❤

[@user-e2023]

I've watched so many "how to learn a language" videos, and this is one of the best advice I've had. Your tips make so much sense! Thank you.

[@elvis4106]

Great video! I'm currently learning English and I reached a level that I feel stuck and can't go further, but your tips showed up to me and opened my mind. Thank you so much!

[@Sean-qk7ps]

Super Five Principles, Grace ! Indeed get to talking ASAP with the native speakers. When I began to SLOWLY converse using the "Who, What, Where, When, Why & How" questions I had a pocket notepad with me. I wrote answers CONCISELY in Pin Yin. I mostly used the "What" question to learn names of objects. In Mandarin I'd last about FIVE MINUTES before my head became full, writing down some 10 new words. The conversation would typically speed up and I'd have to stop before becoming fearful and thus forgetful. I thanked the speaker for these new words and explained that I needed to practice alone now in order to remember 50% of those 10 words.

[@tazbod6723]

What I like most about your approach is that you provide us with the meaningful focus, because most formal course teachings really wastes much of my time. Your method is focused on the communication with the language. That's why people want to learn the new language in the first place. The time one spends learning the language real meaning now. I always wondered how to do that. Your method is how.

[@gorgeoussofia2156]

@tazbod6723 i agree

[@amos8046]

Thank you for this detailed video!

[@tristandifilippo4308]

Merci Grace. C’est très intéressant ! 🙏

[@spanish2go]

Very helpful !! 😀

[@misspetite9285]

This is a great video. Thank you so much for all your tips. They make a lot of sense. 👏🏽 ❤

[@alexuqt]

I really love your view on language learning!

[@PATThaiA]

Thank you..

[@louismacareo371]

Thanks Sarah for the motivation and for setting the example. Really I feel from you what I already know, but ignore; progress is about habits, context and getting out there! Best of luck in your own continued studies.

[@michaelshort2388]

This is such an amazing topic. I wish I had found something like this when I first started learning languages.

[@rovingroovie]

You're AWESOME!!! I learned more from your 1 video than countless others. Thank you.

[@fransmerecharles6547]

Very good information ! Thanks very much!

[@marcelkasongo2626]

Thank you so much for this video, it is helpful.

[@bayroncastillo7653]

thank you madame

[@griff424]

Ill try the story part thanks grace

[@PhattaArt]

Thank you. It’s very helpful!

[@polyglotgrace]

Glad it was helpful!

[@adairrodriguesdecastro2700]

Thank you for your video. I' m Poliglot too. It's pleasure study idioms!

[@sha3698]

Honestly, you're so amazing and inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing all these tips, I feel so motivated and inspired to create my study plan and finally kick off my language journey to the next level! thank you again :)

[@khwan4234]

มีประโยชน์มากค่ะ

[@polyglotgrace]

ขอบคุณคะ

[@Haba_monemou7327]

Y'are a good teacher I love your video,today is my first time to watch this video but I like how y'are speaking and your accent it's very simple to understand what y'are speaking.

[@user-gn2jm7nm3g]

Amazing content Grace , besides the ability to speak English well , you spreed peace by the way you explain, thank you

[@helpinwithwords2065]

hola! estoy aprendiendo espanol y me encanta tus videos gracias por los tipos porque quiero ser fluido pronto

[@flexspanish]

I love your videos, amazing people like you are an inspirarion, subscribed and will continue enjoying yr vids

[@polyglotgrace]

Thanks Jose !

[@thegoddessgeek1190]

This is literally the best tips, advice and approach that I ever heard from all the resources that I came across. Everything you mentioned here is very reasonable and very straight forward. Thank you for sharing this, I'll take all of this advices I hope It'll work for me.

[@polyglotgrace]

Thank you! I'm glad it helps.

[@Rick.yt_28]

Very informative. Thank you Grace!!!

[@polyglotgrace]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nataliam4793]

You are the best!!! thank you very much for the help and please make more videos

[@polyglotgrace]

Thank you Natalia

[@noborikoon]

Wonderful tips Kru Grace! I think you structure your lessons using this outline as well which is why they're so good! The emphasis on speaking with natives and reading authentic materials as soon as possible is such a good idea. I will practice writing my personal story now

[@polyglotgrace]

Thank you!

[@jeromestavros]

Good points. Well articulated and thought out. Thanks Grace

[@polyglotgrace]

Thanks Jerome. Glad it was helpful!

[@johnnyherbert7313]

I'm from Brazil and I'm learning english. I love your channel!

[@polyglotgrace]

Thank you Johnny 🇧🇷

[@robertdkarson2825]

Thank you for making this video. I started learning Japanese in April of 2021, but overtime I was overworking myself and lost all motivation to learn the language. There was some peronal things going on as well. But, after taking a long break from learning, which started around June of 2022, and I've dealt with my personal problems, I've been getting motivation to learn again. I wasn't looking for how to learn a language videos, but I came across this one and was curious. Especially since, I didn't suceed the first time I tried to learn. This video made it look so much easier with it's easy to do, simple points, that are so helpful. I did it all wrong before, but you've put me on the right path to suceed. Thank you Grace!!!

[@polyglotgrace]

Thank you Robert I’m happy you liked my video. I’m also working hard on my Japanese right now

[@chachab9239]

Yes, Spanish I’m like 🙄 trying to get used word order. Like the green car translated to The car green. I’m. constantly 😮Working on it constantly. Thanks for your contribution.🎉

[@nae143]

this is most helpful video to me as someone who is learning japanese !! thank you sm

[@polyglotgrace]

I'm glad its helpful :)

[@111milltown]

Great video Grace!! I just applied what you said to my Japanese learning and am filling in the gaps. Daisuki!!

[@polyglotgrace]

nice!!

[@nadiraweiler4577]

Very informative. Thank you very much Grace.

[@polyglotgrace]

Thanks Nadira

[@korawitwoonsin7547]

ผมทำคล้ายๆคุณเลยครับ เวลาเรียนภาษาแรกๆ พอเรียนตัวอักษร การออกเสียง การทักทายพื้นฐานแล้ว ผมมักจะเรียนคำพื้นฐานที่ใช้บ่อยจริงๆก่อน เช่นพวกกริยา คุณศัพท์ที่ใช้บ่อย พวกสรรพนามคำถาม พวกคำนามต่างๆเช่น วัน เดือน หรือสิ่งของรอบตัว ผมมักจะมาจำทีหลัง

[@polyglotgrace]

ดีมากเลยคะ ได้ผลดีเนอะ 😃

[@AI-zf7jn]

My idol 💖💖

[@polyglotgrace]

Thank you!

[@amgilkison]

ขอบคุณนะครับครูGrace ผมก็ชอบเรียนภาษาต่างประเทศมากๆ ผมก็เป็นครูภาษาอังกฤษและ กำลังเรียนภาษาไทย คิดว่าครูพูดถูกมากนะครับ

[@polyglotgrace]

ขอบคุณคะคุณแอรอน สู้ๆนะคะ

[@azamat19]

เกรซเก่งมากนะครับ ผมพูดได้แค่4ภาษา แต่ว่าชอบภาษาไทยมากที่สุด ผมประทับใจมากกับคุณเกรซนะ

[@polyglotgrace]

ขอบคุณคะคุณ alex

[@armyyippyy769]

Great vidio ever❣️❣️❣️❣️

[@polyglotgrace]

Thank you!!

[@bangkokadventures298]

Holy cow! I don't even know where to start here. 555 You and Steve Kaufmann have very similar philosophies. Lots of reading...listening...general exposure to the language. Writing "my story" sounds a little daunting, but might still be worth a try. Yes, people don't talk like text books. Watching an "Easy Languages" video can be very humbling. It doesn't sound anything like what you've been learning... 555

[@polyglotgrace]

haha yeah "Easy Languages" is definitely humbling. I am currently using it a lot for Turkish.

[@jairoruiz5228]

Grace la claridad de tu esplicacion hacé más facil aprender idiomas ,muy buen video

[@polyglotgrace]

gracias chinito

[@mar_dma]

This is the most helpful video on how to learn a language from scratch I have come across, seriously, thank you! I just have one question, when you start learning a language, for example Korean, do you learn formal language first? I’m going to start learning by myself, but I’m a bit confused in that aspect. My first thought is, I should learn formal and then as I get more comfortable I’ll just start “getting it” in the informal way… but I don’t know 😂

[@polyglotgrace]

Unfortunately, I started with the formal language because I followed a book (a long time ago).. But if you have a teacher, I recommend the less formal way because the formal way sounds very unnatural.

[@languagelearningdabbler]

This video is super helpful! I was over halfway through it before I stopped to start it over so I can take notes lol (edit: would be great to see it as an e-book guide)

[@polyglotgrace]

Thank you so much! Good idea :)

[@mixlab7243]

Thank you! Let's be friends

[@bigudofroes7209]

Great video, I am Brazilian 😍❤️ I like you

[@polyglotgrace]

Thank you!

[@MayerConstance]

“They’re not table and chair” brilliant! Question words!! Yes!! And learn the letters if you can’t read. It takes longer but I think it helps and your opinion super reinforcing. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ your octopus is the best listener and it looks at you with love ❤️ adorable. The puppy is so relaxed. They are Polyglots too….?

[@polyglotgrace]

haha they are.

[@AdamYLM]

Wonderful video, just commenting so it can get more exposure. I suggest any new language learner, to sit down and listen to this whole thing very very carefully. These 30mins of her talking will save you months of struggle you will come across in your language learning journey.

[@polyglotgrace]

Thank you very much Adam!

[@cometag598]

Omg i really want te be like you :'D

[@PoomCs]

Your advice is superb ive been leaning many languages but cannot make a sentence automatically.

[@polyglotgrace]

Thank you. Try reciting important sentences and practicing in your head.

[@MadelineRose19]

Linguee and reverso have lots of example sentences (certain other dictionaries do too). One thing that I do is if I learn a new sentence structure, start with an example sentence from a dictionary/book/video etc. and then replace a word (or set of words) and make several examples using the same structure with words that I already know. For example if the example sentence was "we're out of [milk]" I can change it to "we're out of [that dish]", "we're out of [fish]"... This makes it easier for me to use that structure later.

[@lisamir9937]

Hello grace, thankyou for your video, do you know a functional app that is good for learning Japanese?

[@polyglotgrace]

Try www.lingo-play.com/ (it's like a flashcard where you will learn words and u can compete with people. It's fun. Free 30 days trial. I liked it) Also I used lingq for few months for japanese. It also has 7 days free trial if I remember correctly. it's where you will read text and learn words from texts. I like it because it starts from easy to hard. If you want to try lingq here is my referal link: www.lingq.com/?referral=grace...

[@tazbod6723]

Intelligent and beautiful. I think I'll start learning Mandarin again because of you. Extremely smart. Love you. Thank you.

[@polyglotgrace]

Hey! You can do it! Don't give up !

[@tazbod6723]

@@polyglotgrace Thank you, sweetheart.

[@soidogcowboy3282]

Video is great. I've been learning Thai haphazardly. Need to refocus

[@polyglotgrace]

Keep it up!

[@MayerConstance]

Same same

[@kunslipper]

🙏🙏🙏

[@guyfromthai8746]

💗💗💗

[@janeng773]

Great tips! I'm currently learning Bahasa Indonesia, can you recommend some authentic books to start with? ขอบคุณค่ะ

[@bobjamb]

Hi, I'm Bobby from Indonesia. Let's make friends, I need to practice my English and you can ask anything to learn Bahasa.

[@polyglotgrace]

Take a look at this website. I use some of the material here. indonesian-online.com/ The colloquial indonesian you have to learn through speaking with people. I use italki.

[@noelmarchetti4462]

Paradigmatic axis / syntagmatic axis... A few grammar rules and voca is ammo... Quand tu comprends ça tu apprends vite... Imparare qualsiasi lingua é molto facile... Tienes que estudiar un poco cada dïa... แล้วก็คุณจะพัฒนาความมั่นใจเร็วมาก... 我学习中文... 👀 อ่อนน้อมถ่อมตน

[@gb2553]

Have you heard of Storytel? They have many Thai language audio books, many of them translations from English. Do you think listening to Thai audiobooks is a good way to improve my Thai listening comprehension, or is it too removed from everyday Thai?

[@polyglotgrace]

I think they can help if you are intermediate level already and the books are comprehensible for you and you can understand like 80%

[@paretho]

To UNderstand ( Listening phase ) 5:29 Thats learn Phrase ( daily phrase with common verbs ) 8:00 important words ( related to our dayly activities ) - Interest Field area to speak ( sport , gaming , movie , swiming , teaching , music , anatomy , body parts ) 11:20 *Repetition* in context , simulating ( repeating to build *muscle* *memory* ) 12:27 Certain Languange , Learn Read First ( alphabeth , to Read , to pronounce it ) ex : Russian , mandarin 13:45 Close Language Family ( Learning time ) - To Understand ( Listening able to ) Set Goal , target to reached , Learning duration and result -TO- - SPEAK- : 5: 33 Basic Grammar stucture in sentence ( korean , verb at back as object ) ( Word Placement ) to speak 6:28 Present tense ( crucial ) , 2nd PAST tenses , 3rd FUTURE tenses to speak ( ex : thai , bahasa , malay --> Past tense = Yesterday ) Spanish , French , Portuguesse ( Conjugation ) Memorize technique using *Paragraph* *immersion* /storry telling ( Dive technique ) to get used to it as daily phrases. ( Listen and Speak ) 13:55 understood by others ( Speak Clearly ) Premium solo flight - Speaking partner ( Tell me about your self ) story telling Read as Repetition 23:49 Native speaker ( authentic ) - Listen understood and Speak ( Comprehensive ) Listen to Understand ( to be able to understand ) To Conversate : 8:50 Traveling to the target Language ( Languange Charachter Immersion , building new character ) 9:55 Conjunction ( as bridge words if forgot , to recall , bridges ) to speak

[@ralyan4327]

hello Grace. thank you for the tips. wow, your piano looks like mine. do you play piano too ? :)

[@polyglotgrace]

I started learning on January this year in Brazil. Now that I moved to another city I have not been practicing for almost 2 months already. 🤦‍♀️

[@ralyan4327]

@@polyglotgrace : what kind of music do you like playing when you'll know piano well ?

[@budekins542]

Good common sense advice in this video. Now with the recent arrival of ChatGTP, learning a language suddenly becomes more possible.

[@budekins542]

Sorry I meant ChatGPT;-)

[@ylesiajacen]

I m curious how you find a way to learn skills through a foreign language for example, how did you find a Portuguese teacher to learn piano from?

[@polyglotgrace]

For Portuguese I was actually in Brazil at the time, so I took in person classes. But for other languages, for example, French, I found an interesting chess course in French and I took it online. And other things like Spanish, I find book clubs online.

[@willchaichana7094]

ขอบคุณมากนะคะพี่ ที่ทำวีดีโอนี้ขึ้นมา หนูไม่รู้ว่าพี่จำหนูได้หรือเปล่า แต่ไม่เป็นไรค่ะ หนูแค่อยากจะบอกพี่ว่า พี่เป็นคนแรกที่ทำให้หนูรู้จักศัพท์คำว่า Polyglot😄 หนูกดติดตามแล้วนะคะ😍

[@polyglotgrace]

ใครหรอคะ เจอกันที่ไหนเนี่ยบอกหน่อยสิ ขอบคุณคะ

[@willchaichana7094]

@@polyglotgrace เราเจอกันในยูทูปนี่แหละคะ ประมาณเดือนที่แล้ว หนูเคยขอให้พี่ช่วยทำคลิปว่าถ้าหนูอยากเก่งแบบพี่ จะเรียนด้วยตัวเองได้อย่างไร เพราะหนูไม่มีเงินที่จะไปเรียนพิเศษ มันเป็นคลิปที่พี่พูดหลายภาษาหน่ะคะ หนูขอขอบคุณพี่อีกครั้งนะคะ😄😍

[@polyglotgrace]

@@willchaichana7094 เป็นภาษาอังกฤษแต่มีซับอังกฤษ ลองดูนะคะ พี่ทำแล้ว แต่คิดว่าทำภาษาไทยด้วยติดตามดูนะคะ kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqfElpJ5nrKUa9E

[@miniscootie]

ฝึกเรียนบางภาษาตอนโตแล้ว บางคนลิ้นแข็ง ออกเสียงไม่ชัด เกิดขึ้นกับน้องมั้ยคะ (แต่เท่าที่ฟังในคบิปพูดหลายภาษา น้องออกเป็นธรรมชาติทุกภาษาเลยค่ะ)​

[@polyglotgrace]

ส่วนมากไม่พอไม่ใช่ลิ้นแข็งคะ แค่ฝึกไม่พอ ต้องฟังแล้วพูดตามเยอะ

[@James-hs3tu]

Good to be young. Have a lot of time. No boyfriend. More time. No time to spend with family and friends More time No vacations. More time Don't go out after work. More Time Point the things your Missing But you have time to learn these Languages

[@click8708]

Id like to just understand another language because it feels like a new world. Its a whole new world of meanings and understandings.

[@polyglotgrace]

That's why I love learning languages. It opens new world. So many things to discover.

[@Gabriel-yj5gk]

Hey! I have you "hearted" on italki, you are "cold"!

[@user-oz6gx5ry6s]

I took the 100th👍

[@denyssherstiuk5869]

Nah, 32 mins, too long. Better to make videos up to 15-17 mins.