The 100% Foolproof Way Of Learning Any Language is..

[@SabbaticalTommy]

By popular request, a little bonus video on how to learn any language. Language difficulty lists (for English speakers): www.state.gov/foreign-language-training/ Language apps for learning the essential vocab and grammar: www.duolingo.com/ www.memrise.com/ www.busuu.com/ www.babbel.com/ Free flashcard app for testing yourself: apps.ankiweb.net/ Find a language teacher online: www.italki.com/ www.verbling.com/ Language exchange app (find language partner online): www.tandem.net/ Find language exchange meetups in your city: www.meetup.com/ None of the above are sponsors, just what I personally use.

[@Norwegianization]

you were probably a skilled cia agent at one point in your life.

[@hl1599]

Good looking out Tommy for all the info and links bro!

[@stewartsmith8642]

Thank you so much I am just starting to try and learn Spanish for a trip next year this will be so much help. I have been watching your videos for a few months now really enjoy them and through your stuff I have started watching Miss Josey now also I really like her also she seems like such a nice young lady anyways thanks.

[@jsmdnq]

Note that what you have said is true for anything. It has nothing to do with learning languages... or put differently. EVERYTHING is a language. Music is a language, math is a language, politics is a language, love is a language, socializing is a language. Everything is a language. Everything has a grammar, a vocabulary, a style, a feel, etc. Learning is learning and ultimately as humans we are very good learners(imagine how much we learn over a life time and it is "incomprehensible"). Everyone is a great learner, it is all about time. What do you put your time in to learning? Is it making money? Is it having sex? is it learning how to sit on a couch and watch cartoons? Is it fighting with your spouse? Is it reading books on archeology? We have a finite amount of time on this planet and of that time most can only dedicate a fraction to learning interesting but somewhat useless things(most people have to work for a living and that prevents them from spending time on learning and generally they are either too exhausted or too unmotivated to learn). One can learn to learn, and that comes from experience on learning and it can't be taught, only learned. There is a language to learning, that is, a structure/grammar. Mathematics actually studies this abstract structure of learning and learning it helps one see and translate their learned experiences to other experiences more efficiently(it's like learning the historic aspects of languages realizing there is overlap so you don't have to treat every language the same, or learning there is an abstract grammatical structure that is always the same for all languages). The problem is that most people simply will not want to learn something new as it seems too difficult. Only with motivation can they overcome the difficulty to get to a point where they can learn enough to not be turned off by the overwhelming feeling of "ignorance". Everyone struggles with this but also everyone seems to have a natural inclination towards certain things(probably due to previous experiences). The best thing anyone can do is to pick a subject that they hate and are terrible at but that they know is useful and then to spend a year learning/doing it. It could be math, music, exercising, gardening/farming, etc. Doing this will cause one to grow tremendously. Doing the opposite, always sticking with what one is already good at/likes will result is minimum growth. The reason why children learn so well is because they do not have any preconceived notions... they are actually very poor learners but they have virtually no roadblocks so they are like a sponge that has not soaked up anything(and so can). Adults are like sponges that are already full of water and they won't wring themselves out to be able to soak up more. I've learned a lot of things in my life... and I've always had to give up something to get something. E.g., when I learned music I had to give up computer programming(time wise I stopped programming, got very rusty, but with that extra time I could learn music). I stopped doing music for a while so I could learn electronics, then went back to music. I'd rather know a little about a lot of things than a lot about a few things. Neither one is best but generally speaking it is best to know a little about a lot of things and a lot about a few things. I'm not the best at anything but I'm not the worst. What I have learned is a bunch of different things and any one of those things I can enjoy and enjoy learning more about or even not. I think ultimately humans seek learning. Our forte and desires is in learning. Our brains have evolved to learn and it drives us to learn. Humans want to "expand their consciousness" so much that we will do almost anything to learn something new and escape the mundane world we have conquered. Just look at what humans have accomplished even with all the vices and craziness that plagues us. We basically mimic every species just cause we can. If there is a challenge we accept it. Our species seems to be addicted to learning/conquering. We are masters at it(there is nothing on this planet that even comes close). Of course humanity is still relatively young so it still is learning and learning how to learn. If we don't destroy ourselves in the process one day every child will speak 20 languages(or there will be 1 sort of master natural language that exists) along with having mastered many other things. I think more people than ever are learning they can learn anything they want if they just do it. I think before the internet people didn't have the information they needed to accomplish such things. If this is true then the future generations will be on a level that we can't comprehend(the average person 50 years from now will be considered a genius in current terms).

[@qrdnk]

Thanks a lot for this! Encouraging people to keep on is a positive thing.

[@carlosgabrielli3928]

Anyone can learn a language, if they put their mind to it, in my case, I learned english when i was young, and 5 years ago I started to studying French in my own, and I can already communicate very well despite my age. I am 70 years old and soon I want learn another language, because that make me happy !!

[@stevenhs8821]

I'm 64yo and also am eager to learn a new language. The best way to keep the mind young is to keep learning.

[@jonathanSpg]

When you finish mastering french it will be super easy to move on to italian then spanish

[@logan9920]

With KZbin and modern resources anyone can learn a language.

[@alexidino]

​@@jonathanSpgI think Spanish it's his native language.

[@georgetaylor2819]

In the 1960's I was stationed with the US Navy on a base on the island of Puerto Rico. I first took all the letters in their alphabet and memorized both the name of the letter and the sound of the particular letter in their alphabet. I then took two words and one number each day and wrote them on paper until I had filled the whole sheet of paper with the particular word while saying the word out loud each time I wrote the word. I also kept a sheet of paper with the words I had worked upon. Despues de algunos dos o tres meses estaba ya hablando, escribiendo, y leyendo el idioma. Entonces, entré en la universidad en Bayamon. Encontré mi esposa y hoy tenemos sobre 56 años juntos. Te deseo mucho exito -- muy importante que no rindes!!! Perseverancia es la llave mas importante!! EXITO

[@healthy7219]

I remember when I was searching around in Meetup I found you! I attended your Language Mixed events in Guangzhou in 2018. I met you in the bar, an enthusiastic guy! It's a beautiful memory. I met a lot of interesting people there. Thank you! Hope to see you again.

[@SabbaticalTommy]

Wow nice, can’t believe it’s already been 4 years since I was there. Hope I can go back to visit someday

[@theway2619]

I love this kid. He is honest, bright and he is empathetical to other peoples. Great teacher.

[@cobwebtheorem7538]

He is no kid, he is approaching middle age...

[@hazyviews999]

@@cobwebtheorem7538 Middle age? lmao

[@finy5051]

@@hazyviews999 yes... hes like 35 or something

[@hazyviews999]

@@finy5051 And you think that's middle-aged? how sweet

[@finy5051]

@@hazyviews999 he is approaching middle aged, 35 is approaching middle age

[@daveolifent4477]

Im Australian and recently moved to Saudi Arabia. In learning Arabic ive found a great tool for practicing pronounciation is google translate. I speak Arabic into the app and sometimes need to repeat the sentence 10 - 15 times before it understands me. By then i know ive gotten the pronounciation nearly 100%. Once google translate can understand you, everyone else will as they also will have body language and context to help.

[@RovexHD]

Very true. Did the same with russian

[@vovobillinbrazil]

Immersive instruction is really a key. In the military we were sent to a foreign country for schooling. 1st week the host family would speak English with me. The second was a mix. Starting on the third week completely foreign to me for 2.5 months. Fluent to this day. Then. I married my wife and needed a (third) language. And yes. Beer helps.

[@craighughes536]

I've been learning greek for a few years, not intensively, but one day I was invited to my Greek teachers house for a birthday party. a few drinks were had and I can understand 75% on the he conversations, but in one conversation I sure I replied coherently with a longer answer than I had before..

[@edglue6138]

Hahaha.

[@musical_lolu4811]

It's hilarious how many people in the language learning 'space' don't factor in immersion. These are people that tend to sit behind devices pitting one learning method against another... "this app/teacher sucks, use that one instead" bla bla bla. Like, what's the whole point of learning a language if you won't include living in a different environment for a considerable period of time in your life plan.

[@HawaiiDEEPS]

@@musical_lolu4811 Immersion also includes just doing everything in the target language. Music, shows, talking, phone set to the language, etc. Don't have to leave the country but it does help

[@GodGunsGills]

@@HawaiiDEEPS facts

[@stevenfrost6441]

This was a huge help, Thanks! I used Rosetta Stone when I was with the State Dept. to get a grasp on Farsi and it was monster.

[@brandonweemhoff9242]

I needed this. I'm an American who has been living in Indonesia for the last 8 years. My language skills here definitely could be better. I just haven't been putting in that time to learn. I had private lessons when I first came here but then just got too lazy because I could survive without speaking locally. Thanks for the motivation, it's time to start learning more!

[@auralarchipelago]

We def lucked out living in Indonesia, as it's a damn easy language to learn (but not simple to master.) How often do you hang out with Indonesians who don't speak English? I learned way more Indonesian backpacking for six weeks in villages with no English than I did in my first year in a big city in Java. Semangat ya, kamu bisa!

[@auralarchipelago]

@@JadeSchneiderr Married an Indonesian 😎 But totally possible to stay here long term with just the right employment.

[@avery.a5948]

8 years and you still don’t have the language down?

[@olakunleolasanoye9253]

Hi my friend, I’m your true fan all the way from Nigeria….I love you and I love what you’re doing…,planning all my retirement will be traveling around the world. Great job man

[@SpanishWithNate.]

You're a legend!!!

[@paranoidhumanoid]

One of the key things to remember when learning a language is to not be afraid of "sounding stupid" or in uncomfortable situations as he mentions at 13:15. I find lots of Americans learning languages hold back and don't learn fast or their accent sounds too "American" because they're afraid to step out of their comfort zone and sound foreign. It should sound _foreign,_ not like a dialect of American English (imagine J. Lo or Mayor Bloomberg speaking Spanish)! Those who are fearless (like Tommy) tend to pick up languages faster because they're *not* afraid to make mistakes or sound weird. You're going to make mistakes -- that is a given. When you let go of that fear, you'll suddenly find that you sound more _natural_ and when you sound natural, you learn faster because people tend to find you more approachable and then you find yourself having normal *non-textbook* conversations with people from all over the world.

[@yawillykwily7179]

very well said.

[@ryanmilner9144]

i dunno, when i tried using my (poor) spanish in puerto rico, i basically got shit on every time.

[@alaska3390]

@@ryanmilner9144 😂

[@IAmRooble]

Someone I knew went to France for the first time after majoring in it in college. The very first thing someone said to him was "don't speak, your American accent is so ugly." I hear the French stereotypically kind of suck (obviouslynot everyone). Sounds like the America of Europe LOL.

[@otter7880]

THE MOTIVATION I NEEDED! THANKS

[@EugenioFranklin]

This is a great vid. As a Brazilian born, I've been living in the US (Connecticut, right next to your Long Island) for most of my life. When I got here, in 86 (I was 20 yeas old), I didn't speak a single word of English and now I'm happy to say I speak 4 languages. Learning Ukrainian is the mission I'm on. Not for the war reason but I've always been fascinated by that country and their beauty, if you know what I mean! I love you channel and watch every content you post. BTW, your Portuguese is awesome, should've been higher up un that list you made about you level. Keep up the great work.

[@kingtau]

I'm learning Brazilian portuguese right now!

[@lendaibeats9296]

brabo

[@nSiLEtan]

Siema :D jeśli znasz ukraiński to pewnie rozumiesz też sporo po polsku - to są bardzo podobne języki

[@zeeqq105]

My niece speaks fluent Portuguese. She did an immersion trip for 3 months in Brazil. I never knew that Portuguese was so beautiful.

[@lizardospace9650]

I am from Connecticut my mother is from Rio and I'm going to rio for two months I've been trying to look for the best way to study Portuguese and this seems it

[@christopherpayton6178]

Hey thanks a lot for this! I was excited for this video's release, and now I'm inspired to learn more languages! I've learned Spanish, and now I want to tackle Portuguese and Guaraní

[@blususpect]

Yo Sabbatical, thanks for dropping this game on us, Muchos Gracias! Spanish 🇲🇽🇪🇸 is the goal for me! If a white boy from NYC speaks fluent Kiswahili 🇷🇼, you listen to his advice!

[@HawaiiDEEPS]

I find quite a few New Yorkers have a similar mindset to him because of the international presence, like Xioama and Frankie Light. It isn't race, it's culture

[@jesterbons1558]

why did u put the mexican flag lol no sarcasm just kinda random

[@robert9016]

@@jesterbons1558 Mexico is the largest Spanish speaking country and right under the USA, so a lot of Americans learning Spanish study the Mexican dialect

[@notsogreen]

Spanish is probably the easiest to learn. It's pronounced the way it is written. When I took it in school, I was better at spelling and grammar than the Spanish speakers. Not better at speaking it though.

[@ultorfnv]

As an American who has had the experience to live in Norway and France, and travel across the world, I can vouch for this video to anyone who needs or wants to learn a new language. It IS possible, so long as you are dedicated and patient!

[@aldozilli1293]

It's actually very easy, just live in a place for a while and study a bit. No major intelligence required.

[@T289c]

Great video. Immersion is the key. I just wanted to add one more dimension that I can swear by coming from personal experience. Wherever you go, if you get into a relationship with someone from that country, you will learn very fast. It’s like a survival instinct to really learn how to communicate. That person will also genuinely be more patient with you. Easier said than done, but it really moves things along

[@jeffbrunswick5511]

You are right about how easy it is these days with smart phones. I learnt French in school back in the 1990s and it was brutal. 4 years of lessons I only learnt around 1000 words. By using apps on my phone, I managed to learn 3500 words of Brazilian Portuguese in two years. I wasn't even living in Brazil, I only visited on occasion for work and it made a huge difference.

[@kingtau]

What are your favorite apps to use?

[@Stan-zo4mk]

What apps did u use?

[@jeffbrunswick5511]

@@Stan-zo4mk I used Duo Lingo, but there are plenty of other options. The key is to build your vocabulary and not to stress about grammar, as this takes a long time to perfect. Watching local TV with the subtitles on (in the local language, not English) also helps you to learn common phrases.

[@Leopardvixen369]

I just wrote a long post about how you inspired me to learn Russian and Chinese and I had some good tips in the comment, but when I went to edit it, it was gone. I don’t understand why. I put a lot of effort into writing that to try and give people a few tips I picked up that has helped me. I’m not going to rewrite it, but thanks again for igniting a passion in me to learn a language and stick with it. I’m up to 500 or more Russian words now. My biggest tip: take post it notes and stick them on objects in your home and write what the object is in whatever language you’re learning. While you’re doing your daily routine, you’ll learn vocabulary.

[@benjismith593]

That's a great idea! In their writing or just how it sounds in English?

[@therealleafes]

Good tip!

[@miahconnell23]

Yup, that is a good tip. Bloom’s taxonomy (a learning/pedagogical thing) puts basic memorization at the bottom, but soooooo many educators kinda forget that the the pyramid of learning goals and strategies NEEDS the bottom, and it all builds up from there. So, basic 1:1 memorization of nouns is not nothing !! Do the post-it note thing ! Also, if you get into a relationship with a really cool person who speaks a different language, chances are you will really wanna understand her, and you will REALLY wanna be understood, so your learning motivation and ability really blows up. (But don’t date somebody just to leech out language learning: that’s not what I’m saying.)

[@erewrw1906]

that sounds like a nice plan!

[@mechanikalbull5626]

yt AI bots automatically hide or removed critical opinions . policing comments got worse after the removal of dislike button and basically we can do nothing about it but to silence our voices

[@theovanhurtere]

My tip for immerson if you can't travel yet for whatever reason: consume media. Listen to music(try and sing, too), watch TV/Films, radio/podcasts, news broadcasts. Training your ear is as important as pronunciantion. Also, if you play a game regularly and know the UI well, you can change the language and broaden your vocabulary.

[@Thesenseiformerlyknownas]

Came here to say just that. 👍

[@waitaminute2015]

Many say soap opera shows are helpful because of the drama and bad acting, lol.

[@Justforfun-cc7zc]

Your videos are always inspiring.

[@NomadNotMad]

Always

[@LaceyAnn]

I watch a lot of different kinds of channels and out of everyone and all the genres including travel, this is my favorite channel. Love ya Sabbatical you the man!

[@tommboya1337]

I like your passion. I speak 14 languagesand I understand others so I can travel to most countries. Assimilation from root language.

[@hk254lyt8]

Uwongo

[@tommboya1337]

@@hk254lyt8 thank you King Solomon you can’t change what I know. Good luck

[@Pavel_A.]

Verstehst du auch diese Sprache?

[@billbirkett7166]

我真爱你的频道，真是个鼓舞人心的频道。现在我在哥斯达黎加，一边学西班牙语，一边做旅游事物。看到你的频道的时候，真的提醒我，我是什么都能做的。我的生活是一个无限的礼物。谢谢你给别人信心要做任何一件事，要经验任何一种冒险。你很厉害！

[@tombimashri8149]

I just enjoy ND love Tommy. stay Blessed ND keep sailing to Glory

[@alfredomunoz8361]

Been waiting for this for months, thanks brother!!

[@gonegoro]

This is an incredibly helpful and motivating video for a topic that I think most people should really look into. You really hit it home with the number of resources that are available, and like others have said, if you are at all able to have an immersive experience with a language, you're already a step above most people. Thanks for this vid, and all your vids. Love 'em!

[@extraudoknight]

Your channel actually came into my feed because of your channels seems to have an association to language

[@Patrizio99]

I am from Sweden and picked up English by playing videogames as i grew up and the first language that i really put effort in learning was Italian. I started in january 2021 so it's been 1.5 years and i feel very comfortable in it (still improving my vocabulary). I would like to learn french and spanish aswell but i heard it's not a good idea to learn Italian/french/spanish/ after another because they are so similar and you will most likely mix the vocabulary. Russian has always interested me but damn it seems complicated/intimidating.

[@thomasfriis8106]

People who tell you this normally dont speak all those languages. I do. You can learn french. Italian. Spanish and portugese no problem. These languages are similar. It took me a total of 3 years to be fluent in all them 4 languages. This waa b4 the internet. I lived in all 4 countries. I am not super intelligent. As Tommy says.. You just need to put in the effort and you will get 2 the level you want.

[@LearnSpanishWorld]

I love your videos! My family and I have been watching your channel for a while...What a surprise when I started watching your new videos ! So relevant to my own niche! The way you learn languages is amazing amigo 😊

[@LearnSpanishWorld]

@WILLIAM GREY Wow! Glad to find you here William. I love Sabbatical videos too...I genuinely enjoy watching travel youtubers and Sabbatical is one of my favourite ones. Everyday after I come back from work and I sit down to eat something I watch his videos with my family. We have always commented on his incredible ability to absorb local l😊anguages in places like Africa and the Americas. By the way. He gives excellent tips to learn languages. He certainly knows what he is talking about!

[@UfishDotCom]

Nice vid!, so true Much respect to you, Xiaoma and Chris Lewis for your abilities! It's always amazing how much ppl open up when you speak in their native tongue.

[@jean-sebastiengauthier4967]

Merci pour les conseils Tom! It's been a long time I wanted to learn Spanish. Your video there and the mood am in lately... I think am starting this for real. You're an inspiration to me afterall

[@13chomp4]

Learning some basic questions that will point you to new vocabulary is also one of the best tools you can give yourself. My French skills expanded quite a bit when I was able to look at someone who knew better than me, and ask for an explanation, new information, and repetition. "What is that?" "What did you say?" "What do you mean?"

[@Telluwide]

As an English language teacher, IELTS and Cambridge Examiner for over 20 years, this video and all the tips in it are spot on! Well done!

[@katella]

Another tip that helped me learn two new languages is to watch simple television programs in that language. Soap operas are good because they tend to overact so you have physical cues as to what is going on. You will learn what people say when they enter or leave a room, for example, or how you refer to various relatives, grandmother, nephew etc. Just watch and pretty soon you begin to understand. That's what I did and it helped tremendously. And don't be afraid of saying the wrong thing! Most often this leads to laughter and a fun learning experience. I've said many silly things and am the better for it.🌻

[@ACEDTVL]

Great Video

[@SabbaticalTommy]

Gracias yanqui

[@nicknichols3810]

Awesome video, Tommy. I've been a fan of your videos for awhile but always wondered how you could be fluent in so many diverse languages. This is both helpful and inspirational.

[@KaiomiD]

This gave me so much motivation, thank you for posting this! I'm Italian and Cuban, born in California, but I never learned how to speak either Italian or Spanish, and my family is always making fun of me for it, and they don't even try to teach me either. And when I do try, they make fun of my pronunciation, it's really frustrating growing up hearing people have conversations in a language you don't understand. Seeing you learn all these languages and travel the world makes me realize that anything is possible if you're willing to put forth the effort, you're a huge source of inspiration for me because it's my dream to travel the world one day too. I'm going to start practicing more now, this is exactly what I needed to hear. Safe travels, thanks for the tips!🤙☮️

[@zucced2087]

People who are monolingual tend to look at language learning as this distant unattainable goal. The truth, however, is that all it takes is consistency and practice over enough time. If you develop a daily routine of learning Spanish for example, you should be able to have a basic conversation within half a year. Sure, your Spanish won't be anywhere close to perfect or fluent by then, but you'll be able to see how quickly you can develop listening skills and talk to people without having to translate every word in their head. I am saying this because I am currently studying Spanish and a couple of days ago I saw an entire half hour documentary in Spanish. I understood like 60% of it, which is a big deal for me, as the documentary wasn't meant for language learners. But enough of me bragging, the point is just don't get overwhelmed (and for the love of God, don't try to learn both of them at the same time), don't give up because it seems difficult at times, and most importantly don't listen to others.

[@shellyfullerton]

I was learning Spanish on Duolingo and stopped. This has inspired me to restart

[@tbl4r126]

I recommend Preply!

[@anticlickbait]

Tú puedes :D y con mucha paciencia y práctica . For me it took me 10 years to learn English. At least a decent level. I know I have many mistakes but I can defend myself. If you start from now u will learn a decent Spanish in a few years. Don't give up.

[@benjismith593]

Spanish is not that difficult. I will say that Mexicans have a slang style of it. I mostly understand Spanish speakers from Peru, Argentina, and Chile.

[@shellyfullerton]

@@anticlickbait thanks

[@shellyfullerton]

@@tbl4r126 but I'm so accustomed to Duolingo 😄

[@kwokweng76]

Good looking out Tommy for all the info and links bro!

[@adamwalker8173]

Hey Tommy, this is a great video man, i thank you for time and energy to make this video it help tremendously

[@cindypaige7563]

Hello my friend I was wondering where you made this video because it is so pretty there! Thank you for making your videos... I'd love to travel, but I'm not rich like you😊 What do you do for a living? ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@nf4866]

As for taking notes, idk if others are like this but I find it much more helpful to physically write them down on paper. It's actually pretty rare that I reread the notes out of necessity because there's just something about writing a word or phrase that helps cement it in my head. I've been mostly studying portuguese and this is a huge help with remembering the gender of words that aren't obvious (I just throw in the article like "o hotel" "a comunidade" "o restaurante" etc). I also keep a piece of scrap paper to write it a few times if it looks like one I'll have trouble with. I also find duolingo is decent for helping to remember certain grammar rules, but where it really shines is the stories feature. They're really good guided comprehensible input. There are comorehensible input videos on youtube too, but they aren't interactive, so they aren't quite as good for starting with imo. And speaking of youtube (at least for portuguese and spanish) there are some great channels with free video lessons. I've had pretty good luck with just typing a grammar question in the youtube search bar and finding very informative videos on it. Some of the youtube hyperpolyglot gigachads are definitely scammers, but don't let that blind you to the fact that there are also likely to be plenty of native speakers who are flattered by you wanting to learn their language and culture, so they'll want to put out helpful content.

[@kingtau]

Nice, I'm also learning Portuguese!

This is great. Gracias Tommy!

[@johnr1350]

Such great info for someone trying to learn. And it was free! None of that “Join my master class and you will become fluent in 10 minutes or less! Only $999.99!”

[@doug4699]

Might be the very best video ever made! Thank you 🙏

[@gregmock6808]

German and Japanese to me are different because they speak differently to different people..the grammar is harder..I learned German in high school ..Mandarin in my travels and lots of bits of languages through food....Spanish would be very useful but if you have Madarin, Spanish and English you cover a lot of ground but it's absolutely a better experience traveling if you can speak...even if your nor fluent...the locals love the effort. Good video Tommy...I learn "what is this, what is that" and "how much is this or how much it that" and I want or I don't want...hello, goodbye and thank you...from there...it unfolds.

[@Ben79k]

I thought this might be some sort of advert for a language learning service when i clicked on it. You proved me wrong, thank you. There are too many sponsored videos about this topic these days and it was refreshing and inspiring to hear some real advice. Love your travel videos.

[@Abakaschi]

All tools aside, one MUST be gifted. There is no way around it. I can’t deal with languages: I’m from Germany but live in the US for over 8 years, yet I still do a lot of mistakes in english!! I’m learning Portuguese for over 10 years now and I spent over 8 months in Brazil (combined throughout the years), yet I still can’t hold a fluent conversation. I also can’t memorize jokes or song texts. Not even my favorite songs. So, tools and methods only bring you so far. Ability and talent is what is key!

[@Abakaschi]

Forgot to mention that I LOVE the video!! :) Thanks for finally sharing your tips, Tommy!

[@MarokkaanseIndonees]

Thanks for the video and the tools! I’ve been using duolingo to learn some languages and its really helpful :) As for dutch, I am dutch so if you need some help, let me know! 🙌🏽

[@bigmama3372]

Hey Tommy, could you give us a video about packing advice? I‘ve never seen you with a proper big rucksack, only with a daypack if anything. I just wanted to know on how little you travel and how it started off so I can improve my gear in the future. It would also be helpful to know how you move your belongings from point A to point B and keep it safe doing so. Safe travels!

[@R2BMusicCH]

Good advice. Also keep in mind that it's easier to learn a foreign language which is in the same "family" as your native language. For instance all languages based on Latin share a lot of virtually identical words. In that case it comes down to pronunciation. I speak French and German natively. It was relatively easy for me to learn Italian and Dutch plus a bit of Spanish. Even English shares many words with Latin languages. But it's true, at the end of the day it comes down to practicing. The "native vibe" in your conversation can be enhanced by learning little interjections which are frequently used. Like in French "ben oui c'est sûr" pronounced "bah wee seh sür" and fast spoken (ü like the German u umlaut). It's also important to listen a lot to native speakers of the language you're learning for getting used to the flow, rhythm and melody.

[@brittanydumoulinful]

I'm currently learning Latin. I'm just starting to hit that sweet spot. I put in an hour a day this last 6 months..I finally found someone who speaks it fluently and had my first simple conversation the other day. Im a English speaking french Canadian(Anglophone) I only know a little french. I'm going to learn Latin first and then maybe Portuguese or Spanish. Many words I already knew intuitively when starting. I absolutely love it!! I'm always amazed when people speak more than 2 languages. So impressive!

[@rn655321]

I'm so glad you did this. I've been searching your videos for content like this.

[@tonybaloney6656]

Great advice Tommy . I’ve been learning mandarin which just gets harder and harder especially when you accidentally ask a waitress if she has venereal disease .

[@katella]

😂 I had a friend who was in love with a Chinese girl. He tried to complement her on her lovely complexion and ended up saying something like 'The skin on your neck looks like cement'. That took a while to sort out.

[@josephrobi6806]

Beautiful scenery there and thanks for the info 😊

[@floretion]

I've been hoping to get one of these videos from you, a true master. I know you didn't recommend it, but when you mentioned that if you want to sound like a native speaker, learn the sounds before you learn the words, it reminded me of learning Tango Argentino and hearing that in some good schools, the first courses are just on keeping your balance, etc. without going into any of the various moves. I also have a question: I've taught English before (as an American who has lived his adult life in Germany) and there seem to be some people who want to be corrected mid-sentence when they make a big mistake and others who prefer you to take notes and point out all the mistakes after they finish talking. What would be your preference?

[@billiecassidy2719]

Love your channel. Subscribed ages ago. I’m Maori / Irish from Auckland New Zealand living in Tasmania Australia now. I wish I could travel!

[@aminefahri695]

This is in Fes, Morocco. Welcome to Morocco 😊 I hope you stay a while here and you show the diversity, the rich history and culture. Many different kinds of landscape exist in Morocco, deserts, snowy mountains with ski resorts, cool beaches, modern areas, old towns etc. I hope you try to speak Arabic, although we have our own Arabic dialect here it's possible to communicate using Standard Arabic. I hope you enjoy. Edit: Please also research and try all kinds of food. One of my recommendations is: Pastilla which is sweet and salty meat pie with almonds, meat, cinnamon sugar etc..

[@NomadNotMad]

I want to learn Arabic but it’s so many dialects but can all Arabic speaking countries understand standard dialect?

[@aminefahri695]

@@NomadNotMad You should almost always start with Standard Arabic because it lays the foundation and helps you learn all the sounds that you will find in all Arabic-speaking countries. Then after that you can decide on which dialect to learn. Just note that some dialects are understood by most people due to media such as the Egyptian dialect. You can also communicate with people using Standard Arabic however usually Standard Arabic is left for formal speech and writing, for example in Morocco State TV is in Standard Arabic, formal documents and speech in parliament is in Standard Arabic. Day to day speech is in Darija which is the Moroccan dialect. If you know standard Arabic you can learn Darija in a few weeks to months because the grammar will be familiar and there will only be some new vocabulary from other languages, or Classical Arabic words that are still used in Darija but rarely in other countries. TL;DR: Just start with Standard Arabic, it makes more sense to start and it also has the most resources. You can then try to practice speaking on free language exchange apps or pay for an online teacher on some websites like iTalki.

[@NomadNotMad]

@@aminefahri695 thanks a lot that’s good info. Do you think I should also learn how to read and write or just focus on speaking?

[@paulz6491]

Thanks I was wondering where he was! 😊

[@aminefahri695]

@@NomadNotMad @montrez g It depends if your goal is to speak with people or to read and understand forma Arabic found in books, internet and certain types of media. If it's the former then you should still learn the letters and learn basic grammar then start trying to speak to locals online or when you're traveling. If your focus is on speaking you don't need to become advanced in reading and writing but some basics are definitely useful. Learning the letters will help you learn the sounds much better than just using Latin alphabet because some sounds don't exist in the Latin alphabet. Learning Arabic letters or abjad as it is called is not that hard compared to Chinese characters, it is doable in a couple of months max. Maybe even in one month with enough practice.

[@Pokezaki]

I live in Estonia, wheres ~1.2 million ppl. Most of the world don`t know where we are or what we speak, but where ever i see a person even trying to speak or learn few words of it, i give them huge respect and i think its same for every small language group. 15 languages is something else!!

[@johngipe4189]

Gotta tell you.. your a he'll of a guy. Thank you for all your videos. Thank you positivity and your encouragement

[@edithkamindo2572]

Thanks for this Sab, you're a smart guy, you inspired me to learn a new language. I'm currently learning Hungarian. Fell in love with Budapest ❤

[@ingela_injeela]

Oh, that's such a great reason to learn a language!

[@CarterPringle]

Sabbatical your vlogs continue to inspire me and I'm sure many others to learn or continue learning languages, and this video will help many of us continue our journey, thanks for that.

[@GameOver1a]

Thanks for this valuable content Tommy. One Love

[@richesmethod]

So he finally admitted how the c.i.a trained him to learn 15 different languages 😀😅😅😅

[@benjismith593]

Bald n Bankrupt is his Mi6 counterpart

[@Rottingboards]

Ha Ha! Great comment!

[@aaron_ong]

Not saying he is but he is a poster child of what a generic CIA field officer looks like and dresses like

[@leightonbrown1849]

Como se DC 🤣 CIA that😋

[@ratherbwalkn]

Thank for the info. Tommy I always look forward to your new videos, I find them very interesting with your different approach to everything. Ive traveled in my life and still do, Ive been working on a language for several years and you are always a kick in the ass to keep to keep up with. Thanks for that too.......I look forward to seeing what's coming up in your future videos, Again thanks and have fun, stay safe and keep talking because a lot of people really enjoy what you're doing!!!! Hasta Luego, Home-brew!!!

[@leonwerne9501]

It may be strange, but for a Dutch person it is easy to learn English. The language is so similar in certain pronunciations. Yet Dutch is spoken outside the Netherlands in parts of Indonesia, South Africa, Suriname, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, St Maarten and Belgium. That's why it's nice that I heard your Dutch in Suriname. And even if you spoke it a little, your pronunciation of the words was fantastically good.

[@SabbaticalTommy]

Dankje mijn vriend. The only problem with your language is you all speak English too well!

[@leonwerne9501]

@@SabbaticalTommy That probably is true, but in any case I hope we see many more videos from you in the future. It's really fun and i like all those different cultures.

[@Islandicus]

@@SabbaticalTommy That's easy to get around. I just speak in Polish to Dutch people because I look slavic. „Przepraszam, nie mówię po angielsku, ale uczę się holenderskiego.” It works every time. I've yet to have a conversation in Polish with a Dutch speaker.

[@Checkmate025]

Learning Dutch is a lost time. Id recommend to definatly skip it, and invest your time in learning another.

[@paros320]

For real, every Dutch traveler I meet speaks better English than half of my coworkers in the states.

[@benjismith593]

Well you're in some Islamic majority country in the later half of this video😎. Or Portugal. Looking at a comment I was half n half right. Morocco! Can't wait! I live around many corner stores in my hood. Most staffed by Indians, and Bangladeshis. I'm learning both on a daily basis. Plus religious style of greetings. Talking, and asking is the best way to learn. When you speak Hindi, Urdu, or Bangla to a stranger... They light up! I get in long conversations with them. They aske how I know it. Even better when they start asking me about American culture or how to say things. How to approach a situation in America. I will say that Hindi is my favorite language to learn.

[@hk254lyt8]

Nimengoja hii sana. Napanga kujifunza kijapani na kichina

[@SabbaticalTommy]

Lugha hizo ni ngumu lakini you can do it

[@hk254lyt8]

@@SabbaticalTommy nitaweza 😎

[@andrei19238]

What I understood I have () this a lot. I am () to learn Japanese and Chinese

[@CouchTeamGaming]

I can't believe you put out a video on how to learn languages today. I actually made a Duolingo account just 2 weeks ago! What a crazy coincidence. I'll definitely put some of these tips to use. Thanks Tommy!

[@RoadDestination]

Hew Tommy, how do you prevent mixing up different languages? I notice that I tend to mix up all kinds of languages (that I barely speak). I can somewhat understand why I mix different romanesque languages given the similarities, but throwing in some Spanish when attempting to speak Chinese and vice versa is completely weird to me yet I do it.

[@chongosanchez.5639]

Awesome. God speed in all your travels bro

[@GraphicalBoss]

You are a teaching genius sir! Love your channel.

[@mikemore34]

Thanks man. Great stuff

[@phiaman]

Sabattical is spot the fuck on... I travelled for about 7 years around the world learning the basics of every language of every country I was in(Dutch included!).. However, I was only in each country about 4 months at a time. But I spent majority of that time in Latin American countries... That's where my heart lays and where I feel the most passionate and comfortable. The first things I would learn were the obvious basics to get by and to buy a beer or find a hotel... But then I would learn how to say: "Hi, I'm from the United States of America but I'm trying to learn (insert language)... Immediately guards were let down and I had experiences that money can't buy... Still to this day my Spanish is only intermediate and all the other languages basic as fuck... But the most important thing is to have fun with it. As long as you are learning basic vocabulary and grammar, being patient, not taking yourself too seriously, and having a good time, you will gain the most rewarding experiences and knowledge you can possibly have in life...

[@SiGa-i1r]

I fucking read your fucking comment. I am so cool for using this fucking word "fuck." Little brats never use that word. Only mature adults like us. Thanks, you fucking stranger.

[@faceless8776]

Finally nakakita na ako ng ganitong setting na video about sa pagtuturo o sa language parang raw at madalas mong nakikita tas overly edited at di bagay sa pagupo , ito parang mabibigay ung sa asabovesobel;Lugar,tahimik,malinaw,ma

[@CindyDab]

You just never know when your Dutch comes in handy as we are everywhere in the world, or you could use it to clear your throat

[@MrWahjudi]

im impressed by your languages learning capability and your open mind in every place you visited, waiting your video visiting indonesia. We have 700 local language. Cheers from indonesia

[@lewisjones1915]

Shaggy made his mid-life crisis productive by learning six languages after Scooby died. But being serious good video.

[@gingercrane6625]

This is really helpful. I’ve watched a ton of these Sabbaticals and it amazes me how well Tommy picks up languages. I’m very shy to speak in my own language much less foreign ones.

[@doug941]

You're awesome Tommy! Thank you for this!

[@SabbaticalTommy]

🍻

[@nikkabhira1wadabhirra994]

Good points bro, love the steps mentioned.

[@Youngfinest]

I wanna learn Thai and Portuguese 🇧🇷

[@yurivitorpop]

@Jorge Gaspar Português brasileiro é mais fácil de aprender e é mais falado por pessoas do que de Portugal

[@yurivitorpop]

@Jorge Gaspar Que isso cara? Kkkkkk. Para que se doer tanto assim? Vai me dizer que não existe diferença entre o português falado no Brasil e Portugal? Tanto o sotaque quanto o significado de algumas palavras são diferentes. Dependendo da velocidade que um português fala, eu não entendo nada

[@yurivitorpop]

@Jorge Gaspar Em nenhum momento eu falei que tem um novo idioma no Brasil, só falei “português brasileiro” para diferenciar do falado em Portugal, pois como você mesmo disse, existe diferença. Abraços, irmão português 🇧🇷🇵🇹

[@atshreve5423]

Man, I just found your channel and immediately subscribed. I just started learning Portuguese. Your videos have been awesome. Especially this one. Thank you for what you are and have been doing. This is awesome! Thank you for all the tips!

[@EgorSebastianBach]

Sabbatical or Fantastical?

[@kuanglu91]

This video is great and helpful, your channel inspired me, thank you. By the way, The first video I saw of you is the one of Tibet, and I'm a travel KZbinr too, I have been to Tibet more than 10 times, and your Mandarin is perfect.宝藏博主，期待你更多的旅行与探索。

[@iansmirna5183]

I use my own lazy technique: harassing native people. I stayed a whole afternoon in a restaurant in the bush of Madagascar to learn numbers (i forgot all since but it was useful for a while).It works pretty well as it helps making friends and select for the most patient ones ;) I usually go for the basics: greetings, numbers, directions, food and some funny sentence or the local hit song of the moment. Another thing is to learn questions AND answers if possible (« where is that place? » be sure you can understand the basic direction words). Finally the more languages you learn, the easier it becomes (some studies say it is easier to learn 3 languages at a time rather than a single one) because you cleared the neuronal path and make yourself a kind of routine.

[@anonymously3552]

Foooock!! This always works actually, me personally also do this to local Chinese stores/restaurant 😂

[@VolunteerAbroadForFree]

Just saw your video in French and I was impressed, Then I realized how many more languages you speak, and you keep speaking more and more. As someone who is learning French as my third language, I feel like I have no excuse now after seeing how many languages you speak. You are an inspiration.

[@EgorSebastianBach]

The biggest barrier in a language is fear.

[@technov1deo]

The barrier is being an absolute fairy. I speak 145 languages and counting, I come from a poor family and I currently live in a sweat shop in Bangladesh. My mum has 7 arms and my dad is Obama. I'm also transgender and identity as a lizard. I also have no tongue. What's your excuse?

[@YesSir-cp9id]

@@technov1deo 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@bluesbrother2678]

Your advice is the best I ever heard on this topic in this video. Also, I try to watch all your videos,,,,,keep up the laid back videos and thanks Tommy.

[@benzinigasolini4437]

Superb, great tips from a cunning linguist (I know I’ve used the term before but it rolls off the tongue easier than polyglot)

[@kingofaikido]

Het Tommy, this was kool..! Thanks for the tips. I was wondering how you were able to do what you do. Now, it's just a matter of taking action, I suppose. Muchas gracias..! Arigato..! nagyon szépen köszönjük..!

[@Ganue512]

👍👌

[@shawnstatzer95]

Sobra mabuti video. Salamat. You are awesome. May your journeys be enlightening.

[@Justforfun-cc7zc]

I pray anybody reading this will never see troubles but success in life.

[@NobleVagabond2552]

What reality do you live in?

[@technov1deo]

@@NobleVagabond2552 the same reality the crypto bots live in

[@SiGa-i1r]

Rapists and robbers in the comments section: "We shall succeed in our endeavours, knave. Thanks for the encouragement."

[@fwfeo]

Thanks so much for this helpful video Tommy! I love languages and can say thanks in 21 so far and would love to get good with at least Spanish, Russian, Croatian and need to work on my Arabic! I speak Farsi and English. Saying a few words in a foreign language always puts a smile on the faces of unsuspecting native speakers! 😃

[@cadenpolen001]

The 100% foolproof way of getting motivated to learn a language is..❓ By watching all of Sabbatical's videos! 💯

[@ILKILO1]

As an English speaker and someone who speaks a specific Arabic dialect which was influenced by the French, Spanish and English years ago I feel quite lucky. I also couldn't second that Duolingo recommendation enough. It's been under a month I'd already consider myself fairly fluent in Spanish. Yo hablo español, si pero un poco. Necesito más estudiar, igualmente yo necesito escribir y estudiar más. Also I had absolutely no prior experience in Spanish, I've dated alot of South American woman over the years but we'd always speak in English.. so for me to be able to hold a conversation in Spanish now only after a month is crazy !! Haven't paid a penny either and I top the leaderboards each week! It's a life hack genuinely

[@jeffcozins7733]

I would love to get stoned with Tommy #420mylanguage

[@akinwale8356]

I appreciate your simplicity. I am a little reluctant to follow other language instructors because they set you up to promote or sell their system. You are just giving instruction that anyone can choose to apply, because obviously this is your passion. Thanks for sharing. I have been struggling with defining my technique for learning languages, but this video is one of the most helpful and informative videos that I have watched.