What I learnt after reaching C2 in English

Hi there! In this video I give you 4 things that I learnt after having reached C2 level in English. I hope you enjoy :)
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[@landrey1791]

Man, it's so realistic) I always wonder what the hell is wrong with people who claim to know English literally a year after they started learning. This is ridiculous. Sure, if you want to meet a few strangers while on vacation and have a little chat, well maybe that's OK, but it is NOT knowlendge of the language (I'm saying about high level). It take years, not months. Even after years of learning English or another language you will feel like this is not enough (pretty good, but definitely not enough). The other day I realized this fact and, you know, I became much more relaxed in terms of feeling at what level I am, what should I do to improve my skills, how long it takes me to reach the desirable level etc. For now, I'm quite comfortable at my current level because I can understand people, I can clearly express my thoughts without long awkward pauses (I'm sure that many people are familiar with that)) but from time to time I still think that this is not enough)))

[@sharondancu5353]

I enjoyed this!

[@Theyoutuberpolyglot]

Many people think learning a language is all about learning words, sentences and idioms. English native speakers learn subjects like philosophy, historic, maths at school through a language, which is English. Language is also about culture aspects. For me, a language is a bridge which allows me to reach further information. I do agree with you. If you want to reach a high level of a language, you have to know about the culture, traditions, historic facts about the country or countries which the language is spoken. For a casual conversation or a dialogue about very familiar topics, we don't need to achieve the C2 level. A B2 level is fair enough to get by in most situations. I do consider myself fluent in English to a certain degree. You can always improve and enlarge your vocabulary, but you have to get out of your comfort zone to hit a higher level. People have to understand that languages are related with knowledge. You read a medicine book through a language. Without a language, we can't acquire knowledge or information that we hear or read in the media.

[@magiclake9454]

перестань скобки так использовать, просто пиши ":)". Тебя не понимают так

[@magiclake9454]

@@Theyoutuberpolyglot not only that, you also have to kind of rewire your brain into thinking in English, as corny as it sounds.

[@Catimixto]

I learned english in 2 seconds

[@imdee9024]

I'm a native English speaker and your English is phenomenal. Hats off to you. No one should worry about sounding native. I live in South Africa and though I am a native speaker, I wish I had a Brittish accent. When I went to Europe on holiday, they were fascinated with my accent. The reason you sound great is because you have mastered intonation and you use great vocabulary. Well done. You should be proud.

[@KevinAbroad]

That's such a nice comment. Thank you!

[@eugene7492]

I'm russian. And I'm listening and understanding french human via English language. It's amazing!)))

[@pedrooliveira8770]

I'm Brazilian and I'm reading a comment written, in English, by a Russian about a French guy whose speaks English. Mind blowing

[@KevinAbroad]

E o francês também é português :D

[@margaritadankova5061]

I totally can relate. Hi from Russia, lol

[@eugene7492]

@@margaritadankova5061 lol. Hi from Kazakhstan!!!))

[@margaritadankova5061]

@@eugene7492 I think it's kinda weird but whatsoever, I love English :D

[@surfnet5302]

This is the most realistic opinion I've ever heard. Most people would only talk about how easy it is to learn a language. They see it as an encouragement, which is strongly required, but at the same time devastating everytime you fail to progress. The struggle and the pressure that you undergo to learn a language is not minor.

[@KevinAbroad]

Thanks. I agree! I don't even think I have ever associated "language" with "easy" on my channel. I simply don't believe it's ever easy. It's disempowering to think of it this way. It takes away the hard work you put into it I feel

[@surfnet5302]

Exactly

[@Theyoutuberpolyglot]

1. Who cares if you sound native or not. You sound fluent and precise.

[@BlueSky-gu1vn]

And that is where most of the issue originates, in trying to sound native, when in fact there are different accents within the same native people you're trying to emulate, and even native speakers can't replicate them. So you're right, who cares?

[@ozkanelmas434]

Thank you man I'm at B1-B2 currently and I want to improve it to C1-C2 level and this video has motivated me too much. I think I'll start with reading intermediate level books to advanced level, and also I've got some native friends to talk to me

[@KevinAbroad]

Nice!! Good luck :)

[@mekhribonibragimova4632]

Please share your books.We're at the same level and goals are also the same

[@ozkanelmas434]

@@mekhribonibragimova4632, You can add me on Discord, so we can message each other and improve our English.

[@beyourself4996]

My English is also B2 too i need to get C1 so i can move my own 😭😭😂😂👏👏

[@ozkanelmas434]

@@beyourself4996 I hope you get it

[@marcellofadda9474]

Hi from Sardinia. I've studied English for decades (I'm 60 now) and I do confirm that there's always something new you come across and never heard before. Among all the accents I like the RP best (I think it's the most "elegant"), but who cares if you keep a bit of your accent. It's a peculiarity that helps distinguishing yourself from other persons. And BTW thank you for being so sincere...🖐️🤠

[@KevinAbroad]

Thank you for your comment Marcello!

[@sayitsayuri8951]

Me: I wanna sound native! Also me: .... why tho? When I was younger I really wanted to reach native level in Japanese but after a few years of study I wondered why I'd ever wanted that in the first place. Don't get me wrong, I still would love to master pronunciation because pronunciation and speaking have always been my favorite part of learning language, but I no longer stress importance of perfectly natural grammar and flow of speech.

[@stumoss7010]

As a native speaker from England, I would say that many people who have learnt English proficiently as a second language actually have a better grasp of the language than native speakers. You have to bear in mind that English that is taught in most schools is awful compared to the English that is taught as a second language. It wasn't until I looked into learning to teach English as a foreign language that I came across grammatical terms such as past perfect, present progressive etc.. So although most native speakers know to converse this way naturally we don't necessarily understand why English is grammatically spoken the way it is because we haven't studied it as in depth as a proficient English learner. Regional accents also make many native English speakers lazy with the language and we incorporate a lot of slang into the way we talk with each other without even realising it mostly.

[@Audrey-on7si]

I agree with this. People who learned English as a second language ask me really difficult questions that I never had to think about. I have to use a dictionary often. Just to add on, I would consider myself to be a native English speaker since I grew up in the US my whole life, but I took an AI test on the internet created by the University of Cambridge, and I got a B2. I do not have a large vocabulary, my grammar isn't perfect, and I take awhile coming up with what to say, which is why I think I got placed in B2. These points would make me seem like I'm "not a native speaker." However, I think that my "nativeness" comes from being able to use words in the right context, understanding most of what people are saying, and being able to express myself no matter how many sentences it took to get to that point. Also, a couple people thought I had a European accent which is kinda weird since I don't know anyone who is European and I've only been to Europe for spring break (1 week).

[@sfyn3496]

Absolutely true, Agreed with what you said. I am not a native speaker, The English taught in countries as a foreign language is drastically different (to say we are taught to converse in formal way). I remember when I watched native speakers speak on yt. I was very suprised and to the extent I thought I have yet to learn the language to be able to understand a native speaker.

[@lucievec6683]

Shocking!!!!

[@LNVACVAC]

On CPE/C2 informal, gentry, and middle-class vernacular use of english will certainlly not be tolerated and deflates scores to CEFR C1 level. Political correctness and general textual/thematic politeness is also imposed/expected with similar effects. On CPE/C2 you are expected to write and speak almost flawlessly in General to Advanced Received Pronunciation/Grammar/Style, following the "New Oxford Style Manual" (post 2010), Fowler's "Modern English Usage, Revised Edition" (post 1997 - Burchfield and Fowler), and Gower (2014) "The Complete Plain Words", and most 1950 to 1970 grammar guides. Post 80's Grammar manuals are adulterated by leftie (cultural studies) scholars and their teleology. In resume at C2 level you need to demonstrate you are able to write and speak like Royalty, Nobility, Clergy, Government Ministers, Doctoral Professors, Embassators and Foreign Representatives, High Hierarchy/Prestige Office Elected Officials, and notable writters from The Times, Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press, as well as proofreaders and copy-writers in ultra high-stakes bussiness. Anyway you must not use technical jargon or words in obsolescence unless it is expressly adequate to the theme, and situational context proposed on each test section. Soft to Middle strenght Indian and commonwealth accents (non-UK) are tolerated but will get you a lower to middle A score tops. On CAE high-middle class American and International English will get you CEFR C1's C to B Scores, and Multicultural London English will get you a CEFR B2 score tops if you have luck and they realize your first language or your family's first language isn't english. General Received English Pronunciation/Style and Grammar is still ideal if you are aiming at a C2 or a High B C1 Grade through CAE. Which certification will be apropriate to you will depend on how much time you intend investing. A fine way of studying for C2 is getting your Cambridge Delta. I would recomend you study for CAE and CPE concomitantly, sit a CAE test first and then go for a Delta Degree if you score middle to top C1, or even enroll an English Literature Degree. Only after a C2 will be relevant unless you work in million-dollar stakes bussiness. C1 Bussiness will get you past most Bussiness Carrers and Undergraduate University Courses up to an MBA. CAE is the ideal for other areas of inquiry. FCE is the test if you don't want be an academic. With an B at CAE/C1 ou are able to work as text translator or interpreter on most Academic and Low Stakes settings as long as you have equivalent C2 skill at your own mother language (which most people also doesn't possess) and understand the Status Quaestionis of the intended discussed topics. MOST NATIVE SPEAKERS WILL NEVER EVER OPERATE IN A GENERAL/CONSERVATIVE RECEIVED ENGLISH LEVEL LET ALONE PASS A C2 EXAMINATION OR EVEN GET A C1 HIGH B SCORE on CAE. It's not even a matter of how much or long you study or practice english, but a matter of general and verbal fluid intelligence. You get a B at CAE as a native you are a language geek and you are on the top 20% general and verbal intelligence population stratum.

[@rashifarsya]

Thank you, I have an obsession to sound like a native speaker, watching your videos makes me realize that it’s not so realistic. English is so tricky, especially how you have to stress a certain syllable in order to sound right. But eventually, making mistakes here and there, once in a while is completely normal for non native speakers.

[@KevinAbroad]

I'm glad I could help 😊

[@thesmokecriminal5395]

It's a quite realistic goal tbh with you, but it also requires a lot of hard work and dedication

[@moi-up6nx]

I would say its native speakers that tend to make mistakes, and we are learners speaking too perfectly , thinking about grammar all the time,that makes sound non-native 😂

[@mcmerry2846]

Don't speak like a native...native speakers actually speak pretty bad...aim perfection (native is not perfection)

[@alexk5390]

Making mistakes is also ok for native speakers. I bet you do make mistakes in your native language as well.

[@thesmokecriminal5395]

Great vid lad! Really enjoyed watching it!!!

[@KevinAbroad]

☺️

[@costanzacaligari4083]

I've always struggled with feeling that my level in English wasn't "enough". Now I realize that a lot of people feel that way 😅 Great video! Very helpful 😊

[@KevinAbroad]

It's super common! It took me a while to realise it was a confidence issue which had nothing to do with my English!

[@KevinAbroad]

Thanks for the nice words 😊

[@pranee31]

Thanks for this video, Kevin. I really appreciate it.

[@KevinAbroad]

Thank YOU for watching it!

[@lindaha]

Very underrated video, Kevin! I liked it very much and thanks for being so honest! :)

[@KevinAbroad]

Thank you Linda!

[@user-bj5ol5zs5g]

I am about to take the CAE exam and your advice has helped me a lot to feel less pressure.

[@FastEnglishLessons]

Excellent! You're English is great and you have the right mindset. Thanks for sharing your journey! I will share it with my students.

[@FastEnglishLessons]

Also, I thought you were Dutch, not French, since really good English speakers from the Netherlands usually come the closest to native speakers of English.

[@KevinAbroad]

@@FastEnglishLessons thank you for your compliments 😊😊

[@jzs_tms]

Amazing video, I enjoyed it a lot!

[@juanalberto9731]

This video’s absolutely breathtaking, congrats mate! By the way, Accent reduction classes can make people sound as a native speaker, even though, only based in standard pronunciation

[@KevinAbroad]

Thank you very much!!

[@josefamarques3001]

I am agree on 110%. Well done! I am definetely a follower now.

[@KevinAbroad]

Welcome! :)

[@sapphire2166]

Right on point!!

[@Alex.Shalda]

Really insightful video revealing paramount concepts about how one should perceive their acquired language skill. Shifts the paradigm!

[@KevinAbroad]

So happy to hear!!!

[@Alex.Shalda]

Im preparing for the CPE exam, and you suggest a good point, that I will never call myself even a bilingual, nevertheless, I think i can accept this thought, taking into account the benefits of being exposed to the English speaking world is immeasurable 😃

[@sapphire2166]

Excellent video!!

[@KevinAbroad]

Thank you :).

[@charliesomoza5918]

Excellent explained!! Thanks!

[@angelinalovesbeauty]

Yes, so many great points in this video! I'm Swedish and I think my English level is completely fine, however there will always be times were it feels insufficient like you mentioned.. I recently started (trying) to learn French and it's a completely different story though.The structure of the language is like a maze to me, so foreign. And the grammar is a nightmare too haha. Do you have any recommendations on resources I could look into as a French newbie? One that I have been loving is the KZbin channel InnerFrench. Hugo speaks in such a way where it's easy to comprehend even for me. Any other tips would be much appreciated though! If one day I'm able to sing along to Loic Nottets new song "Mr/Mme" and get all of the lyrics. I have made it by my standards lol. Keep up the good work on your channel! :)

[@marafernandadelarosadelato4117]

I agree with you; having reached the C1 level that is so realistic and straightforward at the same time.

[@josephmarks5046]

I appreciate you :)

[@bolt8987]

You have got a very high level of English. Thanks, merci beaucoup mon pote

[@KevinAbroad]

Haha de rien !

[@aradia1651]

I really loved your video!

[@KevinAbroad]

Thank you!

[@vivicristina5304]

Thank you for sharing ... really good content

[@KevinAbroad]

You're welcome!

[@h.m1653]

You're wonderful Kevin ^^

[@KevinAbroad]

Thank you! You too!

[@h.m1653]

@@KevinAbroad 😁😁😊😊🌷

[@dyegodinizsouza]

Hi, thank you for sharing your experience with us.

[@KevinAbroad]

You're welcome. Thank you for taking the time to write a comment :)

[@eugenekhristo7252]

Amazing English pronunciation. French people usually have really thick accent and it's almost impossible to understand them 😅 Your pronunciation is top-notch

[@KevinAbroad]

That is very kind of you, thank you! 😊

[@jankoszuta9835]

Great video

[@Angel-yp5kl]

This video should be viral, with all that people telling you that you can become completely fluent on 6 months, it's very normal to see lots of people getting demotivated by not being as good as they think they "should" be.

[@KevinAbroad]

Haha yeah. I appreciate your comment. Do feel free to share this video!

[@federicoglez820]

Feel you, bro! I studied Japanese for so long and even when I became a translator I always thinking that’s not enough!!

[@bananalemon9145]

Thanks for uploading. Haven't done this year yet.

[@KevinAbroad]

What do you mean? :)

[@victorbergman9169]

Perfect Video! There are those who lose their accent in a foreign language (Dashan etc.), but it is such an arduous amount of work that it is just not worth it. What is important is being able to understand and being able to communicate

[@KevinAbroad]

Completely agree! Thanks for your comment :)

[@victorbergman9169]

@@KevinAbroad no problem!

[@TheAnarchist99]

Great video as well as insightful and relatable. My native language is Spanish and I personally started learning English from the scratch and at the age of 16, I will go as far as saying that I couldn't even string basic thoughts in English at the time, let alone speak fluently. It was so bad that I thought I was mentally handicapped and I blindly belived that and that thinking was so ingrained in me that even up to this day , sometimes I feel like my English is still bad because I still make mistakes (I'm aware that it's perfectly normal but I still gets caught up in these thoughts). I'm 22 years old now and I've come a long way but to be fair I was fooling around most of the years I was "learning English" out of sheer laziness and demotivation, of those 6 years of learning only 3 have been fruitful , the rest of the time I got stagnant but found the way out fortunately :) That thinking about stepping out of your comfort zone is a changer , in my case what I did was to start watching TV series/films and listening to podcasts on a regular basis a year ago , and oh boy, it was difficult. I could barely make out what they were saying because my listening was so bad, and British English was gibberish for me at the beginning but after a year I don't struggle nearly as much as I used to and I'm actually quite comfortable , although sometimes I still have to rewind to understand a bit better. The same goes for reading books, it took me quite a while to get the hang of them but my vocabulary broadened and my reading speed skyrocketed. Funnily enough is that many people in my country assumed I lived in an English speaking country, or that I started learning as a toddler when the reality is that I've never even taken english courses in my lifetime and I started learning English from zero almost in my late teens and I've never left the country, but inexperienced people can't grasp such idea and take me as a liar and therefore they don't usually believe my backstory ,on top of that my english isn't even that great , at most it's scratching the advanced level or just barely in it. Sometimes It's great to look back on your past self and see that you've made it further than you would've ever thought but human beings are peculiar as in we're never fully satisfied and we're always striving towards perfection which has it's advantages and downsides. Hopefully in a couple of years I will be able to say confidently that my English level is C2 , but for the moment I'm always improving. Greetings from Colombia.

[@KevinAbroad]

Well, based on that comment, your English is grand!

[@alaaalfadhel1938]

The third point was so useful for me .. Thanks

[@KevinAbroad]

You're welcome!! :)

[@THE_MC707]

I would like to tell you, it's quite realistic to say ; when it comes to the pronunciation, reaching the native speaker's level is tough , yet it is doable, it's how much you indulge yourself in the process of learning that gets you up there.

[@johnshnider2705]

I'm an english native speaker, Your so much better then me at speaking and you have a great selection words which are delivered very clearly, not being fluent is ok and being more determined to learn a language for a long time is impressive :) the people who youve mentioned that say they learn english in a year. let me tell you, that sounds like a flex and just not possible to some extent. thanks iv subscribed

[@KevinAbroad]

Thanks for your comment :))

[@kristinasadauskaite4294]

Oh my gosh, this video has been so motivating and helpful, Kevin! Thanks for that! Plus I will really appreciate if you answer my question - how did you manage to move to England and study there? I mean, did you win any grant or scholarship that fully covered your tuition or something?

[@KevinAbroad]

I'm glad!! I did an Erasmus. They gave me some money but it covered only about half of my expenses (which is already amazing, I'm not gonna complain!)

[@exploringthedrbymaxpena567]

Highly encouraging video for foreign language learners.

[@KevinAbroad]

I'm glad!

[@divinesuperb6123]

Not only to be fawning over myself in vain, but i'm an example myself of a person who's managed to reach the C1 level in almost 3 years (Proudly, as C2 is the highest, officialy). I'm admitting that it wouldn'tve been possible if i hadn't been fully immersed, including being in UK for 3 months, then keep learning and/or practicing activities that imply English from 1 up to 10 hours a day at home, by myself. My first contact with English was in UK (best starter, i'd add). Since then, i've been learning non stop, as much as i could. I adore this language, i really love every single thing when it comes to English. I hope you'll read this comment, because i also wanna specify, as a person who's in love with English (not a rambling ass), that i agree with some of your mentions and stataments, still it's more about the mindset in your case. Even though your English is "perfect", the lack of self-esteem outweighs the Knowledge and make you fall into the category "Capable, but not enough to show the capability". I sincerely appreciate your efforts, you've come a long way, you deserved everything you acheived, be proud of you! I wish you the best from now on! ✌✌💪💪👌👌

[@KevinAbroad]

Well done! Your dedication paid off :D

[@alina_elena]

I really like your English and attitude.🤩

[@KevinAbroad]

Thank you :)

[@seoulmate1360]

I love how you immediately made your point at the beginning by saying we will never sound native. Amen to that!

[@KevinAbroad]

;)

[@ericlind6581]

That’s not a bad thing. People that speak with an accent can be more intriguing.

[@fbcihan]

Excellent video which has motivated me to study English! :) Btw, I'm also learning English and Dutch to become a language teacher in the secondary school in Belgium. But I struggle with learning the vocabulary. Well, I saw in your previous videos that Anki works good for you. But that's not so for me, plus I have difficulties to study on screens. So, could you possibly make new videos to demonstrate the how-to's of learning voc on paper, please? How should we organise our notebooks...? What did you personally do during your studies at school?

[@KevinAbroad]

Thanks for your comment, I'm glad! As for learning vocab, it's definitely a video I need to make. Stay tuned as they say! ;)

[@reginaceliafavareli7087]

Hello Kevin, congrats on your amazing and dow-to-earth video. Your points of view do resonate with mine. I'm from Brazil and due to our "mongrel complex" - the feeling of inferiority because we were colonized, I suppose, Brazilians regard accent as the most important thing when it comes to learning English. I had my first experience when I lived in the US and witnessed lots and lots of Brazilians trying to emulate American accent without regards to grammar and vocabulary. I understand that such strong accent can hinder understanding, but giving up our identity is a horse of a different color. Back to Brazil and being an English teacher for many years, I feel underestimated for not sounding like a native American or British since I have my Brazilian accent. As you said and I couldn't agree more, sooner or later we will give away where we are originally from no matter how beautiiful our English sounds like ... We just should be proud of our roots and avoid being someone else. I admire you had the gutsto say it all!

[@KevinAbroad]

Thank you for your comment! I think as an English teacher it's actually better that you have a non-native accent. Most speakers of English are non-native. Indeed, native speakers of English are a minority. Therefore it's more important for your students to be exposed to a non-native accent than a native one. Of course they should be exposed to both. But it's not a disadvantage at all to be an English teacher with a non-native accent ;).

[@izzankiaizkychannel]

I am fatih from indonesia. Thanks for sharing your experience. I think youre almost native indeed. Very nice and fluent pronunciation. Frankly I want to reach c2 level like you. I wrote all your speech here in m.word for my fluency practice. Thanks..

[@KevinAbroad]

Thanks :). Good luck!

[@BlueSky-gu1vn]

Sir, I not only like your accent but above all your attitude and mindset. I wish more people will realize hownimportant it is to forget about accents in order to achieve fluency. To me you are fluent, well articulate and well spoken. Proud!

[@KevinAbroad]

Oh thanks! At first I thought you had said "I do not like your accent" hahaahah. I was like "oh another hate comment" 🤣

[@BlueSky-gu1vn]

@@KevinAbroad Actually, I really like your accent. As I said, you are very fluent and well spoken, which, in my opinion, is what really counts. By the way, you may have an accent slightly different from native speakers, but honestly, not as much as you or other people may think. It is very similar to a native accent, but I'm not a native speaker either, so I may or may not be biased, lol. Also, I think accents make people unique and even more attractive than those without an accent. Wouldn't you agree? People should be proud of their accent, whatever it is. Of course, some are really not that great, but yours is one of the more likable ones I've ever heard. And I incline towards the American accent since I live in the US. Keep up the good work! Hope to see more of your videos. 👍🏼

[@thibautbenoist1236]

Salut l'ami! Super vidéo. Je passe mon CPE dans 3 mois. Wish me luck!

[@KevinAbroad]

Good luck! :)

[@festimkupa4280]

to learn a new language you have to be good all rounder at your own language too

[@thesmokecriminal5395]

With some hard work you can sound like a native speaker accent-wise, not sure about the grammar part tho, but people who reach native-like proficiency in a foreign language definitely exist, Charlize Theron is one of them

[@MyItalianCircle]

I totally agree with what you say about sounding like a native. I never encountered anyone who could speak Italian like a native, even those who have an Italian spouse and have been living in Italy for many years. BUT does it really matter, as long as you can communicate smoothly?

[@KevinAbroad]

Exactly. It does NOT matter! 😉

[@lucievec6683]

Seriously? I thought Italian was not that difficult.

[@thedavidguy01]

I like your point about your accent being a starting point for conversations. When I'm in France I often get that question about where I'm from and I often respond exactly the same as you and ask where they think I'm from. Nobody has ever guessed the USA (or any English speaking country), which I take as a compliment. The most common guess I get is Germany or some Scandinavian country. Where do people think you are from? Your accent is not obviously French and your vowels sound British.

[@KevinAbroad]

Ahaha it's funny to have ppl try to guess your accent, isn't it? I get various answers! For non-natives speakers I'm sometimes British. But native speakers sometimes struggle so they base themselves on my looks ahah. People have assumed I was Austrian before! Or they just don't believe me when I tell them I'm French ahah

[@krzysztof_puchta]

@@KevinAbroad Non-native speaker here, I could recognize you are French. But I have heard quite a lot of French people speaking French, Spanish or English, so I am familiar with the sound. You speak English very good though!

[@jjackandbrian5624]

As a native english speaker i can converse just fine even with people who only speak a little english. The most important thing is to know many words, and grammar will come later. As long as you know lots of words and their meanings, you can be understood most of the time with only a little trouble. This is especially true for european language speakers because of the relatively similar grammar between all European languages.

[@Joshlikesblueberrywaffles]

Very good english Blud you should be a G2, your really good and you unlocked over 1 billion opportunities for friends. Damn

[@KevinAbroad]

Hahahahaha

[@Sasha-Good]

Good job.

[@davidedemasi4424]

I'm an italian student in my last year of high school and afterwards I want to take a gap year to improve my english. Hopefully I'll be able to obtain a C2 in a year or so. But as you said It's undoable to learn a language and become fluent in a short period of time. In fact I've been studying english since I was in kindergarten (as any country I surmise) and really improved thanks to youtube and reading in the past few years. God willing in a decade (If I will be living abroad) I could sound more or less like a native speaker. Anyway I really hope next year I'll be able to pass the C2 exam.

[@KevinAbroad]

Good luck with all that!

[@adrianmoreno8816]

Did you succeed?

[@Phonetician_]

I speak RP ( received pronunciation) accent and and people say you sound completely native even better then them and I suppose so even though I'm not native. But I'm not claiming it by myself. I can say I've been living with it And it's part of my life. I love it. I want say based on my experience to be sound completely a native or much closer need to do few things such as : 1.learn phonetics first ( you all know letter such as a.,b, c. And there are two or three sounds therefore you have to master these sound first even before learning these dam 26 letters. And put these sounds into the words and after mastering it(words) u can develop a tone of speaking) or u can work on them together it depends on your convenience and work on this unless u master these perfectly. Well I know it is hard but in a course of time u can nail it like me. 2. Listen best native speakers(podcasts, BBC Radio,best native intellectuals and so on. and speak with shadowing technique. 3.talk to best native speakers or learn from them on various social media platforms. I suppose 1 or 2 out of hundred can get this level or much closer ( talking about best accent) but not impossible. Like me, if u can make it part of ur life then the world is your oyster. thanks so much. Ufff 🥴it's been long writing well thanks hope u could get some help😊thanks

[@KevinAbroad]

I think the reason why ppl say that you speak "better than them" (it's happened to me too) is because people think that RP is the best prononciation. This belief comes from the toxic language attitude that there is a proper way to speak English and a bad way to speak English. Thankfully, it's not true. But a lot of ppl still think like that. Interestingly enough, it's not necessarily a good idea to only listen to BBC English because RP isn't spoken by many people in the UK. So you would end up only focusing on a way of speaking that almost no-one speaks.

[@Phonetician_]

@@KevinAbroad yes people think it ur accent has some qualities of RP but cannot be considered as well spoken RP accent coz as I can here some words u speak has affect of ur native language as well. I agree people think so because it is more sophisticated and better way of speaking I've read even some Americans don't like their accent and have a dream of speaking this accent. I speak RP I'm not saying it's better than others I've read when people also native speakers need jobs or people want to pass an interview they prefer this accent and you can't deny it. that so I've heard many people want to speak RP And as far as I know 2 or 3 percent population of UK speaks RP accent and I know many very good speakers of RP accent. And well it depends on person's choice or his ability or the way he has been learning. It doesn't matter whether few people speak it or many.

[@rosalindamattera2753]

Your speed of thought - speech is really equal to a native

[@KevinAbroad]

Thanks! :D

[@vladinstein]

Thank you, man! I really needed to hear something like this. I think we should all focus on having fun with a language, try to improve bit by bit and avoid getting obsessed with unrealistic goals like sounding native etc. I tend to forget about this all the time.

[@KevinAbroad]

You're welcome! :)

[@labellavitall]

I’ve just taken up learning French again and one of the things that makes me feel better about my mistakes is acknowledging all the times I mess up what I’m saying /hearing/writing in English when I am a well-educated 42 year old native English speaker, so of course my French cannot possibly be perfect!

[@KevinAbroad]

That's very true! I definitely have times when I'm not sure how to spell a word or whatever in French. I'm a qualified French teacher 🤣. I'm never ashamed of looking up a word in front of my students because no one can truly master a language to perfection (unless they spend years on it but I've got a life to live 🤣)

[@sunnyside287]

Can I just say again that I love your channel! It's has inspired me to start my own and speak about nerdy language things :) As to this topic, it's soooo true. First, I can hear your French accent BUT only because I love French accents. They are sexy as f*ck. Second, non-linguists have a very romantised view of "succeeding in language learning". They think that once you've learnt it for a bit, you'll be perfect. And that there is a "know well" and "don't know well" points in the language. The reality is that it's very individual and I view proficiency as "can do" things you have rather than "Oh I have this level". Because we can both be C2 but actually unable to do some things one of the other does if you see my point. Thirdly, definitely agreed about the time it takes to really learn a language to be able to say "I speak it". For me it takes about a year to be able to be present in work conversations and say something, but I'm in no way fluent in the language. Some people stop at that, and that's fine, but if you really want to have a near-native level, you're talking about 10 years minimum of everyday work. I also have a slight accent and I make mistakes in English still, but I don't really care as people can understand me perfectly fine and my English is more than enough for my purposes:)

[@KevinAbroad]

I'm so flattered Sofia! Thanks! I agree with everything you said. Language and bilingualism is messy as hell. It really isn't that straightforward.

[@78marga]

Kevin! Your accent in Spanish is so so so closed to native speakers!

[@78marga]

Curiously, have learnt the word "doable" thanks to this video hahahaha

[@KevinAbroad]

@@78marga Hahaha Gracias Margaaa :). I hope work is going well :)

[@78marga]

It is going fantastically. But last year you were very missed!!!! I am sure you know why 😃. Mwah!

[@KevinAbroad]

I do 😂😂😂

[@naturalezainfinita399]

I've been studing english for a long time and I would like to have your level!! That would be enough for me!!

[@KevinAbroad]

You will if you keep working hard don't worry! :D

[@naturalezainfinita399]

@@KevinAbroad thank you very much!!

[@mcmerry2846]

5:40 THIS IS THE BEST PART... I hate fake polyglots who "learn a language in one weak". In my opinion, 5-6 years is a great time to speak like a master

[@beyourself4996]

English is great I understand what you talking about my English is I thought it was elementary but I shocked when i saw after a years its B2 but i need to move one in C1.

[@the-language-learner]

Hello kevin, merci pour cette vidéo. Do you think that french students who have a bachelor of english in France would pass a certificate like CPE easily ?

[@KevinAbroad]

Hi! I don't know what CPE is. What is it?

[@the-language-learner]

@@KevinAbroad cambridge proficiency exam

[@KevinAbroad]

@@the-language-learner I see. I think it depends. When I did my PGCE, some people had a very good level (C1), others were more around B2. Basically it depended on how much effort they put into their studies. So I would say that yes, if you work really hard you could pass it. But I presume that as for any exam, you need to practice it as each exam has its own different format. I hope that makes sense.

[@the-language-learner]

@@KevinAbroad alright thanks

[@h.p.brownsaucecraft7966]

I know people that were B2, possibly C1 in French get chastised in Paris for speaking “horribly” and everyone immediately, and annoyed, switched to English everywhere.

[@KevinAbroad]

Saddest language story I've ever read.

[@Selfloveyoga1111]

Im studying for C2 after many years of living in the UK and somehow I am being faced with lots of inner resistance to implement a new vocabulary.I assume its down to some inner fears and being out of comfort zone.Is there any way to overcome this resistance?

[@KevinAbroad]

I don't know if I have a secret but the more you are exposed to content the more your vocabulary will improve. Alternatively, you could create a flash card deck of vocabulary or expressions you want to learn and remember. I used to do this but more at C1 level

[@Selfloveyoga1111]

@KevinAbroad thank you Kev! Much appreciated!

[@elmicch]

Currently at C1 !! Hoping to one day reach C2

[@WhiteNights-bp2ev]

I think the only thing that makes C2 English learners to seem obvious for native speakers that they are not native in English is their accent, and all the other things that you mentioned in the video like being familiar with the history of a country where the language is spoken, its pop culture, being able to understand what kind of way of using vocabulary sounds natural/unnatural and etc. is very easy to learn since C2 level means that you are exposed to the language completely.

[@sahilpandita2293]

How you learned this language? Resources

[@KevinAbroad]

Hi there! That video should help ;). kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3u7nIpjiqp_i7M

[@RitaElvea]

You're French? I honestly can't tell. WELL DONE! 👏 0:24 when you said "That's just not my thing" you sounded native!

[@KevinAbroad]

Haha thanks! :). Yes, I am French

[@InhigoAlai]

Tío, eres el sentido común encarnado en persona: Parabéns!

[@KevinAbroad]

Gracias? ahaha

[@danika632]

Tomorrow will be the first time I take an english test (I mean for knowing my level) and I'm kinda scared... I was able to understand everything you said, but still sometimes I have problems understanding some words when I hear songs and It is such a relief when I read comments in the song that say "I'm a native speaker and I can't understand what the song said"

[@danika632]

Also I think the main difference will be the way we order sentences and choose words and that there are expressions that our mother lenguages have and the one we're learning lacks or viceversa

[@luismiguelcarrionsantamari5390]

You're right, a lot of times it's difficult to get some words on songs, but every time I see that there are native speakers on the comments section that also didn't get them, to be honest, I'm not surprised, I also have experienced it on my native language... 😅 By the way, how was your test?

[@xave3829]

I know a large portion of your video was focused on the fact that you will never sound like a native speaker, but I have to say; your syntax/word choice is basically identical to a native speaker. Maybe that's just the power of the mighty C2 LOL. Only difference I noticed was that you say "you will" a lot while you're speaking quickly, whereas native speakers use contractions like "you'll" a lot more often during fast, spoken english. Just thought you'd appreciate that observation lol ...currently monolingual but learning Japanese right now, wish me luck! :)

[@KevinAbroad]

Ahah good luck!! I'm learning Japanese too And thanks for the comment :)

[@tzatzikiv812]

Speaking with an accent is sexy though, so I'm fine with accents! 😁

[@KevinAbroad]

Yeah I'd rather think that my accent is sexy ahah!

[@sprcow]

Underrated point! 😅

[@alisaremi9005]

Hey Kevin I've been struggling a lot with comprehending what native English people say in their daily discussions I know it's a big deal to speak like them but do you think that is it something doable to fully understand native speakers?? Someone once said that you can control what you say but you can't control what others say !that's why I feel understanding native speaker is quite petrifying , what's your opinion about that? Merci pour tous vos efforts

[@KevinAbroad]

I think it takes practice! When I moved to the UK, I wouldn't always understand everything. But now I do. It took time! :).

[@verdadsiempre1435]

Excellent video! I think you're very right. And, let me give you my personal opinion based on my experience... Native speakers (British, Irish,...) don't care at all (or at least not as much as you/me) about how your accent sounds. Just because they have grown up with so many foreign neighbours around that they are more used to different accents than what you really think. They really don't care at all if you are French, Scottish, Serbian,... For sure they'll say your English is great.

[@KevinAbroad]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@moi-up6nx]

Thanks! I have to accept this idea that I'm not going sound like a Native ever maybe my life would be easier then

[@montecristo5917]

Nice video , i have a question.Have u learnt all 12 vowel pronouncation ? I mean they make some sounds last longer or shorter than from what u have learnt back as child. I m kinda a b1-b2 level in english but i gave up at the moment i realised that i have to re-learn words with the right pronunciation. Its maybe kinda easy if u r younger or u have someone to talk with, but its impossible doing it by own. PS. I want to speak english for God's sake and i don t want to feel like i m trying to be a singer with all those strange lips formations and tongue twists PFFFF

[@KevinAbroad]

Yes! On my channel I did a video where I talk about how I learn pronunciation. In the case of English, I've learnt how to pronounce all the phonemes of Standard British English then practiced them. It took time! Don't give up!

[@montecristo5917]

@@KevinAbroad Nice , i ll check it out , thanks a lot!

[@jeffersonjunio6231]

Hey Man! First off, I'm grateful for this video. I'd like to know if you have yet some problems to understand movies and TV shows, I mean, can you watch American/British and understand 100% every time without the necessity of using subs? can you understand almost like in your native tongue? phone calls with people shouting in the background, talking in high-stressed situations, people mumbling or speaking during heightened feelings etc. How is the understanding under this subjects? Thank you!

[@callmez55]

I agreed. Sounding native is impossible if you weren't born or if you didn't raise in the country which the language is your target to learn

[@Claire_16]

Exactly - It's not realistic to sound native. I live in Switzerland, surrounded by Swiss people who speak great English. Only twice have I spoken to someone and been shocked by how perfectly native they sounded. On inquiry, both had a British parent.

[@pensatoreseneca]

How about those of us that are trilingual cause we grew up speaking three different languages and have lived more or less an equal amount of time in three countries ( currently living in a fourth one ) ?? I mean those of us that speak almost at a native level , but still have an accent that only natives can spot , an accent because we were never fully surrounded by the language 100% as most people have been since they were born .

[@KevinAbroad]

What about them? ahah

[@pensatoreseneca]

Kevin Abroad I’m not native in any language

[@KevinAbroad]

@@pensatoreseneca How do you mean? If you grew up speaking 3 languages then you're a native speaker of 3 languages I would say :). I grew up speaking 2 and I'm a native speaker of two languages

[@josejavierlopezacosta4741]

Thank you Kevin for having ruined my life in 12 minutes!!!

[@KevinAbroad]

Lol oh no, why?

[@josejavierlopezacosta4741]

@@KevinAbroad I was kidding bro!!! I really enjoyed your video!!!

[@thecryovproject]

Would you say the "Write and Improve" website is accurate on estimating your Cambridge English level? If so, to what extent is it accurate? On my worst days, I would score right about the B2 level, whereas on my best days, C2. I am keen on improving for self-education!

[@KevinAbroad]

I have no idea, never heard of that website haha. But the only most accurate way to assess your level is to do a formal exam. But if you don't, being able to do things like reading/writing an academic essay or being able to read and understand the news on say, the New York Times, on virtually any topic is a good indicator. People tend to think they're C2 because they speak English fluently. But C2 level is something only a highly educated native speaker would reach (I.e. not all native speakers are C2). Also, unless you were exaggerating as a joke, you can't go from B2 to C2 depending on the day 🤣. The gap is massive.

[@kdies-ar]

Does the king still replay? i have a question, now i can understand everything in english but iam not that good in one point.. THE LONG WORDS!! yeah its the hardest thing in the whole language i cant understand the most of them and i don't know how to learn them and memorize all of it i tried to read sherlock holmes first book and i didn't understand a one sentence, 4 or 5 words and boom a LONG WORD! So can you tell me a way to learn the long words and don't forget them? i will be soo thankful🌹

[@TonyMontana-pe6vf]

I like your statement of "you will never sound native". I can testify it myself, because, I am also proficient in english and have lived in an english speaking country, and spoken in english for over 20 years, and sound almost like a native. But, I do not really sound like 100% native; which I do not mind it at all.

[@dmitrygromada3655]

My feeling, the word choice of a native speaker is deeply associated with the emotional context they've been immersed in since childhood. So, how could it be possible to do the same thing being out of the context? The C2 is just a fantastic achievement.

[@KevinAbroad]

Yeah definitely!

[@ng6304]

You had a MA in Applied Linguistics? Cause I hace a MA in Hispanic Linguistics, mate, and I just discovered your channel.

[@KevinAbroad]

Great minds think alike :D

[@ng6304]

@@KevinAbroad Hahaha. And now I'm trying to learn French and Català.

[@Koptina]

Even if I've been learning English for a decade (it's a compulsory course during school years here in my country), and just got my C1 certificate, there are still tons of things to learn in so many aspects... so yes those videos talking about how one MASTERS a dozen of languages in just a few years, they are ridiculous and misleading. Moreover, I don't even think I have a sufficient efficency in my mother tongue, learning languages or in any other field is just a lifelong process. PS: about the impossibility of being truly native, I've been struggling with the acceptance of that fact, so that you pointed it out actually encouraged me a little bit:) I'm trying to come to terms with that

[@KevinAbroad]

Congrats on your C1!! And I'm glad you felt encouraged by it. I have had some ppl telling me I'm discouraging ppl just cause I couldn't do it myself. My intention is obviously the opposite

[@ahmedisag6386]

Many of my English learners from Libya neglect basics and jump to acquiring what they describe a native "cool accent"..I think every body's accent is an identity! How can one live in Africa and has a British/American accent? Poor lads

[@urielsosa3594]

I’ve got a C2 English level and still feel like my English is not as good as It should be :(

[@KevinAbroad]

Oh I feel the same all the time.

[@soukainaaitabdellah4995]

I hope i could do the same as you did . I started to learn English because i wanna apply to many jobs and they need a native English i don’t have anyone to talk with and sometimes i lose the energy that keeping me on pls any advice could help me

[@joshuddin897]

Trust me many english natives would struggle to pass the C1 exams. Just watch TOWIE Jeremy Kyle Show. Love Island. The participants are really thick!!!

[@andybliss5965]

Wow great pronunciation, especially words like point and anyway. Would have been impossible to know you're French. My dream would be to be c2 in French

[@KevinAbroad]

Thank you for the compliment Andy!

[@josephnguyen4548]

I’m Vietnamese, and I have never encountered one person who sounds like a native in Vietnamese. Some do sound like a native at times, but not all the time.

[@KevinAbroad]

Yes I feel like it's definitely possible to sound native sometimes but usually there's a giveaway when you start listening to the person

[@hhielscher]

But how do I know which accent to choose? English has a lot of variety.

[@KevinAbroad]

Choose whichever accent you like :). They're all fine 👍

[@angerventing2694]

The accent problem is that most people aren't willing to give up their identity formed in their native language. I have a theory that apart from being talented, the reason I can sound very close to native in most foreign languages I know, before I can even get a grasp on the grammar, is that my culture has failed me, I've never been able to establish myself as a respected member of society in my culture. I am an outsider, a lonely wolf, so I am looking to take on other identities in other languages, so I have less trouble quickly acquiring a near native like accent in a foreign language. Or it is just all bullcrap and I am just talented or as some people point out, musically gifted, allowing me to just imitate any foreign sound. It is not to boast, although I am probably boasting anyway already as I sort of believe any human action is driven by the desire to boast or at least by some sort of pride anyway, so it makes no difference. But nonetheless, a nice theory, already pointed out by Matt vs Japan I believe, which got me thinking a bit more about this as I am surely an example of somebody with likely an underdeveloped identity, although anybody my age already should have reached some sort of state of developed identity. So does this defect in one's personality allow them to reach accent mastery or is it just my wishful thinking that I have some sort of benefit from something otherwise quite tragic?