Can You Learn Two Languages at Once? Expert Tips and Strategies

With around 7,000 languages spoken worldwide, the idea of learning multiple languages can be both exciting and daunting. While many polyglots have successfully mastered several languages, the question remains: is it possible to learn two languages simultaneously? The answer is yes, but it requires the right approach, dedication, and realistic expectations.

The Feasibility of Learning Multiple Languages

Research suggests that learning two languages at the same time doesn’t hinder language acquisition and can even be a motivator. However, it's essential to acknowledge that it's not an easy feat. It demands careful planning, consistent effort, and a willingness to embrace challenges.

Strategies for Studying Two Languages Concurrently

1. Prioritize and Plan

Learning multiple languages at once only works if you do some planning in advance. Before you start studying, figure out exactly how you’re going to divide your time between the languages you’re tackling. If you have a priority language, devote most of your time to that one, and choose to study it during the times you have the most energy and focus.

2. Choose Languages Wisely

Opt for Distinct Languages: When learning two languages simultaneously, the rule is to do everything you can to minimize the confusion factor-the chance of getting words and grammar from the languages mixed up. Choosing two languages that are too similar is not a good idea. Things could get confusing. To keep your study separate, choose two very different languages. Spanish and Japanese for example are very different languages with little overlap. If the two languages you’re learning use different scripts, all the better.
Pair Familiar and Unfamiliar Languages: One way to simplify the process of learning two languages at once is to choose one language that’s more familiar to you and one that’s less familiar to you. If you already speak some Italian, for example, you might choose to learn French. The idea is that much of the structure of Italian and some of the vocabulary will transfer over to French. For your second language, you might select Russian, which is completely different from both French and Italian. That way, you’ll be learning Russian from scratch and learning another Romance language, rather than learning two languages from scratch.
Consider Language Difficulty: One simple way to make this process easier is to choose an easy language and a difficult one. The easier a language is, the closer it is to your native language. If you’re a native French speaker, choose another Romance language. Another thing to take into account is the writing system. If you’re a native English speaker who decides to learn Chinese and Arabic at the same time, you’re in for a hard time.

3. Time Management and Immersion

Double Your Study Time: For most adults, the real challenge of learning multiple languages at once is time. It’s really important to get enough input in each language you study. If you were studying German for 30 minutes a day and want to add Spanish to the mix, cutting 30 minutes in half typically means getting less input in each language.
Create Different Study Contexts: Especially at the beginning, try separating your languages by time and location. For example, you could make a habit of always studying German in the morning in the kitchen and studying Spanish after dinner on the couch. This can also help you get in the “mode” of each language! As you get more proficient in the languages, you can try being less rigid about your study contexts.
Immerse Yourself: At the beginning, try studying for longer sessions (like a full 30 minutes of German all at once) instead of breaking it up (like 15 minutes in the morning and 15 more in the evening). This gives you more time to get in “German mode” or “Spanish mode” and really sink into the language. As you get more comfortable and more proficient, you might not need as much time to settle into each language!

4. Combine Languages

Use One to Practice the Other: When you’re feeling confident in one of your new languages, you might be ready to work on both languages at once. For example, make flashcards with words in the two languages (one side German, one side Spanish) and don’t use your own language at all! You can color-code the words to help separate them, like always writing German in blue.
Study new languages in your stronger language(s): Once you’ve attained a certain level of comfort in a non-native language, you can learn subsequent languages through it. This will both solidify your knowledge of the stronger language and help you get ahead in the new language. For instance, imagine you’re a native English speaker with a pretty comfortable grasp of French. To then learn Chinese, you might listen to a podcast for French speakers learning Chinese, or get a French-Chinese dictionary instead of an English-Chinese one. This technique is called laddering, and it’s extremely useful for keeping your brain in “foreign language mode.” Just note that it’s usually only possible if both of your languages are relatively common.
Practice multiple languages at once by translating between them: Besides giving you a chance to work on both languages at once, this exercise helps get you “thinking” in the languages you’re learning rather than constantly returning to your native language. When learning one language at a time, you run the risk of relating everything back to your native language and thereby making that language your permanent point of reference. That means your new language becomes an “extension” of your native tongue rather than something you internalize on a deep, intuitive level. But when you’re learning two languages at the same time, you can practice translation by simply translating between the two new ones you’re learning! You can even up the ante by translating across different languages and linguistic mediums.

5. Consistency and Motivation

Set Reasonable Expectations: There will be pros and cons to studying any pair of languages together. If the new language is similar to one you already know or have been studying, you might get a hang of the basics pretty quickly -- but it could be hard to keep two rather similar languages, like Spanish and Italian, apart.
Give yourself a head start in one: Consider studying just one language to start, until you have a solid foundation. (In Duolingo courses, that might mean getting through the first three units, or maybe finishing up the whole first section!) Once you have a good command of basic vocabulary, grammar, and building sentences, then try adding another language. (You can learn unlimited languages on Duolingo for free!)
Make it Fun and Inject Fun into Learning: When something is fun, it’s easier to build-and stick with-habits. Consistency is key when learning a new language. This is even more true when taking on two languages at once. Try and inject some fun into your learning.
Set Realistic Goals: Tackling two new languages at once isn’t the quickest way to become fluent. You need to understand it might take a while to see results. So make sure you set realistic goals.
Be Patient: Learning one language is hard enough. Learning two is even harder. There’s no research about how much longer it takes to learn two simultaneously. But some estimates say it can take 660 hours to become proficient in one language. That’s a huge chunk of time. Be patient. It’s going to take a long time to hit your goals in both languages. Add learning two languages to all the other things you need to do in a day and that’s a lot of things on your plate. You can’t do everything. So give yourself lots of time.
Don't start both at the same time: Just because you want to learn two new languages doesn’t mean you need to start them at the same time. It might be a good idea to start one, get a decent foundation, and then move on to the next.
Be Adaptable: There are bound to be hiccups in the process. Don’t let them knock you off track. Instead, be adaptable. For example, if you notice one language is becoming a grind, maybe it’s time to take a break. You don’t need to be full-on studying both all the time. Or if you notice one skill is lagging behind, shift your priorities.
Get Rid of Perfectionism: Perfectionism is a negative mindset that does nothing to help you acheive your goals. If you’ve decided to learn more than one language at once, you’ll have to face the fact that you are going to progress slower in all of the languages than you would learning one at a time.
Have a positive mindset: You can have all the right methods in the world but if you have a negative mindset, you won’t improve.

6. Resources and Environment

Different apps and resources per language: You can use different methods, notebooks, apps or systems for your languages. If you don’t know where to find good resources, take a look at my language resources page. You can choose to have one app only for one language so you make that connection in your mind (E.g. using the Bunpo app only for Japanese, Forge for Spanish, and Duolingo for French). Whatever works for you! Remember to work with comprehensible input. This means things that are at, or just above your level, that you can understand and learn from.
Consume media in all your languages: Media is your best friend for maintaining and improving your language skills. The good news about reaching a high level of fluency is that once you’re there, watching a movie or reading a book in your target language is fun, not work. If you’re on a budget, libraries often have a surprisingly wide selection of books in other languages, too.
Live in a place that speaks at least one of your languages: Living abroad makes practicing language easier because you’ll likely need it to do simple, daily tasks and interact with other people. It’s also easier to use the laddering technique if you’re living abroad. When I lived in France, for example, I took both a Chinese class and an Arabic class, but I learned some French in both classes as well. You may also consider moving to a multilingual city, either abroad or in your own country. If you plan correctly, this could immerse you in both (or several) of your target languages at once.In Strasbourg, France and Fribourg, Switzerland, for example, both French and German are spoken and would be ideal for someone looking for immersion in both languages.
Maintain a multilingual social network: If you’re trying to improve and maintain various languages, it’s essential to make friends who speak your target languages. This will allow you to practice while socializing, and it provides an emotional connection to the language that makes it more likely you’ll continue making progress in the long haul. Here are some ideas for meeting and befriending speakers of other languages: Go to language-related events. The Cervantes Institute, Confucius Institute or the Alliance Française, for example, all hold events at the local level. Seek out immigrant communities who speak your target languages.
Use your languages at work: If you’re able to make your work time do double duty as language practice, you’ll have that much more time to practice, but this is generally only possible if you speak your target languages quite well. There’re many industries where you’d be especially likely to use foreign languages such as tourism, translation and interpreting and journalism. And it’s probably possible to use your target language as part of most professions, honestly.
Have at least one hobby related to each language: A related hobby provides a crucial part of your emotional connection to the language. Hobbies are also a potent reminder that learning a language is a means of connecting with another culture and communicating with people. These are some examples of hobbies that can be enhanced by language learning: Cooking. Watch cooking shows in French, study cuisine in Chinese or read Russian cookbooks. All languages have a matching cuisine, and if you know the language, you’ll have more resources when it comes to learning about the food. Music. Music is another versatile hobby when it comes to language learning. You might take erhu lessons in Chinese, guitar lessons in Spanish or voice lessons in German. Dance. Flamenco teachers in Spain almost never speak English, so knowing Spanish will help you immensely. Arabic-speaking belly dancers will have more success finding a teacher in the Middle East than non-speakers.

The Brain's Perspective on Language Learning

The human brain is remarkably adaptable and capable of learning multiple languages. It stores all languages in the same regions, creating overlapping connections between translations and similar words. This means that your brain will connect a word like "cat" with its Spanish translation, "gato," but there will also be connections between words that sound similar, like "vase" and Spanish "vaso" ("cup, glass").

To strengthen the connections between ideas and new words, consistent practice and exposure to the language are crucial. Early in the learning process, you might translate through your first language. However, with increased proficiency, you'll build stronger connections directly to the new language.

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Benefits of Multilingualism

Learning multiple languages offers numerous cognitive and practical advantages:

Enhanced Cognitive Abilities: Speaking more than one language requires the brain to recognize, distinguish, and analyze different linguistic patterns. Studies have shown that learning a foreign language changes the structure of language-related brain regions and improves memory.
Time-Saving: Being able to communicate in multiple languages can save time and enhance experiences when traveling or interacting with people from different cultures.
Expanded Opportunities: Multilingualism can open new doors in the job market, providing a competitive edge in international corporations and industries that require language skills.
Cultural Enrichment: Speaking your love’s language brings you to their reality of things.
Prevents Boredom: There always comes a point in any language learner’s endeavors when they finally plateau and get sick of the lessons. You can either barrel through that phase, or you can refresh yourself by getting into another language. Don’t think of it as quitting, think of it as productively redirecting your language learning energies. What’s important is that you can have several language “mistresses” on the side. It keeps things interesting.

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