To learn your second language, it helps to do the math

When people hear I’m studying Spanish, they often are bemused. Seeing the middle-aged man that I am, they ask, “Why?” And then, “How?”

I answer the “why” question differently, depending on my mood. I might say it’s because I want to visit Miami. Or, if I feel like being serious, I tell them that someday, if I can talk Lori into it, I’d like to live for a time in a Spanish-speaking country and pursue an expanded life. I’d like to help with things I’m passionate about here at home, like literacy, entrepreneurism, and libraries.

As for the “how,” I’ve created a virtual Spanish immersion experience by setting all my devices and media to Spanish. These are surprisingly many: iPhone, iPod, iPad, camera, computer, radio, television, websites, music, movies, ATM, and self-checkout at Home Depot.

I’ve also discovered that one of the joys of learning a second language is learning new proverbs. No te ahogues en un vaso de agua. (Don’t drown in a glass of water.) That’s a funny way of saying, Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.

And now I want to share a secret. Learning a second language is both harder—and easier—than you might think.

What makes learning a language hard

When people ask me how I’m learning Spanish, they wonder if I’ve stumbled upon the single best program, as if knowing this would provide a magical key to  learning quickly and painlessly. Here’s the bad news: there is no single course, software or method that will be so easy, so compelling, and so effective that you’ll be smiling all the way to rapid fluency. While all of the major language- learning courses are pretty great, the bad news is that learning your second language will take time—lots and lots of time.

Michael Masterson, a bestselling author on self-improvement, says it takes 1,000 hours to move out of incompetence in nearly any valuable skill, and 5,000+ hours to step into mastery and beyond.

Malcolm Gladwell has described the phenomenon in Outliers as the 10,000-hour rule. People are inclined to think it’s just natural talent that makes a Paul McCartney or Bill Gates, and tend not to be interested in the hours they put into their craft.

And so many people asked Lance Armstrong about his equipment that he found it necessary to title his memoir, It’s Not About the Bike.

Likewise, it’s not about the language course. In fact, if you want to really learn your second language, plan on taking all of the language courses you can find. Let’s do the math.

300…Rosetta Stone Spanish currently has five levels in Spanish. A company representative told me that most customers report that by spending 45 minutes to an hour a day, seven days a week, it takes them about two months to complete a level. Using an hour for easy arithmetic, that’s 60 hours times 5 levels, for a total of 300 hours of instruction, or about one-third of your way out of incompetence.

+ 150…I enjoyed Rosetta Stone myself and did the course through level 2 in Spanish before my computer died (of unrelated causes). I have yet to reinstall the software on my new one. I found it easier to switch to an audio program that didn’t tether me to my computer and discovered Pimsleur, which I recommend highly. I went through all 100 lessons they offer in Spanish. Each lesson is 30 minutes, and I’d guess I’ve listened and repeated each one three times—mostly while doing dishes, washing cars, and walking my dog, Ladi—so that’s 150 hours. By the way, Ladi now responds to ¡Venga aqui! (Come here).

+ 24…Then I listened to Michel Thomas Spanish, which is only 8 hours, but they are exceptional hours, teaching the backbone of the language: verbs.  I’ve listened to it four times, for a total of 24 very valuable hours. (By the way, Michel Thomas is the fellow who taught Doris Day how to sing Que Sera, Sera.)

+6…Then for a change of pace, I downloaded Spanish for Restaurants, which includes such useful phrases as Limpia todas las mesas (Clean all the tables) and ¡desenchufe lo! (unplug it!) . I’ve listened and repeated that three times, for another 6 hours.

= still not a thousand. I’ve been studying Spanish now for two-and-a-half years in my spare time, and I’ve yet to reach my 1,000 hours necessary to emerge from incompetence (although I enjoy flashes of understanding, and can provide some high amusement for Spanish-speaking friends.)

When you complete different language courses, one after another, they will reinforce each other. You gain confidence knowing the answers ahead of time. At the same time, they will take you in new directions that can be delightful.

Should Gladwell’s 10,000 hours really be any surprise? Not when you think back to how each of us learned our native language. Most babies take two years before they begin to speak (in my case it was three). Multiply 14 waking hours of language immersion, times 365 days, times two years, and you get 10,220 hours.

The good news is…

So what’s the good news I promised? It comes from within you, once you learn the simple math and accept the fact that it will take you thousands of hours to become conversational, and several thousands more to become fluent.

Enjoy the journey that will take you years, even if you’re naturally good at languages, and even if you’re lucky enough to be able to immerse yourself. Don’t have unrealistic expectations that after taking a course, you’ll be confident enough to pass for a local.

Often I encounter people who are exasperated with themselves and say something like, “Yeah, I took four years of French and now can hardly speak at all.” But when you do the math of actual time spent listening, speaking and writing, four years of classroom study add up to relatively few hours.

Be patient, my friend. Take courses. Use technology and media to provide exposure here and there throughout your day. Watch a movie on weekends. Do what you can to get your hours.

Take satisfaction in your small steps, the flashes of understanding, the phrases, the little triumphs. Enjoy your journey. ¡Buen viaje!

Are you immersed in learning another language? Tell me how you do the math. Just click on the Comments link below with your submission. (If you’re reading this as an email, click here and you'll connect to Comments).

Comments

[Ellen]

Not another language, but I began learning fiddle a few years ago (and have played other instruments so maybe it's somewhat akin). I think in addition to pure hours, they have to be constructive hours. David Shenk's The Genius in All of Us has a great analysis of how those hours should stretch you beyond your comfort zone.

I love your turning interfaces into Spanish.

[Meg Lark]

I don't know that I've done the math, per se, but learning Russian is about the most challenging thing I think I've ever done (especially having begun the year I turned 55). It's taken six years of university-level courses -- repeating all but the very first course twice -- plus *having* to speak with Russians who don't speak English, plus taking music courses at a Russian monastery every summer for the past 10 years, to get to a minimally competent level. Next up: I'm waiting till I turn 65 so I can take Russian literature courses for free at the university. When I learned German 40 years ago -- a language I can still speak fluently -- what made the difference was being able to read that language. Trouble is -- German uses the same alphabet as English. ;-)

[AnothrWu]

I didn't know Japanese at all before I graduated from the college. And I come to Japan because there was a Japanese company wanted me to join. Then I started to study Japanese. I watched a lot of animations.It was very hard for me, but now I can understand a Japanese. It is a miracle.

[Lynn E. O'Connor]

It's fun following you as you learn a new language. A few comments about intelligence and learning --and not just new languages. We used to believe (and many still believe) that "IQ" or intelligence was all genetic and fixed, unchangeable. In the past decade psychology researchers have found that intelligence is incremental, expandable, and more about mind-set and effort than anything else. One great researcher, Carol Dweck (she's written popular books as well as many scientific papers) has spent her career studying what we might call the "mind set" or "effort effect." If people believe their intelligence is fixed, and if they do well in something it/s because of their inborn intelligence, or if they do poorly, it is likewise due to inborn capacity and they are basically hopeless --they are far less likely to do well in many tasks. However if people learn (and understand) that intelligence is expandable --it grows with effort-- and how well someone does is a function of their effort, capacities grow exponentially.

We should all begin school with months of learning about expandable, incremental, effort-based intelligence and capacity, I think the results would be remarkable. I appreciated your recent comments on learning a language (see above) because I think you are giving a real life example of Dweck's conclusions from many years of research (and certainly spelled out by Gladwell).

And by the way, all that aside, I greatly admire your efforts to learn Spanish!

Lynn

[Joseph]

The one trick that has helped me tremendously is loading a bunch of songs in spanish, and then printing the lyrics of a couple of them per week, like that, at the beginning of the week, I can listen to one song while reading the lyrics once, and then listen to that song many times without the lyrics (it is better if you know what the lyrics mean). Your oral comprehension skills will improve, plus you'll get to know some new music.

[sergio_101]

another really good trick to learn spanish.. depending on where you live.. is to watch spanish television. there are GREAT novelas (soap operas) and talk shows that are way over the top...

just watch a few, and you will definitely want to know what is going on..

[Walito]

This kinda reminds me of what I did to learn Spanish. I really enjoy reading your blog. Keep up the good work!

[Rob Maguire]

A refreshing perspective and one that resonates for me being on full time intense language training for french (5.5 hours daily with an instructor and 2-3 hours of self study and exercises). I was told it would take me 1450 hours of instruction and thus far have about 425 hours invested.

Also double check the math on your blog on this for me will you please. 4 x 8 = ?

+ 24…Then I listened to Michel Thomas Spanish, which is only 8 hours, but they are exceptional hours, teaching the backbone of the language: verbs. I’ve listened to it four times, for a total of 24 very valuable hours.

[Steve]

no maths, but would be interested in feedback on http://www.worldwordexchange.com

it was designed to improve on Rosetta Stone etc but I haven't found any reviews yet

[Caitlin - Leadership Development]

I tried to learn Mandarin using Rosetta Stone before. I got to keep a bit of the words but still not confident speaking long sentences. I think the best teacher of a language is exposure to it.

[Tausif]

Learning a second language is too difficult as it is not applied in our day to day life in home as well as it is very time consuming. The best way of learning a second language is to follow three steps. They are reading books a lot to enrich vocabulary,to write what you learn and finally to practice it very often with your own self or with friends. The courses that are good can be beneficial but it is fully dependent on you to learn and be fluent in a second language.Thanks for sharing such valuable thoughts. Keep up the good work.

[Pascal]

Although I speak Spanish and French, I decided recently to start learning Russian. Counting the time that it really takes to learn a new language is important and it's something that I take seriously as well. Thanks for sharing this post! It helps me to remind myself of why I love languages!