How to Learn Any Language So Fast It Feels Illegal, by Brian Wiles on YouTube. 9 min 55 s.
- Video length
- 9 min 55 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes a day
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Choose one language and set a daily target of about ten new words. At that pace you reach roughly 3,650 words in a year, enough for most everyday conversation.
Start with the words you will actually use. Learn high frequency words and phrases first, so every study hour pays off in real conversations.
Put each word into a flashcard app such as Anki. Keep one card per word and add a short example sentence so you learn the word in context.
Say every new word out loud from the first day. Silent reading builds recognition, but speaking builds the recall you need when someone talks to you.
Take your cards on a walk and repeat each word and sentence aloud. Try to recall the word before you flip the card, then check your answer.
Review your deck every day in one short session. Ten minutes of daily review beats a two hour catch-up at the weekend.
Once you know a few thousand words, switch your cards to definitions and examples in the target language and drop the English translation.
Plan your week: new words on most days, review every day, and one longer speaking session with a tutor or language partner.
Tips and common mistakes
Learn whole sentences rather than single words, so you pick up grammar and word order at the same time.
Do not add 50 cards on day one. A small deck you finish every day beats a big one you start avoiding.
Read each new word aloud as you make the card, because hearing it helps you recall it later.
Review in short bursts, such as on a walk or before bed, instead of one long study block.
Questions
How many new words should I learn a day?
About ten new words a day gets you to roughly 3,650 in a year. Keep the number small enough that you still finish all your reviews every day.
Do I need a paid app to do this?
No. Free flashcard apps like Anki work well, and plain index cards do the same job if you prefer writing by hand.
How soon can I start speaking?
Start in the first week rather than waiting to feel ready. A few hundred high frequency words are enough to hold simple conversations and get corrections.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
