524: 3 things I wish I knew when I started learning languages

👉 Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/set-goalsWhat do you do if you hate the language you're learning? Is this even possible? I'm tackling a genuine listener question about this topic. It's something that can happen to a lot of immigrants, but there is a way around it. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories

👉 Grab your FREE StoryLearning Blueprint: https://l.storylearning.com/free_storyIn this episode of the StoryLearning podcast, I reconnect with longtime language-learning friend Kerstin Cable, creator of The Fluent Show podcast and teacher on my course, German Uncovered. Kerstin is one of my oldest internet friends who gave me some excellent advice in the early days of my blog that I still remember 13+ years later! We talk about AI, choice overload in the modern world, habits and why my parent's generation were such good language learners. More about today's guest: Kerstin Cable is a language learning expert and consultant living in England. Kerstin is the author of 15+ books and courses for language learners including German Uncovered at StoryLearning, co-founder of AI Language Club and the Women in Language conference, and creator of the Fluent Show podcast. She is a native German speaker who hails from the beautiful Moselle valley. Kerstin studied 6 languages in Germany and has added 4 more so far, including her language crush, Welsh. AI Language Club: https://www.ailanguageclub.com/Kerstin's website: https://www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories

👉 Grab your FREE Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/free_plannerThere are all kinds of techniques and tricks and that you can use to learn a language. But they're all just that - tactics and techniques. In today’s episode, I’m answering an interesting question about the deep truths that I’ve learned over the years that I’d like to pass on to the next generation of language learners. Link mentioned in this episode: Story about my breakthrough in Spanish: https://storylearning.com/olly-story👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories

👉 Grab your FREE Language Difficulty Guide: https://l.storylearning.com/free_difficultyToday's question is about the most asked about topic in the more than 10-year history of this podcast: learning two languages. So many of us want to learn tons of languages, so we often study two at once. And then we realise, hang on, this is creating a few problems because we get muddled up. This episode is all about how to deal with that. Link mentioned in this episode: Angela de Bruin, Liv J. Hoversten, Clara D. Martin, Interference between non-native languages during trilingual language production, Journal of Memory and Language, Volume 128, 2023, 104386, ISSN 0749-596X.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749596X22000730👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories

👉 Grab your FREE Grammar and Vocabulary Study Sheet : https://l.storylearning.com/read_sheetI'm always going on about why it's so important to read a lot if you want to learn a new language - and I'll do it again in this episode. But is it enough to be able to speak a language fluently? Links mentioned in this video: Reverse translation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VXmDiBfzwA👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories

👉 Grab your FREE StoryLearning Blueprint: https://l.storylearning.com/free_fluencyIn this episode of the StoryLearning podcast I chat to my good friend and fellow podcaster Anna Tyrie, creator of the popular YouTube channel, English Like A Native. Anna started her career in acting and, via some twists and turns, made her way into teaching English to an audience of millions on YouTube. You’ll discover her surprising journey from fearful to confident. She’ll also share her best tips for helping you speak with more confidence and clarity, no matter what language you’re learning. Links mentioned in this episode: Anna's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/EnglishLikeANativeAnna's podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@englishlikeanativepodcast👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories

👉 Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/lang_goals Can you be too old to learn a language? What about kids? They soak up languages like a sponge, so surely that means there's never any chance of me learning another language. Well, we'll see about that. Tune in for some inspiring examples of 60 + people learning languages and tips for any age. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_questionLink mentioned in this episode: Siddiqui, J. S. Second Language Acquisition Beyond Critical Age: A Case Study of an Old Second Language Learner. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. https://doi.org/10.46568/JSSH.V55I2.81👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories

👉 Get your FREE Grammar and Vocab Study Sheet: https://l.storylearning.com/study_kanjiIn this episode, I tackle a question from four years ago, but the topic is as relevant as ever: how to learn Japanese kanji. There are strong opinions online about the best way to learn Japanese, kanji included. I share my experience from learning Japanese in Japan and what I would do if I could start learning kanji over again. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories

👉 Get your FREE Grammar and Vocab Study Sheet: https://l.storylearning.com/free_vocabIn this episode,  we're revisiting a topic that I feel we'll be talking about until the end of time.  The sun's going to expand to engulf the Earth and we're all going to be frazzled up like sausages and I'll be there until the end talking about this topic, which is flashcards. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_questionLink mentioned in this episode: What Really Matters in Vocabulary Acquisition?: https://gianfrancoconti.com/2025/04/26/what-really-matters-in-vocabulary-acquisition-a-ranked-analysis-of-key-influencing-factors/👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories

👉 Get your FREE StoryLearning Blueprint: https://l.storylearning.com/learn_storiesIn this episode of the StoryLearning podcast I chat to my good friend and fellow language enthusiast John Fotheringham, creator of Anywhere Immersion. John has been blogging and podcasting about language learning since 2009 and his podcast (formerly the Language Mastery Podcast) was the first one I ever went on! Now he's returning the favour by coming on this refreshed video version of my podcast to talk about language immersion, how he's using AI to learn languages and more. Links mentioned in this episode: Anywhere Immersion: https://www.anywhereimmersion.comTeacher AI: https://l.storylearning.com/teacherAIOlly’s interview on John’s podcast in 2020: https://www.anywhereimmersion.com/blog/olly-richards-returnsMore about today's guest: John Fotheringham is a linguist, teacher, and author of Master Japanese and Master Mandarin.Want to learn a language without moving abroad? His Anywhere Immersion Method (A.I.M.) teaches you how to create a full language immersion environment right where you live. From beginner basics to advanced fluency, he provides the roadmap you need to master a new language right at home.Download his free Quickstart Immersion Guide at AnywhereImmersion.com to learn how to immerse yourself in any language, anywhere, anytime.👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info#storylearning #learnthroughstories