Learning a new language, where do I start at my age?

For years I started and for years I stopped just as quickly. Learn a new language. And I am talking about the French language. When I was in third grade in high school, I dropped this trade. Purely because I really didn't know anything about it.

Now I regret that very much. English and German, I did exams in those. Still, I found the first few times speaking English a bit scary.

That's why I don't think it's wrong at all that children are already learning English at school. Because I want to learn the French language, I am starting French lessons again!

Mother with a talent for languages

I don't know where the genes have gone, but they skipped me. My mother really has a knack for languages. I think she used to speak all foreign languages. Encouraged, I started a new language several times and startedin her Swedish textbook, but I never got beyond page two. I also wanted to learn Spanish.

I got no further than the first sentence in the book. Even now-twenty years later-I still remember this sentence. ‘el labrador labra las tierra’.A phrase I never needed in Spain, because when do you say ; ‘ The farmer cultivates the earth’ It was an old textbook, you understand that!

A year in Australia

English I got from class 1 in high school. I was no talent, but managed reasonably well. When I was twenty-three, I went backpacking in Australia for a year.

I thought I could manage just fine with my (school) English there. But what was this against. I found it very scary to speak English and did not open my mouth for the first few days. Until I had to.

And then it went fast. In no time I spoke excellent English. I still benefit from this now, since my sister and her family live in America.

And so we speak a lot of English.

Now learning French again ( a new language)

French so. We go on vacation to France so often that I like to be able to reason in French a little. A few years ago I bought a very nice book to learn this new language ‘French; and this time with relevant matters discussed.

I've dealt with it before, but this knowledge is somewhat gone again. So that's why I pick up the book again and start from scratch. So I hope to be able to make myself understood in France.

Although I must say that learning and remembering are getting harder and harder for me.

Would you like to learn a new language again?

(learn French with only 5 minutes a day)

We love France, as you can see here: Climbing in France. South of France and Paris