One of the most common refrains among language purists is that you should learn a second language like you learned your first language as a child.
The problem with this viewpoint is that we are not children anymore. Our brains are different, and we won't just "pick up" a language by being surrounded by the right people or media.
This means that, unfortunately, you can't learn a language by watching TV in that language, and you probably won't learn a language by studying abroad — especially if you're traveling with a program of rambunctious, heavy-drinking Americans, Australians, or other English-speaking students (although rumor has it that we tend to speak more fluently when we're drunk).
If you instead take learning into your own hands and follow our complete toolkit for learning a language on your own, then learning a language may not take as long as you think.
Brainscape's top language communities
We are constantly blown away by the staggering number of foreign language flashcards our Brainscape users have created over the years. Clearly, people are passionate about expanding their horizons! Try browsing our foreign language flashcards collections yourself, and you'll see everything from Japanese to Farsi flashcards.
But at the end of the day, Brainscape's long-term vision is to partner with the world's brightest linguists to create even more comprehensive, better-organized, audio-supported, and progressive flashcard-based curricula for every language on the planet. And we've already gotten a head start on several key languages.
Check out our certified resources below for the top languages where Brainscape has been focusing our efforts so far. Stay tuned for more soon!
