Thread

1. shigawire · 1789831395 · focus · HN ↗

   Anyone have experience learning a new language in their 30s? I've tried and failed a few times. I can't tell if the time constraints (family, work, life) or mental constraints are the bigger problem.

   1. ElevenLathe · 1790022899 · focus · HN ↗

      I technically started before 30 but I only really got serious in learning my wife's mother tongue post-30. I'm not super diligent about it, but try to speak at least some with her (and our children) every day, and have for the last few years. We attend church in the target language too, though the group of local speakers is pretty small (though not nonexistent). We also watch every other "family movie night" movie in the language.

      We just got back from a trip to visit that side of the family and it was a really gratifying trip -- the first time I'd felt totally confident wandering off on my own without some trusted family or friend to interpret for me. I'm definitely not fluent, but with some patience on the other side of the conversation I can get by.

      That said, I find it all fun. I think that's the key. If I were doing this all for some abstract eventual benefit like my brain health at 60-something, I would never make progress. As it is, I find the process of learning new vocabulary quite fun (grammar less so, but there is only so much to learn) and there are clear benefits to having effectively a secret family language when in the US, and being able to navigate conversations with in-laws, church friends, and so on.

      Language learning is, to me, effectively a cheap hobby that is also marginally useful somewhat often.

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.