Ask HN: How have you learned a speaking language?

TL;DR: Arabic is a bitch to pick up on your own. Take a class and then build on that.

Okay, so you've picked one of the five most difficult languages in the world for English learners to pick up ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most_difficult_language_to_lear... ) -- I have a lot of friends who speak Arabic to various levels, and every single one of them did it through a combination of university classes and immersion classes in the area.

For some knowledge that you probably know, Arabic is more a collection of languages than a language itself. Regardless of the dialect you eventually want to learn, however, you're best off learning Modern Standard Arabic first. The tricky part, however, is that it's more difficult than many of the dialects, which have dropped off many of the classical forms. However, no matter the dialect, you're going to want to watch TV and read the newspaper, so off to the hardest bit comes first. :)

With Modern Standard Arabic, your best bet is unfortunately to get in a class or get a tutor. I personally have never heard of much luck with self-study, because there are so many traps you can fall into when trying to creatively use the language. If your interest is read-only, you might be okay, but listening, speaking, and writing may be too much for self-study.

If self-study is the only option, one route you may want to consider is starting with a simpler related language, Farsi. You'll get the alphabet down, some of the same words, and some of the tricks. It may be easier to start reading Farsi then translate the knowledge to Arabic for a self-studier.

I learned Spanish (lapsed intermediate) and am learning Turkish. After three years of on and off self-study, I took a month-long class in Istanbul, and did more there than the previous three years, even living with a native speaker. With that base, I'm able to progress in my self-study.

I disagree with the advice about an institute. Learning in a group is often preferable than learning on your own. Yes, you go at a set pace, but that pace is often faster than you could go on your own. You have built in access to a native speaker who can help you avoid falling into traps you don't even know exist.

First, the older you get, the harder it becomes to learn a language. So begin now, regardless of your age.

Second, you really must have a strong interest in the language, culture, or people of the target language (or at least be able to grow that interest over time). Preferably, the sound of the language should also appeal to you on a certain level. Learning a language is a commitment. That said, it is possible to dabble in different languages. It is one of the best ways to learn whether a language will interest you over the longer term (and a great vignette into another culture).

A good book on the subject is How to Learn Any Language by Barry Farber. He has a system of techniques that he's developed over the years, having supposedly learned a couple of dozen languages. It is helpful to study other polyglots, such as Sir Richard Burton, as well.

I learned French on my own. I can speak passably and understand it well (spoken and reading).

Here's my method:

1. Get a good grammar book. You can get a simple grammar book to start with. I like the Dover Essential grammars (e.g., Essential French Grammar). They're short, concise, and less likely to overwhelm. Plus, they're a handy reference later on.

2. Get a good dictionary. Start with a bilingual dictionary. Eventually, you can get a dictionary in your target language (a dictionary that natives use). Make sure it has pronunciation in IPA. You can then read the definitions in the target language, which helps add to the volume of consumed text and meaning. This is a tip I got from http://www.antimoon.com, a great language learning site.

3. Develop a set of flash cards. These days, I always use SRS (spaced repetition software). I started with SuperMemo, one of the originators of the technique. Sadly, this app is a bit neglected and the interface is poor. My SRS app of choice these days is Anki. It's a great app written by an Australian who wanted to learn Japanese while living in Japan, so it supports kana and other character sets well. Plus, it's written in Python and OSS. It works on many platforms.

4. By a Pimsleur audio course. This is probably the best way to get some speaking ability early on, with good pronunciation. Pimsleur also uses the SRS technique. There are other audio courses, but Pimsleur is the best, IMO.

5. Begin listening to native speakers. If you don't live in a country that speaks the language, you can rent movies and turn on the subtitles (turn them off later, either after you've learned a bit or if you've seen the movie a couple of times and know the story). You can also listen to the radio. Find a good station that has web broadcasts with speakers and no music (I listen to rfi.fr). Listen. Daily. Even when I barely knew the language I would put this on in the background and just let my subconscious be immersed in it. Eventually, I started to be able to pick out words. Later, I understood phrases, etc. Eventually, you'll hear something over and over and be compelled to look it up. This is how you learn the daily idioms.

6. Join a speaking group (e.g., via meetup). The only way to become fluent is to use what you've learned, even if you stumble early on (and you will).

7. Ideally, move to a country that speaks the language. Even if only for a few months. I moved to France for two years. While you're there, find excuses to get out every day and talk with people. Take a class on your favorite subject (fencing, basket weaving, etc.) with locals. Go to the market.

When learning a language, you go through stages. The first important stage is beginning to understand the spoken language. The next step is being able to follow a conversation. At a certain point, things will "click" and you'll have learned enough to where you're not studying so much as consuming. Eventually, you learn new vocabulary through use--just as with your native language.

Language is a uniquely human trait. Our brains are wired for it. We learn through saturation. Follow the advice of Antimoon and expose your brain to as much content as you can. Read or listen every day. Eventually your brain starts to work things out.

Finally, once you've learned your language, keep it. You must review or you'll begin losing it. I listen to the radio.

Unless you have superhuman discipline specifically in the area of studying languages, there is no substitute for immersion. Book yourself a semester abroad (but not in one of the spoonfed foreign vacation programs most Universities sponsor -- find a program yourself). Or enroll in a language school. Choose a homestay, not a dorm. Stick with it for at least three months. Limit your English internet time and make local friends.

Intense studying with flashcards for vocabulary is also important and should be done every day. There is no substitute for thirty minutes without fail each morning. If you keep it up for a year, your word power in the new tongue will explode. But it must be every day.

Use native materials as soon as you can and make your vocabulary lists from them. A tutor can really help with that in the early stages.

Get a tutor or some one-on-one lessons to sharpen your pronunciation. You're pronouncing things wrong and no matter what the studies of casual students say, serious learners can adopt native accents with practice at any age. It takes hundreds of hours of practice to make muscle memory work and you need regular correction. This is the only stage where instruction is indispensable. Practice pronunciation constantly. Do it on the way to work or school, in the shower, all the time. It doesn't take brains -- you could almost do it in your sleep -- but you need hundreds of hours of practice. Muscle memory.

Arabic is really hard (and useless for picking up girls). You should expect it to take years and years. If you can't live abroad, it may never come to you. If you're only studying on-and-off, you might not have the discipline. Maybe consider an easier alternative. (Pretty much anything but Korean is easier.)

From personal experience I would recommend taking the equivalent of a high school language course to understand the logic of a language and some vocabulary and then moving to a remote location to work where nobody speaks English. Andean mining camps really helped my Spanish to become fluent.