What Are The Difficulties Of Learning a Second Language And How To Overcome Them?

Why do so many people think that learning a foreign language is difficult?

Is it really that difficult, or we don't have enough experience in switching between different languages? Are we not focused enough? Let's find out, shall we?

Learning a foreign language is one of the hardest things a brain can do. What makes a foreign language so difficult is the effort we have to make to transfer between linguistically complex structures. It's also challenging to learn how to think in another language. Above all, it takes time, hard work and dedication.

Here are some of the reasons many consider it is difficult to learn a foreign language. Keep in mind that the following ones are facts, but you can easily overcome them. Just be concentrated and motivated when working on those foreign language skills.

Learning from the beginning

Some of us find the beginning of learning a new language very challenging. Almost every language learning journey starts with the alphabet, which can be difficult for some people.

That is the first obstacle.

When you pass it, there comes another one, such as greetings and everyday phrases. If your native language is very different from the language you started learning, then this is another obstacle to overcome.

It is essential that you stay focused at this point and don’t get discouraged. It is hard, but keep in mind that this is another challenge in life that you will overcome and that will make you a better person eventually. Think of the day when you will succeed and start speaking with locals.

Hesitation in speaking

Talking to locals leads us to another difficulty that we find in learning a foreign language. Many learners hesitate to talk to people, especially native speakers so that they don’t end up feeling ashamed if they make any mistakes.

Native speakers are always happy when someone is trying to learn their language, so they will be proud of you when you practice your skills with them, and even if you make mistakes. They will not laugh or criticize you, but the opposite. They can help you by correcting your errors and by explaining to you their language. Justlearn tutors are native speakers, and you can practice your foreign language skills with them from your comfortable home.

Poor vocabulary

Speaking with native speakers leads us to another difficulty in learning a foreign language, which is the poor vocabulary. So many new words and phrases can be hard to memorize, let alone, to use while speaking. This is precisely the reason we recommend you to speak more to native speakers because this way, you will practice your vocabulary, use some words and phrases more often, learn synonyms. We also recommend reading newspapers, blogs, watching movies and TV shows, listening to the radio in a foreign language you are learning.

Problems with Grammar

Grammar is not crucial in learning a foreign language, but it doesn’t mean that it is not important. During the learning process, it is useful to have one or more grammar books. If you don't understand some grammar rules, feel free to ask for help as many times until you understand it completely. The grammar of every language surely has its challenging parts, so if you don't understand it right from the start, it's not the end of the world. Just be patient and practice a lot.

Thinking in another language

A lot of people think in their mother tongue when they start learning a new language. They tend to translate words in their head right away, which, of course, takes time. However, by doing this, they get more and more confused. Every language speaks for itself, no matter how similar you think your mother tongue is with the language you’re learning. We suggest you try not to translate directly. Think in the language you are learning, no matter how many words or phrases you know.

Thinking in the target language is essential.

Don't think of comebacks in your native tongue only to translate into a foreign language. It will not be beneficial for you.

Attitude

Believe it or not, one of the main obstacles in learning a foreign language is your attitude. If you believe that the language is hard and that, even if you work very hard, you might not succeed, then your brain will not try enough. Think positive, have a positive attitude. Don’t get us wrong, nobody’s saying that it’s going to be easy, but try to always keep in mind that if you are persistent enough, there will be nothing you can’t do.

This of those who speak more than one or two languages. How do they do it? Are they aliens? Of course not. They try hard, they have a positive thinking, and they aren't afraid to give it a try.

You see, it's not entirely true that learning a foreign language is tricky. It is a way of thinking, and above all, it’s an attitude. We've shown you some of the obstacles, but if you are aware of them and have enough motivation, you can easily overcome them.

What difficulties did you have in learning a foreign language? How did you overcome them? Share your experience with us in comments.