Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann

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• I learned Chinese in 1968. Here's how I would do it now 04.06.2026 11Min.

  I started learning Mandarin in 1968 with flashcards and reel-to-reel tapes, and here is what I would do differently today.
• Why SLOW IS BETTER in language learning 28.05.2026 8Min.

  Today I want to talk about learning slowly — and why if you accept that learning a language takes time, learning slowly actually gets you there faster.
• Why reading is the KILLER APP for language learning 21.05.2026 7Min.

  After an hour of focused reading in Persian, I felt my grasp of the language jump forward, and it reminded me why reading is the most powerful tool we have for acquiring a new language.
• Can we learn to sound native in another language? 14.05.2026 8Min.

  Most adult language learners are chasing a goal they're unlikely to reach, and I want to share what I think we should focus on instead.
• The 3 stages of comprehension every language learner goes through 07.05.2026 8Min.

  There are three stages of comprehension in any new language. Early on, you barely understand anything — and that's fine. The goal at that stage isn't comprehension; it's letting your brain pick up the patterns. Then comes the long middle stretch where you're learning words but listening still feels patchy, until one day you notice you understand more than you used to. Where are you right now?
• Answering the most common questions about learning Arabic 30.04.2026 20Min.

  I've been chipping away at Arabic for years, and I recently sat down with Hasan Alhamwi, the founder of Arabic All The Time. He left a career in civil engineering to build the largest library of Arabic comprehensible input on the internet. We talked about why videos beat textbooks for Arabic, when learners should finally start reading, and whether all those dialects are really one language or many. If you're learning Arabic, what's giving you the most trouble?
• 3 ways to find more time for language learning 23.04.2026 7Min.

  I asked AI what the most important element in language learning is, and the answer surprised me — here's why it comes down to time.
• Want to speak another language? Learn from Europeans 16.04.2026 8Min.

  Every time I watch interviews from places like Budapest, I'm struck by how well young Europeans speak English. It isn't because their schools suddenly got better — I don't think classroom instruction has changed much at all. What changed is access. The internet, social media, YouTube, and streaming platforms mean people are surrounded by English all day, and that lowers the friction while raising the motivation. I think the same forces are starting to spread to other languages, and speaking three languages could soon be completely normal. Where did most of your language exposure actually come from — school, or something else?
• Why massive input beats flashcards every time 09.04.2026 10Min.

  Flashcards feel like progress. But are they actually helping you learn a language — or just keeping you busy?
• CEO studied French for 6 years and still can’t speak it. This is why 02.04.2026 6Min.

  The CEO of Air Canada spent 550 hours studying French over six years — and still couldn't speak it. Here's why traditional language learning fails, and what actually works.
• The pros and cons of Duolingo 26.03.2026 9Min.

  Duolingo has 135 million users — but most of them aren't using it as the gateway to real language learning that it can be.
• I learned Japanese in 1971. Here’s how I would do it now 19.03.2026 13Min.

  After learning Japanese in Tokyo in 1971 and speaking it for over 50 years, I share the five things I'd do differently today.
• Is AI about to make education worse? 12.03.2026 9Min.

  AI is transforming every industry — but if education doesn't rethink its broken model first, AI will just make a flawed system faster.
• The 3-part routine that helped me learn 20+ languages 05.03.2026 6Min.

  In this video, I share my science-based daily language learning routine and break down why it works.
• Brain rot is real. Fight it with language learning 26.02.2026 8Min.

  In this video, I explore the phenomenon of brain rot and how language learning can help you combat it.
• The grammar trap: 5 mistakes most learners make 19.02.2026 10Min.

  In this video, I break down five common grammar misconceptions that hold language learners back.
• Feeling STUCK in a language? Here's why 12.02.2026 9Min.

  In this video, I explain why focusing less on improving the language itself and more on learning something genuinely interesting can be the key to finally reaching fluency.
• Is German really that hard to learn? 05.02.2026 12Min.

  In this video, I break down common difficulties German learners have and what you can do about them.
• How Stoicism can help you learn a new language 22.01.2026 8Min.

  In this video, I explore how (and whether) Stoic philosophy can be applied to language learning.
• 5 things I wish I knew when I started learning languages 15.01.2026 9Min.

  Today I'm sharing 5 things I wish I knew when I was just starting to learn languages.