Why is learning a language so difficult?
• February, 18 2025
Many of us have felt how tough it is to learn a new language.
The grinding task of going through apps like Duolingo every day starts to get old and can feel like you’re not truly progressing. And even though you’ve done every possible thing you could think of to improve your new language skills, you still mess up at the grocery store - or order the wrong thing at a restaurant.
But why does it feel this way? Surely, it shouldn’t have to. Let’s take a deeper look:
Common obstacles to learning a new language
1. Age
Age might demotivate us from learning a new language but data from studies have shown that adults of any age can learn a language to fluency nearly as quickly as children.
Still, having less time to spend on learning a new language and fewer opportunities to do so definitely makes it more difficult. Bits of time spent here and there are far less immersive than spending a whole infancy around one or more languages. And even then, we continue learning new vocabulary and improving our reading and writing skills throughout adulthood.
The moral of the story is that brain changes or other differences in learning ability due to age are normally not the reason why learning a language feels more difficult as an adult. Instead, the higher obstacles are a lack of time and practice, psychological barriers like the fear of making mistakes that kids may not be so conscious of, or other behavioural factors
2. Brain wiring
Brain changes that come with adulthood may not be the reason why learning a new language feels difficult but different brain structures can affect how quickly, effectively, or easily people learn new languages. Some people have more aptitude for language skills. To be more neurological, those who have stronger connections between brain centers involved in speaking and reading perform better at learning a new language. But don’t dash off just yet – the ease or difficulty of language learning still has less to do with your brain wiring and more to do with the factors we’re about to move onto…
3. Slow progress
Language learning requires hundreds to thousands of hours to achieve anything remotely close to fluency. It’s a slow process that cannot be rushed. Unfortunately, we’re not used to being slow. We want quick results and a feeling of instant accomplishment. We’re conditioned to the reward arriving more rapidly when we learn other new things, such as a sport, new job, cooking, or gardening. But the learning curve of a new language is much more gradual as it requires vast reserves of time and energy. There are thousands of new words and grammatical structures to be understood and memorized. If you’re able to put enough time into learning, and commit over time, you’ll get there in the end.
4. Laziness
Yep, that’s right. You could be lazy – especially if you’re a native English speaker. Did you know that native English speakers are considerably less likely to speak a second language than others? While almost half (43%) of the human population is bilingual, only 22% of Australians, 21% of British people (although some sources say 36%!), and 20% of Americans can speak another language than English. As native English speakers, we’ve become so used to speaking our language because most people also speak it.
5. Lack of immersion
OK, maybe you’re not lazy. Maybe you’re just not surrounding yourself with the right people. One of the best ways to learn a language quickly is by immersing yourself in environments where everyone else speaks that language, such as moving to the target language country. It can be isolating but it’s effective. It’s also an adventure.
An added complexity is that - something most often experienced by English speakers - you might be in a country where the language you’re learning is spoken, but you keep encountering people who switch to English for you. Maybe they’re trying to be polite or they want to practice their English. That puts you in a tight spot but it’s not impolite to request that those people don’t do that.
6. Psychological barriers
It’s common to have a desire for perfectionism when it comes to learning a new language. Most people want fluency or nothing. And because fluency is so hard to obtain, it often ends up being nothing. To add to that, the fear of making mistakes can become one of the top reasons why people are hesitant to speak the language they’re learning. Or perhaps, many of us live in a fast-paced, impulsive environment where we feel a little overwhelmed and speaking a new language is mentally exhausting. It feels easier and more convenient to speak the native language we’re comfortable in.
Overcoming the obstacles
Owning your mind
The best changes happen when we push ourselves to do difficult things. We’ve all been through situations where we felt something was hard but then we got through it and felt empowered. The lift from realizing that you are capable of doing something you didn’t think you could do is transformative. We must get the ‘it’s harder for adults’ or ‘it’s too late’ thoughts out of our heads. The mind is a powerful place and it’s underrated how much our thoughts can be a part of getting stuff done (or not).
Solo travel
Immersing yourself in the target language’s milieu might feel isolating or uncomfortable. Or maybe it’ll feel exciting and positively challenging. Either way, you will see yourself learning the language faster. You’ll be forced to interact with native speakers and, like kids, you’ll have to listen to and practice speaking the language 24/7. It can feel scary, but it’s the most practical, real-life way of learning a language. If you can’t move to another country to do so, there are ways to create an immersive language learning environment at home.
New learning styles
Duolingo isn’t the only option. To increase your learning progress, help overcome any lack of motivation, or even save time by integrating language learning into your routine, it helps to get creative. There are ample ways you can learn a new language: moving abroad, dating a foreign partner, Whatsapp penpals, language exchange cafes or apps, watching movies and shows (with or without subtitles), listening to songs or podcasts, reading comics or books (any children’s books on topics that interest you are a great way to start), language games, labeling everyday objects in your home, or changing the language of your phone. There’s a lot you can do to complement the tried-and-tested pathways.
Find your motivation
Keep reminding yourself why you want this. Is it so you can communicate with your partner’s family and friends? Or because you want to move abroad and get the full experience? Or maybe you want the brain to benefit from learning a new language? There are other ways to get you more excited to learn: having a teacher you connect with and look forward to seeing in class, making your notes creatively and colorfully, or booking your plane tickets for the target language country. Whatever it is that’ll motivate you, find it and hold onto it, because motivation has been consistently tied to language learning success.
As a Spanish language school in Barcelona, we also advocate for taking a committed, organized approach with a Spanish course. It might not be surprising but it works wonders. If you’d like to achieve Spanish fluency quickly, then why not try our intensive Spanish course in Barcelona?
Here are some stats about it:
- 20h per week
- Small groups
- Immersive approach
- Interactive trips to put learning into practice
- Qualifies for a student visa
- Make new friends from all over the world
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