Key Takeaways:

• Effective communication in a new language does not require knowing every word. Understanding context and effectively using the vocabulary you know is more important. 
• Contrary to the belief that learning a new language is always costly, many free or low-cost resources are available. Online tutorials, language exchange communities, and self-study methods can be just as practical as expensive courses and tutors.
• The notion that one can become fluent in a new language in just a few months is misleading. Setting realistic goals and understanding that fluency develops over time is important.

Top 6 Most Common Language Learning Misconceptions

There were many interesting thoughts and valuable points in the original discussion, but we’ve gathered only the best and organized them in a top list. So, what are the most widespread misconceptions, according to Reddit users? 

• You need to memorize all the words. Obviously, how else can we speak? 
• Learning a new language is always costly. Buying all these courses and hiring a personal tutor is necessary!
• Older people can’t learn new languages. You’ve already missed your opportunity when you were a child!
• Your pronunciation should become perfect before you start speaking. You just can’t start talking until everything is ideal.
• You are currently learning the “useless” language. It would be better to drop it and learn something useful—for example, English. Or English. 
• You can become fluent in a few months. Sounds very plausible, doesn’t it?

If you are learning a new language, you have probably already encountered at least some of these misconceptions, but others can still surprise you. Let’s review each of them one by one, starting from the least popular to the most. 

#6 You Need to Memorize All the Words 

❌ You need a colossal vocabulary to communicate in a foreign language. You shouldn’t even start practicing before you’ve mastered all the theory and learned thousands of words.

✅ Nobody understands every word in their language, much less a language they are just starting to learn. It is not even necessary for effective communication. Being articulate and able to comprehend other people’s explanations are more important. Even when you don’t know what a term means, you can usually figure it out by looking at its context or making a good guess.

#5 It Is Always Costly to Learn a New Language

❌ You must pay to learn a new language properly. You should start with courses and then pay for personal tutoring. Learning a foreign language alone is impossible, so it would be stupid even to begin trying. 

✅  There are plenty of low-cost or even free options for new language learners. You can check lessons on YouTube or another streaming service, discover speech communities in your area, collaborate with other students to organize speaking clubs, or engage in cross-cultural interactions. There are many ways to start learning a language, some of which can be more effective than courses. 

#4 Older People Can’t Learn New Languages 

❌ Only children can learn new languages effectively. Adults (elders especially) will struggle with learning, spend much time trying, and eventually fail. 

✅ Adults can also become proficient learners given the correct environment, enough practice, and the opportunity to engage with native speakers. Youngsters really do have a remarkable ability to pick up new languages, but adults have a lot of valuable advantages. 

Of course, adults and children are different. Adults also have a lot on their plates between jobs, family, and other responsibilities, and they only sometimes have the chance to learn a new language as children do.

Because of this, it is even more crucial for adults to establish reliable study habits that can withstand the demands of everyday life. Make studying the new language a regular part of your routine (perhaps with your morning coffee), integrate it into your interests and hobbies, and set short-term goals to keep yourself motivated. 

Here is the Reddit user’s opinion on child learning dilemma:

“That learning a language is easier as a child. The only thing that is easier is pronunciation. Adults have many advantages over child learners, especially the ability to better self-evaluate.”