Learning two languages at the same time

I know that studying only one language intensively at a time is probably optimum, but sometimes we're in a situation where we need (or want) to study more than one at a time.

I would like to hear from people about their experiences with learning two (or more) languages at the same time. (Assuming that one has adequate time!) Is it possible to do this effectively? And do the following factors make any difference:

The similarity of the languages you are studying. (e.g., French and Spanish as opposed to French and Chinese.)

The relative complexity of the languages. (e.g., Spanish vs. Russian.)

The level of the languages you are studying. (e.g., beginner level in two languages, vs. beginner in one and advanced in another, vs. advanced in both.

Studying one or more for comprehension only. (e.g., working on speaking/writing/listening/reading of one language, but just listening/reading of the other.)

As many of us need to allocate our efforts effectively, your answers are greatly appreciated!

I'm afraid I can't speak of that. I simply don't have the time to take care of both German and French, but I do have time to learn my L2, L3 and L4 at the same time, when I'm fairly conversational in the first two and am actually studying very complicated matters in those.

No matter how similar or different any 2 languages are, the tons of unique ways of expressing the same thing, let alone synonyms, are simply so numerous for you to learn at the same time.

I'd say a moderately inflected language isn't much easier than a highly one. Learning Spanish in the lame way is no different from learning Russian in the same way. This sounds tautological, but the thing is that, in the long run, no language is easy, and Esperanto is no exception. You just can't enjoy the easy things of one language without paying attention to its difficult aspects to become fluent. You can't get around your task of acquiring the whole of the language knowledge, i.e. the whole grammatical framework.

I never could do French and Spanish at the same time, at least without messing up my "output." I'd imagine trying two languages both from the beginners level would be tough, too.

But maybe if they were vastly different, or studying just for comprehension...??

Anyone else with experience trying two at the same time?

I studied French and Spanish at the same time in high school. It was the best choice for me. My French teacher was good at grammar and my Spanish teachers were good at making Spanish seem easy and fun. I didn't find it to be confusing to study both; it was beneficial.

(Of course, that was before there was a website where you "pledged" to only learn one language at a time, lol.)

I have studied several languages since that time and I rarely confuse any of them. I do refrain from listening to French, Italian or Portuguese for two hours before I have to give a presentation with Spanish, though. I don't want to drop in a word from Italian by mistake. I did this once in a presentation and once in casual conversation.

I don't see any problem with studying distant languages like French and Mandarin at the same time provided that you have the discerning ear to study both.

I want to add that these are only my experiences. I know some people are able to keep languages separate without confusing them, but others seem to struggle with this. You'll know soon enough which kind of person you are.

I wouldn't suggest learning these together (among bigger languages)

Spanish/Portuguese (Learn one very well before you learn the other)

I suspect that it may be tricky to learn two very closely related Slavic languages. I'd like to hear from anyone who learned Ukrainian and Russian at the same time.

Cantonese/Mandarin

For a Westerner, I think these are too much to take on at the same time.

Je suis d'accord avec K.T. : on peut apprendre trois, quatre voire cinq langues simultanément sans que ça ne pose le moindre problème d'interférence ou de parasitage, surtout sur une période assez longue. Le cerveau humain est encore capable de travailler en parallèle... Si on peut lire Nietzsche, résoudre une équation du second degré, préparer une recette culinaire délicate et faire trente longueurs à la piscine dans la même journée, il doit être également possible de jongler entre quatre langues sans risquer une implosion corticale.

Greg l'a bien dit, il me semble. It is perfectly possible to be doing this... I know I've been doing it since my teenagehood.

I think greg put it quite well. However, where does one get the time to study more than 1-2 languages a day? И дидньт кнов унемплоымент вас со рампант ин Франце, грег. ;-

"I didn't know unemployment was so rampant in France, greg"-JLK

Oh, so were you one of the "Cyrillic" kids here a few months ago?

JLK, all you need is ten or fifteen minutes a day to learn a new language.
You can learn when you take a study break by just listening or when you put gas in the car. You should take a look at Barry Farber's book. It's all about time management.

No, that is the first time I've written in Cyrillic, but as usual, noble KT spoils my daily entertainment with moody greg. You have no life my friend...

I've read Barry Farber's book and I wasn't too impressed to be honest. His methods are rather plan and inefficient in comparison to Prof. A. I do 15 minute increments too, but I'll do several in a day, all of them revolving around 1 or 2 languages max.

Why shouldn't we be able to learn multiple languages at the same time if we are able to do diverse tasks in the same day? greg makes a good point. I'll take it further. I think certain people may be able to learn eight languages at a time-IF they are willing to settle for upper intermediate fluency. Instead of watching TV for two hours a night, why not study 15 minutes of eight languages. Mix it up. Read, listen, recite, watch a Youtube video or something that interests you in the language, write. At least you will have something for your time.

If you have learned three languages already, I feel sure that you can at least try this with one hour a day and four languages-IF there are four languages that you want to learn.

Too crazy? Just study two languages for fifteen minutes a day and chart your progress.

K.T. et al,

Thanks for your suggestions. One question: Were you able to study more than one language at a time for production, not just comprehension? I can see how working on input only for more than one would work, or even working on production for one, and input for the others. But production on two or more at the same time?

Working on French would always mess up my spoken Spanish, and vice versa. (Not as much trouble with Spanish and--for example--Mandarin, but I'd still have to concentrate.) Or will this clear up if I make enough effort?

I guess this also goes back to the old question of whether spoken (and written) ability emerges naturally after enough input, or if you have to put in the effort at some point. And whether the answer works when you're studying more than one.

>>I've read Barry Farber's book and I wasn't too impressed to be honest. His methods are rather plan and inefficient in comparison to Prof. A. I do 15 minute increments too, but I'll do several in a day, all of them revolving around 1 or 2 languages max.

I had been impressed but now not much. You must understand Farber's position - "18" years ago. This is impressive. I was still watching the first Iraqi War very curiously as a small kid with no internet, computer or anything similar. I think it's now medieval to write literally thousands of paper flashcards, for example... I can simply read bilingual texts I like from time to time or, if I bother to make flashcards (I do, some), just put them in programs instead.

But yes, incremental studying is a really "wicked" good idea... yes, especially when you are really "wicked" busy with everything. I think human beings often think too much before they act, or they simply don't act at all. My philosophy is all but gone. I spent more than one year to explore "learning languages", and as I went through more theories, the less I "want" to say about it. Just do it naturally and tomorrow is a brand new day. Increments rule. It's exactly the way you "learn two languages" or even more. I'd just think it's a daily puzzle or sudoku...

Supplement: Actually, I think in my daily routine I spend more time on preparing input than absorbing it. Kind of funny, but I simply have little choice when loads of materials are not quite usable without modifying them almost beyond recognition.

"One question: Were you able to study more than one language at a time for production, not just comprehension?"

Yes. I work on all aspects of language when I study languages. I may focus more on writing (if it's a non-latin script) one day, and work on shadowing another day.

"Working on French would always mess up my spoken Spanish, and vice versa. (Not as much trouble with Spanish and--for example--Mandarin, but I'd still have to concentrate.) Or will this clear up if I make enough effort?"

I know that many people complain about this kind of interference from other languages. How's your pronunciation in Spanish and French?
You may want to ask yourself where you perceive the placement of the sounds. French does not "feel" like Spanish to me because of the nasal sounds, the very different "r".

"whether spoken (and written) ability emerges naturally after enough input, or if you have to put in the effort at some point."

I have found that I make noticeable progress about every twelve to fifteen days if I study every day for at least fifteen minutes. The languages start to click and early on I begin dreaming in the languages.
It helps that I don't mind repetition and sometimes I just relax and listen to internet downloads.

I do have a kind of philosophy. I don't buy the "This is a pen" type teaching. I'll borrow or buy tourist level recordings, so I get typical
useful patterns down right away. I use this in addition to any academic type materials.

I wish you the best.