What languages should I learn to become a polyglot?

French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese (Romance languages); or German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Dutch (Indo-European languages)

How long does it take for a polyglot to learn a language?

FSI research indicates that it takes 480 hours to reach basic fluency in group 1 languages, and 720 hours for group 2-4 languages. If we are able to put in 10 hours a day to learn a language, then basic fluency in the easy languages should take 48 days, and for difficult languages 72 days.

In what order should I learn languages?

If you want to learn a language with a large number of speakers and which is spoken in many countries, the ones to choose in order of ‘usefulness’ are: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), German, Japanese, Portuguese and Hindi/Urdu.

How many languages do most polyglots speak?

Only three percent of people around the world can speak over four languages. Less than one percent of people worldwide are proficient in many languages. If someone is fluent in more than five languages, the person is called a polyglot.

How do I become a polyglot?

Study each language the right way. There are good methods to learn a language quickly and efficiently. I’ve written about some of my suggestions; if your study methods and attitude aren’t good enough to learn one language, there’s no way you can learn several! Be clear about why you want to be a polyglot.

Who are the best polyglots for learning languages?

I prefer polyglots like Olly Richards and Benny Lewis who share the real behind-the-scenes journeys involved in learning languages. I remember seeing Benny speak Esperanto and was totally blown away — twice.

What is “polyglot” and why is it important?

It simply calls it the ability to write or speak several languages. Notice the “or” in this definition. It’s important because I’ve been to many language learning conferences, such as the Polyglot Gathering in Berlin. There, I’ve met many people who could read and write in languages, but barely speak a word.

Is there a ‘plateau’ in learning a language?

There is no time for plateaus – learning a language is a lifelong pursuit and however much you learn, there’s always more to go. So, let’s get cracking!