Have you tried learning a language by immersion only? How did you do it? Would you recommend it?

Our take

Have you ever taken the plunge into language learning by immersing yourself entirely in the culture? It’s a captivating journey—one that can transform your understanding and use of a new language. As a native Italian speaker, I dove into both Spanish and Portuguese through binge-worthy series and engaging books. This method didn’t just build my vocabulary; it created a vibrant context for learning. My adventures in the respective countries pushed me to converse with locals, forcing me to shed my reliance on English. While I developed a solid foundation in both languages, I later revisited advanced grammar to polish my skills. I can’t help but wonder: how do others fare with immersion, especially with languages that feel more distant, like Japanese or Korean? Share your experiences and insights!

As a native Italian speaker, a few years ago I think I learned both Spanish and Portuguese mainly by immersion. What I mean by immersion is that for both languages I first began watching series (some easy binge watching), reading magazines and books (the most useful in my opinion to acquire vocabulary). Then at some point I visited the respective countries and started to attempt speaking. I can share more details, however in both cases I had to work with native speakers who didn't speak English, so I was really forced to use the language. I kinda had the ideal setting for learning by immersion!

In the long term, I eventually realised I missed some advanced grammar and had a look at them, but kind of afterwards, after achieving a solid confidence in using the language.

That said, I think I believe that was possible for the proximity of the languages but I couldn't image doing the same for other languages such as Japanese or Korean for instance.

So I am wondering if anyone actually tried learning a language by immersion? Maybe a language not so close to their native one?

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#creative language use#language evolution#philosophy of language#humor in language#immersion#language learning#vocabulary acquisition#native speaker#speaking practice#reading books#confidence in speaking#advanced grammar#Italian#learning strategy#cultural immersion#language immersion techniques#binge watching#Spanish#Portuguese#series watching