When did you start to learn a second language?

[Firelily99]

We had to learn French when I was in junior high school.  I wasn't terribly motivated to do it, mainly because I wasn't very motivated to be in school.  Later on I took Spanish and did much better because I was motivated to learn it.  I do remember quite a bit of French, it occasionally bleeds into my Spanish when I can't think of a word.

[Cuppycake]

I starred in highschool. French was the first language I started learning, but I've forgotten most of what I learned. Right now, I'm interested in learning German, but perhaps one day I'll try to learn French again.

[mccanono]

I starred in highschool. French was the first language I started learning, but I've forgotten most of what I learned. Right now, I'm interested in learning German, but perhaps one day I'll try to learn French again.

Where do you live? I would guess France but I know that there are also other countries that speak French? XD

[xxxxxx]

Tagalog is my native language and English is my second language. Since I went to school from elementary up to college the English subject is always part of our education curriculum. That is why most Filipinos can read, write and speak English. And I am lucky to say that it helps me a lot especially when I travel and the fact that we all know that English is a Universal language so must learn it somehow in any way.

[bradman1313]

I officially started learning Spanish in High School, but I had many Hispanic friends who I picked up some words and phrases from. It helps to have people who are completely fluent in the language to help you out along the way.

[Firelily99]

We had French when I was in junior high school and then a choice between French and Spanish in high school.  I wasn't motivated to learn either until college when I retook Spanish.  The school system I went to now offers other choices besides French and Spanish which is nice for the kids and the public library offers conversational Chinese and Italian.

[Limezero]

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[Shana]

I started learning a second language in middle school and throughout high school.  Unfortunately I didn't use it a lot right after high school and forgot pretty much everything until I took a refresher course a few years later.  Now I use it as much as I possibly can so I won't forget and need another refresher course one day down the line!

[pipps]

I started learning a second language in middle school and throughout high school.  Unfortunately I didn't use it a lot right after high school and forgot pretty much everything until I took a refresher course a few years later.  Now I use it as much as I possibly can so I won't forget and need another refresher course one day down the line!

What language did you learn? I feel like in high school most people are not motivated and then when you leave you're like. Argh, I should've tried harder at that. Do you agree?

[gegegeno]

The first time would have been when I learned Indonesian in about the 4th grade (yes, that young), though I can't remember a thing about the language. I moved schools and technically started learning Japanese a year later, but I tend not to count the 20 minutes/week of Japanese in primary school as studying the language when people ask me (Also, it makes my Japanese sound utterly terrible if I say I've been studying Japanese for that long. I tend to count from about when I picked it up in high school).

I think that's actually pretty rare for Australian schools, but I happened to go to two of the (very few) primary schools that have language classes from that young. Most people here do a year of a language in 7th or 8th grade and that's it.

[seville009]

I am American I grew up speaking English first but by the time I was 4 or 5 I started to repeat the Spanish that was spoken around me. My grandparents especially taught me small amounts of Spanish by speaking to me but I also picked up a lot from watching Sabado Gingante on TV with them on Saturday nights. The biggest influence on my ability to speak Spanish though came directly from my grandfather cursing at me in Spanish. It was really funny because it was never in a hurtful manner, he spoke to me like I was one of his best friends. I eventually began to repeat what he told me back to him and only him. I remember when my uncle almost beat the ever loving crap out of me the firs time he heard me speak like that to my grandfather. After that Spanish became very easy and even natural for me to speak.

Then when I was in 7th grade I had the most amazing language teacher. Instead of teaching us one language over the course of a semester, she systematically went through 8 different languages. Of course I don't remember any of it but it was fun to know that we learned little known languages (at least in the states). I remember than Swahili and Japanese were my favorites. Now I am fully intrigued by the Japanese culture so Japanese is what I am learning now. I love the fact that my daughter is going to grow up trilingual.

[mareebaybay]

I started learning my second language my freshman year of college. At first I did not think it was that difficult, but after actually pursing it I began to realize how difficult it actually was.

[Blue]

I first started learning a second language in about 6th grade. Well, formally speaking anyway. Having been raised in as ethnically diverse a neighborhood as my hometown, I was exposed to a multitude of languages. The most prominent of them were French, Jamaican patois and Haitian Creole. My French isn't polished, but I can write Haitian Creole fairly well.

I used to speak Spanish with semi-fluency, but it's been so long that I've gotten supremely rusty. I was formally taught Spanish in elementary school, which is probably part of why it didn't stick. Book learning and real world learning are completely different.

[hdejong]

like most americans I started studying my second language while in middle school. That language being spanish. I continued learning spanish through college and eventually added french to my studies!

[FatesWing]

I started learning French as a second language in the 8th grade and studied through my sophomore year in high school. The issue I ran into quite a bit though, was that it was rare I was actually able to use the language with people around me.. Thus I quickly started losing a lot of that knowledge and just recently decided to pick it up again. The good thing now, is that there are forums like this and many others where you can create dialogue and practice immersing yourself into the language!

[Rosa]

Well. as part of my high school curriculum, I started Spanish in seventh grade and French in eighth grade. My children attended a private school and they started Spanish in first grade.I think it would be a good thing if more school offer at least one foreign language at the primary level. My only regret is not sitting the exams and continuing them after high school but it's never too late .

[pandandesign]

Well. as part of my high school curriculum, I started Spanish in seventh grade and French in eighth grade. My children attended a private school and they started Spanish in first grade.I think it would be a good thing if more school offer at least one foreign language at the primary level. My only regret is not sitting the exams and continuing them after high school but it's never too late .

Which language do you find difficult to learn, Spanish or French?

[lizbeth19hph]

In our country, we start learning English as our second language at about the age of 4-5 in preschool. We get to be exposed to the language by watching English TV programs, reading books, listening to music , etc. I was lucky to have watched Sesame Street which I consider as my first English teacher when I was a kid.

[zackeymane]

I started learning one when I was a kid, and I kinda stopped for a while, but I'm back at it again!

[sophiaseo]

I started to learn a second language when I came to America. I was born in Seoul, South Korea, and I came to the United States when I was one. Although I do not clearly remember what happened when I first came to the States, my parents tell me that I had difficulty learning the alphabet and counting numbers. But that changed in the middle of first grade, when I began doing very well in classes. Learning a second language is very cool and I think many people should buy time to learn one, even if it is just for ten minutes a day.

[Fiacre]

I started learning Tumbuka when I was 6 and French when I was 10. I now have a degree in French. I think it's better to start early and gently.

[Alrikidokie]

Unfortunately, I didn't start until I was a senior in college. I honestly wish my parents would have stuck me in a language program earlier.

[Amalia]

Kindergarten. There were 2 optional classes and I chose both, English and French. I still remember some of the songs I've learned back then and that little rhyme that was helping us learn how to count: one-two buckle my shoe, 3-4 knock on the door, 5-6 pick up sticks, 7-8 lay them straight, 9-10 a big fat hen )) I hope I got it right.

[Bill_H]

This is an interesting point. Most people think you have to start learning a second language as a kid if you're ever going to be good at it. I know this not to be true from my own experience. I took my first German class when I was 19, and within a couple of years, I was fluent (and still am today). Of course, my attitude and actions during those couple of years were all-important, and I spent that time learning everything I could about Germany and the German language. I was even fortunate enough to study in Germany and Austria. I was deadly serious about mastering that language, and I believe that my motivation and determination made up for the late start I got in learning it.

[NRiz]

I started in 7th grade during middle school. Two years of foreign language required in middle school, three years in high school, and one year in college. Nothing besides basic grammar rules and some vocab stuck, so I'm trying to re-teach myself using online resources.