Is it bad to start learning a whole new language at the age of 15?

Question

About 2 months ago i wanted to see what that Pimsleur's Approach thing was like, i got the German one and i took the first lesson just for the fun of it, i really enjoyed it and got every single part of it, but i didn't stop there, i was attached to it, i took 6 more lessons (26 minutes each) in six days and i can honestly say that i haven't forgotten a word from it, but after a while i thought about it and thought that i should stop.

Now i allways wanted to go to college in Japan because when i went there ones i just loved it, so i thought hey what am doing learning German, i should devote my time before i graduate and have to go to college to learning Japanese, so i got the Japanese version of Pimsleur's approach and so far i have taken the first 2 lessons, Japanese is much harder in terms of its grammar but i still survived through it, now what i need to know is should i quit German and learn Japanese or not learn a new language at all? (must be for a reason)

Will it have any bad effects on me to devote some time to learning a new language?

The thing is, i really like German as well and i found it pretty easy and am getting the hang of it.

Maybe procceed with both of the languages?

My mother langauge is Arabic and am also fluent in both English and Hebrew.

So would i just explode if i kept on learning both the languages? Would it even work?

Thanks alot for your answers.
I think am going to just continue learning German for now, either ways if i do ever decide to go to college in Japan i'd have to spend a year learning the language anyways, so i guess i made the right choice dont you think? I know that the best age to learn a new language is when you're still very young but since this is my fourth if i spend this time learning two new languages am sure i wont be at an even acceptable level of speaking/understanding.

Any advice/comments will be appreciated.

Thanks.

Now am just so confused, i really love the Japanese culture and i wish i could go back to Japan one day but i keep thinking that am wasting a great big chance to start learning Japanese at a young age but at the same time i dont really want to quit learning German.

I really want to be able to communicate with Japanese people and make Japanese friends since i can so far say that Japanese teens dont "bother" learning English (am not just assuming that, when i was in Japan participating in a karate championship i tried to talk to some of the members of the Japanese team and none of them spoke any English)

Please tell me what i should do, am really confused and i dont want to waste my time wondering.

Thanks again.

Answer 1

If you're really interested in languages, then you should go for it. I'm currently fluent in two languages (one being English) and I'm learning three other languages too at the same time (i'm still in one piece so no i don't think you'll explode). It is much better to learn languages at a young age. I heard from my English teacher that the Dutch are very good at languages even when they get older because a lot of them learn French and German (English and Dutch being compulsory) at school when they were young. So it is definitely better to learn languages at a younger age. So my point is if you already know English, Hebrew, and is getting the hang of German, then you should be quite good with languages. I think if you don't learn now, it'll be a lot harder in a few years.

If you are willing to spend time on both German and Japanese, I think there is no problem with learning both at the same time. At first, you may find it a bit difficult and you might mix up the two, but once you get the hang of it, you'll think Japanese when you want to use Japanese and think German when you want to useGerman. You shouldn't give up the German you already learned, especially when you say you're starting to get the hang of it! Being multi-lingual is a good asset (for jobs, to learn more about different cultures, communication with others, etc) so I don't see any bad effects on you to devote time learning a new language. My opinion: proceed with both languages and when your good enough, learn more languages!

Answer 2

People have been able to maintain and learn many languages over the years. It is never a bad thing to learn a new language, but very difficult learning two or more at the same time. If you are going to Japan, then I would say learn Japanese, but if you will only be there a short time I would not learn it. If you love German as much as you say, consider going to Germany instead of being sold to the Japanese idea. You only live once so do what you find most enjoyable. Try Japanese just to get your feet wet, so to speak. If you decide that you like Japanese, then it would be best to learn that over German. Also the younger you are, the easier it is to learn a new language, if you can handle learning both then go for it. Good luck and I hope this helps.

Answer 3

Pope John Paul II learned Spanish after becoming the Pope.

With this I want to say that never is too late to learn a language. Now Japanese is much harder but that is what you really want, so you have everything on your side to learn it (willing is half of the job) and as far as German is concerned it seems you didn´t have any problems with it and you even loved it. Sooo, go for it.

Go for both and if for some reason it becomes a little too much then you will have to decide which one to follow. In the meantime, do it.

The more languages you know the better chances you will have in the future. You are soooo young.

All the best, good luck!

Answer 4

Are you kidding? Go for it!!! I am 17, fluent in English, just about fluent in Hebrew, and wishing that i spoke something else! There is nothing wrong with wanting to expand your knowledge in any direction--learning is always a good thing. Don't stop now, learn German, learn Japanese! Learn Flemish if you want! Honestly, it is an excellent mental exercise, you will never regret knowing these languages, and if you enjoy it? Its a full package!

By the way, languages don't come so easily to me, but every time I stumble in my Hebrew, someone teases me saying: "ma haba'aya? Ivrit he safa kala!" Now, you know as well as I do that NO language is a "safa kala," but it's the idea that counts--keep working at it, and don't take yourself so seriously, and you will improve. So don't worry--b'emet, kol tuv!

Answer 5

No, it's not bad, but it may be hard, especially if you try to use other languages' grammar (in the first place, your own mother tongue) to approach the grammar of the new language you're approaching. When I started studying German, I was 20, and I found it very difficult and too different from Italian (my mother tongue). In my life I've studied six foreign languages, which were not very alike (English, German, French, Finnish, Dutch and Romanian). So, my best suggestion is: don't give up any of the languages you'd like to learn.

Answer 6

Hi there! I guess it is pretty great to be like you. Learning different languages is great. I speak four: English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Finnish, and believe me it is amazing ..t I don´t think to stop here i want to learn French and Norwegian. There are many ppl that can not learn a second language. just go for it you are very smart.. plus German is not easy.. You have an advantage!! Good luck on it!

Answer 7

It is a known fact that it is easier to learn new languages at younger ages than when you get older....you should be happy you are in a position to learn so many languages...now is the right time and if you didn't know, then you should know that we humans are only able to use a max of 9-10% of our brain....so don't worry about exploding, keep growing the knowledge, you'll be a Multi-linguist ! Best of luck!

Answer 8

If you feel you can do it go for it.
The younger the better.
Chances are one or more of your languages will supress itself so that you can think in German.
I used to speak Afrikaans (1-10) but it is gone now because I never hear it....I have also been learning spanish for 2 years now I speak it almost fluently (now 19) but I find that at times my english is deteriorating.
Good luck..... either way you must be awefully intelligent!Congrats

Answer 9

Learning a new language is never a bad thing. Learning German does help in learning Japanese as it is helping to open up parts of your brain associated with language itself. If you cultivate your brain with the ability to learn ANY language, the learning of the next will be easier than it would have been otherwise.

Answer 10

ANYONE can learn a second language at any age. All you have to do is open your ears and your mind and work hard. I began learning a second language (French) at the age of 34. The first month I struggled, but then something in my brain clicked ON, and I fell completely in love with it. I went on to get a degree in French and I lived in Normandy for a semester. It was the greatest experience of my life!