Is it possible to become trilingual?

Question

Is it possible to become *fluent* in three languages? Right now I am studying mandarin but I think I may move on to korean later. Would it be possible for me to become fluent in both of these languages?

Aceproceed I agree with you completely. It is very depressing how scientist [mostly monolingual scientists!] will tell you from there "exclusive" research that it is impossible to learn a language as an adult.

Answer 1

Of course it is. It's quite sad how people in America have this idea that learning second, third, etc. languages is something so horribly difficult and is basically impossible if not done in childhood. It's far from the truth.

In countries like Switzerland, Belgium, other parts of Europe your average citizen likely speaks three languages.

It's all just based upon how hard you're willing to work. Mandarin is a tougher one so it could take a while but anyone who has half a brain and is willing to invest the time to do it could learn as many languages as they want to.

Barry Farber's book How To Learn Any Language is great, check it out for yourself, it has his story and then tips on language learning. He is self-taught and fluent in a dozen or so different languages. Learning a language on your own is so much more efficient and productive than any kind of formal instruction ever could be. With the internet today, any specific questions are easy to find answers to and you can converse with people in your target language anytime you want.

Answer 2

There is no age limit on learning anything new. The window closes at about age 10, anyway. But that's only about losing one's native accent, and even then...it doesn't matter. Most of the kids I have ever known who grew up in the US speaking a language besides English in their homes, have an accent in English...many have an accent in their other language, as well. The other thing about those studies is that they say "IF YOU START LEARNING A SECOND LANGUAGE BEFORE THE AGE OF TEN, LEARNING OTHER LANGUAGES, LATER WILL BE EASIER". NEVER, EVER take such studies to mean that there is an age limit on learning ANYTHING. The studies are used to back up the argument that teaching a foreign language younger is better, NOT to make people think that there is a time to just call it quits! My mother has been studying Hebrew since she was 65 or so. Come on! Here is the only caveat I have for you: FLUENCY is difficult unless you can LIVE immersed in the language. You can LEARN it, but you probably won't become truly fluent until you can LIVE it. DO NOT let that stop you from learning!!!

Answer 3

Yeah it's possible, I speak English, Portuguese and Japanese fluent and I know basic Spanish. I have a mix family that's why I'm trilingual. ^_^

Answer 4

Totally, my girlfriend is Italian but her Mum is English. She speaks Italian, English and French fluently. her Spanish is amazingly good and now she's learning Mandrin too (很好的选择， 我们很喜欢学习汉语！）so we will be fluent in that in about 3 years. Korean looks fun, and I would love to do a language based on phonetics again! Now you know Hanzi, i would definately go for it because you have the basics and it means you only have to know a finite amount of pronuniation words instead of thousands of Hanzi. Good luck!

Answer 5

I admire you for your courage in studying Mandarin. I hear it is a difficult language to learn. If you can master Mandarin, I don't see why you couldn't learn other languages which, bye the way, are possibly easier to learn.

I'm fluent in 5 languages (all romance languages). I wish I had the energy to get up off my posterior and study a 6th.

Good luck.

Answer 6

Sure, I have one French teacher who speaks French, Italian, and Spanish, as well as English.

I know another French teacher who is fluent in both French and Japanese, as well as English.

I sat near a guy in French class during the first semester who was also taking Arabic.

Answer 7

It is possible to learn different languages as an adult......my son now speaks 4 different languages......basically self taught with the help of his computer......translator.......he can speak Russian, German, Gaelic, french and English......and he learned the first three within the last few years......he's almost 30.

Answer 8

yeah it is possible. I am fluent in English, Kreyol, and almost in Spanish (I'm getting there) Once I'm there it will be official. So it is possible for you.

Answer 9

It's very possible indeed.I speak English,German,Ukrainian and Russian fluently

Answer 10

There are linguist working at the U.N. who are fluent in 4-7 different languages.