Is it easier to learn your 3rd language than your 2nd?

Question

I heard it was, i already learned how to speak Spanish, now id like to go to Italy to learn Italion, will it be easier to pick up than Spanish was?

Italian*, my bad

Answer 1

Yes, it gets easier the more you learn. As a previous answerer has correctly noted, languages that are linguistically close can be confused. e.g. Italian & Spanish, Spanish & Portuguese, but you'll also have the advantage of many words being similar or the same, along with grammatical similarities.

Putting yourself in 'an Italian frame of mind' or 'Spanish frame of mind' by adopting the mannerisms of the culture helps me overcome this, though I have been known to confuse homophones in quite unrelated languages on occasion. e.g. Danish & Japanese 'ni' - it means 2 in Japanese , but 9 in Danish' which has made for some amusing high/low prices!

Good luck! :-)

Answer 2

There's a lot of similarity between Spanish and Italian, so much that you can probably read an Italian newspaper now before you've begun studying and understand at least 20 percent.

For me, it was a lot easier learning a 3rd language after a 2nd, but now that I'm getting older, learning a 4th, non-Romance language has been difficult, probably because I just don't work continuously on my learning, but do it here and there, skipping weeks or months in between. I don't have either the interest, devotion, or concentration I used to. I think it's a good idea to learn as many languages as you can when you're young.

Answer 3

If you go to Italy and actually live (or visit) here for a while, you will pick up the language REALLY fast. I'm positive!

For me, i moved to America 3 years ago, from Russia, and about a year ago i was fluent. Maybe it also depends on your age, because my mom still has a really huge accent and i don't, but either way you'll know the language...Anyway...

I am learning French right now, and it's a lot easier for me than other students. Mostly because i understand the concepts of conjugation of verbs, ajvectives, and other words. I can translate straight out from French to Russian, while the Americans can't because there isn't much conjugation in English...

So yes, it will be easier to learn the third language, if you put your mind into it.

Answer 4

Yes in the army, most kids that were trained in one other language could then pick up additional languages very easily. It was understood that if an English speaker could master Spanish then Italian came easier. Using the same programs to learn that the Military uses always makes any language easier to learn. Why schools don't acknowledge this is because they are jealous that Military members end up being the smartest adults in this nation and college kids just go lower on the scale. Wonder why that is? Schools try to say only the dumb kids go to the military and then it reverses. Go Figure !!!!

Answer 5

Probably, but I'd think that depends on the language. If you're going from English / French / Spanish / Italian / Portuguese to something like Arabic -- not so sure on that. If you're learning multiple languages at the same time, though, I've found that is sometimes a tad difficult because it's easier to have mixed-language conversations, especially after you've gotten to the point where you *think* in the languages, rather than having to translate them in your head before speaking. Je pense que es tiempo ir a la cama...

Answer 6

I can speak Italian and have tried to learn Spanish. I found it difficult only because it is so similar. Personally I think Italian is one of the most beautiful of the romance languages. Because of the similarity, you may have trouble "turning off your Spanish brain" when learning Italian.

Caio. A buono fortuno!

Answer 7

that depends. for example learning spanish and then french makes french seem so simple, that it's like a joke! after u learn spanish, you can learn french in about one year you'll be fluent. spanish to italian... hmmm... im guessing there will still be some similarities, so it will be a little easier to learn, but you might get confused more frequently when going from language to language.

also, dont listen to aventura girl. she's a b*t_h

Answer 8

it depends because spanish and italian are very similar i am starting to learn italian myself and the spanish i no is definatly helping just be sure not to get confused between the two languages

Answer 9

yes! of course it will be easy! I speak spanish too and have never taken an italian course in my life, but and understand it and read it with out a problem.

Answer 10

I picked up Spanish pretty easily...and Spanish was my 3rd language.