This article is in partnership with Day Translations.

Can you really learn a new language in only 10 days? Well, it’s not that simple.

It’s more likely if you:

• are a polyglot
• have a good ear for languages
• commit to learning every day
• don’t let mistakes slow you down.

Here is what happened when New Yorker Arieh Smith, who thinks Gaelic is quite a difficult language to learn but not the most difficult, scoring it a 6 out of 10.

Speaking Gaelic fluently does not mean simply being able to order a pint of Guinness in a pub. The true test of fluency is to have a conversation with a local, which is what Arieh managed to do while visiting Ireland. A video in which he orders his stout in fluent Irish got an impressive one million views.

How Do You Become Fluent in a New Language?

People learn in different ways: some may have a great memory, some need visual aids while others prefer to listen to podcasts in a new language.

Polyglot Arieh Smith shared a few tips for things that had helped him learn Gaelic:

• regular Zoom language lessons
• went to an area of Ireland (Donegal) where locals speak mostly Gaelic and only sometimes in English
• joined walking tours held almost exclusively in Gaelic.

In an interview with Big Think, Arieh also advised to learn some practical sentences that you can use in everyday life and to be disciplined and constant with your learning. He then highlighted the importance of having full immersion language experiences such as going on holiday to a location for a long stretch of time and not speak your native tongue at all. For example, he went for a whole year in China to study Mandarin Chinese, using software tools to improve his language skills.

The key is to apply the same learning strategy to any language you are planning to become fluent in. It’s less about memorising long lists of words, verbs and grammar rules, and more about picking up a few popular expressions, questions and phrases that can be useful to perform everyday activities from buying tickets to travelling via different modes of transport and so on.

Then, an essential element of learning a new language is to speak in that language and practise speaking it as much as possible. Only using this method you can get rid of any fears of making mistakes because you simply take the plunge and try to make yourself understood by others.

There is also a lot to say about passive learning, which can be exaggerated at times: by watching TV series and movies in a different language, you are not automatically guaranteed you can comprehend what is being said and, most importantly, that you can retain any information. You really need a whole learning strategy, going through different phases and starting from the easiest level possible. Many vouch for the fact that watching cartoons and TV programmes aimed at children is a good way to learn, as the vocabulary is simple and you are more likely to remember entire sentences.

Ultimately, polyglot Arieh Smith stated that being able to hold a conversation in another language helps you understand different cultures and appreciate them more.

Photo by Diogo Palhais on Unsplash