| Do you want to start with the easiest foreign | | | | can you find language guides, dictionaries, and |
| language to study? Which language should you | | | | phrase books in your target language? If you |
| study first? If you are seeking a good language to | | | | search on-line, can you find websites, podcasts, |
| start with, I would suggest the following: | | | | and other material in the language? If you search |
| Consider starting with a foreign language that is | | | | around, can you find movies dubbed in the |
| similar to your own. | | | | language? Finally, can you find native speakers to |
| The easiest foreign language to learn is probably | | | | practice with? There are all important factors to |
| closely related to your own. Most languages fall | | | | consider. The easiest foreign language to learn will |
| into certain groups. It is relatively easy to study a | | | | be one where you have access to native |
| language similar to your own, or similar to another | | | | speakers and a good selection of resources. |
| language that you already have some experience | | | | Are You Interested In The Language? |
| with. For example, French and Spanish are closely | | | | Finally, do you have an interest in learning the |
| related to English. You will probably find it easy to | | | | language? For instance, why would you want to |
| deduce the meanings of many words on your | | | | spend a huge amount of time studying Russian if |
| own. If you already know some French or | | | | you have no interest in the food or culture of |
| Spanish, then you shouldn't have much trouble | | | | that part of the world? But if you are enthralled |
| with a language similar to Italian. Learn the basics | | | | by the sound of Italian, dream of eating at a |
| of one, then switch to any of the others, you will | | | | piazza cafe, hope to one day explore Tuscany, |
| find remarkable similarities. | | | | and are fascinated by the people, then choosing |
| Even if the words are very different, the | | | | Italian is probably a no-brainer. The easiest foreign |
| grammar patterns are often the same. At some | | | | language is one that you really want to learn. |
| level, you will have an intuitive sense of how | | | | Having strong reasons on many different levels to |
| things go together. This makes it much easier to | | | | learn a language is a key factor to your success. |
| learn a closely related language rather than one | | | | It will help keep you interested, keep things fun, |
| from a unrelated lineage such as Korean or | | | | and keep you going through the ups and downs. |
| Russian. | | | | Language learning is a skill. You have to work at it. |
| Can You Find Lots of Resouces? | | | | Like anything else, you have to develop strength |
| Can you find lots of resources in your chosen | | | | in it. The experience of learning one language will in |
| language? This is a critical factor in choosing a | | | | turn make it easier to learn the next language. |
| language. The easiest language to learn also has a | | | | Start with an easy language and build up from |
| lot of resources available. If you go to the library, | | | | there. |