On Trains and Boats

Josanne’s been brushing up her Spanish with me for the last two years, but she is currently also studying French, Swiss German, German and Italian simultaneously. Being Dutch her native language, she is already fluent in German and English. So, do the maths and that leaves us with 6 languages under her belt. Oh, and not only is she student, but also a tutor for Dutch!

Some time ago we were discussing mindsets and she mentioned a saying they have in the Netherlands about trains and boats. That got me started with this post.

When it comes to learning a new language, it’s easy to get caught up in the rules and grammar, i.e. the formal side of a language. It’s important to know the proper conjugations and sentence structures, true, but if you’re only focusing on those elements, you’re not truly going to master the language. It’s like waiting for a boat at a train platform —you may be in the right place, but you’re not going to reach your destination.

To truly master a language, you need to immerse yourself in it. Listen to native speakers, read books and blogs, and watch movies or TV shows in the language. These experiences will give you a better understanding of the nuances and idioms that can’t be found in a grammar book.

In short, mastering a language is not just about learning the rules, but also immersing yourself in the culture and practicing with native speakers. Don’t wait for the boat at the train platform. And remember, learning is a journey, not a destination.

Good to have you here,

Thanks for reading, and happy Spanish learning,

You might also want to read these articles:

• An interesting take on VOSEO
  Take a look at this voseo map that represents where in the American content VOS carries a social meaning.
• Bienvenido, Bienvenida
  What is a blog if not a humble space of communion? Come in, my sister, my brother.
• Lessons learned from “I taught an octopus play piano”
  The internet is beautiful. Some people take crazy ideas to action… and surprise everyone else with the outcome.
• Learn Argentinian Spanish like you should
  If you really want to master Argentinian Spanish, let me set up your learning path for success.
• Malas Palabras
  An overview of how AI handled the transcript of one of my YouTube videos.
• Bancar and Aguantar
  Do you know the difference between these two verbs? Then you’d better read this post!