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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I can learn a language this late in life?

54 replies

SticksAndStoned · 14/06/2021 17:06

I'm 50. I loved doing French at school, but honestly don't remember too much of it.

I'm thinking of doing university level Spanish, starting at beginners but going to effectively third year Spanish.

I know learning a language is much easier when young. Am I being ridiculous to think I could do this at this age?

OP posts:
Original poster
SticksAndStoned · 14/06/2021 17:07

I should add that I'm doing some in Duolingo, but that I suspect that's much easier than what I'll be facing.

OP posts:
Lessthanaballpark · 14/06/2021 17:09

OP of course you can! I’ve done it. Starting from French will give you an advantage in terms of vocab.

Plus Spanish is an amazing language. I have loads of websites and hints if you’re interested.

Zezet · 14/06/2021 17:09

You are not ridiculous. It might go slower but who cares? I move a lot for my job and my mum loves learning a bit of the language of whatever country I am in and she does a decent job!

Geamhradh · 14/06/2021 17:09

Go for it!
I'm Duolingo-ing Danish and Latin and dusting off my degree (but a million years ago) Spanish.
I'm a language teacher and the theory about not being able to learn a language as well in later life as in childhood is rubbish.

MissSmiley · 14/06/2021 17:10

Go for it, I'm doing accountancy exams at nearly 50, I'm also dating a guy who's first language is french and I'm considering rekindling my school level french with his help. Do you have any plans for your Spanish after your degree?

Original poster
SticksAndStoned · 14/06/2021 17:11

@Geamhradh

Go for it! I'm Duolingo-ing Danish and Latin and dusting off my degree (but a million years ago) Spanish. I'm a language teacher and the theory about not being able to learn a language as well in later life as in childhood is rubbish.
That's very reassuring to hear!
OP posts:
Original poster
SticksAndStoned · 14/06/2021 17:13

Thanks everyone!

I don't have absolute plans, but I would love to travel more now my children are adults, and spanish is spoken in so many countries that it makes sense to me to go for that one. I am also considering refreshing French, which might be the easier option. But I like challenging myself...

OP posts:
StarryStarrySocks · 14/06/2021 17:14

Go for it! Doing a languages degree with the Open University is one of the things I want to do when I'm older (currently 40)!
I loved doing languages at school and wish I'd studied them at university first time round.
Look at FutureLearn for free language courses too.

Original poster
SticksAndStoned · 14/06/2021 17:14

@Lessthanaballpark

OP of course you can! I’ve done it. Starting from French will give you an advantage in terms of vocab.

Plus Spanish is an amazing language. I have loads of websites and hints if you’re interested.

Ooh yes, I'm definitely interested. Might be useful for others too!
OP posts:
Original poster
SticksAndStoned · 14/06/2021 17:15

@Zezet

You are not ridiculous. It might go slower but who cares? I move a lot for my job and my mum loves learning a bit of the language of whatever country I am in and she does a decent job!
Your mum rocks! What an amazing thing to do.
OP posts:
Getawaywithit · 14/06/2021 17:18

I'm a language teacher and the theory about not being able to learn a language as well in later life as in childhood is rubbish

Also a language teacher and I agree with this. I think the main motivators are need and desire to learn. Pretty much the same as anything else you might need to learn later in life!

There is tons online, OP. If you want a list of where to start, let me know and I can list some for you.

Wren77 · 14/06/2021 17:19

Go for it!!
I am 47 and have been having a skype lesson for the past 3 months with a lovely French lady. I have some basic French from school but wanted to build on it to help when we travel around France (maybe next year).
Really love it and my confidence is definitely growing!!

Willdoitlater · 14/06/2021 17:23

You can do it. I started German at 55, 3 years ago. Even having had two lots of 6 months off (I was distracted by current events) I'm at B1 level, which is equivalent t yo approximately first year of Alevel. I've never attended a course because I like to work at my own pace. But I have wasted a lot of time on poor quality resources, by which I mean most apps, language learning websites etc. I started to make progress rapidly when I got a decent text book and got my nose to the grindstone.

ChimneyPot · 14/06/2021 17:28

My neighbour starting learning Portuguese in her 70s when her son fell in love with a Brazilian girl. She was able to chat in portuguese to her new DILs parents at the wedding a few years later.

soberfabulous · 14/06/2021 17:32

Go for it! I've been learning Arabic for 2 years (I'm 45). it's slow going as it's a hard language to learn and I work full time in a demanding job. But the sense of achievement is amazing.

I've also just started to learn tennis too.

You are never too old.

It is never too late.

namesnamesnamesnames · 14/06/2021 17:37

Of course, why wouldn't you be able to? I'm studying now but when that's done I'll be learning a language.

Itsallabouttheparsley · 14/06/2021 17:39

YANBU! Enjoy it and definitely travel to Spain, once you can.

I’m 54 and started learning Italian last year because of luurve, I started with babbel. I found it doable as I went slowly. So good for my stagnating lockdown brain too.

Shodan · 14/06/2021 17:42

I'm learning Spanish on Duolingo too and I'm 52. I also want to do it 'properly' because I'm finding it a lot easier to learn at my age than I did at school. I think having done a lot of French at school has helped though.

I'd love a list of helpful/good websites too, if anyone fancies posting one Smile

Candyapple49 · 14/06/2021 17:43

Only gran did in her 70s because my aunty bought a holiday house in Spain and my gran wanted to be able to communicate in Spanish . She went to evening classes and loved it and spent lots of time in Spain - go for it !

BIWI · 14/06/2021 17:44

Of course you can! I started learning Mandarin at around the same age. I think it's great for your brain too.

spaceghett0 · 14/06/2021 17:45

This is reassuring. My son wants to visit museums in Germany next year. We're both going to try and learn the very basics before we go. I did french at school so I'm starting right from scratch.

BIWI · 14/06/2021 17:47

And a specific quote from that article:

Canadian studies suggest that Alzheimer’s disease and the onset of dementia are diagnosed later for bilinguals than for monolinguals, meaning that knowing a second language can help us to stay cognitively healthy well into our later years

Bracknellite · 14/06/2021 18:03

My uncle began learning French and Dutch in his 50s and became fluent.

His favourite picture was a cartoon of an elderly dog reading a book called ‘New Tricks’

Mabelene · 14/06/2021 18:05

I was fluent in french when I was younger but am a bit rusty now. I moved to a different European country 20 years ago, and 3 years ago passed a language test as part of my citizenship application. I’m mid 50s