18 Must-read Language Learning Blogs to Guide and Inspire You

On the hunt for the best language learning blogs on the planet?

There are tons out there that can make you feel more connected to the language learning community.

They’re great for enhancing your studies: They’re sure to entertain you while also getting the ball rolling on learning one, two or more languages yourself.

Without further ado, here are 18 of the best language learning blogs online.

Contents


1. Fluent in 3 Months

Blog Topics: Language learning, multiple languages

No list of language learning blogs would be complete without Benny the Irish Polyglot and his blog Fluent in 3 Months.

This blog is built on the principle that any language learner should be speaking and using their language from day one—no ifs, ands or buts about it!

Particularly helpful for learners looking for personal accounts of language learning is the “Success Stories” section of the blog. You’ll find firsthand accounts from Benny and other learners of how they’ve met their language learning goals, complete with advice on how you can do the same.

2. FluentU Language Learning

Blog Topics: Language learning, multiple languages

This is the blog you’re reading right now! It’s our general language learning blog, applicable to everyone, whether you’re seeking overall learning advice or studying a language that’s not specifically covered by FluentU.

But we’ve also got language specific blogs that offer tips and resources for most major languages, including: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German, Italian and more.

The blogs feature posts by language learners and experts who are familiar with the learning process. There’s practical, actionable information like lessons on certain language concepts, study tips and recommendations for resources such as graded readers, podcasts and apps.

FluentU is also a well-known language learning program designed to help you make the most of your language learning venture.

3. StoryLearning

Blog Topics: Language learning, multiple languages

Blog owner Olly Richards speaks eight languages and wants to help you feel confident enough to achieve your own language learning goals.

The blog provides great language tips, techniques and tricks, but more than that, Olly’s posts are personal and down-to-earth. He even includes videos. This post, for example, is all about how he learns languages himself.

If you enjoy learning from Olly, then you might also want to try out his courses. There’s “Conversations”, “Grammar Hero” and the “Uncovered” series, available for SpanishGerman, Italian and more.

4. The Mezzofanti Guild

Blog Topics: Language learning, multiple languages

The Mezzofanti Guild is named after the Italian hyper-polyglot Cardinal Giuseppe Caspar Mezzofanti, considered to have been fluent in more than 35 languages.

The guy behind the blog is Australian polyglot Donovan Nagel, who speaks native English, plus Egyptian Arabic, Korean, Russian, Irish, Ancient Hebrew and more!

Like many other bloggers in this list, his unquenchable passion for languages became the raison d’être for the blog. You can check out his post “How to Easily Get Beyond Language Learning Plateaus” to check out his style and improve at the same time.

5. Lindsay Does Languages

Blog Topics: Language learning, multiple languages, language teaching

Lindsay Does Languages is the chronicle of the namesake author’s experiences and insights as both a language learner and a language teacher.

Her goal is to empower you to teach yourself a language through the motivational and informative content on her blog and accompanying vlog/podcast.

You’ll see that Lindsay is an enthusiastic language teacher who, rather than simply lecturing you, will visibly learn along with her readers and viewers—you can see this via her script challenge update, where she shares her progress learning various language scripts from around the world.

6. Luca Lampariello

Blog Topics: Language learning

Luca’s original blog was called The Polyglot Dream, but, despite the title change, the content is still full of tips and techniques he’s personally used to learn 14 languages and counting.

You might assume that he’s some kind of genius, but that’s not the case. In fact, he typically only spends about 30 minutes a day practicing languages!

He’ll show you that he’s just like you and me: Someone who loves languages and is never afraid to take on a new one. Luca frequently confronts and debunks language learning myths and provides his own fine-tuned and scientifically solid learning philosophies in their place.

7. Speaking Fluently

Blog Topics: Language learning, multiple languages

Richard Simcott has studied 40 languages. (Listen to him speak in 16 of them here!) Imagine what he can teach you.

Well, he’d be the first to say that no learning system is “the best.” That means readers get plenty of language learning tips while also exploring the different facets and issues of the process.

Reading Speaking Fluently will give you a bigger picture and a deeper understanding of languages in general. For instance, you can read “What’s a Rusty Language?” and better understand how to scrape the “rust” off of your non-native tongue.

8. Itchy Feet

Blog Topics: Language learning, multiple languages

itchyfeetcomic multilingual logo

Malachi Ray Rempen makes comics on every language topic you can imagine. Language learners across the web love Itchy Feet because it’s as hilarious as it is spot-on.

Some of the comics are tailored to one particular language, but even those generally deal with the universal anxieties and challenges of language learning.

Popular posts like “View from the Top” portray the shared struggle we all face in summiting “Mt. Fluency.”

You can scroll to the bottom of the homepage for options to read Itchy Feet in various languages, then click away an entire afternoon while yelling “no, but it’s so true!” at your computer screen.

9. Omniglot Blog

Blog Topics: Multiple languages, writing systems, language facts

This blog is for people who simply love words, in whatever tongue they may be. Omniglot Blog contains the linguistic musings of Simon Ager.

Most of the language learning blogs in this post are centered on speaking the language, but here, the main focus is on the world’s alphabets, writing systems and scripts.

Of course, you’ll still find all sorts of fascinating information here, too, like why the Japanese say もしもし (moshi moshi) when answering the phone or what the Scots call ATM machines.

10. 5-Minute Language

Blog Topics: Language learning, multiple languages

Too busy to learn a language? Well, surely you have five minutes?

That’s the idea behind Agnieszka (Aga) Murdoch’s blog, which contains practical and actionable posts that can be read in five minutes.

Aga herself is a testament that it is possible to learn a new language while maintaining a busy lifestyle—she writes for her blog, runs webinars and holds language masterclasses all while still being a learner herself.

Check out “12 Things Ultra-productive Language Learners Do Differently” for some learning gems you can apply in your own journey. (And check to see if you indeed finish reading it in five minutes!)

11. Language Acquisition News

language-learning-blogs

Blog Topics: Language facts, language research, language learning

For the scientists in the audience and those who need to understand the “why” before they’re satisfied with the “how,” this is a priceless resource.

Straddling the categories of scientific journal and blog, Language Acquisition News pulls content from its parent website Science Daily and curates cutting-edge scientific findings on languages and language acquisition.

In these articles are the scientific community’s most up-to-date understanding of what’s going on inside the language learner’s brain and why it matters—and they’re written for a general audience, not other scientists. For example, check out “Learning in your sleep, the right way.”

12. Language Mastery

Blog Topics: Language learning, Japanese

This blog is from John Fotheringham, an American linguist turned language teacher who spent many years abroad in both Japan and Taiwan.

John understands the struggle of falling behind in traditional language learning classes, and his blog (and podcast) exist to tell you how to overcome that, too. Language Mastery says you don’t need to be “gifted” to learn another language—you just need the right tools and attitude.

There are a lot of articles about the Japanese language specifically, but there are also general posts relevant to learners of any language, like “5 Martial Arts Principles That Will Help You Master a Language.”

13. Mandarin HQ

Blog Topics: Mandarin Chinese

Mandarin is spoken natively by around 873 million people, and as a foreign language by over a billion. You can join that second number by checking out this blog co-founded by Angel Huang.

Mandarin HQ sets out to bridge the gap between the Chinese you read in textbooks and the Chinese you hear in the streets. You’ll read about grammar, vocabulary and phrases as they’re used in day-to-day communication.

There are also videos that allow you to hear how the language sounds. In this post about yes/no questions, for example, the video shows how the questions might be thrown your way in real-world situations.

14. YourDailyGerman

Blog Topics: German

YourDailyGerman is from language learner Emanuel, who’s now teaching others the lessons he’s learned over the years.

He doesn’t take himself too seriously—his “about page” reveals a love of yawning, for instance. And for an example of his content, you can read this post where he expounds on the German word alle (all).

The blog is organized into neat, helpful sections, so you can easily find the information you’re most curious about. There’s vocabulary, grammar exercises, useful links and more.

Though posts aren’t made daily these days, there are over 700 available for reading whenever you want.

15. Hangukdrama and Korean

Blog Topics: Korean, Japanese, Thai

 

Don’t let the name fool you—though this blog originally centered on Korean, it has since expanded to cover a good amount of Japanese content, as well as some Thai and general language learning info.

It’s not updated super frequently now, but the blog is over five years old and houses around 1,000 posts written by Shanna, a Singaporean woman who enjoys self-studying languages.

She writes everything from personal language learning stories to resource recommendations and beyond. In “Self Study vs Foreign Language Lessons,” for instance, you might find some insights into deciding how to learn a foreign language yourself.

16. All Things Linguistic

Blog Topics: Language facts, linguistics, language learning

All Things Linguistic is the perfect blog for the general language or linguistics geek, especially those who happen to be interested in learning a language or two as well.

Gretchen McCulloch curates posts about, yes, all things linguistic on this blog, from funny charts and memes to full-length scientific articles. She also co-hosts the podcast Lingthusiasm, covering many similar topics.

If you’re not just a language learner but an obsessive consumer of all things linguistic, you’re sure to find a familiar take on language learning and sense of humor on this blog.

17. Adventures in Midlife Spanish

language-learning-blogs

Blog Topics: Spanish, Mexico, immigration and refugees

Though this language learning blog hasn’t been updated in a while, it’s full of interesting stories.

R. Newell Searle had never learned a language until his 50s. He chronicled his experiences in Mexico and at home in Minnesota working with Spanish-speaking immigrants and refugees on Adventures in Midlife Spanish.

This blog is particularly great about integrating language and culture as two parts of one whole, like in this post about joining a Hispanic congregation near his home. But despite the main topics, there are great insights here for anyone who thinks they’re “too old” to learn a language.  

18. Words & Worlds of New York

Blog Topics: Language learning, multiple languages

Ellen’s archived blog documents the many languages and cultures of New York City, as well as her experiences interacting with and often learning them.

It’s a beautiful look at the linguistic and cultural layers of a global city like New York. It’s also, in many ways, a practical guide to how you can learn a language without moving to a far-flung corner of the world.

Ellen presents many great, thoughtful reviews of various language learning products. You can also check out some first-hand accounts of meeting speakers of her target languages in her home city, or see what she’s up to now at her new site.

How to Use Language Learning Blogs to Your Advantage

On one hand, learning a language can be the most frustrating, complicated, challenging, anxiety-inducing task in the world. But on the other hand, it can also be the most rewarding, energizing and worthwhile endeavor.

Most of the bloggers on this list are “pros” in some form or another, but even they struggle with the same ups and downs that the rest of us do. You’re not alone!

Here’s what you can do to get the most out of these language learning blogs:

  • Learn from their personal experiences. Many of these bloggers have a good number of years and languages under their belts. They’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way, and are now in a position to dish out really useful insights and tips. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel; just read their stories, and start from a better place than they did.
  • Only use the tips that resonate with you. Don’t feel like you have to do everything another language learner did to be successful. They’re just telling you what worked for them and what didn’t, but we all take different roads to the same destination. You’ll want to make your own decisions and actively participate in your learning for the best results.
  • Practice your language whenever you can. Remember that you will have to do the actual work: talking with native speakers, putting vocabulary into memorable contexts, finding language exchange partners, learning about the culture and more. It’s not enough to “know” the tips these language learning bloggers share—you have to live them, too.

 

So, there you go! Eighteen of the best language learning blogs out there.

Their tips and techniques are yours for the taking. You got this!

And One More Thing...

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