Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann

Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann

I speak 20 languages. I've been learning languages for over 50 years and I've tried all kinds of approaches. I talk about my experiences, my approach to language learning, what I enjoy about learning languages and all manner of other topics related to language. If you love languages, or think you would if you hadn't been discouraged by past experiences, this is the podcast for you. Anyone can learn a language. You just need the right attitude and the right approach!

Episodes

Don’t LEAVE your comfort zone, MOVE it

June 11, 2026 • 8 mins
Everyone says you have to leave your comfort zone to learn a language, but is it really true?
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I learned Chinese in 1968. Here's how I would do it now

June 4, 2026 • 11 mins
I started learning Mandarin in 1968 with flashcards and reel-to-reel tapes, and here is what I would do differently today.
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Why SLOW IS BETTER in language learning

May 28, 2026 • 8 mins
Today I want to talk about learning slowly — and why if you accept that learning a language takes time, learning slowly actually gets you there faster.
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Why reading is the KILLER APP for language learning

May 21, 2026 • 7 mins
After an hour of focused reading in Persian, I felt my grasp of the language jump forward, and it reminded me why reading is the most powerful tool we have for acquiring a new language.
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Can we learn to sound native in another language?

May 14, 2026 • 8 mins
Most adult language learners are chasing a goal they're unlikely to reach, and I want to share what I think we should focus on instead.
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The 3 stages of comprehension every language learner goes through

May 7, 2026 • 8 mins
There are three stages of comprehension in any new language. Early on, you barely understand anything — and that's fine. The goal at that stage isn't comprehension; it's letting your brain pick up the patterns. Then comes the long middle stretch where you're learning words but listening still feels patchy, until one day you notice you understand more than you used to. Where are you right now?
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Answering the most common questions about learning Arabic

April 30, 2026 • 20 mins
I've been chipping away at Arabic for years, and I recently sat down with Hasan Alhamwi, the founder of Arabic All The Time. He left a career in civil engineering to build the largest library of Arabic comprehensible input on the internet. We talked about why videos beat textbooks for Arabic, when learners should finally start reading, and whether all those dialects are really one language or many. If you're learning Arabic, what's...
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3 ways to find more time for language learning

April 23, 2026 • 7 mins
I asked AI what the most important element in language learning is, and the answer surprised me — here's why it comes down to time.
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Want to speak another language? Learn from Europeans

April 16, 2026 • 8 mins
Every time I watch interviews from places like Budapest, I'm struck by how well young Europeans speak English. It isn't because their schools suddenly got better — I don't think classroom instruction has changed much at all. What changed is access. The internet, social media, YouTube, and streaming platforms mean people are surrounded by English all day, and that lowers the friction while raising the motivation. I think the s...
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Why massive input beats flashcards every time

April 9, 2026 • 10 mins
Flashcards feel like progress. But are they actually helping you learn a language — or just keeping you busy?
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CEO studied French for 6 years and still can’t speak it. This is why

April 2, 2026 • 6 mins
The CEO of Air Canada spent 550 hours studying French over six years — and still couldn't speak it. Here's why traditional language learning fails, and what actually works.
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The pros and cons of Duolingo

March 26, 2026 • 9 mins
Duolingo has 135 million users — but most of them aren't using it as the gateway to real language learning that it can be.
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I learned Japanese in 1971. Here’s how I would do it now

March 19, 2026 • 13 mins
After learning Japanese in Tokyo in 1971 and speaking it for over 50 years, I share the five things I'd do differently today.
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Is AI about to make education worse?

March 12, 2026 • 9 mins
AI is transforming every industry — but if education doesn't rethink its broken model first, AI will just make a flawed system faster.
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The 3-part routine that helped me learn 20+ languages

March 5, 2026 • 6 mins
In this video, I share my science-based daily language learning routine and break down why it works.
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Brain rot is real. Fight it with language learning

February 26, 2026 • 8 mins
In this video, I explore the phenomenon of brain rot and how language learning can help you combat it.
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The grammar trap: 5 mistakes most learners make

February 19, 2026 • 10 mins
In this video, I break down five common grammar misconceptions that hold language learners back.
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Feeling STUCK in a language? Here's why

February 12, 2026 • 9 mins
In this video, I explain why focusing less on improving the language itself and more on learning something genuinely interesting can be the key to finally reaching fluency.
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Is German really that hard to learn?

February 5, 2026 • 12 mins
In this video, I break down common difficulties German learners have and what you can do about them.
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How Stoicism can help you learn a new language

January 22, 2026 • 8 mins
In this video, I explore how (and whether) Stoic philosophy can be applied to language learning.
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