Why Learning Foreign Languages Feels So Hard: You Might Be Using the Wrong "Map."

Have you ever felt this way: after mastering English, you then tackle Japanese, and it feels like starting completely from scratch, everything needs to be torn down and rebuilt? Every word, every grammar rule, feels like an insurmountable mountain. We often assume that learning a language is just like this – a grueling, ascetic practice.

But what if I told you that the reason you feel so exhausted might not be due to a lack of effort, but rather because you've been using the wrong "map" from the very beginning?

A Story About Learning to Cook

Let's shift our perspective and imagine learning a language as learning to cook.

Suppose you are a Chinese culinary master, skilled in all the culinary arts of Chinese cuisine (this is your native language). Now, you want to learn to cook Italian food (your target language C).

You have two cookbooks in front of you:

1. An English Cookbook: This one is written for an American who only knows how to use a microwave. It starts by teaching you "how to turn on the stove" and "what dicing means," making it verbose and tedious. As a master chef, wouldn't you find reading such a cookbook incredibly inefficient? (This is like using Chinese to learn a language with a completely different grammatical structure, such as Korean).
2. A French Cookbook: Coincidentally, you've previously learned French cuisine (your second foreign language B). Both French and Italian cuisines emphasize sauces, love using spices, and rely on wine. This cookbook directly tells you: "The method for this sauce is similar to a French béchamel, but add a bit more Parmesan cheese." You understand it instantly because the underlying culinary logic is interconnected. (This is like using Japanese to learn Korean).

See the difference?

Starting with a "beginner's" cookbook will make you waste a lot of time on fundamentals you already understand. But with a cookbook from a "fellow professional," you can get straight to the core, achieving twice the results with half the effort.

Find Your Learning "Springboard"

This "leveraging strength" learning method has a specific name: the "language ladder" or "language springboard." Simply put, it means using a foreign language you already know (B) to learn a new foreign language (C).

Why is this method so effective?

1. Save Energy, Kill Two Birds with One Stone: When you use Japanese materials to learn Korean, you're not only acquiring new knowledge but also constantly reinforcing your Japanese. Time is limited, but this method ensures every minute you spend is highly productive. Aspiring to be a polyglot master? This is almost an essential skill.

2. Interconnected Logic, Instant Comprehension: Languages don't exist in isolation; they are like family members with their own "families." Languages within the same language family often share similar vocabulary, grammar, and ways of thinking.

   • If you know Spanish, learning French becomes much easier.
   • Understanding Mandarin gives you a shortcut to learning Cantonese.
   • Once you've mastered Japanese, you'll find Korean's grammatical structure strikingly similar.

   Take a classic example: in Japanese, there's the concept of "classifiers," where you can't just say "three," but must say "three books" (三本) or "three coins" (三枚). An English native speaker might need to read a three-thousand-word essay to grasp this. But if you look up Korean classifiers using Japanese, the explanation might be just one sentence: "The Japanese 『個』 is simply 『개』 in Korean." – It's an unspoken understanding of "I get you" that instantly clears away learning obstacles.

3. Better Resources, More Authentic Explanations: Want to learn some less common languages? You'll find that resources in Chinese or English are often pathetically scarce. But if you switch to a "springboard" language—for example, using Mandarin to find resources for Hokkien, or Turkish to find resources for Azerbaijani—you'll discover a whole new world.

Beware the Trap of "Taking Things for Granted"

Of course, this method also has a sweet trap: complacency.

Because the new language comes so smoothly, you might unconsciously switch into "autopilot" mode, thinking, "Oh, this is just like Japanese," and then overlook the subtle but crucial differences. Just like French and Italian cuisines—while similar, they are absolutely not the same thing. If you constantly approach making pasta with a French cooking mindset, what you end up with might just be "French-style pasta," rather than authentic Italian flavor.

How can you avoid falling into this trap?

The answer is simple: stay curious and actively "see" the differences.

Don't be satisfied with "it feels about the same"; instead, ask, "What exactly makes them different?" When you notice a tiny distinction and commit it to memory, your brain will then create an independent space for this new language, rather than letting it reside under the roof of the old language.

From Today, Be a Smarter Learner

Learning languages is never just about who works harder; it's about who learns smarter. Instead of tirelessly climbing from the foot of the mountain every time, learn to find that "springboard" that can launch you forward.

Use the knowledge you've already mastered to pry open a whole new world. This isn't just an efficient strategy; it's also an exciting experience—you'll discover so many wonderful resonances and connections between languages.

And throughout this process, the most important thing is to start speaking. Don't be afraid to make mistakes; bravely use your "springboard" language to communicate with the world. If you need a bit of support and confidence, you can try tools like Lingogram. It's a chat app with built-in AI translation that provides real-time assistance when you're conversing with friends worldwide. This way, you can take that step with more confidence and turn theory into true ability.

Stop being a "language ascetic." Find your springboard, and you'll discover that the door to a new world is much closer than you think.