Errors and successes in learning foreign languages, 12 years in.

Japanese - Fluent (3 years study)

This was a resounding success, but actually set me up to fail my next 3 languages.

Successes were

1) finding Anki and the AJATT method, and just totally embracing it.

2) Choosing early on to locate high quality materials on grammar and Anki 3 to 4 sentences per grammar point and front load virtually all Japanese grammar in around 4 months.

3) after grammar study was done dropping sentences and instead inputting only single words into Anki

4) Finding regular conversation partners, and language exchange clubs with the many Japanese people in my area

5) being somewhat unfairly ruthless in pretty much only speaking Japanese

Korean - I can understand bits and pieces, after 2 separate and serious attempts each lasting 3 to 6 months

Successes were

1) repeating all of the input/grammar stuff and consuming native media I had done with Japanese as understanding was coming along well

Errors were

1) not having much utility for the language outside simply just enjoying it for its own sake, while this was true with Japanese also in a way, Japanese gave my life a purpose and direction at a time I had none thus the utility from that standpoint while abstract was huge. Same just didn't apply to Korean.

2) Not finding any speaking partners. Right at the end of my second attempt I did start to remedy this, but then I started a family and settled down and because Korean had no actual utility in my life it was dropped.

Mandarin - still some limited level of understanding and can speak some basic phrases. 2 serious attempts each lasting 3 months

Successes were

1) first attempt I did all the same things with Anki and native media

2) first attempt was actually taking it a semester of it in university which gave a structure I had previously dismissed as inferior but actually found had its merits, most of which was actually practicing output in a controlled manner

3) second attempt was 3 months in China on a business trip, and I managed to get access to Chinese equivalents of Spotify/Netflix and this massively boosted my native media game

3) second attempt being in China meant the language had massive utility so I studied very hard and can still remember how to order Carl's Junior haha.

Errors were

1) When learning it at University I never found suitable conversation partners outside the classroom as everyone also speaks fluent English

2) When studying it in China I never found suitable conversation partners because all the people I worked with had better English than my Mandarin and I tried somewhat to go out and meet people but I was just too painfully shy and my Mandarin too low level.

3) After 2nd attempt upon returning home Mandarin lost all it's utility and given I had no functional speaking ability, though I could understand a lot and passed HSK3, I couldn't converse with any of my Chinese co-workers back home, so I dropped it almost instantly

French/Spanish/Italian/German - I understand words and phrases here and there from listening to music in these languages, but never actually intended on properly learning them

Successes were

1) Again with native media, only music for these languages as that was the drawcard, just finding cool new songs and learning to sing along

Errors were

Well, no errors really, I was just having fun

Portuguese - currently 3 months into this! Understanding is getting decent, and speaking ability is starting to develop

This time around I'm putting all the lessons from my successes and errors into practice as follows.

1) Anki/Grammar, and native media! This has always been stunningly effective at increasing understand very fast

2) hiring a tutor! I realised this was the mistake I made after 2nd attempt at Mandarin. My speaking ability is really starting to pick up now

3) making sure the language has utility! I'm learning BJJ and my coach is Brazilian and doesn't speak much English.