one of the questions i get most often is
one of the questions i get most often is how to start learning a language from
how to start learning a language from
how to start learning a language from absolute zero this is a three-part video
absolute zero this is a three-part video
absolute zero this is a three-part video series detailing my process for reaching
series detailing my process for reaching
series detailing my process for reaching conversational fluency in italian in six
conversational fluency in italian in six
conversational fluency in italian in six weeks from scratch this is a language
weeks from scratch this is a language
weeks from scratch this is a language experiment and i'll be posting the
experiment and i'll be posting the
experiment and i'll be posting the videos as i go through this method week
videos as i go through this method week
videos as i go through this method week by week here i am on day one with
by week here i am on day one with
by week here i am on day one with absolutely no italian experience
absolutely no italian experience
absolutely no italian experience italiano
italiano
italiano pizza
i'm going to be 100 honest this method
i'm going to be 100 honest this method is intense
compared to other language learning
compared to other language learning methods that i've used in the past this
methods that i've used in the past this
methods that i've used in the past this method is by far the most unorthodox but
method is by far the most unorthodox but
method is by far the most unorthodox but it's turning out to be the most
it's turning out to be the most
it's turning out to be the most effective the goal is simple get
effective the goal is simple get
effective the goal is simple get extremely familiar with a fixed number
extremely familiar with a fixed number
extremely familiar with a fixed number of words
of words
of words and learn to use these words as
and learn to use these words as
and learn to use these words as masterfully as possible
masterfully as possible
masterfully as possible by exposing yourself to these same words
by exposing yourself to these same words
by exposing yourself to these same words every day for several weeks in the real
every day for several weeks in the real
every day for several weeks in the real context from my experience learning
context from my experience learning
context from my experience learning french and spanish i've learned one
french and spanish i've learned one
french and spanish i've learned one thing for sure when starting a new
thing for sure when starting a new
thing for sure when starting a new language spend a lot of time with a
language spend a lot of time with a
language spend a lot of time with a little vocabulary rather than spending a
little vocabulary rather than spending a
little vocabulary rather than spending a little time with a lot of vocabulary
little time with a lot of vocabulary
little time with a lot of vocabulary this method is built on this premise
this method is built on this premise
this method is built on this premise alone here's the method step one i chose
alone here's the method step one i chose
alone here's the method step one i chose one italian video from youtube and
one italian video from youtube and
one italian video from youtube and memorized yes memorized the first 10
memorized yes memorized the first 10
memorized yes memorized the first 10 minutes of the video with the intention
minutes of the video with the intention
minutes of the video with the intention of making the script of this one video
of making the script of this one video
of making the script of this one video my entire italian vocabulary at least
my entire italian vocabulary at least
my entire italian vocabulary at least for now i looked up everywhere that i
for now i looked up everywhere that i
for now i looked up everywhere that i didn't know but i used an easy italian
didn't know but i used an easy italian
didn't know but i used an easy italian video so i didn't actually have to look
video so i didn't actually have to look
video so i didn't actually have to look up that many words step two once
up that many words step two once
up that many words step two once memorized i use this one video for my
memorized i use this one video for my
memorized i use this one video for my shadowing exercises and in the coming
shadowing exercises and in the coming
shadowing exercises and in the coming weeks i'll use it for my speaking
weeks i'll use it for my speaking
weeks i'll use it for my speaking exercises as well step 3 is mastering
exercises as well step 3 is mastering
exercises as well step 3 is mastering verb conjugations i didn't do this this
verb conjugations i didn't do this this
verb conjugations i didn't do this this week but next week i'll show you a
week but next week i'll show you a
week but next week i'll show you a method i developed to do this which is
method i developed to do this which is
method i developed to do this which is in my opinion significantly more
in my opinion significantly more
in my opinion significantly more intuitive than traditional approaches
intuitive than traditional approaches
intuitive than traditional approaches and finally step 4 start speaking to
and finally step 4 start speaking to
and finally step 4 start speaking to natives once all the words and phrases
natives once all the words and phrases
natives once all the words and phrases of this one piece of video content are
of this one piece of video content are
of this one piece of video content are mastered i plan on mastering italian
mastered i plan on mastering italian
mastered i plan on mastering italian with repetition alone no grammar
with repetition alone no grammar
with repetition alone no grammar studying no exercises devoted strictly
studying no exercises devoted strictly
studying no exercises devoted strictly to verb conjugation why because i have a
to verb conjugation why because i have a
to verb conjugation why because i have a theory that with enough input done
theory that with enough input done
theory that with enough input done correctly there's no need to actively
correctly there's no need to actively
correctly there's no need to actively study grammar or verb conjugation
study grammar or verb conjugation
study grammar or verb conjugation technically this is more or less how we
technically this is more or less how we
technically this is more or less how we learned our native languages just not
learned our native languages just not
learned our native languages just not consciously or intentionally and nowhere
consciously or intentionally and nowhere
consciously or intentionally and nowhere near this intensely we repeatedly heard
near this intensely we repeatedly heard
near this intensely we repeatedly heard and imitated what other people said
and imitated what other people said
and imitated what other people said that's it
that's it
that's it second why why on earth would i memorize
second why why on earth would i memorize
second why why on earth would i memorize the entire script of the video trust me
the entire script of the video trust me
the entire script of the video trust me it's not that i think that memorizing a
it's not that i think that memorizing a
it's not that i think that memorizing a piece of italian content will make me
piece of italian content will make me
piece of italian content will make me fluent in italian far from it but
fluent in italian far from it but
fluent in italian far from it but remember the goal of this method is to
remember the goal of this method is to
remember the goal of this method is to become familiar with all the words in
become familiar with all the words in
become familiar with all the words in this video is humanly possible so i
this video is humanly possible so i
this video is humanly possible so i memorized the video for three reasons
memorized the video for three reasons
memorized the video for three reasons one memorizing is a difficult task it
one memorizing is a difficult task it
one memorizing is a difficult task it heightens the level of attention that i
heightens the level of attention that i
heightens the level of attention that i have to pay to what i'm studying two the
have to pay to what i'm studying two the
have to pay to what i'm studying two the amount of repetition it took to
amount of repetition it took to
amount of repetition it took to successfully memorize 10 minutes of
successfully memorize 10 minutes of
successfully memorize 10 minutes of italian content was more than enough to
italian content was more than enough to
italian content was more than enough to allow me to master these words meanings
allow me to master these words meanings
allow me to master these words meanings and pronunciations and also to get very
and pronunciations and also to get very
and pronunciations and also to get very comfortable with italian grammar and
comfortable with italian grammar and
comfortable with italian grammar and sentence structure and three by
sentence structure and three by
sentence structure and three by memorizing re-watching and shadowing the
memorizing re-watching and shadowing the
memorizing re-watching and shadowing the same video daily i've given my mind
same video daily i've given my mind
same video daily i've given my mind hundreds of example sentences to pull
hundreds of example sentences to pull
hundreds of example sentences to pull from when i actually start speaking
from when i actually start speaking
from when i actually start speaking words phrases and sentences which by the
words phrases and sentences which by the
words phrases and sentences which by the end of this process i will have heard
end of this process i will have heard
end of this process i will have heard and recited hundreds of times on a daily
and recited hundreds of times on a daily
and recited hundreds of times on a daily basis over several weeks to be honest i
basis over several weeks to be honest i
basis over several weeks to be honest i think one of the biggest hurdles for
think one of the biggest hurdles for
think one of the biggest hurdles for language learners is that we just simply
language learners is that we just simply
language learners is that we just simply don't spend enough time with the words
don't spend enough time with the words
don't spend enough time with the words in our vocabulary spend a lot of time
in our vocabulary spend a lot of time
in our vocabulary spend a lot of time with the little vocabulary rather than
with the little vocabulary rather than
with the little vocabulary rather than spending a little time with a lot of
spending a little time with a lot of
spending a little time with a lot of vocabulary you know i'm a fan of
vocabulary you know i'm a fan of
vocabulary you know i'm a fan of repetition our goal is to get this
repetition our goal is to get this
repetition our goal is to get this channel to 100 000 subscribers by the
channel to 100 000 subscribers by the
channel to 100 000 subscribers by the end of this six week challenge so please
end of this six week challenge so please
end of this six week challenge so please like subscribe and hit the notification
like subscribe and hit the notification
like subscribe and hit the notification bell if you want youtube to show you
bell if you want youtube to show you
bell if you want youtube to show you more content like this here's how i
more content like this here's how i
more content like this here's how i handled the memorization there were four
handled the memorization there were four
handled the memorization there were four steps to my process for memorizing this
steps to my process for memorizing this
steps to my process for memorizing this video i broke the video down into 30
video i broke the video down into 30
video i broke the video down into 30 second sections and applied this process
second sections and applied this process
second sections and applied this process to each section step one i shout out the
to each section step one i shout out the
to each section step one i shout out the first 30 second section 10 times this is
first 30 second section 10 times this is
first 30 second section 10 times this is shadowing
interior
interior examples
examples
examples play a few seconds of the video then
play a few seconds of the video then
play a few seconds of the video then pause it and try to repeat exactly what
pause it and try to repeat exactly what
pause it and try to repeat exactly what was said with the same pronunciation and
was said with the same pronunciation and
was said with the same pronunciation and accent the purpose of this was to get
accent the purpose of this was to get
accent the purpose of this was to get familiar with the overall meaning of the
familiar with the overall meaning of the
familiar with the overall meaning of the section in both english and italian the
section in both english and italian the
section in both english and italian the video i chose was from the easy italian
video i chose was from the easy italian
video i chose was from the easy italian series so this was easy because these
series so this was easy because these
series so this was easy because these videos have subtitles in both english
videos have subtitles in both english
videos have subtitles in both english and italian oh by the way here's how i
and italian oh by the way here's how i
and italian oh by the way here's how i chose what video to use when starting a
chose what video to use when starting a
chose what video to use when starting a language from scratch you really only
language from scratch you really only
language from scratch you really only need to become rather fluent in a few
need to become rather fluent in a few
need to become rather fluent in a few areas like whatever field you work in
areas like whatever field you work in
areas like whatever field you work in and the things you like and don't like a
and the things you like and don't like a
and the things you like and don't like a vocabulary of just these things is
vocabulary of just these things is
vocabulary of just these things is enough to allow you to start having
enough to allow you to start having
enough to allow you to start having conversations with natives and over time
conversations with natives and over time
conversations with natives and over time you'll acquire fluency in several other
you'll acquire fluency in several other
you'll acquire fluency in several other areas so the video i chose is called is
areas so the video i chose is called is
areas so the video i chose is called is italian difficult to learn because as a
italian difficult to learn because as a
italian difficult to learn because as a full-time language learner a huge number
full-time language learner a huge number
full-time language learner a huge number of the conversations that i have with
of the conversations that i have with
of the conversations that i have with other people are about how i learned
other people are about how i learned
other people are about how i learned whatever language it is that we're
whatever language it is that we're
whatever language it is that we're speaking in the same way i'll learn with
speaking in the same way i'll learn with
speaking in the same way i'll learn with just one piece of content at a time i
just one piece of content at a time i
just one piece of content at a time i also plan to build fluency in one area
also plan to build fluency in one area
also plan to build fluency in one area at a time this is also how choose the
at a time this is also how choose the
at a time this is also how choose the other pieces of content that i use for
other pieces of content that i use for
other pieces of content that i use for this method in the coming weeks things
this method in the coming weeks things
this method in the coming weeks things that i know will come up in conversation
that i know will come up in conversation
that i know will come up in conversation because they're relevant to my life step
because they're relevant to my life step
because they're relevant to my life step two i set a timer and repeated each line
two i set a timer and repeated each line
two i set a timer and repeated each line of the thirty second section for one
of the thirty second section for one
of the thirty second section for one minute
the purpose of this is extremely
the purpose of this is extremely important the brain can only remember
important the brain can only remember
important the brain can only remember about seven different items at a time
about seven different items at a time
about seven different items at a time before it has to group these items in
before it has to group these items in
before it has to group these items in order to remember new items so repeating
order to remember new items so repeating
order to remember new items so repeating each line makes the brain see each line
each line makes the brain see each line
each line makes the brain see each line as a single item allowing me to memorize
as a single item allowing me to memorize
as a single item allowing me to memorize entire lines at a time rather than
entire lines at a time rather than
entire lines at a time rather than memorizing individual words repeating
memorizing individual words repeating
memorizing individual words repeating the lines so many times also drastically
the lines so many times also drastically
the lines so many times also drastically improved my pronunciation in accent
improved my pronunciation in accent
improved my pronunciation in accent after repeating each line for one minute
after repeating each line for one minute
after repeating each line for one minute i went back and tried to recite every
i went back and tried to recite every
i went back and tried to recite every previous line that i had already covered
previous line that i had already covered
previous line that i had already covered so i wouldn't forget them step three
so i wouldn't forget them step three
so i wouldn't forget them step three after having repeated all the lines in
after having repeated all the lines in
after having repeated all the lines in the section for one minute with the
the section for one minute with the
the section for one minute with the process that i just described i started
process that i just described i started
process that i just described i started from the beginning of the section and
from the beginning of the section and
from the beginning of the section and recited as much of the section as i
recited as much of the section as i
recited as much of the section as i could remember
could remember
could remember when i didn't remember the next line i
when i didn't remember the next line i
when i didn't remember the next line i looked it up and restarted the section
looked it up and restarted the section
looked it up and restarted the section and recited what i could remember until
and recited what i could remember until
and recited what i could remember until i missed another line i did this until i
i missed another line i did this until i
i missed another line i did this until i could recite the entire 30 second
could recite the entire 30 second
could recite the entire 30 second section without stopping
section without stopping
section without stopping step 4 finally i recited the entire
step 4 finally i recited the entire
step 4 finally i recited the entire 30-second section 10 times from memory
30-second section 10 times from memory
30-second section 10 times from memory and then moved on to the next section
and then moved on to the next section
and then moved on to the next section and started this process from the
and started this process from the
and started this process from the beginning i maintained what i had
beginning i maintained what i had
beginning i maintained what i had already memorized by reciting everything
already memorized by reciting everything
already memorized by reciting everything that i had previously memorized at least
that i had previously memorized at least
that i had previously memorized at least five times before beginning the current
five times before beginning the current
five times before beginning the current date section i memorized the first 10
date section i memorized the first 10
date section i memorized the first 10 minutes of this video in 5 days i
minutes of this video in 5 days i
minutes of this video in 5 days i memorized 2 minutes a day every day
memorized 2 minutes a day every day
memorized 2 minutes a day every day except day 4 which was extremely
except day 4 which was extremely
except day 4 which was extremely challenging the guy who was speaking in
challenging the guy who was speaking in
challenging the guy who was speaking in this part of the video spoke
this part of the video spoke
this part of the video spoke particularly fast
so there were a lot more words to
so there were a lot more words to memorize in this section of this video
memorize in this section of this video
memorize in this section of this video than in prior sections
than in prior sections
than in prior sections on a normal day it took me about three
on a normal day it took me about three
on a normal day it took me about three hours to memorize two minutes of video
hours to memorize two minutes of video
hours to memorize two minutes of video but on day four it took me eight hours
but on day four it took me eight hours
but on day four it took me eight hours to memorize just one minute of video but
to memorize just one minute of video but
to memorize just one minute of video but i eventually
but this meant that on day five i had to
but this meant that on day five i had to make up for the lost time by memorizing
make up for the lost time by memorizing
make up for the lost time by memorizing the remaining three minutes of video
the remaining three minutes of video
the remaining three minutes of video third why why use only one piece of
third why why use only one piece of
third why why use only one piece of video content reason one is convenience
video content reason one is convenience
video content reason one is convenience since all the words in my vocabulary are
since all the words in my vocabulary are
since all the words in my vocabulary are from the script of this one video i'm
from the script of this one video i'm
from the script of this one video i'm able to study every single word in my
able to study every single word in my
able to study every single word in my italian vocabulary every single day just
italian vocabulary every single day just
italian vocabulary every single day just by watching and doing exercises with
by watching and doing exercises with
by watching and doing exercises with this one video that's extremely
this one video that's extremely
this one video that's extremely convenient and manageable i'll grow this
convenient and manageable i'll grow this
convenient and manageable i'll grow this vocabulary by repeating this process
vocabulary by repeating this process
vocabulary by repeating this process with additional videos in the coming
with additional videos in the coming
with additional videos in the coming weeks each time mastering all the words
weeks each time mastering all the words
weeks each time mastering all the words in the script of each video watching and
in the script of each video watching and
in the script of each video watching and doing exercises with each video daily
doing exercises with each video daily
doing exercises with each video daily will make the words of my vocabulary
will make the words of my vocabulary
will make the words of my vocabulary virtually impossible to forget
virtually impossible to forget
virtually impossible to forget reason 2 the power of repetition
reason 2 the power of repetition
reason 2 the power of repetition as you'd imagine i'd rather watch one
as you'd imagine i'd rather watch one
as you'd imagine i'd rather watch one italian video 100 times than watch 100
italian video 100 times than watch 100
italian video 100 times than watch 100 italian videos once each
italian videos once each
italian videos once each this method is designed around mastering
this method is designed around mastering
this method is designed around mastering all the words in one piece of content at
all the words in one piece of content at
all the words in one piece of content at a time and growing your vocabulary by
a time and growing your vocabulary by
a time and growing your vocabulary by simply repeating this process with new
simply repeating this process with new
simply repeating this process with new pieces of content as you master the old
pieces of content as you master the old
pieces of content as you master the old ones and mastery comes by repetition in
ones and mastery comes by repetition in
ones and mastery comes by repetition in week one i spent more than eight hours a
week one i spent more than eight hours a
week one i spent more than eight hours a day doing exercises with just one piece
day doing exercises with just one piece
day doing exercises with just one piece of content i know what every single word
of content i know what every single word
of content i know what every single word and phrase means and in week two i did
and phrase means and in week two i did
and phrase means and in week two i did the same thing with a different kind of
the same thing with a different kind of
the same thing with a different kind of italian content one that i wrote myself
italian content one that i wrote myself
italian content one that i wrote myself in week two instead of memorizing
in week two instead of memorizing
in week two instead of memorizing another youtube video i wrote about the
another youtube video i wrote about the
another youtube video i wrote about the subject that i named previously in this
subject that i named previously in this
subject that i named previously in this video travel hobbies career
video travel hobbies career
video travel hobbies career relationships etc these are popular
relationships etc these are popular
relationships etc these are popular conversation topics and my goal is to
conversation topics and my goal is to
conversation topics and my goal is to build a base vocabulary of about a
build a base vocabulary of about a
build a base vocabulary of about a thousand words that will allow me to
thousand words that will allow me to
thousand words that will allow me to start having conversations with natives
start having conversations with natives
start having conversations with natives in weeks three and four i wrote about
in weeks three and four i wrote about
in weeks three and four i wrote about these things in english translated them
these things in english translated them
these things in english translated them to italian using dbl and then memorized
to italian using dbl and then memorized
to italian using dbl and then memorized what i wrote each day with the same
what i wrote each day with the same
what i wrote each day with the same process i explained in week one this
process i explained in week one this
process i explained in week one this added another 400 unique words to my
added another 400 unique words to my
added another 400 unique words to my vocabulary leaving me with a solid
vocabulary leaving me with a solid
vocabulary leaving me with a solid mastery of just about a thousand words
mastery of just about a thousand words
mastery of just about a thousand words the last thing i committed to memory was
the last thing i committed to memory was
the last thing i committed to memory was a list of several individual words
a list of several individual words
a list of several individual words related to people places things time and
related to people places things time and
related to people places things time and position that i've noticed facilitate
position that i've noticed facilitate
position that i've noticed facilitate basic conversation in any language
basic conversation in any language
basic conversation in any language this brought my italian vocabulary to a
this brought my italian vocabulary to a
this brought my italian vocabulary to a total of 1077 unique words once again
total of 1077 unique words once again
total of 1077 unique words once again memorizing italian content was for the
memorizing italian content was for the
memorizing italian content was for the sake of developing a very deep
sake of developing a very deep
sake of developing a very deep understanding of all the words and
understanding of all the words and
understanding of all the words and phrases that now make up my italian
phrases that now make up my italian
phrases that now make up my italian vocabulary in these first two weeks i've
vocabulary in these first two weeks i've
vocabulary in these first two weeks i've used repetition to build an italian
used repetition to build an italian
used repetition to build an italian vocabulary of over a thousand words i've
vocabulary of over a thousand words i've
vocabulary of over a thousand words i've drastically improved my italian
drastically improved my italian
drastically improved my italian pronunciation and accent and i've become
pronunciation and accent and i've become
pronunciation and accent and i've become very familiar with italian grammar and
very familiar with italian grammar and
very familiar with italian grammar and sentence structure subconsciously from
sentence structure subconsciously from
sentence structure subconsciously from having repeated the same sentences so
having repeated the same sentences so
having repeated the same sentences so many times conversation was not my focus
many times conversation was not my focus
many times conversation was not my focus at all in these first two weeks but on
at all in these first two weeks but on
at all in these first two weeks but on day 14 for the sake of tracking my
day 14 for the sake of tracking my
day 14 for the sake of tracking my italian progress i got in front of my
italian progress i got in front of my
italian progress i got in front of my computer and did my favorite speaking
computer and did my favorite speaking
computer and did my favorite speaking exercise simply summarizing what i had
exercise simply summarizing what i had
exercise simply summarizing what i had learned from my italian experience so
learned from my italian experience so
learned from my italian experience so far
far
far remember this is my first attempt at
remember this is my first attempt at
remember this is my first attempt at speaking italian after two weeks of only
speaking italian after two weeks of only
speaking italian after two weeks of only listening and memorizing italian content
listening and memorizing italian content
listening and memorizing italian content weeks three and four will be talked full
weeks three and four will be talked full
weeks three and four will be talked full of live conversations with italian
of live conversations with italian
of live conversations with italian natives as a real test but for now
natives as a real test but for now
natives as a real test but for now here's my current level and my first
here's my current level and my first
here's my current level and my first attempt at speaking italian
in the next video i'll break down my
in the next video i'll break down my verb method and show you how i'll expand
verb method and show you how i'll expand
verb method and show you how i'll expand the range of conversations that i'm able
the range of conversations that i'm able
the range of conversations that i'm able to have in italian please like and
to have in italian please like and
to have in italian please like and subscribe if this was helpful make the
subscribe if this was helpful make the
subscribe if this was helpful make the comments of this video a forum for
comments of this video a forum for
comments of this video a forum for language learners by asking and
language learners by asking and
language learners by asking and answering each other's questions i'll be
answering each other's questions i'll be
answering each other's questions i'll be active in the comments as well
active in the comments as well
active in the comments as well on the left is the video where i got
on the left is the video where i got
on the left is the video where i got fluent in french in 30 days and on the
fluent in french in 30 days and on the
fluent in french in 30 days and on the right is the video where i got fluent in
right is the video where i got fluent in
right is the video where i got fluent in spanish in 44 days check them both out
spanish in 44 days check them both out
spanish in 44 days check them both out and i'll catch you next time
the map now it's time to act out here we
the map now it's time to act out here we go
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