What I Wish I Knew Before Learning a New Language

image: pexels.com by Mikhail Nilov

When I first decided to learn Spanish, I had this beautiful vision of myself casually ordering tapas in Barcelona, making locals laugh with my perfect accent, maybe even dreaming in the language.

As always, let me share my slogan before starting the story 😐:

Welcome to Imad’s world! where tea, fun and reading!

Cute, right?

The reality? Six months in, I was sweating bullets trying to ask where the bathroom was. Here’s what I wish someone had slapped me with upfront.

1. You Will Sound Like a Drunk Toddler

That whole “fluency in 3 months” thing? Total BS. I once told a waiter “Estoy embarazada” (I’m pregnant) instead of “Estoy avergonzada” (I’m embarrassed). His confused look still haunts me.

Truth bomb: Making dumb mistakes is how you learn. Lean into it.

2. Duolingo is a Gateway Drug

Sure, I’ve got a 200-day streak saying “El gato bebe leche” (The cat drinks milk). Useful? Not really. Fun? Absolutely.

• Texting with native speakers (hello, Tandem app)
• Watching trashy reality TV in your target language (guilty pleasure + learning)