When people hear about me learning Korean, one of the comments I hear a lot is “Wow.  I’m too old to learn Korean.”  Many people want their kids to learn new languages when they are young, because they feel that the older they get, the harder it will be to learn a language.  It is true that children can absorb a language like a sponge, but it does not mean that only young people can learn a new language.  Here are some things to think about if you want to learn Korean, or any language, but feel that you are too old to do so.

Your Better Able To Focus Than a Child Can

Children have very short attention spans, making it harder for them to learn sometimes.  They have to be taught to have discipline and to focus on one thing at a time.  But as an adult, you already know this, and can therefore focus better than a child can.  It may not seem like it, but you will have that advantage over a child when learning a language.

You Already Know Your Learning Style

Sometimes, teaching children is hard because you we forget that not everyone learns the same way.  Some people are visual learners.  Others are more hands on learners.  This reality makes learning hard for some children, and can cause older ones to give up on them.  But because you know how you learn best, you can pick a method that will allow you to learn faster than a child might.  This is another advantage you will have when it comes to learning a language.

Others Are Learning New Languages As They Get Older

Chinese is a harder language to learn than Korean.  But there are people in their 70’s and 80’s who are learning Chinese.  People in their 50’s and 60’s are learning Persian.  How is this possible?  Because they have the desire to learn these languages.  Their brains still function properly and they can speak these languages fluently.  Just because they are older, it does not mean that they are obsolete.  In fact, many older ones learn languages faster in their 60’s than they would have in their 20’s.

The truth is, if you have the patients and desire, you can learn any language you want.  If a man is a #waygookin and is in love with a Korean woman, you’d be surprised at how fast he’ll learn Korean.  Why?  Because he’s motivated to do so.  Some women in Seoul that are in their late 70’s are on the subway using smartphones and communicate via Kakao with people all over the world.  Why?  Because they are convinced they can learn anything, regardless of their age.   Don’t allow your age to limit your ability to think and learn.  If you truly want to, you can learn any language at any age.