It’s officially spooky season, and we’re very very afraid…of these common language-learning mistakes! Here are some pitfalls and perils to look out for this October. Stay safe, language lovers.

DO: Find people to practice with!
DON’T: Restrict your learning to books and worksheets. Language is all about communication! While memorization and grammar are very important, you won’t be able to actually speak a language until you, y’know, speak it.

DO: Take risks!
DON’T: Let imperfection scare you off from trying. Learning is all about making mistakes! Test out that new language, word, or phrase. You’ll never know until you try!

DO: Commit to the ups and downs of learning!
DON’T: Expect to become fluent immediately. Like any skill, language learning takes time, effort, and lots of practice. Social media is filled with influencers promising “hacks” that will get you fluent in months or even weeks. Don’t fall for it! There’s nothing spookier than a Halloween scammer.

Most of all, definitely don’t go into any abandoned houses or dark, ominous basements. We’ve got your back.

Happy Halloween,
ABC Languages