From Zero To Polyglot – How I Learned 14 Languages in 34 Years

Have you ever wondered what it truly takes to become a polyglot?

My journey began in 1991, and over the years, it has transformed my life in unimaginable ways. Through failures, breakthroughs, and countless hours of dedication, I’ve learned 14 languages. Getting to this point took decades, so allow me to elaborate on how all of these experiences came together to form the very Luca Lampariello you are reading about right now.

1991-1995: Far From a Polyglot – English and French

It all started in September 1991 when I entered middle school and began learning English and French thanks to middle school. 

My first steps into the world of languages were anything but encouraging. My English teacher told me I wasn’t “cut out for language learning.” Despite hours of the usual grammar drills and traditional classroom learning, I couldn’t do much besides suffer in anguish. 

Everything changed in late 1992 when my parents hired Susan, an American tutor from Chicago. Susan introduced me to the power of input—watching movies and reading books in English. Slowly but surely, my focus and intention went in a much more impressive direction. By 1993, all of that input had paid off as I was speaking confidently, much to the surprise of my classmates. 

Unfortunately, Susan didn’t know a lick of French and as a result it remained a struggle. Still, I persisted, and applied Master Susan’s sage advice to my French, and needless to say my daily practice of watching French movies with subtitles began paying off.

1996-1999: German, Spanish, and My First Adventures Abroad

The summer of 1996 was transformative. I traveled to Ireland for a three-week immersion program, where I experienced the thrill of speaking English with native speakers. This trip solidified my passion for languages. 

That same year, inspired by a family friend, I decided to take on German. Without modern resources, I relied on the D’Agostini course and developed my own method of translating texts between German and Italian. By 1998, after two years of consistent effort, I could hold conversations in German.

In 1998, I started Spanish, using a similar approach to German. The familiarity between Spanish and Italian made it easier to progress. My parents’ Spanish friends helped me practice, and by 1999, I was fluent enough to read El País and watch Spanish films comfortably.

Pro tip: do not learn similar languages unless you’re already at a B1-B2 level in one of them, I’ll have an entire course on Learning and Maintaining Multiple Languages out by the end of this year. 

2000-2003: Dutch and the Pause in Learning

In 1999, during a trip to the Netherlands, I decided to learn Dutch. Using Teach Yourself Dutch and Assimil, I quickly reached conversational fluency, partly because of its similarities to German. However, as I entered university in 2000, my focus shifted. 

For the next few years, I concentrated on perfecting the languages I already knew: English, French, German, and Spanish. This period was marked by a deliberate pause in learning new languages as I balanced academic and personal commitments.

2004-2010: Russian, Swedish, and Portuguese

In 2004, I took on my biggest challenge yet: Russian. With its complex grammar and cases, Russian pushed me to my limits. Initially, I leafed through a thousand pound grammar book to master the cases of the Russian grammar system, but that quickly made me want to play Russian roulette by myself so I stopped, threw the book out and focused on the glory of input.

I began with Assimil and later immersed myself in authentic content. By 2008, I had reached a conversational level, thanks to hours of practice with native speakers.

In 2007, my love for Scandinavian culture led me to Swedish. The melodic quality of the language captivated me. Using Teach Yourself Swedish and Assimil, I steadily improved over two years. Then, in 2008, I added Portuguese to my repertoire. Balancing two languages at once was challenging, but focusing 80% of my time on Portuguese and 20% on Swedish helped me make progress in both.

2011-2015: Japanese, Romanian, and Hungarian

By 2011, I had become overambitious, attempting to learn Japanese and Romanian simultaneously. Japanese, with its unique syntax and kanji, proved overwhelming. Meanwhile, I lacked the motivation to continue with Romanian. These two languages marked my first significant failures, teaching me the importance of purpose and realistic planning.

In 2015, I shifted my focus to Hungarian. The complexity of the language intrigued me, and I used my trusted Assimil method along with content from native creators like Petra and Csezy. While progress was slow at first, consistent input helped me achieve fluency over two years.

2016-2021: Greek and a Renewed Approach

In 2017, I fell in love with Greek. Its combination of Italian-style expressiveness and Russian-like complexity made it both familiar and challenging. However, 2018 was a difficult year personally, and my language learning suffered. In 2019, I adopted a new, habit-based approach—dedicating 30 minutes daily to Greek. By 2021, I had reached a level where I could comfortably converse with native speakers and enjoy Greek media.

2022-Present: Serbian and Turkish

In 2022, my fascination with Balkan history inspired me to learn Serbian. Without many available resources, I relied on a Serbian friend to create custom learning materials. This hands-on approach helped me progress quickly. By 2023, I could follow native podcasts and engage in meaningful conversations.

In 2024, I began learning Turkish, drawn by its rich culture and melodic sound. Although I’m still in the early stages, the journey so far has been deeply rewarding. Tools like Assimil and input-focused platforms such as LingQ have been invaluable.

Conclusion: Reflecting on the Journey

Looking back, my journey to become a polyglot has been one of constant growth. Each language has brought new challenges, insights, and opportunities to connect with people and cultures around the world. Whether it was mastering English through movies or overcoming the hurdles of Russian grammar, every step has shaped who I am today.

If you’re considering starting your own language journey, remember this: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Take that step today, and who knows where it might lead.

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