I'm currently learning Japanese, Hindi, and Spanish. My Hindi is probably at an intermediate level whilst my Japanese and Spanish is at a beginner level. My Hindi has been greatly aided by watching loads of Hindi films growing up and also having Gujarati as my mother tongue.
My language study has been largely unstructured and sporadic. I've clocked 2600+ days on Duolingo with over 250k XP across different languages. I can safely say, Duolingo isn't the answer to achieving fluency in a language. But keeping my streak up makes me feel committed and gives me a daily reminder to keep up with language learning. Some courses are clearly better than others. The Spanish and Japanese course for example are way more comprehensive than say Hindi.
I've used various methods from listening to podcasts, watching children's shows, using film scripts for comprehension practice, speaking with language exchange partners, attending classes, and AI. On reflection, I don't think the limiting factor is the approach but consistency, structure, and clear learning milestones. I probably would have made way more progress with the pressure of exams and one to one tutoring. Anyway, I think this page will provide another form of accountability and a space to reflect on how my progress is going.
Update 31/07/2026
I will be renewing my efforts and setting some clear learning goals. More information to come.
- Fujihiko Kaneda, Easy Kanji, a basic guide to Japanese characters
- Duolingo