I started about 3 years before I came to Japan. When I got to Japan though I hardly felt like I could speak and it took me another 2 years before I was comfortable.
I think how I learned Mandarin was muuuuuch more effective. I felt comfortable after weeks. Basically I chose a grammar pattern and just used it to have playful ridiculous conversation with everyone I met. “I am…”. “I want…” “I have to…”. Every day I’d choose a phrase or two and just practice the hell out of them with a dictionary.
I would always keep a notebook with me with all the sentences I wanted to use with people, including questions I had no reason to ask but thought would be either useful or fun.
Maybe @vincentnijman has some tips, although I feel like he was born with 6 languages installed
Haha! It definitely did not come this easilyy to me
but I had two parents who also spoke a handful of languages, I guess that helped
and I had 6 languages in high school ( if I count two years of Latin and 5 years of Ancient Greek ).
I would lie if I said that I speak 6 languages fluently because I don't but if I had to, I could make myself understood in Dutch, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese and French.
Be honest Vincent, you came on your ship with all languages coded into your DNA and now we're just waiting to see how your aliens agendas unfold
I might have. The thing is they (have tried to ) erase(d) my memories prior to 1981.
Ok, I'll give it a try to picking phrases and practicing the shit out of em, thanks for the advice!
It's also been effective to translate any thoughts I have any situations I experience. Instead of just thinking that I would have liked to say something, I go and look up how it's said