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Not sure if this is the right section this topic belongs too but if it's wrong, you can place it where it belongs. Do you think I'm still on time to learn other languages or will it be harder?
I'm fluent in both Spanish (my native tongue) and English. In French, I'm at an upper intermediate-advanced level.
There are three language I would like to learn and get to a level (even if I have an accent) that's understood by the native speakers: Quechua: one of my country's original language; I would like to try speaking the way the Incas used to long ago or if I ever travel to Cusca speak some with the natives over there; I want to feel like a full Peruvian
Chinese Mandarin: I've read this is the 3rd most important language since Asia is big. I would be interesting to see how I sound like speaking some Asian language.
Portuguese: I adore the fact that it's similar to Spanish and therefore will be easier to learn.
I wasn't very interest in my teens nor early 20's. At the time the only reason I took French in HS is because my parents pressured me into taking it. Though it would be years later in my adulthood years where I would started loving it. Now I want to try other languages. I'll be turning 31 on April 7.
Well, it depends on how easily learning foreign languages has come to you, OP. If. you learn easily, then age isn't a factor. You can achieve fluency no matter what your age is.
You'd have a very easy time of learning Portuguese, in any case, because of your background in Spanish and French. Are you in Peru? Quechua is one of the country's officially-recognized national languages, in which case, you definitely should learn a bit of it! I'm interested in Quechua, myself, and learned a little, when working in Ecuador. It didn't seem difficult, but I didn't get into it too deeply. My experience with Native American languages is, that once you get past a surface level, they're VERY different from European languages, and are challenging. But I like a good linguistic challenge.
Mandarin: Not difficult, but you need a good ear for the tonal aspect of it. Since you live in the Andean region (I gather), I'd suggest you tackle Quechua first, and Portuguese--well, that will come very naturally. You could study both at the same time, without any trouble, IMO. I'm sure there are Quechua language programs in your country, no?
This sounds like fun, OP. Go for it! Language-learning is a great hobby to have.
Thank you Ruth4Truth.
I've been living in Lima, Peru since May 2007. I'll be educating myself online. I've been using the Duolingo site more often to continue reviewing some French.
Thank you Ruth4Truth.
I've been living in Lima, Peru since May 2007. I'll be educating myself online. I've been using the Duolingo site more often to continue reviewing some French.
Good luck! With your Quechua studies, you'll eventually need to practice with a native speaker, or a skilled non-Native speaker or teacher, if you want to gain fluency. But one of those shouldn't be too hard to find, in Lima. I'll be interested to know how you progress. Check back in with us, a year from now.
I'm 36 and studying Mandarin since last year.
I don't know if it's because I'm older than when I learned German and French or because it's a completely alien language for westerners, but it's the hardest of all. After one year studying German, I was already able to get understood in many situations and even read some articles in the newspapers, while in Mandarin I'm struggling.
I'm 36 and studying Mandarin since last year.
I don't know if it's because I'm older than when I learned German and French or because it's a completely alien language for westerners, but it's the hardest of all. After one year studying German, I was already able to get understood in many situations and even read some articles in the newspapers, while in Mandarin I'm struggling.
I'm surprised about that, because the journalistic language in German (and other Germanic languages) is very different from conversational German. That tends to be true in many languages, but seems especially so with the Germanic langs.
The problem with Mandarin is, that unless you have a good visual memory (artists do well with this), the written language is a killer. Memorizing all those little scratchings. I studied Mandarin in my 30's, too, and didn't have a problem with it (except as noted), but then, I have a good ear for music and tone. And I thought the grammar was very simple.
If the OP is going to be teaching herself from an online program, it may be that she'll only be dealing with the spoken language, anyway.
I'm 36 and studying Mandarin since last year.
I don't know if it's because I'm older than when I learned German and French or because it's a completely alien language for westerners, but it's the hardest of all. After one year studying German, I was already able to get understood in many situations and even read some articles in the newspapers, while in Mandarin I'm struggling.
The writing system of Mandarin is ridiculously hard.
I'm surprised about that, because the journalistic language in German (and other Germanic languages) is very different from conversational German. That tends to be true in many languages, but seems especially so with the Germanic langs.
The problem with Mandarin is, that unless you have a good visual memory (artists do well with this), the written language is a killer. Memorizing all those little scratchings. I studied Mandarin in my 30's, too, and didn't have a problem with it (except as noted), but then, I have a good ear for music and tone. And I thought the grammar was very simple.
If the OP is going to be teaching herself from an online program, it may be that she'll only be dealing with the spoken language, anyway.
This is absolutely true
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I'm interested in Quechua, myself, and learned a little, when working in Ecuador. It didn't seem difficult, but I didn't get into it too deeply. My experience with Native American languages is, that once you get past a surface level, they're VERY different from European languages, and are challenging. But I like a good linguistic challenge. 
