7 lessons I wish I had known when I started learning and teaching languages

When I first started teaching — and later, when I began learning new languages again — I wish someone had given me these simple yet powerful lessons. Today I share them for anyone who teaches, learns or does both.

1️⃣ Find your niche as a learner or teacher

For learners:

👉 Identify what you truly care about (travel? career? integration? curiosity?).

👉 Choose content that aligns with your world.

For teachers:

👉 Clarify your teaching style, your audience, your core approach.

👉 Trying to do everything for everyone only leads to burnout.

2️⃣ Learn to say no

For learners:

👉 Say no to learning methods that don’t suit you.

👉 Say no to guilt if your pace is different.

👉 Say no to people who discourage you.

For teachers:

👉 Say no to unrealistic expectations.

👉 Say no to ineffective content.

👉 Say no to endless preparation: simplicity is power.

3️⃣ Find your linguistic “why”

For learners:

👉 Why do you want to speak this language?

👉 What will it bring to your life?Your “why” will carry you on tough days.

For teachers:

👉 Why did you choose this profession?

👉 What inspires you to keep teaching?Returning to your purpose restores energy and clarity.

4️⃣ Build your language-learning tribe

For learners:

👉 Find people to practise with.

👉 Join a group, a tandem partner, a conversation café.

👉 Languages grow in connection, not isolation.

For teachers:

👉 Surround yourself with colleagues, mentors, teaching communities.

👉 Share ideas, challenges, questions, wins.Teaching is never a solitary path.

5️⃣ Keep learning — always

For learners:

👉 Try new resources.

👉 Explore podcasts, videos, books, apps.

👉 Every day can become a tiny learning opportunity.

For teachers:

👉 Train regularly (neuroscience, coaching, pedagogy, tools).

👉 Stay curious. Become a learner again — it enriches your teaching.

👉 Test on yourself what you recommend to your students.

6️⃣ Take care of yourself

For learners:

👉 Rest is part of learning.

👉 Memory consolidation happens when you sleep.

👉 Effort is healthy; self-pressure isn’t.

For teachers:

👉 You cannot support others if you’re exhausted.

👉 Keep energy for yourself, your joy, your creativity.

👉 A grounded teacher transforms a learning journey.

7️⃣ Forget perfection — embrace progress

For learners:

👉 The goal is communication, not flawless grammar.

👉 Mistakes are not failures — they’re signs of growth.

👉 Perfection freezes, progress frees.

For teachers:

👉 Accept that no lesson is perfect; what matters is connection.

👉 Focus on progress, not performance.

👉 Mistakes are data — treat them as gifts.

🔥 And you?

What advice would you give your past self as a learner or a teacher of languages?