Hello it's Jan here.
It's almost the end of 2016 and I thought it would be fun to upload a video in 10 languages
Because it's the end of 2016 and I always get the question
Jan how can you maintain 10 languages?
Well, I'm going to answer that question in the ten languages and then in every languages I will explain how I maintain that language.
The first languages is Russian.
So this year I started learning Russian.
And I think that I haven't forgotten many words.
Actually I learned Russian for 4 months.
But when I was not learning how I speak I learned with flashcards.
And that helped me to not forget Russian.
Ok, and now in French.
Actually I don't know what to day.
I'm in Brussels now and I have many opportunities to speak French
I don't speak it much actually , but I hear the language all day long
So, if I want I can practice French. If not, I don't speak it.
But I always get the 'input' anyway.
In order to improve my French next year...
I'm planning to learn with bilingual books.
Now I will say a few things in Chinese.
Actually, I learned Chinese 8 years ago
Now I don't really use my Chinese anymore so that's a pity.
But every year I go back to China at least one time.
When I'm in China I always use my Chinese.
Now, here in Europe I basically don't use my Chinese.
But when I travel...
Last week I was at, now is that called... Cape Verde
I met many Chinese people there, they run shops there.
So when I meet Chinese people when I travel, I get to use my Chinese.
This way I won't forget my Chinese.
So actually if you learn a language to a B level, it's not to hard anymore to forget that language.
If you speak it at an A-level, for example I really have to maintain and to keep practicing my Thai and Russian.
It's actually better when you start learning a new language that you learn it to a B level.
Because if you get stuck at an A-level and you don't use the language for a while then you will forget it.
I will continue in Portuguese.
Yes, I think that I speak Portuguese a B level
So it's not easy, it's not difficult to maintain this language
I don't forget the language very easily.
So yes as I said, when I was at Cape Verde I also had the opportunity to practice my Portuguese.
And sometimes I talk to my friend ''Lucao'', Lucas in Portuguese.
Not very often, but I think that if I speak Portuguese once per, I don't know.
Once per month or once every two months is enough to maintain because I already speak the language at a B2 level I think.
This year I also went to Hong Kong actually.
In Hong Kong I also use Cantonese.
But besides when I'm in Hong Kong, I use my Cantonese very little.
So I think that if I want to improve my Cantonese I need to study more.
But I still don't know if I will continue learning Cantonese next year.
I might not have the time for that.
Because I also have to learn more Thai and Russian.
What I do with my Spanish?
Actually not much!
But a few weeks ago I traveled in Bolivia and Peru.
And there I had the opportunity to practice my Spanish again.
And also before this trip I practiced Spanish with a tutor from Italki from Venezuela.
I took 3 classes and that was enough to activate my Spanish again.
I actually don't speak much German.
I have a good friend here in Brussels who's from Italy, Stefano.
Stefano speak German very well. So when we meet we always speak German, Portuguese and French.
So I don't practice my German much.
I go to Germany a few times per year and I always use my German then.
But I don't do anything to really improve this language.
The last language is Thai.
This year I learned Thai for 3 months...
1 month actually.
I think my Thai isn't good now.
But next year I would like to continue learning.
I would like to go back to Thailand to learn more.
Ok that was it. These where the ten languages.
Let me know if you have any feedback for me.
And I hope that you get an idea about how I maintain these languages.
See you next year and Happy Nee Year!