Awakening with Words: My Yearlong Quest to Master Spanish, French, and Portuguese

The first rays of dawn hadn't even broken the horizon when my alarm would sound at 4:30 am. Every day, for 365 days straight, I embarked on a linguistic journey, dedicating two hours of my morning to studying Spanish, French, and Portuguese using the Duolingo app. August 23, 2023, marked the culmination of this year-long commitment, a testament to my dedication and passion for languages.

Why I Started

As a Puerto Rican, Spanish has always been a part of my heritage. My frequent visits to the island allowed me to practice my Spanglish with family, but I yearned for fluency. I wanted to converse effortlessly with locals during my travels and collaborate seamlessly with global colleagues at work. The Duolingo app became my daily ritual, a refreshing way to kickstart my day.

The Spanish Connection

Most days began with Spanish lessons. The familiar cadence and vocabulary made it a comforting start. But as the days turned into weeks and months, I realized that my sporadic Spanglish chats during family gatherings were just the tip of the iceberg. There was so much more to learn and explore in the vast ocean of the Spanish language.

The French Surprise

Then came French, a language I had studied for six years in school. To my surprise, the lessons rekindled memories of classroom drills and conjugations. The familiarity was comforting, and I often found myself breezing through the French modules, eagerly awaiting the next challenge.

The Portuguese Adventure

Inspired by dreams of samba-filled nights in Brazil and exploring the historic streets of Portugal, I decided to dive into Portuguese. Unlike Spanish and French, Portuguese was mostly uncharted territory for me. While some words mirrored their Spanish counterparts, the unique pronunciation and grammar rules presented a delightful challenge. The conjugations, especially, were a tough nut to crack. But every new word learned, and every sentence constructed felt like a small victory.

Learning from Mistakes

Throughout this journey, mistakes were my greatest teachers. Instead of letting them discourage me, I maintained a language journal, jotting down every phrase or word I got wrong. This practice not only helped me identify patterns in my errors but also reinforced my learning.

Celebrating and Sharing

Today, as I celebrate this milestone, I want to share 12 days of lessons from my language journal. Below are phrases that may have stumped me, made me think, and ultimately, made me a better language learner:

Day 39: September 29, 2022

Español: Usted tiene que hablar más alto.

English: You have to speak louder.

Français: Les Français prennent du café tous les jours.

English: The French have coffee everyday.

Day 65: October 25, 2022

Español: Yo necesito la dirección del hotel.

English: I need the address of the hotel.

Français: Où sont les toilettes ?                                             

English: Where are the restrooms?

Day 108: December 7, 2022

Español: Vamos a comer, buen provecho.

English: Let’s eat, bon appetit.

Français: Je suis désolée, mais tu as tort.                              

English: I’m sorry, but you are wrong.

Day 139: January 7, 2023

Español: Chicos, ¿ya se cepillaron los dientes?                     

English: Kids, did you already brush your teeth?

Français: Vous devez toujours fermer la porte quand vous sortez.

English: You always have to close the door when you go out.

Day 168: February 6, 2023

Español: ¿Tu nadabas en el mar?

English: Were you swimming in the sea?

Français: Il veut arreter de fumer.

English: He wants to stop smoking.

Day 200: March 10, 2023

Español: No pude reparar mi celular.

English: I wasn’t able to repair my cellphone.

Français: Ils m’attendent.

English: They are waiting for me.

Português: O limão é azedo.

English: The lemon is sour.

Day 265: May 16, 2023

Español: Queremos vivir en cualquier lugar de España.

English: We want to live anywhere in Spain.

Français: Ma collègue ne me regarde pas quand je lui parle.

English: My colleague doesn't look at me when I talk to her.

Português: Nos somos cinco em nosso familia.

English: We are five in our family. 

Day 287: June 6, 2023

Español: Empezó a nevar cuando entramos al hotel.

English: It started to snow when we entered the hotel.

Français: Ça te dit de partir en vacances avec moi?

English: Do you want to go on vacation with me?

Português: Você vai colocar os pratos na mesa.

English: You will put the dishes on the table.

Day 315: July 4, 2023

Español: Yo no quiero ir a trabajar mañana

English:. I don’t want to go to work tomorrow.

Français: Qu'est-elle devenue?

English: What did she become?

Português: Quem são os usuários?

English: Who are the users?

Day 346: August 4, 2023

Español: Lo siento, esto no va a funcionar.

English:. I’m sorry, this is not going to work.

Français: Ils esperent que leur train arrivera a l’heure.

English: They hope that their train will arrive on time.

Português: Eles perderam as chaves.

English: They have lost their keys.

Day 365: August 23, 2023

Español: Instalaron una nueva pila en nuestra tableta

English:.They installed a new battery in our tablet.

Français: Les trucs qu'il a mis dans ce paquet sont très lourds.

English: The stuff he put in this package is very heavy.

Português: É um bom ano.

English: It is a good year.

Conclusion

This year-long journey with Duolingo has been transformative. It has taught me discipline, resilience, and the joy of learning. To anyone considering embarking on a similar journey, I say, "Go for it!" The world is vast, and languages are the bridges that connect us. Here's to many more years of linguistic adventures! 🌍📚