How Real Fast Spanish Founder Andrew Barr Went From a Monolingual Aussie to a Budding Polyglot

Despite doing well in other school subjects, Andrew Barr failed French in secondary school. Upon hearing this news, his supportive father assured him: "The Barrs don't do languages. We do maths and sciences. You will never have to speak of a word of French again!" It turns out that this prediction was a bit of the mark. Today, Andrew speaks multiple languages and has built a successful business teaching languages at Real Fast Spanish. In this deep dive into Andrew's language learning journey and philosophy, you will learn: How a multilingual climb up Mount Kilimanjaro inspired him to learn languages (and led to befriending a French actress). The importance of high-quality language input (high-yield listening and reading content). The power of learning with other people (teachers, tutors, and exchange partners) and why you need to avoid the input-only trap. Why motivation, consistency, and discipline are the essential 3 essential ingredients of successful language learning. Why Andrew decided to start learning Polish (his first non-Romance language) and the surprising origins of his family name. The ideal order of operations for learning a new language from scratch and why you should master sounds first. The 24-hour rule for new vocabulary and the simple $5 language-learning tool you should carry with you everywhere you go. The language-learning advice Andrew would give to his younger self to break through his earlier stories and self-limiting beliefs. Why learning a language is akin to learning to play the guitar (you have to learn by doing, not watching). Why your feelings about a language-learning method are more important than the method itself. Why pursuing pleasure in language learning is not always the answer and why Andrew studies flashcards in Anki even though he doesn't enjoy it. The most common mistakes that native English speakers make in Spanish (and how to sound less like a "gringo" by changing just one sound). Why correctly pronouncing vowels is more important in Spanish than getting consonants right. The critical difference between "accent" and "pronunciation" and why the latter matter much more. Andrew's 2 essential language-learning principles: 1) readiness to learn, and 2) high-quality practice. How to build early confidence by setting the bar low and having specific goals in each conversation. 📧 Get expert language immersion tips in your inbox each week! Join my FREE weekly newsletter to get the tips and tools you need to get fluent anywhere in the world. 👉🏼 ⁠LanguageMastery.com/newsletter