Juggling and maintaining multiple languages

Juggling and maintaining multiple languages

Author: Fluent in 3 Months June 30, 2025 Duration: 8:59

In this episode of the Language and Travel Hacking Podcast, I dive into the age-old polyglot problem: how do you maintain multiple languages without losing your mind—or your fluency? I share how, over the last 22 years, I’ve followed a cycle of learning one language intensively for a short burst—usually around three months—and then spending the rest of the year maintaining my other languages. It’s not just about adding new ones indefinitely. Instead, I’ve found ways to rotate focus, whether that’s dedicating a day per language or devoting longer blocks of time to immersion—like my recent deep dive into Spanish and Portuguese during travels across South America.

But I also get real about the challenges, especially with my weaker long-term languages—the ones I’ve invested in but haven’t brought to fluency. Those languages have slipped over time, and I’m now shifting my strategy for 2025: no new languages, no focus on the fluent ones. I’m giving my full attention to getting at least one of my weaker languages to a solid B2 level. That means dedicating two-month stretches to each, combining both virtual study and real-world use during my upcoming travels. I’ll be sharing more details on the specific languages and destinations soon, so stay tuned—and as always, I hope these insights help you build your own multilingual life. Let me know if you'd like a quick

Click here to book a personalised one-on-one language coaching session with me

Or you can follow me on all Social Media channels:
Instagram: @irishpolyglot
Thread: @irishpolyglot
TikTok: @irishpolyglot


There’s a certain magic that happens when you step off a plane and try to order a meal in a language you’re still fumbling through, or when a simple conversation with a stranger on a train opens up an entirely new perspective. Language & Travel Hacking, from the team behind Fluent in 3 Months, lives in those messy, authentic, and profoundly rewarding moments. Host Benny Lewis, a nomadic polyglot and best-selling author, doesn’t just theorize from a studio; he records from the road, sharing raw, real-time experiences and the practical strategies that actually work when you’re navigating a foreign market or building confidence in a new tongue. Each episode feels like a candid chat with a well-traveled friend who’s made all the mistakes so you don’t have to. You’ll hear the sounds of street markets and train stations in the background as Benny breaks down the psychology of language learning, offers actionable tips for picking up phrases quickly, and discusses how travel itself can be the ultimate classroom. This podcast is built on the idea that fluency and cultural connection aren’t distant goals reserved for the gifted, but accessible skills you can hack through smart, intentional practice. It’s for anyone who believes that the deepest way to explore a place is through its language, and that every journey is an opportunity to reshape how you see the world-and yourself. Tune in for honest stories and tangible advice that will change how you approach your next adventure, whether it’s across the globe or right in your own neighborhood.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 271

Language & Travel Hacking
Podcast Episodes
Ask Benny: How to Learn a Different Writing System [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:20
Benny discusses languages with different writing systems, and when he starts learning to read and write. Depending on the language and writing system, it can be a few weeks or sometimes several months into the process be…
#60 Katie Pascoe on Virtual Reality Language Learning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:08
This episode features Katie Pascoe, editor of the Language Hacking podcast. Katie also co-founded VR Languages and helped create Dynamic Spanish.Dynamic Spanish gets you speaking Spanish confidently in VR with the Starte…
#59 Maria Ortega on the Poetry of Learning Languages [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:39
Poet, artist and polyglot Maria Ortega Garcia talks to Benny Lewis and Shannon Kennedy about mindfulness, language learning as an introvert, and the power of using art and poetry as language learning tools.Mentioned in t…
#57 Géraldine Lepère on Cultural Clues to Sound More French [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:38
Benny and Elizabeth speak with French YouTube superstar Géraldine Lepère about the importance of understanding culture when learning a language.Featured ResourcesComme une FrançaiseMY STORY: How Culture Shock Inspired Me…
#56 Jo Franco on Being a Netflix Travel Chick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:19
Benny and Shannon dive deep with Netflix star, YouTube influencer and polyglot Jo Franco about growing up bilingual, developing a love of travel and language learning, and building connection through language.Featured Re…
#55 Elfin Waters on Falling in Lust with Languages [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:56
Native Italian speaker and teacher Elfin Waters shares with Benny and Shannon about falling in love with languages as an escape, using Instagram as a language learning resource, and building Italian language content for…
#54 Jim and May on Spanish and Go [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:28
Benny and Elizabeth chat with Jim and May of Spanish and Go about meeting to exchange Spanish and English, falling in love, and creating a language business together. Jim and May are the founders of Spanish and Go, langu…
Ask Benny: Update on Benny's Language Projects [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:54
This week Benny gives a brief update about his current language projects, and how he's easing himself back into good routines. After a significant period away from language learning, it's important to take the time to fi…