👉 Grab your FREE Binge-Worthy Resources for Fluency: https://l.storylearning.com/fluent_resources How do you learn difficult languages with the StoryLearning method? This is a question that came from Carlos Rabino 5125. He asked - how does your method work with Russian, Chinese, or Japanese? Reading between the lines, I guess what Carlos is asking is: how do you read when the language is really difficult? So let's get into why stories are so powerful and how to learn with story when a language ...
Apr 22, 2026•19 min•Ep. 529
👉 Grab your FREE Language Guide, A Polyglot's “No-Method” Method: https://l.storylearning.com/polyglot-tips Stefano Suigo is one of the most interesting language people (if I can put it that way) that I know, and I know quite a few. He’s fluent in 10 languages and can get by in more. A lot of people claim to speak lots of languages, but Stefano is the real deal, and I know he is because I've just spent a lot of time with him and I’ve seen him use these languages. He really does have a unique pr...
Apr 15, 2026•38 min•Ep. 528
👉 Grab your FREE Grammar and Vocabulary Study Sheet: https://l.storylearning.com/learn-vocab In this episode I'm going to tackle the second most popular question I've ever been asked about language learning: How do I stop translating in my head? It is easy to say "stop translating in your head" and that is well-intentioned advice, but not very practical. The truth is, translation is inevitable and not necessarily a bad thing, at least at first. Research mentioned in this episode: The Effects of...
Apr 01, 2026•14 min•Ep. 527
👉 Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/set-goals What do you do if you hate the language you're learning? Is this even possible? I'm tackling a genuine listener question about this topic. It's something that can happen to a lot of immigrants, but there is a way around it. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question 👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https...
Mar 25, 2026•12 min•Ep. 526
👉 Grab your FREE StoryLearning Blueprint: https://l.storylearning.com/free_story In this episode of the StoryLearning podcast, I reconnect with longtime language-learning friend Kerstin Cable, creator of The Fluent Show podcast and teacher on my course, German Uncovered. Kerstin is one of my oldest internet friends who gave me some excellent advice in the early days of my blog that I still remember 13+ years later! We talk about AI, choice overload in the modern world, habits and why my parent'...
Mar 18, 2026•40 min•Ep. 525
👉 Grab your FREE Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/free_planner There are all kinds of techniques and tricks and that you can use to learn a language. But they're all just that - tactics and techniques. In today’s episode, I’m answering an interesting question about the deep truths that I’ve learned over the years that I’d like to pass on to the next generation of language learners. Link mentioned in this episode: Story about my breakthrough in Spanish: https://storylearning.com/olly-st...
Mar 11, 2026•16 min•Ep. 524
👉 Grab your FREE Language Difficulty Guide: https://l.storylearning.com/free_difficulty Today's question is about the most asked about topic in the more than 10-year history of this podcast: learning two languages. So many of us want to learn tons of languages, so we often study two at once. And then we realise, hang on, this is creating a few problems because we get muddled up. This episode is all about how to deal with that. Link mentioned in this episode: Angela de Bruin, Liv J. Hoversten, C...
Mar 04, 2026•12 min•Ep. 523
👉 Grab your FREE Grammar and Vocabulary Study Sheet : https://l.storylearning.com/read_sheet I'm always going on about why it's so important to read a lot if you want to learn a new language - and I'll do it again in this episode. But is it enough to be able to speak a language fluently? Links mentioned in this video: Reverse translation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VXmDiBfzwA 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_...
Feb 25, 2026•17 min•Ep. 522
👉 Grab your FREE StoryLearning Blueprint: https://l.storylearning.com/free_fluency In this episode of the StoryLearning podcast I chat to my good friend and fellow podcaster Anna Tyrie, creator of the popular YouTube channel, English Like A Native. Anna started her career in acting and, via some twists and turns, made her way into teaching English to an audience of millions on YouTube. You’ll discover her surprising journey from fearful to confident. She’ll also share her best tips for helping ...
Feb 18, 2026•39 min•Ep. 521
👉 Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/lang_goals Can you be too old to learn a language? What about kids? They soak up languages like a sponge, so surely that means there's never any chance of me learning another language. Well, we'll see about that. Tune in for some inspiring examples of 60 + people learning languages and tips for any age. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question Lin...
Feb 11, 2026•14 min•Ep. 520
👉 Get your FREE Grammar and Vocab Study Sheet: https://l.storylearning.com/study_kanji In this episode, I tackle a question from four years ago, but the topic is as relevant as ever: how to learn Japanese kanji. There are strong opinions online about the best way to learn Japanese, kanji included. I share my experience from learning Japanese in Japan and what I would do if I could start learning kanji over again. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://...
Feb 04, 2026•16 min•Ep. 519
👉 Get your FREE Grammar and Vocab Study Sheet: https://l.storylearning.com/free_vocab In this episode, we're revisiting a topic that I feel we'll be talking about until the end of time. The sun's going to expand to engulf the Earth and we're all going to be frazzled up like sausages and I'll be there until the end talking about this topic, which is flashcards. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question Link mentione...
Jan 28, 2026•18 min•Ep. 518
👉 Get your FREE StoryLearning Blueprint: https://l.storylearning.com/learn_stories In this episode of the StoryLearning podcast I chat to my good friend and fellow language enthusiast John Fotheringham, creator of Anywhere Immersion. John has been blogging and podcasting about language learning since 2009 and his podcast (formerly the Language Mastery Podcast) was the first one I ever went on! Now he's returning the favour by coming on this refreshed video version of my podcast to talk about la...
Jan 21, 2026•39 min•Ep. 517
👉 Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/test_goals Should you bother taking language proficiency tests like IELTS ( International English Language Testing System) or the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test)? Two listeners asked me the similar questions about exams. As a former IELTS examiner and as someone who took the JLPT, I’ve got thoughts on the matter! 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Ol...
Jan 14, 2026•9 min•Ep. 516
👉 Grab your FREE Grammar and Vocabulary Study Sheet: https://l.storylearning.com/vocab_sheet Today we've got a question that is going to strike to the heart of every single language learner listening to this podcast: why can’t I remember the words I know when I’m speaking? It’s something we all struggle with and it’s perfectly normal. In this video, I share 3 techniques to help you overcome it. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/a...
Jan 07, 2026•11 min•Ep. 515
👉Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/reading-goals Want to pick up vocabulary naturally while exploring topics that interest you? I've got the perfect the solution and I lay it all out in this episode, including how I used this habit myself to expand my Japanese vocab about a rather specialised topic. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question 👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my stor...
Dec 31, 2025•10 min•Ep. 514
👉 Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/free-goals I don't aim for C2 in the languages I'm learning and I don't think you should either. But it is possible to get there with a lot, and I mean a lot, of time and effort. So, the real question is, is it worth it? 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question 👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearn...
Dec 24, 2025•17 min•Ep. 513
👉Grab your FREE Binge-Worthy Resources: https://l.storylearning.com/binge-resources Can you really perfect your accent to the point where no-one knows you're not a native speaker? You can get close, even as an adult, but the real question is - is it actually worth the time and effort? Link mentioned in this episode: Speaking Accent-Free in L2 Beyond the Critical Period: The Compensatory Role of Individual Abilities and Opportunity Structures (Applied Linguistics, Volume 41, Issue 5, October 202...
Dec 17, 2025•15 min
👉 Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/set_goals Success in language learning almost always comes down to a very small number of things done well. Successful language learners understand what those few things are, and they do them very consistently and very well. And thanks to this episode, you're going to join them. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question 👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to...
Dec 10, 2025•12 min•Ep. 511
👉 Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/goal-planner Struggling to bridge the gap between understanding and speaking? You’re not alone. I’ve been there too, specifically when I learned Japanese. Discover the exact steps I took to go from silent to confident Japanese speaker. Links mentioned in this episode: 🗣️ LanguaTalk: https://l.storylearning.com/LanguaTalk 💬 Langua: https://l.storylearning.com/langua 📢 TeacherAI: https://l.storylearning.com/teacherAI ❓Got a qu...
Dec 03, 2025•13 min•Ep. 510
👉 Grab your FREE Tips for Learning a Language with AI (inside the Bonus section of my FREE StoryLearning Kit): https://l.storylearning.com/fluency_AI The Black Friday offer mentioned in this video is no longer available. If you’ve learned languages in the last week or two, have you used AI? AI has landed like a rock in a pond in the last couple of years and is upending the way we learn. I'm finding that AI is more and more part of my language routine. But can AI replace real people? That’s the ...
Nov 26, 2025•17 min•Ep. 509
👉 Grab your FREE Language Difficulty Guide: https://l.storylearning.com/difficulty Can you really learn a language in 12 months? Definitely, with the right mindset, approach and effort. To give you inspiration for and insight into fast language learning, I look back on two of my wildest language learning challenges: Thai in 2 weeks and Italian in 3 months. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question 👉 Get a 7-day FR...
Nov 19, 2025•12 min•Ep. 508
👉 Grab your FREE Binge-Worthy Resources for Fluency: https://l.storylearning.com/binge I’ve learned eight languages - so how on earth do I maintain them all? It’s a question people often ask me. And my answer surprises and confuses them. Find out why. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question 👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses 👉 Check out...
Nov 12, 2025•10 min•Ep. 507
👉 Get your FREE Difficulty Guide: https://storylearning.com/difficulty_ES_IT Spanish vs Italian: which is easier to learn for native English speakers? I’ve learned both - find out which one I found easier and why and which one I recommend you learn. And above all, how long would it take to pass my famous fluency "pub test" in these languages? 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question 👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to on...
Nov 05, 2025•14 min•Ep. 506
👉 Grab your FREE Difficulty Guide: https://storylearning.com/difficulty-guide-super-hard 👉 Get your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://storylearning.com/goal-planner-super-hard Are super hard languages like Japanese or Mandarin worth learning? I've learned three of the world's hardest languages, Japanese, Cantonese and Arabic. These category five languages were worth it for me, but what about you? Let's get philosophical about whether it's "worth it" and answer the practical question of how t...
Oct 29, 2025•16 min•Ep. 505
👉 Grab your FREE Goal Planner: https://storylearning.com/goal_planner_CI What if you could learn a language without studying? Discover how to learn a language through reading and listening instead of memorising and drilling. Find out where to find the right materials as a beginner, why children's books don't work, and the 6-step process for learning naturally. No flashcards required. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_you...
Oct 22, 2025•17 min•Ep. 504
👉 Grab your FREE Study Sheet: https://storylearning.com/free_grammar_vocab_sheet Stop obsessing over grammar rules! Discover why grammar study shouldn't be your focus, especially as a beginner language learner. Find out where to put your time and energy instead. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question 👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses �...
Oct 15, 2025•20 min•Ep. 503
👉 Grab your FREE Goal Planner: https://storylearning.com/goal_planner_2_languages Want to learn multiple languages? Here's the truth nobody tells you: there's a specific level you need to reach in your first language before starting another. Miss this, and you'll stay stuck at beginner level in both. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question 👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https...
Oct 13, 2025•16 min•Ep. 502
👉 Get your FREE Fluency Blueprint: https://storylearning.com/fluency_blueprint I've sold over 1.5 million copies of my short story books for language learners. But why did I write them all those years ago at my parent's kitchen table? Get the unfiltered, untold story of my books, including details of new languages coming soon. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question 👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-ba...
Oct 10, 2025•19 min•Ep. 501
👉 Grab your FREE Fluency Blueprint: https://storylearning.com/freefluencyblueprint Vaughn Smith is a 26-language polyglot who had his brain scanned at MIT. Discover the man behind the scan and the surprisingly simple ways he learned so many languages. 👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question 👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/SL_language-courses 👉 Check ...
Oct 08, 2025•48 min•Ep. 500
