✔️ My 2023 Language Goals

How I Plan To Study 5 Languages

I treat my language goals as a guide. I don’t mind if I don’t achieve them as long as I’m still making progress. 

Disclaimer: I have never taken a language proficiency test so my current levels are estimations of how I feel.

An estimation of my current language levels and my goal levels by the end of 2023 On this scale fully advanced would be a level of 6

📝 Focus Languages 

Mandarin and French are my focus languages this year. I want to see the most progress with them.

🧧 Mandarin 

Current Level: Lower Intermediate | Goal Level: Lower Advanced

Mandarin is my strongest target language and I would like to reach the advanced level. This is a big goal and if I only reach upper intermediate, I’ll be okay with that! I have spent most of my time studying Mandarin by improving my listening and reading abilities. I want to focus on making my passive knowledge active so I can speak and write comfortably. 

✔️ Objectives:

1. Complete the Chinese Zero to Hero HSK 5 courses (grammar focus)

2. Journal daily to turn passive vocab into active 

3. Speak more and increase speaking confidence (audio logs)

4. Read more (I plan to read the Path to Chinese Magazines and any books I find interesting)

5. Start Chinese Zero to Hero HSK 6 courses (when I finish the HSK 5 course)

🥐 French

Current Level: Upper Beginner | Goal Level: Lower Intermediate 

Since I studied French until my first year of high school, I can’t call myself a complete beginner. I want to revive the French I learned since it’s been many years and also reach the lower intermediate level. In November I will be 1 year into relearning French! I want to be able to read books, listen to videos/podcasts, and become conversational. 

✔️ Objectives:

1. Complete Memrise French courses

2. Complete French textbook, Liberté 

3. Read graphic novels and listen to audiobooks

📝 Secondary Languages

In Japanese, Cantonese, and Icelandic I want to have fun as I make progress.

🏮 Japanese

Current Level: Lower Beginner | Goal Level: Upper Beginner

I think learning Japanese will be similar to my experience learning Mandarin. This means that I expect it will be a few years before I reach a comfortable intermediate level where I can speak and read. Since I do have knowledge of Hanzi, I know the process should be much quicker, especially with the help of Hiragana and Katakana. In general, I’d like to increase my vocab and listening ability. 

✔️ Objectives:

1. Learn vocab with JPDB.IO and/or Memrise’s course

2. Listen to podcasts/watch videos  

3. Find a show/anime I can stick with (probably ヒカルの碁)

🍚 Cantonese 

Current Level: Upper Beginner | Goal Level: Lower Intermediate

It’s weird to gauge my level in Cantonese since it was my first target language but I put it on hold for 5 years to study Mandarin. Similar to Japanese, I know my knowledge of Mandarin will help me as I learn Cantonese. Unlike my other languages though, I want to focus on speaking. It’s easy to think I know certain words since I already know them in Mandarin. I want to make sure when I speak Cantonese I’m not just speaking Mandarin with different pronunciations. 

✔️ Objectives:

1. Listen more (videos/podcasts) and increase vocab 

2. Become conversational 

🏔️ Icelandic

Current Level: N/A | Goal Level: Lower/Upper Beginner 

Since Icelandic is my newest language, I’m not sure what my goal level should be. I’m mostly dabbling but I would like to have a good beginner foundation in the language.

✔️ Objectives:

1. Complete Beginner’s Icelandic Textbook

2. Complete all Icelandic Online courses

3. Use Ylhýra resources

   1. Complete the introductory course

      1. Reach 100% known vocab in all 7 units

   2. Read A1-A2 texts

   3. Study additional vocab

❓ What are your 2023 language goals?