Everything you need to know to learn a language

Most people who try to learn a language give up before they ever really get started. Not because they’re bad at it, but because nobody gave them a clear picture of what they were actually doing or why.

That’s what my guide is for.

The Language Learner’s Handbook is a free, no-fluff, practical guide to learning any language from scratch.

You’ve likely already read the first few chapters on this site. The Language Learner’s Handbook is the full version, picking up where those leave off, covering the skills and strategies that take you from complete beginner to confident intermediate learner.

What’s in the Full Guide?

In The Language Learner’s Handbook, you’ll unlock valuable insights and strategies, including:

  • How to learn grammar and vocabulary faster and retain it longer
  • Understand what to read and listen to, and how to use it so that language actually sticks
  • Flashcard techniques that work, including how to build your own cards and why most people use them wrong
  • Understand where mistakes come from and how to avoid them
  • Learn how to sound more like a native speaker and never be misunderstood

Plus, you’ll get my guide on how to choose a language that aligns with your goals as an appendix

The Language Learner’s Handbook doesn’t tell you what I personally do, or push one single method.

Instead, it brings together the best strategies from effective learners all over the world and helps you build an approach that works for you.

All this for any price you like

The guide has no minimum price. You can download it for free, or pay whatever feels right. $9 is the suggested amount, but there’s no pressure either way.

However…

Writing something like this takes time

Making a book is no small task. If you include research, writing, re-writing, and plain old thinking, this guide has taken many hundreds of hours to complete.

If you find it useful and want to support the work that goes into keeping it updated and keeping this site running, paying something is a genuine help and I’d be grateful for it.

Can’t pay?

If you can’t pay, no problem, just download it and enjoy! I believe language learning should be open to everyone.

If you are getting it free, my only ask is that you consider joining my newsletter via the opt-in form on the checkout page. Don’t worry, there’s no spam and you can opt out any time. Check here if you’d like more info.

But, just in case you need a little more motivation, I’ve prepared something extra for those who want to support.

Take your learning a step further

While you can simply pay a small price for the book, for just a little bit extra ($11.50 total) you can get a bundle of everything on my store. That’s a total value of $21.50 for nearly half its price!

What’s in the supporter bundle?

In addition to The Language Learner’s Handbook, you will find:

  • A mini guide: Hack The Algorithm: turn social media into a language learning superpower (normally $1)
  • A whole additional book: The Principles of Language Learning (normally $11.50)

The Principles of Language Learning

Build the instincts of an effective language learner: 24 core ideas that explain why some methods work and others don’t, how memory actually functions, when to push yourself and when to consolidate, how to identify what’s holding you back, and how to adapt your approach as your level grows.

The Handbook gives you the how. This book gives you the why.

You already know how to start. This teaches you how to think.

Download a sample here.

The Principles of Language Learning cover

Buy on The Mondecast Store

There are more options, but the best way is with my new store. You have two options:

Choose your price

Best value

The Language Learner's Handbook cover

The Handbook

$0-30


The practical guide, beginner to intermediate.

Get the book on its own
The Language Learner's Handbook and The Principles of Language Learning covers

supporter bundle

$11.50


Get both books plus the mini guide.

Get the supporter bundle

Store not working? Prefer to use an established retailer? There are more options below.

Feedback on The guide

Don’t take my word for it, here are a few of the many kind messages people have left me online.

  • “Stumbled across your pdf and appreciate how comprehensive it is and how honest you are about the learning process. Thanks!“
    Anonymous
  • “With the help of Simon I have managed to improve my skills in my first language and pick up basics in a second language. Your book has helped me so much, I am forever grateful.“
    Sean
  • “Thank you so much for the time you’ve put into this guide. Your passion is apparent!“
    Anonymous
  • “Massive thank you for the guide as I hope to one day become a polyglot and this will help me start that journey!”
    Alex

The Mondecast Newsletter

Learners rarely fail because of technique, they fail because they lose motivation.

If you’d like a little help, join my newsletter for tips, resources, and motivation. Aside from buying a guide, this is the best way to support me.

Posts every second week. More info here.

Contact

If you think something is missing, you have any queries, or would just like to say thanks, I’d love to hear from you! Please use the contact form here.

Alternatives

If you want to buy The Language Learner’s Handbook from established retailers, there are two options:

Leanpub

$0-20

If you’d like to choose what you pay, you can purchase it on Leanpub.

Buy on Leanpub

amazon

$5

If you prefer to purchase from a well-known retailer, you can get it on Amazon.

Buy on amazon (US) buy on amazon (EU)

Popular questions

I used to put it here, however I am constantly making improvements, and maintaining continuity between the website and the ebook was taking a lot of my time. I still want the most important info to be easily accessible and for people to come across it online, so I’m keeping first few sections here, but the overall task is now a lot less of a burden.

I put it on Amazon to reach a wider audience, and I use Leanpub because it lets people pay what they want.

Yes, I’m happy for you to share The Language Learner’s Handbook with any individuals in your life you think might want it, but the best way to support me is to link them to my website.

I ask that you please kindly refrain from sharing any paid content.

Many hundreds of hours. Though you might only see a few words on a page, every chapter has required a lot of thought about how I can best structure it to be maximally useful. Basically every chapter is the result of many hours of research and has has gone through extensive rewrites. There’s always improvements to be made, which is part of why I’m still releasing regular revisions years after it was first released.

I receive emails from people only very rarely, and feedback is even more rare, so I’d love to hear from you no matter what you’ve got to say. Please use the contact form here.

This guide was born out of a desire to help people in the language learning community on Reddit. The idea started when I saw people were constantly asking how to learn languages, and regulars were constantly having to repeat themselves. I decided it would be a good topic for the FAQ we have there, and began writing up some key steps based on what I’d learned over the past few years running that community. As I kept adding info, it quickly grew to be the largest article in the FAQ. At that point, I moved it to its own page so it wouldn’t crowd out the other articles. It eventually outgrew even the wiki functionality on Reddit, so I then made it into a PDF ebook to take advantage of the enhanced formatting and other features a PDF file gives you. I eventually started my own website and made it available here, hoping to reach a wider audience.

It’s always been a labour of love, and the occasional messages of thanks and donations are immensely gratifying.

Those of you who have been here before might have noticed a new name. I decided the previous name, Teach Yourself a Foreign Language, despite being perfectly descriptive, was not particularly exciting. At the end of the day, I am trying to encourage as many people as I can, and an eye-catching title is a part of that. It turns out that finding a name that is eye-catching, descriptive, and not already taken is quite a challenge! I eventually landed on The Language Learner’s Handbook; I found it was the best combination of interesting and accurate I could find.