How Many Languages Can You Learn? Become Multilingual or Hyperpolyglot

If you are willing to learn languages, you first must know how many languages can you learn. While some say that one can learn unlimited languages in their lifetime, still, if you are confused and need suggestions then this blog is for you. As a hyperpolyglot, I have been learning languages all my life. Thus, today, I will talk about the challenges and share multiple tips that helped me learn several languages successfully.

If you have been wondering about additional documents required with translation of a birth certificate by the authorities, this guide is for you! We have listed the government departments requiring additional documents and why.

How Many Languages Does an Average Person Speak in Australia?

If you check globally, the majority of the world’s population is monolingual. However, in countries like Europe, Africa, or South Asia, individuals are usually bilingual (someone who speaks more than one language) or multilingual that is they can speak more than two languages.

Also, while 72% of the Australian population speaks one language, that is, English at homes as it is the predominant language, 21% of the population speaks another language. Australia is a country where people speak approximately 300 languages and 30.7% of the total population in Australia is immigrant. As a result of immigration, apart from AusEng, Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Italian are mostly spoken in Australia as a second language.

Because Australia is a melting pot of cultures and languages, it is beneficial to learn a new language as you can easily have a career as a translator or interpreter here. Market statistics show a growth of USD 26.7 billion in 2024 to USD 27.76 billion in 2025, which is 4% in requirement of translation services.

How Many Languages are Possible to Learn in Your Lifetime?

Did you know that Guinness World Records in 1998 holds the record of Ziad Fazah, who can speak 59 languages? Also, ancient history claims that Sir John Bowring could speak more than 100 languages!  

Thus, if you are wondering how many languages can a person learn in their lifetime, then you must know that certain factors play an essential role. Let’s discuss the key factors that influence how many languages you can learn:

Human Brain Adaptability:

You can learn multiple languages at the same time if your brain can easily adapt to new languages. For instance, a brain polyglot can grasp several languages at a time. Therefore, if your brain is highly adaptable and develops the new neural pathways easily, you can learn as many languages as possible.

Language Proficiency:

Scientifically speaking, our brain requires 1.5 MB of storage for native language. To learn a language, you must activate the brain’s language network and a “multiple demand network.” So, before you choose to learn the most spoken languages in the world, try to find out which is closest to your native language.

How Many Languages Can You Learn Simultaneously?

If you have been wondering how many languages can you learn at once, then you first need to understand that this varies from person to person. While it is easy and feasible to learn two different languages at a time, it depends on your cognitive ability, time management, and language similarity.

If the two new languages you want to learn are similar to your native language, you might be able to learn quickly without any overlapping or confusion.

For three or more languages, if you are willing to learn three languages or, in some cases, five languages, you must have exceptional dedication and proficiency in foreign language learning techniques.

As a translator, when people ask me about the best language to learn, I always suggest focusing on just one if they’re beginners. A beginner’s brain needs more time to adapt to a new language compared to experienced polyglots.

So, though there is no definite answer to this question of how many languages should you learn at once, you can still understand that learning two to three languages simultaneously is possible.

What Does It Mean: Multilingual Vs Hyperpolyglots

Richard Hudson, London University College Professor Emeritus of Linguistics, coined the term “hyperpolyglot”, which refers to a person who can speak more than 12 languages.

5 Factors That Influence Language Learning Journey Toward Multilingualism

Age

The earlier you start, the better! This is because the brain function of a child is much more adaptable. So, a child of three might be able to learn one language faster than someone who is 60! Though age is just a number. So, with proper practice and dedication, you can train your brain to learn and speak 40 languages if you want!

Language Exposure

Language fluency greatly depends on exposure. A person who knows or meets someone who can speak more than one or two languages is likely to be someone willing to learn more languages. Furthermore, having an immersion environment, coupled with reading, listening, and interactions influences learners a lot.

Learning Environment

Did you know that one of the world’s hardest languages to learn is Mandarin Chinese, which maybe less than one percent of people are willing to learn? Yet, in Australia, 2.5% of people speak this language, so if you communicate with a native speaker who is fluent in both English and Chinese languages, then you can learn faster.

Motivation and Attitude

The time it takes to learn various languages differs based on your attitude as well. Also, having people motivated to learn languages may help you a lot. To increase your skills with languages or your level of proficiency, start with a language of the culture you like, to enhance use your persistence, willingness, and motivation to learn.

Cognitive and Linguistic Factors

Your memory, attention, and problem-solving skills also play a major role. Don’t try to learn languages without proper planning as your prior linguistic knowledge helps you learn many languages. Find time to practice daily and memorise words and phrases to increase your familiarity with the language and smoothen your path. 

5 Challenges of Learning Many Languages

Financial Costs

The cost of learning a language can be exorbitant if you learn a language that has only one living human speaker compared to languages spoken around the world. To deal with this, you can learn languages which are similar to others.

For instance, Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian, Catalan, and some other languages are closely related to Latin. So, learning this can help you learn 10 languages without paying a hefty amount. 

Time Constraints

Learning a language is time-consuming. As someone who has studied the language earlier, I find that dedicating 3-4 hours daily to practice is the bare minimum. So, if you are someone who lacks the time to spend learning more than one language at a time, maybe you should stick to learning one language at a time.

For instance, you can use apps and software to learn a language because it saves your time. Also, continuously communicate with a native speaker or someone who speaks the language well to learn faster.

Limited Resources

Having someone around who speaks 14 languages is not always possible. Also, finding the right tutor or learning materials to learn languages is difficult. This also leads to high cognitive loads as people usually face challenges in balancing grammar, syntax, and vocabulary.

Join the world of polyglots to get adequate help when learning a language. Furthermore, research well and learn about language dominance, which will help you land jobs faster.

Language Interference

When learning similar languages like Spanish or French, learners often confuse the mix-ups in vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, or spelling. Therefore, to learn quickly and maintain proficiency, you must consistently practice the languages and speak them more often to gain fluency.

Self-Confidence Issues

Many feel underconfident when it comes to listening and speaking a new language in front of multiple people. However, it is essential to speak even if you are learning. Instill confidence in yourself and speak up.

This mainly happens due to accents, speed, and clarity of speech. However, don’t let your social and emotional barriers hold you back.

Conclusion: The Key to Learning Multiple Languages

There’s no end to how many languages a person can learn and speak. At AustralianTranslationServices, I have seen that there is a full complement of native speakers and subject matter experts to cater for the translation and interpreting needs of the world. As a panel translator, I get nearly a hundred translation requests every month, and I believe that being a polyglot, you can build a good career in Australia.