Kids vs. Adults: Who Really Learns Languages Faster?

It is often said online that children learn languages faster or more easily than adults. 

NO. THEY. DON’T.

This idea is so dumb. You can absolutely learn a language faster than a child. In fact, you probably already have. Let’s unpack why this myth not only doesn’t hold up, but why it’s actually holding YOU back from learning German.

Why This Myth Exists

I’ve got some experience here. I have three kids. They all learned English as their native language, and for about six years, I spoke only German with my first two. They did okay. My wife is a speech-language pathologist. She literally helps kids learn to talk for a living. So trust me, I’ve seen up close how this works.

Here’s the speed run of child language development:

• Year one: lots of babbling, maybe one or two words by the end.
• Year two: you’ll get some words, but still no real conversation.
• Years three and four: finally, some actual back-and-forth.
• Around five: reading starts with simple letters and words.

Even with constant exposure: music, movies, school, me rambling on all day. My kids still don’t know basic words a German learner would pick up in their very first year. Why? Because they’re kids. Their brains aren’t finished yet.

Why Adults Are Better Equipped

Here’s the comparison: it takes a child four years to get to basic conversational skills. An adult who puts in consistent, minimal effort can get there in six months.

“But what about neural plasticity?” Sure, kids’ brains are more flexible. They also eat glue. Neural plasticity doesn’t magically make them better at learning a second language.

Adults have tools kids don’t:

• Pattern recognition - We can see structures, apply them, and adapt when there are exceptions.
• Deductive reasoning - If someone tells us “this is the rule,” we can use it immediately.
• Efficiency - We skip years of trial and error that kids go through.

Passive vs. Active Learning

Here’s the big one: children learn passively. Language washes over them. They pick up bits and pieces, and formal education cleans it up years later.

Adults learn actively. We search for answers, recognize patterns, and apply them right away. That’s why an adult learner, even starting from zero, can leapfrog a child in language learning speed.

Why This Matters for You

So why am I ranting about this? Because too many people tell themselves: “I’m too old. I missed my chance. It’ll be too hard now.”

That’s nonsense. You’re already learning new things all the time. You memorize complex TV plots, video game mechanics, sports stats, or random trivia without even realizing it. You can absolutely apply that same brainpower to German.

Don’t let the “kids learn faster” myth hold you back. You are not too old. You are not too late. You are more equipped than any child to learn a new language and to learn it faster.

So stop waiting, stop making excuses, and start learning today.