1. What’s your story? How did you get into all these languages?

I wish I had a dramatic story, like being raised by polyglot wolves in the mountains, but the truth is simpler: I just fell in love with languages somewhere around the end of high-school. I went on a trip to Mallorca, and realized that just speaking English wasn’t enough! Fast-forward a couple of years, one language led to another, and before I knew it, I was collecting them like other people collect fridge magnets. Each new language opened a door—to a new way of thinking, a new culture, new people. And once you feel that excitement, it’s hard to stop.

2. Which language(s) do you wish you could spend more time practising?

Honestly, several—Greek is high on the list, because of my linguistic background. Indonesian, Croatian, and Japanese could also use some love. There are always a few languages that feel like slightly neglected houseplants: you know exactly what they need, you just don’t have the time.

3. What are some languages you’d like to learn in the future?

I’m considering Vietnamese now, to tackle the final boss of language learning — a tonal language…

4. So let’s be honest, which language has the most charm for you?

I am a bit torn between French and Greek. Russian is also very sweet to my ear, I would score these 3 really high, perhaps with French being the top choice.

5. What’s the greatest pleasure you get from speaking so many languages? Connection. Being able to switch languages feels like having a key to someone’s inner world. You see people relax, light up, or suddenly open up in a way they wouldn’t in English. And on a personal level, I love feeling how each language changes my personality just a little.

6. Some people say the world is really just going to have a few languages left in a 100 years, do you think this is really true? I think some languages are definitely vulnerable, but I don’t believe the world will suddenly shrink to only a handful. Communities care deeply about their linguistic identities, and there’s a growing awareness of the need to preserve them. Technology helps too—ironically, the same globalisation that threatens languages can also support them, through documentation, digital communities, and education.

7. What is your message to young (and not so young) people out there who are interested in studying multiple languages? Start. Don’t wait for the “perfect method” or the “perfect time.” You’ll always think you’re not ready, but readiness comes from doing. Also, forget the idea that you need to be “talented.” What you actually need is curiosity, patience, and the willingness to enjoy small wins. Languages are a lifetime companion—you don’t master them, you grow with them. You can also grab my free mini e-book on how to learn languages at: www.uselanguages.com :D