How did I learn English, anyway? 

You learning English was a GIFT TO ALL OF AMERICA. TO BE ABLE TO HEAR YOUR INTELLIGENCE AND TRUTH. WE ADORE U!!!!

As someone who speaks more than one language, full immersion by living in another country when you're young is such a boon to someone learning a different language. Kudos to those who pick it up w/o doing that.

Small children learn languages really fast. Even in bilingual families, they understand to talk to grandma in one language and other family members in the other. It is amazing to watch.

I never seen English spoken so strong. With tears in my eyes David, what is your secret sir? We need to look at the oranges to this.

I work in a diverse, urban school system. Over 60% of our ESOL students are native born Americans. Children of immigrants are often not exposed to English until they enter public school.

I worked with a man from Russia. His parents came here when he was 2. None of them spoke English. Both his parents went to work for a Russian family who had a business. So he went to Kindercare. He learned English from the other kids. At 4 he was teaching his parents English. Kids, who have no other distractions or worries can immerse themselves in another language and learn it quickly.

Im surprised it wasn’t your first language. You speak so well lol.

Many of the Cuban kids in my class in the 60’s did the same thing! Immersion worked!

David, the way you are able to communicate using language is very impressive. Keep up the good work, your country needs you in this perilous time.

I taught a lot of Spanish speaking kids who came to Miami in the Mariel boatlift. I don’t speak any Spanish, and many of them didn’t speak a word of English. They all went to ESOL for one class a day. Kids pick up new languages really fast.

I saw the title of the clip and thought it was going to be some troll insulting David over some perceived butchered English. Glad to see it was a serious inquiry into David's educational journey.

David speaks like he’s been an English scholar for 350 years

David was lucky, to get language immersion as a child. My old boss was from Turkey. He learned English from I Love Lucy reruns. He spoke English with Ricky Ricardo's Cuban accent. 😂

I am Hispanic and spoke Spanish at home but as soon as I started pre-K (basically HeadStart around age 4) all my teachers spoke English only, lol. So I ended up speaking English more often/regularly than I did Spanish. All my classes were in English, my friends all spoke English etc. There was no translator or anything, and like David said, it's so easy to learn when you're just a child. Now I'd say I'm about 85% fluent in Spanish (never had any formal Spanish classes or schooling) and can read it fine, but English is my first language, imo. Sometimes I struggle to translate English words to Spanish since I either forget or don't know them in Spanish. Crazy yet interesting stuff!

Sarcasm is my second language 😂

So glad you learned English so id be able to hear your thoughts! I appreciate your knowledge and insight. I do think you have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to the whole Gaza situation but you are such a great voice to have on our side.

I was about to say that. David I love the way you speak.

The real question is why do 90-95% of native English speakers not have the same command of the English language as David does.

I’m a white guy born in Japan to a mother who grew up speaking French and a father who spoke German. I grew up in CA surrounded by Spanish speakers. My Japanese skills vanished, mom and dad refused to speak anything but English. I know minimal Spanish now in my 60s. Pisses me off lol.

Does anyone else notice that the people who agree with David's views sound a heck of a lot smarter than the ones who don't?

David speaks English very well, actually better than some educated people I have known who thought very highly of themselves 😀

Having a really good memory also plays a large part in learning languages. I bet he is one of those people who can quickly read something and still remember exactly what he read when questioned a long time later.

David, I learned to speak English in the first grade without a translator back in the early 60s, up until that time my mother had taught me to read and write in Spanish only, although I am second generation born in the US, I only knew a little to no English by playing with the neighbor children. Your English is impeccable and you're a fantastic debater as you did with that guy Will Cain. No one can detect that I also speak Spanish because I'm told that I have no detectable Spanish accent.

I've been learning Dutch for the past nine months, and it's interesting how many cognates there are with English, as well as French and German. Learning a second language in your 30's is hard, but I'm having fun with it.

I'm Portuguese born and raised. In Portugal we don't dub movies and TV shows. We get subtitles. Just that alone gets you used to hearing and even learning other languages. I could read and write Portuguese when I was 4. I immediately started learning English just by watching cartoons, movies and TV series with subtitles. My cousin's daughter in the US speaks fluent Portuguese, Spanish and English since forever.

I was born in the USA, and English is my 2nd language too...I had to learn it in classes all through grade school, high school, and college classes...because at home we spoke 'merican y'all!

David, I wanna thank you so much because I love politics and I'm learning english. Your channel is the only channel that has correct subtitles. I learned tons of new vocabulary through your videos. And it's the most fun way for me, I love watching you roasting politicans. 😂

Aw man, English is my first language and I have a degree in linguistics, and David's second language English is still better than mine 😭😭😭

I moved to the U.S. around the same time as David. I was 4 to be exact. So I remember naturally learning English just like all the other kids. The only struggle I ran into that I still have to this day is sentence construction.

David looks like he is related to Jake Gillenhaall

Beware of "false friends" words. Words that seem like they SHOULD mean the same thing but don't. Librería does NOT mean library, it means bookstore. Another example is "carpeta" does not mean carpet, it means folder.

We adopted a son in Colombia when he was five. He started in Kindergarten with a teacher who could speak a little Spanish. We bought an electronic translator for her to use with him at school (this was before smartphones). Within a few months he was getting pretty good and by the end of the year he was speaking English fully. Sadly, he lost the ability to speak Spanish but frankly he refused to speak Spanish once he started learning English. I knew someone at work who was bilingual and my son refused to speak Spanish with him.

My kids started school in Spain 12 months ago. No translator for them though. 😮 My daughter had just turned 10, my son almost 9. Now they are fluent in Spanish, I'm really glad we put them in a state school rather than an international school.

I’ve been cooking professionally my whole life, therefore, I speak “kitchen Spanish”: Detras de ti. Muy caliente! Cuidado! Docena camaronas, por favor. Fuego!!!

I was a freshman in High School when I moved to the U.S. and was put into ESL classes. By the time I was in Junior year, I was already taking English Business classes. I was also learning Spanish as well. Books were and still are my BEST FRIENDS. I am now tri-lingual and can moderately speak in 3 more languages.

Alors David comprend le français aussi... je l'adore!

How crazy is it that one of the words you knew was "Blue"!? It's like a sign of the future!

Nice one! You’re a smart guy David. And, you can explain it better than most.

He had his own translator! 🫨

I really enjoyed this. Thank you, Mr. Pakman.

That’s how all children learn languages. They are not concerned with grammar or the rules of the language. They are also not concerned with making mistakes or sounding native. They just start saying the words as they understand them. This is how adults should learn. But we often times focus too much on grammar and structure. The fact is most native speakers don’t care when you make mistakes and can usually understand you with context. Immersion is by far the best way to learn.

When we moved to Italy from the UK in 1977 my four year old daughter took just a few weeks in pre-school to become the family's representative in restaurants and shops. She taught our son (three years younger) so he learned Italian as his first language. Five years later we had to send our children to my parents in England every summer to develop their English skills. My wife and I took almost 6 months to develop working Italian skills. The common theme throughout this experience is total immersion. While ever there's a safety blanket of others speaking your first language near you, learning a second language - particularly speaking it - will always be difficult. The task of learning a third and fourth language is easier because the greatest obstacle - appearing to be a dumb person - is largely eliminated. So should you ever need to go to another country, avoid your fellow countrymen until you can speak the local language and if you, an English speaker, can choose which country to go to, go to Italy first. The Italians of all regions are immensely tolerant and genuinely helpful to foreigners making the effort to speak their language.

I'm learning Japanese and Spanish as of now. And a lot of it at first is just input (reading and listening. Just like babies.) I have written a lot in Japanese to help me understand the very different "Subject, Object, Verb" order for the most part and I'm getting better, but eventually when I get into speaking I think everything that I've done so far will for sure pay off. Been practicing it for at least 3 hours a day for almost two years (still mostly Japanese, but I eventually want to increase my time with Spanish.) I find it interesting how David talked about learning through immersion, because it truly is the fastest way to learn any language I think, but nowadays it's easier to learn through the computer and "artificially" immerse yourself.

Knowing another language is a superpower. I wish I was immersed in Spanish when I was 5.

I love it when David speaks Spanish.

My 6 Year Old Filipino Daughter Speaks English And Variations Of Tagalog ! 🥰🥰🥰

I learned English in kindergarten without being assigned a translator. I recall my frustration on day I of school but then I was speaking English at my 5year old level in no time.

I started learning English in school when I was 9. I was always interested in learning it so I was pretty good at it. Then of course I also learned it from movies and video games. My native language is Finnish.

¡Guau! No sabía que David hablaba español como primer idioma. Ni sabía que era latino de Argentina. Saludos desde Morelia, Michoacán de Ocampo, México. El domingo que viene, el 2 de junio, elegiremos a nuestra primera presidente, la primera vez que México tendrá una mujer como presidente, y la primera vez que México tendrá una persona de ascendencia judía como presidente.

Great conversation. Aural comprehension has been my biggest challenge learning languages. In all fairness, though, I'm not great at aural comprehension in English either, which is my native language. I've tried transcription work without success, despite a large vocabulary.

David speaks leagues better English than Trump does and English is David's second language! Way to go David!

I had taken Spanish for six years before I went to college. I took French there and, yes, it was much easier after all that Spanish.

If you moved at 5yo, I reckon it would be a bigger challenge for the parents to help the kid not lose their Spanish entirely by the time they grew up than to help them learn English.

He was afforded a translator to him? Times have changed. He surely would have had it harder in certain states.

I came to America as a 20 year old and only knew a little Oxford English. I learned English by immersion and it was very confusing to me about yard/Garage/ basement sales, the no outlet Streets, slow children playing signs, dead end streets, parkways and driveways, as well as a host of other words, where the meaning didn't make sense to me. My oldest daughter (then 2 years old) and I learned English via sesame Street, electric company and captain kangaroo, Oh and don't forget Mr Rogers neighborhood...for me also some soap operas were on the list, BECAUSE they spoke "SLOW" enough for me to HEAR the word correctly and I was able to write the words down how I heard it and look it up in the dictionary. I hated it when you told people you didn't understand what they were saying, and they then would repeat it at a much "louder" tone! No, I don't have a hearing problem... it's the slurred way you said the sentence that I didn't understand! After being here for over 45 years, I still struggle sometimes with other people's slurring sentences, but found many different ways to let the other know that I didn't quite catch the meaning of what they said. I do however still have problems with my writing skills... with words like then and than, or were and where, or they and their, etc.

I was in ESO until middle school mister David 😃! Wow u (you) learn quick 😮! I think having a accent is more appealing 😊. We shud (should) all learn a 2nd language to better ourselves i agree .

I learnt all my languages being chucked into classes with other kids. Takes about 6 months to start speaking fluently and another year to fix mistakes. I speak four.

When it comes to romance family of languages, i can understand spanish somewhat, can understand some french/italian words here and there.

Children of pre school age do not have the vocal muscle set of other languages. I was born in Germany and came to Australia at the age of 5. I as teaching my parents after a couple of months. I didn’t retain an accent.

I did not know that you speak Español as your first language. That's cool

LEARN ANGLESH, DAVEED!!! ❤

This was a fun question and love the backstory for David!!

I bet the first American song you had to translate from #Espanish was Richie Valenzuela's "Para Bailar La Bamba!" 🦅 2:24

Rompa room, Sesame street Audience, Way to go David 💀👍

I knew a guy who said he learned English by watching the "Carrol Burnett Show" 😁🤣❤️!!!

The study shows that for a young person, may take about 6 months to learn another language. I knew that David was five when he came to USA. My question for David is how is your Spanish and if your family somehow asked you to keep talking Spanish in the house.

David=Smol bean.👌🏼😊☺️And we love him for it.😄lol.😀😃

It's easier to learn through immersion as a child. I took Spanish starting in the 5th grade in classes and through college. I wish I had started earlier. I am still not really at the conversational level.

You’re Right it is a big difference between speaking the language and writing the language

If you learn another language before puberty, no accent speaking your second language. If you learn another language after puberty, the accent stays from your first language

Banana in Castellano is platano. It must be banana in Mexico? Car is coche in Spain, where I live, but caro in mexican. Duolingo teaches only Mexican Spanish. I believe that each Spanish speaking American country has slight differences in vocabulary. Much like UK and US Englishes. Eg I have read that there is a large Italian admixture in Argentinian. Ps. I did a TEFL course in 2021 here. Ie Teaching English as a Foreign Language. I was, at 73 their oldest ever student. My academic CV got me an interview though and my slightly hyper personality got me on the course. 😅

Immersion works

He’s lucky his parents came when he was still that young. A few years later and it would be much harder to be that perfectly fluent. .

Kids are so malleable at that age. They pick up things so quickly. If people want their kids to learn different languages, the best time to teach them is at that age. Same with learning how to play instruments as well.

"Hermano!" ~ Michael Keaton, Betelgeuse 🦅 2:24

I wasn't aware they changed the name, but ESOL makes more sense. Why assume English is someone's second language? Might be their third or fourth. I wonder if there are those who begrudge the new term as "woke," lol.

Very interesting!

It is not impressive for any young kids to learn a foreign language, it comes naturally when you are in this country or in England. I have a niece who was born in France but went to the US very quickly with her mother, then came back in France as a 6 years old kid and learn French in manners of months, literally.

*ESL vs ESOL:* some people prefer the term ESOL since English is not necessarily being taught as a _second_ language (ESL), but is taught to speakers of other languages (ESOL) who might well speak two languages or more already, just not English.

Thanks for coming to America & being into politics!

My grand parents were born in Europe, and my parents and I were born in America. My fathers parents spoke Polish and my mothers parents spoke Greek. I remember my father talking to my grandmother in Polish and her English was not good considering she had been in America 60 years.

Banana in spanish is "plátano".

Sesame Street!! Seriously. No matter how old you are, if you’re here from another country, Sesame Street is a great intro.

It's safe to say that David is a cognitive elite. What's easy for him will not be easy for most.

Pretty sure David lectured at HogWarts.

Banana is not the same in Spanish. Anyone who says otherwise is talking in slang and don’t know the real Spanish word for banana.

I spoke Spanish in my first grade and then I learned English,it was easy for kids at an early age. ❤❤. Now, I can't speak Spanish anymore. ❤❤

When you're 5 it's so much easier, if you learn a new language after you 're 10 you'll have an accent

Sesame Street, Public School, and Speech Classes to remove accent. (German)

The younger the child, the easier it is to pick up a new language without structured lessons. Which is why it's so frustrating that we approach foreign language instruction completely backwards in this country. We wait until the kids are in junior high school to give them lessons in most cases, when we should be starting them as toddlers.

it was ESOL when i was in school in the late 80s, but "English as a Second / Other Language." it's the same damned thing, and caller is a dick for thinking he needed to make that correction

Maybe DP is a complete AI entity, both video and audio. 😶

It sounds like you learn another language easily.

My husband received zero formal English when he came from Puerto Rico 25 years ago. He's 46. He was arrested very quickly here because people businesses would cause him tricky for him not understanding things and he'd end up on fights, he had gotten beaten by police about a year here because he didn't know 90% of English, when they tried forcing cuffs on him when he would obey their orders he yelled "stop" they dislocated his arm and bruised ribs he saw a doctor a week later when a public defender when to see him. He was sent to hospital finally and of course right back to jail the lawyer told the judge a witness statement said the cop for mad when he yelled "stop" the cop "list you know English you told me to stop" and that's why that were abusive as they were. Anyway the only people who bothered teaching him English was mostly black inmates. Most other Hispanics who were mostly immigrates didn't like him because he was an automatic citizen of the US, and many of the white people hated the black and Spanish men in jail. His accent is extremely heavy not he understands and speaks English just fine

This is a question because of your Lineage? David YOU ARE AN AMERICAN - A great example. My Grand Mother was one of the 1st settlers in Oregon (she spoke a few words english - she was from korea.) All of her children and children forward speak english - IT SHOULD not matter. I am not a Korean -American (Like Trump would say) I am an American with Korean lineage. Simple huh? Again IT SHOULD not matter.

If anything, his Spanish sounds a bit different. To me, he sounds like an American who learned Spanish from an Argentine.

why don't we as americans don't know other lanuages. we should know so many lanuages being our parents and grand parents are from every where

Your English language its tep top I wish .....💯

Full immersion didn't do me any good when I was in Helsinki, trying to learn Finnish. None. I only remember one word, and while that word is useful, I already knew how to say f--k in English.

What? You didn't use Rosetta Stone?