---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm terrible at languages. I'm trying to…"
description: "\"I'm terrible at languages. I'm trying to learn Spanish. I tried to learn French as a kid.\" — Patrick J. Adams"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/patrick-j-adams-14846_french_i-m-terrible-at-languages-i-m-trying-to_479793.jpg"
---

#  I'm terrible at languages. I'm trying to learn Spanish. I…

![“I'm terrible at languages. I'm trying to learn Spanish. I tried to learn French as a kid.” quote by Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/patrick-j-adams-14846_french_i-m-terrible-at-languages-i-m-trying-to_479793.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/patrick-j-adams-14846_french_i-m-terrible-at-languages-i-m-trying-to_479793.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/patrick-j-adams-14846_french_i-m-terrible-at-languages-i-m-trying-to_479793.jpg)

> “I'm terrible at languages. I'm trying to learn Spanish. I tried to learn French as a kid.”

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Struggling with language acquisition highlights the difficulty of mastering new tongues despite effort.

**In simple terms:** Learning languages is hard.

Key Takeaway

Persist despite setbacks.

Themes

learning language growth

Mood

hopeful frustrated

Type

motivational personal

When to use this quote

- travel
- career advancement
- cultural immersion
- personal enrichment

Key Concepts

neuroplasticity motivation cognitive load

Questions to Reflect On

- What motivates you to keep learning?
- How can you make practice more enjoyable?

A Different Perspective

Progress may be slow and frustrating.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Spanish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spanish/)

## Related quotes

> [The only way to learn a language properly, in fact, is to marry a man of that nationality. You get what they call in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zsa-zsa-gabor/the-only-way-to-learn-a-language-properly-in-fact-is-to-marry-a-man/)

[Zsa Zsa Gabor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zsa-zsa-gabor/)

> [What a name! Was it love or praise? Speech half-asleep or song half-awake? I must learn Spanish, one of these days, Only for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/what-a-name-was-it-love-or-praise-speech-half-asleep-or-song-half/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [“Well, science and religion are not competitors, they’re two different languages trying to tell the same story. There’s room in this world for both.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/well-science-and-religion-are-not-competitors-they-re-two-different/)

[Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/)

> [I've been trying to learn Spanish, but it has been hard for me. It's a slow process, but I'm trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheamus/i-ve-been-trying-to-learn-spanish-but-it-has-been-hard-for-me-it-s-a/)

[Sheamus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheamus/)

> [Learn Spanish and realize that youll fail, go for that risk assignment at work, try building a relationship with that new client, raise your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/learn-spanish-and-realize-that-youll-fail-go-for-that-risk-assignment/)

[Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/)

> [If I had to learn Two words in spanish it would be Te Amo... because I will be willing to learn spanish for you&lt;3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-r/if-i-had-to-learn-two-words-in-spanish-it-would-be-te-amo-because-i/)

Anna R

> [I don't speak Spanish. I've done Spanish 1 and 2 classes. My grandma asked me when I was young if I wanted to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scotty-mccreery/i-don-t-speak-spanish-i-ve-done-spanish-1-and-2-classes-my-grandma/)

[Scotty McCreery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scotty-mccreery/)

> [ “the best of Cervantes is untranslatable, and this undeniable fact is in itself an incentive \[for one and all\] to learn Spanish.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-f-g-bell/the-best-of-cervantes-is-untranslatable-and-this-undeniable-fact-is/)

Aubrey F.G. Bell

> [This is L.A. You wanna learn Spanish? Take the bus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/this-is-l-a-you-wanna-learn-spanish-take-the-bus/)

[George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/)

> [French sounds flat. In English, you can play with pitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-green/french-sounds-flat-in-english-you-can-play-with-pitch/)

[Eva Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-green/)

> [When I need to get into details, I like French. But when I want to do something stronger, English is better. The swear words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-wilfried-tsonga/when-i-need-to-get-into-details-i-like-french-but-when-i-want-to-do/)

[Jo-Wilfried Tsonga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-wilfried-tsonga/)

> [I've been working with Spanish, French, some more American, and Japanese directors. And then I realized I have to study English, and that's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rinko-kikuchi/i-ve-been-working-with-spanish-french-some-more-american-and-japanese/)

[Rinko Kikuchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rinko-kikuchi/)

> [Serious drama in a significant degree began at Harvard in the 1880s. In 1881, the Cercle Francais initiated the annual French play, and shortly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-lukas/serious-drama-in-a-significant-degree-began-at-harvard-in-the-1880s/)

[J. Anthony Lukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-anthony-lukas/)

> [I always wanted to learn French or Italian growing up. I love the romantic sound of those languages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riley-stearns/i-always-wanted-to-learn-french-or-italian-growing-up-i-love-the/)

[Riley Stearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riley-stearns/)

> [I can speak French but I cannot understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-can-speak-french-but-i-cannot-understand-it/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

## More by Patrick J. Adams

> [I'm really blessed with the people in my life who keep me on track and keep pushing me forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/i-m-really-blessed-with-the-people-in-my-life-who-keep-me-on-track/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [Film and television was so strange to me because I didn't grow up in the business, I didn't know anything about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/film-and-television-was-so-strange-to-me-because-i-didn-t-grow-up-in/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [It's the big question of every TV show, right, where you have these two people who it's clear the world wants to put them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/it-s-the-big-question-of-every-tv-show-right-where-you-have-these-two/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [The thing I learned about suits is that they only fit you for about a week after you've had them tailored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/the-thing-i-learned-about-suits-is-that-they-only-fit-you-for-about-a/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [I don't think people can die on 'Suits.' It's still, at its heart, an aspirational show, and it would be so hard to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/i-don-t-think-people-can-die-on-suits-it-s-still-at-its-heart-an/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [I like the chance to work on material. Sometimes it helps to not be going into a room cold and to know people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/i-like-the-chance-to-work-on-material-sometimes-it-helps-to-not-be/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [I've definitely gotten a few jobs by pretending like I knew what I was talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/i-ve-definitely-gotten-a-few-jobs-by-pretending-like-i-knew-what-i/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [For me, university was a bit of a rebellious streak. I love teachers but I'm inherently a bit of an anarchist and don't trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/for-me-university-was-a-bit-of-a-rebellious-streak-i-love-teachers/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [The entire time I was up shooting 'Suits,' I was running back to my trailer to help get 'Nine Circles' produced. It's a no-brainer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/the-entire-time-i-was-up-shooting-suits-i-was-running-back-to-my/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [I feel like I went from being a boy to being a man, in some respects, through the help of Dustin Hoffman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/i-feel-like-i-went-from-being-a-boy-to-being-a-man-in-some-respects/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [Anytime I met an actor, I just attacked them and said, 'How did you do this?' Eventually, I began to realize that you went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/anytime-i-met-an-actor-i-just-attacked-them-and-said-how-did-you-do/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [There was a small window when I wanted to be an astronaut. It may have coincided with not getting cast in a high school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/there-was-a-small-window-when-i-wanted-to-be-an-astronaut-it-may-have/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [I actually dealt blackjack for a summer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/i-actually-dealt-blackjack-for-a-summer/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [I always travel with one book. I'll read it and then leave it for someone else, and take another book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/i-always-travel-with-one-book-i-ll-read-it-and-then-leave-it-for/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> ['Suits' is 'Suits.' It's grown and changed and evolved in lots of ways that I'm super proud of, but as an actor on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/suits-is-suits-it-s-grown-and-changed-and-evolved-in-lots-of-ways/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

[Explore all 45 Patrick J. Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

## More French quotes

> [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/)

[Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/)

> [French food is too poncy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gino-d-acampo/french-food-is-too-poncy/)

[Gino D'Acampo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gino-d-acampo/)

> [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/)

[Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/)

> [I studied classical opera, so I was always singing in Italian and German and French.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wang-leehom/i-studied-classical-opera-so-i-was-always-singing-in-italian-and/)

[Wang Leehom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wang-leehom/)

> [I can speak French but I cannot understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-can-speak-french-but-i-cannot-understand-it/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [It's true, I'm the youngest, highest-grossing French director. I have a few records, but no one knows or simply doesn't care. That's good, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-leterrier/it-s-true-i-m-the-youngest-highest-grossing-french-director-i-have-a/)

[Louis Leterrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-leterrier/)

> [I'd had a French education for three years, my father being in the army. From 9 to 12, I went to French school. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-rampling/i-d-had-a-french-education-for-three-years-my-father-being-in-the/)

[Charlotte Rampling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-rampling/)

> [Biarritz is one of the most popular holiday destinations in France and it tops the list for coastal resorts along the French Atlantic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-drinkwater/biarritz-is-one-of-the-most-popular-holiday-destinations-in-france/)

[Carol Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-drinkwater/)

> [I think the French have a romantic cliche that Englishmen have great style, great music, irony and sense of humour. Well, sometimes cliches are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-de-la-baume/i-think-the-french-have-a-romantic-cliche-that-englishmen-have-great/)

[Josephine de La Baume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-de-la-baume/)

> [“Our own dimension was coded ID-11 and was the only League member with diphtheria, David Hasselhoff and the French, which amused the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/our-own-dimension-was-coded-id-11-and-was-the-only-league-member-with/)

[Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/)

> [I don't feel French at all. That was never really a concern, and it's limiting to think that way. I think Paris is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-ghesquiere/i-don-t-feel-french-at-all-that-was-never-really-a-concern-and-it-s/)

[Nicolas Ghesquiere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-ghesquiere/)

> [I'd rather have a German Division in front of me than a French one behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-rather-have-a-german-division-in-front-of-me-than-a-french-one/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“La vie c’est comme la bicyclette : quand on arrête de pédaler on tombe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/la-vie-c-est-comme-la-bicyclette-quand-on-arr-te-de-p-daler-on-tombe/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [“French zombie chauffeur.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/french-zombie-chauffeur/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [In 'Bras &amp; Broomsticks,' Rachel Weinstein gets the shock of her life when she discovers that her mom and her younger sister, Miri, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mlynowski/in-bras-broomsticks-rachel-weinstein-gets-the-shock-of-her-life-when/)

[Sarah Mlynowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mlynowski/)

Browse all 926 French quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I'm terrible at languages. I'm trying to learn Spanish. I tried to learn French as a kid.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Patrick J. Adams"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/i-m-terrible-at-languages-i-m-trying-to-learn-spanish-i-tried-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "French"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/i-m-terrible-at-languages-i-m-trying-to-learn-spanish-i-tried-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/patrick-j-adams-14846_french_i-m-terrible-at-languages-i-m-trying-to_479793.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/patrick-j-adams-14846_french_i-m-terrible-at-languages-i-m-trying-to_479793.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/patrick-j-adams-14846_french_i-m-terrible-at-languages-i-m-trying-to_479793.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I'm terrible at languages. I'm trying to learn Spanish. I tried to learn French as a kid.” — Patrick J. Adams",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Patrick J. Adams",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I'm terrible at languages. I'm trying...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/i-m-terrible-at-languages-i-m-trying-to-learn-spanish-i-tried-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/i-m-terrible-at-languages-i-m-trying-to-learn-spanish-i-tried-to/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
