--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I learned English kind of late. I…" description: "\"I learned English kind of late. I remember when I got my first opportunity to work in America, I didn't speak a lot of English, so I only really knew m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc2/penelope-cruz-2508_america_i-learned-english-kind-of-late-i-remembe_2275904.png" --- # I learned English kind of late. I remember when I got my… ![“I learned English kind of late. I remember when I got my first opportunity to work in America, I didn't speak a lot of English, so I only really knew my lines for the movie I was doing.” quote by Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc2/penelope-cruz-2508_america_i-learned-english-kind-of-late-i-remembe_2275904.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc2/penelope-cruz-2508_america_i-learned-english-kind-of-late-i-remembe_2275904.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc2/penelope-cruz-2508_america_i-learned-english-kind-of-late-i-remembe_2275904.png) > “I learned English kind of late. I remember when I got my first opportunity to work in America, I didn't speak a lot of English, so I only really knew my lines for the movie I was doing.” [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning English later in life required memorizing lines to succeed in acting. **In simple terms:** She learned English late, relying on memorized lines for work. Key Takeaway Leverage preparation to bridge skill gaps. Themes language learning career adaptation confidence Mood reflective optimistic Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - auditions - film sets - language classes - coaching sessions Key Concepts second language acquisition acting technique Questions to Reflect On - How can you improve fluency beyond memorization? - What strategies aid language acquisition later in life? A Different Perspective Relying on memorization may limit spontaneous communication. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [English](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Remember when](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-when/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I remember when I got my first opportunity to work in America, I didn't speak a lot of English, so I only really knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-remember-when-i-got-my-first-opportunity-to-work-in-america-i-didn/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [“Nothing is like before. Everything is kind of late.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/nothing-is-like-before-everything-is-kind-of-late/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [I've kind of done everything late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamey-sheridan/i-ve-kind-of-done-everything-late/) [Jamey Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamey-sheridan/) > [Tea to the English is really a picnic indoors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/tea-to-the-english-is-really-a-picnic-indoors/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [When I'm in Brazil, I'm not Brazilian at all; I am a gringo. And then when I'm in England, I'm not really English, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-goth/when-i-m-in-brazil-i-m-not-brazilian-at-all-i-am-a-gringo-and-then/) [Mia Goth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-goth/) > [The English was really my mother, it was never me. Being the daughter of my father, I always felt very French.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-gainsbourg/the-english-was-really-my-mother-it-was-never-me-being-the-daughter/) [Charlotte Gainsbourg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-gainsbourg/) > [“After all, the English are really too much. One can't live in that constipated fashion forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bowles/after-all-the-english-are-really-too-much-one-can-t-live-in-that/) [Paul Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bowles/) > [English is really free for me; there's no limits to the music and the imagination. And French, it's just I live in Paris, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yael-naim/english-is-really-free-for-me-there-s-no-limits-to-the-music-and-the/) [Yael Naim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yael-naim/) > [I have never known what is Arabic or English, or which one was really mine beyond any doubt. What I do know, however, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/i-have-never-known-what-is-arabic-or-english-or-which-one-was-really/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [I think the biggest difficulty is that when I'm here in America, there's a necessity of using English, so I really have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiaki-kuriyama/i-think-the-biggest-difficulty-is-that-when-i-m-here-in-america-there/) [Chiaki Kuriyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiaki-kuriyama/) > [English is a really wonderful language and I urge you all to investigate it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/english-is-a-really-wonderful-language-and-i-urge-you-all-to/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [I'm very English really. I even ordered a book on the internet, 'how to have absolutely nothing to do with your neighbors'. Unfortunately I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-jones/i-m-very-english-really-i-even-ordered-a-book-on-the-internet-how-to/) [Milton Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-jones/) > [I did really well at school, and I would have loved to have gone to Oxford or Cambridge. I would have read English, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-rigby/i-did-really-well-at-school-and-i-would-have-loved-to-have-gone-to/) [Emma Rigby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-rigby/) > [I'm born and raised in Mexico. I only spent eight months in the States, but definitely English is a really big part of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiza-gonzalez/i-m-born-and-raised-in-mexico-i-only-spent-eight-months-in-the-states/) [Eiza Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiza-gonzalez/) > [Country music... doesn't bend notes in the same way, so I suppose it's very English, really. Even though it's been very Americanized, it feels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-jagger/country-music-doesn-t-bend-notes-in-the-same-way-so-i-suppose-it-s/) [Mick Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-jagger/) ## More by Penelope Cruz > [I think superstition has a lot to do with fear: the less, the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-think-superstition-has-a-lot-to-do-with-fear-the-less-the-better/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [Being actors we are dealing with the beauty and complexity of human confusion, no? And we are always trying to get answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/being-actors-we-are-dealing-with-the-beauty-and-complexity-of-human/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [I would always cast Meryl Streep for everything. I would do with something inspired by the work of Guy Bourdin, my favorite photographer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-would-always-cast-meryl-streep-for-everything-i-would-do-with/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [I am not somebody who likes to give advice, or anything like that, unless it's my closest friends or family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-am-not-somebody-who-likes-to-give-advice-or-anything-like-that/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [I love ballet, and it's a little boring for me to go to the gym because I'm used to the dancing discipline - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-love-ballet-and-it-s-a-little-boring-for-me-to-go-to-the-gym/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [There are roles I have said no to, but for different reasons. And, I never talk about those because I feel it's disrespectful to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/there-are-roles-i-have-said-no-to-but-for-different-reasons-and-i/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [I won't go to places where you're going to find more attention. I go to the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-won-t-go-to-places-where-you-re-going-to-find-more-attention-i-go/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [You can always keep learning with acting, because the school is life and yourself and your friends and your relationships. I'm fascinated by it!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/you-can-always-keep-learning-with-acting-because-the-school-is-life/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [When I am dreaming at night, I see everything as a shot from a movie. I have cranes and extras in my dreams. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/when-i-am-dreaming-at-night-i-see-everything-as-a-shot-from-a-movie-i/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [I always feel scared and insecure on a film set. I don't know any other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-always-feel-scared-and-insecure-on-a-film-set-i-don-t-know-any/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [As an actress, I really love people like Anna Magnani and Debra Winger. I also think there is nobody better than Meryl Streep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/as-an-actress-i-really-love-people-like-anna-magnani-and-debra-winger/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [I always knew I wanted a family because of the way I grew up. Family has always been the most important thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-always-knew-i-wanted-a-family-because-of-the-way-i-grew-up-family/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [Sometimes I feel we express more with dancing or acting or painting than with words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/sometimes-i-feel-we-express-more-with-dancing-or-acting-or-painting/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [When I was 16, I got 'Jamon, Jamon.' Of course, I had to lie about my age. And I had to lie to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/when-i-was-16-i-got-jamon-jamon-of-course-i-had-to-lie-about-my-age/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) > [When I was 16 or 17, when I started, I never even considered not doing a project. I just wanted to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/when-i-was-16-or-17-when-i-started-i-never-even-considered-not-doing/) [Penelope Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) [Explore all 163 Penelope Cruz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I learned English kind of late. I remember when I got my first opportunity to work in America, I didn't speak a lot of English, so I only really knew my lines for the movie I was doing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Penelope Cruz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-learned-english-kind-of-late-i-remember-when-i-got-my-first/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-learned-english-kind-of-late-i-remember-when-i-got-my-first/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc2/penelope-cruz-2508_america_i-learned-english-kind-of-late-i-remembe_2275904.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc2/penelope-cruz-2508_america_i-learned-english-kind-of-late-i-remembe_2275904.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc2/penelope-cruz-2508_america_i-learned-english-kind-of-late-i-remembe_2275904.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I learned English kind of late. I remember when I got my first opportunity to work in America, I didn't…” — Penelope Cruz", "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": "Penelope Cruz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-cruz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I learned English kind of late....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-learned-english-kind-of-late-i-remember-when-i-got-my-first/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-cruz/i-learned-english-kind-of-late-i-remember-when-i-got-my-first/#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 } } ] } ```