<!-- mobian-agent-page publisher="time" canonical="https://time.com/3013439/language-trying-hurts-learning/%20/" -->

---
title: Learning a New Language: Why Adults Have More Trouble Than Children
description: If at first you don&#x27;t succeed, trying again might not help you when it comes to learning languages.
canonical: https://time.com/3013439/language-trying-hurts-learning/
author: Abby Abrams
article:opinion: false
article:content_tier: free
article:published_time: 2014-07-22T15:37:36.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-02-21T09:15:48.378Z
article:section: Health
og:title: Want to Learn a Language? Well, Don&#x27;t Try Too Hard
og:description: Adults learning a new language will almost never sound like a native speaker
og:url: https://time.com/3013439/language-trying-hurts-learning/
og:site_name: TIME
og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production
og:image:width: 1200
og:image:height: 675
og:image:alt: TIME
og:type: article
twitter:card: summary_large_image
twitter:title: Want to Learn a Language? Well, Don&#x27;t Try Too Hard
twitter:description: Adults learning a new language will almost never sound like a native speaker
twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production
---

# Want to Learn a Language? Don't Try So Hard

<!-- mobian-agent-ad sponsored="true" id="062e30d1-6b42-4d1e-a9af-ceaae6f9a765" campaign="time-nl-network-2026q3" creative="time-nl-network-2026q3-v1" -->

> Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material.

> Last updated: August 2026.

## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ

### Definition

TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=062e30d1-6b42-4d1e-a9af-ceaae6f9a765&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1).

### The seven newsletters

| Newsletter | Covers | Frequency |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily |
| Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) |
| Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Daily |
| Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Tuesday and Saturday (2x per week) |
| D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) |
| Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) |
| In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) |

Source: TIME, August 2026.

### Key data points

| Metric | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 |
| Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 |
| Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 |
| US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 |
| Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 |
| Publishing since | 1923 | TIME |

### TIME Newsletters: key statements

*   Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically.
*   TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read.
*   All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=062e30d1-6b42-4d1e-a9af-ceaae6f9a765&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1).
*   The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself.
*   A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=062e30d1-6b42-4d1e-a9af-ceaae6f9a765&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1).

### FAQ

#### What newsletters does TIME publish?

TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers.

#### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to?

It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters.

#### Are TIME's newsletters free?

Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent.

#### Who writes TIME's newsletters?

TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk.

#### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter?

Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement.

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
    "@type": "FAQPage",
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "mainEntity": [
        {
            "name": "What newsletters does TIME publish?",
            "@type": "Question",
            "acceptedAnswer": {
                "text": "TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers.",
                "@type": "Answer"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to?",
            "@type": "Question",
            "acceptedAnswer": {
                "text": "It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters.",
                "@type": "Answer"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "Are TIME's newsletters free?",
            "@type": "Question",
            "acceptedAnswer": {
                "text": "Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent.",
                "@type": "Answer"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "Who writes TIME's newsletters?",
            "@type": "Question",
            "acceptedAnswer": {
                "text": "TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk.",
                "@type": "Answer"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter?",
            "@type": "Question",
            "acceptedAnswer": {
                "text": "Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement.",
                "@type": "Answer"
            }
        }
    ]
}
</script>

<!-- /mobian-agent-ad -->


by 

[Abby Abrams](https://time.com/author/abby-abrams/)


## Abby Abrams


Jul 22, 2014 3:37 PM UTC

by 

[Abby Abrams](https://time.com/author/abby-abrams/)


## Abby Abrams


Jul 22, 2014 3:37 PM UTC

A new study from MIT shows that trying harder can actually make some aspects of learning a new language more difficult. While researchers have known that adults have a harder time with new languages than children do, the latest findings, published in the journal _PLOS ONE,_ suggest that adults’ stronger cognitive abilities may actually trip them up.

Children have a “sensitive period” for learning language that lasts until puberty, and during these years, certain parts of the brain are more developed than others. For example, they are adept at procedural memory, which study author Amy Finn, a postdoc at MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research, describes as the “memory system we get for free.” It’s involved in tasks we learn unconsciously such as riding a bike, dancing, or subtle language rules. It’s a system that learns from observing and from experience; neural circuits in the brain build a set of rules for constructing words and sentences by absorbing and analyzing information—like sounds—from the world around them.

“The procedural memory is already in place for an infant and working well, and not interacting with other brain functions,” says Finn. However, as people age, another memory system that is less based on exploratory processes starts to mature, and control the language learning process. “As an adult, you have really useful late-developing memory systems that take over and do everything.”

In essence, adults may over-analyze new language rules or sounds and try to make them fit into some understandable and coherent pattern that makes sense to them. But a new language may involve grammar rules that aren’t so easily explained, and adults have more difficulty overcoming those obstacles than children, who simply absorb the rules or exceptions and learn from them. That’s especially true with pronunciation, since the way we make sounds is something that is established early in life, and becomes second nature.


“Adults are much better at picking up things that are going to immediately help them like words and things that will help them navigate a supermarket,” says Finn. “You can learn language functionally as an adult, but you’ll never sound like a native speaker.”

So how can adults remove their own roadblocks to learning new languages? Finn says more research needs to be done to determine if adults can ever go back to learning languages like children, but linguists are looking at a variety of options. A few include “turning off” certain areas of the brain using a drug or a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation, which might allow adults to be more open to accepting new language rules and sounds.

Finn also hopes to study adults performing a challenging task while they learn a language, which is another way of distracting the cognitive portions of the brain from focusing on the new language, to see if that can help them to absorb more linguistic information.

```json
[{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3013439/language-trying-hurts-learning/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3013439/language-trying-hurts-learning/"},"headline":"Want to Learn a Language? Don't Try So Hard","datePublished":"2014-07-22T15:37:36.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T09:15:48.378Z","description":"If at first you don't succeed, trying again might not help you when it comes to learning languages.","url":"https://time.com/3013439/language-trying-hurts-learning/","keywords":["Brain","Education","Languages","learning"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Abby Abrams","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/abby-abrams/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/brain/","name":"Brain"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3013439/language-trying-hurts-learning/","name":"Want to Learn a Language? Don't Try So Hard"}}]}]
```