Learning a second language is hard; it’s rewarding but it’s hard. What you should know is that unless you were exposed to other languages in your childhood, it’s supposed to be hard. Linguists have developed a theory about why second language acquisition becomes increasingly difficult as we advance through our life stages. The answer is this: the Critical Period.

“If a language is acquired in parallel with the development of the human brain as children grow, it is reasonable to postulate some language function in the brain. Consequently, the critical period for language learning is considered to be the biologically determined period in which the brain keeps its plasticity for acquisition of any language.” -Katsumi NAGAI