We all learn languages for different reasons. Some just want to get a job in an English-speaking country, some want to explore the new ways of connecting with people on holidays, some simply do it as a hobby.

It's very important to understand why exactly you are learning this particular language because it's impossible to learn it all. Languages are huge, and we have limited time to learn them. We have to be smart about what we want from the language and set concrete, achievable goals. For example: "I want to watch movies in English", "I want to learn Japanese to speak to locals fluently", "I need Chinese to talk to manufacturers".

The process of learning a language "just for fun" will be very different from the process of preparing for a particular exam. By making our language goals clear, we can save a lot of time and energy and make the process less frustrating and complicated.

At all = Совершенно, абсолютно, вообще

I don't need it at all
Мне это совершенно не нужно

I don’t like it at all
Мне это совсем не нравится

I don’t have time at all
У меня вообще нет времени

Fallacy = something that you believe that is not true (false facts, incorrect information, stereotypes)

"Some people think that all women are bad drivers, but it's a fallacy"
Not all women are bad at driving, some women drive well. A lot of people believe it, but it's not true

Something is missing = Чего-то не хватает

One spoon is missing = Не хватает одной ложки

Bring joy = Make somebody happy

"Learning new things about the world brings joy into my life"
I love learning something new. It makes me happy

One way or another = Так или иначе

He will be there one way or another
Он будет так так или иначе

We will need cash one way or another
Нам понадобится наличка так или иначе

Overlook = not see something, not notice something

"I overlooked some important mistakes when I was making my presentation"
I didn't notice these mistakes, I didn't these important mistakes

You will never speak exactly like a native. The main reason for that goes beyond technical language skills like grammar and pronunciation. Sounding like a native involves a certain culture that natives were born into. They were brought up in a different environment and went to different schools. It affects the words they choose to use and their overall communication style, which will be almost impossible to fully replicate.

Instead of mimicking how people speak in other countries, I suggest bringing your own culture and accent into communication. Of course, it's important to be understood, so I'm not suggesting that the technical basics of the language are unimportant. But I think we shouldn't blindly copy others' communication styles or be ashamed of our own ways of speaking an international language.

Gain weight (гéйн уэ́йт) = набирать вес, толстеть
Lose weight (лу́з уэ́йт) = сбрасывать вес, худеть

I gained 5 kg this month. I need to lose weight
Я набрал 5 кг за этот месяц. Мне нужно худеть

I started going to the gym. I need to gain weight
Я начал ходить в зал. Мне нужно набрать вес

Instrumental = very important, helpful

"His technical skills were instrumental in developing this new feature"
His skills were very helpful and important during the process of developing this feature

Questionable (куэ́щэнэбл) = сомнительный

It's a questionable decision
Это сомнительное решение

The quality was questionable
Качество было сомнительным

Downside = bad part, negative side of something

"It's great to have a car. But it has some downsides. It breaks sometimes"
It's good to have a car. But there are some negative moments associated with having a car. For example, you need to fix it sometimes, it's expensive, and it's a lot of responsibility.

Guess (гес) = угадывать, догадываться

"Guess who called me yesterday"
Угадай, кто позвонил мне вчера

"We can only guess"
Мы можем только догадываться

Notion = opinion, something that people believe

"There is a notion that tomato is a vegetable. In fact, it's a fruit"
People believe that tomato is a vegetable, but it's actually a fruit

It is important to understand the exact reasons why you are learning the language. You cannot learn every single word, every single idiom, every single piece of grammar.

Language is huge, and it is impossible to grasp it all. But it is possible to focus on the types of conversations, topics, and situations that you will likely get into and learn communication styles that will be useful in these particular contexts.