How do some people learn foreign languages so easily?
More importantly, is there anything we can learn from them that might benefit us?
I talk about the role of interest, memory, and attitude.
If you're learning a foreign language, you probably have a genuine interest in that language. Some of you genuinely like it. To you, it's like a game you're playing or a sport you love. When I studied Greek for the first time, I literally fell in love with the language. Next came Hebrew (which I still read almost daily) and then German (which, surprisingly, has never left me even though I haven't lived in Switzerland since 1983). When you love something, that "something" tends to come easier!
Memory also plays a massive role in mastering another language. Some people seem to have been born with an ability to easily memorize things. They quickly grasp the system of the language and its patterns and rules. Vocabulary also comes easily for them. Of course, everyone can do it if they just invest some time and effort.
Finally, the biggest reason why some people learn languages more easily than others is that they aren't afraid of failure. They're not afraid of saying something wrong, and they rapidly improve because of it. In my opinion, the biggest mistake students make is being too afraid to use the language.
It's easier to learn languages due to a combination of factors. But these come to mind when people ask me about them!