How does it only take a year or so to speak/understand our first language but it’s so much harder to acquire another language?

Question

Like, we have a frame of reference (first language), so why is it so hard to learn another language after that?

In: Other

Answer 1

Different languages have different sounds, so if you were brought up with those sounds around you, you’re able to recognise and differentiate them more easily. For instance, English doesn’t have tongue rolling or the ‘ucht’ sound as the German language does, etc. So asking with a new language, you’re learning new sounds that aren’t usual for you.