Gabriel Wyner

Gabriel Wyner is an author, opera singer, and polyglot based in Los Angeles. After not progressing in five years of high school language classes, he reached fluency in German in 14 weeks with the help of the immersive Middlebury Language Schools. As a result, he fell in love with the process of language learning, going on to spend two months in intensive Italian courses in Perugia, Italy.

Searching for ways to bring the immersion experience into the home, he began to develop a system that rapidly builds fluency in short, daily sessions. In 2010, his efforts paid off. He learned French to fluency in 5 months, and then Russian in 10 months. He now speaks six languages.

Born in Los Angeles, Wyner graduated summa cum laude in 2007 from the University of Southern California with dual degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Vocal Arts Performance, and was awarded the Renaissance Scholar’s prize for excellence in unrelated disciplines. He then moved to Vienna to pursue triple Master’s degrees at the Konservatorium Wien in Opera, Lieder, and Voice, and graduated with honors in 2011.

Having finished learning Hungarian in February 2015, Wyner’s next project is Japanese. In January 2014, he funded a Kickstarter to develop a language learning app, about which Business Insider reported: ‘This could be one of the best language-learning apps we’ve ever seen.’ Wyner’s book on language learning – ‘Fluent Forever: How to learn a language fast and never forget it’ (Harmony Press/Random House) – was published in the summer of 2014.