Article on how “trying to much” actually makes it harder to learn a language.
In a test group, some participants were told to color while they listened to a fake language, and they
learned grammar patterns better, than participants that were told to focus.
"… Two memory systems
While studies have shown learning a new language is good for the brain and can protect against Alzheimer’s, adults often find it more difficult to become proficient in a second language later in life. Children have a much easier time with the grammar because they learn in a different way than adults do, Finn said.
Humans have two main memory systems that influence learning: Declarative memory is the basic knowledge of things like facts and vocabulary, while procedural memory is the one people “get for free without trying,” Finn said. It’s the way people learn habits and skills, like riding a bike. Much of the time, this kind of learning happens unconsciously.
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(If you are studying Finnish here is the same in Finnish)