I know this is a bit of a necro-bump, but Today I Found Out just released a video answering exactly this question:
https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=ipDdWx67H9M
spoiler
Apparently, adults are better at learning languages than kids.
this post was submitted on 18 Oct 2023
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Asklemmy
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Necro- away, sweet Bowser. This is the shit I love to hear about ๐ค
Brain plasticity, window of opportunity, it's all babble. You can learn new languages just fine as you age; the matter here is how much time you spend using the language.
The reason why adults perform generally worse than kids learning languages is mostly motivational, and not spending enough time with the language. But as an adult you got access to a bunch of resources that kids wouldn't, such as a decent grasp of grammar on theoretical grounds, that you can (and should) use to your advantage.
Note however that watching sitcoms will likely not be enough to get any decent grasp of any language. (Otherwise I'd be speaking Japanese, given the amount of anime that I watch.) You'll need proficiency on four levels: hearing, speaking, reading, writing.