If you’re looking for reasons to learn a new language, this post will help you to finally convince you to start this journey.
Before talking about the importance of learning a second language (or more languages), I would like to know your WHY.
Why do you want to learn a new language?
It’s highly important to know what is the main reason for someone to start this beautiful and fun journey (yep! Learning languages is fun!!). If you have that reason in mind, it would be a lot easier to reach your goals.
I invite you to share your thoughts in the comment section so we can all get to know.
My Own Reasons To Learn A New Language
- It gives me so much joy.
- It helps my mind to stay focused for more time.
- It’s a funny activity.
- It helps me to understand people who talk the languages I’m learning.
If you want to know more about the reasons why everyone should learn a new language, you can watch the following video:
Benefits of Learning Languages
Let me give you some context.
When I started learning English in high school in 2007 (approx.), teachers told us that we will train our brain.
‘¿Qué dice?’ I thought.
I wasn’t sure about the meaning of that when I first started this journey because I didn’t know what was the meaning of learning a language. I didn’t have the access to internet, it was the first time that someone talks about other languages, and I was only 10 years old.
It was super difficult for all of us in our area to have access to the Internet. Only people who had too much money to pay for the service will have the opportunity to access to some information online.
Now that I’m older, I’m able to do researches, and I can finally talk to you about the reasons why you should learn a new language.
Scientific Reasons to Learn Languages
According to some studies, learning a second language trains our memory to be:
- stronger
- healthier
- better listener
- and more creative
Additionally, we can control and manage our attention to a specific subject more easily. The reason for this is that when we understand and apply the structure of a second language, we tend to ignore irrelevant information and focus on what it’s really important.
‘Researchers concluded that learning a second language improved speakers’ planning, cognitive flexibility, and working memory, three pillars on which creativity is built’ by Dan Roitman in his article.
What are the reasons to learn a new language?
Save this post for later.
To have fun
The reason why I say that learning a new language is fun is that you have to connect your mind to new meanings to create new sentences. These sentences will be then understood by you and your peers.
Also, when you finally understand your target language, you’ll start enjoying most of the foreign content that you can find online or physically. Most of the TV shows, movies, books, and magazines, among others, will be easily understandable for you.
Some of the English content that I enjoy:
- Video games
- TV programs
- Films
- Documentaries
- Books
- Magazines
- Blogs
Now that I understand English, it’s easier for me to watch a TV program because I don’t have to be worried about reading subtitles. That’s the funniest part!
How many times have you been watching TV programs, series, or films and you have to stop the video just to read the subtitles properly?
Probably, too many. Right?
Now, let’s think about the case that you want to learn something new about a specific subject. However, the content is not in your mother tongue. This situation won’t help you to feel better. Indeed, you’ll feel disappointed because you cannot understand by yourself what it is explained.
However, what if you learn that second language? If you learn, at least the basic content, you will be able to understand, learn and have fun while learning about a new topic.
Reason Why You Should Choose a Language that You Truly Like
If you start learning a language just because someone else is forcing you to do it (like in High School where you have to learn it to pass the course), and you don’t feel passionate about it, you will probably quit. I’m that kind of person that think that the language you choose must make you feel joy.
To be exposed to new ideas
For this reason of learning a language, I need to give you an example from my experience.
I’m a native Spanish speaker, and I didn’t know English 15 years ago. I found a book in my target language that seems to be about watercolor paintings (a topic that I enjoy and want to learn about). And then, I started reading it.
what happened?
I didn’t understand a thing, hahaha.
It was frustrating because I wanted to understand the content that was in the book, but it was impossible. Now, I’m still learning English, but I’m finally able to read a book and understand, at least, 95% of the content.
There are a lot of great thinkers and writers that do not speak our language, and they share their ideas in different languages. Most of them have fascinating ideas to share with us. That’s why I think that there is too much information out there that we need to discover.
To do that, and to be exposed to those new ideas, we need to learn that language.
To do something that it’s easier than you think
Learning a language might be difficult if you don’t have the correct resources.
However, if we have access to the internet, we have, indeed, tons of websites that we can use as free resources to start learning a language.
Nowadays, I would say that we can study a language literally lying in our living room sipping our favorite beverage or eating our favorite snack.
When I started learning Korean, one thing that I did to find resources was to do research on Google: ‘Online resources to learn Korean’. I got so many useful websites, apps, and resources. I shared some of them in this video:
Now, the difficult part would be staying consistent. When you find the resources that fit your level, you’re going to make progress if you stay consistent.
Steps to Learn A New Language
- Make a plan to learn the language.
- Create a routine that works for you.
- Enjoy the process.
To experience new cultures through learning languages
Through languages, we are directly exposed to the culture of a country. Besides languages, food, clothing, behaviors, and others are also part of the culture.
For example, we can learn new recipes from other countries if we read cookbooks in our target language; we can learn about the history of a particular place; or we can understand a joke because jokes are full of culture.
Indeed, the culture and its language are closely connected. One is part of the other, so we are learning both of them unconsciously.
So, languages allow us to communicate, and express our ideas, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, among others. This is literally experiencing new cultures.
To be able of achieving goals
This last reason applies to all of those that feel happy whenever they achieve a goal. Learning a new language, and actually being able to speak it, make us feel satisfied. And, for humans, this makes the most important reason to start the journey.
Making progress in one specific area means a lot for humans, so if we start learning languages, it’s highly likely that we achieve that goal, and feel happy, and accomplished.
10 additional reasons to learn a foreign language
- Foreign language study creates more positive attitudes and less prejudice toward people who are different. Bilingual people (or people who learn more languages) have an open mind.
- Dealing with another culture enables people to gain a more profound understanding of their own culture because we can see our culture from a different perspective.
- International travel is made easier and more pleasant by knowing a foreign language since communication become easier.
- Learning foreign languages enhances people’s opportunities in different jobs (eg. government, business, medicine, law, technology, marketing, and more).
- Learning languages enhances our memory and other cognitive skills.
- The study of a new tongue improves the knowledge of one’s own language.
- Language learning liberalizes our experiences and makes us more flexible and tolerant.
- Learning new languages opens the door to art, music, cuisine, film, philosophy, science, and more.
- Language journey leads to an appreciation of cultural diversity.
- Learning languages expands our worldview and limits the barriers between people that cause distrust and fear.
These were the 15 reasons to learn a new language this 2023. This article was written mainly from my perspective since I’ve been learning English and Korean for some years.
I hope you can start this journey and achieve your goals. If you want, you can make it. It’s all up to you, and remember that you’re not alone.
Updated: April 23, 2023