Why is it important to learn other languages?

Many people believe learning a new language is not that easy, but there are many benefits indeed. People learn languages for many different reasons. Here I will cover 5 fundamental reasons why you should open those books and start learning a new language.

The first reason is to have a lot more culture. People who have culture are people who are knowledgeable and who know their way around life. If you know another language, you’ll be more cultured simply because this would increase your global understanding of the world in general.

The second is because you can travel the world. Everybody likes to travel. Certainly the most useful language to know, if you want to travel to a wide variety of countries around the world, is English. There are few large cities where you can’t find some people who speak at least a little basic tourist English.

There are places where no one speaks any language except the local one(s), but it’s possible to communicate basic travel needs with no mutual language at all. You’ll get more out of a visit if you know a language understood by at least some of the locals, but not knowing any locally-understood language shouldn’t stand in the way of going wherever you really want to go.

The third is because you’ll become a more independent and interesting person. A basic ability in a foreign language will help you to ‘get by’, i.e. to order food and drink, find your way around, buy tickets, etc. If you have a more advanced knowledge of the language, you can have real conversations with the people you meet, which can be very interesting and will add a new dimension to your holiday. You might make new friends, make useful business contacts, or even find your soulmate.

The fourth is because you’ll develop your mind. By learning a language, you’re exercising your brain, and so you will be faster at memorizing and doing simple mental exercises. When you learn a new language you need to put words and verbs together, which works your brain. You’ll be very good at associating other things as well.

The fifth reason why you should learn another language is because you can get better job opportunities. If your work involves regular contact with speakers of foreign languages, being able to talk to them in their own languages will help you to communicate with them. It may also help you to make sales and to negotiate and secure contracts. Knowledge of foreign languages may also increase your chances of finding a new job, getting a promotion or a transfer overseas, or of going on foreign business trips.

There you have it – 5 good reasons why you should get a good course on any language and start learning. We all talk… I’ll learn a new language after I retire or I’ll start learning this when I finish that… But if you don’t get yourself a course now, then you most probably will never get one. Now is the time to start studying a new language, not later. You’ll benefit from learning this language sooner than later. So get those books out and start studying!