Benefits of Learning a Second Language
1. You can talk with more people.
Learning another language gives you uncountable opportunities to meet and connect with others due to the simple fact that you can talk to more people.
This doesn’t just happen after you’re fluent, either. A great way to expand your social circle while studying is to connect with fellow language learners. You already know you have at least one thing in common, after all.
Of course, learning another language allows you to meet people who already speak that language, too. A common way to do this is to find a language exchange partner.
Communicating in someone’s native language does two things. It shows respect, and it allows you to connect on a deeper level. You might be surprised how open people are when you speak their mother tongue.
2. It’s a major advantage in the workforce.
Adding a second (or third, or fourth) language to your CV gives you an unparalleled advantage in today’s global economy.
More and more employers are looking for people who speak multiple languages. This is especially true for fields like customer service, hospitality, health care, information technology and administrative work.
Multilingual people can communicate and interact with diverse communities. This is a valuable asset in an employee’s skill set.
You definitely up your professional value if you can negotiate with manufacturers in another country or communicate with customers who don’t speak your native language.
Plus, fluency in a foreign language opens up opportunities abroad which simply are not available to monolingual job hunters.
Your ability to speak another language also conveys that you’re motivated and driven to learn new skills.
3. Traveling is easier and more fulfilling.
Learning a second language will help you discover more about the place you’re in. Locals know the hidden gems of their city better than any tourists. If you speak the language, they can tell you about the best coffee, the most amazing viewpoint or the least crowded beaches.
In fact, speaking the local language might help you save money too.
Your taxi driver’s favorite restaurant is probably cheaper and more authentic than the hotel concierge’s recommendation. And he might even offer you a discounted ride because you wanted to get to know him a bit—it’s happened before!
Similarly, you may get better prices on accommodation or shopping, either because you can ask or because the vendors appreciate your language skills.
Knowing at least some of the local language means you’ll be able to rely more on yourself instead of simply on a guidebook that recommends crowded hotels and overpriced tour companies.
In fact, speaking a second language can even help you travel more.
You’ll probably be able to get away with just English in most major cities, but if you want to venture into small towns or villages off the beaten path, then even a little of the local dialect will serve you immensely.
Perhaps most importantly, you’ll be better prepared in the case of an emergency. If you get lost, fall ill or get mugged, knowing some of the language might literally be a life-saver.
4. You gain cultural knowledge and perspective.

Language helps you understand the world.
Learning another language isn’t just about words and grammar. Knowledge of the society and culture behind that language is necessary to achieve any degree of fluency. The history and culture of a people are reflected in the language, and vice versa.
It’s important to remember that languages aren’t simply different sets of words to express the same ideas—they’re entirely different outlooks on the world.
Linguistic relativity is the concept that language dramatically shapes the way we think about, perceive and interact with the world around us. Most people who speak multiple languages will tell you there’s a profound spiritual and emotional element to it.
Allow this to open you up to the world, broaden your horizons and bring you closer to people of all races and nationalities.
You may develop a deep appreciation for another culture, fall in love with a native speaker or become unlikely friends with someone totally different from you.
5. You have access to more information and entertainment.
Learning another language is consuming native media.
You’ll have access to a whole new selection of music, movies, TV shows, books, news programs, podcasts, websites and more.
Of course, it takes time and effort to reach a level where this is comfortable. But there’s plenty of multilingual content to get you started!
6. It improves your communication skills.
Of course, learning a second language improves your listening and speaking skills.
You’ll learn to listen more effectively and to be as clear as possible when you’re talking. The ability to clarify intended meanings will benefit you in any situation and any tongue.
You’ll likely gain reading and writing skills as well. You’ll think more carefully about the words you use and the meaning you’re expressing in your non-native language.
In fact, your acquired language literally helps you think more logically, process information and speak more evenly.
Learning another language will also make you more adept at piecing together information and interpreting context, whether it’s an unclear situation or cross-cultural communication.
The ability to look at things from various angles and understand someone else’s perspective means you’ll be able to communicate more respectfully and more effectively in any language.
7. It makes other languages easier too.
Learning your first language happens naturally through observation, so many people don’t explicitly know the underlying rules or logic of it.
To learn a second language, though, you pretty much have to learn the rules.
Many people who learn another language discover that they also gain unanticipated benefits in their first language, like becoming more conscious of and knowledgeable about their native grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation.
Learning a language trains your brain to analyze and process various linguistic structures. Your brain learns to identify language-learning techniques and break them into steps—and will do the same with other foreign languages!
So, studying your second language increases your ability to replicate this “metalinguistic awareness” process later. Your brain’s increased knowledge of syntax, grammar and sentence structure will give you a head start on learning your third language.
8. It delays the effects of aging.

If picking up a language as an adult looks good, doing it as a senior is even more impressive!
Having multiple languages under your belt as you age can also have major advantages.
In particular, research has shown that knowing more than one language can potentially reduce the risk of dementia and delay Alzheimer’s Disease.
Regardless of education level, gender or occupation, multilingual subjects in this study experienced the onset of Alzheimer’s about four and a half years later than monolingual subjects.
Study results also show that speaking more than one language increases the amount of neural pathways in the brain.
This allows information to be processed through a greater variety of channels and can keep your brain sharp as you age.
9. It boosts your creativity.
Anyone learning a language has experienced moments of serious linguistic problem solving.
You know what you want to say, but not in the language you’re currently speaking. You can’t move forward without the word, so you have to get creative.
Using your second language requires you to learn how to give clues, context, explanations and/or gestures to get your point across. It improves your skills in divergent thinking—the ability to identify multiple solutions to a single problem.
Because, on top of your limited language and mental roadblocks, you usually need to
consider different linguistic and cultural nuances too.
All of this helps you think outside the box.
As a matter of fact, researchers are also concluding that multilingual speakers are more creative than monolingual speakers. This is likely because learning a foreign language gives you leeway to experiment with new words and phrases.
So, every time you stumble over those words and phrases, remember that you’re actually training your brain and developing skills that benefit every aspect of your life.
10. Your self-confidence will soar.
Confidence increases as you learn a new skill—like speaking a foreign language!
Some of this may come from learning something you enjoy, but language instruction also relies heavily on social interaction. Conversations with native speakers are essential to mastering your target language.