7 Reasons to Learn a Foreign Language

In this day and age where the world is so easily connected via technology and social networking, being at least bilingual is becoming more and more commonplace as it opens so many more doors to all kinds of different opportunities. Learning a foreign language is so important, and comes with many benefits that you might never have expected. Of course, learning a foreign language comes with its own inherent challenges and difficulties. As you may have heard, language learning is a marathon, not a sprint. Sure, it’s something that takes a considerable amount of time and effort, but at the end it will be well worth it.

With Glossika, you’ll be able to learn a language significantly faster than if you were to rely solely on traditional language learning methods. So if you were on the fence with learning a foreign language before, here’s why you should make no delay in getting started on your journey!

1. It opens you up to tons of new people

It can be hard to get started with learning a foreign language. Especially if you’re learning by yourself! Sometimes, you might just be in a slump and can’t work up the motivation to finish what you set out to do. This all takes a turn for the better when you start meeting native speakers and/or fellow learners of your target language. There are plenty of language exchange sites out there that connect you with people from all over the world who are more than willing to give you a helping hand. Take advantage of this and meet some new friends while you’re at it!

Not only does knowing another language enable you to communicate with more of the world’s people and befriend them, but the practice of learning will also expose you to like-minded people. You’ll meet lots of great people that you otherwise likely wouldn’t have had the chance to meet if it wasn’t for language learning.

2. Learning about different countries’ cultures

By learning a foreign language, you are essentially learning about one of the most important elements of a country’s culture. By learning the language of a particular country, you are opening yourself to all kinds of new cultural insights that you hadn't known about before. There’s so much more than meets the eye that you’ll get exposed to when you start to adopt their language. Music, food, theatre, literature, and history are just a few things among many others that you’ll be able to learn more about as you learn more about the language.

3. It opens the door for new opportunities

Whether this be a study abroad, a new job, a romantic partner, a business venture, or any other opportunity that involves you moving to a new country, there’s no doubt that knowing another language opens doors that you might not have known were even there in the first place. If you’re a student looking to study abroad in either a student exchange program or an international student program, you’ll find that you’ll be much better off knowing the language of that country. Quite a few international student programs are actually in that country’s language, so you’ll have to know it anyways in order to keep up. And also, when you’re going about your daily life, it’s much easier to get around and perform your everyday activities when you know the language.

From a business standpoint, it’s always going to be easier for others to communicate with you when you know their language. Whether they be potential clients, business partners, or coworkers, things are likely to go much more smoothly when there are no language barrier issues. Plus, knowing another language is a big boost to your resume even for domestic jobs as many businesses value candidates who are bilingual and have had experience with international markets.

4. Becoming a smarter and more well-rounded person

Not only does learning a new language impact the kind of person you are in the sense that it gives you a new perspective on a lot of things in life, but it also impacts the way your brain actually works. Those who learn another language become better able to retain and process new information, which leads to better results even in completely unrelated aspects.

Language learning and its effect on the brain has been likened to how lifting weights builds muscles. Learning new languages helps increase our brain’s functionality and ability to learn just about anything better and more efficiently. This makes us better able to remember things, process information, think, and become more knowledgeable across the board.

5. Adding to your repertoire of skills

Who wouldn’t find it impressive if you could nail the pronunciation of each item on Italian restaurant’s menu or effortlessly converse with someone in France about recent events? This is the difference between simply being fluent and sounding like a native speaker. And of course, if you’re able to speak several languages fluently among other skills, you will seem much more capable overall. Nothing impresses people more than being able to do all kinds of things and having many different skills.

6. Boosting your confidence

It has long been said that learning a foreign language is a source of happiness, pride, and confidence for many people. Learning new languages and using them in the real world can be very effective in teaching confidence-boosting skills that we may not have known we needed. Some of these include public speaking, thinking on your feet, and initiative.

7. Traveling or living abroad

Last but not least, the obvious benefit to learning a new language is that your itinerary will get a serious boost when you travel! One of the great parts of travel is the people that you encounter along the way. By learning the language of the country, your travel experiences will become much more authentic, and really give you a feel for that country and its people.

Get Started on Your Language Learning Journey

Language a new language is so much more than meets the eye. In addition to the obvious benefits, there are so many more intrinsic aspects of various countries' cultures that you would otherwise be missing out on. Language helps you in many more ways than you’d expect, as this list shows, that are not necessarily limited to foreign experiences. You never know how a new language may change your life for the better, so it's time to get started on your language learning journey today.

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