Growing up bilingual in the Philippines, where most people speak two or more languages, it was easy to take for granted the many benefits of knowing multiple languages. Most of us learned English from early childhood, so it didn’t feel particularly remarkable.
Only when I grew older and started getting exposed to more people from other countries did I realize that bilingualism or multilingualism isn’t the norm for everyone. As I began learning Korean and exploring more languages, I came to understand the importance of learning a second language and the use of language versatility.
So, what are the benefits of learning a second language? Let’s go through my list, shall we?
1. Learning languages helps you connect with more people.
One of the most obvious advantages of learning a second language is that you can talk to more people. Languages are tools for communication and connection. And isn’t that one of the most rewarding aspects of being human, the ability to connect with others?
Knowing widely spoken languages such as English, Mandarin, and Spanish is particularly useful when traveling because you have the unique opportunity to talk to locals. You don’t have to resort to random hand gestures!
But even without traveling abroad, knowing a second or third language proves beneficial when talking to strangers or even colleagues who speak a different mother tongue. People tend to open up more when speaking the language they’re comfortable with. So, if you speak their language or dialect, you might just get a better understanding of their thoughts — they might even tell you their life story!
2. Knowing more languages helps you gain a full travel experience.
American author Clifton Fadiman said, “When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.” I wholeheartedly agree.
While most countries have gone out of their ways to make tourists feel welcome, part of being a responsible traveler is knowing that we’re supposed to adjust, and not the other way around. This includes researching the culture, learning about local customs and traditions, and learning a few basic phrases.
It shouldn’t feel like a task, really. On the contrary, knowing the local language is so rewarding especially when you know more than the basic polite greetings and “where is the bathroom?”.
I can vividly recall the time I went to Seoul and the old lady selling spicy dakkochi (chicken skewers) asked me in Korean if I can tolerate spice and I answered jokeum (a little). If I had just answered a straight yes, I probably wouldn’t have been able to finish that skewer.
Anyone who has traveled to a place where a different language or dialect is spoken can tell you just how practical bilingualism can be. You can ask about the food you’re ordering, you can haggle prices, you can easily ask for accurate directions, and you can make small talks more interesting. All these without the need for translation apps or charades!
3. It widens your knowledge of various cultures.
One of the biggest benefits of learning a second language is being able to understand another culture. Language is cultural and is interspersed with the traditions, arts, religions, and history of the people and country associated with that language.
Knowing the language allows you to better understand and appreciate the culture tied to that language, especially since there are a lot of words and concepts in local cultures (like these Filipino words) that don’t translate well to English or other popular languages.
While you can read and study about other cultures, knowing the language makes the whole experience more immersive.
Greater understanding and appreciation of another culture, in turn, results in greater tolerance, empathy, and acceptance of others. Exposure to a variety of cultures promotes openness to new perspectives — an acceptance that we are who we are because we come from different backgrounds.
4. It boosts your brain power.
Multiple studies have confirmed that the advantages of learning a foreign language include many cognitive benefits.
For one, a bilingual or multilingual brain works and looks different compared to monolingual brains. Research shows that the brains of people who speak two languages contain a higher density of gray matter in the executive control region. This region contains most of your brain’s neurons and synapses and performs more activity when engaging in a second language.
It is then no surprise that many bilinguals have improved memory, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills as well as enhanced concentration and better listening skills.
After all, a foreign language is a whole new intricate system of rules, structures, and vocabulary. Learning a second language or a third even means your brain has to cope with the complexity of new systems that may or may not share similarities with your native language.
So, the next time you ace that Duolingo level, pat yourself on the back — you deserve it after the mental workout!
5. Learning a second language can stave off the effects of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
The heightened workout a bilingual brain performs throughout its life doesn’t just result in cognitive benefits but also improves brain health. Studies have shown that language learning helps delay the onset of degenerative neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia by as much as five years.
Learning and using a second language keeps your brain agile and working in analytical ways. While it won’t prevent you from getting Alzheimer’s or dementia, it can help you continue to function even in the face of having brain damage.
6. Learning languages gives you a wider choice of jobs.
Among the common reasons to learn a second language is job availability. Knowing multiple languages opens up a world of choices that may not be available to your monolingual peers.
A survey conducted by Rosetta Stone showed that up to 35% of those responsible for hiring or managing people reported that an employee’s proficiency in another language led them to extend a job offer, grant an interview, recommend a promotion, and recommend a pay raise.
Many jobs require (or at least prefer) applicants to know a second language. Employees who can speak multiple languages can communicate with a wider set of clients, making bilingualism or multilingualism a valuable skill. And yes, as long as you meet the other criteria, it can lead to faster promotion and higher income.
7. Learning a second language helps with decision-making.
One of the best cognitive benefits of learning a second language is that it helps you get better at making decisions.
Several studies and this TED video on the benefits of a multilingual brain have explained that people who learned a second language in adulthood display less emotional bias and exhibit a more rational approach when solving problems in the second language than in their native one. This is because learning a second language happens more systematically compared to how we learned our native language.
When we deliberate in our second or third language, we often observe the rules, nuances, and even hidden meanings in sentences. We distance ourselves from emotional responses and biases that we associate with our mother tongue. This results in logical decisions based on facts.
8. Being bilingual makes you a better multitasker.
In the same vein, knowing a second or third language helps you become a better multitasker and problem-solver.
The previously mentioned TED video illustrates that the mental workout required by switching between languages, or code-switching, triggers more activity, and potentially strengthens, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This part of the brain helps with problem-solving and multitasking.
This Penn State research supports that conclusion. Judith Kroll, Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Penn State that instead of the misguided belief that bilingualism creates confusion, bilinguals benefit by being able to attend to critical tasks while filtering out unnecessary information.
Want to get better at juggling tasks? Maybe try your hand at juggling languages.
9. You can consume information in multiple languages.
It’s probably every K-drama/K-pop fan’s dream to be able to watch and understand a show without subtitles.
While I’m not fluent, I realized I’ve come a long way when I started noticing that there were so many mistranslations and inaccurate subtitles on Netflix. Many have noticed this with Squid Game but unfortunately, it’s not an isolated case.
Looking back, this was one of my reasons for studying Korean and now, French: so that I can consume media in the said languages.
Being bilingual or multilingual means you have easier access to information. This isn’t just limited to shows, books, or music. Imagine being in Japan and suddenly a tsunami warning comes off — you’d want to understand it right away.
From being able to read restaurant menus in Chinese to understanding a question from a stranger to reading Le Petit Prince in its original language, this access to more cultural output and information is priceless.
10. Learning languages helps improve performance in other academic areas.
As a result of higher cognitive skills, it’s not surprising that the advantages of learning another language include better academic performance.
It has been reported that multilingual students’ performance in reading and math has improved by two to three times greater than that of their monolingual counterparts. Another study concluded that language learners perform better across a range of academic subjects compared to students who don’t study a second language.
Why is this so? Learning a language requires heightened literacy. It requires you to read and write, which then improves comprehension skills. Paired with analytical skills, you can see why many multilingual students perform well in school.
11. It improves your social skills.
Improving one’s social skills is also one of the most apparent benefits of learning a second language.
Sure, it might seem daunting to speak a new language at first (when you’re studying as an adult) but once you overcome this fear, it can lead to new connections and deeper friendships that otherwise wouldn’t be possible with the language barrier.
But the benefits don’t stop with conversational skills. Multilingual speakers tend to be more empathetic and more tolerant of ambiguity. This allows them to extend the benefit of the doubt and look past the words to try to understand the intention.
Who knew learning a language can help you become a better person, too?!
12. Learning languages boosts your creativity.
All that brain flexing can lead to great ideas and innovation!
A study showed that bilinguals outperform monolinguals on creativity tasks, owing to bilinguals’ enhanced executive functioning compared to monolinguals. Exposure to multiple cultures, as mentioned earlier, leads to openness to new perspectives, which can then lead to thinking out of the box.
The more languages you learn, the more pairs of eyes you obtain, allowing you to look at the world in different ways. And because we, language learners, have plenty of experience with making mistakes, we’re not afraid to fail and we keep trying, even identifying multiple solutions to a single problem.
13. It helps build your confidence.
Speaking of making mistakes, this part of learning languages is not just beneficial for your memory. It also does wonders for your confidence.
Learning a language means moving out of your comfort zone. Putting yourself out there is scary but the sense of accomplishment you get when you’re able to converse with a local makes the initial discomfort worth it.
And with improved social skills, who wouldn’t grow to be confident anyway?
14. Learning a second language improves your understanding of your first language.
Ironically, learning a second language leads you to a better understanding of your first one!
Many language learners learn about grammatical constructs, syntax, and all the nuts and bolts of language for the first time when they learn a new language. You didn’t have to do these with your mother tongue.
The conscious process of reading, writing, listening to, and speaking in another language helps you be more observant of the intricacies of your first language. Learning languages also makes you more aware of the differences and similarities between your first and second language.
15. And helps you learn more languages!
Why learn a second language? So you can learn more languages!
It’s not an exaggeration to say that the more languages you know, the easier it is to learn another one. But while learning Spanish is easier for those who speak French, Italian, or other Romance languages, the cognitive benefits of language learning are not specific to any language.
Yes, mastering a second language requires familiarity with a wider variety of linguistic structures and it would be easier for you to learn languages that belong in the same family tree. But even if study Japanese as a third language after learning German as a second language, you’ll still have an easier time than if you didn’t learn German.
This is because, by this time, you have mastered more learning strategies like memorization, trying out different exercises, learning through immersion, and more. By knowing which techniques work for you when you acquired your second language, you get a significant head start at tackling your third, fourth, or fifth language.
Simply put, learning languages is like learning how to ride a bicycle — it’s muscle memory. Sure, you might need refresher lessons from time to time. But you don’t forget how to learn a new language once you’ve learned one.
Conclusion
If you’ve wondered how polyglots managed to learn multiple languages, here’s how: they started by learning a second language.
And with the above wonderful, life-changing benefits of learning a second language, who wouldn’t want to learn one?
The good news is that you can. Learning languages is not reserved for intelligent kids (on the contrary, see point number 4) nor is it impossible if you don’t travel, as these tips on learning languages from home will tell you. Are you willing to commit and work hard? If yes, you’re on the right track.