In the old days, people thought learning a new language was confusing and time consuming. Some studies even guaranteed that learning languages could be problematic, especially for younger children.

However, in today’s modern society, the attitude and disposition towards learning new languages is completely different. People who speak more than one language have improved memory, problem-solving and critical thinking skills, enhanced concentration, ability to multitask and better listening skills. It also allows us to communicate with other people, experience other customs, and immerse ourselves in other cultures. In all, it provides a series of social, psychological, and cognitive benefits.

Benefits of learning a new language:

1.- Increases brain power

Learning a new language means adopting a new set of rules and structures. One of the main benefits is the growth of the language centers in your brain every time you practice and speak. During learning, your brain must deal with the complexity of meaning and the adoption of speech and intonation which is extremely stimulating.

2.- Delays dementia

Research shows that learning a new language can delay the development of Alzheimer's disease. Studies show that bilingual people develop Alzheimer's disease an average of four and a half years later than people who only know one language. There are studies that reveal that the more your brain retains, the lower the possibility of the development of dementia.

3.- Hearing improvement

Being bilingual improves listening skills. This phenomenon occurs because the brain is able to distinguish sounds and differentiate phonemes from one language to another, so the level of auditory precision is such that bilingual people can distinguish two different noises at the same time.

4.- Expands your memory

Learning a new language requires memorization and application of the new vocabulary words, grammar rules, and sentence structures. It assumes that the person has a good ability to handle various sources of information while doing a job. Memory is in charge of storing that information, which can be processed and applied later. Essentially, multilingual people exercise their brains more.

5.- Boosts attention

Language learning has been related to the control of attention span, thus having a greater control over distractions.

A study at York University (Canada) found that people who know how to communicate in two or more languages demonstrate greater control over attention, thus being able to reduce distractions more effectively than monolingual people.

6.- Opens your mind, new perspectives

Learning new languages helps you get to know other types of cultures and customs and can change the way you see and approach the world.

Each language and each culture vary through their vocabulary, their intonation, their writing, etc. There are terms which are commonly used in one country and not in another; it does not mean that this term does not exist, rather they hold different meanings through the different languages. That is why learning a new language can make you perceive the environment in a more natural way and discover a sensitivity for certain aspects that you previously did not have.

7.- Improves communication

The study of several languages improves grammar skills, which leads to an improvement in your mother tongue, from vocabulary, grammar, conjugation, comprehension, or sentence structure.

We can conclude that both verbal and non-verbal communication will be enhanced, as well as learning new intonations, pronunciations, etc.

8.- Improves the ability to multitask

According to Pennsylvania State University, people who have developed the ability to reflect in different languages and switch from one to another, become much better at multitasking, essentially reducing stress levels. This is because when we study a new language, we use both the first and second languages.

9.- Improves decision-making

According to the study conducted at the University of Chicago, decision-making is made easier for multilingual people. These people are more persistent with limiting and framing techniques, which makes them less likely to be influenced by advertisements or political campaigns. In turn, they are more observant when listening and reading the words. Multilingual people are more confident in their decisions due to continued practice.

10.- Encourages critical thinking

Venturing to learn another language contributes to the development of critical thinking and provides people with tools that will help them better solve and analyze the information. Thinking about how other people express themselves makes us consider our way of thinking, which makes us self-critical. Being open to understanding other lifestyles allows us to see different perspectives. Likewise, this learning allows us to make hypotheses and build arguments to be able to express ourselves in a more adequate and fluid way.

11.- Creative improvements

Teaching a new language improves your creativity, because you do not know the second language perfectly, you have to continually find substitute words to be able to make yourself understood when you speak with someone. In this way you develop your creativity and your way of expressing yourself by describing the word you are looking for or looking for a synonym.

12.- Offers better career options

Language learning helps develop certain cognitive skills, better mental flexibility, the development of multitasking, listening, and problem-solving skills, as well as improving social interaction and fostering connection between peers.

Final Thoughts

In all, learning a language offers a wide variety of benefits ranging from social benefits to physical benefits. Being bilingual can open countless doors and possibilities in various fields of life, including academic, social, and professional. As society evolves and becomes more globalized, it is imperative that we work on communication, and one way is to learn and practice new languages.