Did you know that almost 22 million people around the world are studying Spanish at some capacity at this very moment? Why is that? Well, apart from it being a beautiful language, there are many reasons to learn Spanish.
Maybe you’ve been considering learning Spanish for a while but haven’t yet taken the leap, or perhaps you were studying for a time but lost your motivation to continue. Wherever you are in your language learning journey, we’re here to give you the inspiration you need to chase knowledge with excitement.
Listed below are 14 reasons to learn Spanish, including ways it can benefit your personal and professional life, as well as your health and mindset. After reading this list, you’ll be ready to start learning Spanish today.
Let’s get started!
1. Spanish is One of the Most Common Languages in the World
There are around 6,500 languages spoken in the world today, and out of all those languages, Spanish is by far one of the most common.
Spanish is the official language of a whopping 20 countries across the globe and is the native language of more than 450 million people. This means it’s second only to Chinese in the world’s most common languages, ranking ahead of English!
And as common as it is now, Spanish is projected to grow in the coming years. The total number of Spanish speakers has increased so much in the last decade, in fact, that it’s now been placed ahead of Mandarin and French in terms of the most important second language for British citizens.
If that doesn’t impress you, consider that language analysts expect the United States to reach 130 million Spanish speakers by the year 2060. This will make America the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, surpassing Mexico. When this happens, Spanish will be an even more important language from a global perspective.
2. Open New Doors in Your Career
The world is more globalized than ever, increasing businesses’ need for multi-lingual employees dramatically. So if you’ve been looking for a way to move up in your career, learning Spanish could be your answer.
Being bilingual is seen as a highly valuable asset to many employers, and because Spanish is so popular, knowledge of Spanish will make you even more attractive. Being fluent in Spanish can also help you to be better at your job.
Let’s say, for example, that you’re a nurse. A Spanish-speaking patient comes into the hospital and is relieved to find that you’re fluent in the language they’re most comfortable speaking. You’re able to give them better care because of it.
On top of the abstract rewards of learning Spanish in relation to your career, such as pride in your work, it will also increase the chances of receiving much more concrete benefits. Namely, the chances of you getting a promotion or landing a higher-paying job than the one you have now.
Those who speak a second language and beyond earn between 5 and 20% more per hour than those who only speak English.
3. Work or Study Abroad
Many of us dream of a life abroad, experiencing new things and new places each and every day. Well, by taking advantage of classes for adults wanting to learn Spanish, you can make that dream a reality.
Once you’ve progressed far enough in your Spanish journey, you can work in a Spanish-speaking country or learn in a Spanish-based university.
Now, if you have an adventurous spirit, you don’t have to wait to be fluent to do this. There’s nothing stopping you from moving to a Spanish-speaking country and honing your language skills by fully immersing yourself in the language and culture.
There are certain things you simply cannot learn in a short trip, you must live in the country to get the full experience and discover its true nature.
4. Enhance Your Travel Experience
Even if you don’t want to live in a Spanish-speaking country full-time, there are certain Spanish benefits you can take advantage of in a short-term trip.
Everyone should travel at some point in their life, as it’s one of the most enriching experiences a person can have. And if you’re traveling to a Spanish-speaking country, a knowledge of Spanish will make these experiences even better.
You’ll be able to communicate with locals and explore beyond the common tourist areas where finding an English speaker is common. Instead of sticking to tourist spots, you can experience the local way of life and see and do things that the average tourist never would.
You can also approach your travels with a level of street smarts that other tourists don’t have. You’ll avoid falling into the typical tourist traps like being hassled by salesmen and scammers.
5. Broaden Your Entertainment Horizons
Learning Spanish is an excellent way to broaden your entertainment horizons. You’ll open the door to a whole new world of music, movies, books, and television. There are countless pieces of award-winning art just waiting for you to find them.
You won’t have to worry about subtitles or trying to find an English translation of a book or the lyrics to a song. You’ll be able to enjoy all the Spanish media the world has to offer as it was intended to be consumed.
Don’t be afraid to try your hand at consuming Spanish media while you’re still learning either! Doing so is a great way to speed up the learning process and tune your ear for Spanish.
6. Improve Your Brain Health
It’s a sad statistic, but more than 6 million people in the United States alone are living with Alzheimer’s Disease. If nothing else, this could be your answer to the question of “why learn Spanish?”
There are a variety of things you can do to help ensure that your brain stays healthy throughout your entire life, but learning a second language is one of the most effective. Studies have shown that being bilingual can delay or even prevent the onset of degenerative brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
In addition to preventing disease, learning Spanish will also boost your memorization skills and other cognitive functions. Though your brain isn’t a muscle, it functions in a similar fashion in that the more you use it, the stronger it becomes.
7. Boost Your Knowledge of English
As native English speakers, many of us don’t realize how many quirks the English language truly has. There are a number of rules to any language, and English is no different, but most native speakers don’t think twice about them because it’s just what you know.
Through learning a new language, you’re forced to consider the rules of grammar and sentence structure, as you’ll make mistakes often when you’re first starting out. As you do so, you’ll be able to tie what you’ve learned back to English, enabling you to catch mistakes in your speech and writing that you might not have known you were making beforehand.
8. Make Lifelong Friends
Whether it’s through an in-person Spanish class, connecting with people through an app or online, or meeting people on your adventures to a Spanish-speaking country, you’re sure to make new friends in your journey to learning a new language.
You’ll have something in common with them from the beginning, jumpstarting your connection and enabling you to become even closer friends in the long run.
If you do decide to take advantage of a language learning app or study abroad while you’re learning Spanish, you’ll have the opportunity to share your knowledge of English at the same time. There are many apps and websites available that will allow you to learn Spanish from a native speaker in exchange for helping them with their English.
You’ll get the satisfaction and fulfillment that comes along with helping others while honing your own skills and sharpening your mind. And you never know, your new best friend might be out there waiting for you!
Besides, there are Spanish learning apps that involve you in the teaching process through games and stories, and these are particularly engaging for kids.
10. Improve Your Self-Discipline
Learning a new language as an adult requires an immense amount of self-discipline, even for the most studious Spanish learner. This self-discipline that you’ll cultivate in the process of learning a language can be translated to other skills as well.
You’ll have more patience and focus to learn any other skill you set your mind to. Not to mention, you’ll already know what works best for you in terms of learning and studying strategies. With this skill, you’ll be a better, faster learner.
11. Spanish is an Easy First Second Language
This isn’t meant to downplay the difficulty of learning a second language, learning any new language is tough and takes a great deal of time and effort. However, in comparison to many other languages, Spanish is the easier choice.
Unlike languages like Russian and Chinese, Spanish doesn’t require you to learn a new alphabet. For English speakers, there’s only one new letter and a few accents to grasp.
Like English, Spanish has many words with Latin stems, but Spanish is a much more straightforward language, free of all the anomalies of English. The majority of Spanish words are spelled phonetically, meaning they’re pronounced exactly as they’re spelled.
You won’t come across any strange quirks such as “Kansas” and “Arkansas” or “through” and “cough.” Lucky for you, you’re already fluent in one of the most notoriously difficult languages to learn.
Once you learn Spanish, you’ll find it easier to pick up other languages as well, especially ones like French, Italian, and Portuguese, which belong to the same language family as Spanish.
12. Become More Cultured
Learning a language is more than learning vocabulary words, it’s immersing yourself in a new culture, with identities and values different from your own. By learning Spanish, you’ll not only gain a grasp of the Spanish culture, but you’ll have a point of reference for your own.
Things that you might see as normal now will take on a completely different meaning once you realize that “normal” life and behavior are different in every area of the world.
13. Challenge Yourself
By reading this article, you’re at least considering learning a second language, which is something that many people never do, particularly those who speak English.
Why is this? Well, as we’ve already discussed, learning a second language is difficult. It takes a great deal of dedication and there are going to be times when you want to quit because the challenge is too great.
However, as you progress in the language, you’ll begin to gain an appreciation for it. You’ll also get a sense of accomplishment and pride every time you reach a new milestone or memorize a new word.
Overcoming your fear of failure and refusing to accept defeat will give you the confidence to tackle other challenges in your life and make you a better, stronger person as a result.
14. Improve Your Dating Prospects
Through expanding your language knowledge, you’ll automatically be improving your dating prospects. You might be dating a Spanish speaker, or traveling to a Spanish-speaking country soon. Or maybe you’re hoping to meet the person of your dreams online.
If you’re able to speak Spanish, you expand the number of people you’re able to communicate with on a deep level.
It’s also well-known that Spanish is a love language! With its passionate, sensual sound, Spanish is one of the most romantic languages in the world. Knowing how to speak it can make you a more attractive, more interesting person.
Start Benefitting From These Reasons to Learn Spanish Today
There’s never a wrong time to start taking steps to improve your life. And as you can see, there are more than a few reasons to learn Spanish that will do just that.
So what are you waiting for? Pick up a textbook, sign up for an online class, or download a learning app today. There’s no downside to taking the time to learn something new.
If you’re interested in learning more about enriching your life through education, be sure to take a look at our blog!
