Speaking multiple languages has long been a highly prized trait, and for good reason: It’s a sign of intelligence and work ethic, and it builds bridges between people who otherwise couldn’t talk to one another, enriching travel experiences and opening the door to new cultures and opportunities. More recently, research has shown that speaking another language can help you earn more money and keep your brain sharp!
But with more than 7,000 languages in the world, choosing which one to learn can be a massive undertaking. How do you chose just one (or, if you’re really ambitious, a handful)?
When I first became interested in learning languages, I spent an embarrassingly long time reading about languages and about how to choose which language to study… instead of actually learning a language. So I’m writing what I wished I had known before: How to find a language that’s right for you, and in doing so, how to find a why – a reason that drives you, that helps you stay focused and motivated when you’re bored, tired, or frustrated.
The Most Widely-Spoken Languages
Most people should start by looking at the world’s most widely-spoken languages: Just 23 languages are spoken by more than half of the world’s population! Some of the world’s most spoken languages include Mandarin Chinese (1.1 billion speakers), Hindi (600 million), Spanish (543 million), and Arabic (274 million).
A major advantage here is that these languages are likely to have more learning resources available, such as classes, self-directed courses, books, movies, dictionaries, and so on. And you’ll have more native speakers to talk with!
Where do you live?
Of course, exactly how “useful” a language is also depends on your location. For example, Spanish is the most commonly learned foreign language in the United States, for obvious reasons.
The second most commonly taught foreign language in the US is French – but Americans might struggle to actually speak French in their daily lives, considering that fewer than 1% of Americans speak French at home (by comparison, 13% of Americans speak Spanish at home). On the other hand, if you live in the UK, you’re a stone’s throw away from France. And if you’re Australian, you’re more likely to interact with people who speak Asian languages such as Mandarin Chinese or Vietnamese.
Are you going somewhere already?
Traveling can be notoriously expensive, but some people are lucky enough to have travel built into our lives at a reduced cost or even free to us. So consider if you have any built-in opportunities:
– Studying abroad: Maybe you’re a student at a school that has a study abroad program in the UK, Spain, Germany, and Morocco. The list of study abroad locations gives you a curated list of languages to choose from.
– Business trip: Perhaps a family member has an upcoming business trip to Brazil and you’re able to go along!
– Relatives: Maybe you have relatives who live in Mexico, Italy, or South Korea. Your family visits make a great springboard for chatting with native speakers, and learning the language might help you connect more deeply with your family as well!
As a bonus, the knowledge that you will be in the country can serve as a tangible reward that helps you maintain your study habits. And it feels great being (somewhat) independent and self-reliant instead of being a helpless, clueless tourist.
Long-term interests
Think of how a particular language might be connected to one of your interests, especially an interest that you’ve held for a long time. For example, maybe:
– You’ve been engrossed in the Renaissance ever since you learned about it, making Italian a natural choice.
– You’re an avid consumer of anime and other Japanese culture, leading you to Japanese.
– You took a college class on geopolitics and discovered a passion for east Africa. Try Swahili!
Professional considerations
Not only do multilingual people tend to get paid more, but speaking another language can open entire areas of work that were previously closed off to you. For example, maybe:
– You’re interested in working abroad on behalf of the US government (such as an ambassador, diplomat, or a myriad of other roles). Or you do similar work but as part of an non-governmental organization. The language options here are nearly limitless.
– You’d like to use the language primarily in a business context. Consider the language of one of your country’s main trading partners.
– You’re passionate about working on the ground to protect the Amazon rainforest. Portuguese or Spanish would be immensely useful.
Exploring your own ethnic/cultural history
Many people do not speak their “heritage” language – the language of their ancestor’s culture or ethnicity. In the United States, most people of European descent speak only English, even though millions of them claim ancestry from European country other than England. For example, although 15% of Americans identify as having significant German ancestry, fewer than 1% of Americans report speaking German at home. The situation is similar with French, Italian, and other European languages – and the trend is also present with the descendants of recent immigrant groups from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Descendants of immigrants who’ve lost their native language over time might take joy in connecting with their heritage language. It enables you to read literature and explore art and culture in the original language – including works that may have never been translated to English. You might connect with grandparents or other family members who speak the language. And it brings the benefits of travel and professional advancement that most languages entail.
Love
You never know whom you might meet! Many large and mid-sized cities are increasingly diverse, so you might learn a language to communicate with in-laws or other family members – or to communicate more intimately with your partner. A powerful motivation indeed!
Alternatively, you might start learning a language and then meet a special someone who’s a native speaker, thereby adding another powerful reason to continue learning the language!
Getting started!
Considering these factors should help alleviate the “analysis paralysis” involved in choosing a language. And remember, it’s not a lifetime commitment – you can become fluent enough to hold a basic conversation (order food, talk about your interests, listen to the news) without learning enough to discuss the details of postmodern philosophy or deforestation. Being able to hold a simple conversation with a native speaker – someone you couldn’t talk to otherwise – is immensely rewarding.
And although some languages are more difficult to learn than others, I would disregard the difficulty rating in favor of focusing on your reason why. Learning any language is hard enough, but if you have a reason to learn it, they’re all good fun and deeply rewarding.