Why learn a second language?
Part of studying abroad is learning a bit about the culture. If you’re in Spain, you might want to sample the tapas or visit some of the fantastic architecture designed by Gaudi. If you’re studying in Germany, you’ll probably visit the Berlin Wall and drink its famous beer. However, one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the culture of a place is learning the language.
There are many benefits of learning a second language so download Babbel, sign up to some lessons and start becoming bilingual!
Boost your employment prospects
Increasing globalisation has made it possible to work in different countries. Therefore, knowing a second language can be extremely beneficial. If you understand how to communicate with people in other languages, you’ll be able to attract more customers to a business or create deals with other companies. Employers are always looking for individuals who can speak multiple languages for just this reason.
Helps develop your understanding of the world around you
There are many phrases that you won’t be able to directly translate into your native language. By learning a second language, you’ll develop your understanding of other people and cultures.
Also, if you understand a second language, you’ll be in a much better position when you travel to other places. You’ll be able to pick up phrases much quicker. Many European languages such as Spanish and French have very similar grammar rules so once you’ve mastered one language, its much easier to pick up another one!
Good for the brain
Learning a language is a constant process. Once you’ve started to learn a second language, your brain will start translating things as you walk around. You’ll constantly be learning and thinking about how grammatical rules apply.
Additionally, studies have reported that bilingual people may be able to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease by . Other studies have suggested learning a second language helps you to multi-task better, improves your memory and keeps your brain sharp.
Increase the number of people you can interact with
Understanding a second language opens you up to a world of possibility. You’ll be able to interact with more people which might mean more work opportunities, new friendships or finding out something about a culture you didn’t know before.
Additionally, 43% of the world’s population speak a second language so just think about how many more people you’ll be able to interact with! If you choose German as your second language, you’ll have 220 million more potential friends.
Need more reasons?
You may think that learning a second language limits you to being in the country where it is most widely spoken. However, you’ll often find that the same language being spoken in lots of different countries. Across Europe, there are many countries where German is widely spoken such as Luxembourg, Belgium, Lichtenstein, Switzerland and Austria.
BSBI offers free German language lessons to all students for three hours a week. Find out more about our range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes by exploring our website here.