Throwback to 2020 during the first lockdown of the pandemic when I felt severely bored. Thinking of something intellectual to stop my brain from turning to mush. After seeing somebody tweet that they were doing this to combat boredom, I thought I would give it a try – learning a new language. Learning a new language was a true boredom combater and it kept me going every day during the LONG lockdown. I started learning a new language to just keep my brain ticking over while sitting indoors shielding.
I used Duolingo to start learning Spanish (a language I’ve always wanted to learn) back in 2020 and I haven’t looked back! Fast forward to Summer 2022 and I’ve finished all the Spanish levels! Now, I wouldn’t say I am entirely fluent, but I can definitely string a conversation together in Spanish, which is an achievement in itself!
I’ve moved on to learning a bit more Welsh on Duolingo now. I was born and live in Wales and only really know the basics of Welsh and that’s about it.
So, what are the benefits of learning a new language? Find out below –
1) It’s expanded my knowledge
Learning a new language has certainly made me feel a little cleverer. Learning new words and vocabulary from a different language has definitely expanded my knowledge. It’s also allowed me to discover more about Spain and its culture. I think learning any language can do that for you!
2) It has made me want to learn more languages
I’ve kind of got the urge to want to learn more languages nowadays! I won’t learn them at all at once as it’ll get too complicated and I don’t want to overload my brain with different languages! In regards to what other languages I’d like to learn, I would say revisiting French (had lessons in school) would be a good one for me. Possibly Italian or maybe even Latin. Latin is so fascinating and I would love to learn that!
3) It’s been a confidence boost
Surprisingly, learning a new language has given me a boost in confidence. I think that learning another language has made me feel a tiny bit smarter, which has given me the confidence boost I needed. Learning a new language like Spanish has given me the confidence to try and speak Spanish if I ever visit Spain in the future also.
4) My memory has improved
When learning a new language, I have had to remember so many new words and spellings. When completing lessons on Duolingo, it’s very satisfying being able to remember how to write a sentence in Spanish or Welsh. I would definitely say my memory has improved since learning different languages.
5) A good skill to add to my CV
I’m all for adding new skills to my CV. Adding that you can speak basics of another language is a definite perk of learning a new language. Employers will definitely like the fact that you can potentially speak another language, whether you are completely fluent or just know the basics.
