6 Exciting Ways Learning Spanish Can Improve Your Life
So you’ve just been dying to try out that new taquería that all your friends have been raving about, but you’re nervous to go because you don’t know the language. Or you see an opening for the new position at work that you’ve had your eye on, but the job description says “preference given to bilingual Spanish-speaking candidates.” Whatever your reasons might be for wanting to learn Spanish, there are an equal number of exciting and surprising benefits that go along with it. You’ve already taken the first step in expressing interest in the language (why else would you be here?), now let’s dive in to all the different ways learning Spanish can enrich your life!
1. Learning Spanish can deepen your understanding of the English language
Spanish is well-known as one of the five major Romance Languages. From the quick flitting tongue to the heavily-rolled R’s, it’s easy to become entranced when listening to native-speakers in conversation. Spanish is also derived from Latin. Know where a lot of English words are rooted from? That’s right - Latin! Even though English is a Germanic language, enough of its vocabulary has been influenced by Latin to make knowing Spanish helpful when it comes to English reading and writing. Don’t believe me? Check out these examples:
Accompany = join, escort; Spanish word for join = acompañar
Adorn = to decorate; Spanish word for decoration/ornament = adorno
Debilitate = to weaken; Spanish word for weak = débil
Fume = smoke; Spanish word for to smoke = fumar
Occupy = busy/engaged; Spanish word for busy = ocupado
Are you starting to see how Spanish can be helpful? The very first time you are uncertain about an English word’s meaning but have enough context and know the Spanish counterpart well enough to figure it out - that’s a beautiful moment. And it goes both ways! Uncertain what a particular word is in Spanish? Say it in English to a native Spanish speaker and they just might be able to figure out what you are trying to say. As you become more fluent in your Spanish learning journey, you may also begin to develop a greater understanding of how Latin and the Romance Languages are intertwined, dancing together in harmony and syncing up their steps when the music allows. Heck, you might even decide to take on another Romance language once you’ve learned enough roots. Portuguese, anyone?
2. Multilingualism can have positive effects on cognitive function
We all know, having hobbies and keeping our minds active is good for the brain. It’s why parents are always telling their children to go outside for some fresh air and imaginary play instead of mindlessly watching back-to-back YouTube videos, and why retirement homes and libraries offer arts and crafts and board game nights. But did you know that learning a second language can actually slow the onset of diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s? A 2014 article cites studies that found bilingual patients to have an average onset of dementia “4 years later than patients who were monolingual” and Alzheimer diagnoses 4.3 years later in bilingual patients versus their monolingual counterparts¹. It further goes on to discuss the suppression of one language and switching to another that happens in the minds of bilingual individuals and how it can positively impact cognitive function.
We know that this type of “cognitive maneuvering,” as the article states, is the same action that provides various other benefits of bilingualism including advantages in attention span and inhibition, as well as increased cognitive control and sensory functions². So in addition to any other tangible benefit one might experience from learning a second language, our brains are further benefiting us and working overtime in the background. It’s like getting an upgrade for your cognitive and sensory functions. How cool is that?
3. Speaking a second language can give you a competitive advantage in the workplace
Anyone who has ever had to swim in the sea of job hunting knows just how treacherous the waters can be. Between resumes, references, headshots, cover letters, and filling out the dozens of blank fields in online applications (isn’t that what the resume is for?), one can easily get caught up in the logistics, alone. Add to that the growing list of employer demands in the ever-competitive job market and you’ve got yourself a recipe for many sleepless nights. In addition to “works well with others,” “excellent customer service skills,” and “3-5 years of related experience,” an increasing number of employers are seeking bilingual candidates to the tune of over 630,000 online job postings according to a 2017 report by New American Economy³. The report highlights that “Americans lose almost $2 billion each year because of language or cultural misunderstandings,” making it easy to see why employers see a need for bilingual employees.
We also have our growing global economy to thank for the rise in demand for multilingual workers. With e-commerce and world-wide delivery options becoming the norm, companies need to be able to understand their markets. Spanish in particular is the mother tongue in 3 continents, comprising a large portion of the global market. Know the language well enough and you just might have a leg ahead of your monolingual coworker in the next cube over.
Employers have other reasons for preferring bilingual candidates too. Remember that conversation we had about cognitive advantages? That’s right, employers want to tap into that, too. The upper-hand that bilingualism can provide in cognitive function overflows into creativity as well. The constant cognitive switching that happens in a bilingual mind often translates into broader creative potential⁴. Many large corporate employers know the cognitive and creative benefits that come from bilingual employees and have every reason to prefer them over their one-tongued competition.
4. Being bilingual can give you access to greater financial potential
So you’re not swimming in the job searching sea with the rest of the crowd and instead own your own business. Well guess what! You can still benefit from learning Spanish. As previously mentioned, the Spanish-speaking market is huge. From being able to employ native Spanish-speakers, to selling in other markets, your potential for increased revenue is endless by simply opening up your conversational or even advanced Spanish-speaking skills. Even for employees who speak both English and Spanish fluently, your ability to relate to your staff and build trust and rapport through shared language is infinitely greater by learning Spanish. Imagine walking up to your Spanish-speaking staff at the water cooler with a “¿¡Qué onda, amigos!? ¿Qué tal se la pasaron este fin de semana?” Major points earned towards the “coolest boss ever” award.
While becoming advanced in Spanish is extremely helpful, conversational Spanish is enough to give you a cutting edge, too. It affords the opportunity to hire a trusted staff who is fluent, while allowing you to offer the type of inclusive work environment that will keep your employees feeling safe and loyal. After all, what is any business without its frontline workers and service staff?
Even if you aren’t a business owner, the benefits of learning Spanish apply to any level. Let’s say you have a 9-5 that keeps you plenty busy, but you’ve advanced your Spanish-speaking skills enough to do some interpreting. Freelance and contracted translation and interpretation work is almost always available. Why not earn some extra money with your newfound skill and learn about other industries while you’re at it? Let’s not forget how good it feels to be able to help others. Not being able to understand someone can be scary and frustrating, but having an interpreter present can provide security and confidence for those needing assistance. Even being able to help with a couple of sentences for someone at the checkout line can make you feel like a million bucks. I’ll take some of that!
5. Learning Spanish doubles your capacity for entertainment
Do we even need to elaborate on this one? Twice the movies, twice the memes, twice the Netflix (more to come on great Netflix shows for Spanish learners!). Learning Spanish allows you to develop a greater understanding for the lyrics to that trending Bad Bunny song, or read the bantering comments under a spicy Facebook post. It gives you the opportunity to read Gabriel García Márquez in both English and Spanish and bask in the similarities and differences between the two versions. It lets you enjoy a popular movie without having to read subtitles the entire way through. Learning Spanish opens up your world to not only consume more, but appreciate more. All things lost in translation are no longer lost when the need to translate is absent. Please excuse me while I go rewatch Tortilla Soup, *without* the subtitles.
6. Learning Spanish can help increase confidence in joining new social circles and learning about other cultures
We learn the most from those who are different from us, but how can we learn if we are constricted by language barriers? What kind of people could you meet if language wasn’t an issue? From friendships, to dating, and everything in between, the relationships to be formed by a bilingual or multilingual person are endless. The 2022 Cervantes Institute report states that nearly half a billion people worldwide are native Spanish-speakers and projects the United States to have the second largest Spanish-speaking population in the world behind Mexico by 2060⁵. That’s a whole lot of Spanish.
There’s no better time than the present to start your journey. The Spanish conversations and transactions that happen around us on a daily basis are only going to increase. Why not join in and meet some new people while you’re at it? Imagine the confidence you could have in being able to understand and converse in another language with others around you. It has even been proven that individuals often exhibit different personalities when speaking in different languages⁶. What do you think the Spanish-speaking version of you might be like? Only one way to find out!
Aside from meeting new people (and possibly even a new you), learning Spanish opens the door to a deeper understanding and appreciation of Spanish-speaking cultures beyond Taco Tuesday and margaritas. Experience from a clearer lens the soulful, emotional lyrics of a mariachi song, or the booming footwork and flying sparks of a machete dance. Travel the world and learn about the indigenous peoples of Latin America who shaped the many traditions that are still alive today. And if you’re not feeling that adventurous, at least you will know how to order from your favorite Spanish-speaking restaurants and hold conversations when the need should arise. If you’re lucky, you might even get an invite to a quinceañera or Día de los Muertos celebration along the way.
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Between the personal benefits that come with learning Spanish and the social and professional advantages, there are plenty of reasons to get started today. It can enrich your life and enhance the relationships you form while teaching you more about yourself along the way. Learning Spanish is equally selfless and selfish in the most exciting of ways. Take the plunge and see where it can take you. ¡Buena suerte!
Works Cited:
Fischer, C. E., & Schweizer, T. A. (2014, March). How does speaking another language reduce the risk of dementia? Taylor & Francis. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1586/14737175.2014.892831
Marian, V., & Shook, A. (2012, September). The cognitive benefits of being bilingual. Cerebrum : the Dana forum on brain science. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583091/
New American Economy Research Fund. (2019, July 23). Not lost in translation: U.S. Jobs Market Needs Foreign Language skills. https://research.newamericaneconomy.org/report/not-lost-in-translation-the-growing-importance-of-foreign-language-skills-in-the-u-s-job-market/
Zheng, Y., Denervaud, S., & Durrleman, S. (2023, January 6). Bilingualism and creativity across development: Evidence from divergent thinking and convergent thinking. Frontiers in human neuroscience. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9859714/#:~:text=Increasing%20evidence%20suggests%20that%20there,Sampedro%20and%20Pe%C3%B1a%2C%202019
Fernandez-Vitores, D. (2015, September 23). El español: una lengua viva 2022. CVC. El español: una lengua viva. https://cvc.cervantes.es/lengua/espanol_lengua_viva/pdf/espanol_lengua_viva_2022.pdf
Ramírez-Esparza, N., Gosling, S. D., Benet-Martínez, V., Potter, J. P., & Pennebaker, J. W. (2004, November 20). Do bilinguals have two personalities? A special case of cultural frame switching. Journal of Research in Personality. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656604000753?via%3Dihub
