One of the most valuable skills in the modern world is speaking foreign languages. In this article we will name the most famous ones and focus on advantages resulting from using them.
Which languages are the most popular?
It is estimated that there are about 6-7 thousand languages in the world. Ulrich Ammon from Düsseldorf University (Germany) carried out a study, that 2/3 of the world’s population uses 12 languages only. Chinese is the one that is on the first place with most users, on the second place is hindi or urdu, then – English, Arabic is on fourth place, fifth is Spanish. There are a lot of native speakers of: Bengali, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, German, French, or Italian. This data shows which languages are worth learning in order to communicate with the biggest number of people in the world. Of course, getting to know less popular languages can be a big fun too.
Which language is the most complicated one?
There is no easy answer to this question: which language is the most difficult to learn. Some have a complicated alphabet, other grammar, or pronunciation. The truth is that it is easier to learn a language which is similar to our own native language, as it belongs to the same language group. Language proficiency can be described with three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Beginner helps us with simple communication in everyday situations, intermediate means speaking and understanding well, stating opinions, but still making some mistakes, while advanced level means language proficiency just like native speakers. Reaching higher levels can take up to even a few years – it depends from learning intensity. Interestingly, our skills have nothing to do with how fast we can learn a language – motivation plays the biggest part – everyone of us was able to learn our native language. So why not learn a different one?
Why should we learn foreign languages?
It is easier for us to learn a language when we are up to twelve years old. Later it is harder to learn pronunciation (vocal organs get used to sounds characteristic for our own native language), or to acquire phrases and 
expressions. Adults usually try to memorize vocabulary and grammar, while for children it comes naturally. If we have children, it is advised to sign them up for language classes as early as possible. We should not hesitate as well to take up language classes, as knowledge of foreign languages:
– helps us find a better job, in or even outside of our country,
– broadens our knowledge of the world,
– makes us feel more self-confident while on the journey,
– develops our mind, thinking processes, creativity and imagination,
– helps us make new interesting international friendships,
– allows us to read books and watch films in their original form, as well as operate a lot of different devices,
– shows us that other people can have a different view on many matters and about the world,
– helps us perceive our native language from a distance with a new perspective.
What do we need to start learning a new language?
Most of all – motivation and patience. You can learn from all different sources. A good textbook and a reliable teacher, who can explain us all difficulties and encourage us to speak, should be a firm basis for a start. There are other sources that we can use, like Internet, newspapers, books, or films in their original language. The best solution is to take up intensive language classes or a journey abroad. In order to learn a new language, you need to invest in yourself, and to do that, you need to save some money or draw a small loan and repay it early. Speaking a new language fluently is a skill that will open new possibilities and stay with us for the rest of our life.
