Pandemic Hacks: Spare some time to learn a new language

Looks like we’re up for a very big holiday, so buckle up! Now is definitely not the time to be stressed all day and sleep all night. Rather, spend your invaluable time wisely for making the most out of it. Watch that movie you’ve kept shortlisted months back on Netflix, or play your favourite games, or make that delicious dish out of the recipe you’ve just discovered while scrolling through your feed. Think of any other ways you could spend your time on? Yep, you got it right-Re-read the title above. 

Learning a language is undoubtedly fun, but most importantly, it can open new doors of opportunities for some people in their career. It also allows individuals to be able to easily interpret and communicate with people of various cultures and to make connections with people overseas. Recent scientific research on the brain suggests that learning foreign languages makes students smarter overall.  Among its numerous benefits, it increases students’ mental focus, reading and writing abilities, and even improves mathematical skills.

Learning a foreign language is no easy task. It can prove to be both time consuming and troublesome for some. Cons aside, learning foreign languages have immense benefits of their own. Let’s glance at a few of the most popular languages for you to learn during the pandemic.

French

The second most widely-learned foreign language after English, French is the language for the job market, for organizations like UN, EU, NATO, Red Cross and so forth, as well as the “La langue de la culture” or the Language of Culture. It is the language of Zinedine Zidane, Marie Curie, Jules Verne, and of course, Napoleon Bonaparte. Also, if you’re looking forward to moving to Canada any time in the future, French is definitely the language to have a firm grasp on. Merci!

Spanish

There are over 400 million Spanish speakers world-wide. It is the second most-common language in the United States, which is home to a whopping 40 million native speakers. By learning it, you can travel to most Latin countries or other Spanish-speaking countries and really get to know the culture in depth. Furthermore, Spanish speakers are a huge demographic for companies to tap into, and research shows that some Spanish speaking countries have excellent business prospects. For instance, the Latin American market now has purchasing power of $1.5 trillion, according to Forbes, which makes Spanish speakers more valuable than ever to corporations.

Bonus tip: It also helps those who have watched or are willing to watch Netflix series such as Narcos and Money Heist.

German

Learn German if you wish to shift to Germany (obviously), and Austria and Switzerland too. Germany is the country of poets and thinkers – Das Land der Dichter und Denker. Furthermore, English, French and German are the three official working languages of the European Union. Learning German language isn’t too hard, as German and English share the same Germanic root. Not to mention, German consists of a rich culture and heritage as well.

Japanese

Understanding the Japanese language will open your eyes to Japanese history, martial arts, entertainment, culture and fashion, and of course, allow you to settle in Japan, one of the most clean, disciplined and progressing countries in Asia. Also, your proficiency in Japanese can be your stepping-stone to teaching English in Japanese high schools or even allow you to work permanently in most local Japanese organizations of the government.

There are tons of other languages that you can learn as well. Which language and how much of it you wish to learn depends entirely on your passion for learning as well as your purpose behind it. Some learn it for the culture and heritage, others for achieving necessary professional skills. Learning a new language can undoubtedly add a fresh new touch to your lives. So procrastinate not and spend your valuable time every day through learning a new language with passion and love.