The world is going multilingual, with more than half the population being able to speak at least two languages, making those of us who speak only our native language missing out. There’s a common myth that the older you get, the harder it is to learn something new. While this is partly true, it’s not always accurate. When it comes to learning a new language, even if you’re already in your fifties, you can learn just as fast as a young person, or perhaps even quicker!

In fact, adults hold numerous advantages over young people when it comes to learning a new language. So, let’s debunk this myth together. Here are the top 5 advantages of learning a new language as an adult.

1. Adults are fast learners

While it is commonly assumed that children learn languages faster, this is only because that language is constantly integrated into their lives every day, and they have little to no responsibilities to worry about. In reality, adults can learn just as fast as children. If you take time off work and dedicate your time to learning, it’s easier for you to pick up a language as compared to a child.

This can also be attributed to the fact that adults have more expansive vocabulary banks than children, thus being able to pick up more words and phrases than children. Because of their greater understanding of sentence structures, they are able to juxtapose the new language with their native language and understand better, making learning better.

2. You have the ability to move around

When you’re young, you can’t benefit from mobility to learn as you are always under your parents. But as an adult, you can choose what and where you want to learn. You can even decide to travel to a place where your chosen language is spoken, to familiarise yourself with the language and meet native speakers. Buying local books and magazines written in that particular language can aid expand your vocabulary too. Usually, adults struggle with pronunciation, but being around people who have spoken that language their whole lives can be really beneficial.

This helps you notice and appreciate the deeper parts of a language, like social cues and various cultural nuances that you can’t find in a book. For instance, if you’re keen on learning Korean, travel to Korea and sign up for a learning class where you get to socialise with locals and master Korean.

3. Learning a new language keeps you healthy

As crazy as this sounds, a study conducted in India found that bilingual people are twice as likely to recover from a stroke than monolingual people. Studies have also shown that bilingual patients who suffer from dementia only show symptoms about four and a half years later, as compared to monolingual patients.

One explanation for this is the fact that by learning a language, you strengthen your brain’s neurons and enhance your memory’s capacity. This, therefore, leads to delayed symptoms for dementia and other related diseases. On top of that, being bilingual helps to keep you mentally fit because it stimulates and exercises your mind. Learning a new language can be the key to a healthier living as it exercises the mind, just as much as how jogging exercises the body.

4. Adults are more motivated

In most cases, kids don’t have much of a choice when it comes to learning the desired language. Parents have full control over making kids learn a certain language, and despite the goal to raise their kids bilingual, there is little to no passion and drive as the child is being forced to learn.

On the other hand, as an adult, you get to choose your desired language. Whether it’s to give you a boost in your career, or just out of your curiosity about other cultures, it’s entirely up to you! The more passionate you are about something, the more motivated you become, and thus, the more likely you are to succeed.

As an adult, you have more learning opportunities at your disposal, and this serves as an excellent source of motivation. You can consider signing up for online learning classes, which are easily and readily available. Online classes go a long way as you can meet new people from all walks of life while picking up a language. For instance, our online Korean lessons are a great example of how you can easily learn various languages online. Additionally, you can attend local meetings with people who are also learning and speaking that language in your community.

5. The vast business opportunities it carries

In this interconnected world we live in, it’s no secret that being bilingual can significantly increase your chances of becoming prominent in the business world. Your ability to speak multiple languages can be the defining factor in how far you can go in the hierarchy in your workplace.

Bilingualism makes you stand out among others. Not only will your resume stand out, but it puts you at the forefront for international business affairs. You will also be given priority when it comes to jobs that require bilingual workers, widening your career opportunities.

Ready to start?

Evidently, learning a new language as an adult can be very profitable. Not only does it widen your business opportunities and keeps you healthy, but it also opens up new doors you have never encountered.

Therefore, make the right decision and sign up for Korean classes with us today! As one of the best Korean language schools in Singapore, our highly-skilled and qualified native teachers will be there to guide you every step of the way.