How to Choose the Right Language to Learn?

Have you always wanted to study a foreign language? Picking the right tongue is an important decision that can improve your life. With so many great options, how do you choose a language to learn that is best for you?

It is one of the least discussed topics. Here, I will cover all the relevant criteria to help you on your journey to fluency!

There are infinite reasons to learn a language.

While it is a challenging task, there are several benefits associated with language acquisition.

Whatever may be your dream, speaking a new tongue can open the door to new possibilities as we advance.

Mastering a foreign language is not something that happens overnight.

Higher proficiency in any language requires time, dedication, enthusiasm, motivation, and persistence.

It is a tedious process and demands much practice.

I have written several articles on which language to study.

So, here I will not tell you what language you should learn.

Instead, I am covering the key factors to consider before choosing the right one.

5 Ways to Decide What Language You Should Learn

What is best for you may not be suitable for others since everyone has a different purpose.

Likewise, there’s no better or better language to study.

The best one depends on your goal.

It would help if you based your judgment on both objective and subjective criteria (that is, criteria that matter only to you personally).

It is impossible to list all the criteria relevant to all readers of this article.

Here, I will focus only on the significant factors involved in choosing a language.

1. Language Difficulty

Let’s face it. All languages are not equal.

Although none are simple, some are relatively the easiest languages to learn. In contrast, others require substantial time to reach a higher level of competency and become much harder.

Learning a language takes time, and it is not something that happens in a few days or weeks.

It is a complex process and demands serious commitment. There are, of course, many language techniques to make it manageable.

The difficulty of the language depends on several factors, including your mother tongue, your interests, any related languages you already know, the availability of study materials, and the language’s complexity.

Do you want something simple to start with before moving on to the tougher languages?

Are you a good language learner?

How much time do you have to study a new language?

Do you have any purpose in mind that you can reach by learning a particular language?

Ask yourself these questions, analyze them, and then judge properly.

For example, if your duration is only 1-2 years. Then, there is no point in picking difficult ones like Arabic, Farsi, Turkish, Polish, Hungarian, Finnish, or Cantonese.

There is no meaningful return if you quit halfway.

Instead, it would be best to consider one of the straightforward tongues, such as Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish, that you can pick and understand without straining.

Some people also seem to have a knack for studying languages and are naturally good at it.

If you enjoy challenges, have enough time and zeal to continue, and wish to learn something unique, try Mandarin, Japanese, or Korean.

There is a close relationship among languages because they share a common root or family tree.

For instance, if you speak Spanish, learning Portuguese will be a breeze.

Similarly, as a German speaker, you will find it comfortable to learn Dutch.

Furthermore, many researchers believe that children learn languages more easily than adults.

While it is correct to some extent, the most crucial point is that they have time to accomplish their language-learning goals.

So, choosing one of the hardest languages for them might not be the wrong decision at all.

2. Availability of the Language Resources

Is there any tutor or language school in your city?

Can you most easily find books and resources right now?

Is there a center in your area that offers foreign language tests?

Do you know people near you who speak the language?

Are you ready to shell out some extra money for expensive classes?

Every language is helpful in some ways, but you can only pick what is feasible for you.

The availability of supports such as audio lessons, books, instructors, speakers, language schools, and video tutorials plays a vital role in language learning.

If you’re learning popular ones, such as German, French, Spanish, Japanese, or Chinese, you’ll discover abundant study materials everywhere.

Even in small cities, educational institutions serve learners of these languages.

Now, think about one of the less commonly taught languages, such as Croatian, Dutch, Bahasa, Romanian, Filipino, Tibetan, or Scandinavian.

Resources are scarce for these less common languages. Moreover, even some in-demand foreign language courses are unavailable in every city.

Because of the limited choices of books, language teachers, or even speakers, the language learning process becomes challenging.

You can quickly become frustrated when you feel your progress is stagnating due to a lack of adequate resources.

So, before you begin your journey of language education, contemplate the resources you can get.

Of course, you can also move to a different city or purchase a few products or services to achieve your aim, but that will cost you some money.

3. Cultural Aspect and language that interests you

Is there any specific culture that stimulates you to learn the language associated with it?

Perhaps Italian culture is something that intrigues you, which is why you want to learn Italian.

It could be that you became attracted by K-Pop, K-Drama, K-Movies, or K-Food and got the enthusiasm to learn the Korean language.

Probably, awesome Japanese anime fascinates you, so you fancy the Japanese language.

Perhaps you wish to travel to France to learn French because you love the sound of its language.

The accents are too mellifluous to miss. No?

There is a profound connection between culture and language.

Culture is the heart and soul of any language.

It is nearly impossible to learn a new language properly without understanding the culture, customs, traditions, and history of the region where it originated.

For many people, a distinct culture is just plain delightful.

The language you love is the one whose culture amazes you so much that you’re ready to dedicate most of your time to learning it and spare no expense.

To summarize, you should follow your passion for a language and explore your interests and aspirations. The best language might be the one you always admired.

4. Moving abroad for study, work, or immigration

Choosing a language to learn is tedious. However, it would be easy to pick if you have a specific destination.

Consider where you see yourself in a few years.

Are you thinking of immigrating to Canada?

Then, take the French TEF or TCF test to gain bonus points for Quebec or Canada PR.

Perhaps you’re working in an import-export house that deals with sellers from China.

In that case, you already know that learning the Mandarin language can increase your pay and allow you to travel abroad.

Maybe you want to attend any university in Germany for an M.S. and become more employable after the program.

Well, learning German is a logical option!

Who knows, tomorrow, you might receive an assignment in Moscow. To get that, you need to have an elementary-level acquaintance with the Russian language.

First, you must look at the various reasons and plans from a learner’s viewpoint.

Your most beneficial language will differ from others.

Suppose your target country for jobs or study requires knowledge of any specific language. In that situation, you should select that language irrespective of its popularity.

It can be one of the possible criteria for choosing a language.

5. Career and Job Opportunities

Of all the questions I received about language choice, nearly 50% concerned career options and jobs that require languages.

There was a time when people learned as a hobby or went abroad.

Today, more students are thinking of careers in foreign languages.

As globalization marches on, language skills are a valuable addition to your resume, especially in some industries that deal with businesses with international footprints.

And if your sector or company does a lot of work in a particular region, pick that one.

You can’t know where your life or career will take you.

If you know a different language, you will still be in a better position to benefit from global job openings.

Choosing a language that explicitly matches your existing academic qualifications looks better. It can sometimes help you bypass language prerequisite requirements.

For example, the Engineering and Automobile sectors mix well with German or Japanese. Chinese is the top choice for Indian SMEs operating in the Chinese market.

If you wish to learn the Turkish language for whatever reason, let your mind and heart believe it, embrace it, and then make it happen.

Likewise, since most outsourcing work comes from the USA, Spanish is in high demand in the BPO industry.

Students in the aviation and tourism industries favor French. There is also a growing demand for Arabic learners seeking jobs in the Middle East.

The list is never-ending!

Some languages are more attractive to employers than others.

Besides English and your native tongue, French, Spanish, German, Japanese, and Chinese are popular among recruiters.

While knowing these languages won’t promise you a job, it will give your C.V. a much-needed competitive edge.

And, depending on the position, often a higher salary and incentives.

Many organizations also hire candidates who speak less commonly spoken languages because of their work or near-term expansion.

Since fewer applicants have such rare language abilities, your chances of becoming the “anointed one” for the work is almost, if not a guarantee.

Final Words on How to Choose a language to study

Mastering a language is never easy, but the benefits make it worthwhile.

How to choose a language and the reasons behind it could lie within you.

Consider all the scenarios — your future career path, interests, and aspirations.

If you carefully break down the importance and availability of each language you’re fascinated with. In that case, the most suitable fit for you will become apparent.

Remember, what is right for me might not be best for you. Only you can decide your destiny.

Some criteria, circumstances, factors, and reasons discussed above will help you decide.

If you’re still unsure or perplexed, you can always ask me in the comments below.