Reasons to Study Spanish

Eugenio González

by Eugenio González

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Learning a language is an amazing experience but deciding what language to learn can be tough. If you are debating whether you want to study Spanish or not, I have come up with a few reasons to study Spanish. 

Full transparency: I want to convince you to study Spanish! 

Yes, I think Spanish is a wonderful and extremely useful language. But you need to see the reasons to study Spanish yourself so you can decide if Spanish is worth learning

Reason 1: Spanish is spoken by over 500 million people

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Almost all of Latin America speaks Spanish and including Spain, there’s 20 countries that speak Spanish. That makes Spanish one of the most widely spoken languages in the world with over 550 million Spanish speakers. 

Think about this reason to study Spanish: you’ll be able to interact with over half a billion people. It’s just wild that one language can open the door to so many people and so many cultures. 

Reason 2: Spanish is easy to study and learn

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I feel like I always repeat this but it’s true. Spanish is perhaps one of the easiest languages to learn for English speakers. The US government thinks so. 

Even if studying Spanish were a bit harder, it’s so widely used that it is much easier to find places to practice it. You probably have a store a few minutes from your home where someone there speaks Spanish and you could interact with. 

One reason Spanish is easy to study for English speakers is that it shares a lot in common with English. Pluralization works the same, there are a lot of words that are remarkably similar (cognates), it has the same alphabet, and it’s a very phonetic language. Almost all of what you read is pronounced the way it's spelled, so you’re not left guessing what word people are saying. 

Reason 3: Spanish will open doors

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Studying Spanish can give you several opportunities to do things you otherwise wouldn’t have done. It opens the door to new adventures: meeting new friends, volunteering in Latin America, helping others with their English. 

For me, speaking a second language gave me the opportunity to work in a new country. For you, that open door may be different, but gaining this new skill will lead to new doors full of adventure and opportunity. 

Reason 4: Spanish can help your career

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There are numerous fields that require knowing a second language: hospitality, law enforcement, medicine, international business, among others. If you are thinking of going into a field that requires a second language, this is a reason to study Spanish. 

In the US, the Spanish population is growing quite fast. Every day, Spanish is becoming more and more relevant in the workplace. The number of Spanish speakers in the US is much higher than many Latin American countries and even rivals Spain itself

Reason 5: Studying Spanish builds discipline

This reason to study Spanish is applicable to any second language. The truth is that no matter how easy or hard a language is, you need discipline. Discipline to study Spanish, practice it, and perfect it. 

While it is hard to set an hour of your day to studying Spanish after a long day of work, doing so builds discipline and tenacity. In the long run, it will become easier and easier to push yourself to do more in any area of your life because you’ve built discipline.

Reason 6: Spanish as a second language helps your brain

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This reason to study Spanish is more universal and applies to any second language. 

Research has shown that speaking a second language actually changes your brain and makes you think differently. You are able to focus more, because your brain knows when not to speak a language. 

Sounds strange but knowing when to not speak one language and speak another is a difficult skill that enhances your ability to focus overall.

Some studies have also shown that consistently using two languages can help diminish the effect of Alzheimer’s, another great reason to study Spanish. 

Reason 7: Spanish is the 2nd most spoken language in the USA

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Spanish is the 2nd most spoken language in the USA, with over 41.8 million residents speaking Spanish at home as of 2019, according to the Census Bureau. That is over 13% of the population and 62% of 2nd language speakers. 

If you are from the states, this is a great reason to study Spanish. Since so many people speak it, it is much easier to practice and it also comes in handy way more often than other languages.

For people going into fields that require a lot of interaction with people, like medicine, police, and customer service, speaking Spanish in the US will give more options to interact with those customers. 

Reason 8: Spanish movies and music will be understandable

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Spanish in pop culture has become more and more prevalent. There’s probably a few songs, shows, and movies you already know but don’t quite understand.

A reason to study Spanish is that you will be able to understand all these songs and movies. Plus, you will be able to explore even more arts in Spanish and read great Spanish novels. 

Maybe you won’t start reading Don Quixote right away, but hey, eventually you will! 

Reason 9: Spanish teaches you about many cultures

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Spanish is spoken in 20 countries, each with its unique culture. Studying Spanish teaches you about so many diverse cultures that share a common language. Argentina, Spain, Mexico, Guatemala, Chile, Peru all united by Spanish but so different to each other. 

While the accent and Spanish varies by region, you will still be able to explore any of these countries and get to know their people, food, and customs. If you’re up for adventure, the exposure to so many cultures is a great reason to study Spanish.

Reason 10: Studying Spanish will challenge you

Even though Spanish is one of the easier languages to learn for English speakers, it will still challenge you. But if you are like me and love a good challenge, this is a great reason to study Spanish. 

When you challenge yourself, you push to new limits you didn’t think you could achieve. I never imagined I could work in a foreign country, in a foreign language, until I did. Learning a foreign language helped me challenge myself and realize that if I do it, I’ll figure it out. 

Getting a job in a language that I didn’t dominate was tough, but it was amazing. You never know how far you can go until you challenge yourself.  

Reason 11: Spanish will expose you to new people and friends

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Just as Spanish exposes you to new cultures, it also opens the door to lifelong friendships. Be it from a Spanish course abroad, a Spanish immersion holiday, or just from traveling to Latin America, you will make new friends as you study Spanish. 

When you travel to a Spanish speaking country, you’ll realize how much people appreciate you speaking their language. When you show someone that you have a desire to learn and become fluent in their language, they go out of their way to help you. 

Reason 12: Spanish speaking countries have delicious food

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For you foodies out there, this is a key reason to study Spanish. Spanish speaking countries really have delicious food. Being able to travel there and order like a local will give you an opportunity to try amazing dishes from around Latin America and Spain. 

My personal favorite is from Mexico, Mole Negro. It’s a delicious marinade and sauce, a bit similar to curry, but made from a number of chiles, nuts, and cocoa. The most popular mole is from Oaxaca, which also happens to be a fantastic spot to study Spanish abroad

Where to Study Spanish

If you want to study Spanish, you can start today by taking Spanish lessons online. LangAway partners with schools across Latin America to deliver professional Spanish lessons at affordable prices, starting at $8 dollars per hour. See our online Spanish courses. 

Another great option is to take a Spanish course abroad. Our partner schools have years of experience teaching Spanish. In two weeks you can learn a lot and make great leaps with your Spanish! Check out our Spanish schools here.

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