If you read this blog constantly, then you know that I've been learning French with Duolingo consistently for about a year and a half now. I always enjoyed French, right from primary school.This was partly due to my mom as she likes French too and even took classes for a while. I discovered Duolingo (honestly, they should come and sponsor me because I talk about them a lot on here) when I was in Year 11 or SS 2 as we call it in Nigeria and I was hooked. I was learning Italian and French but I wasn't consistent or anything. It was just for fun.
If you read this blog constantly, then you know that I've been learning French with Duolingo consistently for about a year and a half now. I always enjoyed French, right from primary school.This was partly due to my mom as she likes French too and even took classes for a while. I discovered Duolingo (honestly, they should come and sponsor me because I talk about them a lot on here) when I was in Year 11 or SS 2 as we call it in Nigeria and I was hooked. I was learning Italian and French but I wasn't consistent or anything. It was just for fun.
My plan was to take French as a fourth A-Level subject but that didn't happen. In hindsight, I'm so glad it didn't. I still wanted to learn French properly so sometime in 2016 I went back to Duolingo and started afresh. And I'm still at it up till now, slowly but steadily.
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I know we all have different interests and that some people would rather watch paint dry than attempt to learn a new language but I've come up with a list of reasons why you should consider it. And please bear in mind that learning doesn't always have to be 100% fluency.
Improved Job Prospects
I feel like this point is pretty obvious. Speaking more than one language makes more jobs in your chosen field accessible. Many times, there are jobs that you may feel you're perfect for but because you don't speak the language required, you have to pass it up. A person who speaks let's say English and French can apply for English speaking jobs as well as French-speaking ones, which increases your chances of landing at least one of them. This works especially well if the second language is popular in many countries so think of languages such as French, Spanish, Arabic and so on. Even with languages that are not as popular, it can still open doors for you career-wise. It's just that the opportunities won't be as wide as it would for a popular language.
Even if you're only interested in English speaking jobs, speaking multiple languages can give you an edge over others. I'm pretty sure that employers are impressed when they see that sort of thing on your CV.
Speaking more than one language can also help you bring in some extra income. Translators are always needed and if you're fluent in multiple languages, this could be a way for you to supplement what you already earn.
Helpful For Holidays
If you'll be going on holiday in 2018 to a country with a foreign language, you should consider learning a bit of the language to help. Nothing in depth of course but basic phrases and things you need to know to get by. I think that learning a bit of a language because you're visiting the area is a lot of fun. Last year, a friend of mine went to Morrocco. He and his friends were able to assimilate easily because he could speak and read a little bit of French. I'm nowhere close to being fluent in French but I know that if I was ever in a French-speaking environment I wouldn't feel 100% hopeless and the thought of that is very comforting.
Greater Education Prospects
I know that a lot of universities in Europe are free as long as you're able to speak the language. Some might not be free but you may end up paying a lot less. I recently read about a university in the French-speaking part of Canada where foreign students can learn in either English or French. Students in the French stream pay the same amount of tuition as Canadian students while those in the English stream are charged with the higher international fees.
My friend Maram speaks five languages fluently and when she was applying to universities, admission tutors were certainly impressed by this.
For The Fun Of It
If you genuinely enjoy learning new things and are looking for a new hobby this year, why not learn a language? You'll be doing something you enjoy and at the same time, it could be beneficial in the future.
And lastly, I just think it's really cool. I'm always impressed by people who speak multiple languages. And I'm not going to lie, I feel pretty cool when people tell me they're impressed that I'm learning a different language or when I'm able to read something in French and actually understand.
I remember the day I realized that Pret A Manger (the cafe) translates to 'ready to eat'. I was so happy that I could translate it. Maybe it's the nerd in me but such things excite me haha.
Lastly, I want to point out that you don't necessarily have to use Duolingo. I use Duolingo because I'm learning on my own and it's my favourite of all the language learning apps that I've tried. I know a lot of universities allow students learn a second language so that's something you should totally consider if you're still at uni. You can listen to podcasts, watch shows in the language you're trying to learn, hire a tutor and so on. There are a lot of ways to do this if you're interested.
If you read up to this point, you're a real one lol. Thank you for reading and I'll talk to you all in my next post! xx
My plan was to take French as a fourth A-Level subject but that didn't happen. In hindsight, I'm so glad it didn't. I still wanted to learn French properly so sometime in 2016 I went back to Duolingo and started afresh. And I'm still at it up till now, slowly but steadily.
![]() |
Source |
I know we all have different interests and that some people would rather watch paint dry than attempt to learn a new language but I've come up with a list of reasons why you should consider it. And please bear in mind that learning doesn't always have to be 100% fluency.
Improved Job Prospects
I feel like this point is pretty obvious. Speaking more than one language makes more jobs in your chosen field accessible. Many times, there are jobs that you may feel you're perfect for but because you don't speak the language required, you have to pass it up. A person who speaks let's say English and French can apply for English speaking jobs as well as French-speaking ones, which increases your chances of landing at least one of them. This works especially well if the second language is popular in many countries so think of languages such as French, Spanish, Arabic and so on. Even with languages that are not as popular, it can still open doors for you career-wise. It's just that the opportunities won't be as wide as it would for a popular language.
Even if you're only interested in English speaking jobs, speaking multiple languages can give you an edge over others. I'm pretty sure that employers are impressed when they see that sort of thing on your CV.
Speaking more than one language can also help you bring in some extra income. Translators are always needed and if you're fluent in multiple languages, this could be a way for you to supplement what you already earn.
Helpful For Holidays
If you'll be going on holiday in 2018 to a country with a foreign language, you should consider learning a bit of the language to help. Nothing in depth of course but basic phrases and things you need to know to get by. I think that learning a bit of a language because you're visiting the area is a lot of fun. Last year, a friend of mine went to Morrocco. He and his friends were able to assimilate easily because he could speak and read a little bit of French. I'm nowhere close to being fluent in French but I know that if I was ever in a French-speaking environment I wouldn't feel 100% hopeless and the thought of that is very comforting.
Greater Education Prospects
I know that a lot of universities in Europe are free as long as you're able to speak the language. Some might not be free but you may end up paying a lot less. I recently read about a university in the French-speaking part of Canada where foreign students can learn in either English or French. Students in the French stream pay the same amount of tuition as Canadian students while those in the English stream are charged with the higher international fees.
My friend Maram speaks five languages fluently and when she was applying to universities, admission tutors were certainly impressed by this.
For The Fun Of It
If you genuinely enjoy learning new things and are looking for a new hobby this year, why not learn a language? You'll be doing something you enjoy and at the same time, it could be beneficial in the future.
And lastly, I just think it's really cool. I'm always impressed by people who speak multiple languages. And I'm not going to lie, I feel pretty cool when people tell me they're impressed that I'm learning a different language or when I'm able to read something in French and actually understand.
I remember the day I realized that Pret A Manger (the cafe) translates to 'ready to eat'. I was so happy that I could translate it. Maybe it's the nerd in me but such things excite me haha.
Lastly, I want to point out that you don't necessarily have to use Duolingo. I use Duolingo because I'm learning on my own and it's my favourite of all the language learning apps that I've tried. I know a lot of universities allow students learn a second language so that's something you should totally consider if you're still at uni. You can listen to podcasts, watch shows in the language you're trying to learn, hire a tutor and so on. There are a lot of ways to do this if you're interested.
If you read up to this point, you're a real one lol. Thank you for reading and I'll talk to you all in my next post! xx
Learning a new language sounds like a lot of fun.
ReplyDeletehttps://sugarcoatedbears.blogspot.com/
It's fun and challenging at the same time! xx
DeleteI love Duolingo, I used to use it to learn french and it was so helpful. I love learning parts of new languages, it's so difficult so it's something to be proud of, great post!
ReplyDeleteLydia
http://www.lydstaple.co.uk
I agree! It can be quite challenging but so rewarding when you get it. It makes me feel so accomplished haha! xx
DeleteI love Duolingo! I am also teaching myself french with it :D
ReplyDeleteNicole x
That's awesome Nicole! Good luck with it :)
DeleteI wish I took my french classes seriously several years ago. I've tried Duolingo in the past but I'm not sure why I stopped. This is a beautiful post, well done!
ReplyDeletewww.zinnyfactor.com
Aw thank you Zinny! You could try one more time just to see if it floats your boat :)
DeleteI love Duolingo. Currently unsure if I want to focus on spanish or french. I have been doing a little bit of both. I do want spanish cos i want to do some mission work in south America. But Duolingo is awesome for a free app.
ReplyDeleteThey're both awesome languages. Mission work is amazing and if you're going to South America then Spanish is certainly very beneficial! xx
DeleteNever knew that about Europe but I've always wanted to learn a new language to boost my CV. Unfortunately however, languages are not my thing, I can barely speak my own indigenous language.
ReplyDeletePrincess Audu
Haha, that's fair enough. Thanks for stopping by Sarah :)
DeleteI actually made learning German one of my 2018 resolutions because many of my friends studied it as sixth form and it always seemed like such a fun language to learn, and given that I already speak two fluently, it would be pretty cool to know a third. As well as helping job/educational prospects, I think that learning a language, in particular if you are doing it by yourself, involves so many transferrable skills and in general improves your mental agility. I loved reading this post and can for sure agree with everything you've said!
ReplyDeletemaria | http://whatismaria.com
You speak two languages already? That's awesome! I agree with you totally, it does have a lot of transferable skills. I'm glad you pointed that out. Aw thanks for reading Maria, glad you liked it! xx
DeleteI would love to speak another language, I just hate going on holiday and having to ask emm.. do you speak english?
ReplyDeleteVanessa x | www.springlilies.com
Hahaha that can be so frustrating at times eh? Thanks Vanessa! :)
DeleteI am just hearing about Duolingo and I am about to download it right away! Thank you for this enlightening post.
ReplyDeletewww.lifestyleoreoluwa.com
Yay, I'm so glad you're going to try it. It's been really helpful, I hope you feel the same way. Thank you for stopping by! xx
DeleteThis is an amazing app...
ReplyDeleteGreat review.
xx
https://theonethattravels.wordpress.com/
Thank you :)
DeleteI would love to learn a new language! I used to listen to language CDs in my car haha. It was such a great way to pass the time and learn something new!
ReplyDelete-Emily www.coatandcoffee.com
I actually really like the idea of a language CD, sounds pretty effective. Thank you Emily :)
DeleteI totally agree that learning another language is always a good thing to do. I went through a stage for a couple of weeks of practicing French with Duolingo, but it tapered off and then I just stopped. I've always wanted to learn French though, because it's a great skill to have, and because it's important to challenge yourself sometimes and work away on a personal goal because they're so satisfying when you achieve them, so good on you for doing it!
ReplyDeletelittlehenrylee.net
Amen to that. Nothing feels better than setting up a personal goal for yourself and then achieving it no matter how challenging it was. Thanks for stopping by! :)
DeleteOh wow this is so cool. I wanted to learn (out of languages) French too since I was in uni. I even bought a beginner's book but this duolingo would be more fun and helpful. Thanks for inspiring me to continue this again especially that I'm planning to visit Paris. How exciting :)
ReplyDeletewww.busyandfab.com
Aww I'm so glad that I could help you, I hope you've enjoyed Duolingo so far and how exciting that you're going to Paris. Thank you Mercy! xx
DeleteThat's cool. I like your blog. Go to my blog http://alamodenatine.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteThank you Kristine! xx
DeleteIt's a great resolution to have for the new year! I had some colleagues teach me a little of their language and I'd love to try learn more, I just don't have a lot of time now with two toddler,s haha! Maybe when they are bigger :)
ReplyDeleteHope that you are having a lovely weekend! Another extreme weather weekend here. So hot, we are staying near the air conditioner.
Away From The Blue Blog
Aww I can imagine! Yes, maybe when they're bigger. Thanks for stopping by Mica :)
DeleteLearning Turkish is something I’ve always wanted especially because I’m school in Cyprus and that’s their national language so I started with Duolingo as well and I was listening to some podcasts too then I don’t know what happened lol. My Turkish is still pretty much beginners and I have just a year left here but I like to think I’ll still continue learning it even after graduating
ReplyDeleteI hope your French improves as much as you want it to this year and HAPPY NEW YEAR ( even if I’m a few days late lol, I’ve just been very tired lately )
www.adoseoftola.wordpress.com
Oh I didn't know that Turkish was also spoken in Cyprus, that's cool! I hope you're able to pick it up again. Haha thank you babes and happy new year to you too. Hope you're feeling better! xx
DeleteThis is an interesting post. I'm bilingual and agree with a lot of things you wrote. I'd love to learn one (or more) languages -mostly for professional reasons because I chose a career that involves lots of travel. Your mention of Duolingo is giving me some ideas... How do you like it? How often do you use it? Would you recommend it? || www.lorikemi.com
ReplyDeleteOh how lovely, I bet you go to fun places all the time! I really like Duolingo. It's been very helpful with my reading and writing but not so much with the speaking. I use it everyday and yes, I would recommend it. I'm always recommending it haha! xx
DeleteI can't thank you enough for this post! I always love when people promote the learning of languages. It's such a useful skill to have, and learning a language can teach you so much about your own. I mean, learning English has given me so many amazing opportunities - I left France to live in England, and would never have done it if it wasn't for my love of the language. This is an awesome post, thank you!
ReplyDeleteJulia x
www.juliaspeaksbeauty.blogspot.co.uk
Aww thank you so much Julia! It warms my heart that you think so highly of this post, thank you so much. Language learning is so much fun in my opinion and I'm happy to talk about it on here. I'm glad you're living out your dreams, thank you :)
DeleteI've always wanted to learn Chinese.
ReplyDeleteOkay... It's official.. I'm learning Chinese. This is like the second post I'm seeing on learning a new language and I feel the universe is speaking to me ๐๐
Off to get the Duolingo...
Nice post love
www.girleccentric.wordpress.com
Yes girl, it's definitely a sign from the universe! Good luck with and thank you for stopping by ! <3
DeleteYou just inspired me to learn a new language. Signing up now. Thank You!
ReplyDeleteYay, that's awesome! Good luck with it :)
Delete